cressy-第4章

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arrangement　with　Uncle　Ben　would　not　interfere　with　the　discipline

of　school　hours　and　might　help　them　both。　　Nevertheless　he　asked

good…humoredly；　〃But　couldn't　you　do　this　more　securely　and　easily

in　your　own　house？　　I　might　lend　you　the　books；　you　know；　and　come

to　you　twice　a　week。〃



Uncle　Ben's　radiant　face　suddenly　clouded。　　〃It　wouldn't　be　exactly

the　same　kind　o'　game　to　me　an'　Roop；〃　he　said　hesitatingly。　　〃You

see　thar's　the　idea　o'　the　school…house；　ye　know；　and　the

restfulness　and　the　quiet；　and　the　gen'ral　air　o'　study。　　And　the

boys　around　town　ez　wouldn't　think　nothin'　o'　trapsen'　into　my

cabin　if　they　spotted　what　I　was　up　to　thar；　would　never　dream　o'

hunting　me　here。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　master；　〃let　it　be　here　then。〃　　Observing

that　his　companion　seemed　to　be　struggling　with　an　inarticulate

gratitude　and　an　apparently　inextricable　buckskin　purse　in　his

pocket；　he　added　quietly；　〃I'll　set　you　a　few　copies　to　commence

with；〃　and　began　to　lay　out　a　few　unfinished　examples　of　Master

Johnny　Filgee's　scholastic　achievements。



〃After　thanking　YOU；　Mr。　Ford；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　faintly；　〃ef　you'll

jest　kinder　signify；　you　know；　what　you　consider　a　fair〃



Mr。　Ford　turned　quickly　and　dexterously　offered　his　hand　to　his

companion　in　such　a　manner　that　he　was　obliged　to　withdraw　his　own

from　his　pocket　to　grasp　it　in　return。　　〃You're　very　welcome；〃　said

the　master；　〃and　as　I　can　only　permit　this　sort　of　thing

gratuitously；　you'd　better　NOT　let　me　know　that　you　propose　giving

anything　even　to　Rupert。〃　　He　shook　Uncle　Ben's　perplexed　hand

again；　briefly　explained　what　he　had　to　do；　and　saying　that　he

would　now　leave　him　alone　a　few　minutes；　he　took　his　hat　and　walked

towards　the　door。



〃Then　you　reckon；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　slowly；　regarding　the　work　before

him；　〃that　I'd　better　jest　chuck　them　Dobell　fellers　overboard？〃



〃I　certainly　should；〃　responded　the　master　with　infinite　gravity。



〃And　sorter　waltz　in　fresh；　like　one　them　children？〃



〃Like　a　child；〃　nodded　the　master　as　he　left　the　porch。



A　few　moments　later；　as　he　was　finishing　his　cigar　in　the　clearing；

he　paused　to　glance　in　at　the　school…room　window。　　Uncle　Ben；

stripped　of　his　coat　and　waistcoat；　with　his　shirt…sleeves　rolled

up　on　his　powerful　arms；　had　evidently　cast　Dobell　and　all

misleading　extraneous　aid　aside；　and　with　the　perspiration　standing

out　on　his　foolish　forehead；　and　his　perplexed　face　close　to　the

master's　desk；　was　painfully　groping　along　towards　the　light　in　the

tottering　and　devious　tracks　of　Master　Johnny　Filgee；　like　a　very

child　indeed！





CHAPTER　II。





As　the　children　were　slowly　straggling　to　their　places　the　next

morning；　the　master　waited　for　an　opportunity　to　speak　to　Rupert。

That　beautiful　but　scarcely　amiable　youth　was；　as　usual；　surrounded

and　impeded　by　a　group　of　his　small　female　admirers；　for　whom；　it

is　but　just　to　add；　he　had　a　supreme　contempt。　　Possibly　it　was

this　healthy　quality　that　inclined　the　master　towards　him；　and　it

was　consequently　with　some　satisfaction　that　he　overheard　fragments

of　his　openly　disparaging　comments　upon　his　worshippers。



〃There！〃　to　Clarinda　Jones；　〃don't　flop！　　And　don't　YOU；〃　to

Octavia　Dean；　〃go　on　breathing　over　my　head　like　that。　　If　there's

anything　I　hate　it's　having　a　girl　breathing　round　me。　　Yes；　you

were！　　I　felt　it　in　my　hair。　　And　YOU　tooyou're　always　snoopin'

