the deliverance-第46部分

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〃Christopher！〃　she　cried；　〃we　could　not　find　you；　and　Bill　Fletcher　has　talked　to　mother　like　a　madman。　Come　quickly！　She　has　fainted！〃

Before　she　had　finished；　he　had　dashed　past　her　and　through　the　house　into　the　little　parlour；　where　the　old　lady　sat　erect　and　unconscious　in　her　Elizabethan　chair。

〃I　found　her　like　this；〃　said　Lila；　weeping。　〃We　heard　loud　voices　and　then　a　scream；　and　when　we　rushed　in　the　man　left；　and　she　sat　looking　straight　ahead　like　thislike　this。〃

Throwing　himself　upon　his　knees　beside　the　chair；　Christopher　caught　his　mother　to　his　breast　and　turned　angrily　upon　the　women。

〃Has　nothing　been　done？　Where　is　the　doctor？〃　he　cried。

〃Jim　has　gone　for　him。　Here；　let　me　take　her；〃　said　Cynthia；　unclasping　his　arms。　〃There；　stand　back。　She　is　not　dead。　In　a　little　while　she　will　come　to　herself　again。〃

Rising　from　the　floor；　he　stood　motionless　in　the　center　of　the　room；　where　the　atmosphere　was　heavy　with　the　fragrance　of　camphor　and　tea…roses。　A　broad　strip　of　sunshine　was　at　his　feet；　and　in　the　twisted　aspen　beside　the　window　a　catbird　was　singing。　These　remained　with　him　for　years　afterward；　and　with　them　the　memory　of　the　blind　woman　sitting　stiffy　erect　and　staring　vacantly　into　his　face。

〃He　has　told　her　everything；〃　said　Cynthia〃after　twenty　years。〃




BOOK　IV。　The　Awakening


CHAPTER　I。　The　Unforeseen

The　road　was　steep；　and　Christopher；　descending　from　the　big；　lumbering　cart；　left　the　oxen　to　crawl　slowly　up　the　incline。　It　was　a　windy　afternoon　in　March；　and　he　was　returning　from　a　trip　to　Farrar's　mill；　which　was　reached　by　a　lane　that　branched　off　a　half…mile　or　so　from　the　cross…roads。　A　blue　sky　shone　brightly　through　the　leafless　boughs　above　him；　and　along　the　little　wayside　path　tufts　of　dandelion　were　blooming　in　the　red　dust。　The　wind；　which　blew　straight　toward　him　from　the　opening　beyond　the　strip　of　wood　in　which　he　walked；　brought　the　fresh　scent　of　the　upturned　fields　and　of　the　swelling　buds　putting　out　with　the　warm　sunshine。　In　his　own　veins　he　felt　also　that　the　blood　had　stirred；　and　that　strange；　quickening　impulse；　which　comes　with　the　rising　sap　alike　to　a　man　and　to　a　tree；　worked　restlessly　in　his　limbs　at　the　touch　of　spring。　Nature　was　alive　again；　and　he　felt　vaguely　that　in　the　resurrection　surrounding　him　he　must　have　his　partthat　in　him　as　well　as　in　the　earth　the　spirit　of　life　must　move　and　put　forth　in　gladness。　A　flock　of　swallows　passed　suddenly　like　a　streak　of　smoke　on　the　blue　sky　overhead；　and　as　his　eyes　followed　them　the　old　roving　instinct　pulled　at　his　heart。　To　be　up　and　away；　to　drink　life　to　its　dregs　and　come　home　for　rest；　were　among　the　impulses　which　awoke　with　the　return　of　spring。

The　oxen　moved　behind　him　at　a　leisurely　pace；　and　outstripping　them　in　a　little　while；　he　had　turned　at　a　sudden　opening　in　the　trees　into　the　main　road；　when；　to　his　surprise；　he　saw　a　woman　in　black；　followed　by　a　small　yellow　dog；　walking　in　front　of　him　along　the　grassy　path。　As　he　caught　sight　of　her　a　strong　gust　of　wind　swept　down　the　road；　wrapping　her　skirt　closely　about　her　and　whirling　a　last　year's　leaf　into　her　face。　For　a　moment　she　paused　and；　throwing　back　her　head；　drank　the　air　like　water；　then；　holding　firmly　to　her　hat；　she　started　on　again　at　her　rapid　pace。　In　the　ease　with　which　she　moved　against　the　wind；　in　the　self…possession　of　her　carriage；　and　most　of　all　in　the　grace　with　which　she　lifted　her　long　black　skirt；　made；　he　could　see；　after　the　fashion　of　the　outside　world；　he　realised　at　once　that　she　was　a　stranger　to　the　neighbourhood。　No　woman　whom　he　had　knownnot　even　Lilahad　this　same　light　yet　energetic　walka　walk　in　which　every　line　in　her　body　moved　in　accord　with　the　buoyant　impulse　that　controlled　her　step。　As　he　watched　her　he　recalled　instantly　the　flight　of　a　swallow　in　the　air；　for　her　passage　over　the　ground　was　as　direct　and　beautiful　as　a　bird's。

