the choir invisible-第4章

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〃The　queen's　not　in　the　parlour；　eating　bread　and　honey。　She　has　gone　to　town　to　stay　with　Kitty　Poythress　till　after　the　ball。〃

She　noted　how　his　expression　instantly　changed；　and　how；　unconscious　of　his　own　action；　he　shifted　his　face　back　to　the　direction　of　the　town。

〃Her　uncle　was　to　take　her　in　to…morrow；〃　she　went　on；　still　watching　him；　〃but　no！　she　and　Kitty　must　see　each　other　to…night；　and　her　uncle　must　be　sure　to　bring　her　party　finery　in　the　gig　to…morrow。　I'm　sorry　you　had　your　walk　for　nothing；　but　you'll　stay　to　supper？〃

〃Thank　you；　I　must　go　back　presently。〃

〃Didn't　you　expect　to　stay　when　you　came？〃

　He　flushed　and　laughed　in　confusion。

〃If　you'll　stay；　I'll　make　you　a　johnny…cake　on　a　new　ash　shingle　with　my　own　hands。〃

〃Thank　you；　I　really　must　go　back。　But　if　there's　a　johnny…cake　already　made；　I　could　easily　take　it　along。〃

〃My　johnny…cakes　do　not　bear　transportation。〃

〃I　wouldn't　transport　it　far；　you　know。〃

〃Do　stay！　Major　Falconer　will　be　so　disappointed。　He　said　at　dinner　there　were　so　many　things　he　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about。　He　has　been　looking　for　you　to　come　out。　And；　then；　we　have　had　no　news　for　weeks。　The　major　has　been　too　busy　to　go　to　town；　and　I！I　am　as　dry　as　one　of　the　gourds　of　Confucius。〃

His　thoughts　settled　contentedly　upon　her　once　more　and　his　face　cleared。

〃I　can't　stay　to　supper；　but　I'll　keep　the　Indians　away　till　the　major　comes；〃　he　said。　〃What　were　you　thinking　of　when　I　surprised　you？〃

〃What　was　I　thinking　of？〃　She　stopped　working　while　she　repeated　his　words　and　folded　her　hands　about　the　handle　of　the　rake　as　if　to　rest　awhile。　A　band　of　her　soft；　shining　hair；　loosened　by　its　own　weight　when　she　had　bent　over　to　thin　some　seed　carelessly　scattered　in　the　furrow；　now　fell　across　her　forehead。　She　pushed　her　bonnet　back　and　stood　gathering　it　a　little　absently　into　its　place　with　the　tips　of　her　fingers。　Meanwhile　he　could　see　that　her　eyes　rested　upon　the　edge　of　the　wilderness。　It　seemed　to　him　that　she　must　be　thinking　of　that；　and　he　noted　with　pain；　as　often　before；　the　contrast　between　her　and　her　surroundings。　From　every　direction　the　forest　appeared　to　be　rushing　in　upon　that　perilous　little　reef　of　a　clearingthat　unsheltered　island　of　human　life；　newly　displaying　itself　amid　the　ancient；　blood…flecked；　horror…haunted　sea　of　woods。　And　shipwrecked　on　this　island；　tossed　to　it　by　one　of　the　long　tidal　waves　of　history；　there　to　remain　in　exile　from　the　manners；　the　refinement；　the　ease；　the　society　to　which　she　had　always　been　accustomed；　this　remarkable　gentlewoman。

III

HE　had　learned　a　great　deal　about　her　past；　and　held　it　mirrored　in　his　memory。　　The　general　picture　of　it　rose　before　his　eyes　now；　as　he　leaned　on　the　fence　this　pleasant　afternoon　in　May　and　watched　her　restoring　to　its　place；　with　delicate　strokes　of　her　finger…tips；　the　lock　of　her　soft；　shining　hair。How　could　any　one　so　fine　have　thriven　amid　conditions　so　exhausting？　Those　hard　toiling　fingers；　now　grasping　the　heavy　hoe；　once　used　to　tinkle　over　the　spinet；　the　small；　sensitive　feet；　now　covered　with　coarse　shoe…packs　tied　with　leather　thongs；　once　shone　in　rainbow　hues　of　satin　slippers　and　silken　hose。　　A　sunbonnet　for　the　tiara　of　osprey　plumes；　a　dress　spun　and　woven　by　her　own　hand　out　of　her　own　flax；　instead　of　the　stiff　brocade；　log　hut　for　manor…house；　one　negro　boy　instead　of　troops　of　servants：　to　have　possessed　all　that；　to　have　been　brought　down　to　all　this；　and　not　to　have　been　ruined　by　it；　never　to　have　lost　distinction　or　been　coarsened　by　coarseness　never　to　have　parted　with　grace　of　manner　or　grace　of　spirit；　or　been　bent　or　broken　or　overclouded　in　character　and　ideals；it　was　all　this　that　made　her　in　his　eyes　a　great　woman；　a　great　lady。

He　held　her　in　such　reverence　that；　as　he　caught　the　serious　look　in　her　eyes　at　his　impulsive　question；　he　was　sorry　he　had　asked　it：　the　last　thing　he　could　ever　have　thought　of　doing　would　have　been　to　intrude　upon　the　privacy　of　her　reflections。　〃What　was　I　thinking　of？〃

