the woman-haters-第31部分

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Seth　did　not　deny　the　charge。　　Climbing　into　the　wagon；　he　took　up
the　reins。

〃Are　you　sure　and　sartin'　'twas　the　Denboro　road　they　took？〃　he
demanded。

〃Who　took？　　That　feller　and　the　Bascom　woman？　　Course　I　am；　but　。　。　。
Well；　I　swan！〃

For　the　lightkeeper　waited　to　hear　no　more。　　He　struck　the
unsuspecting　Joshua　with　the　end　of　the　reins　and；　with　a　jump；　the
old　horse　started　forward。　　Another　moment；　and　the　lighthouse　wagon
was　splashing　and　rattling　through　the　pouring　rain　along　the　road
leading　to　Denboro。


CHAPTER　XV

THE　VOYAGE　OF　THE　DAISY　M。


Denboro　is　many　long　miles　from　Eastboro；　and　the　road；　even　in　the
best　of　weather；　is　not　a　good　one。　　It　winds　and　twists　and　climbs
and　descends　through　woods　and　over　hills。　　There　are　stretches　of
marshy　hollows　where　the　yellow　clay　needs　but　a　little　moistening
to　become　a　paste　which　sticks　to　wheels　and　hoofs　and　makes
traveling；　even　behind　a　young　and　spirited　horse；　a　disheartening
progress。

Joshua　was　neither　young　nor　spirited。　　And　the　weather　could　not
have　been　much　worse。　　The　three　days'　storm　had　soaked　everything；
and　the　clay…bottomed　puddles　were　near　kin　to　quicksands。　　As　the
lighthouse　wagon　descended　the　long　slope　at　the　southern　end　of　the
village　and　began　the　circle　of　the　inner　extremity　of　Eastboro　Back
Harbor；　Seth　realized　that　his　journey　was　to　be　a　hard　one。　　The
rain；　driven　by　the　northeast　wind；　came　off　the　water　in　blinding
gusts；　and　the　waves　in　the　harbor　were　tipped　with　white。　　Also；
although　the　tide　was　almost　at　its　lowest；　streaks　of　seaweed
across　the　road　showed　where　it　had　reached　that　forenoon；　and
prophesied　even　a　greater　flood　that　night。　　He　turned　his　head　and
gazed　up　the　harbor　to　where　it　narrowed　and　became　Pounddug　Slough。
In　the　Slough；　near　its　ocean　extremity；　his　old　schooner；　the　Daisy
M。；　lay　stranded。　　He　had　not　visited　her　for　a　week；　and　he
wondered　if　the　〃spell　of　weather〃　had　injured　her　to　any　extent。
This　speculation；　however；　was　but　momentary。　　The　Daisy　M。　must
look　out　for　herself。　　His　business　was　to　reach　Judge　Gould's；　in
Denboro；　before　Mrs。　Bascom　and　Bennie　D。　could　arrange　with　that
prominent　citizen　and　legal　light　for　the　threatened　divorce。

That　they　had　started　for　Judge　Gould's　he　did　not　doubt　for　a
moment。　　〃I　shall　seek　the　nearest　lawyer；〃　Bennie　D。　had　said。　　And
the　judge　was　the　nearest。　　They　must　be　going　there；　or　why　should
they　take　that　road？　　Neither　did　he　doubt　now　that　their　object　was
to　secure　the　divorce。　　How　divorces　were　secured；　or　how　long　it
took　to　get　one；　Seth　did　not　know。　　His　sole　knowledge　on　that
subject　was　derived　from　the　newspapers　and　comic　weeklies；　and　he
remembered　reading　of　places　in　the　West　where　lawyers　with　the
necessary　blanks　in　their　pockets　met　applicants　at　the　arrival　of
one　train　and　sent　them　away；　rejoicing　and　free；　on　the　next。


　　　　　〃You　jump　right　off　the　cars　and　then
　　　　　　Turn　round　and　jump　right　on　again。〃


This　fragment　of　a　song；　sung　at　a　〃moving…picture〃　show　in　the　town
hall；　and　resung　many　times　thereafter　by　Ezra　Payne；　John　Brown's
predecessor　as　assistant　keeper　at　the　lights；　recurred　to　him　as　he
urged　the　weary　Joshua　onward。　　So　far　as　Seth　knew；　the　Reno　custom
might　be　universal。　　At　any　rate；　he　must　get　to　Judge　Gould's
before　Emeline　and　her　brother…in…law　left　there。　　What　he　should　do
when　he　arrived　and　found　them　there　was　immaterial；　he　must　get
there；　that　was　all。

