the deliverance-第65部分

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a　fool；　as　the　Bishop　insisted；　but　he　was　a　man；　in　spite　of　his　cloth；　and　could　never　learn　to　understand　a　woman's　sensibilities。〃

She　finished；　and；　turning；　touched　him　gently　on　the　hand。

〃It　is　the　little　things　that　count　in　marriage；　Christopher；〃　and　after　a　moment　she　added　thoughtfully：　〃Promise　me　that　you　will　always　use　an　ash…tray。〃

〃Anything；　dear　mother；　I　promise　anything。〃

With　a　contented　sigh　she　closed　her　eyes；　and；　still　holding　his　hand；　fell　into　a　broken　and　troubled　sleep；　from　which　she　awoke　presently　in　a　gentle　delirium。　Her　lost　youth　had　returned　to　her；　and　with　it　something　of　her　old　gaiety　of　manner。　Suddenly　he　felt　a　strange　thrill　pass　through　her；　and　raising　herself　with　a　last　great　endeavour；　she　sat　erect；　staring　into　the　blue　sky　that　showed　through　the　window。

〃I　am　engaged　for　this　set；　sir；〃　she　said　in　her　winning　voice；　while　a　girlish　smile　transfigured　her　wan　face；　〃but　if　it　pleases　you；　you　may　put　your　name　down　for　the　next。〃

Rising；　he　bent　quickly　over　her；　but　before　he　touched　her　she　had　fallen　back　upon　the　pillows　and　lay　with　her　arch　smile　frozen　upon　her　face。



CHAPTER　V。　Christopher　Plants　by　Moonlight

At　midnight　they　left　him　to　watch　alone　in　her　chamber；　and　while　he　sat　in　the　shadow　beside　the　tester　bed　his　thoughts　encircled　the　still　form　on　the　white　counterpane。　On　the　mantel　two　candles　burned　dimly；　and　the　melted　tallow　dripped　slowly　down　into　the　tall　brass　candlesticks。　The　dimity　curtains　of　the　bed　fluttered　softly　in　the　breeze　that　blew　through　the　open　window；　and　in　his　nostrils　there　was　the　scent　of　the　single　rose　standing　in　a　glass　vase　upon　the　table。　Tucker　had　brought　her　the　rose　that　morning　and　she　had　held　it　for　a　pleased　moment　in　her　trembling　fingers。　Everything　in　the　room　around　him　was　ready　for　her　useher　nightcap　lay　on　the　bureau；　and　in　the　china　tray　beside　it　he　saw　her　brush　and　comb；　in　which　a　long　strand　of　white　hair　was　still　twisted。　On　her　hands；　folded　quietly　upon　her　breast；　he　caught　the　flash　of　Docia's　piece　of　purple　glass；　and　he　remembered　with　a　throb　of　pain　that　she　had　asked　that　her　betrothal　ring　might　be　buried　with　her。

〃Well；　she　knows　all　now；〃　he　thought　in　bitterness。　〃She　knows　the　theft　of　the　diamond；　and　the　deception　that　lasted　nearly　thirty　years。〃　In　the　midst　of　his　sorrow　a　sudden　shame　possessed　him；　and　he　felt　all　at　once　that　his　heart　was　pierced　by　the　unearthly　keenness　of　the　dead　eyes。　〃She　knows　all　now；〃　he　repeated；　and　there　was　a　passionate　defiance　in　his　acknowledgment。　〃She　knows　all　that　I　have　hidden　from　her；　as　well　as　much　that　has　been　hidden　from　me。　Her　blind　eyes　are　open；　and　she　sees　at　last　my　failure　and　my　sin；　and　the　agony　that　I　have　known。　For　years　I　have　shielded　her；　but　she　cannot　shield　me　now；　for　all　her　wider　vision。　She　can　avert　my　fate　no　more　than　I　could　hold　her　back　from　hers。　We　are　each　aloneshe；　and　I；　and　Maria；　and　the　boy　whom　I　have　ruinedand　there　is　no　love　that　can　keep　a　man　from　living　and　dying　to　himself。〃

