with lee in virginia-第58章

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to　the　time　they　took　upon　their　journey。　　The　contents　of　the　cart

had　been　left　at　the　farm　at　which　they　stopped　the　night　before；

and　Vincent　had　now　no　difficulty　in　disposing　of　the　horse　and

cart；　as　he　did　not　stand　out　for　price；　but　took　the　first　offer　made。　

Two　hours　later　a　train　came　along；　and　the　party　were　soon　on

their　way　to　the　east。　After　many　hours'　traveling　they　reached

Rome；　in　Georgia；　and　then　proceeded　by　the　southern　line　a　few

miles　to　Macon；　at　which　place　they　alighted　and　hired　a

conveyance　to　take　them　to　Antioch；　near　which　place　Lucy's

relatives　resided。



The　latter　part　of　the　journey　by　rail　had　been　a　silent　one。　　Lucy

felt　none　of　the　pleasure　that　she　had　expected　at　finding　herself

safely　through　her　dangers　and　upon　the　point　of　joining　relations

who　would　be　delighted　to　see　her；　and　she　sat　looking　blankly　out

of　the　window　at　the　surrounding　country。　　At　last　Vincent；　who

had　been　half　an　hour　without　speaking；　said。



Are　you　sorry　our　journey　is　just　over；　Lucy　？〃



The　girl's　lip　quivered；　but　she　did　not　speak　for　a　moment。　　〃Of

course　it　is　unpleasant　saying　good…by　when　people　have　been

together　for　some　time；〃　she　said　with　an　effort。



〃I　hope　it　will　not　be　good…by　for　long；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shall　he　back

here　as　soon　as　this　horrible　war　is　over。〃



〃What　for？〃　the　girl　asked；　looking　round　in　surprise。　〃You　live　a

long　way　from　here；　and　you　told　me　you　knew　nobody　in　these

parts。〃



I　know　you；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　that　is　quite　enough。　Do　you　not

know　that　I　love　you？〃



The　girl　gave　a　start　of　surprise；　her　cheek　flushed；　but　her　eyes　did

not　drop　as　she　looked　frankly　at　him。



〃No；　Vin；〃　she　said　after　a　pause；　〃I　never　once　thought　you　loved

me；　never　once。　　You　have　not　been　a　bit　like　what　I　thought

people　were　when　they　felt　like　that。〃



〃I　hope　not；　Lucy。　　I　was　your　protector　then；　that　is　to　say　when

you　were　not　mine。　　Your　position　has　been　trying　enough；　and　I

should　have　been　a　blackguard　if　I　had　made　it　more

uncomfortable　than　it　was　by　showing　you　that　I　cared　for　you。　　I

have　tried　my　best　to　be　what　people　thought　me…your　brother；　but

now　that　you　are　just　home　and　among　your　own　people；　I　think　I

may　speak　and　tell　you　how　I　feel　toward　you　and　how　I　have

loved　you　since　the　moment　I　first　saw　you。　　And　you；　Lucy；　do

you　think　you　could　care　for　me？〃



〃Not　more　than　I　do　now；　Vin。　　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart。　　I　have

