lavender and old lace-第21章

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〃I　trust　I　am　not　unwelcome　in　my　own　house；〃　was　the　somewhat　frigid　response。

〃No　indeed；　AuntyI　hope　you've　had　a　pleasant　time。〃

〃We've　had　a　beautiful　time；　ain't　we；　James？　We've　been　on　our　honeymoon。〃

〃Yes'm；　we　hev　been　on　our　honeymoon；　travellin'　over　strange　lands　an'　furrin　wastes　of　waters。　Mis'　Ball　was　terrible　sea　sick　comin'　here。〃

〃In　a　way；〃　said　Aunt　Jane；　〃we　ain't　completely　married。　We　was　married　by　a　heathen　priest　in　a　heathen　country　and　it　ain't　rightfully　bindin'；　but　we　thought　it　would　do　until　we　could　get　back　here　and　be　married　by　a　minister　of　the　gospel；　didn't　we；　James？〃

〃It　has　held；〃　he　said；　without　emotion；　〃but　I　reckon　we　will　hev　to　be　merried　proper。〃

〃Likewise　I　have　my　weddin'　dress；〃　Aunt　Jane　went　on；　〃what　ain't　never　been　worn。　It's　a　beautiful　dresstrimmed　with　pearl　trimmin'〃here　Ruth　felt　the　pangs　of　a　guilty　conscience〃and　I　lay　out　to　be　married　in　it；　quite　private；　with　you　and　Hepsey　for　witnesses。〃

〃Why；　it's　quite　a　romance；　isn't　it；　Aunty？〃

〃'T　is　in　a　way；〃　interjected　Mr。　Ball；　〃and　in　another　way；　't　ain't。〃

〃Yes；　Ruth；〃　Aunt　Jane　continued；　ignoring　the　interruption；　〃't　is　a　romancea　real　romance；〃　　she　repeated；　with　all　the　hard　lines　in　her　face　softened。　〃We　was　engaged　over　thirty…five　year。　James　went　to　sea　to　make　a　fortin'；　so　he　could　give　me　every　luxury。　It's　all　writ　out　in　a　letter　I've　got　upstairs。　They's　beautiful　letters；　Ruth；　and　it's　come　to　me；　as　I've　been　settin'　here；　that　you　might　make　a　book　out'n　these　letters　of　James's。　You　write；　don't　you？〃

〃Why；　yes；　Aunty；　I　write　for　the　papers　but　I've　never　done　a　book。〃

〃Well；　you'll　never　write　a　book　no　earlier；　and　here's　all　the　material；　as　you　say；　jest　a…waitin'　for　you　to　copy　it。　I　guess　there's　over　a　hundred　letters。〃

〃But；　Aunty；〃　objected　Ruth；　struggling　with　inward　emotion；　〃I　couldn't　sign　my　name　to　it；　you　know；　unless　I　had　written　the　letters。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　it　wouldn't　be　honest；〃　she　answered；　clutching　at　the　straw；　〃the　person　who　wrote　the　letters　would　be　entitled　to　the　creditand　the　money；〃　she　added　hopefully。

〃Why；　yes；　that's　right。　Do　you　hear　James？　It'll　have　to　be　your　book；　'The　Love　Letters　of　a　Sailor；'　by　James；　and　dedicated　in　the　front　'to　my　dearly　beloved　wife；　Jane　Ball；　as　was　Jane　Hathaway。'　It'll　be　beautiful；　won't　it；　James？〃

〃Yes'm；　I　hev　no　doubt　but　what　it　will。〃

〃Do　you　remember；　James；　how　you　borrered　a　chisel　from　the　tombstone　man　over　to　the　Ridge；　and　cut　our　names　into　endurin'　granite？〃

〃I'd　forgot　thathow　come　you　to　remember　it？〃

〃On　account　of　your　havin'　lost　the　chisel　and　the　tombstone　man　a…worryin'　me　about　it　to　this　day。　I'll　take　you　to　the　place。　There's　climbin'　but　it　won't　hurt　us　none；　though　we　ain't　as　young　as　we　might　be。　You　says　to　me；　you　says：　'Jane；　darlin'；　as　long　as　them　letters　stays　cut　into　the　everlastin'　rock；　just　so　long　I'll　love　you；'　you　says；　and　they's　there　still。〃

〃Well；　I'm　here；　too；　ain't　I？〃　replied　Mr。　Ball；　seeming　to　detect　a　covert　reproach。　〃I　was　allers　a　great　hand　fer　cuttin'。〃

〃There'll　have　to　be　a　piece　writ　in　the　end；　Ruth；　explainin'　the　happy　endin'　of　the　romance。　If　you　can't　do　it　justice；　James　and　me　can　helpJames　was　allers　a　master　hand　at　writin'。　It'll　have　to　tell　how　through　the　long　years　he　has　toiled；　hopin'　against　hope；　and　for　over　thirty　years　not　darin'　to　write　a　line　to　the　object　of　his　affections；　not　feelin'　worthy；　as　you　may　say；　and　how　after　her　waitin'　faithfully　at　home　and　turnin'　away　dozens　of　lovers　what　pleaded　violent…like；　she　finally　went　travellin'　in　furrin　parts　and　come　upon　her　old　lover　a…keepin'　a　store　in　a　heathen　land；　a…strugglin'　to　retrieve　disaster　after　disaster　at　sea；　and　constantly　withstandin'　the　blandishments　of　heathen　women　as　endeavoured　to　wean　him　from　his　faith；　and　how；　though　very　humble　and　scarcely　darin　to　speak；　he　learned　that　she　was　willin'　and　they　come　a　sailin'　home　together　and　lived　happily　ever　afterward。　Ain't　that　as　it　was；　James？〃

