the choir invisible-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rcastically。

Peter　made　no　reply；　but　his　neck　seemed　to　swell　and　his　face　to　be　getting　purple。

〃And　he's　a　friend　of　yours？　I　can't　even　play　a　little　joke　on　him。〃　〃Play　your　joke　on　him！〃　exclaimed　Peter；　〃and　when　my　time　comes；　I'll　play　mine。〃　〃When　he　sent　the　bundle　here　yesterday　morning　I　could　have　returned　it　straight　to　her。　I　locked　it　in　that　closet！　'You'll　never　go　to　the　ball　with　her；'　I　said；　'if　I　have　to　keep　her　away。'　I　set　my　trap。　To…day　I　hunted　up　Joseph　Holden。　'Come　by　the　office；　as　you　are　on　your　way　to　the　party　to…night；'　I　said。　'I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　a　piece　of　land。　Come　early；　then　we　can　go　together。'　When　he　camejust　before　you　didI　said；　'Look　here；　did　you　know　that　Amy　wouldn't　be　at　the　ball？　She　lost　her　clothes　as　she　was　coming　to　town　the　other　day；　and　somebody　has　just　sent　them　here　to　be　advertised。　I　think　I'd　better　take　them　around　to　her　yet：　it's　not　too　late。'　'I'll　take　them！　I'll　go　with　her　myself！'　he　cried；jumping　up。

〃So　she'll　be　there；　he'll　be　there；　I'll　be　there；　we'll　all　be　therebut　your　John　can　hear　about　it　in　the　morning。〃　And　O'Bannon　arose　slowly；　but　unexpectedly　sat　down　again。

〃You　think　I　won't　be　there；〃　he　said　threateningly　to　Peter。　〃You　think　I'm　drunk。　I'll　show　you！　I'll　show　you　that　I　can　walkthat　I　can　dancedance　by　myself　do　it　allby　myselffurnish　the　music　and　do　the　dancing。〃

He　began　whistling　〃Sir　Roger　de　Coverley；〃　and　stood　up；　but　sank　down　again　and　reached　for　the　bottle。

〃Peter；〃　he　said　with　a　soft　smile；　looking　down　at　his　gorgeous　swan's…down　waistcoat　and　his　well…shaped　dove…coloured　legs：　〃ain't　I　a　beauty？〃　〃Yes；　you　are　a　beauty！〃　said　Peter。

Suddenly　lifting　one　of　his　bare　feet；　he　shot　O'Bannon　as　by　the　action　of　a　catapult　against　the　printing…press。

He　lay　there　all　night。

IV

HOW　fine　a　thing　it　would　be　if　all　the　faculties　of　the　mind　could　be　trained　for　the　battles　of　life　as　a　modern　nation　makes　every　man　a　soldier。　Some　of　these；　as　we　know；　are　always　engaged　in　active　service；　but　there　are　times　when　they　need　to　be　strengthened　by　others；　constituting　a　first　reserve；　and　yet　graver　emergencies　arise　in　the　marchings　of　every　man　when　the　last　defences　of　land　and　hearth　should　be　ready　to　turn　out：　too　often　even　then　the　entire　disciplined　strength　of　his　forces　would　count　as　a　mere　handful　to　the　great　allied　powers　of　the　world　and　the　devil。

But　so　few　of　our　faculties　are　of　a　truly　military　turn；　and　these　wax　indolent　and　unwary　from　disuse　like　troops　during　long　times　of　peace。　We　all　come　to　recognize　sooner　or　later；　of　course；　the　unfailing　little　band　of　them　that　form　our　standby；　our　battle…smoked　campaigners；　our　Old　Guard；　that　dies；　neversurrenders。　Who　of　us　also　but　knows　his　faithful　artillery；　dragging　along　his　big　gunsand　so　liable　to　reach　the　scene　after　the　fighting　is　over？　Who　when　worsted　has　not　fought　many　a　battle　through　again　merely　to　show　how　different　the　result　would　have　been；　if　his　artillery　had　only　arrived　in　time！　Boom！　boom！　boom！　　Where　are　the　enemy　now？　　And　who　does　not　take　pride　in　his　navy；　sweeping　the　high　seas　of　the　imagination　but　too　often　departed　for　some　foreign　port　when　the　coast　defences　need　protecting？

Beyond　this　general　dismemberment　of　our　resources　do　we　not　all　feel　the　presence　within　us　of　certain　renegades？　Does　there　not　exist　inside　every　man　a　certain　big；　ferocious…looking　faculty　who　is　his　drum　majorloving　to　strut　at　the　head　of　a　peaceful　parade　and　twirl　his　bawble　and　roll　his　eyes　at　the　children　and　scowl　back　at　the　quiet　intrepid　fellows　behind　as　though　they　were　his　personal　prisoners？　　Let　but　a　skirmish　threaten；　and　our　dear；　ferocious；　fat　major！　not　even　in　the　rearnot　even　on　the　field！　　Then　there　is　a　rattling　little　mannikin　who　sleeps　in　the　barracks　of　the　brain　and　is　good　for　nothing　but　to　beat　the　cerebral　drum。　There　is　a　certain　awkward　squadtoo　easily　identifiedwho　have　been　drafted　again　and　again　into　service　only　to　be　in　the　way　of　every　skilled　manoeuvre；　only　to　be　mustered　out　as　raw　recruits　at　the　very　end　of　life。　And；　finally；　there　is　a　miscellaneous　crowd　of　our　faculties　scattered　far　and　near　at　their　humdrum　peaceful　occupations；　so　that　if　a　quick　call　for　war　be　heard；　these　do　but　behave　as　a　populace　that　rushes　into　a　street　to　gaze　at　the　national　guard　already　marching　past；　some　of　the　spectators　not　even　grateful；　not　even　cheering。

