cressy-第21节

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which　makes　tolerable　the　jealous　caprices　of　the　younger　woman。

The　struggle　for　rivalry　is　felt　to　be　hopeless；　the　power　of

imitation　is　gone。　　Of　her　forgotten　womanhood　Mrs。　McKinstry

revived　only　a　capacity　to　suffer　meanly　and　inflict　mean　suffering

upon　others。　　In　the　ruined　castle　of　her　youth；　and　the　falling　in

of　banqueting　hall　and　bower；　the　dungeon　and　torture…chamber

appeared　to　have　been　left；　or；　to　use　her　own　metaphor；　she　had

querulously　complained　to　the　parson　that；　〃Accordin'　to　some

folks；　she　mout　hev　bin　the　barren　fig…tree　e…lected　to　bear

persimmums。〃



Her　methods　were　not　entirely　different　from　those　employed　by　her

suffering　sisterhood　in　like　emergencies。　　The　unlucky　Hiram；

〃worrited　by　stock；〃　was　hardly　placated　or　consoled　by　learning

from　her　that　it　was　only　the　result　of　his　own　weakness；　acting

upon　the　'cussedness　of　the　stock…dispersing　Harrisons；　the

perplexity　into　which　he　was　thrown　by　the　news　of　the　new　legal

claim　to　his　land　was　not　soothed　by　the　suggestion　that　it　was　a

trick　of　that　Yankee　civilization　to　which　he　was　meanly　succumbing。

She　who　had　always　been　a　rough　but　devoted　nurse　in　sickness　was

now　herself　overtaken　by　vague　irregular　disorders　which　involved

the　greatest　care　and　the　absence　of　all　exciting　causes。　　The

attendance　of　McKinstry　and　Cressy　at　a　〃crazy　quilting　party〃　had

brought　on　〃blind　chills；〃　the　importation　of　a　melodeon　for　Cressy

to　play　on　had　superinduced　an　〃innerd　rash；〃　and　a　threatened

attack　of　〃palsy　creeps〃　had　only　been　warded　off　by　the　timely

postponement　of　an　evening　party　suggested　by　her　daughter。　　The　old

nomadic　instinct；　morbidly　excited　by　her　discontent；　caused　her　to

lay　artful　plans　for　a　further　emigration。　　She　knew　she　had　the

germs　of　〃mash　fever〃　caught　from　the　adjacent　river；　she　related

mysterious　information；　gathered　in　〃class　meeting；〃　of　the　superior

facilities　for　stock　raising　on　the　higher　foot…hills；　she

resuscitated　her　dead　and　gone　Missouri　relations　in　her　daily

speech；　to　a　manifest　invidious　comparison　with　the　living；　she

revived　even　the　incidents　of　her　early　married　life　with　the　same

baleful　intent。　　The　acquisition　of　a　few　〃biled　shirts〃　by　Hiram

for　festive　appearances　with　Cressy　painfully　reminded　her　that　he

had　married　her　in　〃hickory；〃　she　further　accented　the　change　by

herself　appearing　in　her　oldest　clothes；　on　the　hypothesis　that　it

was　necessary　for　some　one　to　keep　up　the　traditions　of　the　past。



Her　attitude　towards　Cressy　would　have　been　more　decided　had　she

ever　possessed　the　slightest　influence　over　her；　or　had　even

understood　her　with　the　intuitive　sympathies　of　the　maternal

relations。　　Yet　she　went　so　far　as　to　even　openly　regret　the

breaking　off　of　the　match　with　Seth　Davis；　whose　family；　at　least；

still　retained　the　habits　and　traditions　she　revered；　but　she　was

promptly　silenced　by　her　husband　informing　her　that　words　〃that　had

to　be　tuk　back〃　had　already　passed　between　him　and　Seth's　father；

and　that；　according　to　those　same　traditions；　blood　was　more　likely

to　be　spilled　than　mingled。　　Whether　she　was　only　withheld　from

attempting　a　reconciliation　herself　through　lack　of　tact　and

opportunity　remains　to　be　seen。　　For　the　present　she　encouraged

Masters's　attentions　under　a　new　and　vague　idea　that　a　flirtation

which　distracted　Cressy　from　her　studies　was　displeasing　to

McKinstry　and　inimical　to　his　plans。　　Blindly　ignorant　of　Mr。

Ford's　possible　relations　to　her　daughter；　and　suspecting　nothing；

she　felt　towards　him　only　a　dull　aversion　as　being　the　senseless

pivot　of　her　troubles。　　Seeing　no　one；　and　habitually　closing　her

ears　to　any　family　allusion　to　Cressy's　social　triumphs；　she　was

unaware　of　even　the　popular　admiration　their　memorable　waltz　had

excited。



On　the　morning　of　the　day　that　Uncle　Ben　had　confided　to　the　master

his　ingenious　plan　for　settling　the　boundary　disputes；　the　barking

of　McKinstry's　yellow　dog　announced　the　approach　of　a　stranger　to

the　ranch。　　It　proved　to　be　Mr。　Staceynot　only　as　dazzlingly

arrayed　as　when　he　first　rose　above　Johnny　Filgee's　horizon；　but

wearing；　in　addition　to　his　jaunty　business　air；　a　look　of

complacent　expectation　of　the　pretty　girl　whom　he　had　met　at　the

ball。　　He　had　not　seen　her　for　a　month。　　It　was　a　happy　inspiration

of　his　own　that　enabled　him　to　present　himself　that　morning　in　the

