the deliverance-第49部分

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er　right；　her　heritagethe　desolate　red　roads；　the　luxuriant　tobacco　fields；　the　primitive　and　ignorant　people。　In　her　heart　there　was　no　regret　for　any　past　that　she　had　known；　for　over　the　wild　country　stretching　about　her　now　there　hung　a　romantic　and　mysterious　haze。

A　little　later　she　was　aroused　from　her　reverie　by　Miss　Saidie；　who　came　in　with　a　lighted　lamp　in　her　hand。

〃Don't　you　need　a　light；　Maria？　I　never　could　abide　to　sit　in　the　dark。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　bring　it　in。　There；　put　it　on　the　bureau　and　sit　down　by　the　fire；　for　I　want　to　talk　to　you。　No；　I'm　not　a　bit　tired；　I　am　only　trying　to　fit　myself　again　in　this　room。　Why；　I　don't　believe　you've　changed　a　pin　in　the　pincushion　since　I　went　away。〃

Miss　Saidie　dusted　the　top　of　the　bureau　with　her　apron　before　she　placed　the　tall　glass　lamp　upon　it。

〃Thar　warn't　anybody　to　stay　in　it；〃　she　answered；　as　she　sat　down　in　a　deep；　cretonne…covered　chair　and　pushed　back　the　hickory　log　with　her　foot。　〃I　declare；　Maria；　I　don't　see　what　you　want　to　traipse　around　with　that　little　poor…folksy　yaller　dog　for。　He　puts　me　in　mind　of　the　one　that　old　blind　nigger　up　the　road　used　to　have。〃

〃Does　he？〃　asked　Maria　absently；　in　the　voice　of　one　whose　thoughts　are　hopelessly　astray。

She　was　standing　by　the　window；　holding　aside　the　curtain　of　flowered　chintz；　and　after　a　moment　she　added　curiously：　〃There's　a　light　in　the　fields；　Aunt　Saidie。　What　does　it　mean？〃

Crossing　the　room；　Miss　Saidie　followed　the　gesture　with　which　Maria　pointed　into　the　night。

〃That's　on　the　Blake　place；〃　she　said；　〃it　must　be　Mr。　Christopher　moving　about　with　his　lantern。〃

〃You　call　him　Mr。　Christopher？〃

〃Oh；　it　slipped　out。　His　father's　name　was　Christopher　before　him；　and　I　used　to　open　the　gate　for　him　when　I　was　a　child。　Many　and　many　a　time　the　old　gentleman's　given　me　candy　out　of　his　pocket；　or　a　quarter　to　buy　a　present；　and　one　Christmas　he　brought　me　a　real　wax　doll　from　the　city。　He　wasn't　old　then；　I　can　tell　you；　and　he　was　as　handsome　as　if　he　had　stepped　out　of　a　fashion　plate。　Why；　young　Mr。　Christopher　can't　hold　a　candle　to　him　for　looks。〃

〃He　was　a　gentleman；　then？　I　mean　the　old　man。〃

〃Who？　Mr。　Christopher's　father？　I　don't　reckon　thar　was　a　freer　or　a　finer　between　here　and　London。〃

Maria's　gaze　was　still　on　the　point　of　light　which　twinkled　faintly　here　and　there　in　the　distant　field。

〃Then　how；　in　heaven's　name；　did　he　come　to　this？〃　she　asked；　in　a　voice　that　was　hardly　louder　than　a　whisper。

〃I　never　knew；　I　never　knew；〃　protested　Miss　Saidie；　going　back　to　her　chair　beside　the　hearth。　〃Brother　Bill　and　he　hate　each　other　worse　than　death；　and　it　was　Will's　fancy　for　Mr。　Christopher　that　brought　on　this　awful　trouble。　For　a　time；　I　declare　it　looked　as　if　the　boy　was　really　bewitched；　and　they　were　together　morning；　noon；　and　night。　Your　grandpa　never　got　over　it；　and　I　believe　he　blames　Mr。　Christopher　for　every　last　thing　that's　happenedMolly　Peterkin　and　all。〃

〃Molly　Peterkin？〃　repeated　Maria　inquiringly。　〃Why；　how　absurd！　And；　after　all；　what　is　the　matter　with　the　girl？〃　Dropping　the　curtain；　she　came　over　to　the　fire；　and　sat　listening　attentively　while　Miss　Saidie　told；　in　spasmodic　jerks　and　pauses；　the　foolish　story　of　Will's　marriage。