All　that　day　John　had　to　fight　a　battle　for　which　he　had　never　been　trained；　moreover　he　had　been　compelled　to　divide　his　forces：　there　was　the　far…off　solemn　battle　going　on　in　his　private　thoughts；　and　there　was　the　usual　siege　of　duties　in　the　school。　For　once　he　would　gladly　have　shirked　the　latter；　but　the　single　compensation　he　always　tried　to　wrest　from　the　disagreeable　things　of　life　was　to　do　them　in　such　a　way　that　they　would　never　fester　in　his　conscience　like　thorns　broken　off　in　the　flesh。

During　the　forenoon；　therefore；　by　an　effort　which　only　those　who　have　experienced　it　can　understand；　he　ordered　off　all　communication　with　larger　troubles　and　confined　himself　in　that　stifling　prison…house　of　the　mind　where　the　perplexities　and　toils　of　childhood　become　enormous　and　everything　else　in　the　world　grows　small。　Up　under　the　joists　there　was　the　terrible　struggle　of　a　fly　in　a　web；　at　first　more　and　more　violent；　then　ceasing　in　a　strain　so　fine　that　the　ear　could　scarce　take　it；　a　bee　came　in　one　window；　went　out　another；　a　rat；　sniffing　greedily　at　its　hole；　crept　toward　a　crumb　under　a　bench；　ran　back；　crept　nearer；　seized　it　and　was　gone；　a　toiling　slate…pencil　grated　on　its　way　as　arduously　as　a　wagon　up　a　hill；　he　had　to　teach　a　beginner　its　letters。　These　were　the　great　happenings。　At　noon　the　same　child　that　had　brought　him　a　note　on　the　day　before　came　with　another：

〃Kitty　is　going　to　the　ball　with　Horatio。　I　shall　be　alone。　We　can　have　our　talk　uninterrupted。　How　unreasonable　you　are！　Why　don't　you　understand　things　without　wanting　to　have　them　explained？　If　you　wish　to　go　to　the　ball；　you　can　do　this　afterwards。　Don't　come　till　Kitty　has　gone。〃

Duties　in　the　school　till　near　sunset；　then　letters。　　O'Bannon　had　told　him　that　Mr。　Bradford's　post…rider　would　leave　at　four　o'clock　next　morning；　if　he　had　letters　to　send；　they　must　be　deposited　in　the　box　that　night。　Gray　had　letters　of　the　utmost　importance　to　writeto　his　lawyer　regarding　the　late　decision　in　his　will　case；　and　to　the　secretary　of　the　Democratic　Club　in　Philadelphia　touching　the　revival　of　activity　in　the　clubs　throughout　the　country　on　account　of　the　expected　treaty　with　England。

After　he　had　finished　them；　he　strolled　slowly　about　the　dark　townpast　his　school…house；　thinking　that　his　teaching　days　would　soon　be　overpast　Peter's　blacksmith　shop；　thinking　what　a　good　fellow　he　always　waspast　Mr。　Bradford's　editorial　room；　with　a　light　under　the　door　and　the　curtain　drawn　across　the　window。　　Two　or　three　times　he　lingered　before　show…windows　of　merchandise。　He　had　some　taste　in　snuff…boxes；　being　the　inheritor　of　several　from　his　Scotch　and　Irish　ancestors；　and　there　were　a　few　in　the　new　silversmith's　window　which　he　found　little　to　his　liking。　As　he　passed　a　tavern；　a　group　of　Revolutionary　officers；　not　yet　gone　to　the　ball；　were　having　a　time　of　it　over　their　pipes　and　memories；　and　he　paused　to　hear　one　finish　a　yarn　of　strong　fibre　about　the　battle　of　King's　Mountain。　Couples　went　hurrying　by　him　beautifully　dressed。　Once　down　a　dark　street　he　fancied　that　he　distinguished　Amy's　laughter　ringing　faintly　out　on　the　still　air；　and　once　down　another　he　clearly　heard　the　long　cry　of　a　pet　panther　kept　by　a　young　backwoods　hunter。

The　Poythress　homestead　was　wrapped　in　silence　as　he　stepped　upon　the　porch；　but　the　door　was　open；　there　was　a　light　inside；　and　by　means　of　this　he　discovered；　lying　asleep　on　the　threshold；　a　lad　who　was　apprentice　to　the　new　English　silversmith　of　the　town　and　a　lodger　at　the　minister'sthe　bond　of　acquaintanceship　being　the　memory　of　John　Wesley　who　had　sprinkled　the　lad's　father　in　England。

John　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　tried　to　break　his　slumber。　He　opened　h