sally dows-第11章
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Southern sun smiled and glittered everywhere as through tears。 The
balm of bay； southernwood； pine； and syringa breathed through the
long alleys； the stimulating scent of roses moved with every
zephyr； and the closer odors of jessamine； honeysuckle； and orange
flowers hung heavily in the hollows。 It seemed to Courtland like
the mourning of beautiful and youthful widowhood； seductive even in
its dissembling trappings； provocative in the contrast of its own
still strong virility。 Everywhere the grass grew thick and
luxuriant； the quick earth was teeming with the germination of the
dead below。
They moved slowly along side by side； speaking only of the beauty
of the spot and the glory of that summer day； which seemed to have
completed its perfection here。 Perhaps from the heat； the
overpowering perfume； or some unsuspected sentiment； the young lady
became presently as silent and preoccupied as her companion。 She
began to linger and loiter behind； hovering like a butterfly over
some flowering shrub or clustered sheaf of lilies； until；
encountered suddenly in her floating draperies； she might have been
taken for a somewhat early and far too becoming ghost。 It seemed
to him； also； that her bright eyes were slightly shadowed by a
gentle thoughtfulness。 He moved close to her side with an
irresistible impulse of tenderness； but she turned suddenly； and
saying； 〃Come！〃 moved at a quicker pace down a narrow side path。
Courtland followed。 He had not gone far before he noticed that
the graves seemed to fall into regular lines； the emblems became
cheaper and more common； wooden head and foot stones of one
monotonous pattern took the place of carved freestone or marble；
and he knew that they had reached that part of the cemetery
reserved for those who had fallen in the war。 The long lines drawn
with military precision stretched through the little valley； and
again up the opposite hill in an odd semblance of hollow squares；
ranks； and columns。 A vague recollection of the fateful slope of
Snake River came over him。 It was intensified as Miss Sally； who
was still preceding him； suddenly stopped before an isolated mound
bearing a broken marble shaft and a pedestal with the inscription；
〃Chester Brooks。〃 A few withered garlands and immortelles were
lying at its base； but encircling the broken shaft was a perfectly
fresh； unfaded wreath。
〃You never told me he was buried here！〃 said Courtland quickly；
half shocked at the unexpected revelation。 〃Was he from this
State？〃
〃No； but his regiment was；〃 said Miss Sally； eying the wreath
critically。
〃And this wreath； is it from you？〃 continued Courtland gently。
〃Yes； I thought yo' 'd like to see something fresh and pooty；
instead of those stale ones。〃
〃And were they also from you？〃 he asked even more gently。
〃Dear no！ They were left over from last anniversary day by some of
the veterans。 That's the only one I put therethat isI got Mr。
Champney to leave it here on his way to his house。 He lives just
yonder； yo' know。〃
It was impossible to resist this invincible naivete。 Courtland bit
his lip as the vision arose before him of this still more naif
English admirer bringing hither； at Miss Sally's bidding； the
tribute which she wished to place on the grave of an old lover to
please a THIRD man。 Meantime； she had put her two little hands
behind her back in the simulated attitude of 〃a good girl；〃 and was
saying half smilingly； and he even thought half wistfully：
〃Are yo' satisfied？〃
〃Perfectly。〃
〃Then let's go away。 It's mighty hot here。〃
They turned away； and descending the slope again re…entered the
thicker shade of the main avenue。 Here they seemed to have left
the sterner aspect of Death。 They walked slowly； the air was heavy
with the hot incense of flowers； the road sinking a little left a
grassy bank on one side。 Here Miss Sally halted and listlessly
seated herself； motioning Courtland to do the same。 He obeyed
eagerly。 The incident of the wreath had troubled him； albeit with
contending sensations。 She had given it to please HIM； why should
HE question the manner； or torment himself with any retrospective
thought？ He would have given worlds to have been able to accept it
lightly or gallantly；with any other girl he could； but he knew he
was trembling on the verge of a passionate declaration； the
magnitude of the stake was too great to be imperiled by a levity of
which she was more a mistress than himself； and he knew that his
sentiment had failed to impress her。 His pride kept him from
appealing to her strangely practical nature； although he had
recognized and accepted it； and had even begun to believe it an
essential part of the strong fascination she had over him。 But
being neither a coward nor a weak； hesitating idealist； when he
deliberately took his seat beside her he as deliberately made up
his mind to accept his fate； whatever it might be； then and there。
Perhaps there was something of this in his face。 〃I thought yo'
were looking a little white； co'nnle；〃 she said quietly； 〃and I
reckoned we might sit down a spell； and then take it slowly home。
Yo' ain't accustomed to the So'th'n sun； and the air in the hollow
WAS swampy。〃 As he made a slight gesture of denial； she went on
with a pretty sisterly superiority： 〃That's the way of yo' No'th'n
men。 Yo' think yo' can do everything just as if yo' were reared to
it； and yo' never make allowance for different climates； different
blood； and different customs。 That's where yo' slip up。〃
But he was already leaning towards her with his dark earnest eyes
fixed upon her in a way she could no longer mistake。 〃At the risk
of slipping up again； Miss Dows；〃 he said gently； dropping into her
dialect with utterly unconscious flattery； 〃I am going to ask you
to teach me everything YOU wish； to be all that YOU demandwhich
would be far better。 You have said we were good friends； I want
you to let me hope to be more。 I want you to overlook my
deficiencies and the differences of my race and let me meet you on
the only level where I can claim to be the equal of your own
peoplethat of loving you。 Give me only the same chance you gave
the other poor fellow who sleeps yonderthe same chance you gave
the luckier man who carried the wreath for you to put upon his
grave。〃
She had listened with delicately knitted brows； the faintest touch
of color； and a half…laughing； half…superior disapprobation。 When
he had finished； she uttered a plaintive little sigh。 〃Yo'
oughtn't to have said that； co'nnle； but yo' and me are too good
friends to let even THAT stand between us。 And to prove it to yo'
I'm going to forget it right awayand so are yo'。〃
〃But I cannot；〃 he said quickly； 〃if I could I should be unworthy
of even your friendship。 If you must reject it； do not make me
feel the shame of thinking you believe me capable of wanton
trifling。 I know that this avowal is abrupt to you； but it is not
to me。 You have known me only for three months； but these three
months have been to me the realization of three years' dreaming！〃
As she remained looking at him with bright； curious eyes； but still
shaking her fair head distressedly； he moved nearer and caught her
hand in the little pale lilac thread glove that was； nevertheless；
too wide for her small fingers； and said appealingly： 〃But why
should YOU forget it？ Why must it be a forbidden topic？ What is
the barrier？ Are you no longer free？ Speak； Miss Dowsgive me
some hope。 Miss Dows！Sally！〃
She had drawn herself away； distressed； protesting； her fair head
turned aside； until with a slight twist and narrowing of her hand
she succeeded in slipping it from the glove which she left a
prisoner in his eager clasp。 〃There！ Yo' can keep the glove；
co'nnle；〃 she said； breathing quickly。 〃Sit down！ This is not the
place nor the weather for husking frolics！ Well！yo' want to know
WHY yo' mustn't speak to me in that way。 Be still； and I'll tell
yo'。〃
She smoothed down the folds of her frock； sitting sideways on the
bank； one little foot touching the road。 〃Yo' mustn't speak that
way to me；〃 she went on slowly； 〃because it's as much as yo'
company's
