the deliverance-第40部分

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chatter。　How　long　has　this　thing　been　going　on；　do　you　know？〃

〃That　I　don't；　suh；　that　I　don't；　though　I've　been　pryin'　an'　peekin'　mighty　close。　All　I　know　is；　that　every　blessed　evenin'　for　the　last　two　weeks　I've　seen　'em　walkin'　together　in　the　lane　that　leads　to　Sol's。　This　here　ain't　goin'　to　keep　up　one　day　mo'；　that's　what　I　put　my　foot　down　on　yestiddy。　I'd　stop　it　if　I　didn't　have　nothin'　agin　that　gal　but　the　colour　of　her　hair。　I　don'　know　how　'tis；　suh；　but　I've　always　had　the　feelin'　that　thar's　somethin'　indecent　about　yaller　hair；　an'　if　I'd　been　born　with　it　I'd　have　stuck　my　head　into　a　bowl　of　pitch　befo'　I'd　have　gone　flauntin'　those　corn…tassels　in　the　eyes　of　every　man　I　met。　Thar's　nothin'　in　the　looks　of　me　that's　goin'　to　make　a　man　regret　he's　got　a　wife　if　I　can　help　it；　an'　mark　my　word；　Mr。　Fletcher；　if　they　had　dyed　Molly　Peterkin's　hair　black　she　might　have　been　a　self…respectin'　woman　an'　a　hater　of　men　this　very　day。　A　light　character　an'　a　light　head　go　precious　well　together；　an'　when　you　set　one　a　good　sober　colour　the　other's　pretty　apt　to　follow。〃

Fletcher　rose　from　his　chair　and　stood　gripping　the　table　hard。

〃Have　you　any　reason　to　thinkdoes　it　look　likelythat　young　Blake　has　had　a　hand　in　this？〃　he　asked。

〃Who？　Mr。　Christopher？　Why；　I　don't　believe　he　could　tell　a　petticoat　from　a　pair　of　breeches　to　save　his　soul。　He　ain't　got　no　fancy　for　corn…tassels　and　blue　ribbons；　I　kin　tell　you　that。　It's　good　honest　women　that　are　the　mothers　of　families　that　he　takes　to；　an'　even　then　it　ain't　no　mo'　than　'How　are　you；　Mrs。　Spade？　A　fine　mornin'！'〃

〃Well；　thar's　one　thing　you　may　be　sartain　of；〃　returned　Fletcher；　breaking　in　upon　her；　〃and　that　is　that　this　whole　business　is　as　good　as　settled。　I　leave　here　with　the　boy　to…morrow　morning　at　sunrise；　and　he　doesn't　set　foot　agin　in　this　county　until　he's　gone　straight　through　the　university。　I'll　drag　him　clean　across　the　broad　ocean　before　he　shall　do　it。〃

Then；　as　Mrs。　Spade　took　a　noisy　departure；　he　stood；　without　listening　to　her；　gazing　morosely　down　upon　the　pattern　of　the　carpet。



CHAPTER　V。　The　Happiness　of　Tucker

Early　in　the　following　November；　Jim　Weatherby；　returning　from　the　cross…roads　one　rainy　afternoon；　brought　Christopher　a　long；　wailing　letter　from　Will。

〃Oh；　I've　had　to　walk　a　chalk…line；　sure　enough；〃　he　wrote；　〃since　that　awful　day　we　left　home　in　a　pouring　rain；　with　grandpa　wearing　a　whole　thunderstorm　on　his　forehead。　It　has　been　cram；　cram；　cram　ever　since；　I　can　tell　you；　and　here　I　am　now；　just　started　at　the　university；　with　my　head　still　buzzing　with　the　noise　of　those　confounded　ancients。　If　grandpa　hadn't　gone　when　he　did；　I　declare　I　believe　he　would　have　ended　by　driving　me　clean　crazy。　Since　he　left　I've　had　time　to　take　a　look　about　me；　and　I　find　there's　a　good　deal　of　fun　to　be　got　here；　after　all。　How　I'll　manage　to　mix　it　in　with　Greek　I　don't　see；　but　luck's　with　me；　you　knowI've　found　that　outso　I　shan't　bother。

〃By　the　way；　I　wish　you　would　make　Molly　Peterkin　understand　how　it　was　I　came　away　so　hastily。　Tell　her　I　haven't　forgotten　her；　and　give　her　the　little　turquoise　pin　I'm　sending。　It　just　matches　her　eyes。　Be　sure　to　let　me　know　if　she's　as　pretty　as　ever。〃

