to have and to hold-第4章

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〃Captain　Ralph　Percy；　if　I　mistake　not？〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　as　deep　and　rich　as　the　bass　of　an　organ。

〃The　same；〃　I　answered。　〃And　you　are　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow？〃

〃Yea；　a　silly　preacher；　…　the　poorest；　meekest；　and　lowliest　of　the　Lord's　servitors。〃

His　deep　voice；　magnificent　frame；　and　bold　and　free　address　so　gave　the　lie　to　the　humility　of　his　words　that　I　had　much　ado　to　keep　from　laughing。　He　saw；　and　his　face；　which　was　of　a　cast　most　martial；　flashed　into　a　smile；　like　sunshine　on　a　scarred　cliff。

〃You　laugh　in　your　sleeve；〃　he　said　good…humoredly；　〃and　yet　I　am　but　what　I　profess　to　be。　　In　spirit　I　am　a　very　Job；　though　nature　hath　fit　to　dress　me　as　a　Samson。　I　assure　you；　I　am　worse　misfitted　than　is　Master　Yardstick　yonder　in　those　Falstaffian　hose。　But；　good　sir；　will　you　not　go　to　church？〃

〃If　the　church　were　Paul's；　I　might；〃　I　answered。　〃As　it　is；　we　could　not　get　within　fifty　feet　of　the　door。〃

〃Of　the　great　door；　ay；　but　the　ministers　may　pass　through　the　side　door。　If　you　please；　I　will　take　you　in　with　me。　The　pretty　fools　yonder　march　slowly；　if　we　turn　down　this　lane；　we　will　outstrip　them　quite。〃

〃Agreed；〃　I　said；　and　we　turned　into　a　lane　thick　planted　with　tobacco；　made　a　detour　of　the　Governor's　house；　and　outflanked　the　procession；　arriving　at　the　small　door　before　it　had　entered　the　churchyard。　Here　we　found　the　sexton　mounting　guard。

〃I　am　Master　Sparrow；　the　minister　that　came　in　the　Southampton；〃　my　new　acquaintance　explained。　〃I　am　to　sit　in　the　choir。　Let　us　pass；　good　fellow。〃

The　sexton　squared　himself　before　the　narrow　opening；　and　swelled　with　importance。

〃You；　reverend　sir；　I　will　admit；　such　being　my　duty。　But　this　gentleman　is　no　preacher；　I　may　not　allow　him　to　pass。〃

〃You　mistake；　friend；〃　said　my　companion　gravely。　〃This　gentleman；　my　worthy　colleague；　has　but　just　come　from　the　island　of　St。　Brandon；　where　he　preaches　on　the　witches'　Sabbath：　hence　the　disorder　of　his　apparel。　His　admittance　be　on　my　head：　wherefore　let　us　by。〃

〃None　to　enter　at　the　west　door　save　Councilors；　commander；　and　ministers。　Any　attempting　to　force　　an　entrance　to　be　arrested　and　laid　by　the　heels　if　they　be　of　the　generality；　or；　if　they　be　of　quality；　to　be　duly　fined　and　debarred　from　the　purchase　of　any　maid　whatsoever；〃　chanted　the　sexton。

〃Then；　in　God's　name；　let's　on！〃　I　exclaimed　〃Here；　try　this！〃　and　I　drew　from　my　purse；　which　was　something　of　the　leanest；　a　shilling。

〃Try　this；〃　quoth　Master　Jeremy　Sparrow；　and　knocked　the　sexton　down。

We　left　the　fellow　sprawling　in　the　doorway；　sputtering　threats　to　the　air　without；　but　with　one　covetous　hand　clutching　at　the　shilling　which　I　threw　behind　me；　and　entered　the　church；　which　we　found　yet　empty；　though　through　the　open　great　door　we　heard　the　drum　beat　loudly　and　a　deepening　sound　of　footsteps。

〃I　have　choice　of　position；〃　I　said。　〃Yonder　window　seems　a　good　station。　You　remain　here　in　the　choir？〃

〃Ay；〃　he　answered；　with　a　sigh；　〃the　dignity　of　my　calling　must　be　upheld：　wherefore　I　sit　in　high　places；　rubbing　elbows　with　gold　lace；　when　of　the　very　truth　the　humility　of　my　spirit　is　such　that　I　would　feel　more　at　home　in　the　servants'　seats　or　among　the　negars　that　we　bought　last　year。〃

Had　we　not　been　in　church　I　would　have　laughed；　though　indeed　I　saw　that　he　devoutly　believed　his　own　words。　He　took　his　seat　in

the　largest　and　finest　of　the　chairs　behind　the　great　velvet　one　reserved　for　the　Governor；　while　I　went　and　leaned　against　my　window；　and　we　stared　at　each　other　across　the　flower…decked　building　in　profound　silence；　until；　with　one　great　final　crash；　the　bells　ceased；　the　drum　stopped　beating；　and　the　procession　entered。



CHAPTER　III　　IN　WHICH　I　MARRY　IN　HASTE


THE　long　service　of　praise　and　thanksgiving　was　well…nigh　over　when　I　first　saw　her。

