the choir invisible-第21章

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n；　bent　on　trying　the　virtue　of　a　final　peck。

〃But　you　haven't　congratulated　me；　Aunt　Jessica！　　You　have　turned　your　back　on　the　bride　electyou　with　all　your　fine　manners！　She　presents　herself　once　more　to　your　notice　the　future　Mrs。　Joseph　Holden；　Junior；　to　be　married　one　month　from　last　night！〃　And　unexpectedly　standing　in　front　of　Mrs。　Falconer；　Amy　made　one　of　her　low　bows　which　she　had　practised　in　the　minuet。　But　catching　the　sight　of　the　face　of　her　aunt；　she　cried　remorsefully：

〃Oh；　I　have　been　so　rude　to　you；　Aunt　Jessica！　Forgive　me！〃　There　was　something　of　the　new　sense　of　womanhood　in　her　voice　and　of　the　sisterhood　in　suffering　which　womanhood　alone　can　bring。

But　Mrs。　Falconer　had　not　heard　Amy's　last　exclamation。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked　with　quick　tremulous　eagerness。　She　had　regained　her　firmness　of　demeanour；　which　alone　should　have　turned　back　any　expression　of　sympathy　before　it　could　have　been　offered。

〃That　I　am　to　become　Mrs。　Joseph　Holdena　month　from　last　night；〃　repeated　Amy　bewitchingly。

〃You　are　serious？〃

〃I　am　serious！〃

Mrs。　Falconer　did　not　take　Amy's　word：　she　searched　her　face　and　eyes　with　one　swift　scrutiny　that　was　like　a　merciless　white　flame　of　truth；　scorching　away　all　sham；　all　play；　all　unreality。　Then　she　dropped　her　head　quickly；　so　that　her　own　face　remained　hidden；　and　silently　plied　her　work。　But　how　the　very　earth　about　the　rake；　how　the　little　roots　and　clods；　seemed　to　come　to　life　and　leap　joyously　into　the　air！　All　at　once　she　dropped　everything　and　came　over　and　took　Amy's　hand　and　kissed　her　cheek。　Her　lovely　eyes　were　glowing；　her　face　looked　as　though　it　had　upon　it　the　rosy　shadow　of　the　peach　trees　not　far　away。

〃I　do　congratulate　you；〃　she　said　sweetly；　but　with　the　reserve　which　Amy's　accession　to　womanhood　and　the　entire　conversation　of　the　morning　made　an　unalterable　barrier　to　her。　〃You　have　not　needed　advice：　you　have　chosen　wisely。　You　shall　have　a　beautiful　wedding。　I　will　make　your　dress　myself。　The　like　of　it　will　never　have　been　seen　in　the　wilderness。　You　shall　have　all　the　finest　linen　in　the　weaving…room。　Only　a　month！　How　shall　we　ever　get　ready！if　we　stand　idling　here！　Oh；　the　work；　the　work！〃　she　cried　and　turned　to　hers　with　a　dismissing　smileunable　to　trust　herself　to　say　more。

〃And　I　must　go　and　take　the　things　out　of　my　bundle；〃　cried　Amy；　catching　the　contagion　of　all　this　and　bounding　away　to　the　house。　Some　five　minutes　later　Mrs。　Falconer　glanced　at　the　sun：　it　was　eleven　o'clocktime　to　be　getting　dinner。

When　she　reached　her　room；　Amy　was　standing　beside　the　bed；　engaged　in　lifting　out　of　the　bundle　the　finery　now　so　redolent　of　the　ball。　〃Aunt　Jessica；〃　she　remarked　carelessly；　without　looking　round；　〃I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　John　Gray　had　a　fight　with　a　panther　in　his　schoolroom　this　morning；〃　and　she　gave　several　gossamer…like　touches　to　the　white　lace　tucker。　Mrs。　Falconer　had　seated　herself　in　a　chair　to　rest。　She　had　taken　off　her　bonnet；　and　her　fingers　were　unconsciously　busy　with　the　lustrous　edges　of　her　heavy　hair。　At　Amy's　words　her　hands　fell　to　her　lap。　But　she　had　long　ago　learned　the　value　of　silence　and　self…control　when　she　was　most　deeply　moved：　Amy　had　already　surprised　her　once　that　morning。

〃The　panther　bit　him　in　the　shoulder　close　to　the　neck；〃　continued　Amy；　folding　the　tucker　away　and　lifting　out　the　blue　silk　coat。　〃They　were　on　the　floor　of　the　school…house　in　the　last　struggle　when　Erskine　got　there。　He　had　gone　for　Phoebe　Lovejoy's　cows；　because　it　was　raining　and　she　couldn't　go　herself；　and　he　heard　John　as　he　was　passing。　He　said　his　voice　sounded　like　the　bellow　of　a　dying　bull。〃　〃Is　he　much　hurt？　Where　is　he？　Did　you　go　to　see　him？　　ho　dressed　his　wound？　Who　is　with　him？〃

〃They　carried　him　home；〃　said　Amy；　turning　round　to　the　light　and　pressing　the　beautiful　silk　coat　in　against　her　figure　with　little　kicks　at　the　skirt。　〃No；　I　didn't　go；　Joseph　came　round　and　told　me。　He　didn't　think　the　wound　was　very　dangerousnecessarily。　　One　of　his　hands　was　terribly　clawed。〃

