the friendly road-第24章

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　green　marvel　before　us。　Then　he　said　in　a　moderate　voice：

〃It's　a　putty　good　hedge；　a　putty　good　hedge。〃

〃I've　got　him；〃　I　thought　exultantly；　〃I've　got　him！〃

〃How　long　ago　did　you　start　it？〃　I　pursued　my　advantage　eagerly。

〃Thirty…two　years　come　spring；〃　said　he。

〃Thirty…two　years！〃　I　repeated；　〃you've　been　at　it　a　long　time。〃

With　that　I　plied　him　with　questions　in　the　liveliest　manner；　and　in　five　minutes　I　had　the　gruff　old　fellow　stumping　along　at　my　side　and　pointing　out　the　various　notable…features　of　his　wonderful　creation。　His　suppressed　excitement　was　quite　wonderful　to　see。　He　would　point　his　hickory　stick　with　a　poking　motion；　and；　when　he　looked　up；　instead　of　throwing　back　his　big；　rough　head；　he　bent　at　the　hips；　thus　imparting　an　impression　of　astonishing　solidity。

〃It　took　me　all　o'　ten　years　to　get　that　bell　right；〃　he　said；　and；　〃Take　a　look　at　that　arch：　now　what　is　your　opinion　o'　that？〃

Once；　in　the　midst　of　our　conversation；　he　checked　himself　abruptly　and　looked　around　at　me　with　a　sudden　dark　expression　of　suspicion。　I　saw　exactly　what　lay　in　his　mind；　but　I　continued　my　questioning　as　though　I　perceived　no　change　in　him。　It　was　only　momentary；　however；　and　he　was　soon　as　much　interested　as　before。　He　talked　as　though　he　had　not　had　such　an　opportunity　before　in　yearsand　I　doubt　whether　he　had。　It　was　plain　to　see　that　if　any　one　ever　loved　anything　in　this　world；　Old　Toombs　loved　that　hedge　of　his。　Think　of　it；　indeed！　He　had　lived　with　it；　nurtured　it；　clipped　it；　groomed　itfor　thirty…two　years。

So　we　walked　down　the　sloping　field　within　the　hedge；　and　it　seemed　as　though　one　of　the　deep　mysteries　of　human　nature　was　opening　there　before　me。　What　strange　things　men　set　their　hearts　upon！

Thus；　presently；　we　came　nearly　to　the　farther　end　of　the　hedge。　Here　the　old　man　stopped　and　turned　around；　facing　me。

〃Do　you　see　that　valley？〃　he　asked。　〃Do　you　see　that　slopin'　valley　up　through　the　meadow？〃

His　voice　rose　suddenly　to　a　sort　of　high…pitched　violence。

〃That'　passel　o'　hounds　up　there；〃　he　said；　〃want　to　build　a　road　down　my　valley。〃

He　drew　his　breath　fiercely。

〃They　want　to　build　a　road　through　my　land。　They　want　to　ruin　my　farmthey　want　to　cut　down　my　hedge。　I'll　fight　'em。　I'll　fight　'em。　I'll　show　'em　yet！〃

It　was　appalling。　His　face　grew　purple；　his　eyes　narrowed　to　pin　points　and　grew　red　and　angrylike　the　eyes　of　an　infuriated　boar。　His　hands　shook。　Suddenly　he　turned　upon　me；　poising　his　stick　in　his　hand；　and　said　violently。

〃And　who　are　you？　Who　are　you？　Are　you　one　of　these　surveyor　fellows？〃

〃My　name；〃　I　answered　as　quietly　as　I　could；　〃is　Grayson。　I　live　on　the　old　Mather　farm。　I　am　not　in　the　least　interested　in　any　of　your　road　troubles。〃

He　looked　at　me　a　moment　more；　and　then　seemed　to　shake　himself　or　shudder；　his　eyes　dropped　away　and　he　began　walking　toward　his　house。　He　had　taken　only　a　few　steps；　however；　before　he　turned；　and；　without　looking　at　me；　asked　if　I　would　like　to　see　the　tools　he　used　for　trimming　his　hedge。　When　I　hesitated；　for　I　was　decidedly　uncomfortable；　he　came　up　to　me　and　laid　his　hand　awkwardly　on　my　arm。

〃You'll　see　something；　I　warrant；　you　never　see　before。〃

It　was　so　evident　that　he　regretted　his　outbreak　that　I　followed　him；　and　he　showed　me　an　odd　double　ladder　set　on　low　wheels　which　he　said　he　used　in　trimming　the　higher　parts　of　his　hedge。

〃It's　my　own　invention；〃　he　said　with　pride。

〃And　that〃he　pointed　as　we　came　out　of　the　tool　shed〃is　my　housea　good　house。　I　planned　it　all　myself。　I　never　needed　to　take　lessons　of　any　carpenter　I　ever　see。　And　there's　my　barns。　What　do　you　think　o'　my　barns？　Ever　see　any　bigger　ones？　They　ain't　any　bigger　in　this　country　than　Old　Toombs's　barns。　They　don't　like　Old　Toombs；　but　they　ain't　any　of　one　of　'em　can　ekal　his　barns！〃

He　followed　me　down　to　the　roadside　now　quite　loquacious。　Even　after　I　had　thanked　him　and　started　to　go　he　called　after　me。

