the choir invisible-第8章

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closet？　He　got　up；　took　the　bundle　out；　laid　it　on　his　table；　untied　the　kerchief；　lifted　carefully　off　the　white　muslin　dress　and　the　blue　silk　coat；　and　started　with　them　toward　two　empty　pegs　on　the　wall。　He　never　closed　the　door　of　his　cabin　if　the　night　was　fine。　It　stood　open　now　and　a　light　wind　blew　the　soft　fabrics　against　his　body　and　limbs；　so　that　they　seemed　to　fold　themselves　about　him；　to　cling　to　him。　He　disengaged　them　reluctantlyapologetically。

Then　he　lay　down　again。　But　now　the　dress　on　the　wall　fascinated　him。　The　moonlight　bathed　it；　the　wind　swayed　it。　This　was　the　first　time　that　a　woman's　garments　had　ever　hung　in　his　room。　He　welcomed　the　mere　accident　of　their　presence　as　though　it　possessed　a　forerunning　intelligence；　as　though　it　were　the　annunciation　of　his　approaching　change　of　life。　And　so　laughing　to　himself；　and　under　the　spell　of　a　growing　fancy；　he　got　up　again　and　took　the　little　white　shoes　and　set　them　on　the　table　in　the　moonlighton　the　open　Bible　and　the　speech　of　St。Pauland　then　went　back；　and　lay　looking　at　them　and　dreaminglooking　at　them　and　dreaming。

His　thoughts　passed　meantime　like　a　shining　flock　of　white　doves　to　Amy；　hovering　about　her。　They　stole　onward　to　the　time　when　she　would　be　his　wife；　when　lying　thus；　he　would　wake　in　the　night　and　see　her　dress　on　the　wall　and　feel　her　head　on　his　bosom；　when　her　little　shoes　might　stand　on　his　open　Bible；　if　they　chose；　and　the　satin　instep　of　her　bare　foot　be　folded　in　the　hard　hollow　of　his。

He　uttered　a　deep；　voiceless；　impassioned　outcry　that　she　might　not　die　young　nor　he　die　young；　that　the　struggles　and　hardships　of　life；　now　seeming　to　be　ended；　might　never　begirt　him　or　her　so　closely　again；　that　they　might　grow　peacefully　old　together。　To…morrow　then；　he　would　see　her；　no；　not　tomorrow；　it　was　long　past　midnight　now。　He　got　down　on　his　bare　knees　beside　the　bed　with　his　face　buried　in　his　hands　and　said　his　prayers。

And　then　lying　outstretched　with　his　head　resting　on　his　folded　hands；　the　moonlight　streaming　through　the　window　and　lighting　up　his　dark…red　curls　and　falling　on　his　face　and　neck　and　chest；　the　cool　south　wind　blowing　down　his　warm　limbs；　his　eyes　opening　and　closing　in　religious　purity　on　the　dress；　and　his　mind　opening　and　closing　on　the　visions　of　his　future；　he　fell　asleep。　V

WHEN　he　awoke　late；　he　stretched　his　big　arms　drowsily　out　before　his　face　with　a　gesture　like　that　of　a　swimmer　parting　the　water：　he　was　in　truth　making　his　way　out　of　a　fathomless；　moonlit　sea　of　dreams　to　the　shores　of　reality。　Broad　daylight　startled　him　with　its　sheer　blinding　revelation　of　the　material　world；　as　the　foot　of　a　swimmer；　long　used　to　the　yielding　pavements　of　the　ocean；　touches　with　surprise　the　first　rock　and　sand。

He　sprang　up；　bathed；　dressed；　and　stepped　out　into　the　crystalline　freshness　of　the　morning。　He　was　glowing　with　his　exercise；　at　peace　with　himself　and　with　all　men；　and　so　strong　in　the　exuberance　of　his　manhood　that　he　felt　he　could　have　leaped　over　into　the　east；　shouldered　the　sun；　and　run　gaily；　impatiently；　with　it　up　the　sky。　How　could　he　wait　to　see　Amy　until　it　went　up　its　long　slow　way　and　then　down　again　to　its　setting？　A　powerful　young　lion　may　some　time　have　appeared　thus　at　daybreak　on　the　edge　of　a　jungle　and　measured　the　stretches　of　sand　to　be　crossed　before　he　could　reach　an　oasis　where　memory　told　him　was　the　lurking…place　of　love。

It　was　still　early。　The　first　smoke　curled　upward　from　the　chimneys　of　the　town；　the　melodious　tinkle　of　bells　reached　his　ear　as　the　cows　passed　from　the　milking　to　the　outlying　ranges　deep　in　their　wild　verdure。　Even　as　he　stood　surveying　the　scene；　along　the　path　which　ran　close　to　his　cabin　came　a　bare…headed；　nutbrown　pioneer　girl；　whose　close…fitting　dress　of　white　homespun　revealed　the　rounded　outlines　of　her　figure。　She　had　gathered　up　the　skirt　which　was　short；　to　keep　it　from　the　tops　of　the　wet　weeds。　Her　bare；　beautiful　feet　were　pink　with　the　cold　dew。　Forgotten；　her　slow　fat　cows　had　passed　on　far　ahead；　for　at　her　side；　wooing　her　with　drooping　lashes　while　the　earth　was　still　flushed　with　the　morn；　strolled　a　young　Indian　fighter；　swarthy；　lean　tall；　wild。　His　long　thigh　boots　of　thin　deer…hide；　open　at　the　hips；　were　ornamented　with　a　scarlet　fringe　and　rattled　musically　with　the　hoofs　of　fawns　and　the　spurs　of　the　wild　turkey；　his　gray　racoonskin　cap　was　adorned　with　the　wings　of　the　hawk　and　the　scarlet　tanager。

