the deliverance-第63部分

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　city　and　that　she'd　have　pretty　clothes　to　wear。〃

〃I　was　thinking　that　when　the　child　came　he　might　forgive　you；〃　broke　in　Maria　almost　cheerfully。

〃And　in　the　meantime　we're　to　die　like　rats。　Oh；　there's　no　use　talking；　it's　got　to　end　one　way　or　another。　There's　not　a　cent　in　the　house　nor　a　decent　scrap　of　food；　and　Molly　is　having　to　see　the　doctor　every　day。　I　declare；　it's　enough　to　drive　me　clean　to　desperation！〃

〃And　what　good　would　that　do　Molly　or　yourself？　Be　a　man；　Will；　and　don't　let　a　woman　hear　you　whine。　Now　I'm　going　in　to　see　her；　and　I'll　stay　to　help　her　about　supper。〃

She　nodded　brightly；　and；　opening　the　little　door　of　the　house；　passed　into　the　single　lower　room　which　served　as　kitchen　and　dining…room　in　one。　Beyond　the　disorderly　table；　from　which　the　remains　of　dinner　had　not　yet　been　cleared　away；　Molly　was　lying　on　a　hard　wooden　lounge　covered　with　strips　of　faded　calico。　Her　abundant　flaxen　hair　hung　in　lusterless　masses　upon　her　shoulders；　and　the　soiled　cotton　wrapper　she　wore　was　torn　open　at　the　throat　as　if　she　had　clutched　it　in　a　passion　of　childish　petulance。　At　Maria's　entrance　she　started　and　looked　up　angrily　from　her　dejected　attitude。

〃I　can't　see　any　visitorsI'm　not　fit！〃　she　cried。

Marie　drew　forward　a　broken　splitbottomed　chair　and　sat　down　beside　the　lounge。

〃I'm　not　a　visitor；　Molly；〃　she　answered；　〃and　I've　come　to　see　if　I　can't　make　you　a　little　easier。　Won't　you　let　me　fix　you　comfortably？　Why；　you　poor　child；　your　hands　are　as　hot　as　fire！〃

〃I'm　hot　all　over；〃　returned　Molly　peevishly；　〃and　I'm　sickI'm　as　sick　as　I　can　be。　Will　won't　believe　it；　but　the　doctor　says　so。〃

〃Will　does　believe　it；　and　it　worries　him　terribly。　Here；　sit　up　and　let　me　bathe　your　face　and　hands　in　cold　water。　Doesn't　that　feel　better？〃

〃A　little；〃　admitted　Molly；　when　Maria　had　found　a　towel　and　dried　her　hands。

〃And　now　I'm　going　to　comb　the　tangles　out　of　your　hair。　What　lovely　hair！　It　is　the　colour　of　ripe　corn。〃

A　pleased　flush　brightened　Molly's　face；　and　she　resigned　herself　easily　to　Maria's　willing　services。　〃There's　a　comb　over　there　on　that　shelf　under　the　mirror；〃　she　said。　〃Will　broke　half　the　teeth　out　of　it　the　other　day；　and　it　pulls　my　hair　out　when　I　use　it。〃

〃Then　I'll　bring　you　one　of　mine。　You　must　be　careful　of　these　curls。　They're　too　pretty　to　treat　roughly。　Do　I　hurt　you？〃

As　she　spoke；　a　bright　strand　of　the　girl's　hair　twisted　about　one　of　her　rings；　and　after　hesitating　an　instant　she　drew　the　circle　from　her　finger　and　laid　it　in　Molly's　lap。

〃There。　I　haven't　any　money；　so　that's　to　buy　you　medicine　and　food；〃　she　said。　〃It　cost　a　good　deal　once；　I　fancy。〃

〃Diamonds！〃　gasped　Molly；　with　a　cry　of　rapture。

Her　hand　closed　over　the　ring　with　a　frantic　clutch；　then　slipping　it　on；　she　lay　watching　the　stone　sparkle　in　the　last　sunbeams。　A　colour　had　bloomed　suddenly　in　her　face；　and　her　eyes　shone　with　a　light　as　brilliant　as　that　of　the　jewel　at　which　she　gazed。