When　he　neared　her　she　turned　suddenly；　and；　as　she　flung　back　her　short　veil；　he　saw　to　his　amazement　that　he　faced　Maria　Fletcher。

〃So　you　have　forgotten　me？〃　she　said；　with　a　smile。　〃Or　have　I　changed　so　greatly　that　my　old　friends　do　not　know　me？〃

She　held　out　her　hand；　and　while　a　tremor　ran　through　him；　he　kept　her　bared　palm　for　an　instant　in　his　own。

〃You　dropped　from　the　sky；〃　he　answered；　steadying　his　voice　with　an　effort。　〃You　have　taken　my　breath　away　and　I　cannot　speak。〃

Then　letting　her　hand　fall；　he　stood　looking　at　her　in　a　wonder　that　shone　in　his　face；　for　to　the　Maria　whom　he　had　known　the　woman　before　him　now　bore　only　the　resemblance　that　the　finished　portrait　bears　to　the　charcoal　sketch；　and　the　years　which　had　so　changed　and　softened　her　had　given　her　girlish　figure　a　nobility　that　belonged　to　the　maturity　she　had　not　reached。　It　was　not　that　she　had　grown　beautifulwhen　he　sought　for　physical　changes　he　found　only　that　her　cheek　was　rounder；　her　bosom　fuller；　but　if　she　still　lacked　the　ruddy　attraction　of　mere　flesh…and…blood　loveliness；　she　had　gained　the　deeper　fascination　which　is　the　outward　accompaniment　of　a　fervent　spirit。　Her　eyes；　her　voice；　her　gestures　were　all　attuned　to　the　inner　harmony　which　he　recognised　also　in　the　smile　with　which　she　met　his　words；　and　the　charm　that　she　irradiated　was　that　rarest　of　all　physical　gifts；　the　power　of　the　flesh　to　express　the　soul　that　it　envelops。

The　wind　or　the　meeting　with　himself　had　brought　a　faint　flush　to　her　cheek；　but　without　lowering　her　eyes　she　stood　regarding　him　with　her　warm；　grave　smile。　The　pale　oval　of　her　face；　framed　in　the　loosened　waves　of　her　black　hair；　had　for　him　all　the　remoteness　that　surrounded　her　memory；　and　yet；　though　he　knew　it　not；　the　appeal　she　made　to　him　now；　and　had　made　long　ago；　was　that　he　recognised　in　her；　however　dumbly；　a　creature　born；　like　himself；　with　the　power　to　experience　the　fulness　of　joy　or　grief。

〃So　I　have　taken　your　breath　away；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　have　forgotten　Agag。〃

〃Agag？〃　he　turned　with　a　question　and　followed　her　glance　in　the　direction　of　the　dog。　〃It　is　the　brute　you　saved？〃

〃Only　he　is　not　a　bruteI　have　seen　many　men　who　were　more　of　one。　Look！　He　recognises　you。　He　has　followed　me　everywhere；　but　he　doesn't　like　Europe；　and　if　you　could　have　seen　his　joy　when　we　got　out　at　the　cross…roads　and　he　smelt　the　familiar　country！　It　was　almost　as　great　as　mine。〃

〃As　yours？　Then　you　no　longer　hate　it？〃

〃I　have　learned　to　love　it　in　the　last　six　years；〃　she　answered；　〃as　I　have　learned　to　love　many　things　that　I　once　hated。　Oh；　this　wind　is　good　when　it　blows　over　the　ploughed　fields；　and　yet　between　city　streets　it　would　bring　only　dust　and　discomfort。〃

She　threw　back　her　head；　looking　up　into　the　sky；　where　a　bird　passed。

〃Will　you　get　into　the　cart　now？〃　he　asked　after　a　moment；　vaguely　troubled　by　the　silence　and　by　the　gentleness　of　her　upward　look；　〃or　do　you　wish　to　walk　to　the　top　of　the　hill？〃

