the deliverance-第51部分

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〃No；　he　rather　fancies　me；　I　think。　Last　evening　he　grew　almost　amiable；　and　this　morning　Aunt　Saidie　told　me　he　left　me　a　pound　of　fresh　butter　from　the　market　jar。　If　you　only　knew　how　fond　he's　grown　of　his　money　you　would　realise　what　it　means。〃

〃Well；　keep　it　up；　for　God's　sake。　Humour　him　for　all　he's　worth。　Coddle　and　coax　him　into　doing　something　for　us；　or　dying　and　leaving　us　his　money。〃

Maria's　face　grew　grave。　〃That's　the　serious　part；　Will；　he　talks　of　leaving　every　penny　he　has　to　foreign　missions。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　Will　furiously。　〃If　he　does；　I　hope　he'll　land　in　hell。　Don't　let　him；　Maria。　It　all　rests　with　you。　Why；　if　he　did；　you'd　starve　along　with　us；　wouldn't　you？〃

〃Oh；　you　needn't　think　of　meI　could　always　teach；　you　know；　and　a　little　money　buys　a　great　deal　of　happiness　with　me。　I　have　learned　that　great　wealth　is　almost　as　much　of　an　evil　as　great　poverty。〃

〃I'd　take　the　risk　of　it；　every　time；　and　he　is　beastly　rich；　isn't　he；　Maria？〃

〃One　of　the　very　richest　men　in　the　State；　they　told　me　at　the　cross…roads。〃

〃Yet　he　has　the　insolence　to　cut　me　off　without　a　dollar。　Look　at　this　petered…out　little　farm　he's　given　me。　Why；　it　doesn't　bring　in　enough　to　feed　a　darkey！〃

〃We'll　hope　for　better　things；　dear；　but　you　must　learn　to　be　patientvery　patient。　His　anger　has　been　smothered　so　long　that　it　has　grown　almost　as　settled　as　hate。　Aunt　Saidie　doesn't　dare　mention　your　name　to　him；　and　she　tells　me　that　if　I　so　much　as　speak　of　you　he'll　turn　me　out　of　doors。〃

〃Then　it's　even　worse　than　I　thought。〃

〃Perhaps。　I　can't　say；　for　I　haven't　approached　the　subject　even　remotely　as　yet。　Keep　your　courage；　however；　and　I　promise　you　to　do　my　best。〃

She　kissed　him　again；　and　then；　turning　her　face　homeward；　started　at　a　rapid　walk　down　the　lane。　The　interview　with　Will　had　disturbed　her　more　than　she　liked　to　admit；　and　it　was　with　a　positive　throb　of　pain　that　she　forced　herself　at　last　to　compare　the　boy　of　five　years　ago　with　the　broken　and　dispirited　man　from　whom　she　had　just　parted。　Was　this　tragedy　the　end　of　the　young　ambition　which　Fletcher　had　nursed　so　fondly；　thisa　nervous；　overworked　tobacco…grower；　with　bloodshot　eyes；　and　features　already　inflamed　by　reckless　drinking？　The　tears　sprang　to　her　lashes；　and；　throwing　up　her　hands　with　a　pathetic　gesture　of　protest；　she　hastened　on　homeward　as　if　to　escape　the　terror　that　pursued　her。

She　had　turned　from　the　lane　into　the　main　road；　and　was　just　approaching　the　great　chestnuts　which　grew　near　the　abandoned　ice…pond；　when；　looking　up　suddenly　at　the　call　of　a　bird　above　her　head；　she　saw　Christopher　Blake　standing　beside　the　rail　fence　and　watching　her　with　a　strong　and　steady　gaze。　Involuntarily　she　slackened　her　pace　and　waited；　smiling　for　him　to　cross　the　fence；　but；　to　her　amazement；　after　an　instant　in　which　his　eyes　held　her　as　if　rooted　to　the　spot；　he　turned　hastily　away　and　walked　rapidly　in　the　opposite　direction。　For　a　breath　she　stood　motionless；　gazing　blankly　into　space；　then；　as　she　went　on　again；　she　knew　that　she　carried　with　her　not　the　wonder　at　his　sudden　flight；　but　the　clear　memory　of　that　one　moment's　look　into　his　eyes。　A　century　of　experience；　with　its　tears　and　its　laughter；　its　joy　and　its　anguish；　its　desire　and　its　fulfilment；　seemed　crowded　into　the　single　instant　that　held　her　immovable　in　the　road。



