the choir invisible-第7章

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　she　saw　shining　the　white　light　of　his　long　absent　figure；　bringing　a　new　melody　to　the　woods；　a　new　meaning　to　her　life；　and　putting　an　end　to　all　her　desire　ever　to　return　to　the　old　society　beyond　the　mountains。

His　figure　passed　out　of　sight；　and　she　turned　and　walked　sorrowfully　to　the　cabin；　from　the　low　rugged　chimney　of　which　a　pale　blue　smoke　now　rose　into　the　twilight　air。　She　chid　herself　that　she　had　confronted　the　declaration　of　his　purpose　to　marry　her　niece　with　so　little　spirit；　such　faulty　tact。　She　had　long　known　that　he　would　ask　this；　she　had　long　gotten　ready　what　she　would　say；　but　in　the　struggle　between　their　wills；　she　had　been　unaccountably　embarrassed；　she　had　blundered；　and　he　had　left　rather　strengthened　than　weakened　in　his　determination。

But　she　must　prevent　the　marriage；　her　mind　was　more　resolute　than　ever　as　to　that。　Slowly　she　reached　the　doorstep　of　the　cabin；　a　roughly　hewn　log；　and　turning；　stood　there　with　her　bonnet　in　her　hand；　her　white　figure　outlined　before　the　doorway；　slender　and　still。　The　sun　had　set。　Night　was　rushing　on　over　the　awful　land。　The　wolf…dog；　in　his　kennel　behind　the　house；　rose；　shook　himself　at　his　chain；　and　uttered　a　long　howl　that　reached　away　to　the　dark　woodsthe　darker　for　the　vast　pulsing　yellow　light　that　waved　behind　them　in　the　west　like　a　gorgeous　soft　aerial　fan。　As　the　echoes　died　out　from　the　peach　orchard　came　the　song　of　a　robin；　calling　for　love　and　rest。　Then　from　another　direction　across　the　clearing　another　sound　reached　her：　the　careless　whistle　of　the　major；　returning　from　his　day's　work　in　the　field。　When　she　heard　that；　her　face　took　on　the　expression　that　a　woman　sometimes　comes　to　wear　when　she　has　accepted　what　life　has　brought　her　although　it　has　brought　her　nothing　for　which　she　cares；　and　her　lips　opened　with　an　unconscious　sigh　of　wearinessthe　weariness　that　has　been　gathering　weariness　for　years　and　that　runs　on　in　weariness　through　the　future。

Later；　she　was　kneeling　before　the　red　logs　of　the　fireplace　with　one　hand　shielding　her　delicate　face　from　the　blistering　heat；　in　the　other　holding　the　shingle　on　which　richly　made　and　carefully　shaped　was　the　bread　of　Indian　maize　that　he　liked。　She　did　not　rise　until　she　had　placed　it　where　it　would　be　perfectly　browned；　otherwise　he　would　have　been　disappointed　and　the　evening　would　have　been　spoiled。

IV

JOHN　GRAY　did　not　return　to　town　by　his　straight　course　through　the　forest；　but　followed　the　winding　wagon…road　at　a　slow；　meditative　gait。　He　was　always　thoughtful　after　he　had　been　with　Mrs。　Falconer；　he　was　unusually　thoughtful　now；　and　the　gathering　hush　of　night；　the　holy　expectancy　of　stars；　a　flock　of　white　clouds　lying　at　rest　low　on　the　green　sky　like　sheep　in　some　far　uplifted　meadow；　the　freshness　of　the　woods　soon　to　be　hung　with　dew；all　these　melted　into　his　mood　as　notes　from　many　instruments　blend　in　the　ear。　But　he　was　soon　aroused　in　an　unexpected　way。　When　he　reached　the　place　where　the　wagon…road　passed　out　into　the　broader　public　road　leading　from　Lexington　to　Frankfort；　he　came　near　stumbling　over　a　large；　loose　bundle；　tied　in　a　blue　and　white　neckerchief。　Plainly　it　had　been　lost　and　plainly　it　was　his　duty　to　discover　if　possible　to　whom　it　belonged。　He　carried　it　to　one　side　of　the　road　and　began　to　examine　its　contents：　a　wide；　white　lace　tucker；　two　fine　cambric　handkerchiefs；　two　pairs　of　India　cotton　hose；　two　pairs　of　silk　hose；　two　thin　muslin　handkerchiefs；　a　pair　of　long　kid　gloves；straw　colour；a　pair　of　white　kid　shoes；　a　pale…blue　silk　coat；　a　thin；　white　striped　muslin　dress。The　articles　were　not　marked。　Whose　could　they　be？　Not　Amy's：　Mrs。　Falconer　had　expressly　said　that　the　major　was　to　bring　her　finery　to　town　in　the　gig　the　next　day。　They　might　have　been　dropped　by　some　girl　or　by　some　family　servant；　riding　into　town；　he　knew　several　young　ladies；　to　any　one　of　whom　they　might　belong。　He　would　inquire　in　the　morning；　and　meantime；　he　would　leave　the　bundle　at　the　office　of　the　printer；　where　lost　articles　were　commonly　kept　until　they　could　be　advertised　in　the　paper；　and　called　for　by　their　owners。　He　replaced　the　things；　and　carefully　retied　the　ends　of　the　kerchief。　It　was　dark　when　he　reached　town；　and　he　went　straight　to　his　room　and　locked　the　bundle　in　his　closet。　Then　he　hurried　to　his　tavern；　where　his　supper　had　to　be　especially　cooked　for　him；　it　being　past　the　early　hour　of　the　pioneer　evening　meal。　While　he　sat　out　under　the　tree　at　the　door；　waiting　and　impatiently　thinking　that　he　would　go　to　see　Amy　as　soon　as　he　could　despatch　it；　the　tavern…keeper　came　out　to　say　that　some　members　of　the　Democratic　Society　had　been　looking　for　him。　Later　on；　these　returned。　A　meeting　of　the　Society　had　been　called　for　that　night；　to　consider　news　brought　by　the　postrider　the　day　previous　and　to　prepare　advices　for　the　Philadelphia　Society　against　the　postrider's　return：　as　secretary；　he　was　wanted　at　the　proceedings。　He　begged　hard　to　be　excused；　but　he　was　the　scholar；　the　scribe；　no　one　would　take　his　place。　When　the　meeting　ended；　the　hour　was　past　for　seeing　Amy。　He　went　to　his　room　and　read　law　with　flickering　concentration　of　mind　till　near　midnight。　Then　he　snuffed　out　his　candle；　undressed；　and　stretched　himself　along　the　edge　of　his　bed。

