the choir invisible-第1章

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The　Choir　Invisible

by　James　Lane　Allen




　〃O　may　I　join　the　choir　invisible　Of　those　immortal　dead　who　live　again　In　minds　made　better　by　their　presence。　。　。　。　。　。　feed　pure　love；　Beget　the　smiles　that　have　no　cruelty；　Be　the　sweet　presence　of　a　good　diffused　And　in　diffusion　evermore　intense。　So　shall　I　join　the　choir　invisible　Whose　music　is　the　gladness　of　the　world。〃

GEORGE　ELIOT

THE　middle　of　a　fragrant　afternoon　of　May　in　the　green　wilderness　of　Kentucky：　the　year　1795。

High　overhead　ridges　of　many…peaked　cloudthe　gleaming；　wandering　Alps　of　the　blue　ether；　outstretched　far　below；　the　warming　bosom　of　the　earth；　throbbing　with　the　hope　of　maternity。　Two　spirits　abroad　in　the　air；　encountering　each　other　and　passing　into　one：　the　spirit　of　scentless　spring　left　by　melting　snows　and　the　spirit　of　scented　summer　born　with　the　earliest　buds。　The　road　through　the　forest　one　of　those　wagon…tracks　that　were　being　opened　from　the　clearings　of　the　settlers；　and　that　wound　along　beneath　trees　of　which　those　now　seen　in　Kentucky　are　the　unworthy　survivorsoaks　and　walnuts；　maples　and　elms；　centuries　old；　gnarled；　massive；　drooping；　majestic；　through　whose　arches　the　sun　hurled　down　only　some　solitary　spear　of　gold；　and　over　whose　gray…mossed　roots　some　cold　brook　crept　in　silence；　with　here　and　there　billowy　open　spaces　of　wild　rye；　buffalo　grass；　and　clover　on　which　the　light　fell　in　sheets　of　radiance；　with　other　spots　so　dim　that　for　ages　no　shoot　had　sprung　from　the　deep　black　mould；　blown　to　and　fro　across　this　wagon…road；　odours　of　ivy；　pennyroyal　and　mint；　mingled　with　the　fragrance　of　the　wild　grape；　flitting　to　and　fro　across　it；　as　low　as　the　violet…beds；　as　high　as　the　sycamores；　unnumbered　kinds　of　birds；　some　of　which　like　the　paroquet　are　long　since　vanished。

Down　it　now　there　came　in　a　drowsy　amble　an　old　white　bob…tail　horse；　his　polished　coat　shining　like　silver　when　he　crossed　an　expanse　of　sunlight；　fading　into　spectral　paleness　when　he　passed　under　the　rayless　trees；　his　foretop　floating　like　a　snowy　plume　in　the　light　wind；　his　unshod　feet；　half…covered　by　the　fetlocks；　stepping　noiselessly　over　the　loamy　earth；　the　rims　of　his　nostrils　expanding　like　flexible　ebony；　and　in　his　eyes　that　look　of　peace　which　is　never　seen　but　in　those　of　petted　animals。

He　had　on　an　old　bridle　with　knots　of　blue　violets　hanging；　down　at　his　ears；　over　his　broad　back　was　spread　a　blanket　of　buffalo…skin；　on　this　rested　a　worn　black　side…saddle；　and　sitting　in　the　saddle　was　a　girl；　whom　every　young　man　of　the　town　not　far　away　knew　to　be　Amy　Falconer；　and　whom　many　an　old　pioneer　dreamed　of　when　he　fell　asleep　beside　his　rifle　and　his　hunting…knife　in　his　lonely　cabin　of　the　wilderness。　She　was　perhaps　the　first　beautiful　girl　of　aristocratic　birth　ever　seen　in　Kentucky；　and　the　first　of　the　famous　train　of　those　who　for　a　hundred　years　since　have　wrecked　or　saved　the　lives　of　the　men。

Her　pink　calico　dress；　newly　starched　and　ironed；　had　looked　so　pretty　to　her　when　she　had　started　from　home；　that　she　had　not　been　able　to　bear　the　thought　of　wearing　over　it　this　lovely　afternoon　her　faded；　mud…stained　riding…skirt；　and　it　was　so　short　that　it　showed；　resting　against　the　saddle…skirt；　her　little　feet　loosely　fitted　into　new　bronze　morocco　shoes。　On　her　hands　she　had　drawn　white　half…hand　mittens　of　home…knit；　and　on　her　head　she　wore　an　enormous　white　scoop…bonnet；　lined　with　pink　and　tied　under　her　chin　in　a　huge　muslin　bow。　Her　face；　hidden　away　under　the　pink…and…white　shadow；　showed　such　hints　of　pearl　and　rose　that　it　seemed　carved　from　the　inner　surface　of　a　sea…shell。　Her　eyes　were　gray；　almond　shaped；　rather　wide　apart；　with　an　expression　changeful　and　playful；　but　withal　rather　shrewd　and　hard；　her　light　brown　hair；　as　fine　as　unspun　silk；　was　parted　over　her　brow　and　drawn　simply　back　behind　her　ears；　and　the　lips　of　her　little　mouth　curved　against　each　other；　fresh；　velvet…like；　smiling。

