贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子) >

第40章

the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第40章

小说: the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子) 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




always be our good friend。〃 

     Frank   left   the   room   and   crossed   the   street   with   swelling   heart。 He 

would have given his life for Rena。            A kind word was doubly sweet from 

her lips; no service would be too great to pay for her friendship。 

       When Frank went out to the stable next morning to feed his mule; his 

eyes opened wide with astonishment。               In place of the decrepit; one…eyed 

army     mule    he  had   put   up   the  night   before;   a  fat;  sleek   specimen     of 

vigorous   mulehood   greeted his   arrival   with   the  sonorous hehaw  of lusty 

youth。     Hanging   on   a   peg   near   by   was   a   set   of   fine   new   harness;   and 

standing under the adjoining shed; as he perceived; a handsome new cart。 

     〃Well; well!〃 exclaimed Frank; 〃ef I did n' mos' know whar dis mule; 

an' dis kyart; an' dis harness come from; I'd 'low dere 'd be'n witcheraf' er 

cunjin' wukkin' here。        But; oh my; dat is a fine mule!I mos' wush I could 

keep 'im。〃 

     He   crossed   the   road   to   the   house   behind   the   cedars;   and   found   Mis' 

Molly in the kitchen。        〃Mis' Molly;〃 he protested; 〃I ain't done nuthin' ter 

deserve   dat   mule。      W'at   little   I   done   fer   you   wa'n't   done   fer   pay。 I'd 

ruther not keep dem things。〃 

     〃Fer   goodness'   sake;   Frank!〃   exclaimed   his   neighbor;   with   a   well… 

simulated air of mystification; 〃what are you talkin' about?〃 

     〃You knows w'at I'm talkin' about; Mis' Molly; you knows well ernuff 

I'm   talkin'   about   dat   fine   mule   an'   kyart   an'   harness   over   dere   in   my 

stable。〃 

     〃How should I know anything about 'em?〃 she asked。 



                                               123 


… Page 124…

                            THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS 



     〃Now; Mis' Molly!          You folks is jes' tryin' ter fool me; an' make me 

take somethin' fer nuthin'。        I lef' my ole mule an' kyart an' harness in de 

stable las' night; an' dis mawnin' dey 're gone; an' new ones in deir place。 

Co'se you knows whar dey come from!〃 

     〃Well; now; Frank; sence you mention it; I did see a witch flyin' roun' 

here las' night on a broom… stick; an' it 'peared ter me she lit on yo'r barn; 

an' I s'pose she turned yo'r old things into new ones。                I wouldn't bother 

my mind about it if I was you; for she may turn 'em back any night; you 

know; an' you might as well have the use of 'em in the mean while。〃 

     〃Dat's   all   foolishness;   Mis'   Molly;   an'   I'm   gwine   ter   fetch   dat   mule 

right over here an' tell yo' son ter gimme my ole one back。〃 

     〃My son's gone;〃 she replied; 〃an' I don't know nothin' about yo'r old 

mule。     And what would I do with a mule; anyhow?                 I ain't got no barn to 

put him in。〃 

     〃I   suspect   you   don't   care   much   for   us   after   all;   Frank;〃   said   Rena 

reproachfullyshe had come in while they were talking。                 〃You meet with 

a piece of good luck; and you're afraid of it; lest it might have come from 

us。〃 

     〃Now;   Miss   Rena;   you   oughtn't   ter   say  dat;〃   expostulated   Frank;   his 

reluctance   yielding   immediately。        〃I'll   keep   de   mule   an'   de   kyart   an'   de 

harnessfac'; I'll have ter keep 'em; 'cause I ain't got no others。              But dey 

're   gwine   ter   be   yo'n   ez   much   ez   mine。 W'enever   you   wants   anything 

hauled; er wants yo' lot ploughed; er anything dat's yo' mule; an' I'm yo' 

man an' yo' mammy's。〃 

     So Frank went back to the stable; where he feasted his eyes on his new 

possessions; fed and watered the mule; and curried and brushed his coat 

until it shone like a looking…glass。 

     〃Now dat;〃 remarked Peter; at the breakfast… table; when informed of 

the transaction; 〃is somethin' lack rale w'ite folks。〃 

     No real white person had ever given Peter a mule or a cart。                   He had 

rendered one of them unpaid service for half a lifetime; and had paid for 

the   other   half;   and   some   of   them   owed   him   substantial   sums   for   work 

performed。       But 〃to him that hath shall be given〃Warwick paid for the 

mule; and the real white folks got most of the credit。 



                                               124 


… Page 125…

THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS 



                                             125 


… Page 126…

                            THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS 



                                             XX 



                                  DIGGING UP ROOTS 

       When   the   first   great   shock   of   his   discovery   wore   off;   the   fact   of 

Rena's   origin   lost   to   Tryon   some   of   its   initial   repugnanceindeed;   the 

repugnance   was   not   to   the   woman   at   all;   as   their   past   relations   were 

evidence; but merely to the thought of her as a wife。               It could hardly have 

failed   to   occur   to   so   reasonable   a   man   as   Tryon   that   Rena's   case   could 

scarcely be unique。        Surely in the past centuries of free manners and easy 

morals   that   had   prevailed   in   remote   parts of   the   South;   there   must   have 

been     many     white    persons    whose     origin   would     not   have    borne    too 

microscopic   an   investigation。       Family   trees   not   seldom   have   a   crooked 

branch; or; to use a more apposite figure; many a flock has its black sheep。 

Being a man of lively imagination; Tryon soon found himself putting all 

sorts    of  hypothetical     questions    about    a  matter    which    he   had   already 

definitely determined。         If he had married Rena in ignorance of her secret; 

and had learned it afterwards; would he have put her aside?                   If; knowing 

her   history;   he   had   nevertheless   married   her;   and   she   had   subsequently 

displayed some trait of character that would suggest the negro; could he 

have forgotten or forgiven the taint?           Could he still have held her in love 

and   honor?      If   not;   could   he   have   given   her   the   outward   seeming   of 

affection; or could he have been more than coldly tolerant?                  He was glad 

that   he   had   been   spared   this   ordeal。   With   an   effort   he   put   the   whole 

matter definitely and conclusively aside; as he had done a hundred times 

already。 

     Returning   to   his   home;   after   an   absence   of   several   months   in   South 

Carolina; it was quite apparent to his mother's watchful eye that he was in 

serious trouble。      He was absent…minded; monosyllabic; sighed deeply and 

often; and could not always conceal the traces of secret tears。                 For Tryon 

was   young;   and   possessed   of   a   sensitive   soula   source   of   happiness   or 

misery; as the Fates decree。         To those thus dowered; the heights of rapture 

are   accessible;   the   abysses   of   despair   yawn   threateningly;   only   the   dull 

monotony of contentment is denied。 

     Mrs。 Tryon vainly sought by every gentle art a woman knows to win 



                                               126 


… Page 127…

                           THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS 



her son's confidence。       〃What is the matter; George; dear?〃 she would ask; 

stroking his hot brow with her small; cool hand as he sat moodily nursing 

his grief。    〃Tell your mother; George。           Who else could comfort you so 

well as she?〃 

     〃Oh;    it's  nothing;  mother;nothing      at  all;〃  he  would    reply;  with   a 

forced attempt at lightness。        〃It's only your fond imagination; you best of 

mothers。〃 

     It was Mrs。 Tryon's turn to sigh and shed a clandestine tear。             Until her 

son had gone away on this trip to South Carolina; he ha

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 1

你可能喜欢的