the deliverance-第69部分

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ondition。

When　Susan　Spade　came　in　with　a　plate　of　bread　and　ham；　he　roused　himself　with　a　nervous　start　and　inhaled　quickly　the　strong　odour　of　the　meat；　endeavouring　through　the　sense　of　smell　to　reawaken　the　pang　of　hunger　he　had　felt　earlier　in　the　evening。　But　in　place　of　the　gnawing　emptiness　there　had　come　now　a　deadly　nausea；　and　after　the　first　mouthful　or　two　he　pushed　the　food　away　and　called　hoarsely　for　more　whisky。　His　head　ached　in　loud；　reverberating　throbs；　and　a　queer　fancy　possessed　him　that　the　sound　must　be　as　audible　to　others　as　to　himself。　With　the　thought；　he　glanced　about　suspiciously；　but　Tom　Spade　was　stopping　the　keg　that　he　had　tapped；　and　Susan　was　wiping　off　the　table　with　energetic　sweeps　of　her　checked　apron。　Relieved　by　their　impassiveness；　he　braced　himself　with　the　determination　to　drink　to　the　dead…line　of　unconsciousness　and　then　lie　down　somewhere　in　the　darkness　to　sleep　off　the　effects。

〃Whiskygive　me　more　whisky；〃　he　repeated　angrily。

But　Mrs。　Spade；　true　to　her　nature；　saw　fit　to　intervene　between　him　and　destruction。

〃Not　another　drop；　Mr。　Will；〃　she　said　decisively。　〃Not　another　drop　shall　you　have　in　this　room　if　it's　the　last　mortal　word　I　speak。　An'　if　you'd　had　me　by　you　in　the　beginning；　I'm　not　afeard　to　say；　things　would　have　held　up　a　long　sight　sooner　than　this。〃

〃Don't　you　see　I'm　in　downright　agony？〃　groaned　Will；　rapping　the　glass　upon　the　table。　〃My　head　is　splitting；　I　tell　you；　and　I　must　have　it。〃

〃Not　another　drop；　suh；〃　replied　Mrs。　Spade　with　adamantine　firmness　of　tone。　〃I　ain't　a　weak　woman；　thank　the　Lord；　an'　as　far　as　that　goes；　you　might　split　to　pieces　inside　and　out　right　here　befo'　my　eyes　an'　I　wouldn't　be　a　party　to　sendin'　you　a　step　nearer　damnation。　I　ain't　afeard　of　seein'　folks　suffer。　Tom　will　tell　you　that。〃

〃That　she　ain't；　suh；〃　agreed　Tom　with　pride。　〃If　I　do　say　it　who　shouldn't；　thar　never　was　a　woman　who　could　stand　mo'　pain　in　other　people　than　can　Susan。　Mo'　than　that；　Mr。　Will；　she's　right；　though　I'd　be　sayin'　so　even　if　she　wasn'tseein'　that　the　only　rule　for　makin'　a　woman　think　yo'　way　is　always　to　think　hers。　But　she's　right；　and　that's　the　truth。　You've　had　too　much。〃

〃Oh；　you're　driving　me　mad　between　you！〃　cried　Will　in　desperation。　〃I'm　in　awful　trouble；　and　there's　nothing　under　heaven　will　make　me　forget　it　except　drink。　One　glass　morejust　one。　That　can't　hurt　me。〃

〃May　he　have　one　glass；　Susan？〃　asked　Tom；　appealing　to　his　wife。

〃Not　another　drop；　suh；〃　returned　Mrs。　Spade；　immovable　as　a　rock。

〃Not　another　drop；　she　says；〃　repeated　the　big　storekeeper　in　a　sinking　voice。　Then　he　laid　his　hand　sympathetically　on　Will's　shoulder。　〃To　be　sure；　I　know　you're　in　trouble；〃　he　said；　〃an'　I'll　swear　it's　an　out…an'…out　shame；　I　don't　care　who　hears　me。　Yes；　I'll　stand　to　it　in　the　very　face　of　Bill　Fletcher　himself。〃

〃Oh；　he's　a　devil！〃　cried　Will；　stung　by　the　name　he　hated。

〃I　ain't　sayin'　you've　been　all　you　should　have　been；〃　pursued　Tom　in　his　friendly　tones；　〃but　as　I　told　Susan　yestiddy；　a　body　can't　sow　wild　oats　in　one　generation　without　havin'　a　volunteer　crop　spring　up　in　the　next。　Now；　yo'　wild　oats　were　sown　long　befo'　you　were　born。　Ain't　that　so；　Susan？〃

