the deliverance-第36部分

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d；　or　buried　without　a　woman　gittin'　herself　mixed　up　in　the　business。　If　she　ain't　wrappin'　you　in　swaddlin'　bands；　you　may　be　sho'　she's　measurin'　off　yo'　windin'…sheet。　Mark　my　words；　Mr。　Christopher；　I　don't　believe　thar's　ever　been　a　fight　fought　on　this　earthbe　it　a　battle　or　a　plain　fisticuffthat　it　warn't　started　in　the　brain　of　somebody's　mother；　wife；　or　sweetheart　an'　it's　most　likely　to　have　been　the　sweetheart。　It　is　strange；　when　you　come　to　study　'bout　it；　how　sech　peaceable…lookin'　creaturs　as　women　kin　have　sech　hearty　appetites　for　trouble。〃

〃Well；　trouble　may　be　born　of　a　woman；　but　it　generally　manages　to　take　the　shape　of　a　man；〃　observed　Mrs。　Spade　from　behind　the　counter；　where　she　was　filling　a　big　glass　jar　with　a　fresh　supply　of　striped　peppermint　candy。　〃And　as　far　as　that　goes；　ever　sence　the　Garden　of　Eden；　men　have　taken　a　good　deal　mo'　pleasure　in　layin'　the　blame　on　thar　wives　than　they　do　in　layin'　blows　on　the　devil。　It's　a　fortunate　woman　that　don't　wake　up　the　day　after　the　weddin'　an'　find　she's　married　an　Adam　instid　of　a　man。　However；　they　are　as　the　Lord　made　'em；　I　reckon；〃　she　finished　charitably；　〃which　ain't　so　much　to　thar　credit　as　it　sounds；　seein'　they　could　have　done　over　sech　a　po'　job　with　precious　little　trouble。〃

〃Oh；　I　warn't　aimin'　at　you；　Susan；〃　Tom　hastened　to　assure　her；　aware　from　experience　that　he　entered　an　argument　only　to　be　worsted。　〃You've　been　a　good　wife　to　me；　for　all　yo'　sharp　tongue；　an'　I've　never　had　to　git　up　an'　light　the　fire　sence　the　day　I　married　you。　Yes；　you've　been　a　first…rate　wife　to　me；　an'　no　mistake。〃

〃I'm　the　last　person　you　need　tell　that　to；〃　was　Mrs。　Spade's　retort。　〃I　don't　reckon　I've　b'iled　inside　an'　sweated　outside　for　mo'　than　twenty　years　without　knowin'　it。　Lord！　Lord！　If　it　took　as　hard　work　to　be　a　Christian　as　it　does　to　be　a　wife；　thar'd　be　mighty　few　but　men　in　the　next　worldan'　they'd　git　thar　jest　by　followin'　like　sheep　arter　Adam〃

〃I　declar'；　Susan；　I　didn't　mean　to　rile　you；〃　urged　Tom；　breaking　in　upon　the　flow　of　words　with　an　appealing　effort　to　divert　its　course。　〃I　was　merely　crackin'　a　joke　with　Mr。　Christopher；　you　know。〃

〃I'm　plum　sick　of　these　here　jokes　that's　got　to　have　a　woman　on　the　p'int　of　'em；〃　returned　Mrs。　Spade；　tightly　screwing　on　the　top　of　the　glass　jar。　〃I've　always　noticed　that　thar　ain't　nothin'　so　funny　in　this　world　but　it　gits　a　long　sight　funnier　if　a　man　kin　turn　it　on　his　wife。〃

〃Now；　my　dear〃　helplessly　expostulated　Tom。

〃My　name's　Susan；　Tom　Spade；　an'　I'll　have　you　call　me　by　it　or　not　at　all。　If　thar's　one　thing　I　hate　on　this　earth　it's　a　'dear'　in　the　mouth　of　a　married　man　that　ought　to　know　better。　I'd　every　bit　as　lief　you'd　shoot　a　lizard　at　me；　an'　you　ain't　jest　found　it　out。　If　you　think　I'm　the　kind　of　person　to　git　any　satisfaction　out　of　improper　speeches　you　were　never　mo'　mistaken　in　yo'　life；　an'　I　kin　p'int　out　to　you　right　now　that　I　ain't　never　heard　one　of　them　words　yit　that　I　ain't　had　to　pay　for　it。　A　'dear'　the　mo'　is　mighty　apt　to　mean　a　bucket　of　water　the　less。　Oh；　you　can't　turn　my　head　with　yo'　soft　tricks；　Tom　Spade。　I'm　a　respectable　woman；　as　my　mother　was　befo'　me；　an'　I　don't　want　familiar　doin's　from　any　man；　alive　or　dead。　The　woman　who　does；　whether　she　be　married　or　single；　ain't　no　better　than　a　femalethat's　my　opinion！〃

