cressy-第32章

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They　were　satisfied；　and　we　were　happy。〃



Vague　and　unreasoning　as　he　knew　her　speech　to　be；　the　rapt　and

perfect　conviction　with　which　it　was　uttered　staggered　him。



〃But　how　is　this　to　end；　Cressy？〃　he　said　passionately。



The　abstracted　look　passed；　and　the　slight　color　and　delicate

mobility　of　her　face　returned。　　〃To　end；　dandy　boy？〃　she　repeated

lazily。　　〃You　didn't　think　of　marrying　medid　you？〃



He　blushed；　stammered；　and　said　〃Yes；〃　albeit　with　all　his　past

vacillation　and　his　present　distrust　of　her；　transparent　on　his

cheek　and　audible　in　his　voice。



〃No；　dear；〃　she　said　quietly；　reaching　down；　untying　her　little

shoe　and　shaking　the　dust　and　pine　needles　from　its　recesses；　〃no！

I　don't　know　enough　to　be　a　wife　to　you；　just　now；　and　you　know　it。

And　I　couldn't　keep　a　house　fit　for　you；　and　you　couldn't　afford　to

keep　ME　without　it。　　And　then　it　would　be　all　known；　and　it

wouldn't　be　us　two；　dear；　and　our　lonely　meetings　any　more。　　And　we

couldn't　be　engagedthat　would　be　too　much　like　me　and　Seth　over

again。　　That's　what　you　mean；　dandy　boyfor　you're　only　a　dandy

boy；　you　know；　and　they　don't　get　married　to　backwood　Southern

girls　who　haven't　a　nigger　to　bless　themselves　with　since　the　war！

No；〃　she　continued；　lifting　her　proud　little　head　so　promptly　after

Ford　had　recovered　from　his　surprise　as　to　make　the　ruse　of

emptying　her　shoe　perfectly　palpable；　〃no；　that's　what　we've　both

allowed；　dear；　all　along。　　And　now；　honey；　it's　near　time　for　me　to

go。　　Tell　me　something　goodbefore　I　go。　　Tell　me　that　you　love　me

as　you　used　totell　me　how　you　felt　that　night　at　the　ball　when

you　first　knew　we　loved　each　other。　　But　stopkiss　me　first

there；　once　morefor　keeps。〃





CHAPTER　XI。





When　Uncle　Ben；　or　〃Benjamin　Daubigny；　Esq。；〃　as　he　was　already

known　in　the　columns　of　the　〃Star；〃　accompanied　Miss　Cressy

McKinstry　on　her　way　home　after　the　first　display　of　attention　and

hospitality　since　his　accession　to　wealth　and　position；　he　remained

for　some　moments　in　a　state　of　bewildered　and　smiling　idiocy。　　It

was　true　that　their　meeting　was　chance　and　accidental；　it　was　true

that　Cressy　had　accepted　his　attention　with　lazy　amusement；　it　was

true　that　she　had　suddenly　and　audaciously　left　him　on　the　borders

of　the　McKinstry　woods　in　a　way　that　might　have　seemed　rude　and

abrupt　to　any　escort　less　invincibly　good…humored　than　Uncle　Ben；

but　none　of　these　things　marred　his　fatuous　felicity。　　It　is　even

probable　that　in　his　gratuitous　belief　that　his　timid　attentions

had　been　too　marked　and　impulsive；　he　attributed　Cressy's　flight　to

a　maidenly　coyness　that　pleasurably　increased　his　admiration　for

her　and　his　confidence　in　himself。　　In　his　abstraction　of　enjoyment

and　in　the　gathering　darkness　he　ran　against　a　fir…tree　very　much

as　he　had　done　while　walking　with　her；　and　he　confusedly　apologized

to　it　as　he　had　to　her；　and　by　her　own　appellation。　　In　this　way　he

eventually　overran　his　trail　and　found　himself　unexpectedly　and

apologetically　in　the　clearing　before　the　school…house。



〃Ef　this　ain't　the　singlerest　thing；　miss；〃　he　said；　and　then

stopped　suddenly。　　A　faint　noise　in　the　school…house　like　the　sound

of　splintered　wood　attracted　his　attention。　　The　master　was

evidently　there。　　If　he　was　alone　he　would　speak　to　him。



He　went　to　the　window；　looked　in；　and　in　an　instant　his　amiable

abstraction　left　him。　　He　crept　softly　to　the　door；　tried　it；　and

then　putting　his　powerful　shoulder　against　the　panel；　forced　the

lock　from　its　fastenings。　　He　entered　the　room　as　Seth　Davis；

frightened　but　furious；　lifted　himself　from　before　the　master's

desk　which　he　had　just　broken　open。　　He　had　barely　time　to　conceal

something　in　his　pocket　and　close　the　lid　again　before　Uncle　Ben

approached　him。



〃What　mouut　ye　be　doin'　here；　Seth　Davis？〃　he　asked　with　the　slow

deliberation　which　in　that　locality　meant　mischief。



〃And　what　mouut　YOU　be　doin'　here；　Mister　Ben　Dabney？〃　said　Seth；

resuming　his　effrontery。



〃Well；〃　returned　Uncle　Ben；　planting　himself　in　the　aisle　before

his　opponent；　〃I　ain't　doin'　no　sheriff's　posse　business　jest　now；

but　I　reckon　to　keep　my　hand　in　far　enuff　to　purtect　other　folks'

property；〃　he　added；　with　a　significant　glance　at　the　broken　lock

of　the　desk。



〃Ben　Dabney；〃　said　Seth　in　snarling　expostulation；　〃I　hain't　got　no

quar'll　with　ye！〃



〃Then　hand　me　over　whatever　you　took　just　now　from　teacher's　desk

and　we'll　talk　about　that　afterwards；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　advancing。



