the deliverance-第7部分

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〃If　you　want　a　drink　of　water　thar's　a　bucket　in　the　porch；〃　said　Fletcher；　as　he　opened　the　back　door　and　reached　out　into　the　moonlight。　〃Wait　thar　a　second　and　I'll　hand　you　the　dipper。〃

He　stepped　out　upon　the　porch；　and　a　moment　later　Carraway　heard　a　heavy　stumble　followed　by　a　muttered　oath。

〃Why；　blast　the　varmints！　I've　upset　the　boy's　cage　of　white　mice　and　they're　skedaddling　about　my　legs。　Here！　hold　the　lamp；　will　youI'm　squashing　a　couple　of　'em　under　each　of　my　hands。〃

Carraway；　leaning　out　with　the　lamp；　which　drew　a　brilliant　circle　on　the　porch；　saw　Fletcher　floundering　helplessly　upon　his　hands　and　knees　in　the　midst　of　the　fleeing　family　of　mice。

〃They're　a　plagued　mess　of　beasts；　that's　what　they　are；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃but　the　little　lad　sets　a　heap　of　store　by　'em；　and　when　he　comes　down　tomorrow　he'll　find　that　I　got　some　of　'em　back；　anyway。〃

He　fastened　the　cage　and　placed　it　carefully　beneath　the　bench。　Then；　closing　and　bolting　the　door；　he　took　the　lamp　from　Carraway　and　motioned　him　up　the　dusky　staircase　to　the　spare　chamber　at　the　top。



CHAPTER　V。　The　Wreck　of　the　Blakes

When　Christopher　left　Blake　Hall；　he　swung　vigorously　in　the　twilight　across　the　newly　ploughed　fields；　until；　at　the　end　of　a　few　minutes'　walk；　he　reached　the　sunken　road　that　branched　off　by　the　abandoned　ice…pond。　Here　the　bullfrogs　were　still　croaking　hoarsely；　and　far　away　over　the　gray…green　rushes　a　dim　moon　was　mounting　the　steep　slope　of　bluish　sky。

The　air　was　fresh　with　the　scent　of　the　upturned　earth；　and　the　closing　day　refined　into　a　tranquil　beauty；　but　the　young　man；　as　he　passed　briskly；　did　not　so　much　as　draw　a　lengthened　breath；　and　when　presently　the　cry　of　a　whip…poor…will　floated　from　the　old　rail　fence；　he　fell　into　a　whistling　mockery　of　the　plaintive　notes。　The　dogs　at　his　heels　started　a　rabbit　once　from　the　close　cover　of　the　underbrush；　and　he　called　them　to　order　in　a　sharp；　peremptory　tone。　Not　until　he　reached　the　long；　whitewashed　gate　opening　before　the　frame　house　of　the　former　overseers　did　he　break　the　easy　swing　of　his　accustomed　stride。

The　house；　a　common　country　dwelling　of　the　sort　used　by　the　poorer　class　of　farmers；　lost　something　of　its　angularity　beneath　the　moonlight；　and　even　the　half…dried　garments；　spread　after　the　day's　washing　on　the　bent　old　rose…bushes；　shone　in　soft　white　patches　amid　the　grass；　which　looked　thick　and　fine　under　the　heavy　dew。　In　one　corner　of　the　yard　there　was　a　spreading　peach…tree；　on　which　the　shriveled　little　peaches　ripened　out　of　season；　and　against　the　narrow　porch　sprawled　a　gray　and　crippled　aspen；　where　a　flock　of　turkeys　had　settled　to　roost　along　its　twisted　boughs。

In　one　of　the　lower　rooms　a　lamp　was　burning；　and　as　Christopher　crunched　heavily　along　the　pebbled　path；　a　woman　with　a　piece　of　sewing　in　her　hand　came　into　the　hall　and　spoke　his　name。

〃Christopher；　you　are　late。〃

Her　voice　was　deep　and　musical；　with　a　richness　of　volume　which　raised　deluding　hopes　of　an　impassioned　beauty　in　the　speakerwho；　as　she　crossed　the　illumined　square　of　the　window…frame；　showed　as　a　tall；　thin　woman　of　forty　years；　with　squinting　eyes；　and　a　face　whose　misshapen　features　stood　out　like　the　hasty　drawing　for　a　grotesque。　When　she　reached　him　Christopher　turned　from　the　porch；　and　they　walked　together　slowly　out　into　the　moonlight；　passing　under　the　aspen　where　the　turkeys　stirred　and　fluttered　in　their　sleep。