It　seemed　to　him；　sitting　there　in　the　shadow；　that　he　felt　as　he　had　felt　before　in　grave　momentsthe　revolutions　of　the　wheel　on　which　he　was　bound。　And　with　that　strange　mystic　insight　which　comes　to　those　who　lead　brooding　and　isolated　lives　close　to　Nature；　he　asked　himself　if；　after　all；　these　things　had　not　had　their　beginning　in　the　dawn　of　his　existence　so　many　million　years　ago。　〃Has　it　not　all　happened　before　as　it　happens　nowmy　shame　and　my　degradation；　the　kiss　I　placed　on　Maria's　lips；　and　the　watch　I　keep　by　the　deathbed　of　my　mother？　It　is　all　familiar　to　me；　and　when　the　end　comes；　that　will　be　familiar；　too。〃

A　night　moth　entered；　wheeling　in　dizzy　circles　about　the　candle；　but　when　it　went　so　near　as　to　scorch　its　wings　he　caught　it　gently　in　his　hollowed　palms　and　released　it　into　the　darkness　of　the　yard。　As　he　leaned　out　he　saw　the　light　shining　clear　in　Maria's　window；　and　while　he　gazed　upon　it　he　felt　a　curious　kinship　with　the　moth　that　had　flown　in　from　the　night　and　hovered　about　the　flame。

As　the　days　went　on；　the　emptiness　in　the　house　became　to　him　like　that　of　the　grave；　and　he　learned　presently　that　the　peevish　and　exacting　old　lady　who　had　not　stirred　for　years　from　her　sick…bed　had　left　a　vacancy　larger　than　all　the　rest　of　them　could　fill。　Cynthia；　who　had　borne　most　of　the　burden；　began　now　to　bear；　in　its　place；　the　heavier　share　of　the　loss。　Released　from　her　daily　sacrifice　and　her　patient　drudgery；　she　looked　about　her　with　dazed　eyes；　like　one　whose　future　has　been　suddenly　swept　away。　There　was　nothing　for　her　to　do　any　longer　no　risings　in　the　gray　dawn　to　prepare　the　day's　stealthy　work；　no　running　on　aching　feet　to　answer　unreasonable　complaints；　no　numberless　small　lies　to　plan　in　secret；　no　stinting　of　herself　that　her　mother　might　have　her　little　luxuries。　Her　work　was　over；　and　she　pined　away　in　the　first　freedom　of　her　life。　The　very　fact　that　deception　was　no　longer　necessary　seemed　to　sweep　her　accustomed　moorings　from　beneath　her　feet。　She　had　lied　so　long　that　lying　had　become　at　last　a　second　nature　to　her；　and　to　her　surprise　she　found　almost　an　indecency　in　the　aspect　of　the　naked　truth。

〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；　Uncle　Tucker；〃　she　said　one　day　toward　the　end　of　June；　when　the　deadly　drought　which　had　kept　back　the　transplanting　of　the　tobacco　had　ended　in　three　days　of　heavy　rain〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；　but　the　thing　I　miss　mostand　I　miss　her　every　minuteis　the　lying　I　had　to　do。　It　gave　me　something　to　think　about；　somehow。　I　used　to　stay　awake　at　night　and　plan　all　sorts　of　pleasant　lies　that　I　could　tell　about　the　house　and　the　garden；　and　the　way　the　war　ended；　and　the　Presidents　of　the　ConfederacyI　made　up　all　their　namesand　the　fuss　with　which　each　one　was　inaugurated；　and　the　dresses　their　wives　and　daughters　wore。　It's　all　so　dull　when　you　have　to　stop　pretending　and　begin　to　face　things　just　as　they　are。　I've　lied　for　almost　thirty　years；　and　I　reckon　I've　lost　my　taste　for　the　truth。〃

〃Well；　it　will　come　back；　dear；〃　responded　Tucker　reassuringly；　〃but　I　think　you　need　a　change　if　a　woman　ever　did。　What　about　that　week　you're　to　spend　with　the　Weatherbys？〃

〃I'm　going　to…morrow；〃　answered　Cynthia　shortly。　〃Lila　is　sick　with　a　cold　and　wants　me；　but　how　you　and　Christopher　will　manage　to　get　on　is　more　than　I　can　say。〃

〃Oh；　we'll　worry　along　with　Docia；　never　fear；〃　replied　Tucker；　hobbling　into　his　seat　at　the　supper　table；　as　Christopher　came　in　from　the　woods　with　the　heavy　moisture　dripping　from　his　clothes。

〃It's　cleared　off　fine　and　there's　to　be　a　full　moon　tonight；〃　said　the　young　man；　hanging　up　his　hat。　〃If　the　rain　had　come　a　week　later　the　tobacco　would　have　been　ruined。　I've　just　been　taking　it　up　out　of　the　plant…bed。〃

