the deliverance-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　hen…house　and　get　something　hot　to　eat　in　the　kitchen　before　you　start　out　again。〃

She　ran　hurriedly　up　the　steps　and　entered　the　hall　just　as　Fletcher　was　shaking　hands　with　his　guest。



CHAPTER　III。　Showing　that　a　Little　Culture　Entails　Great　Care

Carraway　had　risen　to　meet　his　host　in　a　flutter　that　was　almost　one　of　dread。　In　the　eight　years　since　their　last　interview　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　mental　image　of　his　great　client　had　magnified　in　proportionsthat　Fletcher　had　〃out…Fletchered〃　himself；　as　he　felt　inclined　to　put　it。　The　old　betrayal　of　his　employer's　dependence；　which　at　first　had　been　merely　a　suspicion　in　the　lawyer's　mind；　had　begun　gradually；　as　time　went　on；　to　bristle　with　the　points　of　significant　details。　In　looking　back；　half…hinted　things　became　clear　to　him　at　last；　and　he　gathered；　bit　by　bit；　the　whole　clever；　hopeless　villainy　of　the　schemethe　crime　hedged　about　by　law　with　all　the　prating　protection　of　a　virtue。　He　knew　now　that　Fletcherthe　old　overseer　of　the　Blake　slaveshad　defrauded　the　innocent　as　surely　as　if　he　had　plunged　his　great　red　fist　into　the　little　pocket　of　a　child；　had　defrauded；　indeed；　with　so　strong　a　blow　that　the　very　consciousness　of　his　victim　had　been　stunned。　There　had　been　about　his　act　all　the　damning　hypocrisy　of　a　great　theftall　the　air　of　stern　morality　which　makes　for　the　popular　triumph　of　the　heroic　swindler。

These　things　Carraway　understood；　yet　as　the　man　strode　into　the　room　with　open　palm　and　a　general　air　of　bluff　hospitalityas　if　he　had　just　been　blown　by　some　fresh　strong　wind　across　his　tobacco　fieldsthe　lawyer　experienced　a　relief　so　great　that　the　breath　he　drew　seemed　a　fit　measure　of　his　earlier　foreboding。　For　Fletcher　outwardly　was　but　the　common　type　of　farmer；　after　all；　with　a　trifle　more　intelligence；　perhaps；　than　is　met　with　in　the　average　Southerner　of　his　class。　〃A　plain　man　but　honest；　sir；〃　was　what　one　expected　him　to　utter　at　every　turn。　It　was　written　in　the　coarse　open　lines　of　his　face；　half…hidden　by　a　bushy　gray　beard；　in　his　small　sparkling　eyes；　now　blue；　now　brown；　in　his　looselimbed；　shambling　movements　as　he　crossed　the　room。　His　very　clothes　spoke；　to　an　acute　observer；　of　a　masculine　sincerity　naked　and　unashamedas　if　his　large　coffee…spotted　cravat　would　not　alter　the　smallest　fold　to　conceal　the　stains　it　bore。　Hale；　hairy；　vehement；　not　without　a　quality　of　Rabelaisian　humour；　he　appeared　the　last　of　all　men　with　whom　one　would　associate　the　burden　of　a　troubled　conscience。

〃Sorry　to　have　kept　youon　my　word　I　am；〃　he　began　heartily；　〃but　to　tell　the　truth；　I　thought　thar'd　be　somebody　in　the　house　with　sense　enough　to　show　you　to　a　bedroom。　Like　to　run　up　now　for　a　wash　before　supper？〃

It　was　what　one　expected　of　him；　such　a　speech　blurted　in　so　offhand　a　manner；　and　the　lawyer　could　barely　suppress　a　threatening　laugh。

〃Oh；　it　was　a　short　trip；〃　he　returned；　〃and　a　walk　of　five　miles　on　a　day　like　this　is　one　of　the　most　delightful　things　in　life。　I've　been　looking　out　at　your　garden；　by　the　way；　andI　may　as　well　confess　itoverhearing　a　little　of　your　conversation。〃

〃Is　that　so？〃　chuckled　Fletcher；　his　great　eyebrows　overhanging　his　eyes　like　a　mustache　grown　out　of　place。　〃Well；　you　didn't　hear　anything　to　tickle　your　ears；　I　reckon。　I've　been　having　a　row　with　that　cantankerous　fool；　Blake。　The　queer　thing　about　these　people　is　that　they　seem　to　think　I'm　to　blame　every　time　they　see　a　spot　on　their　tablecloths。　Mark　my　words；　it　ain't　been　two　years　since　I　found　that　nigger　Boaz　digging　in　my　asparagus　bed；　and　he　told　me　he　was　looking　for　some　shoots　for　ole　miss's　dinner。〃