〃Has　her　cat　come　home；　Cynthia？〃　were　the　young　man's　first　anxious　words。

〃About　sunset。　Uncle　Boaz　found　her　over　at　Aunt　Daphne's；　hunting　mice　under　the　joists。　Mother　had　fretted　terribly　over　the　loss。〃

〃Is　she　easier　now？〃

〃Much　more　so；　but　she　still　asks　for　the　port。　We　pretend　that　Uncle　Boaz　has　mislaid　the　key　of　the　wine…cellar。　She　upbraided　him；　and　he　bore　it　so　patiently；　poor　old　soul！〃

Christopher　quickly　reached　into　the　deep　pocket　of　his　overalls　and　drew　out　the　scanty　wages　of　his　last　three　days'　labour。

〃Send　this　by　somebody　down　to　Tompkins；〃　he　said；　〃and　get　the　wine　he　ordered。　He　refuses　to　sell　on　credit　any　longer；　so　I　had　to　find　the　money。〃

She　looked　up；　startled。

〃Oh；　Christopher；　you　have　worked　for　Fletcher？〃

Tears　shone　in　her　eyes　and　her　mouth　quivered。　〃Oh；　Christopher！〃　she　repeated；　and　the　emotional　quality　in　her　voice　rang　strong　and　true。　He　fell　back；　angered；　while　the　hand　she　had　stretched　out　dropped　limply　to　her　side。

〃For　God's　sake；　don't　snivel；〃　he　retorted　harshly。　〃Send　the　money　and　give　her　the　wine；　but　dole　it　out　like　a　miser；　for　where　the　next　will　come　from　is　more　than　I　can　tell。〃

〃The　pay　for　my　sewing　is　due　in　three　days；〃　said　Cynthia；　raising　her　roughened　hand　on　which　the　needle…scars　showed　even　in　the　moonlight。　〃Mother　has　worried　so　to…day　that　I　couldn't　work　except　at　odd　moments；　but　I　can　easily　manage　to　sit　up　to…night　and　get　it　done。　She　thinks　I'm　embroidering　an　ottoman；　you　see；　and　this　evening　she　asked　to　feel　the　silks。〃

He　uttered　a　savage　exclamation。

〃Oh；　I　gave　her　some　ravellings　from　an　old　tidy；〃　she　hastened　to　assure　him。　〃She　played　with　them　awhile　and　knew　no　better；　as　I　told　her　the　colours　one　by　one。　Afterward　she　planned　all　kinds　of　samplers　and　fire…screens　that　I　might　work。　Her　own　knitting　has　wearied　her　of　late；　so　we　haven't　been　obliged　to　buy　the　yarn。〃

〃She　doesn't　suspect；　you　think？〃

Cynthia　shook　her　head。　〃After　fifteen　years　of　deception　there's　no　danger　of　my　telling　the　truth　to…day。　I　only　wish　I　could；〃　she　added；　with　that　patient　dignity　which　is　the　outward　expression　of　complete　renouncement。　When　she　lifted　her　tragic　face　the　tears　on　her　cheeks　softened　the　painful　hollows；　as　the　moonbeams；　playing　over　her　gown　of　patched　and　faded　silk；　revived　for　a　moment　the　freshness　of　its　discoloured　flowers。

〃The　truth　would　be　the　death　of　her；〃　said　the　young　man；　in　a　bitter　passion　of　anxiety。　〃Tell　her　that　Fletcher　owns　the　Hall；　and　that　for　fifteen　years　she　has　lived；　blind　and　paralysed；　in　the　overseer's　house！　Why；　I'd　rather　stick　a　knife　into　her　heart　myself！〃

〃Her　terrible　pride　would　kill　heryes；　you're　right。　We'll　keep　it　up　to　the　end　at　any　cost。〃

He　turned　to　her　with　a　sudden　terror　in　his　face。　〃She　isn't　worse；　is　she？〃

〃Worse？　Oh；　no；　I　only　meant　the　cost　to　us；　the　cost　of　never　speaking　the　truth　within　the　house。〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　afraid　of　lying；　God　knows；〃　he　answered；　in　the　tone　of　one　from　whom　a　burden　has　been　removed。　〃I'm　only　wondering　how　much　longer　I'll　be　able　to　afford　the　luxury。〃

〃But　we're　no　worse　off　than　usual；　that's　one　comfort。　Mother　is　quite　happy　now　since　Beulah　has　been　found；　and　the　only　added　worry　is　that　Aunt　Dinah　is　laid　up　in　her　cabin　and　we've　had　to　send　her　soup。　Uncle　Isam　has　come　to　see　you；　by　the　way。　I　believe　he　wants　you　to　give　him　some　advice　about　his　little　hut　up　in　the　woods；　and　to　look　up　his　birth　in　the　servants'　age…book；　too。　He　lives　five　miles　away；　you　know；　and　works　across　the　river　at　Farrar's　Mills。〃