〃A　panther？　In　town？　In　his　schoolroom？〃

〃You　know　Erskine　keeps　a　pet　panther。　I　heard　him　tell　Mrs。　Poythress　it　was　a　female；〃　said　Amy　with　an　apologetic　icy；　knowing　little　laugh。　〃And　he　said　this　one　had　been　prowling　about　in　the　edge　of　the　canebrakes　for　several　days。　He　had　been　trying　to　get　a　shot　at　it。　He　says　it　was　nearly　starved：　that　was　why　it　wanted　to　eat　John　whole　before　breakfast。〃

Amy　turned　back　to　the　bed　and　shook　out　delicately　the　white　muslin　dressthe　dress　that　John　had　hung　on　the　wall　of　his　cabinthat　had　wound　itself　around　his　figure　so　clingingly。


There　was　silence　in　the　room。　Amy　had　now　reached　the　silk　stockings；　and　taking　up　one；　she　blew　down　into　it　and　quickly　peeped　over　the　side；　to　see　whether　it　would　fill　out　to　life…sizewith　a　mischievous　wink。

〃I　am　going　to　him　at　once。〃

Amy　looked　up　in　amazement。　〃But；　Aunt　Jessica；〃　she　observed　reproachfully；　〃who　will　get　uncle's　dinner？　You　know　I　can't。〃　〃Tell　your　uncle　what　has　happened　as　soon　as　he　comes。〃

She　had　risen　and　was　making　some　rapid　preparations。

〃I　want　my　dinner；〃　said　Amy　ruefully；　seating　herself　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　watching　her　aunt　with　disapproval。

〃You　can't　go　now！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Uncle　has　the　horses　in　the　field。〃

Mrs。　Falconer　turned　to　her　with　simple　earnestness。

〃I　hoped　you　would　lend　me　your　horse？〃

〃But　he　is　tired；　and　beside　I　want　to　use　him　this　afternoon：　Kitty　and　I　are　going　visiting。〃

〃Tell　your　uncle　when　he　comes　in；〃　said　Mrs。　Falconer；　turning　in　the　doorway　a　minute　later；　and　speaking　rapidly　to　her　niece；　but　without　the　least　reproach；　〃tell　your　uncle　that　his　friend　is　badly　hurt。　Tell　him　that　we　do　not　know　how　badly。　Tell　him　that　I　have　gone　to　find　out　and　to　do　anything　for　him　that　I　can。　　Tell　him　to　follow　me　at　once。　　He　will　find　me　at　his　bedside。　I　am　sorry　about　the　dinner。〃


XII

SEVERAL　days　had　slipped　by。

At　John's　request　they　had　moved　his　bed　across　the　doorway　of　his　cabin；　and　stretched　there；　he　could　see　the　sun　spring　every　morning　out　the　dimpled　emerald　ocean　of　the　wilderness；　and　the　moon　follow　at　night；　silvering　the　soft　ripples　of　the　multitudinous　leaves　lapping　the　shores　of　silence：　days　when　the　inner　noises　of　life　sounded　like　storms；　nights　when　everything　within　him　lay　as　still　as　memory。

His　wounds　had　behaved　well　from　the　out…set。　When　he　had　put　forth　all　his　frenzied　despairing　strength　to　throttle　the　cougar；　it　had　let　go　its　hold　only　to　sink　its　fangs　more　deeply　into　his　flesh；　thus　increasing　the　laceration；　and　there　was　also　much　laceration　of　the　hand。　But　the　rich　blood　flowing　in　him　was　the　purest；　and　among　a　people　who　for　a　quarter　of　a　century　had　been　used　to　the　treatment　of　wounds；　there　prevailed　a　rough　but　genuine　skill　that　stood　him　in　good　stead。　　To　these　hardy　fighting　folk；　as　to　him；　it　was　a　scratch　and　he　would　have　liked　to　go　on　with　his　teaching。　Warned　of　the　danger　of　inflammation；　however；　he　took　to　his　bed；　and　according　to　our　own　nervous　standards　which　seem　to　have　intensified　pain　for　us　beyond　the　comprehension　of　our　forefathers；　he　was　sick　and　a　great　sufferer。

Those　long　cool；　sweet；　brilliant　days！　Those　long　still；　lonely；　silvery　nights！　His　cabin　stood　near　the　crest　of　the　hill　that　ran　along　the　southern　edge　of　the　settlement；　and　propped　on　his　bed；　he　could　look　down　into　the　wide　valleyinto　the　town。　The　frame　of　his　door　became　the　frame　of　many　a　living　picture。　Under　a　big　shady　tree　at　the　creek…side；　he　could　see　some　of　his　children　playing　or　fishing：　their　shouts　and　laughter　were　borne　to　his　ear；　he　could　recognize　their　shrill　voicesthose　always　masterful　voices　of　boys　at　their　games。　Sometimes　these　little　figures　were　framed　timidly　just　outside　the　doorthe　girls　with　small　wilted　posies；　the　boys　with　inquiries。　But　there　was　no　disguising　the　dread　they　all　felt　that　he　might　soon　be　well：　he　had　felt　himself　once；　he　did　not　blame　them。　Wee　Jennie　even　came　up　with　her　slate　one　day　and　asked　him　to　set　her　a　sum　in　multiplication；　he　did　so；　but　he　knew　that　she　would　rub　it　out　as　so