a mountain europa-第16章

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Placing　Clayton　and　Easter　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　the　attendants　themselves　took　part　in　the　dancing；　and　such　dancing　Clayton　had　never　seen。　　Doors　and　windows　were　full　of　faces；　and　the　room　was　crowded；　from　the　kitchen　came　coarse　laughter　and　the　rattling　of　dishes。

Occasionally　Hicks　would　disappear　with　several　others；　and　would　return　with　his　face　redder　than　ever。

Easter　became　uneasy。　Once　she　left　Clayton's　side　and　expostulated　with　her　father；　but　he　shook　her　from　his　arm　roughly。　　Raines　saw　this；　and　a　moment　later　he　led　the　old　mountaineer　from　the　room。　　Thereafter　the　latter　was　quieter；　but　only　for　a　little　while。　Several　times　the　kitchen　was　filled　and　emptied；　and　ever　was　the　crowd　unsteadier。　Soon　even　Raines's　influence　was　of　no　avail；　and　the　bottle　was　passed　openly　from　guest　to　guest。

〃Whyn't　ye　dance？〃

Clayton　felt　his　arm　grasped；　and　Hicks　stood　swaying　before　him。

〃Whyn't　ye　dance？〃　he　repeated。　　〃　Can't　ye　dance？　Mebbe　ye　air　too　good…like　Sherd。　Well；　Easter　kin；　Hyar；　Mart；　come　'n'　dance　with　the　gal。　She　air　the　best　dancer　in　these　parts。〃

Clayton　had　his　hand　upon　Easter　as　though　to　forbid　her。　The　mountaineer　saw　the　movement；　and　his　face　flamed；　but　before　he　could　speak；　the　girl　pressed　Clayton's　arm；　and；　with　an　appealing　glance；　rose　to　her　feet。

That's　right；〃　said　her　father；　approvingly；　but　with　a　look　of　drunken　malignancy　toward　Clayton。　　〃Now；〃　he　called　out；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃I　want　this　couple　to　have　the　floor；　'n'　everybody　　to　look　on　'n'　see　what　is　dancin'。　Start　the　fiddles；　boys。〃

It　was　dancing。　The　young　mountaineer　was　a　slender；　active　fellow；　not　without　grace；　and　Easter　seemed　hardly　to　touch　the　floor。　They　began　very　slowly　at　first；　till　Easter；　glancing　aside　at　Clayton　and　seeing　his　face　deepen　with　interest；　and　urged　by　the　remonstrance　of　het　father；　the　remarks　of　the　onlookers；　and　the　increasing　abandon　of　the　music；　gave　herself　up　to　the　dance。　The　young　mountaineer　was　no　mean　partner。　　Forward　and　back　they　glided；　their　swift　feet　beating　every　note　of　the　music；　Faster　receding　before　her　partner；　and　now　advancing　toward　him；　now　whirling　away　with　a　disdainful　toss　of　her　head　and　arms；　and　now　giving　him　her　hand　and　whirling　till　her　white　skirts　floated　from　the　floor。　At　last；　with　head　bent　coquettishly　toward　her　partner；　she　danced　around　him；　and　when　it　seemed　that　she　would　be　caught　by　his　outstretched　hands　she　slipped　from　his　clasp；　and；　with　burning　cheeks；　flashing　eyes；　and　bridal　wreath　showering　its　pink…flecked　petals　about　her；　flew　to　Clayton's　side。

Mebbe　ye　don't　like　that；〃　cried　Hicks；　turning　to　Raines；　who　had　been　gravely　watching　the　scene。

　Raines　said　nothing　in　reply；　but　only　looked　the　drunken　man　in　the　face。

〃You　two；〃　he　continued；　indicating　Clayton　with　an　angry　shake　of　his　head；　〃　air　a…tryin'　to　spile　ever'body's　fun。　　Both　of　ye　air　too　high…heeled　fer　us　folks。　Y'u　hev　got　mighty　good　now　that　ye　air　a　preacher；〃　he　added；　with　a　drunken　sneer；　irritated　beyond　endurance　by　Raines's　silence　and　his　steady　look。　〃I　want　ye　to　know　Bill　Hicks　air　a…runnin'　things　here；　'n'　I　don't　want　no　meddlin'。　I'll　drink　right　here　in　front　o'　ye　〃…holding　a　bottle　defiantly　above　his　head…〃　'n'　I　mean　to　dance；　too；　I　warn　ye　now；〃　he　added；　staggering　toward　the　door；　〃I　don't　want　no　med…dlin'。〃

Easter　had　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。　Her　mother　stood　near　her　husband；　helplessly　trying　to　get　him　away；　and　fearing　to　arouse　him　more。　Raines　was　the　most　composed　man　in　the　room；　and　a　few　moments　later；　when　dancing　was　resumed；　Clayton　heard　his　voice　at　his　ear：

〃You'd　better　go　upstairs　'n'　wait　till　it's　time　to　go；〃　he　said。　〃　He　hev　got　roused　ag'in　ye；　and　ag'in　me　too。　I'll　keep　out　o'　his　way　so　as　not　to　aggravate　him；　but　I'll　stay　hyar　fer　fear　something　will　happen。　　Mebbe　he'll　sober　up　a　little；　but　I'm　afeard　he'll　drink　more'n　ever。〃

