the friendly road-第36章

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sentinel　turn　slowly　at　the　corner。　The　light　glinted　on　the　steel　of　his　bayonet。　He　had　a　fresh；　fine；　boyish　face。

〃We　have　some　distance　yet　to　go　in　this　world；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃no　man　need　repine　for　lack　of　good　work　ahead。〃

It　was　only　a　little　way　beyond　this　mill　that　an　incident　occurred　which　occupied　probably　not　ten　minutes　of　time；　and　yet　I　have　thought　about　it　since　I　came　home　as　much　as　I　have　thought　about　any　other　incident　of　my　pilgrimage。　I　have　thought　how　I　might　have　acted　differently　under　the　circumstances；　how　I　could　have　said　this　or　how　I　ought　to　have　done　thatall；　of　course；　now　to　no　purpose　whatever。　But　I　shall　not　attempt　to　tell　what　I　ought　to　have　done　or　said；　but　what　I　actually　did　do　and　say　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。

It　was　in　a　narrow；　dark　street　which　opened　off　the　brightly　lighted　main　thoroughfare　of　that　mill　neighbourhood。　A　girl　standing　in　the　shadows　between　two　buildings　said　to　me　as　I　passed：

〃Good　evening。〃

I　stopped　instantly；　it　was　such　a　pleasant；　friendly　voice。

〃Good　evening；〃　I　said；　lifting　my　hat　and　wondering　that　there　should　be　any　one　here　in　this　back　street　who　knew　me。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　she　asked。

I　stepped　over　quickly　toward　her；　hat　in　hand。　She　was　a　mere　slip　of　a　girl；　rather　comely；　I　thought；　with　small　childish　features　and　a　half…timid；　half…bold　look　in　her　eyes。　I　could　not　remember　having　seen　her　before。

She　smiled　at　meand　then　I　knew！

Well；　if　some　one　had　struck　me　a　brutal　blow　in　the　face　I　could　not　have　been　more　astonished。

We　know　of　things！and　yet　how　little　we　know　until　they　are　presented　to　us　in　concrete　form。　Just　such　a　little　school　girl　as　I　have　seen　a　thousand　times　in　the　country；　the　pathetic　childish　curve　of　the　chin；　a　small　rebellious　curl　hanging　low　on　her　temple。

I　could　not　say　a　word。　The　girl　evidently　saw　in　my　face　that　something　was　the　matter；　for　she　turned　and　began　to　move　quickly　away。　Such　a　wave　of　compassion　（and　anger；　too）　swept　over　me　as　I　cannot　well　describe。　I　stepped　after　her　and　asked　in　a　low　voice：

〃Do　you　work　in　the　mills？〃

〃Yes；　when　there's　work。〃

〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Maggie〃

〃Well；　Maggie；〃　I　said；　〃let's　be　friends。〃

She　looked　around　at　me　curiously；　questioningly。

〃And　friends；〃　I　said；　〃should　know　something　about　each　other。　You　see　I　am　a　farmer　from　the　country。　I　used　to　live　in　a　city　myself；　a　good　many　years　ago；　but　I　got　tired　and　sick　and　hopeless。　There　was　so　much　that　was　wrong　about　it。　I　tried　to　keep　the　pace　and　could　not。　I　wish　I　could　tell　you　what　the　country　has　done　for　me。〃

We　were　walking　along　slowly；　side　by　side；　the　girl　perfectly　passive　but　glancing　around　at　me　from　time　to　time　with　a　wondering　look。　I　don't　know　in　the　least　now　what　prompted　me　to　do　it；　but　I　began　telling　in　a　quiet；　low　voicefor；　after　all；　she　was　only　a　childI　began　telling　her　about　our　chickens　at　the　farm　and　how　Harriet　had　named　them　all；　and　one　was　Frances　E。　Willard；　and　one；　a　speckled　one；　was　Martha　Washington；　and　I　told　her　of　the　curious　antics　of　Martha　Washington　and　of　the　number　of　eggs　she　laid；　and　of　the　sweet　new　milk　we　had　to　drink；　and　the　honey　right　out　of　our　own　hives；　and　of　the　things　growing　in　the　garden。

Once　she　smiled　a　little；　and　once　she　looked　around　at　me　with　a　curious；　timid；　half…wistful　expression　in　her　eyes。

〃Maggie；〃　I　said；　〃I　wish　you　could　go　to　the　country。〃

〃I　wish　to　God　I　could；〃　she　replied。

We　walked　for　a　moment　in　silence。　My　head　was　whirling　with　thoughts：　again　I　had　that　feeling　of　helplessness；　of　inadequacy；　which　I　had　felt　so　sharply　on　the　previous　evening。　What　could　I　do？

When　we　reached　the　corner；　I　said：

〃Maggie；　I　will　see　you　safely　home。〃

She　laugheda　hard；　bitter　laugh。

〃Oh；　I　don't　need　any　one　to　show　me　around　these　streets！〃

〃I　will　see　you　home；〃　I　said。

So　we　walked　quickly　along　the　street　together。

〃Here　it　is；〃　she　said　finally；　pointing　to　a　dark；　mean…looking；　one…story　house；　set　in　a　dingy；　barren　areaway。

