the deliverance-第54部分

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〃It　was　more　than　thatit　was　a　great　deliverance；〃　he　said。

Then；　as　she　rose；　he　followed　her　from　the　graveyard；　and　they　descended　the　low　brown　hill　together。



CHAPTER　VI。　The　Growing　Light

By　the　end　of　the　week　a　long　rain　had　set　in；　and　while　it　lasted　Christopher　took　down　the　tobacco　hanging　in　the　roof　of　the　log　barn　and　laid　it　in　smooth　piles；　pressed　down　by　boards　on　the　ground。　The　tobacco　was　still　soft　from　the　moist　season　when　Jim　Weatherby；　who　had　sold　his　earlier　in　the　year；　came　over　to　help　pack　the　large　casks　for　market；　bringing　at　the　same　time　a　piece　of　news　concerning　Bill　Fletcher。

〃It　seems　Will　met　the　old　man　somewhere　on　the　road　and　they　came　to　downright　blows；〃　he　said。　〃Fletcher　broke　a　hickory　stick　over　the　boy's　shoulders。〃

Christopher　carefully　sorted　a　pile　of　plants；　and　then；　selecting　the　finest　six　leaves；　wrapped　them　together　by　means　of　a　smaller　one　which　he　twisted　tightly　about　the　stems。

〃Ah；　is　that　so？〃　he　returned；　with　a　troubled　look。

〃It's　a　pretty　kettle　of　fish；　sure　enough；〃　pursued　Jim。　〃Of　course；　Will　has　made　a　fool　of　himself；　and　gone　to　the　dogs　and　all　that；　but　I　must　say　it　does　seem　a　shame；　when　you　think　that　old　Fletcher　can't　take　his　money　with　him　to　the　next　world。　As　for　pure　stinginess；　I　don't　believe　he'd　find　his　match　if　he　scoured　the　country。　Why；　they　say　his　granddaughter　barely　gets　enough　to　eat。　Look　here！　What　are　you　putting　in　that　bad　leaf　for。　It's　worm…eaten　all　over。〃

〃So　it　is；〃　admitted　Christopher；　examining　it　with　a　laugh。　〃My　eyesight　must　be　failing　me。　But　what　good　under　heaven　does　his　money　do　Fletcher；　after　all？〃

〃Oh；　he's　saving　it　up　to　leave　to　foreign　missions；　Tom　Spade　says。　Mr。　Carraway　is　coming　down　next　week　to　draw　up　a　new　will。〃

〃And　his　grandchildren　come　in　for　nothing？〃

〃It　looks　that　waybut　you　can't　see　through　Bill　Fletcher；　so　nobody　knows。　The　funny　part　is　that　he　has　taken　rather　a　liking　to　Mrs。　Wyndham；　I　hear；　and　she　has　even　persuaded　him　to　raise　the　wages　of　his　hands。　It's　a　pity　she　can't　patch　up　a　peace　with　Willthe　quarrel　seems　to　distress　her　very　much。〃

〃You　have　seen　her；　then？〃

〃Yesterday；　for　a　minute。　She　stopped　me　near　the　store　and　asked　for　news　of　Will。　There　was　nothing　I　could　tell　her　except　that　they　dragged　along　somehow　with　Sol　Peterkin's　help。　That's　a　fine　woman；　Fletcher　or　no　Fletcher。〃

〃Well；　she　can't　help　thatit's　merely　a　question　of　name。　There's　Cynthia　calling　us　to　dinner。　We'll　have　to　fill　the　hogsheads　later　on。〃

But　when　the　meal　was　over　and　he　was　returning　to　his　work；　Cynthia　followed　him　with　a　message　from　his　mother。

〃She　has　asked　for　you　all　the　morning；　Christopher；　there's　something　on　her　mind；　though　she　seems　quite　herself　and　in　a　very　lively　humour。　It　is　impossible　to　get　her　away　from　the　subject　of　marriageshe　harps　on　it　continually。〃

He　had　turned　to　enter　the　house　at　her　first　words；　but　now　his　face　clouded；　and　he　hung　back　before　the　door。

〃Do　you　think　I'd　better　go　in？〃　he　asked；　hesitating。

〃There's　no　getting　out　of　it　without　making　her　feel　neglected；　and　perhaps　your　visit　may　divert　her　thoughts。　I'm　sure　I　don't　see　what　she　has　left　to　say　on　the　subject。〃