〃And　you　hadothers？〃　she　asked　in　a　kind　of　sacred　awe。

〃A　great　many　oncea　necklace；　and　rings；　and　brooches；　and　a　silly　tiara　that　made　me　look　a　fright。　I　never　cared　for　them　after　the　novelty　of　owning　them　wore　off。　They　are　evil　things；　it　seems　to　me；　and　should　never　be　the　gifts　of　love；　for　each　one　of　those　foolish　stones　stands　for　greed；　and　pride；　and　selfishness；　and　maybe　crime。　That　was　my　way　of　looking　at　them；　of　course；　and　whenever　I　wore　my　necklace　I　used　to　feel　like　asking　pardon　of　every　beggar　that　I　passed。　'One　link　in　this　chain　might　make　a　man　of　you；'　was　what　I　wanted　to　saybut　I　never　did。　Well；　they　are　almost　all　gone　now；　some　I　sold　and　some　I　gave　away。　This　one　will　buy　you　medicine；　I　hope；　and　then　it　will　give　me　more　happiness　than　it　has　ever　done　before。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　beautiful；　beautiful；〃　sighed　Molly　beneath　her　breath；　and　then　went　to　the　little　cracked　mirror　in　the　corner　and　held　the　diamond　first　to　her　ear　and　then　against　her　hair。　〃They　suit　me；〃　she　said　at　last；　opening　the　bosom　of　her　wrapper　and　trying　it　on　her　pretty　throat；　〃they　would　make　me　look　so　splendid。　Oh；　if　I'd　only　had　a　lover　who　could　give　me　things　like　this！〃

Maria；　watching　her；　felt　her　heart　contract　suddenly　with　a　pang　of　remembrance。　Jewels　had　been　the　one　thing　which　Jack　Wyndham　had　given　her；　for　of　the　finer　gifts　of　the　spirit　he　had　been　beggared　long　before　she　knew　him。　In　the　first　months　of　his　infatuation　he　had　showered　her　with　diamonds；　and　she　had　grown　presently　to　see　a　winking　mockery　in　each　bauble　that　he　tossed　her。　Before　the　first　year　was　ended　she　had　felt　her　pride　broken　by　the　oppressiveness　of　the　jewels　that　bedecked　her　body；　like　the　mystic　princess　who　was　killed　at　last　by　the　material　weight　of　the　golden　crown　upon　her　brow。

〃They　could　never　make　you　happy；　Molly。　How　could　they？　Come　back　and　lie　down；　and　let　me　put　the　ring　away。　Perhaps　I'd　better　take　it　to　town　myself。〃　But　Molly　would　not　open　her　closed　hand　on　which　the　diamond　shone；　and　long　after　Maria　had　cooked　supper　and　gone　back　to　the　Hall　the　girl　lay　motionless；　holding　the　ring　against　the　light。　When　Will　came　in　from　milking　she　showed　it　to　him　with　a　burst　of　joy。

〃Look！　Oh；　look！　Isn't　it　like　the　sun？〃

He　eyed　it　critically。

〃By　Jove！　It　must　have　cost　cool　hundreds！　I'll　take　it　to　town　to…morrow　and　bring　back　the　things　you　need。　It　will　get　the　baby　clothes；　too；　so　you　won't　have　to　bother　about　the　sewing。〃

〃You　shan't！　You　shan't！〃　cried　Molly　in　a　passion　of　sobs。　〃It's　mine。　She　gave　it　to　me；　and　you　shan't　take　it　away。　I　don't　want　the　medicine：　it　never　does　me　any　good；　and　I　can　make　the　baby　clothes　out　of　my　old　things。　I'll　never；　never　give　it　up！〃

For　an　instant　Will　stared　at　her　as　if　she　had　lost　her　senses。

〃Well；　she　was　a　fool　to　let　you　get　it；〃　he　said；　as　he　flung　himself　out　of　the　room。



CHAPTER　IV。　In　Which　Mrs。　Blake's　Eyes　are　Opened

Before　the　beauty　of　Maria's　high　magnanimity　Christopher　had　felt　himself　thrust　further　into　the　abasement　of　his　self…contempt。　Had　she　met　his　confession　with　reproach；　with　righteous　aversion；　with　the　horror　he　had　half　expected；　it　is　possible　that　his　heart　might　have　recoiled　into　a　last　expression　of　defiance。　But　there　had　been　none　of　these　things。　In　his　memory　her　face　shone　moonlike　from　its　cloud　of　dark　hair；　and　he　saw　upon　it　only　the　look　of　a　great　and　sorrowful　passion。　His　wretchedness　had　drawn　her　closer；　not　put　her　further　away；　and　he　had　felt　the　quiet　of　her　tolerance　not　less　gratefully　than　he　had　felt　the　fervour　of　her　love。　Her　forgiveness　had　been　of　the　grandeur　of　her　own　nature；　and　its　height　and　breadth　had　appealed；　even　apart　from　her　emotion；　to　a　mind　that　was　accustomed　to　dwell　daily　on　long　reaches　of　unbroken　space。　He　had　been　bred　on　large　things　from　his　birthlarge　horizons；　large　stretches　of　field　and　sky；　large　impulses；　and　large　powers　of　hating；　and　he　found　now　that　a　woman's　presence　filled　to　overflowing　the　empty　vastness　of　his　moods。

