cressy-第3章

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As　if　struck　with　an　original　idea；　but　apparently　addressing

himself　to　space；　he　cried　out；　〃Crethy　M'Kinthry　likth　teacher；〃

and　instantly　vanished。



Putting　these　incidents　sternly　aside；　the　master　addressed　himself

to　the　task　of　setting　a　few　copies　for　the　next　day　as　the　voices

of　his　departing　flock　faded　from　the　porch。　　Presently　a　silence

fell　upon　the　little　school…house。　　Through　the　open　door　a　cool；

restful　breath　stole　gently　as　if　nature　were　again　stealthily

taking　possession　of　her　own。　　A　squirrel　boldly　came　across　the

porch；　a　few　twittering　birds　charging　in　stopped；　beat　the　air

hesitatingly　for　a　moment　with　their　wings；　and　fell　back　with

bashfully　protesting　breasts　aslant　against　the　open　door　and　the

unlooked…for　spectacle　of　the　silent　occupant。　　Then　there　was

another　movement　of　intrusion；　but　this　time　human；　and　the　master

looked　up　angrily　to　behold　Uncle　Ben。



He　entered　with　a　slow　exasperating　step；　lifting　his　large　boots

very　high　and　putting　them　down　again　softly　as　if　he　were　afraid

of　some　insecurity　in　the　floor；　or　figuratively　recognized　the

fact　that　the　pathways　of　knowledge　were　thorny　and　difficult。

Reaching　the　master's　desk　and　the　ministering　presence　above　it；

he　stopped　awkwardly；　and　with　the　rim　of　his　soft　felt　hat

endeavored　to　wipe　from　his　face　the　meek　smile　it　had　worn　when　he

entered。　　It　chanced　also　that　he　had　halted　before　the　minute

stool　of　the　infant　Filgee；　and　his　large　figure　instantly　assumed

such　Brobdingnagian　proportions　in　contrast　that　he　became　more

embarrassed　than　ever。　　The　master　made　no　attempt　to　relieve　him；

but　regarded　him　with　cold　interrogation。



〃I　reckoned；〃　he　began；　leaning　one　hand　on　the　master's　desk　with

affected　ease；　as　he　dusted　his　leg　with　his　hat　with　the　other；　〃I

reckonedthat　isI　allowedI　orter　saythat　I'd　find　ye　alone

at　this　time。　　Ye　gin'rally　are；　ye　know。　　It's　a　nice；　soothin'；

restful；　stoodious　time；　when　a　man　kin；　so　to　speak；　run　back　on

his　eddication　and　think　of　all　he　ever　knowed。　　Ye're　jist　like

me；　and　ye　see　I　sorter　spotted　your　ways　to　onct。〃



〃Then　why　did　you　come　here　this　morning　and　disturb　the　school？〃

demanded　the　master　sharply。



〃That's　so；　I　sorter　slipped　up　thar；　didn't　I？〃　said　Uncle　Ben

with　a　smile　of　rueful　assent。　　〃You　see　I　didn't　allow　to　COME　IN

then；　but　on'y　to　hang　round　a　leetle　and　kinder　get　used　to　it；

and　it　to　me。〃



〃Used　to　what？〃　said　the　master　impatiently；　albeit　with　a　slight

softening　at　his　intruder's　penitent　expression。



Uncle　Ben　did　not　reply　immediately；　but　looked　around　as　if　for　a

seat；　tried　one　or　two　benches　and　a　desk　with　his　large　hand　as　if

testing　their　security；　and　finally　abandoning　the　idea　as

dangerous；　seated　himself　on　the　raised　platform　beside　the

master's　chair；　having　previously　dusted　it　with　the　flap　of　his

hat。　　Finding；　however；　that　the　attitude　was　not　conducive　to

explanation；　he　presently　rose　again；　and　picking　up　one　of　the

school…books　from　the　master's　desk　eyed　it　unskilfully　upside

down；　and　then　said　hesitatingly；



〃I　reckon　ye　ain't　usin'　Dobell's　'Rithmetic　here？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　master。



〃That's　bad。　　'Pears　to　be　played　outthat　Dobell　feller。　　I　was

brought　up　on　Dobell。　　And　Parsings'　Grammar？　　Ye　don't　seem　to　be

a　using　Parsings'　Grammar　either？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　master；　relenting　still　more　as　he　glanced　at　Uncle

