the dwelling place of ligh-第14章

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who　had　been　trained。　　The　result　was　harmony；　life　as　it　should　proceed；　the
new　growing　out　of　the　old。　　And　no　greater　tribute　can　be　paid　to　Janet　Bumpus
than　that　it　pleased　her；　struck　and　set　exquisitely　vibrating　within　her
responsive　chords。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　adult　life　she　stood　in　the
presence　of　tradition；　of　a　tradition　inherently　if　unconsciously　the　innermost
reality　of　her　being　a　tradition　that　miraculously　was　not　dead；　since　after
all　the　years　it　had　begun　to　put　forth　these　vigorous　shoots。。。。

What　Janet　chiefly　realized　was　the　delicious；　contented　sense　of　having　come；
visually　at　least；　to　the　home　for　which　she　had　longed。　　But　her　humour　was
that　of　a　child　who　has　strayed；　to　find　its　true　dwelling　place　in　a　region　of
beauty　hitherto　unexplored　and　unexperienced；　tinged；　therefore；　with
unreality；　with　mystery；an　effect　enhanced　by　the　chance　stillness　and
emptiness　of　the　place。　　She　wandered　up　and　down　the　Common；　whose　vivid　green
was　starred　with　golden　dandelions；　　and　then；　spying　the　arched　and　shady
vista　of　a　lane；　entered　it；　bent　on　new　discoveries。　　It　led　past　one　of　the
newer　buildings；　the　libraryas　she　read　in　a　carved　inscription　over　the
doorplunged　into　shade　again　presently　to　emerge　at　a　square　farmhouse；
ancient　and　weathered；　with　a　great　square　chimney　thrust　out　of　the　very
middle　of　the　ridge…pole；a　landmark　left　by　one　of　the　earliest　of
Silliston's　settlers。　　Presiding　over　it；　embracing　and　protecting　it；　was　a
splendid　tree。　　The　place　was　evidently　in　process　of　reconstruction　and
repair；　the　roof　had　been　newly　shingled；　new　frames；　with　old…fashioned；　tiny
panes　had　been　put　in　the　windows；　a　little　garden　was　being　laid　out　under　the
sheltering　branches　of　the　tree；　and　between　the　lane　and　the　garden；　half
finished；　was　a　fence　of　an　original　and　pleasing　design；　consisting　of　pillars
placed　at　intervals　with　upright　pickets　between；　the　pickets　sawed　in　curves；
making　a　line　that　drooped　in　the　middle。　　Janet　did　not　perceive　the　workman
engaged　in　building　this　fence　until　the　sound　of　his　hammer　attracted　her
attention。　　His　back　was　bent；　he　was　absorbed　in　his　task。

〃Are　there　any　stores　near　here？〃　she　inquired。

He　straightened　up。　　〃Why　yes；〃　he　replied；　〃come　to　think　of　it；　I　have　seen
stores；　I'm　sure　I　have。〃

Janet　laughed；　his　expression；　his　manner　of　speech　were　so　delightfully
whimsical；　so　in　keeping　with　the　spirit　of　her　day；　and　he　seemed　to　accept
her　sudden　appearance　in　the　precise　make…believe　humour　she　could　have　wished。
And　yet　she　stood　a　little　struck　with　timidity；　puzzled　by　the　contradictions
he　presented　of　youth　and　age；　of　shrewdness；　experience　and　candour；　of
gentility　and　manual　toil。　　He　must　have　been　about　thirty…five；　he　was
hatless；　and　his　hair；　uncombed　but　not　unkempt；　was　greying　at　the　temples；
his　eyeswhich　she　noticed　particularlywere　keen　yet　kindly；　the　irises
delicately　stencilled　in　a　remarkable　blue；　his　speech　was　colloquial　yet
cultivated；　his　workman's　clothes　belied　his　bearing。

〃Yes；　there　are　stores；　in　the　village；〃　he　went　on；　〃but　isn't　it　a　holiday；
or　Sundayperhapsor　something　of　the　kind？〃

〃It's　Decoration　Day；〃　she　reminded　him；　with　deepening　surprise。

〃So　it　is！　　And　all　the　storekeepers　have　gone　on　picnics　in　their　automobiles；
or　else　they're　playing　golf。　　Nobody's　working　today。〃

〃But　youaren't　you　working？〃　she　inquired。

〃Working？〃　he　repeated。　　〃I　suppose　some　people　would　call　it　work。　　II
hadn't　thought　of　it　in　that　way。〃

〃You　meanyou　like　it；〃　Janet　was　inspired　to　say。

〃Well；　yes；〃　he　confessed。　　〃I　suppose　I　do。〃

Her　cheeks　dimpled。　　If　her　wonder　had　increased；　her　embarrassment　had　flown；
and　he　seemed　suddenly　an　old　acquaintance。　　She　had；　however；　profound　doubts
now　of　his　being　a　carpenter。

〃Were　you　thinking　of　going　shopping？〃　he　asked；　and　at　the　very　ludicrousness
of　the　notion　she　laughed　again。　　She　discovered　a　keen　relish　for　this　kind　of
humour；　but　it　was　new　to　her　experience；　and　she　could　not　cope　with　it。

