the dwelling place of ligh-第47章
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could only find out what's always going on in that little head of yours！
If you keep on thinking you'll dry up； like a New England school…marm。
And now do you know what you are？ One of those dusky red roses just
ready to bloom。 Some day I'll buy enough to smother you in 'em。〃
〃Listen！〃 she repeated； making a great effort to calm herself； to regain
something of that frame of mind in which their love had assumed the
proportions of folly and madness； to summon up the scruples which； before
she had left home that morning； she had resolved to lay before him； which
she knew would return when she could be alone again。 〃I have to think
you won't；〃 she exclaimed； with a fleeting smile。
〃Well； what is it？〃 he assented。 〃You might as well get it off now。〃
And it took all her strength to say： 〃I don't see how I can marry you。
I've told you the reasons。 You're rich； and you have friends who
wouldn't understandand your childrenthey wouldn't understand。 II'm
nothing； I know it isn't right； I know you wouldn't be happy。 I've never
livedin the kind of house you live in and known the kind of people you
know； I shouldn't know what to do。〃
He took his eyes off the road and glanced down at her curiously。 His
smile was self…confident； exultant。
〃Now do you feel betteryou little Puritan？〃 he said。
And perforce she smiled in return； a pucker appearing between her
eyebrows。
〃I mean it；〃 she said。 〃I came out to tell you so。 I knowit just
isn't possible。〃
〃I'd marry you to…day if I could get a license；〃 he declared。 〃Why；
you're worth any woman in America； I don't care who she is； or how much
money she has。〃
In spite of herself she was absurdly pleased。
〃Now that is over； we won't discuss it again； do you understand？ I've
got you；〃 he said； 〃and I mean to hold on to you。〃
She sighed。 He was driving slowly now along the sandy road； and with his
hand on hers she simply could not think。 The spell of his nearness； of
his touch； which all nature that morning conspired to deepen； was too
powerful to be broken； and something was calling to her； 〃Take this day；
take this day；〃 drowning out the other voice demanding an accounting。
She was livingwhat did it all matter？ She yielded herself to the
witchery of the hour； the sheer delight of forthfaring into the unknown。
They turned away from the river； crossing the hills of a rolling country
now open； now wooded； passing white farmhouses and red barns； and
ancient； weather…beaten dwellings with hipped roofs and 〃lean…tos〃 which
had been there in colonial days when the road was a bridle…path。 Cows
and horses stood gazing at them from warm paddocks； where the rich； black
mud glistened； melted by the sun； chickens scratched and clucked in the
barnyards or flew frantically across the road； sometimes within an ace of
destruction。 Janet flinched； but Ditmar would laugh； gleefully；
boyishly。
〃We nearly got that one！〃 he would exclaim。 And then he had to assure
her that he wouldn't run over them。
〃I haven't run over one yet；have I？〃 he would demand。
〃No； but you will； it's only luck。〃
〃Luck！〃 he cried derisively。 〃Skill！ I wish I had a dollar for every
one I got when I was learning to drive。 There was a farmer over here in
Chester〃 and he proceeded to relate how he had had to pay for two
turkeys。 〃He got my number； the old hayseed； he was laying for me； and
the next time I went back that way he held me up for five dollars。 I can
remember the time when a man in a motor was an easy mark for every reuben
in the county。 They got rich on us。〃
She responded to his mood； which was wholly irresponsible； exuberant； and
they laughed together like children； every little incident assuming an
aspect irresistibly humorous。 Once he stopped to ask an old man standing
in his dooryard how far it was to Kingsbury。
〃Wal； mebbe it's two mile； they mostly call it two；〃 said the patriarch；
after due reflection； gathering his beard in his band。 〃Mebbe it's
more。〃 His upper lip was blue； shaven； prehensile。