Reaching　the　yard；　he　saw　Tucker　sitting　placidly　on　his　bench；　and；　crossing　the　long　grass；　he　flung　himself　down　beside　him　with　a　sigh　of　pleasure　in　the　beauty　of　the　scene。

〃You're　right；　Uncle　Tucker；　it's　all　wonderful。　I　never　saw　such　a　sunset　in　my　life。〃

〃Ah；　but　you　haven't　seen　it　yet；〃　said　Tucker。　〃I've　been　looking　at　it　since　it　first　caught　that　pile　of　clouds；　and　it　grows　more　splendid　every　instant。　I'm　not　an　overreligious　body；　I　reckon；　and　I've　always　held　that　the　best　compliment　you　can　pay　God　Almighty　is　to　let　Him　go　His　own　gait　and　quit　advising　Him；　but；　I　declare；　as　I　sat　here　just　now　I　couldn't　help　being　impertinent　enough　to　pray　that　I　might　live　to　see　another。〃

〃Well；　it's　a　first…rate　one；　that's　so。　It　seems　to　shake　a　body　out　of　the　muck；　somehow。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder　if　it　did；　and　that's　what　I　told　two　young　fools　who　were　up　here　just　now　asking　me　to　patch　up　their　first　married　quarrel。　'For　heaven's　sake；　stop　playing　with　mud　and　sit　down　and　watch　that　sunset；'　I　said　to　'em；　and　if　you'll　believe　it；　the　girl　actually　dropped　her　jaws　and　replied　she　had　to　hurry　back　to　shell　her　beans　while　the　light　lasted。　Beans！　Why；　they'll　make　beans　enough　of　their　marriage；　and　so　I　told　'em。〃

Tapping　his　crutch　gently　on　the　ground；　he　paused　and　sat　smiling　broadly　at　the　sunset。

For　a　time　Christopher　watched　with　him　while　the　gold…　and…crimson　glory　flamed　beyond　the　twisted　boughs　of　the　old　pine；　then；　turning　his　troubled　face　on　Tucker's　cheerful　one；　he　asked　deliberately：

〃Do　you　sometimes　regret　that　you　never　married；　Uncle　Tucker？〃

〃Regret？〃　repeated　Tucker　softly。　〃Why；　no。　I　haven't　time　for　itthere's　too　much　else　to　think　about。　Regret　is　a　dangerous　thing；　my　boy；　you　let　a　little　one　no　bigger　than　a　mustard　seed　into　your　heart；　and　before　you　know　it　you've　hatched　out　a　whole　brood。　Why；　if　I　began　to　regret　that；　heaven　knows　where　I　should　stop。　I'd　regret　my　leg　and　arm　next；　the　pictures　I　might　have　painted；　and　the　four　years'　war　which　we　might　have　won。　No；　no。　I'd　change　nothing；　I　tell　younot　a　day；　not　an　hour；　not　a　single　sin　nor　a　single　virtue。　They're　all　woven　into　the　pattern　of　the　whole；　and　I　reckon　the　Lord　knew　the　figure　He　had　in　mind。〃

〃Well；　I'd　like　to　pull　a　thread　or　two　out　of　it；〃　returned　Christopher　moodily；　squinting　his　eyes　at　the　approaching　form　of　Susan　Spade；　who　came　from　the　afterglow　through　the　whitewashed　gate。　〃Why；　what's　bringing　her；　I　wonder？〃　he　asked　with　evident　displeasure。

To　this　inquiry　Susan　herself　presently　made　answer　as　she　walked　with　her　determined　tread　across　the　little　yard。

〃I've　a　bit　of　news　for　you；　Mr。　Christopher；　an'　I　reckon　you'd　ruther　have　it　from　my　mouth　than　from　Bill　Fletcher's。　His　back's　up　agin；　the　Lord　knows　why；　an'　he's　gone　an'　moved　his　pasture　fence　so　as　to　take　in　yo'　old　field　that　lies　beside　it。　He　swars　it's　his；　too；　but　Tom's　ready　to　match　him　with　a　bigger　oath　that　it's　yours　an'　always　has　been。〃

〃Of　course　it's　mine；〃　said　Christopher　coolly。　〃The　meadow　brook　marks　the　boundary；　and　the　field　is　on　this　side。　I　can　prov