my kinsman-第4章

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visage。　The　stranger　grinned　in　Robin's　face；　muffled　his

party…colored　features；　and　was　out　of　sight　in　a　moment。



〃Strange　things　we　travellers　see！〃　ejaculated　Robin。



He　seated　himself；　however；　upon　the　steps　of　the　church…door；

resolving　to　wait　the　appointed　time　for　his　kinsman。　A　few

moments　were　consumed　in　philosophical　speculations　upon　the

species　of　man　who　had　just　left　him；　but　having　settled　this

point　shrewdly；　rationally；　and　satisfactorily；　he　was　compelled

to　look　elsewhere　for　his　amusement。　And　first　he　threw　his　eyes

along　the　street。　It　was　of　more　respectable　appearance　than　most

of　those　into　which　he　had　wandered；　and　the　moon；　creating；　like

the　imaginative　power；　a　beautiful　strangeness　in　familiar

objects；　gave　something　of　romance　to　a　scene　that　might　not　have

possessed　it　in　the　light　of　day。　The　irregular　and　often　quaint

architecture　of　the　houses；　some　of　whose　roofs　were　broken　into

numerous　little　peaks；　while　others　ascended；　steep　and　narrow；

into　a　single　point；　and　others　again　were　square；　the　pure

snow…white　of　some　of　their　complexions；　the　aged　darkness　of

others；　and　the　thousand　sparklings；　reflected　from　bright

substances　in　the　walls　of　many；　these　matters　engaged　Robin's

attention　for　a　while；　and　then　began　to　grow　wearisome。　Next　he

endeavored　to　define　the　forms　of　distant　objects；　starting　away；

with　almost　ghostly　indistinctness；　just　as　his　eye　appeared　to

grasp　them；　and　finally　he　took　a　minute　survey　of　an　edifice

which　stood　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　directly　in　front

