the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第32部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃My son John's here；〃 said Mis' Molly 〃an' he wants to see you。
Come into the settin'…room。 We don't want folks to know he's in town；
but you know all our secrets； an' we can trust you like one er the family。〃
〃I'm glad to see you again； Frank；〃 said Warwick； extending his hand
and clasping Frank's warmly。 〃You've grown up since I saw you last； but
it seems you are still our good friend。〃
〃Our very good friend；〃 interjected Rena。
Frank threw her a grateful glance。 〃Yas； suh；〃 he said； looking
Warwick over with a friendly eye； 〃an' you is growed some； too。 I seed
you； you know； down dere where you live； but I did n' let on； fer you an'
Mis' Rena wuz w'ite as anybody； an' eve'ybody said you wuz good ter
cullud folks； an' he'ped 'em in deir lawsuits an' one way er 'nuther； an' I
wuz jes' plum' glad ter see you gettin' 'long so fine； dat I wuz； certain sho'；
an' no mistake about it。〃
〃Thank you； Frank； and I want you to understand how much I
122
… Page 123…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
appreciate〃
〃How much we all appreciate；〃 corrected Rena。
〃Yes； how much we all appreciate； and how grateful we all are for
your kindness to mother for so many years。 I know from her and from
my sister how good you've been to them。〃
〃Lawd； suh！〃 returned Frank deprecatingly； 〃you're makin' a mountain
out'n a molehill。 I ain't done nuthin' ter speak ofnot half ez much ez I
would 'a' done。 I wuz glad ter do w'at little I could； fer frien'ship's sake。〃
〃We value your friendship； Frank； and we'll not forget it。〃
〃No； Frank；〃 added Rena； 〃we will never forget it； and you shall
always be our good friend。〃
Frank left the room and crossed the street with swelling heart。 He
would have given his life for Rena。 A kind word was doubly sweet from
her lips； no service would be too great to pay for her friendship。
When Frank went out to the stable next morning to feed his mule； his
eyes opened wide with astonishment。 In place of the decrepit； one…eyed
army mule he had put up the night before； a fat； sleek specimen of
vigorous mulehood greeted his arrival with the sonorous hehaw of lusty
youth。 Hanging on a peg near by was a set of fine new harness； and
standing under the adjoining shed； as he perceived； a handsome new cart。
〃Well； well！〃 exclaimed Frank； 〃ef I did n' mos' know whar dis mule；
an' dis kyart； an' dis harness come from； I'd 'low dere 'd be'n witcheraf' er
cunjin' wukkin' here。 But； oh my； dat is a fine mule！I mos' wush I could
keep 'im。〃
He crossed the road to the house behind the cedars； and found Mis'
Molly in the kitchen。 〃Mis' Molly；〃 he protested； 〃I ain't done nuthin' ter
deserve dat mule。 W'at little I done fer you wa'n't done fer pay。 I'd
ruther not keep dem things。〃
〃Fer goodness' sake； Frank！〃 exclaimed his neighbor； with a well…
simulated air of mystification； 〃what are you talkin' about？〃
〃You knows w'at I'm talkin' about； Mis' Molly； you knows well ernuff
I'm talkin' about dat fine mule an' kyart an' harness over dere in my
stable。〃
〃How should I know anything about 'em？〃 she asked。
123
… Page 124…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
〃Now； Mis' Molly！ You folks is jes' tryin' ter fool me； an' make me
take somethin' fer nuthin'。 I lef' my ole mule an' kyart an' harness in de
stable las' night； an' dis mawnin' dey 're gone； an' new ones in deir place。
Co'se you knows whar dey come from！〃
〃Well； now； Frank； sence you mention it； I did see a witch flyin' roun'
here las' night on a broom… stick； an' it 'peared ter me she lit on yo'r barn；
an' I s'pose she turned yo'r old things into new ones。 I wouldn't bother
my mind about it if I was you； for she may turn 'em back any night； you
know； an' you might as well have the use of 'em in the mean while。〃
〃Dat's all foolishness； Mis' Molly； an' I'm gwine ter fetch dat mule
right over here an' tell yo' son ter gimme my ole one back。〃
〃My son's gone；〃 she replied； 〃an' I don't know nothin' about yo'r old
mule。 And what would I do with a mule； anyhow？ I ain't got no barn to