〃The　property　idea　is　very　strong　in　these　rural　counties；　you　see；〃　remarked　the　lawyer　gravely。　〃They　feel　that　every　year　adds　a　value　to　the　hereditary　possession　of　land；　and　that　when　an　estate　has　borne　a　single　name　for　a　century　there　has　been　a　veritable　impress　placed　upon　it。　Your　asparagus　bed　is　merely　an　item；　you　find；　I　fancy；　other　instances。〃

Fletcher　turned　in　his　chair。

〃That's　the　whole　blamed　rotten　truth；〃　he　admitted；　waving　his　great　red　hand　toward　the　door；　〃but　let's　have　supper　first　and　settle　down　to　talk　on　a　full　stomach。　Thar's　no　hurry　with　all　night　before　us；　and　that；　to　come　to　facts；　is　why　I　sent　for　you。　No　lawyer's　office　for　me　when　I　want　to　talk　business；　but　an　easy…chair　by　my　own　table　and　a　cup　of　coffee　beforehand。〃

As　he　finished；　a　bell　jangled　in　the　hall；　and　the　door　opened　to　admit　the　girl　whom　Carraway　had　seen　a　little　earlier　upon　the　porch。

〃Supper's　a　good　hour　late；　Maria；〃　grumbled　Fletcher；　looking　at　his　heavy　silver　watch；　〃and　I　smelt　the　bacon　frying　at　six　o'clock。〃

For　an　instant　the　girl　looked　as　if　she　had　more　than　half　an　intention　to　slap　his　face；　then　quickly　recovering　her　self…possession；　she　smiled　at　Carraway　and　held　out　a　small　white　hand　with　an　air　of　quiet　elegance　which　was　the　most　noticeable　thing　in　her　appearance。

〃I　am　quite　a　stranger　to　you；　Mr。　Carraway；〃　she　said；　with　a　laugh；　〃but　if　you　had　only　known　it；　I　had　a　doll　named　after　you　when　I　was　very　small。　Guy　Carraway！it　seemed　to　me　all　that　was　needed　to　make　a　fairy　tale。〃

The　lawyer　joined　in　her　laugh；　which　never　rose　above　a　carefully　modulated　minor。　〃I　confess　that　I　once　took　the　same　view　of　it；　my　dear　young　lady；〃　he　returned；　〃so　I　ended　by　dropping　the　name　and　keeping　only　the　initial。　Your　grandfather　will　tell　you　that　I　am　now　G。　Carraway　and　nothing　more。　I　couldn't　afford；　as　things　were；　to　make　a　fairy　tale　of　my　life；　you　see。〃

〃Oh；　if　one　only　could！〃　said　the　girl；　lowering　her　full　dark　eyes；　which　gave　a　piteous　lie　to　her　sullen　mouth。

She　was　artificial；　Carraway　told　himself　with　emphasis；　and　yet　the　distinction　of　mannerthe　elegancewas　certainly　the　point　at　which　her　training　had　not　failed。　He　felt　it　in　her　tall；　straight　figure；　absurdly　overdressed　for　a　granddaughter　of　Fletcher's；　in　her　smooth　white　hands；　with　their　finely　polished　nails；　in　her　pale；　repressed　face；　which　he　called　plain　while　admitting　that　it　might　become　interesting；　in　her　shapely　head　even　with　its　heavy　cable　of　coal…black　hair。

What　she　was　her　education　had　made　of　herthe　look　of　serene　distinction；　the　repose　of　her　thin…featured；　colourless　face；　refined　beyond　the　point　of　prettinessthese　things　her　training　had　given　her；　and　these　were　the　things　which　Carraway；　with　his　old…fashioned　loyalty　to　a　strong　class　prejudice；　found　himself　almost　resenting。　Bill　Fletcher's　granddaughter　had；　he　felt；　no　right　to　this　rare　security　of　breeding　which　revealed　itself　in　every　graceful　fold　of　the　dress　she　wore；　for　with　Fletcher　an　honest　man　she　would　have　been；　perhaps；　but　one　of　the　sallow；　over…driven　drudges　who　stare　like　helpless　effigies　from　the　little　tumbledown　cabins　along　country　roadsides。

Fletcher；　meanwhile；　had　filled　in　the　pause　with　one　of　his　sudden　burly　dashes　into　speech。

