the choir invisible-第42章

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。　Long　grape…vines　from　opposite　sides　of　the　road　had　been　tied　across　it；　and　this　barrier　had　to　cut　through。　Then　on　they　came　again：　At　the　head　of　procession；　astride　an　old　horse　that　in　his　better　days　had　belonged　to　a　mounted　rifleman；　rode　the　parson。　He　was　several　yards　ahead　of　the　others　and　quite　forgetful　of　them。　The　end　of　his　flute　stuck　neglectedly　out　of　his　waistcoat　pocket；　his　bridle　reins　lay　slack　on　the　neck　of　the　drowsy　beast；　his　hands　were　piled　on　the　pommel　of　the　saddle　as　over　his　familiar　pulpit；　his　dreamy　moss…agate　eyes　were　on　the　tree…tops　far　ahead。　In　truth　he　was　preparing　a　sermon　on　the　affection　of　one　man　for　another　and　ransacking　Scripture　for　illustrations；　and　he　meant　to　preach　this　the　following　Sunday　when　there　would　be　some　one　sadly　missed　among　his　hearers。　Nevertheless　he　enjoyed　great　peace　of　spirit　this　day：　it　was　not　John　who　rode　behind　him　as　the　bridegroom：　otherwise　he　would　as　soon　have　returned　to　the　town　at　the　head　of　the　forces　of　Armageddon。

Behind　the　parson　came　William　Penn　in　the　glory　of　a　new　bridle　and　saddle　and　a　blanket　of　crimson　cloth；　his　coat　smooth　as　satin；　his　mane　a　tumbling　cataract　of　white　silk；　bunches　of　wild　roses　at　his　ears；　his　blue…black　eyes　never　so　soft；　and　seeming　to　lift　his　feet　cautiously　like　an　elephant　bearing　an　Indian　princess。

They　were　riding　side　by　side；　the　young　husband　and　wife。　He　keeping　one　hand　on　the　pommel　of　her　saddle；　thus　holding　them　together；　while　with　the　other　he　used　his　hat　to　fan　his　face；　now　hers；　though　his　was　the　one　that　needed　it；　she　being　cool　and　quietly　radiant　with　the　thoughts　of　her　triumph　that　daythe　triumph　of　her　wedding；　of　her　own　beauty。　Furthermore　show　was　looking　ahead　to　the　house…warming　that　night　when　she　would　be　able　to　triumph　again　and　also　count　her　presents。

Then　came　Major　and　Mrs。　Falconer。　Her　face　was　hidden　by　a　veil　and　as　they　passed；　it　was　held　turned　toward　him：　he　was　talking；　uninterrupted。

Then　followed　Horatio　Turpin　and　Kitty　Poythress；　and　then　Erskine　and　his　betrothed；　he　with　fresh　feathers　of　the　hawk　and　the　scarlet　tanager　gleaming　in　his　cap　above　his　swart；　stern　aquiline　face。　Then　Peter；　beside　the　widow　Babcock；　he　openly　aflame　and　solicitous；　she　coy　and　discreetly　inviting；　as　is　the　wisdom　of　some。　Then　others　and　others　and　othersa　long　gay　pageant；　filling　the　woods　with　merry　voices　and　laughter。

They　passed　and　the　sounds　died　awaypassed　on　to　the　town　awaiting　the；　to　the　house…warming；　and　please　God；　to　long　life　and　some　real　affection　and　happiness。

Once　he　had　expected　to　ride　beside　her　at　the　head　of　this　procession。　There　had　gone　by　him　the　vision　of　his　own　life　as　it　was　to　have　been。

Long　after　the　last　sound　had　ceased　in　the　distance　he　was　sitting　at　the　root　of　the　red　oak。　The　sun　set；　the　moon　rose；　he　was　there　still。　A　loud；　impatient　neigh　from　his　horse　aroused　him。　He　sprang　lightly　up；　meaning　to　ride　all　night　and　not　to　draw　rein　until　he　had　crossed　the　Kentucky　River　and　reached　Traveller's　Rest；　the　home　of　Governor　Shelby；　where　he　had　been　invited　to　break　his　travel。

All　that　nigh　he　rode　and　at　sunrise　was　far　away。　Pausing　on　a　height　and　turning　his　horse's　head；　he　sat　a　long　time　motion…less　as　a　statue。　Then　he　struck　his　feet　into　its　flank　and　all　that　day　rode　back　again。

The　sun　was　striking　the　tree…tops　as　he　neared　the　clearing。　He　could　see　her　across　the　garden。　She　sat　quite　still；　her　face　turned　toward　the　horizon。　Against　her　breast；　opened　but　forgotten；　lay　a　book。　He　could　recognize　it。　By　that　story　she　had　judged　him　and　wished　to　guide　him。　The　smile　smote　his　eyes　like　the　hilt　of　a　knight's　sword　used　as　a　Cross　to　drive　away　the　Evil　One。　For　he　knew　the　evil　purpose　with　which　he　had　returned。

And　so　he　sat　watching　her　until　she　rose　and　walked　slowly　to　the　house。

XXII

IT　was　early　autumn　when　the　first　letters　from　him　were　received　over　the　mountains。　All　these　had　relation　to　Mount　Vernon　and　his　business　there。

