cressy-第33章

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



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

only　this　afternoon　lookin　over　'em　alone；　and　I　reckoned　to　lay

my　hands　on　'em　if　I　had　to　bust　him　or　his　desk。　　And　I　did！〃　he

added　with　a　triumphant　chuckle。



〃And　you　didsure　pop！〃　said　Uncle　Ben　with　slow　deliberate

admiration；　passing　his　heavy　hand　along　the　splintered　lid。　　〃And

you　reckon；　Seth；　that　this　yer　showin'　of　him　up　will　break　off

enythin'　betwixt　him　and　this　yerthis　yer　MissMiss　McKinstry？〃

he　continued　with　labored　formality。



〃I　reckon　ef　the　old　fool　McKinstry　don't　shoot　him　in　his　tracks

thar'll　be　white　men　enough　in　Injin　Springs　to　ride　this　high…

toned；　pizenous　hypocrit　on　a　rail　outer　the　settlement！〃



〃That's　so！〃　said　Uncle　Ben　musingly；　after　a　thoughtful　pause；　in

which　he　still　seemed　to　be　more　occupied　with　the　broken　desk　than

his　companion's　remark。　　Then　he　went　on　cautiously：　〃And　ez　this

thing　orter　be　worked　mighty　fine；　Seth；　p'r'aps；　on　the　hull；

you'd　better　let　me　have　them　papers。〃



〃What！　　YOU？〃　snarled　Seth；　drawing　back　with　a　glance　of　angry

suspicion；　〃not　if　I　know　it！〃



〃Seth；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　resting　his　elbows　on　the　desk

confidentially；　and　speaking　with　painful　and　heavy　deliberation；

〃when　you　first　interdoosed　this　yer　subject　you　elluded　to　my

hevin'；　so　to　speak；　rights　o'　preemption　and　interference　with

this　young　lady；　and　that　in　your　opinion；　I　wasn't　purtectin'　them

rights。　　It　'pears　to　me　that；　allowin'　that　to　be　gospel　truth；

them　ther　papers　orter　be　in　MY　possessionyou　hevin'　so　to　speak

no　rights　to　purtect；　bein'　off　the　board　with　this　yer　young　lady；

and　bein'　moved　gin'rally　by　free　and　independent　cussedness。　　And

ez　I　sed　afore；　this　sort　o'　thing　havin'　to　be　worked　mighty　fine；

and　them　papers　manniperlated　with　judgment；　I　reckon；　Seth；　if　you

don't　objeck；　I'll　hevhevto　trouble　you。〃



Seth　started　to　his　feet　with　a　rapid　glance　at　the　door；　but　Uncle

Ben　had　risen　again　with　the　same　alarming　expression　of　completely

filling　the　darkened　school…room；　and　of　shaking　the　floor　beneath

him　at　the　slightest　movement。　　Already　he　fancied　he　saw　Uncle

Ben's　powerful　arm　hovering　above　him　ready　to　descend。　　It

suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　if　he　left　the　execution　of　his

scheme　of　exposure　and　vengeance　to　Uncle　Ben；　the　onus　of　stealing

the　letters　would　fall　equally　upon　their　possessor。　　This

advantage　seemed　more　probable　than　the　danger　of　Uncle　Ben's

weakly　yielding　them　up　to　the　master。　　In　the　latter　case　he；

Seth；　could　still　circulate　the　report　of　having　seen　the　letters

which　Uncle　Ben　had　himself　stolen　in　a　fit　of　jealousya

hypothesis　the　more　readily　accepted　from　the　latter's　familiar

knowledge　of　the　schoolhouse　and　his　presumed　ambitious　jealousy　of

Cressy　in　his　present　attitude　as　a　man　of　position。　　With　affected

reluctance　and　hesitation　he　put　his　hand　to　his　breast…pocket。



〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　〃if　you're　kalkilatin'　to　take　up　the　quar'll