〃I　tell　ye　I　hain't　got　no　quar'll　with　ye；　Uncle　Ben；〃　continued

Seth；　retreating　with　a　malignant　sneer；　〃and　when　you　talk　of

protectin'　other　folks'　property；　mebbe　ye'd　better　protect　YOUR

OWNor　what　ye'd　like　to　call　soinstead　of　quar'llin'　with　the

man　that's　helpin'　ye。　　I've　got　yer　the　proofs　that　that　sneakin'

hound　of　a　Yankee　school…master　that　Cress　McKinstry's　hell　bent

on；　and　that　the　old　man　and　old　woman　are　just　chuckin'　into　her

arms；　is　a　lyin'；　black…hearted；　hypocritical　seducer〃



〃Stop！〃　said　Uncle　Ben　in　a　voice　that　made　the　crazy　casement

rattle。



He　strode　towards　Seth　Davis；　no　longer　with　his　habitual　careful；

hesitating　step；　but　with　a　tread　that　seemed　to　shake　the　whole

school…room。　　A　single　dominant　clutch　of　his　powerful　right　hand

on　the　young　man's　breast　forced　him　backwards　into　the　vacant

chair　of　the　master。　　His　usually　florid　face　had　grown　as　gray　as

the　twilight；　his　menacing　form　in　a　moment　filled　the　little　room

and　darkened　the　windows。　　Then　in　some　inexplicable　reaction　his

figure　slightly　drooped；　he　laid　one　heavy　hand　tremblingly　on　the

desk；　and　with　the　other　affected　to　wipe　his　mouth　after　his　old

embarrassed　fashion。



〃What's　that　you　were　sayin'　o'　Cressy？〃　he　said　huskily。



〃Wot　everybody　says；〃　said　the　frightened　Seth；　gaining　a　cowardly

confidence　under　his　adversary's　emotion。　　〃Wot　every　cub　that　sets

yer　under　his　cantin'　teachin'；　and　sees　'em　together；　knows。　　It's

wot　you'd　hev　knowed　ef　he　and　Roop　Filgee　hadn't　played　ye　fer　a

softy　all　the　time。　　And　while　you've　bin　hangin'　round　yer　fer　a

flicker　of　Cressy's　gownd　as　she　prances　out　o'　school；　he's　bin

lyin'　low　and　laffin'　at　ye；　and　while　he's　turned　Roop　over　to

keep　you　here；　pretendin'　to　give　ye　lessons；　he's　bin　gallivantin'

round　with　her　and　huggin'　and　kissin'　her　in　barns　and　in　the

brushand　now　YOU　want　to　quar'll　with　me。〃



He　stopped；　panting　for　breath；　and　stared　malignantly　in　the　gray

face　of　his　hearer。　　But　Uncle　Ben　only　lifted　his　heavy　hand

mildly　with　an　awkward　gesture　of　warning；　stepped　softly　in　his

old　cautious　hesitating　manner　to　the　open　door；　closed　it；　and

returned　gently：



〃I　reckon　ye　got　in　through　the　winder；　didn't　ye；　Seth？〃　he　said；

with　a　labored　affectation　of　unemotional　ease；　〃a　kind　o'　one　leg

over；　and　one；　two；　and　then　you're　in；　eh？〃



〃Never　you　mind　HOW　I　got　in；　Ben　Dabney；〃　returned　Seth；　his

hostility　and　insolence　increasing　with　his　opponent's　evident

weakness；　〃ez　long　ez　I　got　yer　and　got；　by　G…d！　what　I　kem　here

fer！　　For　whiles　all　this　was　goin'　on；　and　whiles　the　old　fool　man

and　old　fool　woman　was　swallowin'　what　they　did　see　and　blinkin'　at

what　they　didn't；　and　huggin'　themselves　that　they'd　got　high…toned

kempany　fer　their　darter；　that　high…toned　kempany　was　playin'　THEM

too；　by　G…d！　　Yes；　Sir！　that　high…toned；　cantin'　school…teacher　was

keepin'　a　married　woman　in　'Frisco；　all　the　while　he　was　here

honey…foglin'　with　Cressy；　and　I've　got　the　papers　yer　to　prove

it。〃　　He　tapped　his　breast…pocket　with　a　coarse　laugh　and　thrust

his　face　forward　into　the　gray　shadow　of　his　adversary's。



〃An'　you　sorter　spotted　their　bein'　in　this　yer　desk　and　bursted

it？〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　gravely　examining　the　broken　lock　in　the

darkness　as　if　it　were　the　most　important　feature　of　the　incident。



Seth　nodded。　　〃You　bet　your　life。　　I　saw　him　through　t