stories of a western town-第10章

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e　off　the　consequences。　　Let　us　understand　each　other。　Who　do　you　suppose　I　am？〃　〃MissMiss　Almer；　ain't　it？〃　〃It's　Alma　Brown；　Mr。　Forrest。　　I　saw　you　coming　on　the　boat　and　I　made　Mr。　Martin　fetch　me　over　to　you。　　I　told　him　not　to　say　my　name；　because　I　wanted　a　good　plain　talk　with　you。　Well；　I've　had　it。　　Things　are　just　about　where　I　thought　they　were；　and　I　told　Mr。　Lossing　so。　　But　I　couldn't　be　sure。　You　must　have　thought　me　a　funny　kind　of　woman　to　be　telling　you　all　those　things　about　myself。〃　Nelson；　who　had　changed　color　half　a　dozen　times　in　the　darkness；　sighed　before　he　said：　　〃No；　ma'am；　I　only　thought　how　good　you　were　to　tell　me。　　I　hoped　maybe　you　were　impressed　to　trust　me　as　I　was　to　trust　you。〃　Being　so　dark　Nelson　could　not　see　the　queer　expression　on　her　face　as　she　slowly　shook　her　head。　　She　was　thinking：　〃If　I　ever　saw　a　babe　in　arms　trying　to　do　business！　How　did　HE　ever　pay　for　a　farm？〃　　She　said：　　〃Well；　I　did　it　on　purpose；　I　wanted　you　to　know　I　wasn't　a　cruel　aristocrat；　but　a　woman　that　had　worked　as　hard　as　yourself。　Now；　why　shouldn't　you　help　me　and　yourself　instead　of　helping　Richards？　　You　have　confidence　in　me；　you　say。　Well；　show　it。　　I'll　give　you　your　mortgage　for　your　mortgage　on　Richards's　farm。　　Come；　can't　you　trust　Richards　to　me？　You　think　it　over。〃　The　hiss　of　a　rocket　hurled　her　words　into　space。　The　fireworks　had　begun。　　Miss　Brown　looked　at　them　and　watched　Nelson　at　the　same　time。　　As　a　good　business　woman　who　was　also　a　good　citizen；　having　subscribed　five　dollars　to　the　carnival；　she　did　not　propose　to　lose　the　worth　of　her　money；　neither　did　she　intend　to　lose　a　chance　to　do　business。　Perhaps　there　was　an　obscurer　and　more　complex　motive　lurking　in　some　stray　corner　of　that　queer　garret；　a　woman's　mind。　Such　motivesaimless　softenings　of　the　heart；　unprofitable　diversions　of　the　fancywill　seep　unconsciously　through　the　toughest　business　principles　of　woman。　She　was　puzzled　by　the　look　of　exaltation　on　Nelson's　features；　illumined　as　they　were　by　the　uncanny　light。　　If　the　fool　man　had　not　forgotten　all　his　troubles　just　to　see　a　few　fireworks！　No；　he　was　not　that　kind　of　a　fool；　maybeand　she　almost　laughed　aloud　in　her　pleasure　over　her　own　insightmaybe　it　all　made　him　think　of　the　war；　where　he　had　been　so　brave。　〃He　was　a　regular　hero　in　the　war；〃　Miss　Brown　concluded；　〃and　he　certainly　is　a　perfect　gentleman；　what　a　pity　he　hasn't　got　any　sense！〃　She　had　guessed　aright；　although　she　had　not　guessed　deep　enough　in　regard　to　Nelson。　　He　watched　the　great　wheels　of　light；　he　watched　the　river　aflame　with　Greek　fire；　then；　with　a　shiver；　he　watched　the　bombs　bursting　into　myriads　of　flowers；　into　fizzing　snakes；　into　fields　of　burning　gold；　into　showers　of　jewels　that　made　the　night　splendid　for　a　second　and　faded。　They　were　not　fireworks　to　him；　they　were　a　magical　phantasmagoria　that　renewed　the　incoherent　and　violent　emotions　of　his　youth；　again　he　was　in　the　chaos　of　the　battle；　or　he　was　dreaming　by　his　camp…fire；　or　he　was　pacing　his　lonely　round　on　guard。　His　heart　leaped　again　with　the　old　glow；　the　wonderful；　beautiful　worship　of　Liberty　that　can　do　no　wrong。　He　seemed　to　hear　a　thousand　voices　chanting：　〃In　the　beauty　of　the　lilies　Christ　was　born　across　the　sea；　As　He　died　to　make　men　holy；　let　us　die　to　make　men　free！〃

His　turbid　musings　clearedor　they　seemed　to　him　to　clear　under　the　strong　reaction　of　his　imagination　and　his　memories。　It　was　all　over；　the　dream　and　the　glory　thereof。　The　splendid　young　soldier　was　an　elderly；　ruined　man。　But　one　thing　was　left：　　he　could　be　true　to　his　flag。　〃A　poor　soldier；　but　enlisted　for　the　war；〃　says　Nelson；　squaring　his　shoulders；　with　a　lump　in　his　throat　and　his　eyes　brimming。　　〃I　know　by　the　way　it　hurts　me　to　think　of　refusing　her　that　it's　a　temptation　to　wrong…doing。　No；　I　can't　save　myself　by　sacrificing　a　brother　soldier　for　humanity。　She　is　just　as　kind　as　she　can　be；　but　women　don't　understand　business；　she　wouldn't　make　allowance　for　Richards。〃　He　felt　a　hand　on　his　shoulder；　it　was　Martin　apologizing　for　hurrying　Miss　Brown；　but　the　baby　was　fretting　and　　〃I'm　sorryyeswell；　I　wish　you　didn't　have　to　go！