on　YOUR　rights；　and　ez　Cressy　ain't　anythin'　more　to　me；　YOU　orter

hev　the　proofs。　　Only　don't　trust　them　into　that　hound's　hands。

Once　he　gets　'em　again　he'll　secure　a　warrant　agin　you　for　stealin'。

That'll　be　his　game。　　I'd　show　'em　to　HER　firstdon't　ye　see？and

I　reckon　ef　she's　old　Ma'am　McKinstry's　darter；　she'll　make　it

lively　for　him。〃



He　handed　the　letters　to　the　looming　figure　before　him。　　It　seemed

to　become　again　a　yielding　mortal；　and　said　in　a　hesitating　voice；

〃P'r'aps　you'd　better　make　tracks　outer　this；　Seth；　and　leave　me

yer　to　put　things　to　rights　and　fix　up　that　door　and　the　desk　agin

to…morrow　mornin'。　　He'd　better　not　know　it　to　onct；　and　so　start　a

row　about　bein'　broken　into。〃



The　proposition　seemed　to　please　Seth；　he　even　extended　his　hand　in

the　darkness。　　But　he　met　only　an　irresponsive　void。　　With　a　slight

shrug　of　his　shoulders　and　a　grunting　farewell；　he　felt　his　way　to

the　door　and　disappeared。　　For　a　few　moments　it　seemed　as　if　Uncle

Ben　had　also　deserted　the　schoolhouse；　so　profound　and　quiet　was

the　hush　that　fell　upon　it。　　But　as　the　eye　became　accustomed　to

the　shadow　a　grayish　bulk　appeared　to　grow　out　of　it　over　the

master's　desk　and　shaped　itself　into　the　broad　figure　of　Uncle　Ben。

Later；　when　the　moon　rose　and　looked　in　at　the　window；　it　saw　him

as　the　master　had　seen　him　on　the　first　day　he　had　begun　his

lessons　in　the　school…house；　with　his　face　bent　forward　over　the

desk　and　the　same　look　of　child…like　perplexity　and　struggle　that

he　had　worn　at　his　allotted　task。　　Unheroic；　ridiculous；　and　no

doubt　blundering　and　idiotic　as　then；　but　still　vaguely　persistent

in　his　thought；　he　remained　for　some　moments　in　this　attitude。

Then　rising　and　taking　advantage　of　the　moonlight　that　flooded　the

desk；　he　set　himself　to　mend　the　broken　lock　with　a　large

mechanical　clasp…knife　he　produced　from　his　pocket；　and　the　aid　of

his　workmanlike　thumb　and　finger。　　Presently　he　began　to　whistle

softly；　at　first　a　little　artificially　and　with　relapses　of

reflective　silence。　　The　lock　of　the　desk　restored；　he　secured　into

position　again　that　part　of　the　door…lock　which　he　had　burst　off　in

his　entrance。　　This　done；　he　closed　the　door　gently　and　once　more

stepped　out　into　the　moonlit　clearing。　　In　replacing　his　knife　in

his　pocket　he　took　out　the　letters　which　he　had　not　touched　since

they　were　handed　to　him　in　the　darkness。　　His　first　glance　at　the

handwriting　caused　him　to　stop。　　Then　still　staring　at　it；　he　began

to　move　slowly　and　automatically　backwards　to　the　porch。　　When　he

reached　it　he　sat　down；　unfolded　the　letter；　and　without　attempting

to　read　it；　turned　its　pages　over　and　over　with　the　unfamiliarity

of　an　illiterate　man　in　search　of　the　signature。　　This　when　found

apparently　plunged　him　again　into　motionless　abstraction。　　Only

once　he　changed　his　position　to　pull　up　the　legs　of　his　trousers；

open　his　knees；　and　extend　the　distance　between　his　feet；　and　then

with　the　unfolded　pages　carefully　laid　in　the　moonlit　space　thus

opened　before　him；　regarded　them　with　dubious　speculation。　　At　the

end　of　ten　minutes　he　rose　with　a　sigh　of　physical　and　mental

relaxation；　refolded　the　letter；　put　it　in　his　pocket；　and　made　his

way　to　the　town。



When　he　reached　the　hotel　he　turned　into　the　bar…room；　and

observing　that　it　happened　to　be　comparatively　deserted；　asked　for

a　glass　of　whiskey。　　In　response　to　the　barkeeper's　glance　of

curiosityas　Uncle　Ben　seldom　drank；　and　then　only　as　a　social

function　with　othershe　explained：



〃I　reckon　straight　whiskey　is　about　ez　good　ez　the　next　thing　for

blind　chills。〃



The　bar…keeper　here　interposed　that　in　his　larger　medical

experience　he　had　found　the　exhibition　of　ginger　in　combination

with　gin　attended　with　effect；　although　it　was　evident　that　in　his

business　capacity　he　regarded　Uncle　Ben；　as　a　drinker；　with

distrust。



〃Ye　ain't　seen　Mr。　Ford　hanging　round　yer　lately？〃　continued　Uncle

Ben　with　laborious　ease。



The　bar…keeper；　with　his　eye　still　scornfully　fixed　on　his

customer；　but　his　hands　which　were　engaged　in　washing　his　glasses

under　the　counter　giving　him　the　air　of　humorously　communicating

with　a　hidden　confederate；　had　not　seen　the　school…master　that

afternoon。



Uncle　Ben　turned　away　and　slowly　mounted　the　staircase　to　the

master's　room。　　After　a　moment's　pause　on　the　landing；　which　must

have　been　painfully　obvious　to　any　one　who　heard　his　heavy　ascent；

he　gave　two　timid　raps　on　the　door　which　were　equally　ridiculous　in

contrast　with　his　powerful　tread。　　The　door　was　opened　promptly　by

the　master。



〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？〃　he　said　shortly。　　〃Come　in。〃



Uncle　Ben　entered　without　noticing　the　somewhat　ungracious　form　of

invitation。　　〃It　war　me；〃　he　said；　〃dropped　in；　not　finding　ye

downstairs。　　Let's　have　a　drink。〃



The　master　gazed　at　Uncle　Ben；　who；　owing　to