It　was　hard　and　coarse。　　The　room　itself　was　the　single　one　that　formed　the　ruder　sort　of　pioneer　cabin。　The　floor　was　the　earth　itself；　covered　here　and　there　with　the　skins　of　wild　animals；　the　walls　but　logs；　poorly　plastered。　From　a　row　of　pegs　driven　into　one　of　these　hung　his　clothesnot　many。　The　antlers　of　a　stag　over　the　doorway　held　his　rifle；　his　hunting…belt；　and　his　hat。　A　swinging　shelf　displayed　a　few　books；　being　eagerly　added　to　as　he　could　bitterly　afford　itwith　a　copy　of　Paley；　lent　by　the　Reverend　James　Moore；　the　dreamy；　saintlike；　flute…playing　Episcopal　parson　of　the　town。　In　the　middle　of　the　room　a　round　table　of　his　own　vigorous　carpentry　stood　on　a　panther　skin；　and　on　this　lay　some　copy　books　in　which　he　had　just　set　new　copies　for　his　children；　a　handful　of　goosequills　to　be　fashioned　into　pens　for　them；　the　proceedings　of　the　Democratic　Society；　freshly　added　to　this　evening；　copies　of　the　Kentucky　Gazette　containing　essays　by　the　political　leaders　of　the　day　on　the　separation　of　Kentucky　from　the　Union　and　the　opening　of　the　Mississippi　to　its　growing　commerceamong　them　some　of　his　own；　stately　and　academic；　signed　〃Cato　the　Younger。〃　Lying　open　on　the　table　lay　his　Bible；　after　law；　he　always　read　a　little　in　that；　and　to…night　he　had　reread　one　of　his　favourite　chapters　of　St。Paul：　that　wherein　the　great；　calm；　victorious　soldier　of　the　spirit　surveys　the　history　of　his　trials；　imprisonments；　beatings。　In　one　corner　was　set　a　three…cornered　cupboard　containing　his　underwear；　his　new　cossack　boots；　and　a　few　precious　things　that　had　been　his　mother's：　her　teacup　and　saucer；　her　prayer…book。　　It　was　in　this　closet　that　he　had　put　the　lost　bundle。

He　had　hardly　stretched　himself　along　the　edge　of　his　bed　before　he　began　to　think　of　this。　Every　complete　man　embraces　some　of　the　qualities　of　a　woman；　for　Nature　does　not　mean　that　sex　shall　be　more　than　a　partial　separation　of　one　common　humanity；　otherwise　we　should　be　too　much　divided　to　be　companionable。　And　it　is　these　womanly　qualities　that　not　only　endow　a　man　with　his　insight　into　the　other　sex；　but　that　enable　him　to　bestow　a　certain　feminine　supervision　upon　his　own　affairs　when　no　actual　female　has　them　in　charge。　If　he　marries；　this　inner　helpmeet　behaves　in　unlike　ways　toward　the　newly　reigning　usurper；　sometimes　giving　up　peaceably；　at　others　remaining　her　life…long　criticreluctant　but　irremovable。　If　many　a　wife　did　but　realize　that　she　is　perpetually　observed　not　only　by　the　eyes　of　a　pardoning　husband　but　by　the　eyes　of　another　woman　hidden　away　in　the　depths　of　his　being；　she　would　do　many　things　differently　and　not　do　some　things　at　all。

The　invisible　slip　of　a　woman　in　Gray　now　began　to　question　him　regarding　the　bundle。　Would　not　those　delicate；　beautiful　things　be　ruined；　thus　put　away　in　his　closet？　He　got　up；　took　the　bundle　out；　laid　it　on　his　table；　untied　the　kerchief；　lifted　carefully