cressy-第5章

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prepared　with　consecutive　lessons；　as　if　she　were　serenely

unconscious　of　any　doubt　of　her　return；　and　as　coolly　as　if　she　had

only　left　school　the　day　before。　　Her　studies　were　still　quite

elementary；　for　Cressy　McKinstry　had　never　been　a　brilliant

scholar；　but　he　perceived；　with　a　cynical　doubt　of　its　permanency；

that　she　had　bestowed　unusual　care　upon　her　present　performance。

There　was　moreover　a　certain　defiance　in　it；　as　if　she　had　resolved

to　stop　any　objection　to　her　return　on　the　score　of　deficiencies。

He　was　obliged　in　self…defence　to　take　particular　note　of　some

rings　she　wore；　and　a　large　bracelet　that　ostentatiously　glittered

on　her　white　armwhich　had　already　attracted　the　attention　of　her

companions；　and　prompted　the　audible　comment　from　Johnny　Filgee

that　it　was　〃truly　gold。〃　　Without　meeting　her　eyes　he　contented

himself　with　severely　restraining　the　glances　of　the　children　that

wandered　in　her　direction。　　She　had　never　been　quite　popular　with

the　school　in　her　previous　role　of　fiancee；　and　only　Octavia　Dean

and　one　or　two　older　girls　appreciated　its　mysterious　fascination；

while　the　beautiful　Rupert；　secure　in　his　avowed　predilection　for

the　middle…aged　wife　of　the　proprietor　of　the　Indian　Spring　hotel；

looked　upon　her　as　a　precocious　chit　with　more　than　the　usual

propensity　to　objectionable　〃breathing。〃　　Nevertheless　the　master

was　irritatingly　conscious　of　her　presencea　presence　which　now

had　all　the　absurdity　of　her　ridiculous　love…experiences　superadded

to　it。　　He　tried　to　reason　with　himself　that　it　was　only　a　phase　of

frontier　life；　which　ought　to　have　amused　him。　　But　it　did　not。

The　intrusion　of　this　preposterous　girl　seemed　to　disarrange　the

discipline　of　his　life　as　well　as　of　his　school。　　The　usual　vague；

far…off　dreams　in　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　indulging　during

school…hours；　dreams　that　were　perhaps　superinduced　by　the

remoteness　of　his　retreat　and　a　certain　restful　sympathy　in　his

little　auditors；　which　had　made　himthe　grown…up　dreamer

acceptable　to　them　in　his　gentle　understanding　of　their　needs　and

weaknesses；　now　seemed　to　have　vanished　forever。



At　recess；　Octavia　Dean；　who　had　drawn　near　Cressy　and　reached　up

to　place　her　arm　round　the　older　girl's　waist；　glanced　at　her　with

a　patronizing　smile　born　of　some　rapid　free…masonry；　and　laughingly

retired　with　the　others。　　The　master　at　his　desk；　and　Cressy　who

had　halted　in　the　aisle　were　left　alone。



〃I　have　had　no　intimation　yet　from　your　father　or　mother　that　you

were　coming　back　to　school　again；〃　he　began。　　〃But　I　suppose　THEY

have　decided　upon　your　return？〃



An　uneasy　suspicion　of　some　arrangement　with　her　former　lover　had

prompted　the　emphasis。



The　young　girl　looked　at　him　with　languid　astonishment。　　〃I　reckon

paw　and　maw　ain't　no　objection；〃　she　said　with　the　same　easy

ignoring　of　parental　authority　that　had　characterized　Rupert

Filgee；　and　which　seemed　to　be　a　local　peculiarity。　　〃Maw　DID　offer

to　come　yer　and　see　you；　but　I　told　her　she　needn't　bother。〃



She　rested　her　two　hands　behind　her　on　the　edge　of　a　desk；　and

leaned　against　it；　looking　down　upon　the　toe　of　her　smart　little

shoe　which　was　describing　a　small　semicircle　beyond　the　hem　of　her

gown。　　Her　attitude；　which　was　half…defiant；　half…indolent；　brought

out　the　pretty　curves　of　her　waist　and　shoulders。　　The　master

noticed　it　and　became　a　trifle　more　austere。



〃Then　I　am　to　understand　that　this　is　a　permanent　thing？〃　he　asked

coldly。



〃What's　that？〃　said　Cressy　interrogatively。



〃Am　I　to　understand　that　you　intend　coming　regularly　to　school？〃

repeated　the　master　curtly；　〃or　is　this　merely　an　arrangement　for　a

few　daysuntil〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Cressy　comprehendingly；　lifting　her　unabashed　blue　eyes

to　his；　〃you　mean　THAT。　　Oh；　THAT'S　broke　off。　　Yes；〃　she　added

contemptuously；　making　a　larger　semicircle　with　her　foot；　〃that's

overthree　weeks　ago。〃



〃And　Seth　Davisdoes　HE　intend　returning　too？〃



〃He！〃　　She　broke　into　a　light　girlish　laugh。　　〃I　reckon　not　much！

S'long's　I'm　here；　at　least。〃　　She　had　just　lifted　herself　to　a

sitting　posture　on　the　desk；　so　that　her　little　feet　swung　clear　of

the　floor　in　their　saucy　dance。　　Suddenly　she　brought　her　heels

together　and　alighted。　　〃So　that's　all？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes。〃



