winesburg,ohio-第8章

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now　what　will　happen？　Word　of　my　refusal　will　be　whispered　about。　　Presently　men　will　get　together　in　groups　and　talk　of　it。　　They　will　come　here。　　We　will　quarrel　and　there　will　be　talk　of　hanging。　　Then　they　will　come　again　bearing　a　rope　in　their　hands。〃

Doctor　Parcival　shook　with　fright。　　〃I　have　a　pre…　sentiment；〃　he　declared　emphatically。　　〃It　may　be　that　what　I　am　talking　about　will　not　occur　this　morning。　　It　may　be　put　off　until　tonight　but　I　will　be　hanged。　　Everyone　will　get　excited。　　I　will　be　hanged　to　a　lamp…post　on　Main　Street。〃

Going　to　the　door　of　his　dirty　office；　Doctor　Parci…　val　looked　timidly　down　the　stairway　leading　to　the　street。　　When　he　returned　the　fright　that　had　been　in　his　eyes　was　beginning　to　be　replaced　by　doubt。　Coming　on　tiptoe　across　the　room　he　tapped　George　Willard　on　the　shoulder。　　〃If　not　now；　sometime；〃　he　whispered；　shaking　his　head。　　〃In　the　end　I　will　be　crucified；　uselessly　crucified。〃

Doctor　Parcival　began　to　plead　with　George　Wil…　lard。　　〃You　must　pay　attention　to　me；〃　he　urged。　　〃If　something　happens　perhaps　you　will　be　able　to　write　the　book　that　I　may　never　get　written。　　The　idea　is　very　simple；　so　simple　that　if　you　are　not　careful　you　will　forget　it。　　It　is　thisthat　everyone　in　the　world　is　Christ　and　they　are　all　crucified。　　That's　what　I　want　to　say。　　Don't　you　forget　that。　　Whatever　happens；　don't　you　dare　let　yourself　forget。〃




NOBODY　KNOWS

LOOKING　CAUTIOUSLY　ABOUT；　George　Willard　arose　from　his　desk　in　the　office　of　the　Winesburg　Eagle　and　went　hurriedly　out　at　the　back　door。　　The　night　was　warm　and　cloudy　and　although　it　was　not　yet　eight　o'clock；　the　alleyway　back　of　the　Eagle　office　was　pitch　dark。　　A　team　of　horses　tied　to　a　post　somewhere　in　the　darkness　stamped　on　the　hard…　baked　ground。　　A　cat　sprang　from　under　George　Wil…　lard's　feet　and　ran　away　into　the　night。　　The　young　man　was　nervous。　　All　day　he　had　gone　about　his　work　like　one　dazed　by　a　blow。　　In　the　alleyway　he　trembled　as　though　with　fright。

In　the　darkness　George　Willard　walked　along　the　alleyway；　going　carefully　and　cautiously。　　The　back　doors　of　the　Winesburg　stores　were　open　and　he　could　see　men　sitting　about　under　the　store　lamps。　In　Myerbaum's　Notion　Store　Mrs。　Willy　the　saloon　keeper's　wife　stood　by　the　counter　with　a　basket　on　her　arm。　　Sid　Green　the　clerk　was　waiting　on　her。　He　leaned　over　the　counter　and　talked　earnestly。

George　Willard　crouched　and　then　jumped　through　the　path　of　light　that　came　out　at　the　door。　He　began　to　run　forward　in　the　darkness。　　Behind　Ed　Griffith's　saloon　old　Jerry　Bird　the　town　drunkard　lay　asleep　on　the　ground。　　The　runner　stumbled　over　the　sprawling　legs。　　He　laughed　brokenly。

George　Willard　had　set　forth　upon　an　adventure。　All　day　he　had　been　trying　to　make　up　his　mind　to　go　through　with　the　adventure　and　now　he　was　act…　ing。　　In　the　office　of　the　Winesburg　Eagle　he　had　been　sitting　since　six　o'clock　trying　to　think。

There　had　been　no　decision。　　He　had　just　jumped　to　his　feet；　hurried　past　Will　Henderson　who　was　reading　proof　in　the　printshop　and　started　to　run　along　the　alleyway。

Through　street　after　street　went　George　Willard；　avoiding　the　people　who　passed。　　He　crossed　and　recrossed　the　road。　　When　he　passed　a　street　lamp　he　pulled　his　hat　down　over　his　face。　　He　did　not　dare　think。　　In　his　mind　there　was　a　fear　but　it　was　a　new　kind　of　fear。　　He　was　afraid　the　adventure　on　which　he　had　set　out　would　be　spoiled；　that　he　would　lose　courage　and　turn　back。

George　Willard　found　Louise　Trunnion　in　the　kitchen　of　her　father's　house。　　She　was　washing　dishes　by　the　light　of　a　kerosene　lamp。　　There　she　stood　behind　the　screen　door　in　the　little　shedlike　kitchen　at　the　back　of　the　house。　　George　Willard　stopped　by　a　picket　fence　and　tried　to　control　the　shaking　of　his　body。　　Only　a　narrow　potato　patch　separated　him　from　the　adventure。　　Five　minutes　passed　before　he　felt　sure　enough　of　himself　to　call　to　her。　　〃Louise！　Oh；　Louise！〃　he　called。　　The　cry　stuck　in　his　throat。　　His　voice　became　a　hoarse　whisper。