On　she　rode　down　the　avenue　of　the　primeval　woods；　and　Nature　seemed　arranged　to　salute　her　as　some　imperial　presence；　with　the　waving　of　a　hundred　green　boughs　above　on　each　side；　with　a　hundred　floating　odours；　with　the　swift　play　of　nimble　forms　up　and　down　the　boles　of　trees；　and　all　the　sweet　confusion　of　innumerable　melodies。

Then　one　of　those　trifles　happened　that　contain　the　history　of　our　lives；　as　a　drop　of　dew　draws　into　itself　the　majesty　and　solemnity　of　the　heavens。

》From　the　pommel　of　the　side…saddle　there　dangled　a　heavy　roll　of　home…spun　linen；　which　she　was　taking　to　town　to　her　aunt's　merchant　as　barter　for　queen's…ware　pitchers；　and　behind　this　roll　of　linen；　fastened　to　a　ring　under　the　seat　of　the　saddle；　was　swung　a　bundle　tied　up　in　a　large　blue…and…white　checked　cotton　neckkerchief。　Whenever　she　fidgeted　in　the　saddle；　or　whenever　the　horse　stumbled　as　he　often　did　because　he　was　clumsy　and　because　the　road　was　obstructed　by　stumps　and　roots；　the　string　by　which　this　bundle　was　tied　slipped　a　little　through　the　lossening　knot　and　the　bundle　hung　a　little　lower　down。　Just　where　the　wagon…trail　passed　out　into　the　broader　public　road　leading　from　Lexington　to　Frankfort　and　the　travelling　began　to　be　really　good；　the　horse　caught　one　of　his　forefeet　against　the　loop　of　a　root；　was　thrown　violently　forward；　and　the　bundle　slipped　noiselessly　from　the　saddle　to　the　earth。

She　did　not　see　it。　She　indignantly　gathered　the　reins　more　tightly　in　her　hand；　pushed　back　her　bonnet；　which　now　hung　down　over　her　eyes　like　the　bill　of　a　pelican；　and　applied　her　little　switch　of　wild　cherry　to　the　horse's　flank　with　such　vehemence　that　a　fly　which　was　about　to　alight　on　that　spot　went　to　the　other　side。　The　old　horse　himselfhe　bore　the　peaceable　name　of　William　Pennmerely　gave　one　of　the　comforting　switches　of　his　bob…tail　with　which　he　brushed　away　the　thought　of　any　small　annoyance；　and　stopped　a　moment　to　nibble　at　the　wayside　cane　mixed　with　purple　blossoming　peavine。

Out　of　the　lengthening　shadows　of　the　woods　the　girl　and　the　horse　passed　on　toward　the　little　town；　and　far　behind　them　in　the　public　road　lay　the　lost　bundle。

II

IN　the　open　square　on　Cheapside　in　Lexington　there　is　now　a　bronze　statue　of　John　Breckinridge。　Not　far　from　where　it　stands　the　pioneers　a　hundred　years　ago　had　built　the　first　log　school…house　of　the　town。

Poor　old　school…house；　long　since　become　scattered　ashes！　Poor　little　backwoods　academicians；　driven　in　about　sunrise；　driven　out　toward　dusk！　Poor　little　tired　backs　with　nothing　to　lean　against！　Poor　little　bare　feet　that　could　never　reach　the　floor！　Poor　little　droop…headed　figures；　so　sleepy　in　the　long　summer　days；　so　afraid　to　fall　asleep！　Long；　long　since；　little　children　of　the　past；　your　backs　have　become　straight　enough；　measured　on　the　same　cool　bed；　sooner　or　later　your　feet；　wherever　wandering；　have　found　their　resting…places　in　the　soft　earth；　and　all　your　drooping　heads　have　gone　to　sleep　on　the　same　dreamless　pillow　and　there　are　sleeping。　And　the　young　schoolmaster；　who　seemed　exempt　from　frailty　while　he　guarded　like　a　sentinel　that　lone　outpost　of　the　alphabethe　too　has　long　since　joined　the　choir　invisible　of　the　immortal　dead。　But　there　is　something　left　of　him　though　more　than　a　century　has　passed　away：　something　that　has　wandered　far　down　the　course　of　time　to　us　like　the　faint　summer　fragrance　of　a　young　tree　long　since　fallen　dead　in　its　wintered　forestlike　a　dim　radiance　yet　travelling　onward　into　space　from　an　orb　turned　black　and　coldlike　an　old　melody；　surviving　on　and　on　in　the　air　without　any　instrument；　without　any　strings。

John　Gray；　the　school…master。　At　four　o'clock　that　afternoon　and　therefore　earlier　than　usual；　he　was　standing　on　the　hickory　block　which　formed　the　doorstep　of　the　school…house；　having　just　closed　the　door　behind　him　for　the　day。　Down　at　his　side；　between　the　thumb　and　forefinger　of　one　hand；　hung　his　big　black　hat；　which　was　decorated　with　a　tricoloured　cockade；　to　show　that　he　was　a　member　of　the　Democratic　Society　of　Lexington；　modelled　after　the　Democratic　Society　of　Philadelphia　and　the　Jacobin　clubs　of　France。　In　the　open　palm　of　the　other　lay　his　big　silver　English　lever　watch　with　a