Eastboro　Back　Harbor　was　left　behind；　and　the　long　stretch　of　woods
beyond　was　entered。　　Joshua；　his　hoofs　swollen　by　the　sticky　clay　to
yellow　cannon　balls；　plodded　on；　but；　in　spite　of　commands　and
pleadingsthe　lightkeeper　possessed　no　whip　and　would　not　have　used
one　if　he　hadhe　went　slower　and　slower。　　He　was　walking　now；　and
limping　sadly　on　the　foot　where　the　loose　shoe　hung　by　its　bent　and
broken　nails。

Five　miles；　six；　seven；　and　the　limp　was　worse　than　ever。　　Seth；
whose　conscience　smote　him；　got　out　of　the　carriage　into　the　rain
and　mud　and　attempted　repairs；　using　a　stone　as　a　hammer。　　This
seemed　to　help　matters　some；　but　it　was　almost　dark　when　the　granite
block　marking　the　township　line　was　passed；　and　the　windows　in　the
houses　were　alight　when　he　pulled　up　at　the　judge's　door。

The　judge　himself　answered　the　knock；　or　series　of　knocks。　　He
seemed　much　surprised　to　find　the　keeper　of　Eastboro　Twin…Lights
standing　on　his　front　step。

〃Why；　hello；　Atkins！〃　he　cried。　　〃What　in　the　world　are　you　doing
over　here？　a　night　like　this！〃

〃Hashas　Mrs。　Bascom　been　here？　　Is　she　here　now？〃　panted　Seth
anxiously。

〃Mrs。　Bascom？　　Who　is　Mrs。　Bascom？〃

〃Sheshe's　a　friend　of　mine。　　She　andand　a　relation　of　hers　was
comin'　over　here　to　see　you　on　business。　　Ain't　they　here？　　Ain't
they　been　here？〃

〃No。　　No　one　has　been　here　this　afternoon。　　I've　been　in　since　one
o'clock；　and　not　a　soul　has　called；　on　business　or　otherwise。〃

The　lightkeeper　could　scarcely　believe　it。

〃You're　sure？〃　he　demanded。

〃Certainly。　　If　they　came　before　one　my　wife　would　have　told　me；　I
think。　　I'll　ask　her。〃

〃No；　no；〃　hastily。　　〃You　needn't。　　If　they　ain't　been　since　one　they
ain't　been。　　But　I　don't　understand。　。　。　。　　There's　no　other　lawyer
nigh　here；　is　there？〃

〃No；　none　nearer　than　Bayport。〃

〃My　land！　　My　LAND！　　Thenthen　I'm　out　of　soundin's　somehow。　　They
never　came　for　it；　after　all。〃

〃Came　for　what？〃

〃Nothin'；　nothin'；　I　guess；〃　with　a　sickly　smile。　　〃I've　made　some
sort　of　mistake；　though　I　don't　know　how。　　Benije　must　have　。　。　。
I'll　break　that　feller's　neck；　I　will！〃

The　lawyer　began　to　share　the　blacksmith's　opinion　that　his　caller
had　gone　crazy。

〃Come　in；　Atkins；〃　he　urged。　　〃Come　in　out　of　the　wet。　　What　IS　the
matter？　　What　are　you　doing　here　at　this　time　of　night　so　far　from
the　Lights？　　Is　it　anything　serious？　　Come　in　and　tell　me　about　it。〃

But　Seth；　instead　of　accepting　the　invitation；　stared　at　him　aghast。
Then；　turning　about；　he　leaped　down　the　steps；　ran　to　the　wagon　and
climbed　in。

〃Giddap！〃　he　shouted。　　Poor；　tired　Joshua　lifted　his　clay…daubed
hoofs。

〃You're　not　going　back？〃　cried　Gould。　　〃Hold　on；　Atkins！　　Wait！〃

But　Seth　did　not　wait。　　Already　he　had　turned　his　horse's　head
toward　Eastboro；　and　was　driving　off。　　The　lawyer　stood　still；
amazedly　looking　after　him。　　Then　he　went　into　the　house　and　spent
the　next　quarter　of　an　hour　trying　to　call　the　Twin…Lights　by
telephone。　　As　the　northeast　wind　had　finished　what　the　northwest
one　had　begun　and　the　wire　was　down；　his　attempt　was　unsuccessful。
He　gave　it　up　after　a　time　and　sat　down　to　discuss　the　astonishing
affair　with　his　wife。　　He　was　worried。

