the choir invisible-第13章

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be　insincere？　Did　she　even　know　what　sincerity　was？　Would　he　marry　an　insincere　woman？　Insincerity　was　a　growth　not　only　ineradicable；　but　sure　to　spread　over　the　nature　as　one　grew　older。　He　knew　young　people　over　whose　minds　it　had　begun　to　creep　like　the　mere　slip　of　a　plant　up　a　wall；　old　ones　over　whose　minds　it　lay　like　a　poisonous　creeper　hiding　a　rotting　ruin。　To　be　married　and　sit　helplessly　by　and　see　this　growth　slowly　sprouting　outward　from　within；　enveloping　the　woman　he　loved；　concealing　her；　dragging　her　downan　unarrestable　diseasewas　that　to　be　his　fate？

Was　it　already　taking　palpable　possession　of　Amy？　Could　he　hide　his　eyes　any　longer　to　the　fact　that　he　had　felt　its　presence　in　her　all　the　timein　its　barely　discoverable　stages？　What　else　could　explain　her　conduct　in　allowing　him；　whenever　they　were　alone；　to　think　that　she　was　fond　of　him；　and　then　scattering　this　belief　to　the　winds　whenever　others　were　present？　Was　this　what　Mrs。　Falconer　had　meant？　He　could　never　feel　any　doubt　of　Mrs。　Falconer。　Merely　to　think　of　her　now　had　the　effect　of　instantly　clearing　the　whole　atmosphere　for　his　baffled；　bewildered　mind。So　the　day　ended。　He　had　been　beaten；　routed；　and　by　forces　how　insignificant！　Bitterly　he　recalled　his　lesson　to　the　children　that　morning。　What　a　McGary　he　had　beenreckless；　overconfident；　knowing　neither　theplan　nor　the　resources　of　the　enemy！　He　recalled　his　boast　to　Mrs。　Falconer　the　day　before；　that　he　had　never　been　defeated　and　that　now　he　would　proceed　to　carry　out　the　plans　of　his　life　without　interruption。　But　to…morrow　evening；　Amy　would　not　be　going　to　the　ball。　She　would　be　alone。　Then　he　would　not　go。　He　must　find　out　all　that　he　wished　to　knowor　all　that　he　did　not。　VIII

THE　evening　of　the　ball　had　come　at　last。Not　far　from　John's　school　on　the　square　stood　another　log　cabin；　from　which　another　and　much　more　splendid　light　streamed　out　across　the　wilderness：　this　being　the　printing　room　and　book…bindery　of　the　great　Mr。　John　Bradford。　His　portrait；　scrutinized　now　from　the　distance　and　at　the　disadvantage　of　a　hundred　years；　hands　him　down　to　posterity　as　a　bald…headed　man　with　a　seedy　growth　of　hair　sprouting　laterally　from　his　temples；　so　that　his　ears　look　like　little　flat…boats　half　hidden　in　little　canebrakes；　with　mutton…chop　whiskers　growing　far　up　on　the　overhanging　ledges　of　his　cheek…bones　and　suggesting　rather　a　daring　variety　of　lichen；　with　a　long　arched　nose；　running　on　its　own　hook　in　a　southwesterly　direction；　one　eye　a　little　higher　than　the　other；　a　protruding　upper　lip；　as　though　he　had　behind　it　a　set　of　the　false　teeth　of　the　time；　which　were　fixed　into　the　jaws　by　springs　and　hinges；　all　but　compelling　a　man　to　keep　his　mouth　shut　by　main　force；　and　a　very　short　neck　with　an　overflowing　jowl　which　weighed　too　heavily　on　his　high　shirt　collar。

Despite　his　maligning　portrait　a　foremost　personage　of　his　day；　of　indispensable　substance；　of　invaluable　port：　Revolutionary　soldier；　Indian　warrior；　editor　and　proprietor　of　the　Kentucky　Gazette；　the　first　newspaper　in　the　wilderness；　binder　of　its　first　bookssome　of　his　volumes　still　surviving　on　musty；　forgotten　shelves；　senatorial　elector；　almanac…maker；　taking　his　ideas　from　the　greater　Mr。　Franklin　of　Philadelphia；　as　Mr。　Franklin　may　have　derived　his　from　the　still　greater　Mr。　Jonathan　Swift　of　London；　appointed　as　chairman　of　the　board　of　trustees　to　meet　the　first　governor　of　the　State　when　he　had　ridden　into　the　town　three　years　before　and　in　behalf　of　the　people　of　the　new　commonwealth　which　had　been　carried　at　last　triumphantly　into　the　Union；　to　bid　his　excellency　welcome　in　an　address　conceived　in　the　most　sonorous　English　of　the　period；　and　afterwards　for　many　years　author　of　the　now　famous　〃Notes；〃　which　will　perhaps　make　his　name　immortal　among　American　historians。　On　this　evening　of　the　ball　at　the　home　of　General　James　Wilkinson；　the　great　Mr。　Bradford　was　out　of　town；　and　that　most　unluckily；　for　the　occasionin　addition　to　all　the　pleasure　that　it　would　furnish　to　the　ladieswas　designed　as　a　means　of　calling　together　the　leaders　of　the　movement　to　separate　Kentucky　from　the　Union；　and　the　idea　may　have　been；　that　the　great　Mr。　Bradford；　having　written　one　fine　speech　to　celebrate　her　entrance；　could　as　easily　turn　out　a　finer　one　to　celebrate　her　withdrawal。

