the deliverance-第6部分

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〃Hardly　the　preacher's　view　of　the　matter；　is　it？〃

〃Maybe　not；　and　I　ain't　got　a　quarrel　with　'em；　the　Lord　knows。　I　go　to　church　like　clockwork；　and　pay　my　pew…rent；　too；　which　is　more　than　some　do　that　gabble　the　most　about　salvation。　If　I　pay　for　the　preacher's　keep　it's　only　fair　that　I　should　get　some　of　the　good　that　comes　to　him　hereafter；　that's　how　it　looks　to　me；　so　I　don't　trouble　my　head　much　about　the　ins　and　the　outs　of　getting　saved　or　damned。　I've　never　puled　in　this　world；　thank　God；　and　let　come　what　will；　I　ain't　going　to　begin　puling　in　the　next。　But　to　go　back　to　whar　I　started　from；　it　all　makes　in　the　end　for　that　pretty　little　chap　over　yonder　in　the　dining…room。　Rather　puny　for　his　years　now；　but　as　sound　as　a　nut；　and　he'll　grow；　he'll　grow。　When　his　motherpoor；　worthless　drabgave　birth　to　him　and　died；　I　told　her　it　was　the　best　day's　work　she'd　ever　done。〃

Carraway's　humour　rippled　over。　〃It's　easy　to　imagine　what　her　answer　must　have　been　to　such　a　pleasantry；〃　he　observed。

〃Oh；　she　was　a　fool；　that　womana　born　fool！

Her　answer　was　that　it　would　be　the　best　day　for　her　only　when　I　came　to　call　it　the　worst。　She　hated　me　a　long　sight　more　than　she　hated　the　devil；　and　if　she　was　to　rise　out　of　her　grave　to…day　she'd　probably　start　right　in　scrubbing　for　those　darned　Blakes。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Carraway。

〃It's　the　plain　truth；　but　I　don't　visit　it　on　the　little　lad。　Why　should　I？　He's　got　my　nameI　saw　to　thatand　mark　my　word；　he'll　grow　up　yet　to　marry　among　the　quality。〃

The　secret　was　out　at　lastFletcher's　purpose　was　disclosed；　and　even　in　the　strong　light　of　his　past　misdeeds　it　showed　not　without　a　hint　of　pathos。　The　very　renouncement　of　any　personal　ambition　served　to　invest　the　racial　one　with　a　kind　of　grandeur。

〃There's　evidently　an　enviable　career　before　him；〃　said　the　lawyer　at　the　end　of　a　long　pause；　〃and　this　brings　me；　by　the　way；　to　the　question　I　wish　to　ashad　your　desire　to　see　me　any　connection　with　the　prospects　of　your　grandson？〃

〃In　a　way；　yes；　though；　to　tell　the　truth；　it　has　more　to　do　with　that　young　Blake's。　He's　been　bothering　me　a　good　deal　of　late；　and　I　mean　to　have　it　square　with　him　before　Bill　Fletcher's　a　year　older。〃

〃No　difficulty　about　your　title　to　the　estate；　I　presume？〃

〃Oh；　Lord；　no；　that's　all　fair　and　square；　suh。　I　bought　the　place；　you　know；　when　it　went　at　auction　jest　a　few　years　after　the　war。　I　bought　and　paid　for　it　right　down；　and　that　settled　things　for　good　and　all。〃

Carraway　considered　the　fact　for　a　moment。　〃If　I　remember　correctlyI　mean　unless　gossip　went　very　far　afieldthe　place　brought　exactly　seven　thousand　dollars。〃　His　gaze　plunged　into　the　moonlight　beyond　the　open　window　and　followed　the　clear　sweep　of　the　distant　fields。　〃Seven　thousand　dollars；〃　he　added　softly；　〃and　there's　not　a　finer　in　Virginia。〃

〃Thar　was　nobody　to　bid　agin　me；　you　see；〃　explained　Fletcher　easily。　〃The　old　gentleman　was　as　poor　as　Job's　turkey　then；　besides　going　doty　mighty　fast。〃

〃The　common　report　was；　I　believe；〃　pursued　the　lawyer；　〃that　the　old　man　himself　did　not　know　of　the　place　being　for　sale　until　he　heard　the　auctioneer's　hammer　on　the　lawn；　and　that　his　mind　left　him　from　the　momentthis　was；　of　course；　mere　idle　talk。〃

〃Oh；　you'll　hear　anything；〃　snorted　Fletcher。　〃The　old　gentleman　hadn't　a　red　copper　to　his　name；　and　if　he　couldn't　pay　the　mortgages；　how　under　heaven　could　he　have　bought　in　the　place？　As　a　plain　man　I　put　the　question。〃