〃Uncle　Isam！〃　exclaimed　Christopher；　wonderingly；　〃why；　what　do　I　know　about　the　man？　I　haven't　laid　eyes　on　him　for　the　last　ten　years。〃

〃But　he　wants　help　now；　so　of　course　he's　come　to　you；　and　as　he's　walked　all　the　distanceequally　of　coursehe'll　stay　to　supper。　Mother　has　her　young　chicken；　and　there's　bacon　and　cornbread　for　the　rest　of　us；　so　I　hope　the　poor　man　won't　go　back　hungry。　Ever　since　Aunt　Polly's　chimney　blew　down　she　has　had　to　fry　the　middling　in　the　kitchen；　and　mother　complains　so　of　the　smell。　She　can't　understand　why　we　have　it　three　times　a　day；　and　when　I　told　her　that　Uncle　Tucker　acquired　the　habit　in　the　army；　she　remarked　that　it　was　very　inconsiderate　of　him　to　insist　upon　gratifying　so　extraordinary　a　taste。〃

Christopher　laughed　shortly。

〃Well；　it's　a　muck　of　a　world；〃　he　declared　cheerfully；　taking　off　his　coarse　harvest　hat　and　running　his　hand　through　his　clustering　fair　hair。　In　the　mellow　light　the　almost　brutal　strength　of　his　jaw　was　softened；　and　his　sunburned　face　paled　to　the　beauty　of　some　ancient　ivory　carving。　Cynthia；　gazing　up　at　him；　caught　her　breath　with　a　sob。

〃How　big　you　are；　and　strong！　How　fit　for　any　life　in　the　world　but　this！〃

〃Don't　whimper；〃　he　responded　roughly；　adding；　after　a　moment；　〃Precious　fit　for　anything　but　the　stable　or　the　tobacco　field！　Why；　I　couldn't　so　much　as　write　a　decently　spelled　letter　to　save　my　soul。　A　darky　asked　me　yesterday　to　read　a　postbill　for　him　down　at　the　store；　and　I　had　to　skip　a　big　word　in　the　first　line。〃

He　made　his　confession　defiantly；　with　a　certain　boorish　pride　in　his　ignorance　and　his　degradation。

〃My　dear；　my　dear；　I　wanted　to　teach　youI　will　teach　you　now。　We　will　read　together。〃

〃And　let　mother　and　Uncle　Tucker　plough　the　field；　and　plant　the　crop；　and　cut　the　wood。　No；　it　won't　answer；　your　learning　would　do　me　no　good；　and　I　don't　want　itI　told　you　that　when　you　first　took　me　from　my　study　and　put　me　to　do　all　the　chores　upon　the　place。〃

〃I　take　you！　Oh；　Christopher；　what　could　we　do？　Uncle　Tucker　was　a　hopeless　cripple；　there　wasn't　a　servant　strong　enough　to　spade　the　garden；　and　there　were　only　Lila　and　you　and　I。〃

〃And　I　was　ten。　Well；　I'm　not　blaming　you；　and　I've　done　what　I　was　forced　tobut　keep　your　confounded　books　out　of　my　sight；　that's　all　I　ask。　Is　that　mother　calling？〃

Cynthia　bent　her　ear。　〃I　thought　Lila　was　with　her；　but　I'll　go　at　once。　Be　sure　to　change　your　clothes；　dear；　before　she　touches　you。〃

〃Hadn't　I　better　chop　a　little　kindling…wood　before　supper？〃

〃Nono；　not　to…night。　Go　and　dress；　while　I　send　Uncle　Boaz　for　the　wine。〃

She　entered　the　house　with　a　hurried　step；　and　Christopher；　after　an　instant's　hesitation；　passed　to　the　back；　and；　taking　off　his　clumsy　boots；　crept　softly　up　the　creaking　staircase　to　his　little　garret　room　in　the　loft。

Ten　minutes　later　he　came　down　again；　wearing　a　decent　suit　of　country…made　clothes；　with　the　dust　washed　from　his　face；　and　his　hair　smoothly　brushed　across　his　forehead。　In　the　front　hall　he　took　a　white　rosebud　from　a　little　vase　of　Bohemian　glass　and　pinned　it　carefully　in　the　lapel　of　his　coat。　Then；　before　enter