When　I　stopped　he　came　forward　hesitatinglyand　I　had　the　impressions；　suddenly；　and　for　the　first　time　that　he　was　an　old　man。　It　may　have　been　the　result　of　his　sudden　fierce　explosion　of　anger；　but　his　hand　shook；　his　face　was　pale；　and　he　seemed　somehow　broken。

〃Youyou　like　my　hedge？〃　he　asked。

〃It　is　certainly　wonderful　hedge；〃　I　said。　〃I　never　have　seen　anything　like　it？〃

〃The'　AIN'T　nothing　like　it；〃　he　responded；　quickly。　〃The'　ain't　nothing　like　it　anywhere。〃

In　the　twilight　as　I　passed　onward　I　saw　the　lonely　figure　of　the　old　man　moving　with　his　hickory　stick　up　the　pathway　to　his　lonely　house。　The　poor　rich　old　man！

〃He　thinks　he　can　live　wholly　to　himself；〃　I　said　aloud。

I　thought；　as　I　tramped　homeward；　of　our　friendly　and　kindly　community；　of　how　we　often　come　together　of　an　evening　with　skylarking　and　laughter；　of　how　we　weep　with　one　another；　of　how　we　join　in　making　better　roads　and　better　schools；　and　building　up　the　Scotch　Preacher's　friendly　little　church。　And　in　all　these　things　Old　Toombs　has　never　had　a　part。　He　is　not　even　missed。


As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　reflected；　and　this　is　a　strange；　deep　thing；　no　man　is　in　reality　more　dependent　upon　the　community　which　he　despises　and　holds　at　arm's　length　than　this　same　Old　Nathan　Toombs。　Everything　he　has；　everything　he　does；　gives　evidence　of　it。　And　I　don't　mean　this　in　any　mere　material　sense；　though　of　course　his　wealth　and　his　farm　would　mean　no　more　than　the　stones　in　his　hills　to　him　if　he　did　not　have　us　here　around　him。　Without　our　work；　our　buying；　our　selling；　our　governing；　his　dollars　would　be　dust。　But　we　are　still　more　necessary　to　him　in　other　ways：　the　unfriendly　man　is　usually　the　one　who　demands　most　from　his　neighbours。　Thus；　if　he　have　not　people's　love　or　confidence；　then　he　will　smite　them　until　they　fear　him；　or　admire　him；　or　hate　him。　Oh；　no　man；　however　may　try；　can　hold　himself　aloof！

I　came　home　deeply　stirred　from　my　visit　with　Old　Toombs　and　lost　no　time　in　making　further　inquiries。　I　learned；　speedily；　that　there　was　indeed　something　in　the　old　man's　dread　of　a　road　being　built　through　his　farm。　The　case　was　already　in　the　courts。　His　farm　was　a　very　old　one　and　extensive；　and　of　recent　years　a　large　settlement　of　small　farmers　had　been　developing　the　rougher　lands　in　the　upper　part　of　the　townships　called　the　Swan　Hill　district。　Their　only　way　to　reach　the　railroad　was　by　a　rocky；　winding　road　among　the　'hills；'　while　their　outlet　was　down　a　gently　sloping　through　Old　Toombs's　farm。　They　were　now　so　numerous　and　politically　important　that　they　had　stirred　up　the　town　authorities。　A　proposition　had　been　made　to　Old　Toombs　for　a　right…of…way；　they　argued　with　him　that　it　was　a　good　thing　for　the　whole　country；　that　it　would　enhance　the　values　of　his　own　upper　lands；　and　that　they　would　pay　him　far　more　for　a　right…of…way　than　the　land　was　actually　worth；　but　he　had　spurned　themI　can　imagine　with　what　vehemence。

〃Let　'em　drive　round；〃　he　said。　〃Didn't　they　know　what　they'd　have　to　do　when　they　settled　up　there？　What　a　passel　o'　curs！　They　can　keep　off　o'　my　land；　or　I'll　have　the　law　on　'em。〃

And　thus　the　matter　came　to　the　courts　with　the　town　attempting　to　condemn　the　land　for　a　road　through　Old　Toombs's　farm。

〃What　can　we　do？〃　asked　the　Scotch　Preacher；　who　was　deeply　distressed　by　the　bitterness　of　feeling　displayed。　〃There　is　no　getting　to　the　man。　He　will　listen　to　no　one。〃

At　one　time　I　thought　of　going　over　and　talking　with　Old　Toombs　myself；　for　it　seemed　that　I　had　been　able　to　get　nearer　to　him　than　any　one　had　in　a　long　time。　But　I　dreaded　it。　I　kept　dallying；for　what；　indeed；　could　I　have　said　to　him？　If　he　had　been　suspicious　of　me　before；　how　much　more　hostile　he　might　be　when　I　expressed　an　interest　in　his　difficulties。　As　to　reaching　the　Swan　Hill　settlers；　they　were　now　aroused　to　an　implacable　state　of　bitterness；　and　they　had　the　people　of　the　whole　community　with　them；　for　no　one　liked　Old　Toombs。

Thus　while　I　hesitated　time　passed　and　my　next　meeting　with　Old　Toombs；　instead　of　being　premeditated；　came　about　quite　unexpectedly。　I　was　walking　in　the　town　road　late　one　afternoon　when　I　heard　a　wagon　rattling　behind　me；　and　then；　quite　suddenly