the deliverance-第71部分

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〃So　you　brought　my　name　in？〃　asked　Christopher　carelessly。

〃Oh；　it　was　that　that　did　it；　it　was　your　name；〃　replied　Will　breathlessly。　〃I　told　him　you　said　he　was　a　devilyou　did　say　so；　you　know。　Christopher　Blake　was　right；　he　called　you　'a　devil；'　that　was　it。　Then　he　ran　at　me　with　his　stick；　and　I　jerked　up　the　hammer；　and　Oh；　my　God；　they　mustn't　hang　me！〃

〃Nonsense！〃　retorted　Christopher　roughly；　for　the　other　had　dropped　upon　the　floor　and　was　grovelling　in　drunken　hysterics　at　his　feet。　〃It　makes　me　sick　to　see　a　man　act　like　an　ass。〃

〃Get　me　out　of　this　and　I'll　never　touch　a　drop；〃　moaned　Will。　〃Take　me　away　from　herehide　me　anywhere。　I'll　go　anywhere；　I'll　promise　anything；　only　they　mustn't　find　me。　If　they　find　me　I'll　go　madI'll　go　mad　in　gaol。〃

〃Shut　up！〃　rejoined　Christopher；　listening　with　irritation　to　the　sound　of　the　other's　hissing　breath。　〃Stop　your　infernal　racket　a　minute　and　let　me　think。　Here；　get　up。　Are　you　too　drunk　to　stand　on　your　feet？〃

〃I'm　soberI'm　perfectly　sober；〃　protested　Will；　and；　rising　obediently；　he　stood　clutching　at　the　chimney…piece。　〃Get　me　out　of　thisonly　get　me　out　of　this；〃　he　repeated；　with　a　desperate　reliance　on　the　other's　power　to　avert　the　consequences　of　his　deed。　〃I've　always　been　a　good　friend　to　you；〃　he　went　on　passionately。　〃The　quarrel　first　started　about　you；　and　I　stood　up　for　you　to　the　last。　I　never　let　him　say　anything　against　youI　never　did！〃

〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you；〃　returned　Christopher；　and　felt　that　he　might　as　well　have　wasted　his　irony　on　a　beaten　hound。　Turning　away　from　the　wild　entreaty　of　Will's　eyes；　he　walked　slowly　up　and　down　the　room；　taking　care　to　step　lightly　lest　the　boards　should　creak　and　awaken　Tucker。

The　parlour　was　just　as　Mrs。　Blake　had　left　it；　her　highbacked　Elizabethan　chair；　filled　with　cushions；　stood　on　the　hearth；　the　dried　grasses　in　the　two　tall　vases　shed　their　ashy　pollen　down　upon　the　bricks。　Even　the　yellow　cat；　grown　old　and　sluggish；　dozed　in　her　favourite　spot　beside　the　embroidered　ottoman。

On　the　whitewashed　walls　the　old　Blake　portraits　still　presided；　and　he　found；　for　the　first　time；　an　artless　humour　in　the　formality　of　the　ancestral　attitudein　the　splendid　pose　which　they　had　handed　down　like　an　heirloom　through　the　centuries。　Among　them　he　saw　the　comely；　high…coloured　features　of　that　gallant　cynic；　Bolivar；　the　man　who　had　stamped　his　beauty　upon　threegenerations；　and　his　gaze　lingered　with　a　gentle　ridicule　on　the　blithe　candour　in　the　eyes　and　the　characteristic　touch　of　brutality　about　the　mouth。　Then　he　passed　to　his　father；　portly；　impressive；　a　high　liver；　a　generous　young　blood；　and　then　to　the　classic　SaintMemin　profile　of　Aunt　Susannah；　limned　delicately　against　a　background　of　faded　pink。　And　from　her　he　went　on　to　his　mother's　portrait；　painted　in　shimmering　brocade　under　rose　garlands　held　by　smiling　Loves。

He　looked　at　them　all　steadily　for　a　while；　seeking　from　the　changeless　lips　of　each　an　answer　to　the　question　which　he　felt　knocking　at　his　own　heart。　In　every　limb；　in　every　feature；　in　every　fiber　he　was　plainly　born　to　be　one　of　themselves；　and　yet　from　their　elegant　remoteness　they　stared　down　upon　the　rustic　labourer　who　was　their　descendant。　Degraded；　coarsened；　disinherited；　the　last　Blake　stood　before　them；　with　his　poverty　and　ignorance　illumined　only　at　long　intervals　by　the　flame　of　a　soul　which；　though　darkened；　was　still　unquenched。