put him in。〃
〃I suspect you don't care much for us after all； Frank；〃 said Rena
reproachfullyshe had come in while they were talking。 〃You meet with
a piece of good luck； and you're afraid of it； lest it might have come from
us。〃
〃Now； Miss Rena； you oughtn't ter say dat；〃 expostulated Frank； his
reluctance yielding immediately。 〃I'll keep de mule an' de kyart an' de
harnessfac'； I'll have ter keep 'em； 'cause I ain't got no others。 But dey
're gwine ter be yo'n ez much ez mine。 W'enever you wants anything
hauled； er wants yo' lot ploughed； er anything dat's yo' mule； an' I'm yo'
man an' yo' mammy's。〃
So Frank went back to the stable； where he feasted his eyes on his new
possessions； fed and watered the mule； and curried and brushed his coat
until it shone like a looking…glass。
〃Now dat；〃 remarked Peter； at the breakfast… table； when informed of
the transaction； 〃is somethin' lack rale w'ite folks。〃
No real white person had ever given Peter a mule or a cart。 He had
rendered one of them unpaid service for half a lifetime； and had paid for
the other half； and some of them owed him substantial sums for work
performed。 But 〃to him that hath shall be given〃Warwick paid for the
mule； and the real white folks got most of the credit。
124
… Page 125…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
125
… Page 126…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
XX
DIGGING UP ROOTS
When the first great shock of his discovery wore off； the fact of
Rena's origin lost to Tryon some of its initial repugnanceindeed； the
repugnance was not to the woman at all； as their past relations were
evidence； but merely to the thought of her as a wife。 It could hardly have
failed to occur to so reasonable a man as Tryon that Rena's case could
scarcely be unique。 Surely in the past centuries of free manners and easy
morals that had prevailed in remote parts of the South； there must have
been many white persons whose origin would not have borne too
microscopic an investigation。 Family trees not seldom have a crooked
branch； or； to use a more apposite figure； many a flock has its black sheep。
Being a man of lively imagination； Tryon soon found himself putting all
sorts of hypothetical questions about a matter which he had already
definitely determined。 If he had married Rena in ignorance of her secret；
and had learned it afterwards； would he have put her aside？ If； knowing
her history； he had nevertheless married her； and she had subsequently
displayed some trait of character that would suggest the negro； could he
have forgotten or forgiven the taint？ Could he still have held her in love
and honor？ If not； could he have given her the outward seeming of
affection； or could he have been more than coldly tolerant？ He was glad
that he had been spared this ordeal。 With an effort he put the whole
matter definitely and conclusively aside； as he had done a hundred times
already。
Returning to his home； after an absence of several months in South
Carolina； it was quite apparent to his mother's watchful eye that he was in
serious trouble。 He was absent…minded； monosyllabic； sighed deeply and
often； and could not always conceal the traces of secret tears。 For Tryon
was young； and possessed of a sensitive soula source of happiness or
misery； as the Fates decree。 To those thus dowered； the heights of rapture
are accessible； the abysses of despair yawn threateningly； only the dull
monotony of contentment is denied。
Mrs。 Tryon vainly sought by every gentle art a woman knows to win
126
… Page 127…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
her son's confidence。 〃What is the matter； George； dear？〃 she would ask；
stroking his hot brow with her small； cool hand as he sat moodily nursing
his grief。 〃Tell your mother； George。 Who else could comfort you so
well as she？〃
〃Oh； it's nothing； mother；nothing at all；〃 he would reply； with a
forced attempt at lightness。 〃It's only your fond imagination； you best of
mothers。〃
It was Mrs。 Tryon's turn to sigh and shed a clandestine tear。 Until her
son had gone away on this trip to South Carolina； he had kept no se