〃You'll　begin　setting　it　out　to…morrow；　I　reckon；　then；〃　observed　Tucker；　watching　Cynthia　as　she　cut　up　his　food。

〃Oh；　I'm　afraid　to　waitthe　ground　dries　so　quickly。　Jacob　Weatherby　is　going　to　set　his　out　to…night；　and　I　think　I'll　do　the　same。　There's　a　fine　moon；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　every　farmer　in　the　county　was　in　the　fields　till　daybreak。〃

He　ate　his　supper　hurriedly；　and　then；　taking　down　his　hat；　went　out　to　resume　his　work。　At　the　door　he　had　left　his　big　split　basket　of　plants；　and；　slipping　his　arm　through　the　handle；　he　crossed　the　yard　in　the　direction　of　the　field。　As　he　turned　into　the　little　path　which　trailed　in　wet　grass　along　the　〃worm〃　fence；　Jacob　Weatherby　came　stepping　briskly　through　the　mud　in　the　road　and　stopped　to　ask　him　if　he　had　got　his　ground　ready　for　the　setting　out。　〃I've　been　lookin'　for　hands　myself；〃　added　the　old　man　in　his　cheery　voice；　〃for　I　could　find　work　for　a　dozen　men　to…night；　but　to　save　my　life　I　can't　scrape　up　more'n　a　nigger　here　an'　thar。　Bill　Fletcher　has　been　out　ahead　of　me；　it　seems。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　able　to　help　you　to…morrow；　I　think；〃　answered　Christopher。　〃I　hope　to　get　my　own　work　done　to…night。〃　Then　he　asked。　with　a　trifling　hesitation：　〃How　is　Lila's　cold？〃

A　sudden　light　broke　over　old　Jacob's　face；　and　he　nodded　in　his　genial　fashion。

〃Ah；　bless　her　pretty　eyes；　I　sometimes　think　she's　too　good　to　put　her　foot　down　on　this　here　common　earth；〃　he　said；　〃an'　to　think　that　only　this　mornin'　she　was　wantin'　to　help　Sarah　wipe　the　dishes。　Why；　I　reckon　Sarah　would　ruther　work　her　fingers　to　the　bone　than　have　that　gal　take　a　single　dishcloth　in　her　hand。　Oh；　we　know　how　to　value　her；　Mr。　Christopher；　never　fear。　Her　word's　law　in　our　house；　and　always　will　be。〃

He　passed　on　with　his　hearty　chuckle；　and　Christopher　followed　the　wet　path　and　began　planting　his　tobacco　plants　in　the　small　holes　he　bored　in　the　moist　earth。

It　was　the　most　solemn　hour　of　day；　when　the　division　between　light　and　darkness　seems　less　a　gradation　than　a　sudden　blur。　A　faint　yellow　line　still　lingered　across　the　western　horizon；　and　against　it　the　belt　of　pines　rose　like　an　advancing　army。　The　wind；　which　blew　toward　him　from　the　woods；　filled　his　nostrils　with　a　spicy　tang。

Slowly　the　moon　rose　higher；　flooding　the　hollows　and　the　low　green　hills　with　light。　In　the　outlying　fields　around　the　Hall　he　saw　Fletcher's　planters　at　work　in　the　tobacco；　each　man　so　closely　followed　by　his　shadow　that　it　was　impossible　at　a　little　distance　to　distinguish　the　living　labourer　from　his　airy　double。　All　the　harsh　irregularities　of　the　landscape　were　submerged　in　a　general　softness　of　tone；　and　the　shapes　of　hill　and　meadow；　of　road　and　tree；　of　shrub　and　rock；　were　dissolved　in　a　magical　and　enchanting　beauty。

Several　hours　had　passed；　and　he　had　stopped　to　rest　a　moment　from　his　planting；　when　Maria　came　in　the　moonlight　along　the　road　and　paused　breathlessly　to　lean　upon　the　fence　beneath　the　locust　tree。

〃It　is　the　first　time　I've　been　out　for　two　weeks；〃　she　said；　panting　softly。　〃I　twisted　my　ankle；　and　the　worst　part　was　that　I　didn't　even　dare　to　send　you　word。　What　must　you　have　thought？〃

〃No　harm　of　you；〃　he　answered；　and　threw　down　the　fence…rails　that　she　might　cross。　〃Come　over　to　me；　Maria。〃

Putting　her　hands　in　his；　she　passed　over　the　lowered　fence；　and　then　stood　at　arm's　length　looking　int