〃Maria　has　been　so　long　at　her　high…and…mighty　boarding…school；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　reckon　her　head's　as　full　of　fancies　as　a　cheese　is　of　maggots。　She's　even　got　a　notion　that　she　wants　to　turn　out　all　this　new　stuffto　haul　the　old　rubbish　back　again　but　I　say　wait　till　the　boy　comes　onthen　we'll　see；　we'll　see。〃

〃And　in　the　meantime　we'll　go　in　to　supper；〃　put　in　the　girl　with　a　kind　of　hopeless　patience；　though　Carraway　could　see　that　she　smarted　as　from　a　blow。　〃This　is　Will；　Mr。　Carraway；〃　she　added　almost　gaily；　skillfully　sweeping　her　train　from　about　the　feet　of　a　pretty；　undersized　boy　of　fourteen　years；　who　had　burst　into　the　room　with　his　mouth　full　of　bread　and　jam。　〃He's　quite　the　pride　of　the　family；　you　know；　because　he's　just　taken　all　the　honours　of　his　school。〃

〃History；　'rithmatic；　Latinall　the　languages；〃　rolled　out　Fletcher　in　a　voice　that　sounded　like　a　tattoo。　〃I　can't　keep　up　with　'em；　but　they're　all　thar；　ain't　they；　sonny？〃

〃Oh；　you　could　never　say　'em　off　straight；　grandpa；〃　retorted　the　boy；　with　the　pertness　of　a　spoiled　girl；　at　which；　to　Carraway's　surprise；　Fletcher　fairly　chuckled　with　delight。

〃That's　so；　I'm　a　plain　man；　the　Lord　knows；〃　he　admitted；　his　coarse　face　crinkling　like　a　sundried　leaf　of　tobacco。

〃We've　got　chickens　for　supperbroiled；〃　the　boy　chattered　on；　putting　out　his　tongue　at　his　sister；　〃that's　why　Lindy's　havin'　it　an　hour　late　she's　been　picking　'em；　with　Aunt　Mehitable　helping　her　for　the　feathers。　Now　don't　shake　your　head　at　me；　Maria；　because　it's　no　use　pretending　we　have　'em　every　night；　like　old　Mrs。　Blake。〃

〃Bless　my　soul！〃　gasped　Fletcher；　nettled　by　the　last　remark。　〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　those　Blakes　are　fools　enough　to　eat　spring　chicken　when　they　could　get　forty　cents　apiece　for　'em　in　the　open　market？〃

〃The　old　lady　does；〃　corrected　the　boy　glibly。　〃The　one　who　wears　the　queer　lace　cap　and　sits　in　the　big　chair　by　the　hearth　all　dayand　all　night；　too；　Tommy　Spade　says；　'cause　he　peeped　through　once　at　midnight　and　she　was　still　there；　sitting　so　stiff　that　it　scared　him　and　he　ran　away。　Well；　Aunt　Mehitable　sold　her　a　dozen；　and　she　got　a　side　of　bacon　and　a　bag　of　meal。〃

〃Grandfather；　you've　forgotten　Aunt　Saidie；〃　broke　in　Maria；　as　Fletcher　was　about　to　begin　his　grace　without　waiting　for　a　dumpy　little　woman；　in　purple　calico；　who　waddled　with　an　embarrassed　air　from　her　hasty　preparations　in　the　pantry。　At　first　Carraway　had　mistaken　her　for　an　upper　servant；　but　as　she　came　forward　Maria　laid　her　hand　playfully　upon　her　arm　and　introduced　her　with　a　sad　little　gaiety　of　manner。　〃I　believe　she　has　met　one　of　your　sisters　in　Fredericksburg；〃　she　added；　after　a　moment。　Clearly　she　had　determined　to　accept　the　family　in　the　lump；　with　a　resolution　thathad　it　borne　less　resemblance　to　a　passive　rage　could　not　have　failed　to　glorify　a　nobler　martyrdom。　It　was　not　affection　that　fortified　herbeyond　her　first　gently　tolerant　glance　at　the　boy　there　had　been　only　indifference　in　her　pale；　composed　faceand　the　lawyer　was　at　last　brought　to　the　surprising　conclusion　that　Fletcher's　granddaughter　was　seeking　to　build　herself　a　fetish　of　the　mere　idle　bond　of　blood。　The　hopeless　gallantry　of　the　girl　moved　him　to　a　vague　feeling　of　pity；　and　he　spoke　pr