The　night　dragged　slowly　on；　while　he　paced　the　floor　with　his　thoughts　and　Will　moaned　and　tossed；　a　shivering　heap；　upon　the　sofa。

〃Stop　your　everlasting　cackle！〃　Christopher　had　once　shouted　angrily；　forgetting　Tucker；　and　for　the　space　of　a　few　minutes　the　other　had　lain　silent；　choking　back　the　strangling　sobs。　But　presently　the　shattered　nerves　revolted　against　restraint；　and　Will　burst　out　afresh　into　wild　crying。　The　yellow　cat；　grown　suddenly　restless；　crossed　the　room　and　jumped　upon　the　sofa；　where　she　stood　clawing　at　the　cover；　and　he　clung　to　her　with　a　pathetic　recognition　of　dumb　sympathythe　sympathy　which　he　could　not　wring　from　the　careless　indifference　of　Christopher's　look。

〃Speak　to　mesay　something；〃　he　pleaded　at　last；　stretching　out　his　hands。　〃If　this　keeps　up　I'll　go　mad　before　morning。〃

At　this　Christopher　came　toward　him；　and；　stopping　in　his　walk；　frowned　down　upon　the　sofa。

〃You　deserve　everything　you'd　get；〃　he　said　angrily。　〃You're　as　big　a　fool　as　ever　trod　this　earth；　and　there's　no　reason　under　heaven　why　I　should　lift　my　hand　to　help　you。　There's　no　reason　there's　no　reason；〃　he　repeated　in　furious　tones。

〃But　you'll　do　ityou'll　get　me　out　of　it！〃　cried　Will；　grasping　the　other's　knees。

〃And　two　weeks　later　you'd　be　in　another　scrape。〃

〃Not　a　single　dropI'll　never　touch　a　drop　again。　Before　God　I　swear　it！〃

〃Pshaw！　I've　heard　that　oath　before。〃

Strangling　a　scream；　Will　caught　him　by　the　arm；　dragging　himself　slowly　into　a　sitting　posture。　〃I'll　hang　myself　if　you　let　them　get　me；〃　he　urged　hysterically。　〃　I'll　hang　myself　in　gaol　rather　than　let　them　do　it。　I　can't　face　it　all　I　can'tI　can't。　It　isn't　grandpa　I　mind；　I'm　not　afraid　of　him。　He　was　a　devil。　But　it's　the　restthe　rest。〃

Roughly　shaking　him　off；　Christopher　left　him　huddled　upon　the　floor　and　resumed　his　steady　walk　up　and　down　the　room。　In　his　ears　the　incoherent　phrases　grew　presently　fainter；　and　after　a　time　he　lost　entirely　their　frenzied　drift。　〃A　little　blowjust　a　little　blow；〃　ended　finally　in　muffled　sounds　of　weeping。

The　habit　of　outward　composure　which　always　came　to　him　in　moments　of　swift　experience　possessed　him　so　perfectly　now　that　Will；　lifting　miserable　eyes　to　his　face；　lowered　them；　appalled　by　its　unfeeling　gravity。

〃I've　been　a　good　friend　to　youa　deuced　good　friend　to　you；〃　urged　the　younger　man　in　a　last　passionate　appeal　for　the　aid　whose　direction　he　had　not　yet　defined。

〃What　is　this　thought　which　I　cannot　get　rid　of？〃　asked　Christopher　moodily　of　himself。　〃And　what　business　is　it　of　mine；　anyway？　What　am　I　to　the　boy　or　the　boy　to　me？〃　But　even　with　the　words　he　remembered　the　morning　more　than　five　years　ago　when　he　had　gone　out　to　the　gate　with　his　bird　gun　on　his　shoulder　and　found　Will　Fletcher　and　the　spotted　foxhound　puppies　awaiting　him　in　the　road。　He　saw　again　the　boy's　face；　with　the　sunlight　full　upon　iteager；　alert；　a　little　petulant；　full　of　good　impulses　readily　turned　adrift。　There　had　been　no　evil　upon　it　thenonly　weakness　and　a　pathetic　absence　of　determination。　His　own　damnable　intention　was　thrust　back　upon　him；　and　he　heard　again　the　words　of　Carraway　which　had　reechoed　in　his　thoughts。　〃The　way　to　touch　the　man；　then；　is　through　the　boy。〃　So　it　was　the　way；　after　all　。