To　the　Transylvania　Library　Committee　he　wrote　that　the　President　had　mad　a　liberal　subscription　for　the　buying　of　books　and　that　the　Vice…President　and　other　public　men　would　be　likely　to　contribute。

His　sonorous；　pompous　letter　to　a　member　of　the　Democratic　Society　was　much　longer　and　in　part　as　follows：

〃When　I　made　know　to　the　President　who　I　was　and　where　I　came　from；　he　regarded　me　with　a　look　at　once　so　stern　and　so　benign；　that　I　felt　like　one　of　my　school…boys　overtaken　in　some　small　rascality　and　was　almost　of　a　mind　to　march　straight　to　a　corner　of　the　room　and　stand　with　my　face　to　the　wall。　If　he　had　seized　me　by　the　coat　collar　and　trounced　me　well；　I　should　somehow　have　felt　that　he　had　the　right。　From　the　conversations　that　followed　I　am　led　to　believe　that　he　knows　the　name　of　every　prominent　member　of　the　Democratic　Society　of　Lexington；　and　that　he　understands　Kentucky　affairs　with　regard　to　national　and　international　complications　as　no　other　living　man。　While　questioning　me　on　the　subject；　he　had　the　manner　of　one　who；　from　conscientiousness；　would　further　verify　facts　which　he　had　already　tested。　But　what　impressed　me　even　more　than　his　knowledge　was　his　justice；　in　illustration　of　which　I　shall　never　forget　his　saying；　that　the　part　which　Kentucky　had　taken；　or　had　wished　to　take；　in　the　Spanish　and　French　conspiracies　had　caused　him　greater　solicitude　than　any　other　single　event　since　the　foundation　of　the　National　Government；　but　that　nowhere　else　in　America　had　the　struggle　for　immediate　self…government　been　so　necessary　and　so　difficult；　and　that　nowhere　else　were　the　mistakes　of　patriotic　and　able　men　more　natural　or　more　to　be　judged　with　mildness。

〃I　think　I　can　quote　his　very　words　when　he　spoke　of　the　foolish　jealousies　and　heartburnings；　due　to　misrepresentations；　that　have　influenced　Kentucky　against　the　East　as　a　section　and　against　the　Government　as　favouring　it：　'The　West　derives　from　the　East　supplies　requisite　to　its　growth　and　comfort；　and　what　is　perhaps　of　still　greater　consequence；　it　must　of　necessity　owe　the　secure　enjoyment　of　indispensable　outlets　for　its　own　production　to　the　weight；　influence；　and　future　maritime　strength　of　the　Atlantic　side　of　the　Union；　directed　by　an　indissoluble　community　of　interest；　as　One　Nation。'

〃Memorable　to　me　likewise　was　the　language　in　which　he　proceeded　to　show　that　this　was　true：

〃'The　inhabitants　of　our　Western　country　have　lately　had　a　useful　lesson　on　this　head。　They　have　seen　in　the　negotiations　by　the　Executive；　and　in　the　unanimous　ratification　by　the　Senate　of　the　treaty　with　Spain；　and　in　the　universal　satisfaction　of　that　event　throughout　the　United　States；　a　decisive　proof　how　unfounded　were　the　suspicions　propagated　among　them　of　a　policy　in　the　General　Government　and　in　the　Atlantic　States　unfriendly　to　their　interests　in　regard　to　the　Mississippi。　。　。　。　Will　they　not　henceforth　be　deaf　to　those　advisers；　if　such　there　are；　who　would　sever　them　from　their　Brethren　and　connect　them　with　Aliens？'

〃I　am　frank　to　declare　that；　having　enjoyed　the　high　privilege　of　these　interviews　with　the　President　and　been　brought　to　judge　rightly　what　through　ignorance　I　had　judged　amiss；　I　feel　myself　in　honour　bound　to　renounce　my　past　political　convictions　and　to　resign　my　membership　in　the　Lexington　Democratic　Society。　Nor　shall　I　join　the　Democratic　Society　of　Philadelphia；　as　had　been　my　ardent　purpose；　and　it　will　not　be　possible　for　me　on　reaching　that　city　to　act　as　the　emissary　of　the　Kentucky　Clubs。　But　I　shall　lay　before　the　Society　the　despatches　of　which　I　am　the　bearer。　And　will　you　lay　before　yours　the　papers　herewith　enclosed；　containing　my　formal　resignation　with　the　grounds　thereof　carefully　stated？〃

To　Mrs。　Falconer　he　wrote　bouyantly：

〃I　have　crossed　the　Kentucky　Alps；　seen　the　American　Caesar；　carried　away　some　of　his　gold。　I　came；　I　saw；　I　overcame。　How　do　you　think　I　met　the　President？　I　was　riding　toward　Mount　Vernon　one　quiet　sunny　afternoon　and　unexpectedly　came　upon　an　old　gentleman　who　was　putting　up　some　bars　that　opened　into　a　wheat…filed　by　the　roadside。　He　had　on　long　boots；　corduroy