〃All　right；　I'll　go；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　〃but　for　heaven's　sake；　help　me　drum　up　some　fresh　topics。〃

Mrs。　Blake　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　sipping　a　glass　of　port　wine；　and　at　Christopher's　step　she　turned　her　groping　gaze　helplessly　in　his　direction。

〃What　a　heavy　tramp　you　have；　my　son；　you　must　be　almost　as　large　as　your　father。〃

Crossing　the　room　as　lightly　as　his　rude　boots　permitted；　Christopher　stooped　to　kiss　the　cheek　she　held　toward　him。　The　old　lady　had　wasted　gradually　to　the　shadow　of　herself；　and　the　firelight　from　the　hearth　shone　through　the　unearthly　pallor　of　her　face　and　hands。　Her　beautiful　white　hair　was　still　arranged；　over　a　high　cushion；　in　an　elaborate　fashion；　and　her　gown　of　fine　embroidered　linen　was　pinned　together　with　a　delicate　cameo　brooch。

〃I　have　been　talking　very　seriously　to　Lila；〃　she　began　at　once；　as　he　sat　down　by　the　bedside。　〃My　age　is　great；　you　know；　and　it　is　hardly　probable　that　the　good　Lord　will　see　fit　to　leave　me　much　longer　to　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　this　world。　Now；　what　troubles　me　more　than　all　else　is　that　I　am　to　die　feeling　that　the　family　will　pass　utterly　away。　Is　it　possible　that　both　Lila　and　yourself　persist　in　your　absurd　and　selfish　determination　to　remain　unmarried？〃

〃Oh；　mother！　mother！〃　groaned　Lila　from　the　fireplace。

〃You　needn't　interrupt　me；　Lila；　you　know　quite　well　that　a　family　is　looked　at　askance　when　all　of　its　members　remain　single。　Surely　one　old　maidand　I　am　quite　reconciled　to　poor　Cynthia's　spinsterhoodis　enough　to　leaven　things；　as　your　father　used　to　say〃

Her　memory　slipped　from　her　for　a　moment；　she　caught　at　it　painfully；　and　a　peevish　expression　crossed　her　face。

〃What　was　I　saying；　Lila？　I　grow　so　forgetful。〃

〃About　father；　dear。〃

〃No；　no；　I　remember　nowit　was　about　your　marrying。　Well；　well；　as　I　said　before；　I　fear　your　attitude　is　the　result　of　some　sentimental　fancies　you　have　found　in　books。　My　child；　there　was　never　a　book　yet　that　held　a　sensible　view　of　love；　and　I　hope　you　will　pay　no　attention　to　what　they　say。　As　for　waiting　until　you　can't　live　without　a　man　before　you　marry　himtut…tut！　the　only　necessary　question　is　to　ascertain　if　you　can　possibly　live　with　him。　There　is　a　great　deal　of　sentiment　talked　in　life；　my　dear；　and　very　little　livedand　my　experience　of　the　world　has　shown　me　that　one　man　is　likely　to　make　quite　as　good　a　husband　as　anotherprovided　he　remains　a　gentleman　and　you　don't　expect　him　to　become　a　saint。　I've　had　a　long　marriage；　my　children；　and　a　happy　one。　Your　father　fell　in　love　with　me　at　his　first　glance；　and　he　did　not　hate　me　at　his　last；　though　the　period　covered　an　association　of　thirty　years。　We　were　an　ideal　couple；　all　things　considered；　and　he　was　a　very　devoted　husband；　but　to　this　day　I　have　not　ceased　to　be　thankful　that　he　was　never　placed　in　the　position　where　he　had　to　choose　between　me　and　his　dinner。　Honestly；　I　may　as　well　confess　among　us　three；　it　makes　me　nervous　when　I　think　of　the　result　of　such　a　pass。〃

〃Oh；　mother；〃　protested　Lila　reproachfully；　〃if　I　listened　to　you　I　should　never　want　to　marry　any　man。〃