She　sat　some　ten　feet　from　me；　in　the　corner；　and　so　in　the　shadow　of　a　tall　pew。　Beyond　her　was　a　row　of　milkmaid　beauties；　red　of　cheek；　free　of　eye；　deep…bosomed；　and　beribboned　like　Maypoles。　I　looked　again；　and　saw　…　and　see　…　a　rose　amongst　blowzed　poppies　and　peonies；　a　pearl　amidst　glass　beads；　a　Perdita　in　a　ring　of　rustics；　a　nonparella　of　all　grace　and　beauty！　As　I　gazed　with　all　my　eyes；　I　found　more　than　grace　and　beauty　in　that　wonderful　face；　…　found　pride；　wit；　fire；　determination；　finally　shame　and　anger。　For；　feeling　my　eyes　upon　her；　she　looked　up　and　met　what　she　must　have　thought　the　impudent　stare　of　an　appraiser。　Her　face；　which　had　been　without　color；　pale　and　clear　like　the　sky　about　the　evening　star；　went　crimson　in　a　moment。　She　bit　her　lip　and　shot　at　me　one　withering　glance；　then　dropped　her　eyelids　and　hid　the　lightning。　When　I　looked　at　her　again；　covertly；　and　from　under　my　hand　raised　as　though　to　push　back　my　hair；　she　was　pale　once　more；　and　her　dark　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　water　and　the　green　trees　without　the　window。

The　congregation　rose；　and　she　stood　up　with　the　other　maids。　Her　dress　of　dark　woolen；　severe　and　unadorned；　her　close　ruff　and　prim　white　coif；　would　　have　cried　〃Puritan；〃　had　ever　Puritan　looked　like　this　woman；　upon　whom　the　poor　apparel　had　the　seeming　of　purple　and　ermine。

Anon　came　the　benediction。　Governor；　Councilors；　commanders；　and　ministers　left　the　choir　and　paced　solemnly　down　the　aisle；　the　maids　closed　in　behind；　and　we　who　had　lined　the　walls；　shifting　from　one　heel　to　the　other　for　a　long　two　hours；　brought　up　the　rear；　and　so　passed　from　the　church　to　a　fair　green　meadow　adjacent　thereto。　Here　the　company　disbanded；　the　wearers　of　gold　lace　betaking　themselves　to　seats　erected　in　the　shadow　of　a　mighty　oak；　and　the　ministers；　of　whom　there　were　four；　bestowing　themselves　within　pulpits　of　turf。　For　one　altar　and　one　clergyman　could　not　hope　to　dispatch　that　day's　business。

As　for　the　maids；　for　a　minute　or　more　they　made　one　cluster；　then；　shyly　or　with　laughter；　they　drifted　apart　like　the　petals　of　a　wind…blown　rose；　and　silk　doublet　and　hose　gave　chase。　Five　minutes　saw　the　goodly　company　of　damsels　errant　and　would…be　bridegrooms　scattered　far　and　near　over　the　smiling　meadow。　For　the　most　part　they　went　man　and　maid；　but　the　fairer　of　the　feminine　cohort　had　rings　of　clamorous　suitors　from　whom　to　choose。　As　for　me；　I　walked　alone；　for　if　by　chance　I　neared　a　maid；　she　looked　（womanlike）　at　my　apparel　first；　and　never　reached　my　face；　but　squarely　turned　her　back。　So　disengaged；　I　felt　like　a　guest　at　a　mask；　and　in　some　measure　enjoyed　the　show；　though　with　an　uneasy　consciousness　that　I　was　pledged　to　become；　sooner　or　later；　a　part　of　the　spectacle。　I　saw　a　shepherdess　fresh　from　Arcadia　wave　back　a　dozen　importunate　gallants；　then　throw　a　knot　of　blue　ribbon　into　their　　midst；　laugh　with　glee　at　the　scramble　that　ensued；　and　finally　march　off　with　the　wearer　of　the　favor。　I　saw　a　neighbor　of　mine；　tall　Jack　Pride；　who　lived　twelve　miles　above　me；　blush　and　stammer；　and　bow　again　and　again　to　a　milliner's　apprentice　of　a　girl；　not　five　feet　high　and　all　eyes；　who　dropped　a　curtsy　at　each　bow。　When　I　had　passed　them　fifty　yards　or　more；　and　looked　back；　they　were　still　bobbing　and　bowing。　And　I　heard　a　dialogue　between　Phyllis　and　Corydon。　Says　Phyllis；　〃Any　poultry？〃

Corydon。　〃A　matter　of　twalve　hens　and　twa　cocks。〃

Phyllis。　〃A　cow？〃

Corydon。　〃Twa。〃

Phyllis。　〃How　much　tobacco？〃

Corydon。　〃Three　acres；　hinny；　though　I　dinna　drink　the　weed　mysel'。　I'm　a　Stewart；　woman；　an'　the　King's　puir　cousin。〃

Phyllis。　〃What　household　plenishing？〃

Corydon。　　〃Ane　large　bed；　ane　flock　bed；　ane　trundle　bed；　ane　chest；　ane　trunk；　ane　leather　cairpet；　sax　cawfskin　chairs　an'　twa…three　rush；　five　pair　o'　sheets　an'　auchteen　dowlas　napkins；　sax　alchemy　spunes〃　…

Phyllis。　〃I'll　take　you。〃

At　the　far　end　of　the　meadow；　near　to　the　fort；　I　met　young　Hamor；　alone；　flushed；　and　hurrying　back　to　the　more　populous　part　of　the　field。

〃Not　yet　mated？〃　I　asked。　〃Where　are　the　maids'　eyes？〃

〃By　…　！〃　he　answered；　with　an　angry　laugh。　〃If　they're　all　like　the　sample　I've　just　left；　I'll　buy　me　a　squaw　from　the　Paspaheghs！〃

I　smiled。　〃So　your　wooing　has　not　prospered？〃

His　vanity　took　fire。　〃I　have　not　wooed　in　earnest；〃　he　said　carelessly；　a