cressy-第19章

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a　slight　wave　of　his　crippled　hand　over　his　whole　person；　as　if

indicating　some　personal　adornment；　said；　〃It　sets　you　off！〃



He　nodded；　turned；　and　re…entered　the　ball…room。　　Mr。　Ford；　without

trusting　himself　to　further　speech；　elbowed　his　way　through　the

crowded　staircase　to　the　street。　　But　even　there　his　strange　anger；

as　well　as　the　equally　strange　remorse；　which　had　seized　him　in

McKinstry's　presence；　seemed　to　evaporate　in　the　clear　moonlight

and　soft　summer　air。　　There　was　the　river…bank；　with　the　tremulous

river　glancing　through　the　dreamy　mist；　as　they　had　seen　it　from

the　window　together。　　He　even　turned　to　look　back　on　the　lighted

ball…room；　as　if　SHE　might　have　been　looking　out；　too。　　But　he　knew

he　should　see　her　again　to…morrow；　and　he　hurriedly　put　aside　all

reserve；　all　thought　of　the　future；　all　examination　of　his　conduct；

to　walk　home　enwrapped　in　the　vaguer　pleasure　of　the　past。　　Rupert

Filgee；　to　whom　he　had　never　given　a　second　thought；　now　peacefully

slumbering　beside　his　baby　brother；　had　not　gone　home　in　more

foolish　or　more　dangerous　company。



When　he　reached　the　hotel；　he　was　surprised　to　find　it　only　eleven

o'clock。　　No　one　had　returned；　the　building　was　deserted　by　all　but

the　bar…keeper　and　a　flirting　chambermaid；　who　regarded　him　with

aggrieved　astonishment。　　He　began　to　feel　very　foolish；　and　half

regretted　that　he　had　not　stayed　to　dance　with　Mrs。　Tripp；　or；　at

least；　remained　as　a　quiet　onlooker　apart　from　the　others。　　With　a

hasty　excuse　about　returning　to　write　letters　for　the　morning's

post；　he　took　a　candle　and　slowly　remounted　the　stairs　to　his　room。

But　on　entering　he　found　himself　unprepared　for　that　singular　lack

of　sympathy　with　which　familiar　haunts　always　greet　our　new

experiences；　he　could　hardly　believe　that　he　had　left　that　room

only　two　hours　before；　it　seemed　so　uncongenial　and　strange　to　the

sensation　that　was　still　possessing　him。　　Yet　there　were　his　table；

his　books；　his　arm…chair；　his　bed　as　he　had　left　them；　even　a

sticky　fragment　of　gingerbread　that　had　fallen　from　Johnny's

pocket。　　He　had　not　yet　reached　that　stage　of　absorbing　passion

where　he　was　able　to　put　the　loved　one　in　his　own　surroundings；　she

as　yet　had　no　place　in　this　quiet　room；　he　could　scarcely　think　of

her　here；　and　he　MUST　think　of　her；　if　he　had　to　go　elsewhere。　　An

extravagant　idea　of　walking　the　street　until　his　restless　dream　was

over　seized　him；　but　even　in　his　folly　the　lackadaisical；　moonstruck

quality　of　such　a　performance　was　too　obvious。　　The　school…house！

He　would　go　there；　it　was　only　a　pleasant　walk；　the　night　was

lovely；　and　he　could　bring　the　myrtle…spray　from　his　desk。　　It　was

too　significant　nowif　not　too　preciousto　be　kept　there。　　Perhaps

he　had　not　examined　it　closely；　nor　the　place　where　it　had　lain；

there　might　be　an　additional　sign；　word；　or　token　he　had　overlooked。

The　thought　thrilled　him；　even　while　he　was　calmly　arguing　to

himself　that　it　was　an　instinct　of　caution。



The　air　was　quieter　and　warmer　than　usual；　though　still

characteristic　of　the　locality　in　its　dry；　dewless　clarity。　　The

grass　was　yet　warm　from　the　day…long　sun；　and　when　he　entered　the

pines　that　surrounded　the　schoolhouse；　they　had　scarcely　yet　lost

their　spicy　heat。　　The　moon；　riding　high；　filled　the　dark　aisles

with　a　delicious　twilight　that　lent　itself　to　his　waking　dreams。

It　was　not　long　before　to…morrow；　he　could　easily　manage　to　bring

her　here　in　the　grove　at　recess；　and　would　speak　with　her　there。

It　did　not　occur　to　him　what　he　should　say；　or　why　he　should　say

it；　it　did　not　occur　to　him　that　he　had　no　other　provocation　than

her　eyes；　her　conscious　manner；　her　eloquent　silence；　and　her

admission　that　she　had　expected　him。　　It　did　not　occur　to　him　that

all　this　was　inconsistent　with　what　he　knew　of　her　antecedents；　her

character；　and　her　habits。　　It　was　this　very　inconsistency　that