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　see　why；　my　dear。　I　have　always　urged　it　as　a　duty；　not　advised　it　as　a　pleasure。　As　far　as　that　goes；　I　hold　to　this　day　the　highest　opinion　of　matrimony　and　of　men；　though　I　admit；　when　I　consider　the　attention　they　require；　I　sometimes　feel　that　women　might　select　a　better　object。　When　the　last　word　is　said；　a　man　is　not　half　so　satisfactory　a　domestic　pet　as　a　cat；　and　far　less　neat　in　his　habits。　Your　poor　father　would　throw　his　cigar　ashes　on　the　floor　to　the　day　of　his　death；　and　I　could　never　persuade　him　to　use　an　ash…tray；　though　I　gave　him　one　regularly　every　Christmas　that　he　lived。　Do　you　smoke　cigars；　Christopher？　I　detect　a　strong　odour　of　tobacco　about　you；　and　I　hope　you　haven't　let　Tucker　persuade　you　into　using　anything　so　vulgar　as　a　pipe。　The　worst　effect　of　a　war；　I　am　inclined　to　believe；　is　the　excuse　it　offers　every　man　who　fought　in　it　to　fall　into　bad　habits。〃

〃Oh；　it's　Uncle　Tucker's　pipe　you　smell；〃　replied　Christopher；　with　a　laugh；　as　he　rose　from　his　chair。　〃I　detest　the　stuff　and　always　did。〃

〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　thankful　for　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Blake；　detaining　him　by　a　gesture；　〃but　I　can't　help　recalling　a　speech　of　Micajah　Blair's；　who　said　that　a　woman　who　didn't　flirt　and　a　man　who　didn't　smoke　were　unsexed　creatures。　It　is　a　commendable　eccentricity；　I　suppose；　but　an　eccentricity；　good　or　bad；　is　equally　to　be　deplored。　Your　grandfather　always　said　that　the　man　who　was　better　than　his　neighbours　was　quite　as　unfortunate　as　the　man　who　was　worse。　Who　knows　but　that　your　dislike　of　tobacco　and　your　aversion　to　marriage　may　result　from　the　same　peculiar　quirk　in　your　brain？〃

〃Well；　it's　there　and　I　can't　alter　it；　even　to　please　you；　mother；〃　declared　Christopher　from　the　door。　〃I've　set　my　face　square　against　them　both；　and　there　it　stands。〃

He　went　out　laughing；　and　Mrs。　Blake　resigned　herself　with　a　sigh　to　her　old　port。

The　rain　fell　heavily；　whipping　up　foaming　puddles　in　the　muddy　road　and　beating　down　the　old　rosebushes　in　the　yard。

As　Christopher　paused　for　a　moment　in　the　doorway　before　going　to　the　barn　he　drew　with　delight　the　taste　of　the　dampness　into　his　mouth　and　the　odour　of　the　moist　earth　into　his　nostrils。　The　world　had　taken　on　a　new　and　appealing　beauty；　and　yet　the　colourless　landscape　was　touched　with　a　sadness　which　he　had　never　seen　in　external　things　until　to…day。

His　ears　were　now　opened　suddenly；　his　eyes　unbandaged；　and　he　heard　the　rhythmical　fall　of　the　rain　and　saw　the　charm　of　the　brown　fields　with　a　vividness　that　he　had　never　found　in　his　enjoyment　of　a　summer's　day。　Human　life　also　moved　him　to　responsive　sympathy；　and　he　felt　a　great　aching　tenderness　for　his　blind　mother　and　for　his　sisters；　with　their　narrowed　and　empty　lives。　His　own　share　in　the　world；　he　realised；　was　but　that　of　a　small；　insignificant　failure；　he　had　been　crushed　down　like　a　weed　in　his　tobacco　field；　and　for　a　new　springing…up　he　found　neither　place　nor　purpose。　The　facts　of　his　own　life　were　not　altered　by　so　much　as　a　shadow；　yet　on　the　outside　life　that　was　not　his　own　he　beheld　a　wonderful　illumination。

His　powerful　figure　filled　the　doorway；　and　Cynthia；　coming　up　behind　him；　raised　herself　on　tiptoe　to　touch　his　bared　head。

〃Your　hair　is　quite　wet；　Christopher；　be　sure　to　put　on　your　hat　and　fasten　the　oilcloth　over　your　shoulders　when　you　go　back　to　the　barn。　You　are　so　reckless　that　you　make　me　uneasy。　Why；　the　rain　has　soaked　entirely　through　your　shirt。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　a　pine　knot；　you　needn't　worry。〃

She　sighed　impatiently　and　went　back　to　the　kitchen；　while　his　gaze　travelled　slowly　along　the　wet　gray　road　to　the　abandoned　ice…pond；　and　he　thought　of　his　meeting　with　Maria　in　the　darkness　and　of　the　light　of　the　lantern　shining　on　her　face。　He　remembered　her　white　hands　against　her　black　dress；　her　fervent　eyes　under　the