By　the　next　mail　the　turquoise　brooch　arrived；　and　Christopher；　putting　it　in　his　pocket；　went　over　to　Sol　Peterkin's　to　bear　the　message　to　the　girl。　As　it　happened；　she　was　swinging　on　the　little　sagging　gate　when　he　came　up　the　lane；　and　at　sight　of　him　her　eyebrows　shot　up　under　her　flaxen　curls；　which　hung　low　upon　her　forehead。　She　was　a　pretty；　soulless　little　animal；　coloured　like　peach…blossoms；　and　with　a　great　deal　of　that　soft　insipidity　which　is　usually　found　in　a　boy's　ideal　of　maiden　innocence。

〃Why；　I　couldn't　believe　my　eyes　when　I　first　saw　you；〃　she　said；　arranging　her　curls　over　her　left　shoulder　with　a　conscious　simper。

The　old　Blake　gallantry　rose　to　meet　her　challenging　eyes；　and　he　regarded　her　smilingly　a　moment　before　he　answered。

〃Well；　I　could　hardly　believe　mine；　you　know；〃　he　responded　carelessly。　〃I　thought　for　an　instant　that　a　big　butterfly　had　alighted　on　the　gate。〃

She　pouted　prettily。

〃Won't　you　come　in？〃　she　asked　after　a　moment；　with　an　embarrassed　air；　as　she　remembered　that　he　was　one　of　the　〃real　Blakes〃　for　whom　her　father　used　to　work。

A　light　retort　was　on　his　lips；　but　while　he　looked　at　her　a　little　weary　frown　darkened　her　shallow　eyes；　and　with　the　peculiar　sympathy　for　all　those　oppressed　by　man　or　nature　which　was　but　one　expression　of　his　many…sided　temperament　he　quickly　changed　the　tone　of　his　reply。　At　the　instant　it　seemed　to　him　that　Molly　Peterkin　and　himself　stood　together　defrauded　of　their　rightful　heritage　of　life；　and　as　his　thought　broadened　he　felt　suddenly　the　pathos　of　her　forlorn　little　figure；　of　her　foolish　blue　eyes；　of　her　trivial　vanities；　of　her　girlish　beauty；　soiled　and　worn　by　common　handling。　A　look　very　like　compassion　was　in　his　face；　and　the　girl；　seeing　it；　reddened　angrily　and　kicked　at　a　loose　pebble　in　the　path。　When　he　went　away　a　moment　later　he　left　a　careless　message　for　Sol　about　the　tobacco　crop；　and　the　little　white　box　containing　the　turquoise　brooch　was　still　in　his　pocket。

That　afternoon　the　trinket　went　back　to　Will　with　a　curt　letter。　〃If　you　take　my　advice；　you'll　leave　Molly　Peterkin　alone；〃　he　wrote　in　his　big；　unformed　hand；　〃for　as　far　as　I　can　see　you　are　too　good　a　match　to　get　on　well　together。　She's　a　fool；　you　know；　and　from　the　way　you're　going　on　just　now　it　looks　very　much　as　if　you　were　one　also。　At　any　rate；　I'm　not　your　man　for　gallantries。　I'd　rather　hunt　hares　than　women；　any　dayand　game's　plentiful　just　now。〃

It　was　a　long　winter　that　year；　and　for　the　first　time　since　her　terrible　illness　Mrs。　Blake　was　forced　to　keep　her　bed　during　a　bitter　spell　of　weather；　when　the　raw　winds　whistled　around　the　little　frame　house；　entering　the　cracks　at　the　doors　and　the　loosened　sashes　of　the　windows。　Cynthia　grew　drawn　and　pinched　with　a　sickly；　frost…bitten　look；　and　even　Lila's　rare　bloom　drooped　for　a　while　like　that　of　a　delicate　plant　starving　for　the　sunshine。　Christopher；　who；　as　usual；　was　belated　in　his　winter's　work；　was　kept　busy　hauling　and　chopping　wood；　shovelling　the　snow　away　from　the　porch　and　the　paths　that　led　to　the　well；　the　stable；　and　the　barn。　Once　a　day；　most　often　after　breakfast；　Jim　Weatherby　appeared；　smiling　gaily　beneath　his　powdering　of　snow；　and　sometimes；　in　defiance　of　Cynthia；　he　would　take　Lila　for　a　sleigh…ride；　from　which　she　would　return　blossoming　like　a　rose。

Mrs。　Blake；　from　her　tester　bed；　complained　bitterly　of　the　cold；　and　drew　from　the　increasing　severity　of　the　winters；　which　she　declared　became　more　unbearable　each　year；　warrant　for　her　belief　in　the　gradual　〃decline　of　the　world　as　a　dwelling…place。〃