charmed　and　convinced　him。　　We　are　always　on　the　lookout　for　these

miracles　of　passion。　　We　may　doubt　the　genuineness　of　an　affection

that　is　first…hand；　but　never　of　one　that　is　transferred。



He　approached　the　school…house　and　unlocking　the　door　closed　it

behind　him；　not　so　much　to　keep　out　human　intrusion　as　the　invasion

of　bats　and　squirrels。　　The　nearly　vertical　moon；　while　it

perfectly　lit　the　playground　and　openings　in　the　pines　around　the

house；　left　the　interior　in　darkness；　except　the　reflection　upon

the　ceiling　from　the　shining　gravel　without。　　Partly　from　a　sense

of　precaution　and　partly　because　he　was　familiar　with　the　position

of　the　benches；　he　did　not　strike　a　light；　and　reached　his　own　desk

unerringly；　drew　his　chair　before　it　and　unlocked　it；　groped　in　its

dark　recess　for　the　myrtle　spray；　felt　its　soft　silken　binding　with

an　electrical　thrill；　drew　it　out；　and　in　the　security　of　the

darkness；　raised　it　to　his　lips。



To　make　room　for　it　in　his　breast　pocket　he　was　obliged　to　take　out

his　lettersamong　them　the　well…worn　one　he　had　tried　to　read　that

morning。　　A　mingling　of　pleasure　and　remorse　came　over　him　as　he

felt　that　it　was　already　of　the　past；　and　as　he　dropped　it

carelessly　into　the　empty　desk　it　fell　with　a　faint；　hollow　sound

as　if　it　were　ashes　to　ashes。



What　was　that？



The　noise　of　steps　upon　the　gravel；　light　laughter；　the　moving　of

two　or　three　shadows　on　the　ceiling；　the　sound　of　voices；　a　man's；

a　child's；　and　HERS！



Could　it　be　possible？　　Was　not　he　mistaken？　　No！　the　man's　voice

was　Masters'；　the　child's；　Octavia's；　the　woman's；　HERS。



He　remained　silent　in　the　shadow。　　The　school…room　was　not　far　from

the　trail　where　she　would　have　had　to　pass　going　home　from　the

ball。　　But　why　had　she　come　there？　had　they　seen　him　arrive？　and

were　mischievously　watching　him？　　The　sound　of　Cressy's　voice　and

the　lifting　of　the　unprotected　window　near　the　door　convinced　him

to　the　contrary。



〃There；　that'll　do。　　Now　you　two　can　step　aside。　　'Tave；　take　him

over　to　yon　fence；　and　keep　him　there　till　I　get　in。　　Nothank

you；　sirI　can　assist　myself。　　I've　done　it　before。　　It　ain't　the

first　time　I've　been　through　this　window；　is　it；　'Tave？〃



Ford's　heart　stopped　beating。　　There　was　a　moment　of　laughing

expostulation；　the　sound　of　retreating　voices；　the　sudden　darkening

of　the　window；　the　billowy　sweep　of　a　skirt；　the　faint　quick　flash

of　a　little　ankle；　and　Cressy　McKinstry　swung　herself　into　the　room

and　dropped　lightly　on　the　floor。



She　advanced　eagerly　up　the　moonlit　passage　between　the　two　rows　of

benches。　　Suddenly　she　stopped；　the　master　rose　at　the　same　moment

with　outstretched　warning　hand　to　check　the　cry　of　terror　he　felt

sure　would　rise　to　her　lips。　　But　he　did　not　know　the　lazy　nerves

of　the　girl　before　him。　　She　uttered　no　outcry。　　And　even　in　the

faint　dim　light　he　could　see　only　the　same　expression　of　conscious

understanding　come　over　her　face　that　he　had　seen　in　the　ball…room；

mingled　with　a　vague　joy　that　parted　her　breathless　lips。　　As　he

moved　quickly　forward　their　hands　met；　she　caught　his　with　a　quick

significant　pressure　and　darted　back　to　the　window。



〃Oh；　'Tave！〃　（very　languidly。）



〃Yes。〃



〃You　two　had　better　wait　for　me　at　the　edge　of　the　trail　yonder；

and　keep　a　lookout　for　folks　going　by。　　Don't　let　them　see　you

hanging　round　so　near。　　Do　you　hear？　　I'm　all　right。〃



With　her　hand　still　meaningly　lifted；　she　stood　gazing　at　the　two

figures　until　they　slowly　receded　towards　the　distant　trail。　　Then

she　turned　as　he　approached　her；　the　reflection　of　the　moonlit　road

striking　up　into　her　shining　eyes　and　eager　waiting　face。　　A　dozen

questions　were　upon　his　lips；　a　dozen　replies　were　ready　upon　hers。

But　they　were　never　uttered；　for　the　next　moment　her　eyes　half

closed；　she　leaned　forward　and　fellinto　a　kiss。



She　was　the　first　to　recover；　holding　his　face　in　her　hands；　turned

towards　the　moonlight；　her　own　in　passionate　shadow。　　〃Listen；〃　she

said　quickly。　　〃They　think　I　cam