〃Only　to　buy　some　crackers；　or　a　sandwich；〃　she　replied；　and　blushed。

〃Oh；〃　he　said。　　〃Down　in　the　village；　on　the　corner　where　the　cars　stop；　is　a
restaurant。　　It's　not　as　good　as　the　Parker　House　in　Boston；　I　believe；　but
they　do　have　sandwiches；　yes；　and　coffee。　　At　least　they　call　it　coffee。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　she　said。

〃You'd　better　wait　till　you　try　it；〃　he　warned　her。

〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；　I　don't　want　much。〃　　And　she　was　impelled　to　add：　〃It's　such
a　beautiful　day。〃

〃It's　absurd　to　get　hungry　on　such　a　dayabsurd；〃　he　agreed。

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　she　laughed。　　〃I'm　not　really　hungry；　but　I　haven't　time　to　get
back　to　Hampton　for　dinner。〃　　Suddenly　she　grew　hot　at　the　thought　that　he
might　suspect　her　of　hinting。　　〃You　see；　I　live　in　Hampton；〃　she　went　on
hurriedly；　〃I'm　a　stenographer　there；　in　the　Chippering　Mill；　and　I　was　just
out　for　a　walk；　andI　came　farther　than　I　intended。〃　　She　had　made　it　worse。

But　he　said；　〃Oh；　you　came　from　Hampton！〃　with　an　intonation　of　surprise；　of
incredulity　even；　that　soothed　and　even　amused　while　it　did　not　deceive　her。
Not　that　the　superior　intelligence　of　which　she　had　begun　to　suspect　him　had
been　put　to　any　real　test　by　the　discovery　of　her　home；　and　she　was　quite　sure
her　modest　suit　of　blue　serge　and　her　2。99　pongee　blouse　proclaimed　her　as　a
working　girl　of　the　mill　city。　　〃I've　been　to　Hampton；〃　he　declared；　just　as
though　it　were　four　thousand　miles　away　instead　of　four。

〃But　I've　never　been　here　before；　to　Silliston；〃　she　responded　in　the　same
spirit：　and　she　added　wistfully；　〃it　must　be　nice　to　live　in　such　a　beautiful
place　as　this！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　nice；〃　he　agreed。　　〃We　have　our　troubles；　too；but　it's　nice。〃

She　ventured　a　second；　appraising　glance。　　His　head；　which　he　carried　a　little
flung　back；　his　voice；　his　easy　and　confident　bearingall　these　contradicted
the　saw　and　the　hammer；　the　flannel　shirt；　open　at　the　neck；　the　khaki　trousers
still　bearing　the　price　tag。　　And　curiosity　beginning　to　get　the　better　of　her；
she　was　emboldened　to　pay　a　compliment　to　the　fence。　　If　one　had　to　work；　it
must　be　a　pleasure　to　work　on　things　pleasing　to　the　eyesuch　was　her
inference。

〃Why；　I'm　glad　you　like　it；〃　he　said　heartily。　　〃I　was　just　hoping　some　one
would　come　along　here　and　admire　it。　　Nowwhat　colour　would　you　paint　it？〃

〃Are　you　a　painter；　too？〃

〃After　a　fashion。　　I'm　a　sort　of　man　of　all　workI　thought　of　painting　it
white；　with　the　pillars　green。〃

〃I　think　that　would　be　pretty；〃　she　answered；　judicially；　after　a　moment's
thought。　　〃What　else　can　you　do？〃

He　appeared　to　be　pondering　his　accomplishments。

〃Well；　I　can　doctor　trees；〃　he　said；　pointing　an　efficient　finger　at　the
magnificent　maple　sheltering；　like　a　guardian　deity；　the　old　farmhouse。　　〃I　put
in　those　patches。〃

〃They're　cement；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　never　heard　of　putting　cement　in　trees。〃

〃They　don't　seem　to　mind。〃

〃Are　the　holes　very　deep？〃

〃Pretty　deep。〃

〃But　I　should　think　the　tree　would　be　dead。〃

〃Well；　you　see　the　life　of　a　tree　is　right　under　the　bark。　　If　you　can　keep　the
outer　covering　intact；　the　tree　will　live。〃

〃Why　did　you　let　the　holes　get　so　deep？〃

〃I've　just　come　here。　　The　house　was　like　the　tree　the　shingles　all　rotten；　but
the　beams　were　sound。　　Those　beams　were　hewn　out　of　the　forest　two　hundred　and
fifty　years　ago。〃

〃Gracious！〃　said　Janet。　　〃And　how　old　is　the　tree？〃

〃I　should　say　about　a　hundred。　　I　suppose　it　wouldn't　care　to　admit　it。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃　she　inquired。

〃Oh；　I'm　very　intimate　with　trees。　　I　find　out　their　secrets。〃

〃It's　your　house！〃　she　exclaimed；　somewhat　appalled　by　the　discovery。

〃Yesyes　it　is；〃　he　answered；　looking　around　at　it　and　then　in　an
indescribably　comical　manner　down　at　his　clothes。　　His　gesture；　his　expression
implied　that　her　mistake　was　a　most　natural　one。

〃Excuse　me；　I　thought〃　she　began；　blushing　hotly；　yet　wanting　to　laugh　again。

〃I　don't　blame　youwhy　shouldn't　you？〃　he　interrupted　her。　　〃I　haven't　got
used　to　it　yet；　and　there　is　something　amusing　aboutmy　owning　a　house。　　When
the　parlour's　f