the deliverance-第34部分

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　little　platform　beyond　the　back　door；　and　going　out；　he　found　her　standing　pale　and　tearful　on　the　kitchen　threshold。　Looking　beyond　her；　he　saw　that　Lila　and　Tucker　were　in　the　room；　and　from　the　intense　and　resolute　expression　in　the　younger　sister's　face　he　judged　that　she　was　the　central　figure　in　what　appeared　to　be　a　disturbing　scene。

〃Christopher；　you　can't　imagine　what　has　happened；〃　Cynthia　began　in　her　beautiful；　tragic　voice。　〃Lila　went　to　church　yesterday　with　whom；　do　you　suppose？〃

Christopher　thought　for　a　moment。

〃Not　with　Bill　Fletcher？〃　he　gave　out　at　last。

〃Come；　come；　now；　it's　a　long　ways　better　than　that；　you'll　admit；　Cynthia；〃　broke　in　Tucker；　with　a　peaceful　intention。　〃I　can't　help　reminding　you；　my　dear；　to　be　thankful　that　it　wasn't　so　unlikely　a　person　as　Bill　Fletcher。〃

With　a　decisive　gesture　such　as　he　had　never　believed　her　capable　of；　Lila　came　up　to　Christopher　and　stood　facing　him　with　beaming　eyes。　He　had　never　before　seen　her　so　lovely；　and　he　realised　at　the　instant　that　it　was　this　she　had　always　needed　to　complete　her　beauty。　From　something　merely　white　and　warm　and　delicate　she　had　become　suddenly　as　radiant　as　a　flame。

〃I　went　with　Jim　Weatherby；　Christopher；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃and　I'm　not　ashamed　of　it。〃

The　admission　wrung　a　short　groan　from　Cynthia；　who　stood　twisting　her　gingham　apron　tightly　about　her　fingers。

〃Oh；　Lila；　who　was　his　grandfather？〃　she　cried。　〃Well；　there's　this　thing　certain；　she　doesn't　want　to　marry　his　grandfather；〃　put　in　Tucker；　undaunted　by　the　failure　of　his　former　attempts　at　peace…making。　〃Not　that　I　have　anything　against　the　old　chap；　for　that　matter；　he　was　an　honest；　well…behaved　old　body；　and　used　to　mend　my　boots　for　me　up　to　the　day　of　his　death。　Jim　gets　his　handy　ways　from　him；　I　reckon。〃

Cynthia　turned　upon　him　angrily。

〃Uncle　Tucker；　you　will　drive　me　mad；〃　she　exclaimed；　the　tears　starting　to　her　lashes。　〃It　does　seem　to　me　that　you；　at　least；　might　show　some　consideration　for　the　family　name。　It's　all　we've　left。〃

〃And　it's　a　good　enough　relic　in　its　way；〃　returned　Tucker　amicably；　〃though　if　you　are　going　to　make　a　business　of　sacrificing　yourself；　for　heaven's　sake　let　it　be　for　something　bigger　than　a　relic。　A　live　neighbour　is　a　much　better　thing　to　make　sacrifices　for　than　a　dead　grandfather。〃

〃I　don't　care　one　bit　what　his　grandfather　was　or　whether　he　ever　had　any　or　not！〃　cried　Lila；　in　an　outburst　of　indignation；　〃and　more　than　that；　I　don't　care　what　mine　was；　either。　I　am　going　to　marry　himI　amI　am！　Don't　look　at　me　like　that；　Cynthia。　Do　you　want　to　spoil　my　whole　life？〃

Cynthia　threw　out　her　hands　with　a　despairing　grasp　of　the　air；　as　if　she　were　reaching　for　the　broken　remnants　of　the　family　pride。　〃To　marry　a　Weatherby！〃　she　gasped。　〃Oh；　mother！　mother！　Lila；　is　it　possible　that　you　can　be　so　selfish？〃　But　Lila　had　won　her　freedom　too　dearly　to　surrender　it　to　an　appeal。

〃I　want　to　be　selfish；〃　she　said　stubbornly。　〃I　have　never　been　selfish　in　my　life；　and　I　want　to　see　what　it　feels　like。　Oh；　you　are　cruel；　all　of　you；　and　you　will　break　my　heart。〃

Christopher's　face　paled　and　grew　stern。

〃We　must　all　think　of　mother's　wishes；　Lila；〃　he　said　gravely。

For　the　first　time　the　girl　lost　her　high　fortitude；　and　a　babyish　quiver　shook　her　lips。　Her　glance　wavered　and　fell；　and　with　a　pathetic　gesture　she　turned　from　Christopher　to　Cynthia　and　from　Cynthia　to　Tucker。

