the red acorn-第23节

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slat…bottomed　chair　by　the　side　of　the　hearth；　and　Aunt　Debby；　knitting　in　hand；　occupied　a　low　rocker　nearly　opposite。

〃Where's　Mr。　Fortner？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Jim　got　up；　arly；　an'　arter　eatin'　a　snac　said　he'd　go　out　an'　take　a　look　aroundmebbe　he　mout　go　ez　fur　ez　the　Ford。〃

As　if　to　accompany　Harry's　instinctie　tremor　over　the　possibilities　attending　the　resumption　of　Fortner's　prowling　around　the　flanks　of　Zollicoffer's　army；　the　fire　shot　off　a　whole　volley　of　sharp　little　explosions。

Harry　sprang　two　or　three　inches　above　his　chair；　then　reddened　violently；　and　essayed　to　conceal　his　confusion　by　assiduous　attention　with　the　poker　to　the　wants　of　the　fire。

Aunt　Debby　regarded　him　with　gentle　compassion。

〃Yer　all　shuck　up　by　the　happenin's　yesterday；〃　she　said　with　such　tactful　sympathy　that　his　sensitive　mettle　was　not　offended。　　〃'Tis　nateral　ye　should　be。　　Hit's　allers　so。　　Folks　kin　say　what　they　please；　but　fouten's　terrible　tryin'　to　the　narves；　no　matter　who　does　hit。　　My　husband　wuz　in　the　Mexican　War；　an'　he's　offen　tole　me　thet　fur　weeks　arter　the　battle　o'　Buner　Visty　he　couldn't　heah　a　twig　snap　withouten　his　heart　poppin'　right　up　inter　his　mouth；　an'　hit　wuz　so　with　everybody　else；　much　ez　they　tried　ter　play　off　unconsarned　like。〃

〃Ah；　really？〃　said　Henry；　deeply　interested　in　all　the　concerned　this　woman；　whose　remarkable　qualities　were　impressing　themselves　upon　his　recognition。　　〃What　part　of　the　army　did　your　husband　belong　to？〃

〃He　wuz　in　the　Kentucky　rigimint　commanded　by　Kunnel　Henry　Clay；　son　o'　the　great　Henry　Clay；　who　wuz　killed　thar。　　My　husband　was　promoted　to　a　Leftenant　fur　his　brav'ry　in　the　battle。〃

〃Then　this　is　not　your　first　experience　with　war？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　said　she；　with　just　a　trace　of　pride　swelling　in　the　temple's　delicate　network　of　blue　veins。　　〃The　Fortners　an'　the　Brills　air　soljer　families；　an'　ther　young　men　hev　shouldered　ther　guns　whenever　the　country　needed　fouten…men。　　Great　gran'fathers　Brill　an'　Fortner　come　inter　the　State　along　with　Dan'l　boone　nigh　onter　a　hundred　years　ago；　and　sence　then　them　an'　ther　descendents　hev　fit　Injuns；　Brittishers　an'　Mexikins　evr'y　time　an　inimy　raised　a　sword　agin　the　country。〃

〃Many　of　them　lose　their　lives？〃

〃Yes；　ev'ry　war　hez　cost　the　families　some　member。　　Gran'fathes　Brill　an'　Fortner　war　both　on　'em　killed　at　the　Injun　ambush　at　Blue　Licks。　　I　wuz　on'y　a　baby　when　my　father　wuz　killed　at　the　massacre　of　Winchester's　men　at　the　River　Raisin。　　My　brother…〃

〃father　of　the　man　I　was　with　yesterday？〃

〃No；　HIS　father　wuz　my　oldest　brother。　　My　youngest　brotherthe　'baby'　o'　the　familywuz　mortally　wounded　by　a　copper　ball　in　the　charge　on　the　Bishop's　Palace　at　the　takin'　o'　Monterey。〃

〃And　your　husbandhe　went　through　the　war　safely；　did　he？〃

The　pleasant；　mobile　lines　upon　the　woman's　face　congealed　into　stony　hardness。　　At　the　moment　of　Harry's　question　she　was　beginning　to　count　the　stitches　in　her　work　for　some　feminine　mystery　of　〃narrowing〃　or　〃turning。〃　　She　stopped；　and　hands　and　knittng　dropped　into　her　lap。

