twice-told tales- the ambitious guest-第2章

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had　been　betrayed。

　　　〃You　laugh　at　me；〃　said　he；　taking　the　eldest　daughter's　hand；

and　laughing　himself。　〃You　think　my　ambition　as　nonsensical　as　if　I

were　to　freeze　myself　to　death　on　the　top　of　Mount　Washington；　only

that　people　might　spy　at　me　from　the　country　round　about。　And；

truly；　that　would　be　a　noble　pedestal　for　a　man's　statue！〃

　　　〃It　is　better　to　sit　here　by　this　fire；〃　answered　the　girl；

blushing；　〃and　be　comfortable　and　contented；　though　nobody　thinks

about　us。〃

　　　〃I　suppose；〃　said　her　father；　after　a　fit　of　musing；　〃there　is

something　natural　in　what　the　young　man　says；　and　if　my　mind　had

been　turned　that　way；　I　might　have　felt　just　the　same。　It　is

strange；　wife；　how　his　talk　has　set　my　head　running　on　things　that　are

pretty　certain　never　to　come　to　pass。〃

　　　〃Perhaps　they　may；〃　observed　the　wife。　〃Is　the　man　thinking　what　he

will　do　when　he　is　a　widower？〃

　　　〃No；　no！〃　cried　he；　repelling　the　idea　with　reproachful　kindness。

〃When　I　think　of　your　death；　Esther；　I　think　of　mine；　too。　But　I　was

wishing　we　had　a　good　farm　in　Bartlett；　or　Bethlehem；　or　Littleton；　or

some　other　township　round　the　White　Mountains；　but　not　where　they

could　tumble　on　our　heads。　I　should　want　to　stand　well　with　my

neighbors　and　be　called　Squire；　and　sent　to　General　Court　for　a　term

or　two；　for　a　plain；　honest　man　may　do　as　much　good　there　as　a　lawyer。

And　when　I　should　be　grown　quite　an　old　man；　and　you　an　old　woman；

so　as　not　to　be　long　apart；　I　might　die　happy　enough　in　my　bed；　and

leave　you　all　crying　around　me。　A　slate　gravestone　would　suit　me　as

well　as　a　marble　one…　with　just　my　name　and　age；　and　a　verse　of　a

hymn；　and　something　to　let　people　know　that　I　lived　an　honest　man

and　died　a　Christian。〃

　　　〃There　now！〃　exclaimed　the　stranger；　〃it　is　our　nature　to　desire

a　monument；　be　it　slate　or　marble；　or　a　pillar　of　granite；　or　a

glorious　memory　in　the　universal　heart　of　man。〃

　　　〃We're　in　a　strange　way；　tonight；〃　said　the　wife；　with　tears　in　her

eyes。　〃They　say　it's　a　sign　of　something；　when　folks'　minds　go

a…wandering　so。　Hark　to　the　children！〃

　　　They　listened　accordingly。　The　younger　children　had　been　put　to　bed

in　another　room；　but　with　an　open　door　between；　so　that　they　could

be　heard　talking　busily　among　themselves。　One　and　all　seemed　to　have

caught　the　infection　from　the　fireside　circle；　and　were　outvying

each　other　in　wild　wishes；　and　childish　projects；　of　what　they　would

do　when　they　came　to　be　men　and　women。　At　length　a　little　boy；　instead

of　addressing　his　brothers　and　sisters；　called　out　to　his　mother。

　　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　wish；　mother；〃　cried　he。　〃I　want　you　and