twin　functions　of　a　victorious　Mercury　and　Apollo。



McKinstry　had　to　be　summoned　from　an　adjacent　meadow；　while　Cressy；

in　the　mean　time；　undertook　to　entertain　the　gallant　stranger。

This　was　easily　done。　　It　was　part　of　her　fascinations　that；

disdaining　the　ordinary　real　or　assumed　ignorance　of　the　ingenue　of

her　class；　she　generally　exhibited　to　her　admirers　（with　perhaps

the　single　exception　of　the　master）　a　laughing　consciousness　of　the

state　of　mind　into　which　her　charms　had　thrown　them。　　She　understood

their　passion　if　she　could　not　accept　it。　　This　to　a　bashful　rustic

community　was　helpful；　but　in　the　main　unsatisfactory；　with　advances

so　promptly　unmasked；　the　most　strategic　retreat　was　apt　to　become

an　utter　rout。　　Leaning　against　the　lintel　of　the　door；　her　curved

hand　shading　the　sparkling　depths　of　her　eyes；　and　the　sunlight

striking　down　upon　the　pretty　curves　of　her　languid　figure；　she

awaited　the　attack。



〃I　haven't　seen　you；　Miss　Cressy；　since　we　danced　togethera　month

ago。〃



〃That　was　mighty　rough　papers；〃　said　Cressy；　who　was　purposely

dialectical　to　strangers；　〃considering　that　you　trapsed　up　and　down

the　lane；　past　the　house；　twice　yesterday。〃



〃Then　you　saw　me？〃　said　the　young　man；　with　a　slightly　discomfited

laugh。



〃I　did。　　And　so　did　the　hound；　and　so；　I　reckon；　did　Joe　Masters

and　the　hired　man。　　And　when　you　pranced　back　on　the　home　stretch；

there　was　the　hound；　Masters；　the　hired　man；　and　Maw　all　on　your

trail；　and　Paw　bringin'　up　the　rear　with　a　shot…gun。　　There　was

about　a　half　a　mile　of　you　altogether。〃　　She　removed　her　hand　from

her　eyes　to　indicate　with　a　lazily　graceful　sweep　this　somewhat

imaginative　procession；　and　laughed。



〃You　are　certainly　well　guarded；〃　said　Stacey　hesitatingly；　〃and

looking　at　you；　Miss　Cressy；〃　he　added　boldly；　〃I　don't　wonder　at

it。〃



〃Well；　it　IS　reckoned　that　next　to　Paw's　boundaries　I'm　pretty　well

protected　from　squatters　and　jumpers。〃



Forceful　and　quaint　as　her　language　was；　the　lazy　sweetness　of　her

intonation；　and　the　delicate　refinement　of　her　face；　more　than

atoned　for　it。　　It　was　unconventional　and　picturesque　as　her

gestures。　　So　at　least　thought　Mr。　Stacey；　and　it　emboldened　him　to

further　gallantry。



〃Well；　Miss　Cressy；　as　my　business　with　your　father　to…day　was　to

try　to　effect　a　compromise　of　his　boundary　claims；　perhaps　you

might　accept　my　services　in　your　own　behalf。〃



〃Which　means；〃　responded　the　young　lady　pertly；　〃the　same　thing　to

ME　as　to　Paw。　　No　trespassers　but　yourself。　　Thank　you；　sir。〃　　She

twirled　lightly　on　her　heel　and　dropped　him　that　exaggerated

curtsey　known　to　the　school…children　as　a　〃cheese。〃　　It　permitted

in　its　progress　the　glimpse　of　a　pretty　little　slipper　which

completed　his　subjugation。



〃Well；　if　it's　only　a　fair　compromise；〃　he　began　laughingly。



〃Compromise　means　somebody　giving　up。　　Who　is　it？〃　she　asked。



The　infatuated　Stacey　had　reached　the　point　of　thinking　this

repartee　if　possible　more　killing　than　his　own。



〃Ha！　　That's　for　Miss　Cressy　to　say。〃



But　the　young　lady　leaning　back　against　the　lintel　with　the

comfortable　ease　of　being　irresponsibly　diverted；　sagely　pointed

out　that　that　was　the　function　of　the　arbitrator。



〃Ah　well；　suppose　we　begin　by　giving　up　Seth　Davis；　eh？　　You　see

that　I'm　pretty　well　posted；　Miss　Cressy。〃



〃You　alarm　me；〃　said　Cressy　sweetly。　　〃But　I　reckon　he　HAD　given

up。〃



〃He　was　in　the　running　that　night　at　the　ball。　　Looked　half　savage

while　I　was　dancing　with　you。　　Wanted　to　eat　me。〃



〃Poor　Seth！　　And　he　used　to　be　SO　particular　in　his　food；〃　said　the

witty　Cressy。



Mr。　Stacey　was　convulsed。　　〃And　there's　Mr。　DabneyUncle　Ben；〃　he

continued；　〃eh？　　Very　quiet　but　very　sly。　　A　dark　horse；　eh？

Pretends　to　take　lessons　for　the　sake　of　being　near　some　one；　eh？

Would　he　were　a　boy　again　because　somebody　else　is　a　girl？〃



〃I　should　be　frightened　of　you　if　you　lived　here　always；〃　returned

Cressy　with　invincible　naivete；　〃but　perhaps　then　you　wouldn't　know

so　much。〃



Stacey　simply　accepted　this　as　a　compliment。　　〃And　there's

Masters；〃　he　said　insinuatingly。



〃Not　Joe？〃　said　Cressy　with　a　low　laugh；　turning　her　eyes　to　the

door。



〃Yes；〃　said　Stacey　with　a　quick；　uneasy　smile。　　〃Ah！　I　see　we

mustn't　drop　HIM。　　Is　he　out　THERE？〃　he　added；　trying　to　follow　the

direction　of　her　eyes。



But　the　young　girl　kept　her　face　studiously　averted。　　〃Is　that

all？〃　she　asked　after　a　pause。



〃Wellthere's　that　solemn　sc