cressy-第2节

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was　here　diverted　by　the　searching　eyes　of　Octavia　Dean；　a　girl　of

eleven；　who　after　the　fashion　of　her　sex　preferred　a　personal

recognition　of　her　presence　before　she　spoke。　　Succeeding　in

catching　his　eye；　she　threw　back　her　long　hair　from　her　shoulders

with　an　easy　habitual　gesture；　rose；　and　with　a　faint　accession　of

color　said：



〃Cressy　McKinstry　came　home　from　Sacramento。　　Mrs。　McKinstry　told

mother　she's　comin'　back　here　to　school。〃



The　master　looked　up　with　an　alacrity　perhaps　inconsistent　with　his

cynical　austerity。　　Seeing　the　young　girl　curiously　watching　him

with　an　expectant　smile；　he　regretted　it。　　Cressy　McKinstry；　who

was　sixteen　years　old；　had　been　one　of　the　pupils　he　had　found　at

the　school　when　he　first　came。　　But　as　he　had　also　found　that　she

was　there　in　the　extraordinary　attitude　of　being　〃engaged〃　to　one

Seth　Davis；　a　fellow…pupil　of　nineteen；　and　as　most　of　the

courtship　was　carried　on　freely　and　unceremoniously　during　school…

hours　with　the　full　permission　of　the　master's　predecessor；　the

master　had　been　obliged　to　point　out　to　the　parents　of　the　devoted

couple　the　embarrassing　effects　of　this　association　on　the

discipline　of　the　school。　　The　result　had　been　the　withdrawal　of

the　lovers；　and　possibly　the　good…will　of　the　parents。　　The　return

of　the　young　lady　was　consequently　a　matter　of　some　significance。

Had　the　master's　protest　been　accepted；　or　had　the　engagement

itself　been　broken　off？



Either　was　not　improbable。　　His　momentary　loss　of　attention　was

Johnny　Filgee's　great　gain。



〃Tige；〃　said　Johnny；　with　sudden　and　alarming　distinctness；　〃ith

got　thix　pupthsmothly　yaller。〃



In　the　laugh　which　followed　this　long　withheld　announcement　of　an

increase　in　the　family　of　Johnny's　yellow　and　disreputable　setter

〃Tiger；〃　who　usually　accompanied　him　to　school　and　howled　outside；

the　master　joined　with　marked　distinctness。　　Then　he　said；　with

equally　marked　severity；　〃Books！〃　　The　little　levee　was　ended；　and

school　began。



It　continued　for　two　hours　with　short　sighs；　corrugations　of　small

foreheads；　the　complaining　cries　and　scratchings　of　slate　pencils

over　slates；　and　other　signs　of　minor　anguish　among　the　more

youthful　of　the　flock；　and　with　more　or　less　whisperings；　movements

of　the　lips；　and　unconscious　soliloquy　among　the　older　pupils。　　The

master　moved　slowly　up　and　down　the　aisle　with　a　word　of

encouragement　or　explanation　here　and　there；　stopping　with　his

hands　behind　him　to　gaze　abstractedly　out　of　the　windows　to　the

wondering　envy　of　the　little　ones。　　A　faint　hum；　as　of　invisible

insects；　gradually　pervaded　the　school；　the　more　persistent　droning

of　a　large　bee　had　become　dangerously　soporific。　　The　hot　breath　of

the　pines　without　had　invaded　the　doors　and　windows；　the　warped

shingles　and　weather…boarding　at　times　creaked　and　snapped　under

the　rays　of　the　vertical　and　unclouded　sun。　　A　gentle　perspiration

broke　out　like　a　mild　epidemic　in　the　infant　class；　little　curls

became　damp；　brief　lashes　limp；　round　eyes　moist；　and　small　eyelids

heavy。　　The　master　himself　started；　and　awoke　out　of　a　perilous

dream　of　other　eyes　and　hair　to　collect　himself　severely。　　For　the

irresolute；　half…embarrassed；　half…lazy　figure　of　a　man　had　halted

doubtingly　before　the　porch　and　open　door。　　Luckily　the　children；

who　were　facing　the　master　with　their　backs　to　the　entrance；　did

not　see　it。



Yet　the　figure　was　neither　alarming　nor　unfamiliar。　　The　master　at

once　recognized　it　as　Ben　Dabney；　otherwise　known　as　〃Uncle　Ben；〃　a

good…humored　but　not　over…bright　miner；　who　occupied　a　small　cabin

on　an　unambitious　claim　in　the　outskirts　of　Indian　Spring。　　His

avuncular　title　was　evidently　only　an　ironical　tribute　to　his

amiable　incompetency　and　heavy　good…nature；　for　he　was　still　a

young　man　with　no　family　ties；　and　by　reason　of　his　singular

shyness　not　even　a　visitor　in　the　few　families　of　the　neighborhood。

As　the　master　looked　up；　he　had　an　irritating　recollection　that　Ben

had　been　already　haunting　him　for　the　last　two　days；　alternately

appearing　and　disappearing　in　his　path　to　and　from　school　as　a　more

than　usually　reserved　and　bashful　ghost。　　This；　to　the　master's

cynical　mind；　clearly　indicated　that；　like　most　ghosts；　he　had

something　of　essentially　selfish　import　to　communicate。　　Catching

the　apparition's　half…appealing　eye；　he　proceeded　to　exorcise　it

with　a　portentous　frown　and　shake　of　the　head；　that　caused　it　to

