the golden road-第21部分

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very　antithesis　of　his　first　love；　he　prospered　in　his　undertakings；　raised　a　large　and　respectable　family；　and　was　eventually　appointed　a　Justice　of　the　Peace。　　Which　was　all　very　sensible　of　Cyrus。



CHAPTER　XV

THE　RAPE　OF　THE　LOCK


June　was　crowded　full　of　interest　that　year。　　We　gathered　in　with　its　sheaf　of　fragrant　days　the　choicest　harvest　of　childhood。　　Things　happened　right　along。　　Cecily　declared　she　hated　to　go　to　sleep　for　fear　she　might　miss　something。　　There　were　so　many　dear　delights　along　the　golden　road　to　give　us　pleasurethe　earth　dappled　with　new　blossom；　the　dance　of　shadows　in　the　fields；　the　rustling；　rain…wet　ways　of　the　woods；　the　faint　fragrance　in　meadow　lanes；　liltings　of　birds　and　croon　of　bees　in　the　old　orchard；　windy　pipings　on　the　hills；　sunset　behind　the　pines；　limpid　dews　filling　primrose　cups；　crescent　moons　through　darklings　boughs；　soft　nights　alight　with　blinking　stars。　　We　enjoyed　all　these　boons；　unthinkingly　and　light…heartedly；　as　children　do。　　And　besides　these；　there　was　the　absorbing　little　drama　of　human　life　which　was　being　enacted　all　around　us；　and　in　which　each　of　us　played　a　satisfying　partthe　gay　preparations　for　Aunt　Olivia's　mid…June　wedding；　the　excitement　of　practising　for　the　concert　with　which　our　school…teacher；　Mr。　Perkins；　had　elected　to　close　the　school　year；　and　Cecily's　troubles　with　Cyrus　Brisk；　which　furnished　unholy　mirth　for　the　rest　of　us；　though　Cecily　could　not　see　the　funny　side　of　it　at　all。

Matters　went　from　bad　to　worse　in　the　case　of　the　irrepressible　Cyrus。　　He　continued　to　shower　Cecily　with　notes；　the　spelling　of　which　showed　no　improvement；　he　worried　the　life　out　of　her　by　constantly　threatening　to　fight　Willy　Fraseralthough；　as　Felicity　sarcastically　pointed　out；　he　never　did　it。

〃But　I'm　always　afraid　he　will；〃　said　Cecily；　〃and　it　would　be　such　a　DISGRACE　to　have　two　boys　fighting　over　me　in　school。〃

〃You　must　have　encouraged　Cyrus　a　little　in　the　beginning　or　he'd　never　have　been　so　persevering；〃　said　Felicity　unjustly。

〃I　never　did！〃　cried　outraged　Cecily。　　〃You　know　very　well；　Felicity　King；　that　I　hated　Cyrus　Brisk　ever　since　the　very　first　time　I　saw　his　big；　fat；　red　face。　　So　there！〃

〃Felicity　is　just　jealous　because　Cyrus　didn't　take　a　notion　to　her　instead　of　you；　Sis；〃　said　Dan。

〃Talk　sense！〃　snapped　Felicity。

〃If　I　did　you　wouldn't　understand　me；　sweet　little　sister；〃　rejoined　aggravating　Dan。

Finally　Cyrus　crowned　his　iniquities　by　stealing　the　denied　lock　of　Cecily's　hair。　　One　sunny　afternoon　in　school；　Cecily　and　Kitty　Marr　asked　and　received　permission　to　sit　out　on　the　side　bench　before　the　open　window；　where　the　cool　breeze　swept　in　from　the　green　fields　beyond。　　To　sit　on　this　bench　was　always　considered　a　treat；　and　was　only　allowed　as　a　reward　of　merit；　but　Cecily　and　Kitty　had　another　reason　for　wishing　to　sit　there。　　Kitty　had　read　in　a　magazine　that　sun…baths　were　good　for　the　hair；　so　both　she　and　Cecily　tossed　their　long　braids　over　the　window…sill　and　let　them　hang　there　in　the　broiling　sun…shine。　　And　while　Cecily　sat　thus；　diligently　working　a　fraction　sum　on　her　slate；　that　base　Cyrus　asked　permission　to　go　out；　having　previously　borrowed　a　pair　of　scissors　from　one　of　the　big　girls　who　did　fancy　work　at　the　noon　recess。　　Outside；　Cyrus　sneaked　up　close　to　the　window　and　cut　off　a　piece　of　Cecily's　hair。

