sally dows-第14章

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strictly　the　agents　and　tenants　of　the　company　I　represent；　and
that　their　rights　and　property　under　that　tenancy　shall　not　be
interfered　with　by　others　as　long　as　I　am　here。　　I　have　no　right；
however；〃　he　added　gravely；　〃to　keep　Miss　Dows　from　imperiling　them
by　her　social　relations。〃

Champney　rose　and　shook　hands　with　him　awkwardly。　　〃The　shower
seems　to　be　holding　up；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　toddle　along　before　it
starts　afresh。　　Good…night！　　I　sayyou　didn't　mind　my　coming　to
you　this　way；　did　you？　　By　Jove！　I　thought　you　were　a　little　stand…
offish　at　first。　　But　you　know　what　I　meant？〃

〃Perfectly；　and　I　thank　you。〃　　They　shook　hands　again。　　Champney
stepped　from　the　portico；　and；　reaching　the　gate；　seemed　to　vanish
as　he　had　come；　out　of　the　darkness。

The　storm　was　not　yet　over；　the　air　had　again　become　close　and
suffocating。　　Courtland　remained　brooding　in　his　chair。　　Whether　he
could　accept　Champney's　news　as　true　or　not；　he　felt　that　he　must
end　this　suspense　at　once。　　A　half…guilty　consciousness　that　he　was
thinking　more　of　it　in　reference　to　his　own　passion　than　his　duty
to　the　company　did　not　render　his　meditations　less　unpleasant。　　Yet
while　he　could　not　reconcile　Miss　Sally's　confidences　in　the
cemetery　concerning　the　indifference　of　her　people　to　Champney's
attentions　with　what　Champney　had　just　told　him　of　the　reasons　she
had　given　HIM　for　declining　them；　I　am　afraid　he　was　not　shocked　by
her　peculiar　ethics。　　A　lover　seldom　finds　fault　with　his　mistress
for　deceiving　his　rival；　and　is　as　little　apt　to　consider　the
logical　deduction　that　she　could　deceive　him　also；　as　Othello　was
to　accept　Brabantio's　warning；　The　masculine　sense　of　honor　which
might　have　resented　the　friendship　of　a　man　capable　of　such
treachery　did　not　hesitate　to　accept　the　love　of　a　woman　under　the
same　conditions。　　Perhaps　there　was　an　implied　compliment　in　thus
allowing　her　to　take　the　sole　ethical　responsibility；　which　few
women　would　resist。

In　the　midst　of　this　gloomy　abstraction　Courtland　suddenly　raised
his　head　and　listened。

〃Cato。〃

〃Yes；　sah。〃

There　was　a　sound　of　heavy　footsteps　in　the　hall　coming　from　the
rear　of　the　house；　and　presently　a　darker　bulk　appeared　in　the
shadowed　doorway。　　It　was　his　principal　overseera　strong　and
superior　negro；　selected　by　his　fellow…freedmen　from　among　their
number　in　accordance　with　Courtland's　new　regime。

〃Did　you　come　here　from　the　plantation　or　the　town？〃

〃The　town；　sah。〃

〃I　think　you　had　better　keep　out　of　the　town　in　the　evenings　for
the　present；〃　said　Courtland　in　a　tone　of　quiet　but　positive
authority。

〃Are　dey　goin'　to　bring　back　de　ole　'patter　rollers；'*　sah？〃　asked
the　man　with　a　slight　sneer。


*　The　〃patrol〃　or　local　police　who　formerly　had　the　surveillance　of
slaves。


〃I　don't　know；〃　returned　Courtland　calmly；　ignoring　his　overseer's
manner。　　〃But　if　they　did　you　must　comply　with　the　local　regulations
unless　they　conflict　with　the　Federal　laws；　when　you　must　appeal　to
the　Federal　authorities。　　I　prefer　you　should　avoid　any　trouble
until　you　are　sure。〃

〃I　reckon　they　won't　try　any　games　on　me；〃　said　the　negro　with　a
short　laugh。

Courtland　looked　at　him　intently。

〃I　thought　as　much！　　You're　carrying　arms；　Cato！　　Hand　them　over。〃

The　overseer　hesitated　for　a　moment；　and　then　unstrapped　a　revolver
from　his　belt；　and　handed　it　to　Courtland。

〃Now　how　many　of　you　are　in　the　habit　of　going　round　the　town　armed
like　this？〃

〃Only　de　men　who've　been　insulted；　sah。〃

〃And　how　have　YOU　been　insulted？〃

〃Marse　Tom　Highee　down　in　de　market　reckoned　it　was　high　time　fancy
niggers　was　drov　into　de　swamp；　and　I　allowed　that　loafers　and
beggars　had　better　roost　high　when　workin'　folks　was　around；　and
Marse　Tom　said　he'd　cut　my　haht　out。〃

〃And　do　you　think　your　carrying　a　revolver　will　prevent　him　and　his
friends　performing　that　operation　if　you　provoked　them？〃

〃You　said　we　was　to　pertect　ourse'fs；　sah；〃　returned　the　negro
gloomily。　　〃What　foh　den　did　you　drill　us　to　use　dem　rifles　in　de
armory？〃

〃To　defend　yourselves　TOGETHER　under　orders　if　attacked；　not　to
singly　threaten　with　them　in　a　street　row。　　Together；　you　would
stand　some　chance　against　those　men；　separately　they　could　eat　you
up；　Cato。〃