〃You　may　say　what　you　please；　Tucker；〃　she　remarked　one　morning　when　she　had　awakened　with　an　appetite　to　find　that　her　eggs　had　frozen　in　the　kitchen；　〃but　you　can　hardly　be　so　barefaced　as　to　compliment　this　weather。　I'm　sure　I　never　felt　anything　like　it　when　I　was　young。〃

〃Well；　at　least　I　have　a　roof　over　my　head　now；　and　I　didn't　when　I　marched　to　Romney　with　old　Stonewall；〃　remarked　Tucker　from　the　hearth；　where　he　was　roasting　an　apple　before　the　big　logs。　〃Many's　the　morning　I　waked　then　with　the　snow　frozen　stiff　all　over　me；　and　I　had　to　crack　through　it　before　I　could　get　up。〃

The　old　lady　made　a　peevish　gesture。

〃It　may　sound　ungrateful；〃　she　returned；　〃but　I'm　sometimes　tempted　to　wish　that　you　had　never　marched　to　Romney；　or　that　General　Jackson　had　been　considerate　enough　to　choose　a　milder　spell。　I　really　believe　when　you　come　to　die　you　will　console　yourself　with　the　recollection　of　something　worse　that　happened　in　the　war。〃

Tucker　laughed　softly　to　himself　as　he　watched　the　apple　revolving　in　the　red　heat　on　its　bit　of　string。　〃Well；　I'm　not　sure　that　I　shan't；　Lucy；〃　he　said。

〃Habit's　mighty　strong；　you　know；　and　when　you　come　to　think　of　it　there's　some　comfort　in　knowing　that　you'll　never　have　to　face　the　worst　again。　A　man　doesn't　duck　his　head　at　the　future　when　he's　learned　that；　let　be　what　will；　it　can't　be　so　bad　as　the　thing　he's　gone　through　with　and　yet　come　out　on　top。　It　gives　him　a　pretty　good　feeling；　after　all；　to　know　that　he　hasn't　funked　the　hardest　knock　that　life　could　give。　Well；　my　birds　are　hungry；　I　reckon；　and　I'll　hobble　out　and　feed　'em　while　this　apple　is　roasting　to　the　core。〃

Raising　himself　with　difficulty；　he　got　upon　his　crutches　and　went　to　scatter　his　crumbs　from　the　kitchen　window。

By　the　first　of　March　the　thaw　came；　and　the　snow　melted　in　a　day　beneath　the　lavish　spring　sunshine。　It　was　a　week　later　that　Christopher；　coming　from　the　woods　at　midday；　saw　Tucker　sitting　on　his　old　bench　by　the　damask　rose…bush；　in　which　the　sap　was　just　beginning　to　swell。　The　sun　shone　full　on　the　dead　grass；　and　the　old　soldier；　with　his　chin　resting　in　the　crook　of　his　crutch；　was　gazing　straight　down　upon　the　earth。　The　expression　of　his　large；　kindly　face　was　so　radiant　with　enjoyment　that　Christopher　quickened　his　steps　and　slapped　him　affectionately　upon　the　shoulder。

〃Is　Fletcher　dead；　Uncle　Tucker？〃　he　inquired；　laughing。

〃No；　no；　nobody's　dead　that　I've　heard　of；〃　responded　Tucker　in　his　cheerful　voice；　〃but　something　better　than　Bill　Fletcher's　death　has　happened；　I　can　tell　you。　Why；　I'd　been　sitting　out　here　an　hour　or　more；　longing　for　the　spring　to　come；　when　suddenly　I　looked　down　and　there　was　the　first　dandeliona　regular　miracleblooming　in　the　mould　about　that　old　rose…bush。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　hanged！〃　exclaimed　Christopher；　aghast。　〃Mark　my　words；　you'll　be　in　an　asylum　yet。〃

The　other　chuckled　softly。

〃When　you　put　me　there　you'll　shut　up　the　only　wise　man　in　the　county；〃　he　returned。　〃If　your　sanity　doesn't　make　you　happy；　I　can　tell　you　it's　worth　a　great　deal　less　than　my　craziness。　Look　at　that　dandelion；　nowit　has　filled　two　hours　chock　full　of　thought　and　colour　for　me　when　I　might　have　been　puling　indoors　and　nagging　at　God　Almighty　about　trifles。　The　time　has　been　when　I'd　have　walked　right　over　that　little　flower　and　not　seen　it；　and　now　it　g