and　snoodgin'。　　Oh；　yes；　you　want　to　know　WHY　I've　got　an　extry

copy…book　and　another　'Rithmetic；　Miss　Curiosity。　　Well；　what　would

you　give　to　know？　　Want　to　see　if　they're　PRETTY〃　（with　infinite

scorn　at　the　adjective）。　　〃No；　they　ain't　PRETTY。　　That's　all　you

girls　think　aboutwhat's　PRETTY　and　what's　curious！　　Quit　now！

Come！　　Don't　ye　see　teacher　lookin'　at　you？　　Ain't　you　ashamed？〃



He　caught　the　master's　beckoning　eye　and　came　forward；　slightly

abashed；　with　a　flush　of　irritation　still　on　his　handsome　face；　and

his　chestnut　curls　slightly　rumpled。　　One；　which　Octavia　had

covertly　accented　by　twisting　round　her　forefinger；　stood　up　like　a

crest　on　his　head。



〃I've　told　Uncle　Ben　that　you　might　help　him　here　after　school

hours；〃　said　the　master；　taking　him　aside。　　〃You　may　therefore　omit

your　writing　exercise　in　the　morning　and　do　it　in　the　afternoon。〃



The　boy's　dark　eyes　sparkled。　　〃And　if　it　would　be　all　the　same　to

you；　sir；〃　he　added　earnestly；　〃you　might　sorter　give　out　in　school

that　I　was　to　be　kept　in。〃



〃I'm　afraid　that　would　hardly　do；〃　said　the　master；　much　amused。

〃But　why？〃



Rupert's　color　deepened。　　〃So　ez　to　keep　them　darned　girls　from

foolin'　round　me　and　followin'　me　back　here。〃



〃We　will　attend　to　that；〃　said　the　master　smiling；　a　moment　after

he　added　more　seriously；　〃I　suppose　your　father　knows　that　you　are

to　receive　money　for　this？　　And　he　doesn't　object？〃



〃He！　　Oh　no！〃　returned　Rupert　with　a　slight　look　of　astonishment；

and　the　same　general　suggestion　of　patronizing　his　progenitor　that

he　had　previously　shown　to　his　younger　brother。　　〃You　needn't　mind

HIM。〃　　In　reality　Filgee　pere；　a　widower　of　two　years'　standing；

had　tacitly　allowed　the　discipline　of　his　family　to　devolve　upon

Rupert。　　Remembering　this；　the　master　could　only　say；　〃Very　well；〃

and　good…naturedly　dismiss　the　pupil　to　his　seat　and　the　subject

from　his　mind。　　The　last　laggard　had　just　slipped　in；　the　master

had　glanced　over　the　occupied　benches　with　his　hand　upon　his

warning　bell；　when　there　was　a　quick　step　on　the　gravel；　a　flutter

of　skirts　like　the　sound　of　alighting　birds；　and　a　young　woman

lightly　entered。



In　the　rounded；　untouched；　and　untroubled　freshness　of　her　cheek

and　chin；　and　the　forward　droop　of　her　slender　neck；　she　appeared　a

girl　of　fifteen；　in　her　developed　figure　and　the　maturer　drapery　of

her　full　skirts　she　seemed　a　woman；　in　her　combination　of　naive

recklessness　and　perfect　understanding　of　her　person　she　was　both。

In　spite　of　a　few　school…books　that　jauntily　swung　from　a　strap　in

her　gloved　hand；　she　bore　no　resemblance　to　a　pupil；　in　her　pretty

gown　of　dotted　muslin　with　bows　of　blue　ribbon　on　the　skirt　and

corsage；　and　a　cluster　of　roses　in　her　belt；　she　was　as　inconsistent

and　incongruous　to　the　others　as　a　fashion…plate　would　have　been　in

the　dry　and　dog…eared　pages　before　them。　　Yet　she　carried　it　off

with　a　demure　mingling　of　the　naivete　of　youth　and　the　aplomb　of　a

woman；　and　as　she　swept　down　the　narrow　aisle；　burying　a　few　small

wondering　heads　in　the　overflow　of　her　flounces；　there　was　no　doubt

of　her　reception　in　the　arch　smile　that　dimpled　her　cheek。　　Dropping

a　half　curtsey　to　the　master；　the　only　suggestion　of　her　equality

with　the　others；　she　took　her　place　at　one　of　the　larger　desks；　and

resting　her　elbow　on　the　lid　began　to　quietly　remove　her　gloves。　　It

was　Cressy　McKinstry。



Irritated　and　disturbed　at　the　girl's　unceremonious　entrance；　the

master　for　the　moment　recognized　her　salutation　coldly；　and

affected　to　ignore　her　elaborate　appearance。　　The　situation　was

embarrassing。　　He　could　not　decline　to　receive　her　as　she　was　no

longer　accompanied　by　her　lover；　nor　could　he　plead　entire

ignorance　of　her　broken　engagement；　while　to　point　out　the　glaring

inappropriateness　of　costume　would　be　a　fresh　interference　he　knew

Indian　Spring　would　scarcely　tolerate。　　He　could　only　accept　such

explanation　as　she　might　choose　to　give。　　He　rang　his　bell　as　much

to　avert　the　directed　eyes　of　the　children　as　to　bring　the　scene　to

a　climax。



She　had　removed　her　gloves　and　was　standing　up。



〃I　reckon　I　can　go　on　where　I　left　off？〃　she　said　lazily；　pointing

to　the　books　she　had　brought　with　her。



〃For　the　present；〃　said　the　master　dryly。



The　first　class　was　called。　　Later；　when　his　duty　brought　him　to

her　side；　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　she　was　evidently　already

prepared　with　consecutive　lessons；　as　if　she　were　serenely

unconscious　of　any　doubt　of　her　return；