a far country-第2章

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of　that　sitter；　who　was　more　Irish　than　Scotch。　　The　heavy　stick　he　holds
might；　with　a　slight　stretch　of　the　imagination；　be　a　blackthorn；　his
head　looks　capable　of　withstanding　many　blows；　his　hand　of　giving　many。
And；　as　I　gazed　the　other　day　at　this　picture　hanging　in　the　shabby
suburban　parlour；　I　could　only　contrast　him　with　his　anaemic　descendants
who　possessed　the　likeness。　　Between　the　children　of　poor　Mary　Kinley；
Cousin　Robert's　daughter；　and　the　hardy　stock　of　the　old　country　there　is
a　gap　indeed！

Benjamin　Breck　made　the　foundation　of　a　fortune。　　It　was　his　son　who
built　on　the　Second　Bank　the　wide；　corniced　mansion　in　which　to　house
comfortably　his　eight　children。　　There；　two　tiers　above　the　river；　lived
my　paternal　grandfather；　Dr。　Paret；　the　Breck's　physician　and　friend；　the
Durretts　and　the　Hambletons；　iron…masters；　the　Hollisters；　Sherwins；　the
McAlerys　and　Ewanses；Breck　connections；the　Willetts　and　Ogilvys；　in
short；　everyone　of　importance　in　the　days　between　the　'thirties　and　the
Civil　War。　　Theirs　were　generous　houses　surrounded　by　shade　trees；　with
glorious　back　yardsI　have　been　toldwhere　apricots　and　pears　and
peaches　and　even　nectarines　grew。

The　business　of　Breck　and　Company；　wholesale　grocers；　descended　to　my
mother's　first　cousin；　Robert　Breck；　who　lived　at　Claremore。　　The　very
sound　of　that　word　once　sufficed　to　give　me　a　shiver　of　delight；　but　the
Claremore　I　knew　has　disappeared　as　completely　as　Atlantis；　and　the　place
is　now　a　suburb　（hateful　word！）　cut　up　into　building　lots　and　connected
with　Boyne　Street　and　the　business　section　of　the　city　by　trolley　lines。
Then　it　was　〃the　country；〃　and　fairly　saturated　with　romance。　　Cousin
Robert；　when　he　came　into　town　to　spend　his　days　at　the　store；　brought
with　him　some　of　this　romance；　I　had　almost　said　of　this　aroma。　　He　was
no　suburbanite；　but　rural　to　the　backbone；　professing　a　most　proper
contempt　for　dwellers　in　towns。

Every　summer　day　that　dawned　held　Claremore　as　a　possibility。　　And　such
was　my　capacity　for　joy　that　my　appetite　would　depart　completely　when　I
heard　my　mother　say；　questioningly　and　with　proper　wifely　respect

〃If　you're　really　going　off　on　a　business　trip　for　a　day　or　two；　Mr。
Paret〃　（she　generally　addressed　my　father　thus　formally）；　〃I　think　I'll
go　to　Robert's　and　take　Hugh。〃

〃Shall　I　tell　Norah　to　pack；　mother；〃　I　would　exclaim；　starting　up。

〃We'll　see　what　your　father　thinks；　my　dear。〃

〃Remain　at　the　table　until　you　are　excused；　Hugh；〃　he　would　say。

Released　at　length；　I　would　rush　to　Norah；　who　always　rejoiced　with　me；
and　then　to　the　wire　fence　which　marked　the　boundary　of　the　Peters　domain
next　door；　eager；　with　the　refreshing　lack　of　consideration
characteristic　of　youth；　to　announce　to　the　Peterseswho　were　to　remain
at　home　the　news　of　my　good　fortune。　　There　would　be　Tom　and　Alfred　and
Russell　and　Julia　and　little　Myra　with　her　grass…stained　knees；　faring
forth　to　seek　the　adventures　of　a　new　day　in　the　shady　western　yard。
Myra　was　too　young　not　to　look　wistful　at　my　news；　but　the　others
pretended　indifference；　seeking　to　lessen　my　triumph。　　And　it　was　Julia
who　invariably　retorted　〃We　can　go　out　to　Uncle　Jake's　farm　whenever　we
want　to。　　Can't　we；　Tom？〃。。。

No　journey　ever　taken　since　has　equalled　in　ecstasy　that　leisurely　trip
of　thirteen　miles　in　the　narrow…gauge　railroad　that　wound　through　hot
fields　of　nodding　corn　tassels　and　between　delicious；　acrid…smelling
woods　to　Claremore。　　No　silent　palace　〃sleeping　in　the　sun；〃　no　edifice
decreed　by　Kubla　Khan　could　have　worn　more　glamour　than　the　house　of
Cousin　Robert　Breck。