She　paused　to　draw　breath；　and　Tom　was　quick　to　take　advantage　of　the　intermission。　〃Good　Lord；　Mr。　Christopher；　those　darn　young　fools　are　at　it　agin！　〃　he　exclaimed；　darting　toward　the　adjoining　room。

With　a　stride；　Christopher　pushed　past　him　and；　opening　the　door；　stopped　uncertainly　upon　the　threshold。

At　the　first　glance　he　saw　that　the　trouble　was　between　Will　and　Fred　Turner；　and　that　Will；　because　of　his　slighter　weight；　had　got　very　much　the　worst　of　the　encounter。　The　boy　stood　now；　trembling　with　anger　and　bleeding　at　the　mouth；　beside　an　overturned　table；　while　Freda　stout；　brawny　fellowwas　busily　pummelling　his　shoulders。

〃You're　a　sneakin'；　puny…livered　liar；　that's　what　you　are！〃　finished　Turner　with　a　vengeance。

Christopher　walked　leisurely　across　the　room。

〃And　you're　another；〃　he　observed　in　a　quiet　voicethe　voice　of　his　courtly　father；　which　always　came　to　him　in　moments　of　white　heat。　〃You　are　exactly　thata　sneaking；　puny…livered　liar。〃　His　manner　was　so　courteous　that　it　came　as　a　surprise　when　he　struck　out　from　the　shoulder　and　felled　Fred　as　easily　as　he　might　have　knocked　over　a　wooden　tenpin。　〃You　really　must　learn　better　manners；〃　he　remarked　coolly；　looking　down　upon　him。

Then　he　wiped　his　brow　on　his　blue　shirt…sleeve　and　called　for　a　glass　of　beer。



Chapter　III。　Mrs。　Blake　Speaks　her　Mind　on　Several　Matters

Breakfast　was　barely　over　the　next　morning　when　Jim　Weatherby　appeared　at　the　kitchen　door　carrying　a　package　of　horseshoe　nails　and　a　small　hammer。

〃I　thought　perhaps　Christopher　might　want　to　use　the　mare　early；〃　he　explained　to　Cynthia；　who　was　clearing　off　the　table。　There　was　a　pleasant　precision　in　his　speech；　acquired　with　much　industry　at　the　little　country　school；　and　Cynthia；　despite　her　rigid　disfavour；　could　not　but　notice　that　when　he　glanced　round　the　room　in　search　of　Lila　he　displayed　the　advantage　of　an　aristocratic　profile。　Until　to…day　she　could　not　remember　that　she　had　ever　seen　him　directly；　as　it　were；　she　had　looked　around　him　and　beyond　him；　much　as　she　might　have　obliterated　from　her　vision　a　familiar　shrub　that　chanced　to　intrude　itself　into　her　point　of　view。　The　immediate　result　of　her　examination　was　the　possibility　she　dimly　acknowledged　that　a　man　might　exist　as　a　well…favoured　individual　and　yet　belong　to　an　unquestionably　lower　class　of　life。

〃Well；　I'll　go　out　to　the　stable；〃　added　Jim；　after　a　moment　in　which　he　had　patiently　submitted　to　her　squinting　observation。　〃Christopher　will　be　somewhere　about；　I　suppose？〃

〃Oh；　I　suppose　so；〃　replied　Cynthia　indifferently；　emptying　the　coffee…grounds　into　the　kitchen　sink。　The　asperity　of　her　tone　was　caused　by　the　entrance　of　Lila；　who　came　in　with　a　basin　of　corn…meal　dough　tucked　under　her　bared　arm；　which　showed　as　round　and　delicate　as　a　child's　beneath　her　loosely　rolled…up　sleeve。

〃Cynthia；　I　can't　find　the　hen…house　key；〃　she　began；　and　then；　catching　sight　of　Jim；　she　flushed　a　clear　pink；　while　the　little　brown　mole　ran　a　race　with　the　dimple　in　her　check。

〃The　key　is　on　that　nail　beside　the　dried　hops；〃　returned　Cynthia　sternly。　〃I　found　it　in　the　lock　last　night　and　brought　it　in。　It's　a　mercy　that　the　chickens　weren't　all　stolen。〃

Without　replying；　Lila　took　down　the　key；　strung　it　on　her　little　finger；　and；　going　to　the　door；　passed　with　Jim　out　into　the　autumn　sunshine。　Her　soft　laugh　pulsed　back　presently；　and　Cynthia；　hearing　it；　set　her　thin　lips　tightly　as　she　carefully　rinsed　the　coffee…pot　with　soda。