〃Oh；　you　can't　understand；　Christopher！〃　she　cried；　〃you　have　never　been　in　love；　nor　has　Cynthia。　None　of　you　can　understand　but　Uncle　Tucker！〃

She　ran　to　him　sobbing；　and　he；　steadying　himself　on　a　single　crutch；　folded　his　arm　about　her。

〃I　understand；　child；　thank　God；〃　he　said　softly。



CHAPTER　II。　Between　Christopher　and　Will

An　hour　later　Christopher　was　at　work　in　the　stable；　when　he　heard　a　careless　whistle　outside；　and　Will　Fletcher　looked　in　at　the　open　door。

〃I　say；　Chris；　take　a　turn　off　and　come　down　to　Tom　Spade's；〃　he　urged。

Christopher；　who　was　descending　from　the　loft　with　an　armful　of　straw；　paused　midway　of　the　ladder　and　regarded　his　visitor　with　perceptible　hesitation。

〃I　can't　this　evening；〃　he　answered；　〃the　light　is　almost　gone；　and　I've　a　good　deal　to　get　through　with　after　dark。　I'll　manage　better　to…morrow；　if　I　can。　By　the　way；　why　didn't　you　show　up　at　Weatherby's？〃

Will　came　in　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　a　big　wooden　box　which　contained　the　harness。　In　the　four　years　he　had　changed　but　little　in　appearance；　though　his　slim　figure　had　shot　up　rapidly　in　height。　His　chestnut　hair　grew　in　high　peaks　from　his　temples　and　swept　in　a　single　lock　above　his　small；　sparkling　eyes；　which　held　an　expression　of　intelligent　animation。　On　the　whole；　it　was　not　an　unpleasing　face；　despite　the　tremulous　droop　of　the　mouth；　already　darkened　by　the　faint　beginning　of　a　brown　mustache。

〃Oh；　Molly　Peterkin　stopped　me　in　the　road；〃　he　replied　readily。　〃I'd　caught　her　eye　once　or　twice　before；　but　this　was　the　first　chance　we'd　had　to　speak。　I　tell　you　she's　a　peach；　Christopher。〃

Christopher　came　down　from　the　ladder　and　spread　the　straw　evenly　in　the　horses'　stalls。

〃So　they　say；〃　he　responded；　〃but　I　haven't　much　of　an　eye　for　women；　you　know。　Now；　when　it　comes　to　judging　a　leaf　of　tobacco；　I'm　a　match　for　any　man。〃

〃Well；　one　can't　be　everything；〃　remarked　Will　consolingly。　He　snatched　at　a　piece　of　straw　that　had　fallen　on　the　lowest　rung　of　the　ladder　and　began　idly　chewing　it。　〃As　for　me　I　know　a　blamed　sight　more　about　women　than　I　do　about　tobacco；〃　he　added；　with　a　swagger。

Christopher　glanced　up；　and　at　sight　of　the　boyish　figure　burst　into　a　hearty　laugh。

〃Oh；　you're　a　jolly　old　sport；　I　know；　and　to　think　that　Tom　Spade　has　been　accusing　me　of　leading　you　astray！　Why；　you　are　already　twice　the　man　that　I　am。〃

〃Pshaw！　That's　just　grandpa's　chatter！　The　old　man　rails　at　me　day　and　night　about　you　until　it's　a　mortal　wonder　he　doesn't　drive　me　to　the　dogs　outright。　I'd　like　to　see　another　fellow　that　would　put　up　with　it　for　a　week。　Captain　Morrison　told　him；　you　know；　that　I　hadn't　done　a　peg　of　study　for　a　year；　and　it　brought　on　a　scene　that　almost　shook　the　roof。　Now　he　swears　I'm　to　go　to　the　university　next　fall　or　hang。〃

〃Well；　I'd　go；　by　all　means。〃

〃What　under　heaven　could　I　do　there？　All　those　confounded　languages　Morrison　poured　into　my　head　haven't　left　so　much　as　a　single　letter　of　the　alphabet。　Ad　nauseam　is　all　I　learned　of　Latin。　I　tell　you　I'd　rather　be　a　storekeeper　any　time　than　a　scholarbooks　make　me　sick　all　overand；　when　it　comes　to　that；　I　don't　believe　I　know　much　more　to…day　than　you　do。〃

A　smile　crossed　Christopher's　face；　leaving　it　very　grim。　The　words　recalled　to　him　his　own　earlier　ambitionthat　of　the　gentlemanly　scholar　of　the　old　orderand　there　flickered　before　his　eyes　the　visionary　library；　suffused　with　firelight；　and　the　translation　of　the　〃Iliad〃　he　had　meant　to　finish。