〃Kin　I　go　now？〃



〃Yes。〃



She　laid　her　books　one　on　the　top　of　the　other　and　lingered　an

instant。



〃Been　quite　well？〃　she　asked　with　indolent　politeness。



〃Yesthank　you。〃



〃You're　lookin'　right　peart。〃



She　walked　with　a　Southern　girl's　undulating　languor　to　the　door；

opened　it；　then　charged　suddenly　upon　Octavia　Dean；　twirled　her

round　in　a　wild　waltz　and　bore　her　away；　appearing　a　moment　after

on　the　playground　demurely　walking　with　her　arm　around　her

companion's　waist　in　an　ostentatious　confidence　at　once　lofty；

exclusive；　and　exasperating　to　the　smaller　children。



When　school　was　dismissed　that　afternoon　and　the　master　had

remained　to　show　Rupert　Filgee　how　to　prepare　Uncle　Ben's　tasks；

and　had　given　his　final　instructions　to　his　youthful　vicegerent；

that　irascible　Adonis　unburdened　himself　querulously：



〃Is　Cressy　McKinstry　comin'　reg'lar；　Mr。　Ford？〃



〃She　is；〃　said　the　master　dryly。　　After　a　pause　he　asked；　〃Why？〃



Rupert's　curls　had　descended　on　his　eyebrows　in　heavy　discontent。

〃It's　mighty　rough；　jest　ez　a　feller　reckons　he's　got　quit　of　her

and　her　jackass　bo'；　to　hev　her　prancin'　back　inter　school　agin；

and　rigged　out　like　ez　if　she'd　been　to　a　fire　in　a　milliner's

shop。〃



〃You　shouldn't　allow　your　personal　dislikes；　Rupert；　to　provoke　you

to　speak　of　a　fellow…scholar　in　that　wayand　a　young　lady；　too；〃

corrected　the　master　dryly。



〃The　woods　is　full　o'　sich　feller…scholars　and　sich　young　ladies；

if　yer　keer　to　go　a　gunning　for　'em；〃　said　Rupert　with　dark　and

slangy　significance。　　〃Ef　I'd　known　she　was　comin'　back　I'd〃he

stopped　and　brought　his　sunburnt　fist　against　the　seam　of　his

trousers　with　a　boyish　gesture；　〃I'd　hev　jist〃



〃What？〃　said　the　master　sharply。



〃I'd　hev　played　hookey　till　she　left　school　agin！　　It　moutn't　hev

bin　so　long；　neither；〃　he　added　with　a　mysterious　chuckle。



〃That　will　do；〃　said　the　master　peremptorily。　　〃For　the　present

you'll　attend　to　your　duty　and　try　to　make　Uncle　Ben　see　you're

something　more　than　a　foolish；　prejudiced　school…boy；　or；〃　he　added

significantly；　〃he　and　I　may　both　repent　our　agreement。　　Let　me

have　a　good　account　of　you　both　when　I　return。〃



He　took　his　hat　from　its　peg　on　the　wall；　and　in　obedience　to　a

suddenly　formed　resolution　left　the　school…room　to　call　upon　the

parents　of　Cressy　McKinstry。　　He　was　not　quite　certain　what　he

should　say；　but；　after　his　habit；　would　trust　to　the　inspiration　of

the　moment。　　At　the　worst　he　could　resign　a　situation　that　now

appeared　to　require　more　tact　and　delicacy　than　seemed　consistent

with　his　position；　and　he　was　obliged　to　confess　to　himself　that　he

had　lately　suspected　that　his　present　occupationthe　temporary

expedient　of　a　poor　but　clever　young　man　of　twentywas　scarcely

bringing　him　nearer　a　realization　of　his　daily　dreams。　　For　Mr。

Jack　Ford　was　a　youthful　pilgrim　who　had　sought　his　fortune　in

California　so　lightly　equipped　that　even　in　the　matter　of　kin　and

advisers　he　was　deficient。　　That　prospective　fortune　had　already

eluded　him　in　San　Francisco；　had　apparently　not　waited　for　him　in

Sacramento；　and　now　seemed　never　to　have　been　at　Indian　Spring。

Nevertheless；　when　he　was　once　out　of　sight　of　the　school…house　he

lit　a　cigar；　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　strode　on　with　the

cheerfulness　of　that　youth　to　which　all　things　are　possible。



The　children　had　already　dispersed　as　mysteriously　and　completely

as　they　had　arrived。　　Between　him　and　the　straggling　hamlet　of

Indian　Spring　the　landscape　seemed　to　be　without　sound　or　motion。

The　wooded　upland　or　ridge　on　which　the　schoolhouse　stood；　half　a

mile　f