This　rape　of　the　lock　did　not　produce　quite　such　terrible　consequences　as　the　more　famous　one　in　Pope's　poem；　but　Cecily's　soul　was　no　less　agitated　than　Belinda's。　　She　cried　all　the　way　home　from　school　about　it；　and　only　checked　her　tears　when　Dan　declared　he'd　fight　Cyrus　and　make　him　give　it　up。

〃Oh；　no；　You　mustn't。〃　said　Cecily；　struggling　with　her　sobs。　　〃I　won't　have　you　fighting　on　my　account　for　anything。　　And　besides；　he'd　likely　lick　youhe's　so　big　and　rough。　　And　the　folks　at　home　might　find　out　all　about　it；　and　Uncle　Roger　would　never　give　me　any　peace；　and　mother　would　be　cross；　for　she'd　never　believe　it　wasn't　my　fault。　　It　wouldn't　be　so　bad　if　he'd　only　taken　a　little；　but　he　cut　a　great　big　chunk　right　off　the　end　of　one　of　the　braids。　　Just　look　at　it。　　I'll　have　to　cut　the　other　to　make　them　fairand　they'll　look　so　awful　stubby。〃

But　Cyrus'　acquirement　of　the　chunk　of　hair　was　his　last　triumph。　　His　downfall　was　near；　and；　although　it　involved　Cecily　in　a　most　humiliating　experience；　over　which　she　cried　half　the　following　night；　in　the　end　she　confessed　it　was　worth　undergoing　just　to　get　rid　of　Cyrus。

Mr。　Perkins　was　an　exceedingly　strict　disciplinarian。　　No　communication　of　any　sort　was　permitted　between　his　pupils　during　school　hours。　　Anyone　caught　violating　this　rule　was　promptly　punished　by　the　infliction　of　one　of　the　weird　penances　for　which　Mr。　Perkins　was　famous；　and　which　were　generally　far　worse　than　ordinary　whipping。

One　day　in　school　Cyrus　sent　a　letter　across　to　Cecily。　　Usually　he　left　his　effusions　in　her　desk；　or　between　the　leaves　of　her　books；　but　this　time　it　was　passed　over　to　her　under　cover　of　the　desk　through　the　hands　of　two　or　three　scholars。　　Just　as　Em　Frewen　held　it　over　the　aisle　Mr。　Perkins　wheeled　around　from　his　station　before　the　blackboard　and　caught　her　in　the　act。

〃Bring　that　here；　Emmeline；〃　he　commanded。

Cyrus　turned　quite　pale。　　Em　carried　the　note　to　Mr。　Perkins。　　He　took　it；　held　it　up；　and　scrutinized　the　address。

〃Did　you　write　this　to　Cecily；　Emmeline？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Who　wrote　it　then？〃

Em　said　quite　shamelessly　that　she　didn't　knowit　had　just　been　passed　over　from　the　next　row。

〃And　I　suppose　you　have　no　idea　where　it　came　from？〃　said　Mr。　Perkins；　with　his　frightful；　sardonic　grin。　　〃Well；　perhaps　Cecily　can　tell　us。　　You　may　take　your　seat；　Emmeline；　and　you　will　remain　at　the　foot　of　your　spelling　class　for　a　week　as　punishment　for　passing　the　note。　　Cecily；　come　here。〃

Indignant　Em　sat　down　and　poor；　innocent　Cecily　was　haled　forth　to　public　ignominy。　　She　went　with　a　crimson　face。

〃Cecily；〃　said　her　tormentor；　〃do　you　know　who　wrote　this　letter　to　you？〃

Cecily；　like　a　certain　renowned　personage；　could　not　tell　a　lie。

〃II　think　so；　sir；〃　she　murmured　faintly。

〃Who　was　it？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you　that；〃　stammered　Cecily；　on　the　verge　of　tears。

〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Perkins　politely。　　〃Well；　I　suppose　I　could　easily　find　out　by　opening　it。　　But　it　is　very　impolite　to　open　other　people's　letters。　　I　think　I　have　a　better　plan。　　Since　you　refuse　to　tell　me　who　wrote　it；　open　it　yourself；　take　this　chalk；　and　copy　the　contents　on　the　blackboard　that　we　may　all　enjoy　them。　　And　sign　the　writer's　name　at　the　bottom。〃

〃Oh；〃　gasped　Cecily；　choosing　the　lesser　of　two　evils；　〃I'll　tell　you　who　wrote　itit　was