〃I　wouldn't　trust　too　much　to　some　of　dem　niggers　standing
together；　sah；〃　said　Gate　darkly。　　〃Dey'd　run　before　de　old
mastersif　they　didn't　run　to　'em。　　Shuah！〃

A　fear　of　this　kind　had　crossed　Courtland's　mind　before；　but　he
made　no　present　comment。　　〃I　found　two　of　the　armory　rifles　in　the
men's　cabins　yesterday；〃　he　resumed　quietly。　　〃See　that　it　does　not
occur　again！　　They　must　not　be　taken　from　the　armory　except　to
defend　it。〃

〃Yes；　sah。〃

There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　　Then　it　was　broken　by　a　sudden　gust
that　swept　through　the　columns　of　the　portico；　stirring　the　vines。
The　broad　leaves　of　the　ailantus　began　to　rustle；　an　ominous
pattering　followed；　the　rain　had　recommenced。　　And　as　Courtland
rose　and　walked　towards　the　open　window　its　blank　panes　and　the
interior　of　the　office　were　suddenly　illuminated　by　a　gleam　of
returning　lightning。

He　entered　the　office；　bidding　Cato　follow；　and　lit　the　lamp　above
his　desk。　　The　negro　remained　standing　gloomily　but　respectfully　by
the　window。

〃Cato；　do　you　know　anything　of　Mr。　DumontMiss　Dows'　cousin？〃

The　negro's　white　teeth　suddenly　flashed　in　the　lamplight。　　〃Ya！
ha！　I　reckon；　sah。〃

〃Then　he's　a　great　friend　of　your　people？〃

〃I　don't　know　about　dat；　sah。　　But　he's　a　pow'ful　enemy　of　de　Reeds
and　de　Higbees！〃

〃On　account　of　his　views；　of　course？〃

〃'Deed　no！〃　said　Cato　with　an　astounded　air。　　〃Jess　on　account　of
de　vendetta！〃

〃The　vendetta？〃

〃Yes；　sah。　　De　old　blood　quo'll　of　de　families。　　It's　been　goin'　on
over　fifty　years；　sah。　　De　granfader；　fader；　and　brudder　of　de
Higbees　was　killed　by　de　granfader；　fader；　and　brudder　of　de
Doomonts。　　De　Reeds　chipped　in　when　all　de　Higbees　was　played　out；
fo'　dey　was　relations；　but　dey　was　chawed　up　by　some　of　de　Dowses；
first　cousins　to　de　Doomonts。〃

〃What？　　Are　the　Dows　in　this　vendetta？〃

〃No；　sah。　　No　mo'。　　Dey's　bin　no　man　in　de　family　since　Miss
Sally's　fader　dieddat's　let　de　Dows　out　fo'　ever。　　De　las'
shootin'　was　done　by　Marse　Jack　Doomont；　who　crippled　Marse　Tom
Higbee's　brudder　Jo；　and　den　skipped　to　Europe。　　Dey　say　he's　come
back；　and　is　lying　low　over　at　Atlanty。　　Dar'll　be　lively　times　of
he　comes　here　to　see　Miss　Sally。〃

〃But　he　may　have　changed　his　ideas　while　living　abroad；　where　this
sort　of　thing　is　simple　murder。〃

The　negro　shook　his　head　grimly。　　〃Den　he　wouldn't　come；　sah。　　No；
sah。　　He　knows　dat　Tom　Higbee's　bound　to　go　fo'　him　or　leave　de
place；　and　Marse　Jack　wouldn't　mind　settlin'　HIM　too　as　well　as　his
brudder；　for　de　scores　is　agin'　de　Doomonts　yet。　　And　Marse　Jack
ain't　no　slouch　wid　a　scatter　gun。〃

At　any　other　time　the　imminence　of　this　survival　of　a　lawless
barbarism　of　which　he　had　heard　so　much　would　have　impressed
Courtland；　now　he　was　only　interested　in　it　on　account　of　the
inconceivable　position　in　which　it　left　Miss　Sally。　　Had　she
anything　to　do　with　this　baleful　cousin's　return；　or　was　she　only
to　be　a　helpless　victim　of　it？

A　white；　dazzling；　and　bewildering　flash　of　lightning　suddenly　lit
up　the　room；　the　porch；　the　dripping　ailantus；　and　the　flooded
street　beyond。　　It　was　followed　presently　by　a　crash　of　thunder；
with　what　seemed　to　be　a　second　fainter　flash　of　lightning；　or
rather　as　if　the　first　flash　had　suddenly　ignited　some　inflammable

substance。　　With　the　long　reverberation　of　the　thunder　still
shaking　the　house；　Courtland　slipped　quickly　out　of　the　window　and
passed　down　to　the　gate。

〃Did　it　strike　anything；　sah？〃　said　the　startled　negro；　as
Courtland　returned。

〃Not　that　I　can　see；〃　said　his　employer　shortly。　　〃Go　inside；　and
call　Zoe　and　her　daughter　from　the　cabin　and　bring　them　in　the
hall。　　Stay　till　I　come。　　Go！I'll　shut　the　windows　myself。〃

〃It　must　have　struck　somewhere；　sah；　shuah！　　Deh's　a　pow'ful　smell
of　sulphur　right　here；〃　said　the　negro　as　he　left　the　room。

Courtland　thought　so　too；　but　it　was　a　kind　of　sulphur　that　he　had
smelled　be