the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第45部分
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school labors would be ended and she might retire in peace and honor。
〃Miss Rena；〃 said Plato to her on Tuesday； 〃ain't it 'bout time I wuz
gwine home wid you ag'in？〃
〃You may go with me to…morrow； Plato；〃 answered the teacher。
After school Plato met an anxious eyed young man in the woods a
short distance from the schoolhouse。
〃Well； Plato； what news？〃
〃I's gwine ter see her home ter…morrer； Mars Geo'ge。〃
〃To…morrow！〃 replied Tryon； 〃how very fortunate！ I wanted you to
go to town to…morrow to take an important message for me。 I'm sorry；
Platoyou might have earned another dollar。〃
To lie is a disgraceful thing； and yet there are times when； to a lover's
mind； love dwarfs all ordinary laws。 Plato scratched his head
disconsolately； but suddenly a bright thought struck him。
〃Can't I go ter town fer you atter I've seed her home； Mars Geo'ge？〃
〃N…o； I'm afraid it would be too late；〃 returned Tryon doubtfully。
〃Den I'll haf ter ax 'er ter lemme go nex' day；〃 said Plato； with
resignation。 The honor might be postponed or； if necessary； foregone； the
opportunity to earn a dollar was the chance of a lifetime and must not be
allowed to slip。
〃No； Plato；〃 rejoined Tryon； shaking his head； 〃I shouldn't want to
deprive you of so great a pleasure。〃 Tryon was entirely sincere in this
characterization of Plato's chance； he would have given many a dollar to
be sure of Plato's place and Plato's welcome。 Rena's letter had re…
inflamed his smouldering passion； only opposition was needed to fan it to
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a white heat。 Wherein lay the great superiority of his position； if he was
denied the right to speak to the one person in the world whom he most
cared to address？ He felt some dim realization of the tyranny of caste；
when he found it not merely pressing upon an inferior people who had no
right to expect anything better； but barring his own way to something that
he desired。 He meant her no harmbut he must see her。 He could never
marry her nowbut he must see her。 He was conscious of a certain relief
at the thought that he had not asked Blanche Leary to be his wife。 His
hand was unpledged。 He could not marry the other girl； of course； but
they must meet again。 The rest he would leave to Fate； which seemed
reluctant to disentangle threads which it had woven so closely。
〃I think； Plato； that I see an easier way out of the difficulty。 Your
teacher； I imagine； merely wants some one to see her safely home。 Don't
you think； if you should go part of the way； that I might take your place for
the rest； while you did my errand？〃
〃Why； sho'ly； Mars Geo'ge； you could take keer er her better 'n I could…
…better 'n anybody could co'se you could！〃
Mars Geo'ge was white and rich； and could do anything。 Plato was
proud of the fact that he had once belonged to Mars Geo'ge。 He could
not conceive of any one so powerful as Mars Geo'ge； unless it might be
God； of whom Plato had heard more or less； and even here the comparison
might not be quite fair to Mars Geo'ge； for Mars Geo'ge was the younger
of the two。 It would undoubtedly be a great honor for the teacher to be
escorted home by Mars Geo'ge。 The teacher was a great woman； no
doubt； and looked white； but Mars Geo'ge was the real article。 Mars
Geo'ge had never been known to go with a black woman before； and the
teacher would doubtless thank Plato for arranging that so great an honor
should fall upon her。 Mars Geo'ge had given him fifty cents twice； and
would now give him a dollar。 Noble Mars Geo'ge！ Fortunate teacher！
Happy Plato！
〃Very well； Plato。 I think we can arrange it so that you can kill the
two rabbits at one shot。 Suppose that we go over the road that she will
take to go home。〃
They soon arrived at the schoolhouse。 School had been out an hour；
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and the clearing was deserted。 Plato led the way by the road through the
woods to a point where； amid somewhat thick underbrush； another path
intersected the road they were following。
〃Now； Plato；〃 said Tryon； pausing here； 〃this would be a good spot for
you to leave the teacher and for me to take your place。 This path leads to
the main road； and will take you to town very quickly。 I shouldn't say
anything to the teacher about it at all； but when you and she get here； drop
behind and run along this path until you meet me；I'll be waiting a few
yards down the road；and then run to town as fast as your legs will carry
you。 As soon as you are gone； I'll come out and tell the teacher that I've
sent you away on an errand； and will myself take your place。 You shall
have a dollar； and I'll ask her to let you go home with her the next day。
But you mustn't say a word about it； Plato； or you won't get the dollar； and
I'll not ask the teacher to let you go home with her again。〃
〃All right； Mars Geo'ge； I ain't gwine ter say no mo' d'n ef de cat had
my tongue。〃
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XXXI
IN DEEP WATERS
Rena was unusually fatigued at the close of her school on Wednesday
afternoon。 She had been troubled all day with a headache； which；
beginning with a dull pain； had gradually increased in intensity until every
nerve was throbbing like a trip… hammer。 The pupils seemed unusually
stupid。 A discouraging sense of the insignificance of any part she could
perform towards the education of three million people with a school term
of two months a year hung over her spirit like a pall。 As the object of
Wain's attentions； she had begun to feel somewhat like a wild creature
who hears the pursuers on its track； and has the fear of capture added to
the fatigue of flight。 But when this excitement had gone too far and had
neared the limit of exhaustion came Tryon's letter； with the resulting
surprise and consternation。 Rena had keyed herself up to a heroic pitch
to answer it； but when the inevitable reaction came； she was overwhelmed
with a sickening sense of her own weakness。 The things which in
another sphere had constituted her strength and shield were now her
undoing； and exposed her to dangers from which they lent her no
protection。 Not only was this her position in theory； but the pursuers
were already at her heels。 As the day wore on； these dark thoughts took
on an added gloom； until； when the hour to dismiss school arrived； she felt
as though she had not a friend in the world。 This feeling was accentuated
by a letter which she had that morning received from her mother； in which
Mis' Molly spoke very highly of Wain； and plainly expressed the hope that
her daughter might like him so well that she would prefer to remain in
Sampson County。
Plato； bright…eyed and alert； was waiting in the school…yard until the
teacher should be ready to start。 Having warned away several smaller
children who had hung around after school as though to share his
prerogative of accompanying the teacher； Plato had swung himself into the
low branches of an oak at the edge of the clearing； from which he was
hanging by his legs； head downward。 He dropped from this reposeful
attitude when the teacher appeared at the door； and took his place at her
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side。
A premonition of impending trouble caused the teacher to hesitate。
She wished that she had kept more of the pupils behind。 Something
whispered that danger lurked in the road she customarily followed。 Plato
seemed insignificantly small and weak； and she felt miserably unable to
cope with any difficult or untoward situation。
〃Plato；〃 she suggested； 〃I think we'll go round the other way to…night；
if you don't mind。〃
Visions of Mars Geo'ge disappointed； of a dollar unearned and unspent；
flitted through the narrow brain which some one； with the irony of
ignorance or of knowledge； had mocked with the name of a great
philosopher。 Plato was not an untruthful lad； but he seldom had the
opportunity to earn a dollar。 His imagination； spurred on by the instinct
of self…interest； rose to the emergency。
〃I's feared you mought git snake…bit gwine roun' dat way； Miss Rena。
My brer Jim kill't a water…moccasin down dere yistiddy 'bout ten feet
long。〃
Rena had a horror of snakes； with which the swamp by which the other
