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