〃My　husband；〃　she　said　slowly　and　bitterly；　〃wuz　spared　by　the　Mexikins　thet　he　fit；　but　not　by　his　own　countrymen　an'　neighbors；　amongst　whom　he　wuz　brung　up。　　His　blood　wuz　not　poured　out　on　the　soil　he　invaded；　but　wuz　drunk　by　the　land　his　forefathers　an'　kinsmen　hed　died　fur。　　The　godless　Greasers　on　the　River　Grande　war　kinder　ter　him　nor　the　CHRISTIAN　gentlemen　on　the　Rockassel。〃

The　intensity　and　bitterness　of　the　utterance　revealed　a　long　conning　of　the　expression　of　bitter　truths。

〃He　lost　his　life；　then；〃　said　Harry；　partially　comprehending；　〃in　some　of　the　troubles　around　here？〃

〃He　wuz　killed；　bekase　he　wouldn't　help　brek　down　what　hit　hed　cost　so　much　ter　build　up。　　He　wuz　killed；　bekase　he　thot　a　pore　man's　life　wuth　mo'en　a　rich　man's　nigger。　　He　wuz　killed；　bekase　he　b'lieved　this　whole　country　belonged　ter　the　men　who'd　fit　fur　hit　an'　made　hit　what　hit　is；　an'　thet　hit　wuzn't　a　plantation　fur　a　passel　o'　slave…drivers　ter　boss　an'　divide　up　jess　ez　hit　suited　'em。〃

〃Why；　I　thought　all　you　Kentuckians　were　strongly　in　favor　of　keeping　the　negores　in　slavery；〃　said　Harry　in　amazement。

〃Keepin　the　niggers　ez　slaves　ain't　the　question　at　all。　　We　folks　air　ez　fur　from　bein'　Abolitionists　ez　ennybody。　　Hit's　a　battle　now　with　a　lot　uv　'ristocrats　who'd　take　our　rights　away。〃

〃I　don't　quite　understand　your　position；〃　said　Harry。

〃Hit's　bekase　ye　don't　understand　the　country。　　The　people　down　heah　air　divided　into　three　classes。　　Fust　thar's　the　few　very　rich　fam'lies　that　hev　big　farms　over　in　the　Blue　Grass　with　lots　o'　niggers　ter　work　'em。　　Then　thar's　the　middle　classlike　the　Fortners　an'　the　Brillsthet　hev　small　farms　in　the　creek　vallies；　an'　wharever　thar's　good　land　on　the　mounting　sides；　who　hev　no　niggers；　an'　who　try　ter　lead　God…fearin'；　hard…workin'　lives；　an'　support　ther　fam'lies　decently。　　Lastly　thar's　the　pore　white　trash；　thet　lives　'way　up　in　the　hollers　an'　on　the　wuthless　lands　about　the　headwaters。　　They've　little　patches　o'　corn　ter　make　ther　breadstuff；　an'　depend　on　huntin'；　fishin'；　an'　stealin'　fur　the　rest　o'　their　vittles。　　They've　half…a…dozen　guns　in　every　cabin；　but　nary　a　hoe；　they've　more　yaller　dogs　then　the　rest　o'　us　hev　sheep；　an　they　find　hit　a　good　deal　handier　ter　kill　other　folks's　hogs　than　ter　raise　ther　own　pork。〃

〃Hardly　desirable　neighbors；　I　should　think；〃　ventured　Harry。

〃Hit's　war　all　the　time　between　our　kind　o'　people；　and　them　other　kinds。　　Both　on　'em　hates　us　like　pizen；　an'　on　our　sidewell；　we　air　Christians；　but　we　recken　thet　when　Christ　tole　us　ter　love　our　inimies；　an'　do　good　ter　them　ez　despitefully　used　us；　he　couldn't　hev　hed　no　idee　how　mean　people　would　git　ter　be　long　arter　he　left　the　airth。〃

Harry　could　not　help　smiling　at　this　new　adaptation　of　Scriptural　mandate。

〃The　low…down　white　hates　us　bekase　we　ain't　mean　an'　ornery　ez　they　air；　an'　hold　ourselves　above　'em。　　The　big…bugs　hates　us　bekase　we　won't　knuckle　down　ter　'em；　ez　ther　niggers　an'　the　pore　whites　do。　　So　hit's　cat…an'…dog　all　the　time。　　We　don't　belong　ter　the　same　parties；　we　don't　jine　the　same　churches；　an'　thar's　more　or　less　trouble　a…gwine　on　batween　us　an'　them　continnerly。〃

