the village watch-tower-第24章

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〃but　it　seems　to　help　people　to　say　things　they　couldn't　say　for　themselves；

don't　you　think　so？　　It　comforts　me　even　to　hear　it；　and　I　think　it　must

be　still　more　beautiful　to　make　it。〃



Now；　Lyddy　Ann　Butterfield　had　no　sooner　uttered　this

commonplace　speech　than　the　reflection　darted　through

her　mind　like　a　lightning　flash　that　she　had　never　spoken

a　bit　of　her　heart　out　like　this　in　all　her　life　before。

The　reason　came　to　her　in　the　same　flash：　　she　was　not　being

looked　at；　her　disfigured　face　was　hidden。　　This　man；　at　least；

could　not　shrink；　turn　away；　shiver；　affect　indifference；

fix　his　eyes　on　hers　with　a　fascinated　horror；　as　others　had　done。

Her　heart　was　divided　between　a　great　throb　of　pity　and　sympathy

for　him　and　an　irresistible　sense　of　gratitude　for　herself。

Sure　of　protection　and　comprehension；　her　lovely　soul

came　out　of　her　poor　eyes　and　sat　in　the　sunshine。

She　spoke　her　mind　at　ease；　as　we　utter　sacred　things　sometimes

under　cover　of　darkness。



〃You　seem　to　have　had　an　accident；　what　can　I　do　to　help　you？〃　she　asked。



〃Nothing；　thank　you。　　The　boy　has　been　sick　for　some　days；

but　he　seems　worse　since　last　night。　　Nothing　is　in　its　right

place　in　the　house；　so　I　have　given　up　trying　to　find　anything；

and　am　just　going　to　Edgewood　to　see　if　somebody　will　help　me

for　a　few　days。〃



〃Uncle　Tony！　　Uncle　To…ny！　where　are　you？　　Do　give　me　another　drink；

I'm　so　hot！〃　came　the　boy's　voice　from　within。



〃Coming；　laddie！　　I　don't　believe　he　ought　to　drink　so　much　water；

but　what　can　I　do？　　He　is　burning　up　with　fever。〃



〃Now　look　here；　Mr。　Croft；〃　and　Lydia's　tone　was　cheerfully　decisive。

〃You　sit　down　in　that　rocker；　please；　and　let　me　command　the　ship

for　a　while。　　This　is　one　of　the　cases　where　a　woman　is　necessary。

First　and　foremost；　what　were　you　hunting　for？〃



〃My　hat　and　the　butter；〃　said　Anthony　meekly；

and　at　this　unique　combination　they　both　laughed。

Lyddy's　laugh　was　particularly　fresh；　childlike；　and　pleased；

one　that　would　have　astonished　the　Reynolds　children。

She　had　seldom　laughed　heartily　since　little　Rufus　had　cried

and　told　her　she　frightened　him　when　she　twisted　her　face　so。



〃Your　hat　is　in　the　wood…box；　and　I'll　find　the　butter　in　the　twinkling

of　an　eye；　though　why　you　want　it　now　is　more　thanMy　patience；　Mr。　Croft；

your　hand　is　burned　to　a　blister！〃



〃Don't　mind　me。　　Be　good　enough　to　look　at　the　boy　and　tell

me　what　ails　him；　nothing　else　matters　much。〃



〃I　will　with　pleasure；　but　let　me　ease　you　a　little　first。

Here's　a　rag　that　will　be　just　the　thing；〃　and　Lyddy；

suiting　the　pretty　action　to　the　mendacious　worn；　took　a

good　handkerchief　from　her　pocket　and　tore　it　in　three　strips；

after　spreading　it　with　tallow　from　a　candle　heated　over　the　stove。

This　done；　she　hound　up　the　burned　hand　skillfully；　and；　crossing　the

dining…room；　disappeared　within　the　little　chamber　door　beyond。

She　came　out　presently；　and　said　half　hesitatingly；

〃Would　youmind　going　out　in　the　orchard　for　an　hour　or　so？

You　seem　to　be　rather　in　the　way　here；　and　I　should　like

the　place　to　myself；　if　you'll　excuse　me　for　saying　so。

I'm　ever　so　much　more　capable　than　Mrs。　Buck；　won't　you

give　me　a　trial；　sir？　　Here's　your　violin　and　your　hat。

I'll　call　you　if　you　can　help　or　advise　me。〃



〃But　I　can't　let　a　stranger　come　in　and　do　my　housework；〃　he　objected。

〃I　can't；　you　know；　though　I　appreciate　your　kindness　all　the　same。〃



〃I　am　your　nearest　neighbor；　and　your　only　one；　for　that　matter；〃

said　Lyddy　firmly；　〃its　nothing　more　than　right　that　I　should　look　after　that

sick　child；　and　I　must　do　it。　　I　haven't　got　a　thing　to　do　in　my　own　house。

I　am　nothing　but　a　poor　lonely　old　maid；　who's　been　used　to　children

all　her　life；　and　likes　nothing　better　than　to　work　over　them。〃



A　calm　settled　upon　Anthony's　perturbed　spirit；　as　he　sat　under

the　apple…trees　and　heard　Lyddy　going　to　and　fro　in　the　cottage。

