a sappho of green springs-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



instinct　of　simple　unaffected　people　to　entertain　the　stranger　by

inviting　him　to　talk　of　what　concerns　himself　rather　than　their　own

selveswas　nevertheless；　I　fear；　met　only　by　monosyllables　from

the　young　lady　or　an　impatient　question　in　return。　　She　scarcely

raised　her　eyes　to　the　broad　jean…shirted　back　that　preceded　her

through　the　grain　until　the　man　abruptly　ceased　talking；　and　his

manner；　without　losing　its　half…paternal　courtesy；　became　graver。

She　was　beginning　to　be　conscious　of　her　incivility；　and　was　trying

to　think　of　something　to　say；　when　he　exclaimed　with　a　slight　air

of　relief；　〃Here　we　are！〃　and　the　shanty　suddenly　appeared　before

them。



It　certainly　was　very　rougha　mere　shell　of　unpainted　boards　that

scarcely　rose　above　the　level　of　the　surrounding　grain；　and　a　few

yards　distant　was　invisible。　　Its　slightly　sloping　roof；　already

warped　and　shrunken　into　long　fissures　that　permitted　glimpses　of

the　steel…blue　sky　above；　was　evidently　intended　only　as　a　shelter

from　the　cloudless　sun　in　those　two　months　of　rainless　days　and

dewless　nights　when　it　was　inhabited。　　Through　the　open　doors　and

windows　she　could　see　a　row　of　〃bunks；〃　or　rude　sleeping　berths

against　the　walls；　furnished　with　coarse　mattresses　and　blankets。

As　the　young　girl　halted；　the　man　with　an　instinct　of　delicacy

hurried　forward；　entered　the　shanty；　and　dragging　a　rude　bench　to

the　doorway；　placed　it　so　that　she　could　sit　beneath　the　shade　of

the　roof；　yet　with　her　back　to　these　domestic　revelations。　　Two　or

three　men；　who　had　been　apparently　lounging　there；　rose　quietly；

and　unobtrusively　withdrew。　　Her　guide　brought　her　a　tin　cup　of

deliciously　cool　water；　exchanged　a　few　hurried　words　with　his

companions；　and　then　disappeared　with　them；　leaving　her　alone。



Her　first　sense　of　relief　from　their　company　was；　I　fear；　stronger

than　any　other　feeling。　　After　a　hurried　glance　around　the　deserted

apartment；　she　arose；　shook　out　her　dress　and　mantle；　and　then

going　into　the　darkest　corner　supported　herself　with　one　hand

against　the　wall　while　with　the　other　she　drew　off；　one　by　one；　her

slippers　from　her　slim；　striped…stockinged　feet；　shook　and　blew　out

the　dust　that　had　penetrated　within；　and　put　them　on　again。　　Then；

perceiving　a　triangular　fragment　of　looking…glass　nailed　against

the　wall；　she　settled　the　strings　of　her　bonnet　by　the　aid　of　its

reflection；　patted　the　fringe　of　brown　hair　on　her　forehead　with

her　separated　five　fingers　as　if　playing　an　imaginary　tune　on　her

brow；　and　came　back　with　maidenly　abstraction　to　the　doorway。



Everything　was　quiet；　and　her　seclusion　seemed　unbroken。　　A　smile

played　for　an　instant　in　the　soft　shadows　of　her　eyes　and　mouth　as

she　recalled　the　abrupt　withdrawal　of　the　men。　　Then　her　mouth

straightened　and　her　brows　slightly　bent。　　It　was　certainly　very

unmannerly　in　them　to　go　off　in　that　way。　　〃Good　heavens！　couldn't

they　have　stayed　around　without　talking？　　Surely　it　didn't　require

four　men　to　go　and　bring　up　that　wagon！〃　　She　picked　up　her　parasol

from　the　bench　with　an　impatient　little　jerk。　　Then　she　held　out

her　ungloved　hand　into　the　hot　sunshine　beyond　the　door　with　the

gesture　she　would　have　used　had　it　been　raining；　and　withdrew　it　as

quicklyher　hand　quite　scorched　in　the　burning　rays。　　Nevertheless；

after　another　impatient　pause　she　desperately　put　up　her　parasol

and　stepped　from　the　shanty。



Presently　she　was　conscious　of　a　faint　sound　of　hammering　not　far

away。　　Perhaps　there　was　another　shed；　but　hidden；　like　everything

else；　in　this　monotonous；　ridiculous　grain。　　Some　stalks；　however；

were　trodden　down　and　broken　around　the　shanty；　she　could　move　more

easily　and　see　where　she　was　going。　　To　her　delight；　a　few　steps

further　brought　her　into　a　current　of　the　trade…wind　and　a　cooler

atmosphere。　　And　a　short　distance　beyond　them；　certainly；　was　the

shed　from　which　the　hammering　proceeded。　　She　approached　it　boldly。