〃Yes'm；　except　that　there　wa'n't　no　particular　disaster　at　sea　and　them　heathen　women　didn't　exert　no　blandishments。　They　was　jest　pleasant　to　an　old　feller；　bless　their　little　hearts。〃

By　some　subtle　mental　process；　Mr。　Ball　became　aware　that　he　had　made　a　mistake。　〃You　ain't　changed　nothin'　here；　Jane；〃　he　continued；　hurriedly；　〃there's　the　haircloth　sofy　that　we　used　to　set　on　Sunday　evenins'　after　meetin'；　and　the　hair　wreath　with　the　red　rose　in　it　made　out　of　my　hair　and　the　white　rose　made　out　of　your　grandmother's　hair　on　your　father's　side；　and　the　yeller　lily　made　out　of　the　hair　of　your　Uncle　Jed's　youngest　boy。　I　disremember　the　rest；　but　time　was　when　I　could　say'm　all。　I　never　see　your　beat　for　makin'　hair　wreaths；　Jane。　There　ain't　nothin'　gone　but　the　melodeon　that　used　to　set　by　the　mantel。　What's　come　of　the　melodeon？〃

〃The　melodeon　is　set　away　in　the　attic。　The　mice　et　out　the　inside。〃

〃Didn't　you　hev　no　cat？〃

〃There　ain't　no　cat；　James；　that　could　get　into　a　melodeon　through　a　mouse　hole；　more　especially　the　big　maltese　you　gave　me。　I　kept　that　cat；　James；　as　you　may　say；　all　these　weary　years。　When　there　was　kittens；　I　kept　the　one　that　looked　most　like　old　Malty；　but　of　late　years；　the　cats　has　all　been　different；　and　the　one　I　buried　jest　afore　I　sailed　away　was　yeller　and　white　with　black　and　brown　spotsa　kinder　tortoise　shellthat　didn't　look　nothin'　like　Malty。　You'd　never　have　knowed　they　belonged　to　the　same　family；　but　I　was　sorry　when　she　died；　on　account　of　her　bein'　the　last　cat。〃

Hepsey；　half　frightened；　put　her　head　into　the　room。　〃Dinner's　ready；〃　she　shouted；　hurriedly　shutting　the　door。

〃Give　me　your　arm；　James；〃　said　Mrs。　Ball；　and　Ruth　followed　them　into　the　dining…room。

The　retired　sailor　ate　heartily；　casting　occasional　admiring　glances　at　Ruth　and　Hepsey。　It　was　the　innocent　approval　which　age　bestows　upon　youth。　〃These　be　the　finest　biscuit；〃　he　said；　〃that　I've　had　for　many　a　day。　I　reckon　you　made　'em；　didn't　you；　young　woman？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Hepsey；　twisting　her　apron。

The　bride　was　touched　in　a　vulnerable　spot。

〃Hepsey；〃　she　said；　decisively；　〃when　your　week　is　up；　you　will　no　longer　be　in　my　service。　I　am　a…goin'to　make　a　change。〃

Mr。　Ball's　knife　dropped　with　a　sharp　clatter。　〃Why；　Mis'　Ball；〃　he　said；　reproachfully；　〃who　air　you　goin'　to　hev　to　do　your　work？〃

〃Don't　let　that　trouble　you；　James；〃　she　answered；　serenely；　〃the　washin'　can　be　put　out　to　the　Widder　Pendleton；　her　as　was　Elmiry　Peavey；　and　the　rest　ain't　no　particular　trouble。〃

〃Aunty；〃　said　Ruth；　〃now　that　you've　come　home　and　everything　is　going　on　nicely；　I　think　I'd　better　go　back　to　the　city。　You　see；　if　I　stay　here；　I'll　be　interrupting　the　honeymoon。〃

〃No；　no；　Niece　Ruth！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ball；　〃you　ain't　interruptin'　no　honeymoon。　It's　a　great　pleasure　to　your　aunt　and　me　to　hev　you　herewe　likes　pretty　young　things　around　us；　and　as　long　as　we　hev　a　home；　you're　welcome　to　stay　in　it；　ain't　she　Jane？〃

〃She　has　sense　enough　to　see；　James；　that　she　is　interruptin'　the　honeymoon；〃　replied　Aunt　Jane；　somewhat　harshly。　〃On　account　of　her　mother　havin'　been　a　Hathaway　before　marriage；　she　knows　things。　Not　but　what　you　can　come　some　other　time；　Ruth；〃　she　added；　with　belated　hospitality。

〃Thank　you；　Aunty；　I　will。　I'll　stay　just　a　day　or　two　longer；　if　you　don't　mindjust　until　Mr。　Winfield　comes　back。　I　don't　know　just　where　to　write　to　him。〃

〃Mr。who？〃　demanded　Aunt　Jane；　looking　at　her　narrowly。

〃Mr。　Carl　Winfield；〃　said　Ruth；　crimsoning　〃the　man　I　am　going　to　marry。〃　The　piercing　eyes　were　still　fixed　upon　her。

〃Now　about　the　letters；　Aunty；〃　she　went　on；　in　confusion；　〃you　could　help　Uncle　James　with　the　book　much　better　than　I　could。　Of　course　it　would　have　to　be　done　under　your　supervision。〃

Mrs。　Ball　scrutinized　her　niece　long　and　carefully。　〃You　appear　to　be　tellin'　the　truth；〃　she　said。　〃Who　would　best　print　it？〃

〃I　think　it　would　be　better　for　you　to　handle　it　yourself；　Aunty；　and　then　you　and　Uncle　James　would　have　all　the　profits。　If　you　let　some　one　else　publish　it　and　sell　it；　you'd　have　only　ten　per