of　the　church…door；　where　he　was　stationed。　It　was　a　large；

square　mansion；　distinguished　from　its　neighbors　by　a　balcony；

which　rested　on　tall　pillars；　and　by　an　elaborate　Gothic　window；

communicating　therewith。



〃Perhaps　this　is　the　very　house　I　have　been　seeking；〃　thought

Robin。



Then　he　strove　to　speed　away　the　time；　by　listening　to　a　murmur

which　swept　continually　along　the　street；　yet　was　scarcely

audible；　except　to　an　unaccustomed　ear　like　his；　it　was　a　low；

dull；　dreamy　sound；　compounded　of　many　noises；　each　of　which　was

at　too　great　a　distance　to　be　separately　heard。　Robin　marvelled

at　this　snore　of　a　sleeping　town；　and　marvelled　more　whenever　its

continuity　was　broken　by　now　and　then　a　distant　shout；　apparently

loud　where　it　originated。　But　altogether　it　was　a　sleep…inspiring

sound；　and；　to　shake　off　its　drowsy　influence；　Robin　arose；　and

climbed　a　window…frame；　that　he　might　view　the　interior　of　the

church。　There　the　moonbeams　came　trembling　in；　and　fell　down　upon

the　deserted　pews；　and　extended　along　the　quiet　aisles。　A　fainter

yet　more　awful　radiance　was　hovering　around　the　pulpit；　and　one

solitary　ray　had　dared　to　rest　upon　the　open　page　of　the　great

Bible。　Had　nature；　in　that　deep　hour；　become　a　worshipper　in　the

house　which　man　had　builded？　Or　was　that　heavenly　light　the

visible　sanctity　of　the　place；visible　because　no　earthly　and

impure　feet　were　within　the　walls？　The　scene　made　Robin's　heart

shiver　with　a　sensation　of　loneliness　stronger　than　he　had　ever

felt　in　the　remotest　depths　of　his　native　woods；　so　he　turned

away　and　sat　down　again　before　the　door。　There　were　graves　around

the　church；　and　now　an　uneasy　thought　obtruded　into　Robin's

breast。　What　if　the　object　of　his　search；　which　had　been　so　often

and　so　strangely　thwarted；　were　all　the　time　mouldering　in　his

shroud？　What　if　his　kinsman　should　glide　through　yonder　gate；　and

nod　and　smile　to　him　in　dimly　passing　by？



〃Oh　that　any　breathing　thing　were　here　with　me！〃　said　Robin。



Recalling　his　thoughts　from　this　uncomfortable　track；　he　sent

them　over　forest；　hill；　and　stream；　and　attempted　to　imagine　how

that　evening　of　ambiguity　and　weariness　had　been　spent　by　his

father's　household。　He　pictured　them　assembled　at　the　door；

beneath　the　tree；　the　great　old　tree；　which　had　been　spared　for

its　huge　twisted　trunk　and　venerable　shade；　when　a　thousand　leafy

brethren　fell。　There；　at　the　going　down　of　the　summer　sun；　it　was

his　father's　custom　to　perform　domestic　worship　that　the

neighbors　might　come　and　join　with　him　like　brothers　of　the

family；　and　that　the　wayfaring　man　might　pause　to　drink　at　that

fountain；　and　keep　his　heart　pure　by　freshening　the　memory　of

home。　Robin　distinguished　the　seat　of　every　individual　of　the

little　audience；　he　saw　the　good　man　in　the　midst；　holding　the

Scriptures　in　the　golden　light　that　fell　from　the　western　clouds；

he　beheld　him　close　the　book　and　all　rise　up　to　pray。　He　heard

the　old　thanksgivings　for　daily　mercies；　the　old　supplications

for　their　continuance　to　which　he　had　so　often　listened　in

weariness；　but　which　were　now　among　his　dear　remembrances。　He

perceived　the　slight　inequality　of　his　father's　voice　when　he

came　to　speak　of　the　absent　one；　he　noted　how　his　mother　turned

her　face　to　the　broad　and　knotted　trunk；　how　his　elder　brother

scorned；　because　the　beard　was　rough　upon　his　upper　lip；　to

permit　his　features　to　be　moved；　how　the　younger　sister　drew　down

a　low　hanging　branch　before　her　eyes；　and　how　the　little　one　of

all；　whose　sports　had　hitherto　broken　the　decorum　of　the　scene；

understood　the　prayer　for　her　playmate；　and　burst　into　clamorous

grief。　Then　he　saw　them　go　in　at　the　door；　and　when　Robin　would

have　entered　also；　the　latch　tinkled　into　its　place；　and　he　was

excluded　from　his　home。



〃Am　I　here；　or　there？〃　cried　Robin；　starting；　for　all　at　once；

when　his　thoughts　had　become　visible　and　audible　in　a　dream；　the

long；　wide；　solitary　street　shone　out　before　him。



He　aroused　himself；　and　endeavored　to　fix　his　attention　steadily

upon　the　large　edifice　which　he　had　surveyed　before。　But　still

his　mind　kept　vibrating　between　fancy　and　reality；　by　turns；　the

pillars　of　the　balcony　lengthened　into　the　tall；　bare　stems　of

pines；　dwindled　down　to　human　figures；　settled　again　into　their

true　shape　and　size；　and　then　commenced　a　new　succession　of

changes。　For　a　single　moment；　when　he　deemed　himself　awake；　he

could　have　sworn　that　a　visageone　which　he　seemed　to　remember；

yet　could　not　absolutely　name　as　his　kinsman'swas　looking

towards　him　from　the　Gothic　window。　A　deeper　sleep　wrestled　with

and　nearly　overcame　him；　but　fled　at　the　sound　of　footsteps　along

the　opposite　pavement。　Robin　rubbed　his　eyes；　discerned　a　man

passing　at　the　foot　of　the　balcony；　and　addressed　him　in　a　loud；

peevish；　and　lamentable　cry。



〃Hallo；　friend！　must　I　wait　here　all　night　for　my　kinsman；　Major

Molineux？〃



The　sleeping　echoes　awoke；　and　answered　the　voice；　and　the

passenger；　barely　able　to　discern　a　figure　sitting　in　the　oblique

shade　of　the　steeple；　traversed　the　street　to　obtain　a　nearer

view。　He　was　himself　a　gentleman　in　his　prime；　of　open；

intelligent；　cheerful；　and　altogether　prepossessing　countenance。

Perceiving　a　country　youth；　apparently　homeless　and　without

friends；　he　accosted　him　in　a　tone　of　real　kindness；　which　had

become　strange　to　Robin's　ears。



〃Well；　my　good　lad；　why　are　you　sitting　here？〃　inquired　he。　〃Can

I　be　of　service　to　you　in　any　way？〃



〃I　am　afraid　not；　sir；〃　replied　Robin；　despondingly；　〃yet　I　shall

take　it　kindly；　if　you'll　answer　me　a　single　question。　I've　been

searching；　half　the　night；　for　one　Major　Molineux；　now；　sir；　is

there　really　such　a　person　in　these　parts；　or　am　I　dreaming？〃



〃Major　Molineux！　The　name　is　not　altogether　strange　to　me；〃　said

the　gentleman；　smiling。　〃Have　you　any　objection　to　telling　me　the

nature　of　your　business　with　him？〃



Then　Robin　briefly　related　that　his　father　was　a　clergyman；

settled　on　a　small　salary；　at　a　long　distance　back　in　the

country；　and　that　he　and　Major　Molineux　were　brothers'　children。

The　Major；　having　inherited　riches；　and　acquired　civil　and

military　rank；　had　visited　his　cousin；　in　great　pomp；　a　year　or

two　before；　had　manifested　much　interest　in　Robin　and　an　elder

brother；　and；　being　childless　himself；　had　thrown　out　h