CHAPTER　IV。　The　Meeting　in　the　Night

When　Christopher　turned　so　abruptly　from　Maria's　gaze　he　was　conscious　only　of　a　desperate　impulse　of　flight。　At　the　instant　his　strength　seemed　to　fail　him　utterly；　and　he　realised　that　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　feared　to　trust　himself　to　face　the　imminent　moment。　His　one　thought　was　to　escape　quickly　from　her　presence；　and　in　the　suddenness　of　his　retreat　he　did　not　weigh　the　possible　effect　upon　her　of　his　rudeness。　A　little　later；　however；　when　he　had　put　the　field　between　him　and　her　haunting　eyes；　he　found　himself　returning　with　remorse　to　his　imaginings　of　what　her　scattered　impressions　must　have　been。

Between　regret　and　perplexity　the　day　dragged　through；　and　he　met　his　mother's　exacting　humours　and　Cynthia's　wistful　inquiries　with　a　curious　detachment　of　mind。　He　had　reached　that　middle　state　of　any　powerful　emotion　when　even　the　external　objects　among　which　one　moves　seem　affected　by　the　inward　struggle　between　reason　and　desirethe　field　in　which　he　worked；　the　distant　landscape；　the　familiar　faces　in　the　house；　and　those　frail；　pathetic　gestures　of　his　mother's　hands；　all　expressed　in　outward　forms　something　of　the　passion　which　he　felt　stirring　in　his　own　breast。　It　was　in　his　nature　to　dare　risks　blindlyto　hesitate　at　no　experience　offered　him　in　his　narrow　life；　and　there　were　moments　during　this　long　day　when　he　found　himself　questioning　if　one　might　not；　after　all；　plunge　headlong　into　the　impossible。

As　he　rose　from　the　supper　table；　where　he　had　pushed　his　untasted　food　impatiently　away；　he　remembered　that　he　had　promised　in　the　morning　to　meet　Will　Fletcher　at　the　store；　and；　lighting　his　lantern；　he　started　out　to　keep　the　appointment　he　had　almost　forgotten。　He　found　Will　overflowing　with　his　domestic　troubles；　and　it　was　after　ten　o'clock　before　they　both　came　out　upon　the　road　and　turned　into　opposite　ways　at　the　beginning　of　Sol　Peterkin's　lane。

〃I'll　help　you　with　the　ploughing；　of　course；〃　Christopher　said；　as　they　lingered　together　a　moment　before　parting；　〃make　your　mind　quite　easy　about　that。　I'll　be　over　at　sunrise　on　Monday　and　put　in　a　whole　day's　job。〃

Then；　as　he　fell　back　into　his　own　road；　he　found　something　like　satisfaction　in　the　prospect　of　driving　Will　Fletcher's　plough。　The　easy　indifference　with　which　he　was　accustomed　to　lend　a　hand　in　a　neighbour's　difficulty　had　always　marked　his　association　with　the　man　whose　ruin；　he　still　assured　himself；　he　had　wrought。

It　was　a　dark；　moonless　night；　with　only　a　faint；　nebulous　whiteness　where　the　clouded　stars　shone　overhead。　His　lantern；　swinging　lightly　from　his　hand；　cast　a　shining　yellow　circle　on　the　ground　before　him；　and　it　was　by　this　illumination　that　he　saw　presently；　as　he　neared　the　sunken　road　into　which　he　was　about　to　turn；　a　portion　of　the　shadow　by　the　ice…pond　detach　itself　from　the　surrounding　blackness　and　drift　rapidly　to　meet　him。　In　his　first　start　of　surprise；　he　raised　the　lantern　quickly　above　his　head　and　waited　breathlessly　while　the　advancing　shape　assumed　gradually　a　woman's　form。　The　old　ghost　stories　of　his　childhood　thronged　confusedly　into　his　brain；　and　then；　before　the　thrilling　certainty　of　the　figure　before　him；　he　uttered　a　single　joyous　exclamation：

〃You！〃

The　light　flashed　full　upon　Maria's　face；　which　gave　back　to　him　a　white　and　tired　look。　Her　eyes　were　heavy；　and　there　was　a　strange　solemnity　about　themsomething　that　appealed　vaguely　to　his　religious　instinct。