〃I　always　told　you　it　wasn't　worth　anything；〃　he　said　roughly。　〃She'd　love　you　any　better　if　you　could　spurt　Greek？〃

Will　broke　into　a　pleased　laugh；　his　mind　dwelling　upon　the　fancy　the　other　had　conjured　up　so　skilfully。

〃Did　you　ever　see　such　lips　in　your　life？〃　he　inquired。

Christopher　shook　his　head。　〃I　haven't　noticed　them；　but　Sol's　have　a　way　of　sticking　in　my　memory。〃

〃Oh；　you　brute！　It's　a　shame　that　she　should　have　such　a　father。　He's　about　the　worst　I　ever　met。〃

〃Some　think　the　shame　is　on　the　other　side；　you　know。〃

〃That's　a　lieshe　told　me　so。　Fred　Turner　started　the　whole　thing　because　she　refused　to　marry　him　at　the　last　moment。　She　found　out　suddenly　that　she　wasn't　in　love　with　him。　Girls　are　like　that；　you　see。　Why；　Maria〃　Christopher　looked　up　quickly。　〃I've　nothing　to　do　with　your　sister；〃　he　observed。　〃I　know　that；　but　it's　true；　all　the　same。　Maria　couldn't　tell　her　own　mind　any　better。　Why；　one　day　she　was　declaring　that　she　was　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　Jack；　and　the　next　she　was　wringing　her　hands　and　begging　him　to　go　away。〃　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　down　at　the　store？〃　asked　Christopher　abruptly。　〃Oh；　nothing　in　particularjust　lounge；　I　suppose；　there's　never　anything　to　do。　By　the　way；　can't　we　have　a　hunt　to…morrow？〃　〃I'll　see　about　it。　Look　here；　is　your　grandfather　any　worse　than　usual？　He　stormed　at　me　like　mad　yesterday　because　I　wouldn't　turn　my　team　of　oxen　out　of　the　road。〃　〃It's　like　blasting　rock　to　get　a　decent　word　out　of　him。　The　only　time　he's　been　good…humoured　for　four　years　was　the　week　we　were　away　together。　He　offered　me　five　thousand　dollars　down　if　I'd　never　speak　to　you　again。〃　〃You　don't　say　so！〃　exclaimed　Christopher。　He　bent　his　head　and　stood　looking　thoughtfully　at　the　matted　straw　under　foot。　〃Well；　you　had　a　chance　to　turn　a　pretty　penny；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　gentle　raillery。　〃Oh；　hang　it！　What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　Will。　〃Of　course；　I　wasn't　going　back　on　you　like　that　just　to　please　grandpa。　I'd　have　been　a　confounded　sneak　if　I　had！〃　〃You're　a　jolly　good　chap　and　no　mistake！　But　the　old　man　would　have　been　pleased；　I　reckon？〃　Will　grinned。

〃You　bet　he　would！　I　could　twist　him　round　my　finger　but　for　you；　Aunt　Saidie　says。〃　〃It　will　be　all　the　same　in　the　end；　though。　The　whole　thing　will　come　to　you　some　day。〃　〃Oh；　yes。　Maria　got　her　share；　and　Wyndham　has　made　ducks　and　drakes　of　it。〃　〃Your　grandfather's　aging；　too；　isn't　he？〃

〃Rather；〃　returned　Will；　with　a　curious　mixture　of　amiable　lightness　and　cool　brutality。　〃He's　gone　off　at　least　twenty　years　since　that　time　I　had　pneumonia　in　your　barn。　That　wrecked　him；　Aunt　Saidie　says；　and　all　because　he　knew　he'd　have　to　put　up　with　you　when　the　doctor　told　him　to　let　me　have　my　way。　His　temper　gets　worse；　too；　all　the　time。　I　declare；　he　sometimes　makes　me　wish　he　were　dead　and　buried。〃　〃Oh；　he'll　live　long　enough　yet；　never　fearthose　wiry；　cross…grained　people　are　as　tough　as　lightwood　knots。　It's　a　pity；　though；　he　wants　to　bully　you　like　thatit　would　kill　me　in　a　day。〃　A　flush　mounted　to　Will's　forehead。　〃I　knew　you'd　think　so；〃　he　said；　〃and　it's　what　I　tell　him　all　the　time。　He's　got　no　business　meddling　with　me　so　much；　and　I　won't　stand　it。〃　〃He　ought　to　get　a　dog；〃　suggested　Christopher　indifferently。　〃We