a sappho of green springs-第5章

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tenants　of　the　woodwith　a　more　graceful　and　airy　presence　and　a

far　sweeter　voice。



The　open　horizon　towards　the　west　had　taken　a　warmer　color　from　the

already　slanting　sun　when　Mr。　Hamlin；　having　rested　his　horse；

turned　to　that　direction。　　He　had　noticed　that　the　wood　was　thinner

there；　and；　pushing　forward；　he　was　presently　rewarded　by　the　sound

of　far…off　wheels；　and　knew　he　must　be　near　the　high…road　that　the

boy　had　spoken　of。　　Having　given　up　his　previous　intention　of

crossing　the　stream；　there　seemed　nothing　better　for　him　to　do　than

to　follow　the　truant's　advice　and　take　the　road　back　to　Green

Springs。　　Yet　he　was　loath　to　leave　the　wood；　halting　on　its　verge；

and　turning　to　look　back　into　its　charmed　recesses。　　Once　or　twice

perhaps　because　he　recalled　the　words　of　the　poemthat　yellowish

sea　of　ferns　had　seemed　instinct　with　hidden　life；　and　he　had　even

fancied；　here　and　there；　a　swaying　of　its　plumed　crests。　　Howbeit；

he　still　lingered　long　enough　for　the　open　sunlight　into　which　he

had　obtruded　to　point　out　the　bravery　of　his　handsome　figure。　　Then

he　wheeled　his　horse；　the　light　glanced　from　polished　double　bit

and　bridle…fripperies；　caught　his　red　sash　and　bullion　buttons；

struck　a　parting　flash　from　his　silver　spurs；　and　he　was　gone！



For　a　moment　the　light　streamed　unbrokenly　through　the　wood。　　And

then　it　could　be　seen　that　the　yellow　mass　of　undergrowth　HAD　moved

with　the　passage　of　another　figure　than　his　own。　　For　ever　since　he

had　entered　the　shade；　a　woman；　shawled　in　a　vague；　shapeless

fashion；　had　watched　him　wonderingly；　eagerly；　excitedly；　gliding

from　tree　to　tree　as　he　advanced；　or　else　dropping　breathlessly

below　the　fronds　of　fern　whence　she　gazed　at　him　as　between　parted

fingers。　　When　he　wheeled　she　had　run　openly　to　the　west；　albeit

with　hidden　face　and　still　clinging　shawl；　and　taken　a　last　look　at

his　retreating　figure。　　And　then；　with　a　faint　but　lingering　sigh；

she　drew　back　into　the　shadow　of　the　wood　again　and　vanished　also。





CHAPTER　III





At　the　end　of　twenty　minutes　Mr。　Hamlin　reined　in　his　mare。　　He　had

just　observed　in　the　distant　shadows　of　a　by…lane　that　intersected

his　road　the　vanishing　flutter　of　two　light　print　dresses。　　Without

a　moment's　hesitation　he　lightly　swerved　out　of　the　high…road　and

followed　the　retreating　figures。



As　he　neared　them；　they　seemed　to　be　two　slim　young　girls；

evidently　so　preoccupied　with　the　rustic　amusement　of　edging　each

other　off　the　grassy　border　into　the　dust　of　the　track　that　they

did　not　perceive　his　approach。　　Little　shrieks；　slight　scufflings；

and　interjections　of　〃Cynthy！　you　limb！〃　〃Quit　that；　Eunice；　now！〃

and　〃I　just　call　that　real　mean！〃　apparently　drowned　the　sound　of

his　canter　in　the　soft　dust。　　Checking　his　speed　to　a　gentle　trot；

and　pressing　his　horse　close　beside　the　opposite　fence；　he　passed

them　with　gravely　uplifted　hat　and　a　serious；　preoccupied　air。　　But

in　that　single；　seemingly　conventional　glance；　Mr。　Hamlin　had　seen

that　they　were　both　pretty；　and　that　one　had　the　short　upper　lip　of

his　errant　little　guide。　　A　hundred　yards　farther　on　he　halted；　as

if　irresolutely；　gazed　doubtfully　ahead　of　him；　and　then　turned

back。　　An　expression　of　innocentalmost　childlikeconcern　was

clouding　the　rascal's　face。　　It　was　well；　as　the　two　girls　had

drawn　closely　together；　having　been　apparently　surprised　in　the

midst　of　a　glowing　eulogium　of　this　glorious　passing　vision　by　its

sudden　return。　　At　his　nearer　approach；　the　one　with　the　short

upper　lip　hid　that　piquant　feature　and　the　rest　of　her　rosy　face

behind　the　other's　shoulder；　which　was　suddenly　and　significantly

opposed　to　the　advance　of　this　handsome　intruder；　with　a　certain

dignity；　half　real；　half　affected；　but　wholly　charming。　　The

protectress　appearedpossibly　from　her　defensive　attitudethe

superior　of　her　companion。



Audacious　as　Jack　was　to　his　own　sex；　he　had　early　learned　that