It　stood　half　a　mile　from　the　drowsy　village；　deep　in　its　own　grounds
amidst　lawns　splashed　with　shadows；　with　gravel　paths　edgedin　barbarous
fashion；　if　you　please　with　shells。　　There　were　flower　beds　of　equally
barbarous　design；　and　two　iron　deer；　which；　like　the　figures　on　Keats's
Grecian　urn；　were　ever　ready　poised　to　flee；and　yet　never　fled。　　For
Cousin　Robert　was　rich；　as　riches　went　in　those　days：　not　only　rich；　but
comfortable。　　Stretching　behind　the　house　were　sweet　meadows　of　hay　and
red　clover　basking　in　the　heat；　orchards　where　the　cows　cropped　beneath
the　trees；　arbours　where　purple　clusters　of　Concords　hung　beneath　warm
leaves：　there　were　woods　beyond；　into　which；　under　the　guidance　of　Willie
Breck；　I　made　adventurous　excursions；　and　in　the　autumn　gathered
hickories　and　walnuts。　　The　house　was　a　rambling；　wooden　mansion　painted
grey；　with　red　scroll…work　on　its　porches　and　horsehair　furniture　inside。
Oh；　the　smell　of　its　darkened　interior　on　a　midsummer　day！　　Like　the
flavour　of　that　choicest　of　tropical　fruits；　the　mangosteen；　it　baffles
analysis；　and　the　nearest　I　can　come　to　it　is　a　mixture　of　matting　and
corn…bread；　with　another　element　too　subtle　to　define。

The　hospitality　of　that　house！　　One　would　have　thought　we　had　arrived；　my
mother　and　I；　from　the　ends　of　the　earth；　such　was　the　welcome　we　got
from　Cousin　Jenny；　Cousin　Robert's　wife；　from　Mary　and　Helen　with　the
flaxen　pig…tails；　from　Willie；　whom　I　recall　as　permanently　without　shoes
or　stockings。　　Met　and　embraced　by　Cousin　Jenny　at　the　station　and　driven
to　the　house　in　the　squeaky　surrey；　the　moment　we　arrived　she　and　my
mother　would　put　on　the　dressing…sacks　I　associated　with　hot　weather；　and
sit　sewing　all　day　long　in　rocking…chairs　at　the　coolest　end　of　the
piazza。　　The　women　of　that　day　scorned　lying　down；　except　at　night；　and
as　evening　came　on　they　donned　starched　dresses；　I　recall　in　particular
one　my　mother　wore；　with　little　vertical　stripes　of　black　and　white；　and
a　full　skirt。　　And　how　they　talked；　from　the　beginning　of　the　visit　until
the　end！　　I　have　often　since　wondered　where　the　topics　came　from。

It　was　not　until　nearly　seven　o'clock　that　the　train　arrived　which
brought　home　my　Cousin　Robert。　　He　was　a　big　man；　his　features　and　even
his　ample　moustache　gave　a　disconcerting　impression　of　rugged　integrity；
and　I　remember　him　chiefly　in　an　alpaca　or　seersucker　coat。　　Though　much
less　formal；　more　democraticin　a　wordthan　my　father；　I　stood　in　awe
of　him　for　a　different　reason；　and　this　I　know　now　was　because　he
possessed　the　penetration　to　discern　the　flaws　in　my　youthful　character；
flaws　that　persisted　in　manhood。　　None　so　quick　as　Cousin　Robert　to
detect　deceptions　which　were　hidden　from　my　mother。

His　hobby　was　carpentering；　and　he　had　a　little　shop　beside　the　stable
filled　with　shining　tools　which　Willie　and　I；　in　spite　of　their
attractions；　were　forbidden　to　touch。　　Willie；　by　dire　experience；　had
learned　to　keep　the　law；　but　on　one　occasion　I　stole　in　alone；　and
promptly　cut　my　finger　with　a　chisel。　　My　mother　and　Cousin　Jenny
accepted　the　fiction　that　the　injury　had　been　done　with　a　flint　arrowhead
that　Willie　had　given　me；　but　when　Cousin　Robert　came　home　and　saw　my
bound　hand　and　heard　the　story；　he　gave　me　a　certain　look　which　sticks　in
my　mind。

〃Wonderful　people；　those　Indians　were！〃　he　observed。　　〃They　could　make
arrowheads　as　sharp　as　chisels。〃

I　was　most　uncomfortable。。。。

He　had　a　strong　voice；　and　spoke　with　a　rising　inflection　and　a　marked
accent　that　still　remains　peculiar　to　our　locality；　although　it　was　much
modified　in　my　mother　and　not　at　all　noticeable　in　my　father；　with　an　odd
nasal　alteration　of　the　burr　our　Scotch…Irish　ancestors　had　brought　with
them　across　the　seas。　　For　instance；　he　always　called　my　father　Mr。　Par…
r…ret。　　He　had　an　admiration　and　respect　for　him　that　seemed　to　forbid
the　informality　of　〃Matthew。〃　　It　was　shared　by　others　of　my　father's
friends　and　relations。

〃Sarah；〃　Cousin　Robert　would　say　to　my　mother；　〃you're　coddling　that　boy；
you　ought　to　lam　him　oftener。　　Hand　him　over　to　me　for　a　couple　of
monthsI'll　put　him　through　his　paces。。。。　　So　you're　going　to　send　him
to　college；　are　you？　　He's　too　good　for　old　Benjamin's　grocery　business。〃

He　was　very　fond　of　my　mother；　though　he　lectured　her　soundly　for　her
weakness　in　indulging　me。　　I　can　see　him　as　he　sat　at　the　head　of　the
supper　table；　carving　liberal　helpings　which　Mary　and　Helen　and　Willie
devoured　with　country　appetites；　watching　our　plates。

〃What's　the　matter；　Hugh？