〃　Nelson　began；　but　a　hoarse　treble　rose　from　under　his　elbows：　〃Say；　Mr。　Martin；　Uncle　and　me　can　take　Miss　Brown　home。〃　〃If　you　will　allow　me　the　pleasure；〃　said　Nelson；　with　the　touch　of　courtliness　that　showed　through　his　homespun　ways。　〃Well；　I　WOULD　like　to　see　the　hundred　bombs　bursting　at　once　and　Vulcan　at　his　forge！〃　said　Miss　Brown。　Thus　the　matter　arranged　itself。　　Tim　waited　with　the　lady　while　Nelson　went　for　the　horse；　nor　was　it　until　afterward　that　Miss　Brown　wondered　why　the　lad　did　not　go　instead　of　the　man。　But　Tim　had　his　own　reasons。　　No　sooner　was　Nelson　out　of　earshot　than　he　began：　　〃Say；　Miss　Brown；　I　can　tell　you　something。〃　〃Yes？〃　〃That　Richards　is　no　good；　but　you　can't　get　Uncle　to　see　it。　　At　least　it　will　take　time。　　If　you'll　help　me　we　can　get　him　round　in　time。　Won't　you　please　not　sell　us　out　for　six　months　and　give　me　a　show？　I'll　see　you　get　your　interest　and　your　money；　too。〃　〃You？〃　　Miss　Brown　involuntarily　took　a　business　attitude；　with　her　arms　akimbo；　and　eyed　the　boy。　〃Yes；　ma'am；　me。　　I　ain't　so　very　old；　but　I　know　all　about　the　business。　I　got　all　the　figures　downhow　much　we　raise　and　what　we　got　last　year。　I　can　fetch　them　to　you　so　you　can　see。　　He　is　a　good　farmer；　and　he　will　catch　on　to　the　melons　pretty　quick。　　We'll　do　better　next　year；　and　I'll　try　to　keep　him　from　belonging　to　things　and　spending　money；　and　if　he　won't　lend　to　anybody　or　start　in　raising　a　new　kind　of　crop　just　when　we　get　the　melons　going；　he　will　make　money　sure。　He　is　awful　good　and　honest。　　All　the　trouble　with　him　is　he　needs　somebody　to　take　care　of　him。　　If　Aunt　Lizzie　had　been　alive　he　never　would　have　lent　that　dead…beat　Richards　that　money。　He　ought　to　get　married。〃　Miss　Brown　did　not　feel　called　on　to　say　anything。　Tim　continued　in　a　judicial　way：　　〃He　is　awful　good　and　kind；　always　gets　up　in　the　morning　to　make　the　fire　if　I　have　got　something　else　to　do；　and　he'd　think　everything　his　wife　did　was　the　best　in　the　world；　and　if　he　had　somebody　to　take　care　of　him　he'd　make　money。　　I　don't　suppose　YOU　would　think　of　it？〃　This　last　in　an　insinuating　tone；　with　evident　anxiety。　〃Well；　I　never！〃　said　Miss　Brown。　Whether　she　was　more　offended　or　amused　she　couldn't　tell；　and　she　stood　staring　at　him　by　the　electric　light。　To　her　amazement　the　hard　little　face　began　to　twitch。　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　mad　you；〃　Tim　grunted；　with　a　quiver　in　his　rough　voice。　〃I've　been　listening　to　every　word　you　said；　and　I　thought　you　were　so　sensible　you'd　talk　over　things　without　nonsense。　Of　course　I　knew　he'd　have　to　come　and　see　you　Saturday　nights；　and　take　you　buggy　riding；　and　take　you　to　the　theatre；　and　all　such　thingsfirst。　　But　I　thought　we　could　sorter　fix　it　up　between　ourselves。　　I've　taken　care　of　him　ever　since　Aunt　Lizzie　died；　and　I　did　my　best　he　shouldn't　lend　that　money；　but　I　couldn't　help　it；　and　I　did　keep　him　from　marrying　a　widow　woman　with　eight　children；　who　kept　telling　him　how　much　her　poor　fatherless　children　needed　a　man；　and　I　never　did　see　anybody　I　was　willingbeforeand　it's　it's　so　lonesome　without　Aunt　Lizzie！〃　　He　choked　and　frowned。　Poor　Tim；　who　had　sold　so　many　melons　to　women　and　seen　so　much　of　back　doors　and　kitchen　humors　that　he　held　the　sex　very　cheap；　he　did　not　realize　how　hard　he　would　find　it　to　talk　of　the　one　woman　who　had　been　kind　to　him！　He　turned　red　with　shame　over　his　own　weakness。　〃You　poor　little　chap！〃　cried　Miss　Brown；　〃you　poor　little　sharp；　innocent　chap！〃　　The　hand　she　laid　on　his　shoulder　patted　it　as　she　went　on：　　〃Never　mind；　if　I　can't　marry　your　uncle；　I　can　help　you　take　care　of　him。　You're　a　real　nice　boy；　and　I'm　not　mad；　don't　you　think　it。　There's　your　uncle　now。〃　Nelson　found　her　so　gentle　that　he　began　to　have　qualms　lest　his　carefully　prepared　speech　should　hurt　her　feelings。　But　there　was　no　help　for　it　now。　　〃I　have　thought　over　your　kind　offer　to　me；　ma'am；〃　said　he；　humbly；　〃and　I　got　a　proposition　to　make　to　you。　　It　is　your　honest　due　to　have　your　farm；　yes；　ma'am。　Well；　I　know　a　man　would　like　to　buy　it；　I'll　sell　it　to　him