〃Then　when　the　war　broke　out　you　took　different　sides　as　usual？〃

〃Of　course！　of　course！　　The　big　nigger…owners　an'　the　ornery　whites　who　air　just　ez　much　ther　slaves　ez　ef　they'd　been　bot　an'　paid　fur　with　ther　own　money；　became　red…hot　Secessioners；　while　our　people　stuck　ter　the　Union。　　The　very　old　Satan　hisself　seemed　ter　take　possession　ov　'em；　and　stir　'em　up　ter　do　all　manner　o'　cruelty　ter　conquer　us　inter　jinin'　in　with　'em。　　The　Brills　an'　Fortners　hed　allers　been　leaders　agin　the　other　people；an'　now　the　Rebels　hissed　their　white　slaves　onter　our　men；　ez　one　sets　dogs　onter　steers　in　the　corn。　　The　chief　man　among　'em　wuz　Kunnel　Bill　Pennington。〃

Harry　looked　up　with　a　start。

〃Yes；　the　same　one　who　got　his　reward　yesterd；〃　she　continued；　interpreting　the　expression　of　his　eyes。　　〃The　Penningtons　air　the　richest　family　this　side　o'　Danville。　　They　an'　the　Brills　an'　Fortners　hev　allers　been　mortal　enemies。　　Thar's　bin　blood　shed　in　ev'ry　gineration。　　Kunnel　Bill's　father　limpt　ter　his　grae　on　'count　of　a　bullet　in　his　hip；　which　wuz　lodged　thar　soon　arter　I'd　flung　on　the　floor　a　ten　dollar　gold　piece　he'd　crowded　inter　my　hand　at　a　dance；　where　he'd　come　'ithout　ary　invite。　　The　bullet　wuz　from　teh　rifle　ov　a　young　man　named　David　Brill；　thet　I　married　the　next　day；　jest　ez　he　wuz　startin'　fur　Mexico。　　He　volunteered　a　little　airlier　then　he'd　intended；　fur　his　father's　wheat　wuz　not　nearly　all　harvested；　but　hit　wuz　thot　best　ter　git　himself　out　o'　the　way　o'　the　Penningtons；　who　wuz　a　mouty　revengeful　family；　an'　besides　they　then　hed　the　law　on　ther　side。　　Ez　soon　ez　he　come　back　from　teh　war　Ole　Kunnel　Bill；　an'　Young　Kunnel　Bill；　an'　all　the　rest　o'　the　Pennington　clan　an'　connection　begun　watchin'　fur　a　chance　ter　git　even　with　him。　　The　Ole　Kunnel　used　ter　vow　an'　swar　thet　he'd　never　leave　the　airth　ontil　Dave　Brill　wuz　under　the　clods　o'　the　valley。　　But　he　hed　ter　go　last　year；　spite　o'　hisself；　an'　leave　David　Brill　'live　an'　well　an'　becomin'　more　an'　more　lookt　up　ter　ev'ry　day　by　the　people；　while　the　Penningtons　war　gittin'　wuss　and　wuss　hated。　　We　hed　a　son；　too；　the　very　apple　of　our　eyes；　who　wuz　growin'　up　jest　like　his　father…〃

The　quaver　of　an　ill…repressed　sob　blurred　her　tones。　　She　closed　her　eyes　firmly；　as　if　to　choke　back　the　brimming　tears；　and　then　rising　from　her　seat；　busied　herself　brushing　the　coals　and　ashes　back　into　the　fire。

〃Thet　walnut　pops　so　awfully；〃　she　said；　〃thet　a　body　hez　to　sweep　nearly　ev'ry　minnit　ter　keep　the　harth　at　all　clean。〃

〃The　death　of　his　father　made　no　change　in　the　younger　Col。　Pennington？　　He　kept　up　the　quarrel　the　same　as　ever；　did　he？〃　asked　Harry；　deeply　interested　in　teh　narrative。

〃Wussen　ever！　　Wussen　ever！　　He　got　bitterer　ev'ry　day。　　He　laid　his　defeat　when　he　wuz　runnin'　fur　the　Legislatur　at　our　door。　　He　hired　bullies　ter　git　inter　a　quarrel　with　David；　at　public　getherin's；　an'　kill　him　in　sech　a　way　ez　ter　have　a　plea　o'