〃What　in　heaven's　name　has　happened？〃　he　asked；　and　his　voice　escaped　his　control　and　trembled　with　emotion。

With　a　tired　little　laugh；　she　screened　her　eyes　from　the　lantern。

〃I　had　a　talk　with　grandfather　about　Will；〃　she　answered；　〃and　he　got　so　angry　that　he　locked　me　out　of　doors。　He　had　had　a　worrying　day　in　town；　and　I　think　he　hardly　knew　what　he　was　doingbut　he　has　put　up　the　bars　and　turned　out　the　lights；　and　there's　really　no　way　of　getting　in。〃

He　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Will　you　go　on　to　your　brother's；　or　is　it　too　far？〃

〃At　first　I　started　there；　but　that　must　have　been　hours　ago；　and　it　was　so　dark　I　got　lost　by　the　ice…pond。　After　all；　it　would　only　make　matters　worse　if　I　saw　Will　again；　so　the　question　is；　Where　am　I　to　sleep？〃

〃At　Tom　Spade's；　thenor〃　he　hesitated　an　instant；　〃if　you　care　to　come　to　us；　my　sister　will　gladly　find　room　for　you。〃

She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　no；　you　are　very　kind；　but　I　can't　do　that。　It　is　best　that　I　shouldn't　leave　the　place；　perhaps；　and　when　the　servant　comes　over　at　sunrise　I　can　slip　up　into　my　room。　If　you'll　lend　me　your　lantern　I'll　make　myself　some　kind　of　a　bed　in　the　barn。　Fortunately；　grandfather　forgot　to　lock　the　door。〃

〃In　the　barn？〃　he　echoed；　surprised。

〃Oh；　I　went　there　first；　but　after　I　lay　down　I　suddenly　remembered　the　mice　and　got　up　and　came　away。　I'm　mortally　afraid　of　mice　in　the　dark；　but　your　lantern　will　keep　them　off；　will　it　not？〃

She　smiled　at　him　from　the　shining　circle　which　surrounded　her　like　a　halo；　and　for　a　moment　he　forgot　her　words　in　the　wonderful　sense　of　her　nearness。　Around　them　the　night　stretched　like　a　cloak；　enclosing　them　in　an　emotional　intimacy　which　had　all　the　warmth　of　a　caress。　As　she　leaned　back　against　the　body　of　a　tree；　and　he　drew　forward　that　he　might　hold　the　lantern　above　her　head；　the　situation　was　resolved；　in　spite　of　the　effort　that　he　made；　into　the　eternal　problem　of　the　man　and　the　woman。　He　was　aware　that　his　blood　worked　rapidly　in　his　veins；　and　as　her　glance　reached　upward　from　the　light　to　meet　his　in　the　shadow　he　realised　with　the　swiftness　of　intuition　that　in　her　also　the　appeal　of　the　silence　was　faced　with　a　struggle。　They　would　ignore　it；　he　knew；　and　yet　it　shone　in　their　eyes；　quivered　in　their　voices；　and　trembled　in　their　divided　hands；　and　to　them　both　its　presence　was　alive　and　evident　in　the　space　between　them。　He　saw　her　bosom　rise　and　fall；　her　lips　part　slightly；　and　a　tremor　disturb　the　high　serenity　of　her　self…control；　and　there　came　to　him　the　memory　of　their　first　meeting　at　the　cross…roads　and　of　the　mystery　and　the　rapture　of　his　boyish　love。　He　had　found　her　then　the　lady　of　his　dreams；　and　now；　after　all　the　violence　of　his　revolt　against　her；　she　was　still　to　him　as　he　had　first　seen　herthe　woman　whose　soul　looked　at　him　from　her　face。

For　a　breathless　momentfor　a　single　heart…beatit　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　but　to　lean　down　and　gather　her　eyes　and　lips　and　hands　to　his　embrace；　to　feel　her　awaken　to　life　within　his　arms　and　her　warm　blood　leap　up　beneath　his　mouth。　Then　the　madness　left　him　as　suddenly　as　it　had　come；　and　she　grew　strangely　white；　and　distant；　and　almost　unreal；　in　the　spiritual　beauty　of　her　look。　He　caught　his　breath　sharply；　and　lowered　his　gaze　to　the　yellow　circle　that　trembled　on　the　ground。

〃But　you　will　be　afraid　even　with　the　light