been　trying　so　hard　to　believe　that　I　didn't；　because　I　thought　you

did　not　care　for　me　that　way。〃



For　some　minutes　no　further　word　was　spoken。　　Vin　cent　was　the

first　to　speak：



〃It　is　horrid　to　have　to　sit　here　in　this　stiff；　unnatural　way；　Lucy；

when　one　is　inclined　to　do　something　outrageous　from　sheer

happiness。　　These　long；　open　cars；　where　people　can　see　from　end

to　end　what　every　one　is　doing；　are　hateful　inventions。　　It　is

perfectly　absurd；　when　one　finds　one's　self　the　happiest　fellow

living；　that　one　is　obliged　to　look　as　demure　and　solemn　as　if　one

was　in　church。〃



〃Then　you　should　have　waited；　sir；〃　the　girl　said。



〃I　meant　to　have　waited；　Lucy；　until　I　got　to　your　home；　but

directly　I　felt　that　there　was　no　longer　any　harm　in　my　speaking；

out　it　came；　but　it's　very　hard　to　have　to　wait　for　hours　perhaps。〃



〃To　wait　for　what？〃　Lucy　asked　demurely。



〃You　must　wait　for　explanations　until　we　are　alone；　Lucy。　　And

now　I　think　the　train　begins　to　slacken；　and　it　is　the　next　station　at

which　we　get　out。〃



〃I　think；　Lucy；〃　Vincent　said；　when　they　approached　the　house　of

her　relatives；　〃you　and　Chloe　had　better　get　out　end　go　in　by

yourselves　and　tell　your　story。　　Dan　and　I　will　go　to　the　inn；　and　I

will　come　round　in　an　hour。　　If　we　were　to　walk　in　together　like

this　it　would　be　next　to　impossible　for　you　to　explain　how　it　all

came　about。〃



〃I　think　that　would　be　the　best　plan。　　My　two　aunts　are　the　kindest

creatures　possible；　but　no　doubt　they　will　be　bewildered　at　seeing

me　so　suddenly。　　I　do　think　it　would　be　best　to　let　me　have　a　talk

with　them　and　tell　them　all　about　it　before　you　appear　upon　the

scene。〃



〃Very　well；　then；　in　an　hour　I　will　come　in。



When　they　arrived　at　the　gate；　therefore；　Vincent　helped　Lucy　and

Chloe　to　alight；　and　then　jumping　into　the　buggy　again　told　the

driver　to　take　him　to　the　inn。



Having　engaged　a　room　and　indulged　in　a　thorough　wash　Vincent

sallied　out　into　the　little　town；　and　was　fortunate　enough　to

succeed　in　purchasing　a　suit　of　tweed　clothes；　which；　although

they　scarcely　fitted　him　as　if　they　had　been　made　for　him；　were

still　an　immense　improvement　upon　the　rough　clothes　in　which　he

had　traveled。　　Returning　to　the　hotel　he　put　on　his　new　purchases；

and　then　walked　to　the　house　of　Lucy's　aunts；　which　was　a　quarter

of　a　mile　outside　the　town。



Lucy　had　walked　up　the　little　path　through　the　garden　in　front　of

the　house；　and　turning　the　handle　of　the　door　had　entered

unannounced　and　walked　straight　into　the　parlor。　　Two　elderly

ladies　rose　with　some　surprise　at　the　entry　of　a　strange　visitor。　　It

was　three　years　since　she　had　paid　her　last　visit　there；　and　for　a

moment　they　did　not　recognize　her。



〃Don't　you　know　me；　aunts？〃



〃Why；　goodness　me！〃　the　eldest　exclaimed；　〃if　it　isn't　our　little

Lucy　grown　into　a　woman！　My　dear　child；　where　have　you　sprung

from？〃　And　the　two　ladies　warmly　embraced　their　niece；　who；　as

soon　as　they　released　her　from　their　arms；　burst　into　a　fit　of　crying；

and　it　was　some　time　before　she　could　answer　the　questions

showered　upon　her。



〃It　is　nothing；　aunts；〃　she　said　at　last；　wiping　her　eyes；　〃but　I　am　so

glad　to　be　with　you　again；　and　I　have　gone　through　so　much；　and　I

am　so　happy；　and　it　is　so　nice　being　with　you　again。　　Here　is　Chloe

waiting　to　speak　to　you；　aunts。　　She　has　come　with　me　all　the

way。〃



The　old　negress；　who　had　been　waiting　in　the　passage；　was　now

called　in。



〃Why；　Chloe；　you　look　no　older　than　when　you　went　away　from

here　six　years　ago；〃　Miss　Kingston　said。　　〃But　how　ever　did　you

both　get　through　the　lines？　　We　have　been　terribly　anxious　ahout

you。　　Your　brother　was　here　only　a　fortnight　ago；　and　he　and　your

father　were　in　a　great　way　about　you；　and　reproached　themselves

bitterly　that　they　did　not　send　you　to　us　before　the　troubles　began；

which　certainly　would　have　been　a　wiser　step；　as　I　told　them。　　Of

course　your　brother　said　that　when　they　left　you　to　join　the　army

they　had　no　idea　that　matters　were　going　so　far；　or　that　the

Yankees　would　drive　us　out　of　Tennessee；　or　they　would　never

have　dreamed　of　leaving　you　alone。　　However；　here　you　are；　so

now　tell　me　all　about　it。〃



Lucy　told　the　story　of　the　various　visits　of　the　Federal

bushwhackers　to　the　house；　and　how　they　had　narrowly　escaped

death　for　refusing　to　betray　the　Confederate　officer　who　had　come

to　the　house　for　food。　　Her　recital　was　frequently　interrupted　by

exclamations　of　indignation　and　pity　from　her　aunts。



〃Well；　aunts；　after　that；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　see　it　was　impossible

for　me　to　stop　there　any　longer。　　No　doubt　they　came　back　again　a

few　hours　afterward　and　burned　the　house；　and　had　I　been　found

there　I　should　have　been　sure　to　be　burned　in　it；　so　Chloe　agreed

with　me　that　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　try　and　get　through　the

lines　and　come　to　you。　　There　was　no　way　of　my　getting　my　living

at　Nashville　except　by　going　out　as　a　help；　and　there　might　have

been　some　difficulties　about　that。〃



〃Quite　right；　my　dear。　　It　was　clearly　the　best　thing　for　you　to　come

to　us…indeed；　the　only　thing。　　But　how　in　the　world　did　you　two

manage　to　travel　alone　all　that　distance　and　get　through　the　Federal

lines？〃



〃You　see；　we　were　not　alone；　aunts；〃　Lucy　said；　〃the　Confederate

officer　and　his　servant　were　coming　through；　and　of　course　they

took　care　of　us。　　We　could　never　have　got　through　alone；　and　as

Chloe　was　wi