〃But　his　friends？　Where　were　his　friends；　I　wonder？　In　his　youth　he　was　one　of　the　most　popular　men　in　the　Statea　high　liver　and　good　toaster；　you　rememberand　later　on　he　stood　well　in　the　Confederate　Government。　That　he　should　have　fallen　into　abject　poverty　seems　really　incomprehensible。〃

Fletcher　twisted　in　his　chair。　〃Why；　that　was　jest　three　years　after　the　war；　I　tell　you；〃　he　said　with　irritable　emphasis；　〃he　hadn't　a　friend　this　side　of　Jordan；　I　reckon；　who　could　have　raised　fifty　cents　to　save　his　soul。　The　quality　were　as　bad　off　as　thar　own　niggers。

〃Truetrue；〃　admitted　Carraway；　〃but　the　surprising　thing　isI　don't　hesitate　to　saythat　you　who　had　been　overseer　to　the　Blakes　for　twenty　years　should　have　been　able　in　those　destitute　times　and　on　the　spot；　as　it　were；　to　put　down　seven　thousand　dollars。〃

He　faced　the　fact　unflinchingly；　dragging　it　from　the　long　obscurity　full　into　the　red　glare　of　the　lamplight。　Here　was　the　main　thing；　he　knew；　in　Fletcher's　historyhere　was　the　supreme　offense。　For　twenty　years　the　man　had　been　the　trusted　servant　of　his　feeble　employer；　and　when　the　final　crash　came　he　had　risen　with　full　hands　from　the　wreck。　The　prodigal　Blakesburning　the　candle　at　both　ends；　people　saidhad　squandered　a　double　fortune　before　the　war；　and　in　an　equally　stupendous　fashion　Fletcher　had　amassed　one。

〃Oh；　thar're　ways　and　ways　of　putting　by　a　penny；〃　he　now　protested；　〃and　I　turned　over　a　bit　during　the　war；　I　may　as　well　own　up；　though　folks　had　only　black　looks　for　speculators　then。〃

〃We　used　to　call　them　'bloodsuckers；'　I　remember。〃

〃Well；　that's　neither　here　nor　thar；　suh。　When　the　place　went　for　seven　thousand　I　paid　it　down；　and　I've　managed　one　way　and　anotherand　in　spite　of　the　pesky　niggersto　make　a　pretty　bit　out　of　the　tobacco　crop；　hard　as　times　have　been。　The　Hall　is　mine　now；　thar's　no　going　agin　that；　and；　so　help　me　God；　it'll　belong　to　a　William　Fletcher　long　after　I　am　dead。〃

〃Ah；　that　brings　us　directly　to　the　point。〃

Fletcher　squared　himself　about　in　his　chair　while　his　pipe　went　out　slowly。

〃The　point；　if　you'll　have　it　straight；〃　he　said；　〃is　jest　thisI　want　the　whole　placeevery　inch　of　itand　I'll　die　or　git　it；　as　sure's　my　name's　my　own。　Thar's　still　that　old　frame　house　and　the　piece　of　land　tacked　to　it；　whar　the　overseers　used　to　live；　cutting　straight　into　the　heart　of　my　tobacco　fieldsin　clear　view　of　the　Hall；　tooright　in　the　middle　of　my　land；　I　tell　you！〃

〃Oh；　I　seeI　see；〃　muttered　Carraway；　〃that's　the　little　farm　in　the　midst　of　the　estate　which　the　old　gentlemanbless　his　weak　head　and　strong　heart　gave　his　wife's　brother；　Colonel　Corbin；　who　came　back　crippled　from　the　war。　Yes；　I　remember　now；　there　was　a　joke　at　the　time　about　his　saying　that　land　was　the　cheapest　present　he　could　give。〃

〃It　was　all　his　besotted　foolishness；　you　know　to　think　of　a　sane　man　deeding　away　seventy　acres　right　in　the　heart　of　his　tract　of　two　thousand。　He　meant　it　for　a　joke；　of　course。　Mr。　Tucker　or　Colonel　Corbin；　if　you　choose；　was　like　one　of　the　family；　but　he　was　as　sensitive　as　a　kid　about　his　wounds；　and　he　wanted　to　live　off　somewhar；　shut　up　by　himself。　Well；　he's　got　enough　folks　about　him　now；　the　Lord　knows。　Thar's　the　old　lady；　and　the　two　gals；　and　Mr。　Christopher；　to　say　nothing　of　Uncle　Boaz　and　a　whole　troop　of　worthless　niggers　that　are　eating　him　out　of　house　and　home。　Tom　Spade　has　a　deed　of　trust　on　the　place　for　three　hundred　dollars；　he　told　me　so　himself。〃