She　turned　and　moved　quickly　on　again。

〃It　is　such　a　little　way；　let　us　walk；〃　she　replied；　and　then　with　a　laugh　she　offered　an　explanation　of　her　presence。　〃I　wrote　twice；　but　I　had　no　answer；〃　she　said；　〃then　I　decided　to　come；　and　telegraphed；　but　they　handed　me　my　telegram　and　my　last　letter　at　the　cross…roads。　Can　something　have　happened；　do　you　think？　or　is　it　merely　carelessness　that　keeps　them　from　sending　for　the　mail？〃

〃I　hardly　know；　but　they　are　all　alive；　at　least。　You　have　come　straight　fromwhere？〃

〃From　abroad。　I　lived　there　for　six　years；　first　in　one　place；　then　in　anotherchiefly　in　Italy。　My　husband　died　eighteen　months　ago；　but　I　stayed　on　with　his　people。　It　seemed　then　that　they　needed　me　most；　but　one　can　never　tell；　and　I　may　have　made　a　mistake　in　not　coming　home　sooner。〃

〃I　think　you　did；〃　he　said　quietly；　running　the　end　of　his　long　whip　through　his　fingers。

She　flashed　a　disturbed　glance　at　him。

〃Is　it　possible　that　you　are　keeping　something　from　me？　Is　any　one　ill？〃

〃Not　that　I　have　heard　of；　but　I　never　see　any　of　them；　you　know；　except　your　brother。〃

〃And　he　is　married。　They　told　me　so　at　the　cross…roads。　I　can't　understand　why　they　did　not　let　me　know。〃

〃It　was　very　suddenthey　went　to　Washington。〃

〃How　queer！　Who　is　the　girl；　I　wonder？〃

〃Her　name　was　Molly　Peterkinold　Sol's　daughter；　you　may　remember　him。〃

She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　I've　lived　here　so　little；　you　see。　What　is　she　like？〃

〃A　beauty；　with　blue　eyes　and　yellow　hair。〃

〃Indeed？　And　are　they　happy？〃　He　laughed。　〃They　are　in　loveor　were；　six　months　ago。〃

〃You　are　cynical。　But　do　they　live　at　the　Hall？〃

〃Not　yet。　Your　grandfather　has　not　spoken　to　Will　since　the　marriage；　and　that　was　last　August。〃

〃Where；　under　heaven；　do　they　live；　then？〃

〃On　a　little　farm　he　has　given　them　adjoining　Sol's。　I　believe　he　means　that　they　shall　raise　tobacco　for　a　living。〃

She　made　a　gesture　of　distress。　〃Oh；　I　ought　to　have　come　home　long　ago！〃

〃What　difference　would　that　have　made：　you　could　have　done　nothing。　A　thunderbolt　falling　at　his　feet　doesn't　sober　a　man　when　he　is　in　love。〃

〃I　might　have　helpedone　never　knows。　At　least　I　should　have　been　at　my　post；　for；　after　all；　the　ties　of　blood　are　the　strongest　claims　we　have。〃

〃Why　should　they　be？〃　he　questioned；　with　sudden　bitterness。　〃You　are　more　like　that　swallow　flying　up　there　than　you　are　like　any　Fletcher　that　ever　lived。〃

She　smiled。　〃I　thought　so　once；〃　she　answered；　〃but　now　I　know　better。　The　likeness　must　be　there；　and　I　am　going　to　find　it。〃

〃You　will　never　find　it；〃　he　insisted；　〃for　there　is　nothing　of　them　in　younothing。〃

〃You　don't　like　them；　I　remember。〃

〃Nor　do　you。〃

A　laugh　broke　from　her　and　humour　rippled　in　her　eyes。

〃So　you　still　persist　in　the　truth；　and　in　the　plain　truth！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Then　it　is　so；　you　confess　it？〃

〃No；　no；　no；〃　she　protested。　〃Why；　I　love　them　allall；　do　you　hear；　and　I　love　Will　more　than　the　rest　of　them　put　together。〃

He　looked　away　from　her；　and　then；　turning；　waited　for　the　oxen　to　reach　the　summit　of　the　hill。

〃You'd　better　get　in　now；　I　think；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　a　long　walk　ahead　of　us；　and　if　my　team　is　slow　it　is　sure　also。〃

As　he　brought　the　oxen　to　a　halt；　she　laid　her　hand　for　an　instant　on　his　ar