A　moment　later；　unseen　by　the　rest；　the　two　mounted　the　stairway　to　the　little　room　where　Easter's　girlhood　had　been　passed。　To　Clayton　the　peace　of　the　primitive　little　chamber　was　an　infinite　relief。　A　dim　light　showed　a　rude　bed　in　one　corner　and　a　pine　table　close　by；　whereon　lay　a　few　books　and　a　pen　and　an　ink…bottle。　Above；　the　roof　rose　to　a　sharp　angle；　and　the　low；　unplastered　walls　were　covered　with　pietures　cut　from　the　books　he　had　given　her。　A　single　window　opened　into　the　night　over　the　valley　and　to　the　mountains　beyond。　Two　small　cane…bottom　chairs　were　near　this；　and　in　these　they　sat　down。　　In　the　east　dark　clouds　were　moving　swiftly　across　the　face　of　the　moon；　checking　its　light　anJ　giving　the　dim　valley　startling　depth　　and　　blackness。　　Rain…drops　struck　the　roof　at　intervals；　a　shower　of　apple…blossoms　rustled　against　the　window　and　drifted　on；　and　below　the　muffled　sound　of　music　and　shuffling　feet　was　now　and　then　pierced　by　the　shrill　calls　of　the　prompter。　　There　was　something　ominous　in　the　persistent　tread　of　feet　and　the　steady　flight　of　the　gloomy　clouds；　and　quivering　with　vague　fears；　Easter　sank　down　from　her　chair　to　Clayton's　feet；　and　burst　into　tears；　as　he　put　his　arms　tenderly　about　her。

Has　he　ever　treated　you　badly？

〃　No；　no；〃　she　answered；　〃it's　only　the　whiskey。〃

It　was　not　alone　of　her　father's　behavior　that　she　was　thinking。　　Memories　were　busy　within　her；　and　a　thousand　threads　of　feeling　were　tightening　her　love　of　home；　the　only　home　she　had　ever　known。　　Now　she　was　leaving　it　for　a　strange　world　of　which　she　knew　nothing；　and　the　thought　pierced　her　like　a　physical　pain。

〃Are　we　ever　coming　back　ag'in？〃　she　asked；　with　sudden　fear。

Yes；　dear；〃　answered　Clayton；　divining　her　thoughts；　〃whenever　you　wish。〃

After　that　she　grew　calmer；　and　remained　quiet　so　long　that　she　seemed　to　have　fallen　asleep　like　a　tired　child　relieved　of　its　fears。　Leaning　forward；　he　looked　into　the　darkness。　It　was　after　midnight；　surely。　The　clouds　had　become　lighter；　more　luminous；　and　gradually　the　moon　broke　through　them；　lifting　the　pall　from　the　valley；　playing　about　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　quivering　at　last　on　the　window。　As　he　bent　back　to　look　at　the　sleeping　girl；　the　moonlight　fell　softly　upon　her　face；　revealing　its　purity　of　color；　and　touching　the　loosened　folds　of　her　hair；　and　shining　through　a　tear…drop　which　had　escaped　from　her　closed　lashes。　How　lovely　the　face　was！　How　pure！　　How　child…like　with　all　its　　hidden　strength！　　How　absolute　her　confidence　in　him！　How　great　　her　love！　It　was　of　her　love　that　he　thought；　not　of　his　own；　　but　with　a　new　realization　of　her　dependence　upon　him　for　happiness；　　his　clasp　tightened　about　her　almost　unconsciously。　She　stirred　slightly；　　and；　bending　his　head　lower；　Clayton　whispered　in　her　ear：

Have　you　been　asleep；　dear？

She　lifted　her　face　and　looked　tenderly　into　his　eyes；　shaking　her　head　slowly；　and　then；　as　he　bent　over　again；　she　clasped　her　arms　about　his　neck　and　strained　his　face　to　hers。

Not　until　the　opening　of　the　door　at　the　stair…way　stirred　them　did　they　notice　that　the　music　and　dancing　below　had　ceased。　The　door　was　instantly　closed　again　after　a　slight　sound　of　scuffling；　and　in　the　moment　of　stillness　that　followed；　they　heard　Raines　say　calmly：

〃No；　you　can't　go　up　thar。〃

A　brutal　oath　answered　him；　and　Easter　started　to　her　feet　when　she　heard　her　father's　voice；　terrible　with　passion；　but　Clayton　held　her　back；　and　hurried　down　the　stairway。

〃Ef　ye　don't　come　away　from　that　door；〃　he　could　hear　Hicks　saying；　〃　'n'　stop　this　meddlin'；　I'll　kill　you　'stid　o'　the　furriner。〃

As　Clayton　thrust　the　door　open；　Raines　was　standing　a　few　feet　from　the　stairway。　　The　drunken　man　was　struggling　in　the　grasp　of　　several　mountaineers；　who　were　coaxing　and　dragging　him　across　the　room。　　　About　them　were　several　other　men　scarcely　able　to　stand；　and　behind　　these　a　crowd　of　shrinking　women。

Git　back！　git　back！　〃　said　Raines；　in　low；　hurried　tones。

But　Hicks　had　caught　sight　of　Clayton。　For　a　moment　he　stood　still；　glaring　at　him。　Then；　with　a　furious　effort；　he　wrenched　himself　from　the　men　who　held　him；　and　thrust　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　backing　against　the　wall。　The　crowd