Ben's　perplexed　face　with　a　faint　smile。



〃And　I　reckon　you'd　be　saying　the　same　of　Jones'　'Stronomy　and

Algebry？　　Things　hev　changed。　　You've　got　all　the　new　style　here；〃

he　continued；　with　affected　carelessness；　but　studiously　avoiding

the　master's　eye。　　〃For　a　man　ez　wos　brought　up　on　Parsings；

Dobell；　and　Jones；　thar　don't　appear　to　be　much　show　nowadays。〃



The　master　did　not　reply。　　Observing　several　shades　of　color　chase

each　other　on　Uncle　Ben's　face；　he　bent　his　own　gravely　over　his

books。　　The　act　appeared　to　relieve　his　companion；　who　with　his

eyes　still　turned　towards　the　window　went　on：



〃Ef　you'd　had　them　bookswhich　you　haven'tI　had　it　in　my　mind　to

ask　you　suthen'。　　I　had　an　idea　ofofsort　of　reviewing　my

eddication。　　Kinder　going　over　the　old　books　aginjist　to　pass　the

time。　　Sorter　running　in　yer　arter　school　hours　and　doin'　a　little

practisin'；　eh？　　You　looking　on　me　as　an　extry　scholarand　I

payin'　ye　as　sichbut　keepin'　it　'twixt　ourselves；　you　knowjust

for　a　pastime；　eh？〃



As　the　master　smilingly　raised　his　head；　he　became　suddenly　and

ostentatiously　attracted　to　the　window。



〃Them　jay　birds　out　there　is　mighty　peart；　coming　right　up　to　the

school…house！　　I　reckon　they　think　it　sort　o'　restful　too。〃



〃But　if　you　really　mean　it；　couldn't　you　use　these　books；　Uncle

Ben？〃　said　the　master　cheerfully。　　〃I　dare　say　there's　little

differencethe　principle　is　the　same；　you　know。〃



Uncle　Ben's　face；　which　had　suddenly　brightened；　as　suddenly　fell。

He　took　the　book　from　the　master's　hand　without　meeting　his　eyes；

held　it　at　arm's　length；　turned　it　over　and　then　laid　it　softly

down　upon　the　desk　as　if　it　were　some　excessively　fragile　article。

〃Certingly；〃　he　murmured；　with　assumed　reflective　ease。　　〃Certingly。

The　principle's　all　there。〃　　Nevertheless　he　was　quite　breathless

and　a　few　beads　of　perspiration　stood　out　upon　his　smooth；　blank

forehead。



〃And　as　to　writing；　for　instance；〃　continued　the　master　with

increasing　heartiness　as　he　took　notice　of　these　phenomena；　〃you

know　ANY　copy…book　will　do。〃



He　handed　his　pen　carelessly　to　Uncle　Ben。　　The　large　hand　that

took　it　timidly　not　only　trembled　but　grasped　it　with　such　fatal

and　hopeless　unfamiliarity　that　the　master　was　fain　to　walk　to　the

window　and　observe　the　birds　also。



〃They're　mighty　boldthem　jays；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　laying　down　the

pen　with　scrupulous　exactitude　beside　the　book　and　gazing　at　his

fingers　as　if　he　had　achieved　a　miracle　of　delicate　manipulation。

〃They　don't　seem　to　be　afeared　of　nothing；　do　they？〃



There　was　another　pause。　　The　master　suddenly　turned　from　the

window。　　〃I　tell　you　what；　Uncle　Ben；〃　he　said　with　prompt　decision

and　unshaken　gravity；　〃the　only　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　just

throw　over　Dobell　and　Parsons　and　Jones　and　the　old　quill　pen　that

I　see　you're　accustomed　to；　and　start　in　fresh　as　if　you'd　never

known　them。　　Forget　'em　all；　you　know。　　It　will　be　mighty　hard　of

course　to　do　that；〃　he　continued；　looking　out　of　the　window；　〃but

you　must　do　it。〃



He　turned　back；　the　brightness　that　transfigured　Uncle　Ben's　face

at　that　moment　brought　a　slight　moisture　into　his　own　eyes。　　The

humble　seeker　of　knowledge　said　hurriedly　that　he　would　try。



〃And　begin　again　at　the　beginning；〃　continued　the　master　cheerfully。

〃Exactly　like　one　of　thosein　fact；　as　if　you　REALLY　were　a　child

again。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　rubbing　his　hands　delightedly；　〃that's

me！　　Why；　that's　jest　what　I　was　sayin'　to　Roop〃



〃Then　you've　already　been　talking　about　it？〃　intercepted　the　master

in　some　surprise。　　〃I　thought　you　wanted　it　kept　secret？〃



〃Well；　yes；〃　responded　Uncle　Ben　dubiously。　　〃But　you　see　I　sorter

agreed　with　Roop　Filgee　that　if　you　took　to　my　ideas　and　didn't

object；　I'd　give　him　two　bits*　every　time　he'd　kem　here　and　help　me

of　an　arternoon　when　you　was　away　and　kinder　stand　guard　around　the

school…house；　you　know；　so　as　to　keep　the　fellows　off。　　And　Roop's

mighty　sharp　for　a　boy；　ye　know。〃





*　Two　bits；　i。　e。；　twenty…five　cents。





The　master　reflected　a　moment　and　concluded　that　Uncle　Ben　was

probably　right。　　Rupert　Filgee；　who　was　a　handsome　boy　of　fourteen；

was　also　a　strongly　original　character　whose　youthful　cynicism　and

blunt；　honest　temper　had　always　attracted　him。　　He　was　a　fair

scholar；　with　a　possibility　of　being　a　better　one；　and　the　proposed

arrangement　with　Uncle　Ben　would　not　interfere　with　the　discipline

of　school　hours　and　might　hel