〃Your　grandpa　will　never　forgive　himnever；　never。　He　has　turned　him　out　for　good　and　all；　and　he　talks　now　of　leaving　every　cent　of　his　money　to　foreign　missions。〃

〃Well；　we'll　see；〃　said　Maria　soothingly。　〃I'll　go　over　there　to…　morrow　and　talk　with　Will；　and　then　I'll　try　to　bring　grandfather　to　some　kind　of　reason。　He　can't　let　them　starve；　rich　as　he　is；　there's　no　sense　in　thatand　if　the　worst　comes；　I　can　at　least　share　the　little　I　have　with　them。　It　may　supply　them　with　bread；　if　Molly　will　undertake　to　churn　her　own　butter。〃

〃Then　your　money　went；　too？〃

〃The　greater　part　of　it。　Jack　was　fond　of　wild　schemes；　you　know。　I　left　it　in　his　hands。〃　She　had　pronounced　the　dead　man's　name　so　composedly　that　Miss　Saidie；　after　an　instant's　hesitation；　brought　herself　to　an　allusion　to　the　girl's　loss。

〃How　you　must　miss　him；　dear；〃　she　ventured　timidly；　〃even　if　he　wasn't　everything　he　should　have　been　to　you；　he　was　still　your　husband。〃

〃Yes；　he　was　my　husband；〃　assented　Maria　quietly。

〃You　were　so　brave　and　so　patient；　and　you　stuck　by　him　to　the　last；　as　a　wife　ought　to　do。　Then　thar's　not　even　a　child　left　to　you　now。〃

Maria　turned　slowly　toward　her　and　then　looked　away　again　into　the　fire。　The　charred　end　of　a　lightwood　knot　had　fallen　on　the　stones；　and；　picking　it　up；　she　threw　it　back　into　the　flames。　〃For　a　year　before　his　death　his　mind　was　quite　gone；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　that　quivered　slightly；　〃he　had　to　be　taken　to　an　asylum；　but　I　went　with　him　and　nursed　him　till　he　died。　There　were　times　when　he　would　allow　no　one　else　to　enter　his　room　or　even　bring　him　his　meals。　I　have　sat　by　him　for　two　days　and　nights　without　sleeping；　and　though　he　did　not　recognise　me；　he　would　not　let　me　stir　from　my　place。〃

〃And　yet　he　treated　you　very　badlyeven　his　family　said　so。〃

〃That　is　all　over　now；　and　we　were　both　to　blame。　I　owed　him　reparation；　and　I　made　it；　thank　God；　at　the　last。〃

As　she　raised　her　bare　arms　to　the　cushioned　back　of　her　chair　Miss　Saidie　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　deep　white　scar　which　ran　in　a　jagged　line　above　her　elbow。

〃Oh；　it　is　nothing；　nothing；〃　said　Maria　hastily；　clasping　her　hands　again　upon　her　knees。　〃That　part　of　my　life　is　over　and　done　with　and　may　rest　in　peace。　I　forgave　him　then；　and　he　forgives　me　now。　One　always　forgives　when　one　understands；　you　know；　and　we　both　understand　to…dayhe　no　less　than　I。　The　chief　thing　was　that　we　made　a　huge；　irretrievable　mistakethe　mistake　that　two　people　make　when　they　think　that　love　can　be　coddled　and　nursed　like　a　domestic　petwhen　they　forget　that　it　goes　wild　and　free　and　comes　at　no　man's　call。　Folly　like　that　is　its　own　punishment；　I　suppose。〃

〃My　dear；　my　dear；〃　gasped　Miss　Saidie；　in　awe…stricken　sympathy　before　the　wild　remorse　in　Maria's　voice。

〃I　did　my　duty；　as　you　call　it；　I　even　clung　to　it　desperately；　and；　much　as　I　hated　it；　I　never　rebelled　for　a　single　instant。　The　nearest　I　came　to　loving　him；　I　think；　was　when；　after　our　terrible　life　together；　he　lay　helpless　for　a　year　and　I　was　with　him　day　and　night。　If　I　could　have　given　him　my　strength　then；　brain　and　body；　I　would　have　done　it　gladly；　and　that　agonised　compassion　was　the　strongest　feeling　I　ever　had　for　him。〃　She　broke　off　for　a　long　breath；　and　sat　looking　earnestly　at　the　amazed　little　woman　across　from　her。　〃You　could　never　understand！〃　she　exclaimed　impetuously；　〃but　I　must　tell　youI　must　tell　you　because　I　can't　live　with　you　day　after　day　and　know　that　there　is　an　old　dead　lie　between　us。　I　hate　lies；　I　have　had　so　many　of　them；　and　I　shall　speak　the　truth　hereafter；　no　matter　what　comes　of　it。　Anything　is　better　than　a　long；　wearing　falsehood；　or　than　those　hideous　little　shams　that　we　were　always　afraid　to　touch　for　fear　they　would　melt　and　show　us　our　own　nakedness。　That　is　what　I　loathe　about　my　life；　and　that　is　what　I've　done　with　now　forever。　I　am　myself　now　for　the　first　time　since　I　was　born；　and　at　last　I　shall　let　my　own　nature　teach　me　how　to　live。〃