Louise　Trunnion　came　out　across　the　potato　patch　holding　the　dish　cloth　in　her　hand。　　〃How　do　you　know　I　want　to　go　out　with　you；〃　she　said　sulkily。　〃What　makes　you　so　sure？〃

George　Willard　did　not　answer。　　In　silence　the　two　stood　in　the　darkness　with　the　fence　between　them。　〃You　go　on　along；〃　she　said。　　〃Pa's　in　there。　　I'll　come　along。　　You　wait　by　Williams'　barn。〃

The　young　newspaper　reporter　had　received　a　let…　ter　from　Louise　Trunnion。　　It　had　come　that　morning　to　the　office　of　the　Winesburg　Eagle。　　The　letter　was　brief。　　〃I'm　yours　if　you　want　me；〃　it　said。　　He　thought　it　annoying　that　in　the　darkness　by　the　fence　she　had　pretended　there　was　nothing　between　them。　　〃She　has　a　nerve！　Well；　gracious　sakes；　she　has　a　nerve；〃　he　muttered　as　he　went　along　the　street　and　passed　a　row　of　vacant　lots　where　corn　grew。　　The　corn　was　shoulder　high　and　had　been　planted　right　down　to　the　sidewalk。

When　Louise　Trunnion　came　out　of　the　front　door　of　her　house　she　still　wore　the　gingham　dress　in　which　she　had　been　washing　dishes。　　There　was　no　hat　on　her　head。　　The　boy　could　see　her　standing　with　the　doorknob　in　her　hand　talking　to　someone　within；　no　doubt　to　old　Jake　Trunnion；　her　father。　Old　Jake　was　half　deaf　and　she　shouted。　　The　door　closed　and　everything　was　dark　and　silent　in　the　little　side　street。　　George　Willard　trembled　more　vio…　lently　than　ever。

In　the　shadows　by　Williams'　barn　George　and　Louise　stood；　not　daring　to　talk。　　She　was　not　partic…　ularly　comely　and　there　was　a　black　smudge　on　the　side　of　her　nose。　　George　thought　she　must　have　rubbed　her　nose　with　her　finger　after　she　had　been　handling　some　of　the　kitchen　pots。

The　young　man　began　to　laugh　nervously。　　〃It's　warm；〃　he　said。　　He　wanted　to　touch　her　with　his　hand。　　〃I'm　not　very　bold；〃　he　thought。　　Just　to　touch　the　folds　of　the　soiled　gingham　dress　would；　he　de…　cided；　be　an　exquisite　pleasure。　　She　began　to　quib…　ble。　　〃You　think　you're　better　than　I　am。　　Don't　tell　me；　I　guess　I　know；〃　she　said　drawing　closer　to　him。

A　flood　of　words　burst　from　George　Willard。　　He　remembered　the　look　that　had　lurked　in　the　girl's　eyes　when　they　had　met　on　the　streets　and　thought　of　the　note　she　had　written。　　Doubt　left　him。　　The　whispered　tales　concerning　her　that　had　gone　about　town　gave　him　confidence。　　He　became　wholly　the　male；　bold　and　aggressive。　　In　his　heart　there　was　no　sympathy　for　her。　　〃Ah；　come　on；　it'll　be　all　right。　There　won't　be　anyone　know　anything。　　How　can　they　know？〃　he　urged。

They　began　to　walk　along　a　narrow　brick　sidewalk　between　the　cracks　of　which　tall　weeds　grew。　　Some　of　the　bricks　were　missing　and　the　sidewalk　was　rough　and　irregular。　　He　took　hold　of　her　hand　that　was　also　rough　and　thought　it　delightfully　small。　〃I　can't　go　far；〃　she　said　and　her　voice　was　quiet；　unperturbed。

They　crossed　a　bridge　that　ran　over　a　tiny　stream　and　passed　another　vacant　lot　in　which　corn　grew。　The　street　ended。　　In　the　path　at　the　side　of　the　road　they　were　compelled　to　walk　one　behind　the　other。　Will　Overton's　berry　field　lay　beside　the　road　and　there　was　a　pile　of　boards。　　〃Will　is　going　to　build　a　shed　to　store　berry　crates　here；〃　said　George　and　they　sat　down　upon　the　boards。


When　George　Willard　got　back　into　Main　Street　it　was　past　ten　o'clock　and　had　begun　to　rain。　　Three　times　he　walked　up　and　down　the　length　of　Main　Street。　　Sylvester　West's　Drug　Store　was　still　open　and　he　went　in　and　bought　a　cigar。　　When　Shorty　Crandall　the　clerk　came　out　at　the　door　with　him　he　was　pleased。　　For　five　minutes　the　two　stood　in　the　shelter　of　the　store　awning　and　talked。　　George　Wil…　lard　felt　satisfied。　　He　had　wanted　more　than　any…　thing　else　to　talk　to　some　man。　　Around　a　corner　toward　the　New　Willard　House　he　went　whistling　softly。

On　the　sidewalk　at　the　side　of　Winney's　Dry　Goods　Store　where　there　was　a　high　board　fence　covered　with　circus　pictures；　he　stopped　whistling　and　stood　perfectly　still　in　the　darkness；　attentive；　listening　as　though　for　a　voice　calling　his　name。　Then　again　he　laughed　nervously。　　〃She　hasn't　got　anything　on　me。　　Nobody　knows；〃　he　muttered　dog…　gedly　and　went　on　his　way。




GODLINESS

A　Tale　in　Four　Parts

THERE