Christopher；　who　had　just　come　up　to　the　wellbrink；　where　Tucker　sat　feeding　the　hounds　from　a　plate　of　scraps；　gave　an　abrupt　nod　in　the　direction　of　the　lovers　strolling　slowly　down　the　hen…house　path。

〃It　will　end　that　way　some　day；　I　reckon；〃　he　said　with　a　sigh；　〃and　you　know　I'm　almost　of　a　mind　with　Cynthia　about　it。　It　does　seem　a　downright　pity。　Not　that　Jim　isn't　a　good　chap　and　all　that；　but　he's　an　honest；　hard…working　farmer　and　nothing　more　and；　good　heavens！　just　look　at　Lila！　Why；　she's　beautiful　enough　to　set　the　world　afire。〃

Smiling　broadly；　Tucker　tossed　a　scrap　of　cornbread　into　Spy's　open　jaws；　then　his　gaze　travelled　leisurely　to　the　hen…house；　which　Lila　had　just　unlocked。　As　she　pushed　back　the　door　there　was　a　wild　flutter　of　wings；　and　the　big　fowls　flew　in　a　swarm　about　her　feet；　one　great　red…and…black　rooster　craning　his　long　neck　after　the　basin　she　held　beneath　her　arm。　While　she　scattered　the　soft　dough　on　the　ground　she　bent　her　head　slightly　sideways；　looking　up　at　Jim；　who　stood　regarding　her　with　enraptured　eyes。

〃Well；　I　don't　know　that　much　good　ever　comes　of　setting　anything　afire；〃　answered　Tucker　with　his　amiable　chuckle；　〃the　danger　is　that　you're　apt　to　cause　a　good　deal　of　trouble　somewhere；　and　it's　more　than　likely　you'll　get　singed　yourself　in　putting　out　the　flame。　You　needn't　worry　about　Lila；　Christopher；　she's　the　kind　of　womanand　they're　rarewho　doesn't　have　to　have　her　happiness　made　to　order；　give　her　any　fair　amount　of　the　raw　material　and　she'll　soon　manage　to　fit　it　perfectly　to　herself。　The　stuff　is　in　her；　I　tell　you；　the　atmosphere　is　about　her…　…can't　you　feel　itand　she's　going　to　be　happy；　whatever　comes。　A　woman　who　can　make　over　a　dress　the　sixth　time　as　cheerfully　as　she　did　the　first　has　the　spirit　of　a　Caesar；　and　doesn't　need　your　lamentations。　If　you　want　to　be　a　Jeremiah；　you　must　go　elsewhere。〃

〃Oh；　I　dare　say　she'll　grow　content；　but　it　does　seem　such　a　terrible　waste。　She's　the　image　of　that　Saint…Memin　portrait　of　Aunt　Susannah；　and　if　she'd　only　been　born　a　couple　of　generations　ago　she　would　probably　have　been　the　belle　of　two　continents。　Such　women　must　be　scarce　anywhere。〃

〃She's　pretty　enough；　certainly；　and　I　think　Jim　knows　it。　There's　but　one　thing　I've　ever　seen　that　could　compare　with　her　for　colour；　and　that's　a　damask　rose　that　blooms　in　May　on　an　old　bush　in　the　front　yard。　When　all　is　said；　however；　that　young　Weatherby　is　no　clodhopper；　you　know；　and　I'm　not　sure　that　he　isn't　worthier　of　her　than　any　highsounding　somebody　across　the　water　would　have　been。　He　can　love　twice　as　hard；　I'll　wager；　and　that's　the　chief　thing；　after　all；　it's　worth　more　than　big　titles　or　fine　clothesor　even　than　dead　grandfathers；　with　due　respect　to　Cynthia。　I　tell　you；　Lila　may　never　stir　from　the　midst　of　these　tobacco　fields；　she　may　be　buried　alive　all　her　days　between　these　muddy　roads　that　lead　heaven　knows　where；　and　yet　she　may　live　a　lot　bigger　and　fuller　life　than　she　might　have　done　with　all　London　at　her　feet；　as　they　say　it　was　at　your　Greataunt　Susannah's。　The　person　who　has　to　have　outside　props　to　keep　him　straight　must　have　been　made　mighty　crooked　at　the　start；　and　Lila's　not　like　that。〃

Christopher　stooped　and　pulled　Spy's　ears。

〃That's　as　good　a　way　to　look　at　it　as　any　other；　I　reckon；〃　he　remarked；　〃and　now　I've　got　to　hurry　the　shoeing