It　must　not　be　inferred　that　his　absence　had　any　political　significance。　He　had　merely　gone　a　few　days　previous　to　the　little　settlement　at　Georgetownnamed　for　the　great　Georgeto　lay　in　a　supply　of　paper　for　his　Weekly；　and　had　been　detained　there　by　heavy　local　rains；　not　risking　so　dry　an　article　of　merchandise　either　by　pack…horse　or　open　wagon　under　the　dripping　trees。　Paper　was　very　scarce　in　the　wilderness　and　no　man　could　afford　to　let　a　single　piece　get　wet。

In　setting　out　on　his　journey；　he　had　instructed　his　sole　assistanta　young　man　by　the　name　of　Charles　O'Bannonas　to　his　duties　in　the　meantime：　he　was　to　cut　some　new　capital　letters　out　of　a　block　of　dog…wood　in　the　office；　and　also　some　small　letters　where　the　type　fell　short；　to　collect　if　possible　some　unpaid　subscriptionsthis　being　one　of　the　advantages　that　an　editor　always　takes　of　his　own　absencein　particular　to　call　upon　certain　merchants　for　arrears　in　advertisements；　and　he　was　to　receive　any　lost　articles　that　might　be　sent　in　to　be　advertised；　or　return　such　as　should　be　called　for　by　their　owners：　with　other　details　appertaining　to　the　establishment。

O'Bannon　had　performed　his　duties　as　he　had　been　toldreserving　for　himself；　as　always；　the　right　of　a　personal　construction。　He　had　addressed　a　written　appeal　to　the　nonpaying　subscribers；　declaring　that　the　Gazette　had　now　become　a　Try…Weekly；　since　Mr。　Bradford　had　to　try　hard　every　week　to　get　it　out　by　the　end；　he　had　collected　from　several　delinquent　advertisers；　whittled　out　three　new　capital　letters；　and　also　the　face　of　Mr。　Bradford　and　one　of　his　legs；　taken　charge　with　especial　interest　of　the　department　of　Lost　and　Found　and　was　now　ready　for　other　duties。

On　this　evening　of　the　ball　he　was　sitting　in　the　office。

In　one　corner　of　the　room　stood　a　worn　handpress　with　two　dog…skin　inking…balls。　Between　the　logs　of　the　wall　near　another　corner　a　horizontal　iron　bar　had　been　driven；　and　from　the　end　of　this　bar　hung　a　saucer…shaped　iron　lamp　filled　with　bear…oil。　Out　of　this　oil　stuck　the　end　of　a　cotton　rag　for　a　wick；　which；　being　set　on　fire；　filled　the　room　with　a　strong　smell　and　a　feeble；　murky；　flickering　light。　Under　the　lamp　stood　a　plain　oak　slab　on　two　pairs　of　crosslegs；　and　on　the　slab　were　papers　and　letters；　a　black　ink…horn；　some　leaves　of　native　tobacco；　and　a　large　gray…horn　drinking…cupempty。　Under　the　table　was　a　lately　emptied　bottle。O'Bannon　sat　in　a　rough　chair　before　this　drinking…cup；　smoking　a　long　tomahawk…pipe。　His　head　was　tilted　backward；　his　eyes　followed　the　flight　of　smoke　upward。

That　he　expected　to　be　at　the　party　might　have　been　inferred　from　his　dress：　a　blue　broadcloth　coat　with　yellow　gilt　buttons；　a　swan's…down　waistcoat　with　broad　stripes　of　red　and　white；　a　pair　of　dove…coloured　corded…velvet　pantaloons　with　three　large　yellow　buttons　on　the　hips；　and　a　neckcloth　of　fine　white　cam…　bric。His　figure　was　thickset；　strong；　cumbrous；　his　hair　black；　curly；　shining。　His　eyes；　bold；　vivacious；　and　now　inflamed；　were　of　that　rarely　beautiful　blue　which　is　seen　only　in　members　of　the　Irish　race。　His　complexion　was　a　blending　of　the　lily　and　the　rose。　　His　lips　were　thick　and　red　under　his　short　fuzzy　moustache。　His　hands　also　were　thick　and　soft；　always　warm；　and　not　very　cleanon　account　of　the　dog…skin　inking…balls。

He　had　two　ruling　passions：　the　influence　he　thought　himself　entitled　to　exert　over　women；　and　his　disposition　to　play　practical　jokes　on　men。　Both　the　first　and　the　second　of　these　weaknesses　grew　out　of　his　confidence　that　he　had　nothing　to　fear　from　either　sex。　Nevertheless　he　had　felt　forced　to　admit　that　his　charms　had　never　prevailed　with　Amy　Falconer。　He　had　often　wondered　how　she　could　resist；　but　she　had　resisted　without　the　least　effort。　Still；　he　pursued；　and　he　had　once　told　her　with　smiling　candour　that　if　she　did　not　mind　the　pursuit；　he　d