father　and　grandma'm；　and　all　of　us；　and　the　stranger　too；　to　start

right　away；　and　go　and　take　a　drink　out　of　the　basin　of　the　Flume！〃

　　　Nobody　could　help　laughing　at　the　child's　notion　of　leaving　a

warm　bed；　and　dragging　them　from　a　cheerful　fire；　to　visit　the　basin

of　the　Flume…　a　brook；　which　tumbles　over　the　precipice；　deep　within

the　Notch。　The　boy　had　hardly　spoken　when　a　wagon　rattled　along　the

road；　and　stopped　a　moment　before　the　door。　It　appeared　to　contain　two

or　three　men；　who　were　cheering　their　hearts　with　the　rough　chorus

of　a　song；　which　resounded；　in　broken　notes；　between　the　cliffs；　while

the　singers　hesitated　whether　to　continue　their　journey　or　put　up　here

for　the　night。

　　　〃Father；〃　said　the　girl；　〃they　are　calling　you　by　name。〃

　　　But　the　good　man　doubted　whether　they　had　really　called　him；　and

was　unwilling　to　show　himself　too　solicitous　of　gain　by　inviting

people　to　patronize　his　house。　He　therefore　did　not　hurry　to　the　door；

and　the　lash　being　soon　applied；　the　travellers　plunged　into　the

Notch；　still　singing　and　laughing；　though　their　music　and　mirth　came

back　drearily　from　the　heart　of　the　mountain。

　　　〃There；　mother！〃　cried　the　boy；　again。　〃They'd　have　given　us　a　ride

to　the　Flume。〃

　　　Again　they　laughed　at　the　child's　pertinacious　fancy　for　a　night

ramble。　But　it　happened　that　a　light　cloud　passed　over　the

daughter's　spirit；　she　looked　gravely　into　the　fire；　and　drew　a　breath

that　was　almost　a　sigh。　It　forced　its　way；　in　spite　of　a　little

struggle　to　repress　it。　Then　starting　and　blushing；　she　looked　quickly

round　the　circle；　as　if　they　had　caught　a　glimpse　into　her　bosom。

The　stranger　asked　what　she　had　been　thinking　of。

　　　〃Nothing；〃　answered　she；　with　a　downcast　smile。　〃Only　I　felt

lonesome　just　then。〃

　　　〃Oh；　I　have　always　had　a　gift　of　feeling　what　is　in　other

people's　hearts；〃　said　he；　half　seriously。　〃Shall　I　tell　the　secrets

of　yours？　For　I　know　what　to　think　when　a　young　girl　shivers　by　a　warm

hearth；　and　complains　of　lonesomeness　at　her　mother's　side。　Shall　I

put　these　feelings　into　words？〃

　　　〃They　would　not　be　a　girl's　feelings　any　longer　if　they　could　be

put　into　words；〃　replied　the　mountain　nymph；　laughing；　but　avoiding

his　eye。

　　　All　this　was　said　apart。　Perhaps　a　germ　of　love　was　springing　in

their　hearts；　so　pure　that　it　might　blossom　in　Paradise；　since　it

could　not　be　matured　on　earth；　for　women　worship　such　gentle　dignity

as　his；　and　the　proud；　contemplative；　yet　kindly　soul　is　oftenest

captivated　by　simplicity　like　hers。　But　while　they　spoke　softly；　and

he　was　watching　the　happy　sadness；　the　lightsome　shadows；　the　shy

yearnings　of　a　maiden's　nature；　the　wind　through　the　Notch　took　a

deeper　and　drearier　sound。　It　seemed；　as　the　fanciful　stranger　said；

like　the　choral　strain　of　the　spirits　of　the　blast；　who　in　old

Indian　times　had　their　dwelling　among　these　mountains；　and　made

their　heights　and　recesses　a　sacred　region。　There　was　a　wail　along　the

road；　as　if　a　funeral　were　passing。　To　chase　away　the　gloom；　the

family　threw　pine　branches　on　their　fire；　till　the　dry　leaves　crackled

and　the　flame　arose；　discovering　once　again　a　scene　of　peace　and

humble　happiness。　The　light　hovered　about　them　fondly；　and　caressed

them　all。　There　were　the　little　faces　of　the　children；　peeping　from

their　bed　apart；　and　here　the　father's　frame　of　strength；　the　mother's

subdued　and　careful　mien；　the　high…browed　youth；　the　budding　girl；　and

the　good　old　grandam；　still　knitting　in　the　warmest　place。　The　aged

woman　looked　up　from　her　task；　and；　with　fingers　ever　busy；　was　the

next　to　speak。

　　　〃Old　folks　have　their　notions；〃　said　she；　〃as　well　as　young　ones。

You've　been　wishing　and　planning；　and　letting　your　heads　run　on　one

thing　and　another；　till　you've　set　my　mind　a…wandering　too。　Now　what

should　an　old　woman　wish　for；　when　she　can　go　but　a　step　or　two　before

she　comes　to　her　grave？　Children；　it　will　haunt　me　night　and　day

till　I　tell　you。〃

　　　〃What　is　it；　mother？〃　cried　the　husband　and　wife　at　once。

　　　Then　the　old　woman；　with　an　air　of　mystery　which　drew　the　circle

closer　round　the　fire；　informed　them　that　she　had　provided　her

grave…clothes　some　years　before…　a　nice　linen　shroud；　a　cap　with　a

muslin　ruff；　and　everything　of　a　finer　sort　than　she　had　worn　since

her　wedding　day。　But　this　evening　an　old　superstition　had　strangely

recurred　to　her。　It　used　to　be　said；　in　her　younger　days；　that　if

anything　were　amiss　with　a　corpse；　if　only　the　ruff　were　not　smooth；

or　the　cap　did　not　set　right；　the　corpse　in　the　coffin　and　beneath　the

clods　would　strive　to　put　up　its　cold　hands　and　arrange　it。　The　bare

thought　made　her　nervous。

　　　〃Don't　talk　so；　grandmother！〃　said　the　girl；　shuddering。

　　　〃Now；〃　continued　the　old　woman；　with　singular　earnestness；　yet

smiling　strangely　at　her　own　folly；　〃I　want　one　of　you；　my　children…

when　your　mother　is　dressed　and　in　the　coffin…　I　want　one　of　you　to

hold　a　looking…glass　over　my　face。　Who　knows　but　I　may　take　a

glimpse　at　myself；　and　see　whether　all's　right？〃

　　　〃Old　and　young；　we　dream　of　graves　and　monuments；〃　murmured　the

stranger　youth。　〃I　wonder　how　mariners　feel　when　the　ship　is

sinking；　and　they；　unknown　and　undistinguished；　are　to　be　buried

together　in　the　ocean…　that　wide　and　nameless　sepulchre？〃

　　　For　a　moment；　the　old　woman's　ghastly　conception　so　engrossed　the

minds　of　her　hearers　that　a　sound　abroad　in　the　night；　rising　like　the

roar　of　a　bl