〃She　isn't　any　old　maid；〃　he　thought；　〃she　doesn't　step　like　one；

she　has　soft　shoes　and　a　springy　walk。　　She　must　be　a　very

handsome　woman；　with　a　hand　like　that；　and　such　a　voice！

I　knew　the　moment　she　spoke　that　she　didn't　belong　in　this　village。〃



As　a　matter　of　fact；　his　keen　ear　had　caught　the　melody　in

Lyddy's　voice；　a　voice　full　of　dignity；　sweetness；　and　reserve　power。

His　sense　of　touch；　too；　had　captured　the　beauty　of　her　hand；

and　held　it　in　remembrance；the　soft　palm；　the　fine　skin；

supple　fingers；　smooth　nails；　and　firm　round　wrist。

These　charms　would　never　have　been　noted　by　any　seeing

man　in　Edgewood；　but　they　were　revealed　to　Anthony　Croft

while　Lyddy；　like　the　good　Samaritan；　bound　up　his　wounds。

It　is　these　saving　stars　that　light　the　eternal　darkness

of　the　blind。



Lyddy　thought　she　had　met　her　Waterloo　when；　with　arms　akimbo；

she　gazed　about　the　Croft　establishment；　which　was　a　scene

of　desolation　for　the　moment。　　Anthony's　cousin　from

Bridgton　was　in　the　habit　of　visiting　him　every　two　months

for　a　solemn　house…cleaning；　and　Mrs。　Buck　from　Pleasant

River　came　every　Saturday　and　Monday　for　baking　and　washing。

Between　times　Davy　and　his　uncle　did　the　housework　together；

and　although　it　was　respectably　done；　there　was　no　pink…and…white

daintiness　about　it；　you　may　be　sure。



Lyddy　came　out　to　the　apple…trees　in　about　an　hour；

laughing　a　little　nervously　as　she　said；　〃I'm　sorry　to

have　taken　a　mean　advantage　of　you；　Mr。　Croft；　but　I　know

everything　you've　got　in　your　house；　and　exactly　where　it　is。

I　couldn't　help　it；　you　see；　when　I　was　making　things　tidy。

It　would　do　you　good　to　see　the　boy。　　His　room　was　too　light；

and　the　flies　were　devouring　him。　　I　swept　him　and　dusted　him；

put　on　clean　sheets　and　pillow　slips；　sponged　him　with　bay　rum；

brushed　his　hair；　drove　out　the　flies；　and　tacked　a　green

curtain　up　to　the　window。　　Fifteen　minutes　after　he　was　sleeping

like　a　kitten。　　He　has　a　sore　throat　and　considerable　fever。

Could　youcan　youat　least；　will　you；　go　up　to　my　house

on　an　errand？〃



〃Certainly　I　can。　　I　know　it　inside　and　out　as　well　as　my　own。〃



〃Very　good。　　On　the　clock　shelf　in　the　sitting…room　there

is　a　bottle　of　sweet　spirits　of　nitre；　it's　the　only　bottle　there；

so　you　can't　make　any　mistake。　　It　will　help　until　the　doctor　comes。

I　wonder　you　didn't　send　for　him　yesterday？〃



〃Davy　wouldn't　have　him；〃　apologized　his　uncle。



〃Wouldn't　he　？〃　said　Lyddy　with　cheerful　scorn。

〃He　has　you　under　pretty　good　control；　hasn't　he？

But　children　are　unmerciful　tyrants。〃



〃Couldn't　you　coax　him　into　it　before　you　go　home？〃　asked　Anthony

in　a　wheedling　voice。



〃I　can　try；　but　it　isn't　likely　I　can

influence　him；　if　you　can't。　Still；　if　we　both　fail；　I　really　don't

see　what　's　to　prevent　our　sending　for　the　doctor　in　spite　of　him。

He　is　as　weak　as　a　baby；　you　know；　and　can't　sit　up　in　bed：

what　could　he　do？　　I　will　risk　the　consequences；　if　you　will！　〃



There　was　a　note　of　such　amiable　and　winning　sarcasm　in　all　this；

such　a　cheery；　invincible　courage；　such　a　friendly　neighborliness

and　cooperation；　above　all　such　a　different　tone　from　any

he　was　accustomed　to　hear　in　Edgewood；　that　Anthony　Croft　felt

warmed　through　to　the　core。



As　he　walked　quickly　along　the　road；　he　conjured　up　a　vision

of　autumn　beauty　from　the　few　hints　nature　gave　even　to　her　sightless

ones　on　this　glorious　morning；the　rustle　of　a　few　fallen　leaves　under

his　feet；　the　clear　wine　of　the　air；　the　full　rush　of　the　swollen　river；

the　whisking　of　the　squirrels　in　the　boughs；　the　crunch　of　their　teeth

on　the　nuts；　the　spicy　odor　of　the　apples　lying　under　the　trees。

He　missed　his　mother　that　morning　more　than　he　had　missed　her　for　years。

How　neat　she　was；　how　thrifty；　how　comfortable；　and　how　comforting！

His　life　was　so　dreary　and　aimless；　and　was　it　the　best　or　the　right　one

for　Davy；　with　his　talent　and　dawning　ambition？　　Would　it　not　be　better

to　have　Mrs。　Buck　live　with　them　altogether；　inst