There　was　a　short　silence　and　then　she　turned　to　him　eagerly；　brightly；　with　an　entire　change　of　voice　and　expression　〃But　the　news　from　townyou　haven't　told　me　the　news。〃　〃Oh；　there　is　any　amount　of　news！〃　he　cried；　glad　of　a　chance　to　retreat　from　his　intrusion。　And　he　began　lightly；　recklessly：　〃A　bookbinder　has　opened　a　shop　on　Cross　Streeta　capital　hand　at　the　business；　by　the　name　of　Leischmanand　he　will　bind　books　at　the　regular　market　prices　in　exchange　for　linen　rags；　maple　sugar；　and　goose…quills。　I　advise　you　to　keep　an　eye　on　your　geese；　if　the　major　once　takes　a　notion　to　have　his　old　Shakespeare　and　his　other　volumes；　that　had　their　bindings　knocked　off　in　crossing　the　Alleghanies；　elegantly　rebound。　You　can　tell　him　also　that　after　a　squirrel…hunt　in　Bourbon　County　the　farmers　counted　scalps；　and　they　numbered　five　thousand　five　hundred　and　eighty…nine；　so　that　he　is　not　the　only　one　who　has　trouble　with　his　corn。　And　then　you　can　tell　him　that　on　the　common　the　other　day　Nelson　Tapp　and　Willis　Tandy　had　a　fearful　fight　over　a　land…suit。　Now　it　was　Tandy　and　Tapp；　now　it　was　Tapp　and　Tandy；　but　they　went　off　at　last　and　drowned　themselves　and　the　memory　of　the　suit　in　a　bowl　of　sagamity。〃〃And　there　is　no　news　for　me；　I　suppose？〃

〃Oh　yes！　I　am　happy　to　inform　you　that　at　McIllvain's　you　can　now　buy　the　finest　Dutch　and　English　letter…paper；　gilt；　embossed；　or　marbled。〃

〃That　is　not　very　important；　I　have　no　correspondents。〃　〃Well；　a　saddlery　has　been　opened　by　two　fellows　from　London；　England；　and　you　can　now　buy　Amy　a　new　side…saddle。　She　needs　one。〃　〃Nor　is　that！　The　major　buys　the　saddles　for　the　family。〃　〃Well；　then；　as　I　came　out　on　Alain　Street；　I　passed　some　ladies　who　accused　me　of　being　on　my　way　here；　and　who　impressed　it　upon　me　that　I　must　tell　you　of　the　last　displays　of　women…wear：　painted　and　velvet　ribbons；　I　think　they　said；　and　crepe　scarfs；　and　chintzes　and　nankeens　and　moreens　and　sarcenets；　andoh　yes！…some　muslinette　jackets　tamboured　with　gold　and　silver。　　They　said　we　were　becoming　civilizedthat　the　town　would　soon　be　as　good　as　Williamsburg；　or　Annapolis；　or　Philadelphia　for　such　things。　　You　see　I　am　like　my　children：　I　remember　what　I　don't　understand。〃

〃I　understand　what　I　must　not　remember！　Don't　tell　me　of　those　things；〃　she　added。　〃They　remind　me　of　the　past；　they　make　me　think　of　Virginia。　I　wear　homespun　now；　and　am　a　Kentuckian。〃〃Well；　then；　the　Indians　fired　on　the　Ohio　packet…boat　near　Three　Islands　and　killed〃

〃Oh！〃　she　said；　with　pain　and　terror；　〃don't　tell　me　of　that；　either！　It　reminds　me　of　the　present。〃〃Well；　in　Holland　two　thousand　cats　have　been　put　into　the　corn…stores；　to　check　the　ravages　of　rats　and　mice；〃　he　said；　laughing。

〃What　is　the　news　from　France？　Do　be　serious！〃　〃In　New　York　some　Frenchmen；　seeing　their　flag　insulted　by　Englishmen　who　took　it　down　from　the　liberty…cap；　went　upstairs　to　the　room　of　an　English　officer　named　Codd；　seized　his　regimental　coat　and　tore　it　to　pieces。〃

〃I'm　glad　of　it！　It　was　a　very　proper　action！〃　〃But；　madam；　the　man　Codd　was　perfectly　innocent！〃　〃No　matter！　His　coat　was　guilty。　They　didn't　tear　him　to　pieces；　they　tore　his　coat。　Are　there　any　new　books　at　the　stores？〃

〃A　great　many！　I　have　spent　part　of　the　last　three　days　in　looking　over　them。　You　can　have　new　copies　of　your　old　favourites；　Joseph　Andrews；　or　Roderick　Random；　or　Humphrey　Clinker。　You　can　have　Goldsmith　and　Young；　and　Chesterfield　and　Addison。　There　is　Don　Quixote　and　Hudibras；　Gulliver　and　Hume；　Paley　and　Butler；　Hervey　and　Watts；　Lavater　and　Trenck；　Seneca　and　Gregory；　Nepos　and　even　Aspasia　Vindicatedto　say　nothing　of　Abelard　and　He1oise　and　Thomas　a　Kempis。　All　the　Voltaires　have　been　sold；　however；　and　the　Tom　Paines　went　off　at　a　rattling　gait。　By　the　way；　while　on　the　subject　of　books；　tell　the　major　that　we　have　raised　five　hundred　dollars　toward　buying　books　for　the　Transylvania　Library；　and　that　as　soon　as　my　school　is　out　I　am　to　go　East　as　a　purchasing　committee。　What　particularly　interests　me　is　that　I　am　going　to　Mount　Vernon；　to　ask　a　subscription　from　President　Washington。　Think　of　that！　Think　of　my　presenting　myself　there