He　almost　laughed　aloud　at　his　prophetic　insight。　He　had　touched　the　man　vitally　enough　at　last；　and　it　was　through　the　boy。　He　had　murdered　Bill　Fletcher；　and　he　had　done　it　through　the　only　thing　Bill　Fletcher　had　ever　loved。　From　this　he　returned　again　to　the　memory　of　the　deliberate　purpose　of　that　dayto　the　ribald　jests；　the　coarse　profanities；　the　brutal　oaths。　Then　to　the　night　when　he　had　forced　the　first　drink　down　Will's　throat；　and　so　on　through　the　five　years　of　his　revenge　to　the　present　moment。　Well；　his　triumph　had　come　at　last；　the　summit　was　put　upon　his　life's　work；　and　he　washe　must　becontent。

Will　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　him　in　reviving　hope。

〃You're　the　only　friend　I　have　on　earth；〃　he　muttered　between　his　teeth。

The　first　streak　of　dawn　entered　suddenly；　flooding　the　room　with　a　thin　gray　light　in　which　the　familiar　objects　appeared　robbed　of　all　atmospheric　values。　With　a　last　feeble　flicker　the　lamp　shot　up　and　went　out；　and　the　ashen　wash　of　daybreak　seemed　the　fit　medium　for　the　crude　ugliness　of　life。

Towering　almost　grotesquely　in　the　pallid　dawn；　Christopher　came　and　leaned　above　the　sofa　to　which　Will　had　dragged　himself　again。

〃You　must　get　out　of　this；〃　he　said；　〃and　quickly；　for　we've　wasted　the　whole　night　wrangling。　Have　you　any　money？〃

Will　fumbled　in　his　pocket　and　brought　out　a　few　cents；　which　he　held　in　his　open　palm；　while　the　other　unlocked　the　drawer　of　the　old　secretary　and　handed　him　a　roll　of　banknotes。

〃Take　this　and　buy　a　ticket　somewhere。　It's　the　money　I　scraped　up　to　pay　Fred　Turner。〃

〃To　pay　Fred　Turner？〃　echoed　Will；　as　if　in　that　lay　the　significance　of　the　remark。

〃Take　it　and　buy　a　ticket；　and　when　you　get　where　you're　going；　sit　still　and　keep　your　mouth　shut。　If　you　wear　a　bold　face　you　will　go　scotfree；　remember　that；　but　everything　depends　upon　your　keeping　a　stiff　front。　And　now　gothrough　the　back　door　and　past　the　kitchen　to　the　piece　of　woods　beyond　the　pasture。　Cut　through　them　to　Tanner's　Station　and　take　the　train　there；　mind；　for　the　North。〃

With　a　short　laugh　he　held　out　his　big；　knotted　hand。

〃Goodby；〃　he　said；　〃　and　don't　be　a　damned　fool。〃

〃Goodby；〃　answered　Will；　clinging　desperately　to　his　outstretched　arm。　Then　an　ashen　pallor　overspread　his　face；　and　he　slunk　nervously　toward　the　kitchen；　for　there　was　the　sound　of　footsteps　on　the　little　porch　outside；　followed　by　a　brisk　rap　on　the　front　door。

〃Go！〃　whispered　Christopher；　hardly　taking　breath；　and　he　stood　waiting　while　Will　ran　along　the　wooden　platform　and　past　the　stable　toward　the　pasture。

The　rap　came　again；　and　he　turned　quickly。　〃Quit　your　racket　and　let　me　get　on　my　clothes！〃　he　shouted；　and　hesitated　a　little　longer。

As　he　stood　alone　there　in　the　center　of　the　room；　his　eyes；　traversing　the　walls；　fell　on　the　portrait　of　Bolivar　Blake；　and　with　one　of　the　fantastic　tricks　of　memory　there　shot　into　his　head　the　dying　phrase　of　that　gay　sinner：　〃I　may　not　sit　with　the　saints；　but　I　shall　stand　among　the　gentlemen。〃

〃Precious　old　ass！〃　he　muttered；　and　unbarred　the　door。

As　he　flung　it　open　the　first　rays　of　sunlight　splashed　across　the　threshold；　and　he　was　conscious；　all　at　once；　of　a　strange　exhilaration；　as　if　he　were　breasting　one　of　the　big　waves　of　life。

〃This　is　a　pretty　way　to　wake　up　a　fellow　who　has　been　planting　tobacco　till　he's　stiff；〃　he　grumbled。　〃Is　that　you；　Tom？〃　He　glanced　carelessly　round；　nodding　with　a　kind　of　friendly　condescension　to　each　man　of　the　little　group。　〃Ho