The　magnificent　young；　warrior　lifted　his　cap　to　the　school…master　with　a　quiet　laugh；　and　the　girl　smiled　at　him　and　shook　a　warning　finger　to　remind　him　he　was　not　to　betray　them。　He　smiled　back　with　a　deprecating　gesture　to　signify　that　he　could　be　trusted。　He　would　have　liked　it　better　if　he　could　have　said　more　plainly　that　he　too　had　the　same　occupation　now；　and　as　he　gazed　after　them；　lingering　along　the　path　side　by　side；　the　long…stifled　cravings　of　his　heart　rose　to　his　unworldly；　passionate　eyes：　he　all　but　wished　that　Amy　also　milked　the　cows　at　early　morning　and　drove　them　out　to　pasture。

When　he　went　to　his　breakfast　at　the　tavern；　one　of　the　young　Williamsburg　aristocrats　was　already　there；　pretending　to　eat；　and　hovering　about　the　table；　brisk　to　appease　his　demands；　the　daughter　of　the　taverner：　she　as　ruddy　as　a　hollyhock　and　gaily　flaunting　her　head　from　side　to　side　with　the　pleasure　of　denying　him　everything　but　his　food；　yet　meaning　to　kiss　him　when　twilight　cameonce；　and　then　to　run。

Truly；　it　seemed　that　this　day　was　to　be　given　up　to　much　pairing：　as　be　thought　it　rightly　should　be　and　that　without　delay。　When　he　took　his　seat　in　the　school…room　and　looked　out　upon　the　children；　they　had　never　seemed　so　small；　so　pitiful。　It　struck　him　that　Nature　is　cruel　not　to　fit　us　for　love　and　marriage　as　soon　as　we　are　borncruel　to　make　us　wait　twenty　or　thirty　years　before　she　lets　us　really　begin　to　live。　　He　looked　with　eyes　more　full　of　pity　than　usual　at　blear…eyed；　delicate　little　Jennie；　as　to　whom　he　could　never　tell　whether　it　was　the　multiplication…table　that　made　her　deathly　sick；　or　sickness　that　kept　her　from　multiplying。　His　eye　lit　upon　a　wee；　chubby…cheeked　urchin　on　the　end　of　a　high；　hard　bench；　and　he　fell　to　counting　how　many　ages　must　pass　before　that　unsuspicious　grub　would　grow　his　palpitating　wings　of　flame。　　He　felt　like　making　them　a　little　speech　and　telling　them　how　happy　he　was；　and　how　happy　they　would　all　be　when　they　got　old　enough　to　deserve　it。

And　as　for　the　lessons　that　day；　what　difference　could　it　make　whether　ideas　sprouted　or　did　not　sprout　in　those　useless　brains？　He　answered　all　the　hard　questions　himself；　and；　indeed；　so　sunny　and　exhilarating　was　the　weather　of　his　discipline　that　little　Jennie；　seeing　how　the　rays　fell　and　the　wind　lay；　gave　up　the　multiplication…table　altogether　and　fell　to　drawing　tomahawks。

A　remarkable　mixture　of　human　life　there　was　in　Gray's　school。　There　were　the　native　little　Kentuckians；　born　in　the　wildernessthe　first　wild；　hardy　generation　of　the　new　people；　and　there　were　little　folks　from　Virginia；　from　Tennessee；　from　North　Carolina；　and　from　Pennsylvania　and　other　sources；　huddled　together；　some　uncouth；　some　gentle…born；　and　all　starting　out　to　be　formed　into　the　men　and　women　of　Kentucky。　They　had　their　strange；　sad；　heroic　games　and　pastimes　under　his　guidance。　Two　little　girls　would　be　driving　the　cows　home　about　dusk；　three　little　boys　would　play　Indian　and　capture　them　and　carry　them　off；　the　husbands　of　the　little　girls　would　form　a　party　to　the　rescue；　the　prisoners　would　drop　pieces　of　their　dresses　along　the　way；　and　then　at　a　certain　point　of　the　woodsit　being　the　dead　of　night　now　and　the　little　girls　being　bound　to　a　tree；　and　the　Indians　having　fallen　asleep　beside　their　smouldering　campfiresthe　rescuers　would　rush　in　and　there　would　be　whoops　and　shrieks　and　the　taking　of　scalps　and　a　happy　return。　Or　some　settlers　would　be　shut　up　in　their　fort。　The　only　water　to　be　had　was　from　a　spring　outside　the　walls；　and　around　this　the　enemy　skulked　in　the　corn　and　grass。　But　their　husbands　and　sweethearts　must　not　perish　of　thirst。　So；　with　a　prayer；　a　tear；　a　final　embrace；　the　little　women　marched　o