It　was　simply　a　roof　upheld　by　rude　uprights　and　crossbeams；　and

open　to　the　breeze　that　swept　through　it。　　At　one　end　was　a　small

blacksmith's　forge；　some　machinery；　and　what　appeared　to　be　part　of

a　small　steam…engine。　　Midway　of　the　shed　was　a　closet　or　cupboard

fastened　with　a　large　padlock。　　Occupying　its　whole　length　on　the

other　side　was　a　work…bench；　and　at　the　further　end　stood　the

workman　she　had　heard。



He　was　apparently　only　a　year　or　two　older　than　herself；　and　clad

in　blue　jean　overalls；　blackened　and　smeared　with　oil　and　coal…

dust。　　Even　his　youthful　face；　which　he　turned　towards　her；　had　a

black　smudge　running　across　it　and　almost　obliterating　a　small

auburn　moustache。　　The　look　of　surprise　that　he　gave　her；　however；

quickly　passed；　he　remained　patiently　and　in　a　half…preoccupied

way；　holding　his　hammer　in　his　hand；　as　she　advanced。　　This　was

evidently　the　young　fellow　who　could　〃do　anything　that　could　be

done　with　wood　and　iron。〃



She　was　very　sorry　to　disturb　him；　but　could　he　tell　her　how　long

it　would　be　before　the　wagon　could　be　brought　up　and　mended？　　He

could　not　say　that　until　he　himself　saw　what　was　to　be　done；　if　it

was　only　a　matter　of　the　wheel　he　could　fix　it　up　in　a　few　moments；

if；　as　he　had　been　told；　it　was　a　case　of　twisted　or　bent　axle；　it

would　take　longer；　but　it　would　be　here　very　soon。　　Ah；　then；　would

he　let　her　wait　here；　as　she　was　very　anxious　to　know　at　once；　and

it　was　much　cooler　than　in　the　shed？　　Certainly；　he　would　go　over

and　bring　her　a　bench。　　But　here　she　begged　he　wouldn't　trouble

himself；　she　could　sit　anywhere　comfortably。



The　lower　end　of　the　work…bench　was　covered　with　clean　and　odorous

shavings；　she　lightly　brushed　them　aside　and；　with　a　youthful

movement；　swung　herself　to　a　seat　upon　it；　supporting　herself　on

one　hand　as　she　leaned　towards　him。　　She　could　thus　see　that　his

eyes　were　of　a　light…yellowish　brown；　like　clarified　honey；　with　a

singular　look　of　clear　concentration　in　them；　which；　however；　was

the　same　whether　turned　upon　his　work；　the　surrounding　grain；　or

upon　her。　　This；　and　his　sublime　unconsciousness　of　the　smudge

across　his　face　and　his　blackened　hands；　made　her　wonder　if　the　man

who　could　do　everything　with　wood　and　iron　was　above　doing　anything

with　water。　　She　had　half　a　mind　to　tell　him　of　it；　particularly　as

she　noticed　also　that　his　throat　below　the　line　of　sunburn

disclosed　by　his　open　collar　was　quite　white；　and　his　grimy　hands

well　made。　　She　was　wondering　whether　he　would　be　affronted　if　she

said　in　her　politest　way；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　do　you　know　you

have　quite　accidentally　got　something　on　your　face；〃　and　offer　her

handkerchief；　which；　of　course；　he　would　decline；　when　her　eye　fell

on　the　steam…engine。



〃How　odd！　　Do　you　use　that　on　the　farm？〃



〃No；〃he　smiled　here；　the　smudge　accenting　it　and　setting　off　his

white　teeth　in　a　Christy　Minstrel　fashion　that　exasperated　herno；

although　it　COULD　be　used；　and　had　been。　　But　it　was　his　first

effort；　made　two　years　ago；　when　he　was　younger　and　more

inexperienced。　　It　was　a　rather　rough　thing；　she　could　seebut　he

had　to　make　it　at　odd　times　with　what　iron　he　could　pick　up　or　pay

for；　and　at　different　forges　where　he　worked。



She　begged　his　pardonwhere



WHERE　HE　WORKED。



Ah；　then　he　was　the　machinist　or　engineer　here？



No；　he　worked　here　just　like　the　others；　only　he　was　allowed　to　put

up　a　forge　while　the　grain　was　green；　and　have　his　bench　in

consideration　of　the　odd　jobs　he　could　do　in　the　way　of　mending

tools；　etc。　　There　was　a　heap　of　mending　and　welding　to　doshe　had

no　idea　how　quickly　agricultural　machines　got　out　of　order！　　He　had

done　much　of　his　work　on　the　steam…engine　on　moonlit　nights。　　Yes；

she　had　no　idea　how　perfectly　clear　and　light　it　was　here　in　the

valley　on　such　nights；　although　of　course　the　shadows　were　very

dark；　and　when　he　dropped　a　screw　or　a　nut　it　was　difficult　to

find。　　He　had　worked　there　because　it　saved　time　and　becau