Mrs。　Spade　planted　her　hands　squarely　upon　her　hips　and　stood　her　ground　with　a　solidity　which　was　as　impressive　in　its　way　as　dignity。

〃I've　spoken　my　mind　to　Bill　Fletcher；〃　she　said；　〃an'　I'll　speak　it　again。　'How's　that　boy　goin'　to　live；　suh？'　That's　what　I　asked；　an'　'twas　after　he　told　me　to　shut　my　mouth；　that　it　was。　Right　or　wrong；　that's　what　I　told　him。　You've　gone　an'　made　the　meanest　will　this　county　has　ever　seen。〃

〃What？〃　cried　Will；　springing　to　his　feet；　while　the　room　whirled　round　him。

〃Thar；　thar；　Susan；　you've　talked　too　much；〃　interposed　Tom；　a　little　frightened。　〃What　she　means　is　just　some　foolishness　yo'　grandpa's　been　lettin'　out；〃　he　added；　〃but　he'll　live　long　enough　yet　to　change　his　mind　an'　his　will；　too。〃

〃What　is　it　about？　Speak　louder；　will　you？　My　ears　buzz　so　I　can't　hear　thunder。〃

Tom　coughed　reproachfully　at　Susan。

〃Well；　he　was　talkin'　down　here　last　night　about　havin'　changed　his　will；〃　he　said　apologetically。　〃He's　tied　it　up；　it　seems；　so　you　can't　get　it；　an'　he's　gone　an'　left　the　bulk　of　it　to　Mrs。　Wyndham。〃

〃To　Maria！〃　repeated　Will；　and　saw　scarlet。

〃That's　what　he　says；　but　he'll　last　to　change　his　mind　yet；　never　fear。　Anger　doesn't　live　as　long　as　a　maneh；　Susan？〃

But　Will　had　risen　and　was　walking　quite　steadily　toward　the　door。　His　face　was　dead　white；　and　there　were　deep　blue　circles　about　his　eyes；　which　sparkled　brilliantly。　When　he　turned　for　a　moment　before　going　out；　he　sucked　in　his　under　lip　with　a　hissing　sound。

〃So　this　was　Maria's　trick　all　along；〃　he　said　hoarsely。



CHAPTER　VIII。　How　Christopher　Comes　Into　His　Revenge

〃So　this　was　Maria's　trick　all　along；〃　he　repeated；　as　he　lurched　out　into　the　road。　〃This　was　what　she　had　schemed　for　from　the　beginningthis　was　what　her　palavering　and　her　protestations　meant。　Oh；　it　had　been　a　deep　game　from　the　first；　only　he　had　been　too　much　of　a　blind　fool　to　see　the　truth。〃　A　hundred　facts　arose　to　drive　in　the　discovery；　a　hundred　trivial　details　now　bristled　with　importance。　Why　had　she　been　so　willingso　eager；　evento　give　away　her　little　property；　unless　she　intended　to　divert　him　with　the　crumbs　while　she　reached　for　the　whole　loaf？　Why；　again；　had　she　shrunk　so　from　mentioning　him　to　his　grandfather？　And　why；　still　further；　had　she　always　fearfully　postponed　a　meeting　between　the　two？　He　remembered　suddenly　that　she　had　once　drawn　Molly　behind　the　trees　when　the　old　man　passed　along　the　road。　Poor；　defrauded　Molly！　Forgetting　his　bitter　quarrel　with　her；　he　was　ready　to　fall　upon　her　neck　in　maudlin　sympathy。

Yes；　it　was　all　plain　nowas　clear　as　day。　He　saw　one　by　one　each　devilish　move　that　she　had　made；　and　he　meant　to　pay　her　back　for　all　before　the　night　was　over。　He　would　tell　her　what　he　thought　of　her；　freely；　fully；　in　words　that　she　would　never　forget。　The　names　that　he　would　use；　the　curses　he　would　utter；　spun　deliriously　in　his　head；　and　as　he　went　on　he　found　himself　speaking　his　phrases　aloud　to　the　darkness；　trying　upon　the　silence　the　effect　of　each　blighting　sentence。

The　lights　of　the　Hall　twinkled　presently　among　the　trees；　and；　crossing　the　lawn；　he　crept　into　the　little　area　under　the　back　steps。　If　Maria　was　not　in　the　kitchen；　the　servant　would　be；　he　argued；　and　he　would　send　up　a　peremptory　summons　which　would　bring　her　down　upon　the　instant。　It　was　not　late　enough　for　her　to　be　in　bed；　at　least；　and　he　chuckled　over　the　thought　of　the　sleepless　night　which　she　would　spend。