〃Hush！〃　　Mr。　Perkins　checked　her　with　a　gentle　motion　of　his　hand。　　He　was　always　most　gentle　when　most　inexorable。　　〃You　did　not　obey　me　when　I　first　ordered　you　to　tell　me　the　writer。　　You　cannot　have　the　privilege　of　doing　so　now。　　Open　the　note；　take　the　chalk；　and　do　as　I　command　you。〃

Worms　will　turn；　and　even　meek；　mild；　obedient　little　souls　like　Cecily　may　be　goaded　to　the　point　of　wild；　sheer　rebellion。

〃II　won't！〃　she　cried　passionately。

Mr。　Perkins；　martinet　though　he　was；　would　hardly；　I　think；　have　inflicted　such　a　punishment　on　Cecily；　who　was　a　favourite　of　his；　had　he　known　the　real　nature　of　that　luckless　missive。　　But；　as　he　afterwards　admitted；　he　thought　it　was　merely　a　note　from　some　other　girl；　of　such　trifling　sort　as　school…girls　are　wont　to　write；　and　moreover；　he　had　already　committed　himself　to　the　decree；　which；　like　those　of　Mede　and　Persian；　must　not　alter。　　To　let　Cecily　off；　after　her　mad　defiance；　would　be　to　establish　a　revolutionary　precedent。

〃So　you　really　think　you　won't？〃　he　queried　smilingly。　　〃Well；　on　second　thoughts；　you　may　take　your　choice。　　Either　you　will　do　as　I　have　bidden　you；　or　you　will　sit　for　three　days　with〃Mr。　Perkins'　eye　skimmed　over　the　school…room　to　find　a　boy　who　was　sitting　alone〃with　Cyrus　Brisk。〃

This　choice　of　Mr。　Perkins；　who　knew　nothing　of　the　little　drama　of　emotions　that　went　on　under　the　routine　of　lessons　and　exercises　in　his　domain；　was　purely　accidental；　but　we　took　it　at　the　time　as　a　stroke　of　diabolical　genius。　　It　left　Cecily　no　choice。　　She　would　have　done　almost　anything　before　she　would　have　sat　with　Cyrus　Brisk。　　With　flashing　eyes　she　tore　open　the　letter；　snatched　up　the　chalk；　and　dashed　at　the　blackboard。

In　a　few　minutes　the　contents　of　that　letter　graced　the　expanse　usually　sacred　to　more　prosaic　compositions。　　I　cannot　reproduce　it　verbatim；　for　I　had　no　after　opportunity　of　refreshing　my　memory。　　But　I　remember　that　it　was　exceedingly　sentimental　and　exceedingly　ill…spelledfor　Cecily　mercilessly　copied　down　poor　Cyrus'　mistakes。　　He　wrote　her　that　he　wore　her　hare　over　his　hart〃and　he　stole　it；〃　Cecily　threw　passionately　over　her　shoulder　at　Mr。　Perkinsthat　her　eyes　were　so　sweet　and　lovely　that　he　couldn't　find　words　nice　enuf　to　describ　them；　that　he　could　never　forget　how　butiful　she　had　looked　in　prar　meeting　the　evening　before；　and　that　some　meels　he　couldn't　eat　for　thinking　of　her；　with　more　to　the　same　effect　and　he　signed　it　〃yours　till　deth　us　do　part；　Cyrus　Brisk。〃

As　the　writing　proceeded　we　scholars　exploded　into　smothered　laughter；　despite　our　awe　of　Mr。　Perkins。　　Mr。　Perkins　himself　could　not　keep　a　straight　face。　　He　turned　abruptly　away　and　looked　out　of　the　window；　but　we　could　see　his　shoulders　shaking。　　When　Cecily　had　finished　and　had　thrown　down　the　chalk　with　bitter　vehemence；　he　turned　around　with　a　very　red　face。

〃That　will　do。　　You　may　sit　down。　　Cyrus；　since　it　seems　you　are　the　guilty　person；　take　the　eraser　and　wipe　that　off　the　board。　　Then　go　stand　in　the　corner；　facing　the　room；　and　hold　your　arms　straight　above　your　head　until　I　tell　you　to　take　them　down。〃

Cyrus　obeyed　and　Cecily　fled　to　her　seat　and　wept；　nor　did　Mr。　Perkins　meddle　with　her　more　that　day。　　She　bore　her　burden　of　humiliation　bitterly　for　several　days；　until　she　was　suddenly　comforted　by　a　realization　that　Cyrus　had　ceased　to　persecute　her。　　He　wrote　no　more　letters；　he　gazed　no　longer　in　rapt　adoration；　he　brought　no　more　votive　offerings　of　gum　and　pen