〃Well；　good　night；　Maggie；〃　I　said；　〃and　good　luck　to　you。〃

〃Good　night；〃　she　said　faintly。

When　I　had　walked　to　the　corner；　I　stopped　and　looked　back。　She　was　standing　stock…still　just　where　I　had　left　hera　figure　I　shall　never　forget。


I　have　hesitated　about　telling　of　a　further　strange　thing　that　happened　to　me　that　nightbut　have　decided　at　last　to　put　it　in。　I　did　not　accept　Mr。　Vedder's　invitation：　I　could　not；　but　I　returned　to　the　room　in　the　tenement　where　I　had　spent　the　previous　night　with　Bill　Hahn　the　Socialist。　It　was　a　small；　dark；　noisy　room；　but　I　was　so　weary　that　I　fell　almost　immediately　into　a　heavy　sleep。　An　hour　or　more　later　I　don't　know　how　long　indeedI　was　suddenly　awakened　and　found　myself　sitting　bolt　upright　in　bed。　It　was　close　and　dark　and　warm　there　in　the　room；　and　from　without　came　the　muffled　sounds　of　the　city。　For　an　instant　I　waited；　rigid　with　expectancy。　And　then　I　heard　as　clearly　and　plainly　as　ever　I　heard　anything：

〃David！　David！〃　in　my　sister　Harriet's　voice。

It　was　exactly　the　voice　in　which　she　has　called　me　a　thousand　times。　Without　an　instant's　hesitation；　I　stepped　out　of　bed　and　called　out：

〃I'm　coming；　Harriet！　I'm　coming！〃

〃What's　the　matter？〃　inquired　Bill　Hahn　sleepily。

〃Nothing；〃　I　replied；　and　crept　back　into　bed。

It　may　have　been　the　result　of　the　strain　and　excitement　of　the　previous　two　days。　I　don't　explain　itI　can　only　tell　what　happened。

Before　I　went　to　sleep　again　I　determined　to　start　straight　for　home　in　the　morning：　and　having　decided；　I　turned　over；　drew　a　long；　comfortable　breath　and　did　not　stir　again；　I　think；　until　long　after　the　morning　sun　shone　in　at　the　window。


CHAPTER　XII。　　THE　RETURN

〃Everything　divine　runs　with　light　feet。〃

Surely　the　chief　delight　of　going　away　from　home　is　the　joy　of　getting　back　again。　I　shall　never　forget　that　spring　morning　when　I　walked　from　the　city　of　Kilburn　into　the　open　country；　my　bag　on　my　back；　a　song　in　my　throat；　and　the　gray　road　stretching　straight　before　me。　I　remember　how　eagerly；　I　looked　out　across　the　fields　and　meadows　and　rested　my　eyes　upon　the　distant　hills。　How　roomy　it　all　was！　I　looked　up　into　the　clear　blue　of　the　sky。　There　was　space　here　to　breathe；　and　distances　in　which　the　spirit　might　spread　its　wings。　As　the　old　prophet　says；　it　was　a　place　where　a　man　might　be　placed　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　earth。

I　was　strangely　glad　that　morning　of　every　little　stream　that　ran　under　the　bridges；　I　was　glad　of　the　trees　I　passed；　glad　of　every　bird　and　squirrel　in　the　branches；　glad　of　the　cattle　grazing　in　the　fields；　glad　of　the　jolly　boys　I　saw　on　their　way　to　school　with　their　dinner　pails；　glad　of　the　bluff；　red…faced　teamster　I　met；　and　of　the　snug　farmer　who　waved　his　hand　at　me　and　wished　me　a　friendly　good　morning。　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　liked　every　one　I　saw；　and　that　every　one　liked　me。

So　I　walked　onward　that　morning；　nor　ever　have　had　such　a　sense　of　relief　and　escape；　nor　ever　such　a　feeling　of　gayety。

〃Here　is　where　I　belong；〃　I　said。　〃This　is　my　own　country。　Those　hills　are　mine；　and　all　the　fields；　and　the　trees　and　the　sky　and　the　road　here　belongs　to　me　as　much　as　it　does　to　any　one。〃

Coming　presently　to　a　small　house　near　the　side　of　the　road；　I　saw　a　woman　working　with　a　trowel　in　her　sunny　garden。　It　was　good　to　see　her　turn　over　the　warm　brown　soil；　it　was　good　to　see　the　plump　green　rows　of　lettuce　and　the　thin　green　rows　of　onions；　and　the　nasturtiums　and　sweet　peas；　it　was　goodafter　so　many　days　in　that　desert　of　a　cityto　get　a　whiff　of　blossoming　things。　I　stood　for　a　moment　looking　quietly　over　the　fence　before　the　woman　saw　me。　When　at　last　she　turned　and　looked　up；　I　said：

〃Good　morning。〃

She　paused；　trowel　in　hand。

〃Good　morning；〃　she　replied；　〃you　look　happy。〃

I　wasn't　conscious　that　I　was　smiling　outwardly。

〃Well；　I　am；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　going　home。〃

〃Then　you　OUGHT　to　be　happy；〃　said　she。

〃And　I'm　glad　to　escape　THAT；〃　and　I　pointed　toward　the　city。

〃What？〃

〃Why；　that　old　monster　lying　there　in　the　valley。〃

I　could　see　that　she　was　surprised　and　even