Pushing　back　the　door　cautiously　on　its　old；　rusty　hinges；　he　entered　on　tip…toe　and　glanced　suspiciously　around。　The　room　was　empty；　but　a　lamp　with　a　smoked　chimney　burned　upon　the　table；　and　there　were　the　glimmering　embers　of　a　wood　fire　in　the　stove。　It　was　just　as　he　had　left　it　the　evening　before；　and　this　aroused　in　him　a　feeling　of　surprise；　so　long　a　stretch　appeared　to　cover　the　last　twenty…four　hours。　The　same　basket　of　chicken　feathers　was　in　the　sagging　split…bottomed　chair；　the　same　pile　of　black　walnuts　lay　on　the　hearth；　and　the　rusted　hammer　was　still　lying　where　he　had　dropped　it　upon　the　bricks。　Even　the　smell　was　the　samea　mixture　of　baked　bread　and　burned　feathers。

Going　to　the　door　that　led　into　the　house；　he　opened　it　and　looked　up　the　dark　staircase；　then　a　sound　reached　him　from　the　dining…room；　and　with　nervous　shiver　he　turned　away　and　came　back　to　the　stove。　A　dread　paralysed　him　lest　the　meeting　with　Maria　should　be　delayed　until　his　courage　oozed　out　of　him；　and　to　nerve　himself　for　the　encounter　he　summoned　to　mind　all　the　evidence；　which　gathered　in　a　cloud　of　witnesses；　to　prove　her　treachery。　Once　it　occurred　to　him　that　after　a　few　minutes　of　waiting　he　might　tighten　the　screw　upon　his　nerves　and　so　pluck　up　the　audacity；　if　not　the　resolution；　to　ascend　the　stair　boldly　and　denounce　her　in　the　presence　of　his　grandfather。　But　the　memory　of　Fletcher's　face　wagged　before　him；　and；　quaking　with　terror；　he　huddled　with　open　palms　above　the　stove。　Then；　pacing　slowly　up　and　down　the　room；　he　set　to　work　frantically　to　lash　himself　into　the　drunken　bravado　which　he　miscalled　courage。

Of　a　sudden　his　hunger　assailed　him；　violent；　convulsive；　and；　going　over　to　the　tin　safe；　he　rummaged　among　the　cold　scraps　he　found　there；　devouring　greedily　the　food　which　lead　been　set　by　for　the　hounds。　A　bottle　of　Miss　Saidie's　raspberry　vinegar　was　hidden　in　one　corner；　and　he　tore　the　paper　label　from　the　cork　and　drank　like　a　man　who　perishes　from　thirst。　His　energy；　which　had　evaporated　from　fatigue　and　hunger；　surged　back　in　spasms　of　anger；　and　as　he　turned　away；　invigorated；　from　the　safe；　he　realised　as　he　had　never　done　before　the　full　measure　of　his　rage　against　Maria。　At　the　moment；　had　she　come　in　upon　him；　he　felt　that　he　could　have　struck　her　in　the　face。

But　she　did　not　come；　and　the　slow　minutes　fretted　him　in　their　passage。　A　flame　shot　up　in　the　stove；　and；　catching　a　knot　of　resinous　pine；　burned　steadily；　licking　patiently　about　the　fading　embers。　The　air　became　charged　again　with　the　odour　of　burned　feathers；　and　he　saw　that　a　handful；　with　the　dried　blood　of　the　fowl　still　adhering　to　them；　had　been　scattered　upon　the　ashes。　As　he　idly　noted　the　colours　of　red　and　black；　he　remembered　with　bitterness　that　he　had　raised　game…cocks　once　when　he　was　a　boy　at　the　Hall；　and　that　Maria　had　smashed　a　nestful　of　his　eggs　in　a　fit　of　passion。　The　incident　swelled　to　enormous　proportions　in　his　thoughts；　and　he　determined　that　he　would　remind　her　of　it　in　the　interview　that　was　before　them。

The　door　into　the　house　creaked　suddenly　behind　him；　he　wheeled　about　nervously；　and　then　stood　with　hanging　jaws　staring　into　the　face　of　Fletcher。

〃So　it　is　you；　is　it？〃　said　the　old　man；　raising　the　stick　he　carried。　〃So　it　is　you；　as　I　suspectedyou　darn　rascal！〃

But　the　power　of　speech　had　departed　from　Will　in　the　presence　that　he　dreaded；　and　he　stood　clutching　tightly　to　his　harvest　hat；　and　shaking　his　head　as　if　to　deny　the　obvious　fact　of　his　own　iden