such　rare　but　discomposing　graces　as　he　possessed　required　a

certain　apologetic　attitude　when　presented　to　women；　and　that　it

was　only　a　plain　man　who　could　be　always　complacently　self…

confident　in　their　presence。　　There　was；　consequently；　a　hesitating

lowering　of　this　hypocrite's　brown　eyelashes　as　he　said；　in　almost

pained　accents；



〃Excuse　me；　but　I　fear　I've　taken　the　wrong　road。　　I'm　going　to

Green　Springs。〃



〃I　reckon　you've　taken　the　wrong　road；　wherever　you're　going；〃

returned　the　young　lady；　having　apparently　made　up　her　mind　to

resent　each　of　Jack's　perfections　as　a　separate　impertinence：　〃this

is　a　PRIVATE　road。〃　　She　drew　herself　fairly　up　here；　although

gurgled　at　in　the　ear　and　pinched　in　the　arm　by　her　companion。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Jack；　meekly。　　〃I　see　I'm　trespassing　on

your　grounds。　　I'm　very　sorry。　　Thank　you　for　telling　me。　　I　should

have　gone　on　a　mile　or　two　farther；　I　suppose；　until　I　came　to　your

house；〃　he　added；　innocently。



〃A　mile　or　two！　　You'd　have　run　chock　ag'in'　our　gate　in　another

minit；〃　said　the　short…lipped　one；　eagerly。　　But　a　sharp　nudge　from

her　companion　sent　her　back　again　into　cover；　where　she　waited

expectantly　for　another　crushing　retort　from　her　protector。



But；　alas！　it　did　not　come。　　One　cannot　be　always　witty；　and　Jack

looked　distressed。　　Nevertheless；　he　took　advantage　of　the　pause。



〃It　was　so　stupid　in　me；　as　I　think　your　brother〃looking　at

Short…lip〃very　carefully　told　me　the　road。〃



The　two　girls　darted　quick　glances　at　each　other。　　〃Oh；　Bawb！〃　said

the　first　speaker；　in　wearied　accents；〃THAT　limb！　　He　don't

keer。〃



〃But　he　DID　care；〃　said　Hamlin；　quietly；　〃and　gave　me　a　good　deal

of　information。　　Thanks　to　him；　I　was　able　to　see　that　ferny　wood

that's　so　famousabout　two　miles　up　the　road。　　You　knowthe　one

that　there's　a　poem　written　about！〃



The　shot　told！　　Short…lip　burst　into　a　display　of　dazzling　little

teeth　and　caught　the　other　girl　convulsively　by　the　shoulders。　　The

superior　girl　bent　her　pretty　brows；　and　said；　〃Eunice；　what's　gone

of　ye？　　Quit　that！〃　but；　as　Hamlin　thought；　paled　slightly。



〃Of　course；〃　said　Hamlin；　quickly；　〃you　knowthe　poem　everybody's

talking　about。　　Dear　me！　let　me　see！　how　does　it　go？〃　　The　rascal

knit　his　brows；　said；　〃Ah；　yes；〃　and　then　murmured　the　verse　he　had

lately　sung　quite　as　musically。



Short…lip　was　shamelessly　exalted　and　excited。　　Really　she　could

scarcely　believe　it！　　She　already　heard　herself　relating　the　whole

occurrence。　　Here　was　the　most　beautiful　young　man　she　had　ever

seenan　entire　strangertalking　to　them　in　the　most　beautiful　and

natural　way；　right　in　the　lane；　and　reciting　poetry　to　her　sister！

It　was　like　a　novelonly　more　so。　　She　thought　that　Cynthia；　on

the　other　hand；　looked　distressed；　andshe　must　say　it〃silly。〃



All　of　which　Jack　noted；　and　was　wise。　　He　had　got　all　he　wanted

at　present。　　He　gathered　up　his　reins。



〃Thank　you　so　much；　and　your　brother；　too；　Miss　Cynthia；〃　he　said；

without　looking　up。　　Then；　adding；　with　a　parting　glance　and　smile；

〃But　don't　tell　Bob　how　stupid　I　was；〃　he　swiftly　departed。



In　half　an　hour　he　was　at　the　Green　Springs　Hotel。　　As　he　rode　into

the　stable　yard；　he　noticed　that　the　coach　had　only　just　arrived；

having　been　detained　by　a　land…slip　on　the　Summit　road。　　With　the

recollection　of　Bob　fresh　in　his　mind；　he　glanced　at　the　loungers


at　the　stage　office。　　The　boy　was　not　there；　but　a　moment　later

Jack　detected　him　among　the　waiting　crowd　at　the　post…office

opposite。　　With　a　view　of　following　up　his　inquiries；　he　crossed

the　road　as　the　boy　entered　the　vestibule　of　the　post…office。　　He

arrived　in　time　to　see　him　unlock　one　of　a　row　of　numbered　letter…

boxes　rented　by　subscribers；　which　occupied　a　partition　by　the

window；　and　take　out　a　small　package　and　a　letter。　　But　in　that

brief　glance　Mr。　Hamlin　detected　the　printed　address　of　the

〃Excelsior　Magazine〃　on　the　wrapper。　　It　was　enough。　　Luck　was

certainly　with　hi