〃What did you ask him for； when you know？〃 said Janet； mirthfully； when
they had gone on； and Ditmar was imitating him。 Ditmar's reply was to
wink at her。 Presently they saw another figure on the road。
〃Let's see what he'll say；〃 Ditmar proposed。 This man was young； the
colour of mahogany； with glistening black hair and glistening black eyes
that regarded the too palpable joyousness of their holiday humour in mute
surprise。
〃I no knowstranger；〃 he said。
〃No speaka Portugueso？〃 inquired Ditmar； gravely。
〃The country is getting filthy with foreigners；〃 he observed； when he had
started the car。 〃I went down to Plymouth last summer to see the old
rock； and by George； it seemed as if there wasn't anybody could speak
American on the whole cape。 All the Portuguese islands are dumped there…
…cranberry pickers； you know。〃
〃I didn't know that；〃 said Janet。
〃Sure thing！〃 he exclaimed。 〃And when I got there； what do you think？
there was hardly enough of the old stone left to stand on； and that had a
fence around it like an exhibit in an exposition。 It had all been
chipped away by souvenir hunters。〃
She gazed at him incredulously。
〃You don't believe me！ I'll take you down there sometime。 And another
thing； the rock's high and dryup on the land。 I said to Charlie Crane；
who was with me； that it must have been a peach of a jump for old Miles
Standish and Priscilla what's her name。〃
〃How I'd love to see the ocean again！〃 Janet exclaimed。
〃Why； I'll take youas often as you like；〃 he promised。 〃We'll go out
on it in summer； up to Maine； or down to the Cape。〃
Her enchantment was now so great that nothing seemed impossible。
〃And we'll go down to Plymouth； too； some Sunday soon； if this weather
keeps up。 If we start early enough we can get there for lunch； easy。
We'll see the rock。 I guess some of your ancestors must have come over
with that Mayflower outfitfirst cabin； eh？ You look like it。〃
Janet laughed。 〃It's a joke on them； if they did。 I wonder what they'd
think of Hampton； if they could see it now。 I counted up once； just to
tease fatherhe's the seventh generation from Ebenezer Bumpus； who came
to Dolton。 Well； I proved to him he might have one hundred and twenty…
six other ancestors besides Ebenezer and his wife。〃
〃That must have jarred him some；〃 was Ditmar's comment。 〃Great old man；
your father。 I've talked to himhe's a regular historical society all
by himself。 Well； there must be something in it； this family business。
Now； you can tell he comes from fine old American stock…he looks it。〃
Janet flushed。 〃A lot of good it does！〃 she exclaimed。
〃I don't know；〃 said Ditmar。 〃It's something to fall back ona good
deal。 And he hasn't got any of that nonsense in his head about labour
unionshe's a straight American。 And you look the part；〃 he added。
〃You remind meI never thought of it until nowyou remind me of a
picture of Priscilla I saw once in a book of poems Longfellow's； you
know。 I'm not much on literature； but I remember that； and I remember
thinking she could have me。 Funny isn't it； that you should have come
along？ But you've got more ginger than the woman in that picture。 I'm
the only man that ever guessed it isn't that so？〃 he asked jealously。
〃You're wonderful！〃 retorted Janet； daringly。
〃You just bet I am； or I couldn't have landed you；〃 he asserted。 〃You're
chock full of ginger； but it's been all corked up。 You're so prim…so
Priscilla。〃 He was immensely pleased with the adjective he had coined；
repeating it。 〃It's a great combination。 When I think of it； I want to
shake you； to squeeze you until you scream。〃
〃Then please don't think of it；〃 she said。
〃That's easy！〃 he exclaimed； mockingly。
At a quarter to one they entered a sleepy village reminiscent of a New
England of other days。 The long street； deeply shaded in summer； was
bordered by decorous homes； some of which had stood there for a century
and a half； others were of the Mansard period。 The high school； of
strawberry…coloured brick； had been the pride and glory of the Kingsbury
of the '70s： there were many churches； some graceful and