Her　intense　pallor　was　illumined　suddenly　by　a　white　flame；　whether　from　the　leaping　of　some　inner　emotion　or　from　the　sinking　firelight　which　blazed　up　fitfully　Miss　Saidie　could　not　tell。　As　she　turned　her　head　with　an　impatient　movement　her　black　hair　slipped　its　heavy　coil　and　spread　in　a　shadowy　mass　upon　her　bared　shoulders。

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　how　it　is；〃　said　Miss　Saidie；　wiping　her　eyes。　〃But　I　can't　see　that　it　makes　any　difference　whether　you　were　what　they　call　in　love　or　not；　so　long　as　you　were　a　good；　well…behaved　wife。　I　don't　think　a　man　troubles　himself　much　about　a　woman's　heart　after　he's　put　his　wedding　ring　on　her　finger；　and　though　I　know；　of　course；　that　thar's　a　lot　of　nonsense　spoken　in　courtship；　it　seems　to　me　they　mostly　take　it　out　in　talking。　The　wives　that　I've　seen　are　generally　as　anxious　about　thar　setting　hens　as　they　are　about　thar　husband's　hearts；　and　I　reckon　things　are　mighty　near　the　same　the　world　over。〃

Without　noticing　her；　Maria　went　on　feverishly；　speaking　so　low　at　times　that　the　other　almost　lost　the　words。

〃It　is　such　a　relief　to　let　it　all　out；〃　she　said；　with　a　long；　sighing　breath；　〃and　oh！　if　I　had　loved　him　it　would　have　been　so　differentso　different。　Then　I　might　have　saved　him；　for　what　evil　is　strong　enough　to　contend　against　a　love　which　would　have　borne　all　things；　have　covered　all　things？〃

Rising　from　her　chair；　she　walked　rapidly　up　and　down；　and　pausing　at　last　beside　the　window；　lifted　the　curtain　and　looked　out　into　the　night。

〃I　might　have　saved　him；　I　know　it　now；〃　she　repeated　slowly：　〃or　had　it　been　otherwise；　even　in　madness　I　would　not　have　loosened　my　arms；　and　my　service　would　have　been　the　one　passionate　delight　left　in　my　life。　They　could　never　have　torn　him　from　my　bosom　then；　and　yet　as　it　wasas　it　was〃　She　turned　quickly；　and；　coming　back；　laid　her　hand　on　Miss　Saidie's　arm。　〃It　is　such　a　comfort　to　talk；　dear　Aunt　Saidie；〃　she　added；　〃even　though　you　don't　understand　half　that　I　say。　But　you　are　goodso　good；　and　now　if　you'll　lend　me　a　nightgown　I'll　go　to　bed　and　sleep　until　my　trunks　come　in　the　morning。〃　Her　voice　had　regained　its　old　composure；　and　Miss　Saidie；　looking　back　as　she　went　for　the　gown；　saw　that　she　had　begun　quietly　to　braid　her　hair。



CHAPTER　III。　The　Day　Afterward

When　Maria　awoke；　the　sun　was　full　in　her　eyes；　and　somewhere　on　the　lawn　outside　the　first　bluebird　was　whistling。　With　a　start；　she　sprang　out　of　bed　and　dressed　quickly　by　the　wood　fire　which　Malindy　had　lighted。　Then；　before　going　downstairs；　she　raised　the　window　and　leaned　out　into　the　freshness　of　the　morning；　where　a　white　mist　glimmered　in　the　hollows　of　the　March　landscape。　In　the　distance　she　saw　the　smoking　chimneys　of　the　Blake　cottage；　very　faint　among　the　leafless　trees；　and　nearer　at　hand　men　were　moving　back　and　forth　in　her　grandfather's　fields。　Six　years　ago　she　would　have　found　little　beauty　in　so　grave　and　colourless　a　scene；　but　to…day　as　she　looked　up