〃So　I　understand；　and　all　this　is　a　serious　inconvenience　to　you；　I　may　suppose。〃

〃Inconvenience！　Blood　and　thunder！　It　takes　the　heart　right　out　of　my　land；　I　tell　you。　Why；　the　very　road　I　cut　to　save　myself　half　a　mile　of　mudholes　came　to　a　dead　stop　because　Mr。　Christopher　wouldn't　let　it　cross　his　blamed　pasture。〃

Carraway　thoughtfully　regarded　his　finger　nails。　〃Then；　bless　my　soul！seeing　it's　your　private　affairwhat　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃　he　inquired。

〃Git　it。　The　devil　knows　howI　don't；　but　git　it　I　will。　I　brought　you　down　here　to　talk　those　fools　over；　and　I　mean　you　to　do　it。　It's　all　spite；　pure；　rotten　spite；　that's　what　it　is。　Look　here；　I'll　gladly　give　'em　three　thousand　dollars　for　that　strip　of　land；　and　it　wouldn't　bring　nine　hundred；　on　my　oath！〃

〃Have　you　made　the　offer？〃

〃Made　it？　Why；　if　I　set　foot　on　the　tip　edge　of　that　land　I'd　have　every　lean　hound　in　the　pack　snapping　at　my　heels。　As　for　that　young　rascal；　he'd　knock　me　down　if　I　so　much　as　scented　the　matter。〃

He　rapped　his　pipe　sharply　on　the　wood　of　his　chair　and　a　little　pile　of　ashes　settled　upon　the　floor。　With　a　laugh；　the　other　waved　his　hand　in　protest。

〃So　you　prefer　to　make　the　proposition　by　proxy。　My　dear　sirI'm　not　a　rubber　ball。〃

〃Oh；　he　won't　hurt　you。　It　would　spoil　the　sport　to　punch　anybody's　head　but　mine；　you　know。　Come；　now；　isn't　it　a　fair　offer　I'm　making？〃

〃It　appears　so；　certainlyand　I　really　do　not　see　why　he　should　wish　to　hold　the　place。　It　isn't　worth　much；　I　fancy；　to　anybody　but　the　owner　of　the　Hall；　and　with　the　three　thousand　clear　he　could　probably　get　a　much　better　one　at　a　little　distancewith　the　additional　value　of　putting　a　few　square　miles　between　himself　and　youwhom；　I　may　presume；　he　doesn't　love。〃

〃Oh；　you　may　presume　he　hates　me　if　you'll　only　work　it；〃　snorted　Fletcher。　〃Go　over　thar　boldlyno　slinking；　mind　youto…morrow　morning；　and　talk　them　into　reason。　Lord；　man；　you　ought　to　be　able　to　do　itdon't　you　know　Greek？〃

Carraway　nodded。　〃Not　that　it　ever　availed　me　much　in　an　argument；〃　he　confessed　frankly。

〃It's　a　good　thing　to　stop　a　mouth　with；　anyway。　Thar's　many　and　many　a　time；　I　tell　you；　I've　lost　a　bargain　for　the　lack　of　a　few　rags　of　Latin　or　Greek。　Drag　it　in；　stuff　it　down　'em；　gag　thar　mouthsit's　better　than　all　the　swearing　under　heaven。　Why；　taking　the　Lord's　name　in　vain　ain't　nothing　to　a　line　of　poetry　spurted　of　a　sudden　in　one　of　them　dead…and…gone　languages。　It's　been　done　at　me；　suh；　and　I　know　how　it　worksthat's　why　I've　put　the　boy　upstairs　on　'em　from　the　start。　'Tain't　much　matter　whether　he　goes　far　in　his　own　tongue　or　not；　that's　what　I　said；　but　dose　him　well　with　something　his　neighbours　haven't　learnt。〃

He　rose　with　a　lurch；　laid　his　pipe　on　the　mantel；　and　drew　out　his　big　silver　watch。

〃Great　Jehosaphat！　it's　eleven　and　after；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃Well；　it's　time　for　us　to　turn　in；　I　reckon；　and　dream　of　breakfast。　If　you'll　hold　the　lamp　while　I　bolt　up；　I'll　show　you　to　your　room。〃

Carraway　picked　up　the　lamp；　and；　cautiously　following　his　host　into　the　darkened　hall；　waited　until　he　had　fastened　the　night…chains　and　shot　the　heavy　bolts。

〃If　you　want　a　drink　of　water　thar's　a　bucket　in　the　porch；〃　said　Fletcher；　as　he　opened　the　b