But　his　worriment　was　as　nothing　compared　to　Seth's。　　The　lawyer's
reference　to　the　Lights　had　driven　even　matrimonial　troubles　from
the　Atkins　mind。　　The　lights！　the　Twin…Lights！　　It　was　long　past　the
time　for　them　to　be　lit；　and　there　was　no　one　to　light　them　but
Brown；　a　green　hand。　　Were　they　lit　at　all？　　If　not；　heaven　knew
what　might　happen　or　had　happened　already。

He　had　thought　of　this　before；　of　course；　had　vaguely　realized　that
he　was　betraying　his　trust；　but　then　he　had　not　cared。　　The　Lights；
his　position　as　keeper；　everything；　were　side　issues　compared　with
the　one　thing　to　be　done；　the　getting　to　Denboro。　　He　had　reached
Denboro　and　found　his　journey　all　a　mistake；　his　wife　and　Bennie　D。
had　not；　apparently；　visited　that　village；　perhaps　had　not　even
started　for　it。　　Therefore；　in　a　measure　relieved；　he　thought　of
other　things。　　He　was　many　miles　from　his　post　of　duty；　and　now　his
sole　idea　was　to　get　back　to　it。

At　ten　o'clock　Mrs。　Hepsibah　Deacon；　a　widow　living　in　a　little
house　in　the　woods　on　the　top　of　the　hill　on　the　Denboro　side　of
Eastboro　Back　Harbor；　with　no　neighbors　for　a　mile　in　either
direction；　was　awakened　by　shouts　under　her　bedroom　window。　　Opening
that　window　she　thrust　forth　her　head。

〃Who　is　it？〃　she　demanded　quaveringly。　　〃What's　the　matter？　　Is
anything　afire？〃

From　the　blackness　of　the　rain　and　fog　emerged　a　vague　shape。

〃It's　me；　Mrs。　Deacon；　Seth　Atkins；　down　to　the　Lights；　you　know。
I've　left　my　horse　and　carriage　in　your　barn。　　Joshhe's　the　horse
is　gone　lame　and　played　himself　out。　　He　can't　walk　another　step。
I've　unharnessed　him　and　left　him　in　the　stall。　　He'll　be　all　right。
I've　given　him　some　water　and　hay。　　Just　let　him　stay　there；　if　it
ain't　too　much　trouble；　and　I'll　send　for　him　to…morrer　and　pay　for
his　keep。　　It's　all　right；　ain't　it？　　Much　obliged。　　Good　night。〃

Before　the　frightened　widow　could　ask　a　question　or　utter　a　word　he
was　gone；　ploughing　down　the　hill　in　the　direction　of　the　Back
Harbor。　　When　he　reached　the　foot　of　that　hill　where　the　road　should
have　been；　he　found　that　it　had　disappeared。　　The　tide　had　risen　and
covered　it。

It　was　pitch…dark；　the　rain　was　less　heavy；　and　clouds　of　fog　were
drifting　in　before　the　wind。　　Seth　waded　on　for　a　short　distance；
but　soon　realized　that　wading　would　be　an　impossibility。　　Then；　as
in　despair；　he　was　about　ready　to　give　up　the　attempt；　a　dark　object
came　into　view　beside　him。　　It　was　a　dory　belonging　to　one　of　the
lobstermen；　which；　at　the　end　of　its　long　anchor　rope；　had　swung
inshore　until　it　floated　almost　over　the　road。　　Seth　seized　it　in
time　to　prevent　collision　with　his　knees。　　The　thole　pins　were　in
place；　and　the　oars　laid　lengthwise　on　its　thwarts。　　As　his　hands
touched　the　gunwale　a　new　idea　came　to　him。

He　had　intended　walking　the　rest　of　the　way　to　Eastboro；　routing　out
the　liveryman　and　hiring　a　horse　and　buggy　with　which　to　reach　the
Lights。　　Now　he　believed　chance　had　offered　him　an　easier　and　more
direct　method　of　travel。　　He　could　row　up　the　Harbor　and　Slough；
land　close　to　where　the　Daisy　M。　lay；　and　walk　the　rest　of　the　way
in　a　very　short　time。　　He　climbed　into　the　dory；　pulled　up　the
anchor；　and　seated　himself　at　the　oars。

The　bottom　of　the　boat　was　two　inches　deep　with　rain　water；　and　the
thwart　was　dripping　and　cold。　　Seth；　being　already　about　as　wet　as
he　could　be；　did　not　mind　this；　but　pulled　with　long　strokes　out
into　the　harbor。　　The　vague　black　shadows　of　the　land