timidly　wane　and　fall　away　from　the　porch；　only　however　to　reappear

and　wax　larger　a　few　minutes　later　at　one　of　the　side　windows。　　The

infant　class　hailing　his　appearance　as　a　heaven…sent　boon；　the

master　was　obliged　to　walk　to　the　door　and　command　him　sternly

away；　when；　retreating　to　the　fence；　he　mounted　the　uppermost　rail；

and　drawing　a　knife　from　his　pocket；　cut　a　long　splinter　from　the

rail；　and　began　to　whittle　it　in　patient　and　meditative　silence。

But　when　recess　was　declared；　and　the　relieved　feelings　of　the

little　flock　had　vent　in　the　clearing　around　the　schoolhouse；　the

few　who　rushed　to　the　spot　found　that　Uncle　Ben　had　already

disappeared。　　Whether　the　appearance　of　the　children　was　too

inconsistent　with　his　ghostly　mission；　or　whether　his　heart　failed

him　at　the　last　moment；　the　master　could　not　determine。　　Yet；

distasteful　as　the　impending　interview　promised　to　be；　the　master

was　vaguely　and　irritatingly　disappointed。



A　few　hours　later；　when　school　was　being　dismissed；　the　master

found　Octavia　Dean　lingering　near　his　desk。　　Looking　into　the

girl's　mischievous　eyes；　he　good…humoredly　answered　their

expectation　by　referring　to　her　morning's　news。　　〃I　thought　Miss

McKinstry　had　been　married　by　this　time；〃　he　said　carelessly。



Octavia；　swinging　her　satchel　like　a　censer；　as　if　she　were

performing　some　act　of　thurification　over　her　completed　tasks；

replied　demurely：　〃Oh　no！　dear　nonot　THAT。〃



〃So　it　would　seem；〃　said　the　master。



〃I　reckon　she　never　kalkilated　to；　either；〃　continued　Octavia；

slyly　looking　up　from　the　corner　of　her　lashes。



〃Indeed！〃



〃Noshe　was　just　funning　with　Seth　Davisthat's　all。〃



〃Funning　with　him？〃



〃Yes；　sir。　　Kinder　foolin'　him；　you　know。〃



〃Kinder　foolin'　him！〃



For　an　instant　the　master　felt　it　his　professional　duty　to　protest

against　this　most　unmaidenly　and　frivolous　treatment　of　the

matrimonial　engagement；　but　a　second　glance　at　the　significant　face

of　his　youthful　auditor　made　him　conclude　that　her　instinctive

knowledge　of　her　own　sex　could　be　better　trusted　than　his　imperfect

theories。　　He　turned　towards　his　desk　without　speaking。　　Octavia

gave　an　extra　swing　to　her　satchel；　tossing　it　over　her　shoulder

with　a　certain　small　coquettishness　and　moved　towards　the　door。　　As

she　did　so　the　infant　Filgee　from　the　safe　vantage　of　the　porch

where　he　had　lingered　was　suddenly　impelled　to　a　crowning　audacity！

As　if　struck　with　an　original　idea；　but　apparently　addressing

himself　to　space；　he　cried　out；　〃Crethy　M'Kinthry　likth　teacher；〃

and　instantly　vanished。



Putting　these　incidents　sternly　aside；　the　master　addressed　himself

to　the　task　of　setting　a　few　copies　for　the　next　day　as　the　voices

of　his　departing　flock　faded　from　the　porch。　　Presently　a　silence

fell　upon　the　little　school…house。　　Through　the　open　door　a　cool；

restful　breath　stole　gently　as　if　nature　were　again　stealthily

taking　possession　of　her　own。　　A　squirrel　boldly　came　across　the

porch；　a　few　twittering　birds　charging　in　stopped；　beat　the　air

hesitatingly　for　a　moment　with　their　wings；　and　fell　back　with

bashfully　protesting　breasts　aslant　against　the　open　door　and　the

unlooked…for　spectacle　of　the　silent　occupant。　　Then　there　was

another　movement　of　intrusion；　but　this　time　human；　and　the　master

looked　up　angrily　to　behold　Uncle　Ben。



He　entered　with　a　slow　exasperating　step；　lifting　his　large　boots

very　high　and　putting　them　down　again　softly　as　if　he　were　afraid

of　some　insecurity　in　the　floor；　or　figuratively　recognized　the

fact　that　the　pathways　of　knowledge　were　thorny　and　difficult。

Reaching　the　master's　desk　and　the　ministering　presence　above　it；

he　stopped　awkwardly；　and　with　the　rim　of　his　soft　felt　hat

endeavored　to　wipe　from　his　face　the　meek　smile　it　had　worn　when　he

entered。　　It　chanced　also　that　he　had　halted　before　the　minute

stool　of　the　infant　Filgee；　and　his　large　figure　instantly　assumed

such　Brobdingnagian　proportions　in　contrast　that　he　became　more

embarrassed　than　ever。　　The　master　made　no　attempt　to　relieve　him；

but　regarded　him　with　cold　interrogation。



〃I　reckoned；〃　he　began；　leaning　one　hand　on　the　master's　desk　with

affected　ease；　as　he　dusted　his　leg　with　his　hat　with　the　other；　〃I

reckonedthat　isI　allowedI　orter　saythat　I'd　find　ye　alone

at　this　time。　　Ye　gin'rally　are；　ye　know。　　It's　a　nice；　soothin'；

restful；　stoodious　time；　when　a　man　kin；　so　to　speak；　run　back　on

his　eddication　and　think　of　all