cressy-第28节

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Maw　popped　in；　and　that　I　skedaddled　to　join　Masters。　　Of　course；〃

she　added　quickly；　tightening　her　hold　of　the　master　as　he　made　a

sudden　attempt　at　withdrawal；　〃I　didn't　let　on　to　Masters　WHY　I

wanted　him　to　promise；　or　that　you　were　there。〃



〃Cressy；〃　said　Ford；　irritated　beyond　measure；　〃are　you　mad；　or　do

you　think　I　am？〃



The　girl's　face　changed。　　She　cast　a　half　frightened；　half

questioning　glance　at　his　eyes　and　then　around　the　darkening　aisle。

〃If　we're　going　to　quarrel；　Jack；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃don't　let's

do　it　BEFORE　FOLKS。〃



〃In　the　name　of　Heaven；〃　he　said；　following　her　eyes　indignantly；

〃what　do　you　mean？〃



〃I　mean；〃　she　said；　with　a　slight　shiver　of　resignation　and　scorn；

〃if　youoh　dear！　if　IT'S　ALL　going　to　be　like　THEM；　let's　keep　it

to　ourselves。〃



He　gazed　at　her　in　hopeless　bewilderment。　　Did　she　really　mean　that

she　was　more　frightened　at　the　possible　revelation　of　their

disagreement　than　of　their　intimacy？



〃Come；〃　she　continued　tenderly；　still　glancing；　however；　uneasily

around　her；　〃come！　　We'll　be　more　comfortable　in　the　hollow。　　It's

only　a　step。〃　　Still　holding　him　by　her　braid　she　half　led；　half

dragged　him　away。　　To　the　right　was　one　of　those　sudden　depressions

in　the　ground　caused　by　the　subsidence　of　the　earth　from　hidden

springs　and　the　uprooting　of　one　or　two　of　the　larger　trees。　　When

she　had　forced　him　down　this　declivity　below　the　level　of　the

needle…strewn　forest　floor；　she　seated　him　upon　a　mossy　root；　and

shaking　out　her　skirts　in　a　half　childlike；　half　coquettish　way；

comfortably　seated　herself　in　his　lap；　with　her　arm　supplementing

the　clinging　braid　around　his　neck。



〃Now　hark　to　me；　and　don't　holler　so　loud；〃　she　said　turning　his

face　to　her　questioning　eyes。　　〃What's　gone　of　you　anyway；　nigger

boy？〃　　It　should　be　premised　that　Cressy's　terms　of　endearment　were

mainly　negro…dialectical；　reminiscences　of　her　brief　babyhood；　her

slave…nurse；　and　the　only　playmates　she　had　ever　known。



Still　implacable；　the　master　coldly　repeated　the　counts　of　his

indictment　against　the　girl's　strange　indifference　and　still

stranger　entanglements；　winding　up　by　setting　forth　the　whole　story

of　his　interview　with　her　mother；　his　forced　defence　of　the　barn；

Seth's　outspoken　accusation；　and　their　silent　and　furious　struggle

in　the　loft。　　But　if　he　had　expected　that　this　daughter　of　a

Southwestern　fighter　would　betray　any　enthusiasm　over　her　lover's

participation　in　one　of　their　characteristic　feudsif　he　looked

for　any　fond　praise　for　his　own　prowess；　he　was　bitterly　mistaken。

She　loosened　her　arm　from　his　neck　of　her　own　accord；　unwound　the

braid；　and　putting　her　two　little　hands　clasped　between　her　knees；

crossed　her　small　feet　before　her；　and；　albeit　still　in　his　lap；

looked　the　picture　of　languid　dejection。



〃Maw　ought　to　have　more　sense；　and　you　ought　to　have　lit　out　of　the

window　after　me；〃　she　said　with　a　lazy　sigh。　　〃Fightin'　ain't　in

your　lineit's　too　much　like　THEM。　　That　Seth's　sure　to　get　even

with　you。〃



〃I　can　protect　myself；〃　he　said　haughtily。　　Nevertheless　he　had　a

depressing　consciousness　that　his　lithe　and　graceful　burden　was

somewhat　in　the　way　of　any　heroic　expression。



〃Seth　can　lick　you　out　of　your　boots；　chile；〃　she　said　with　naive

abstraction。　　Then；　as　he　struggled　to　secure　an　upright　position；

〃Don't　git　riled；　honey。　　Of　course　you'd　let　them　kill　you　before

YOU'D　give　in。　　But　that's　their　best　holtthat's　their　trade！

That's　all　they　can　dodon't　you　see？　　That's　where　YOU'RE　not

like　THEMthat's　why　you're　not　their　low　down　kind！　　That's　why

you're　my　boythat's　why　I　love　you！〃



She　had　thrown　her　whole　weight　again　upon　his　shoulders　until　she

had　forced　him　back　to　his　seat。　　Then；　with　her　locked　hands　again

around　his　neck；　she　looked　intently　into　his　face。　　The　varying

color　dropped　from　her　cheeks；　her　eyes　seemed　to　grow　larger；　the

same　look　of　rapt　absorption　and　possession　that　had　so　transfigured

her　young　face　at　the　ball　was　fixed　upon　it　now。　　Her　lips　parted

slightly；　she　seemed　to　murmur　rather　than　speak：



〃What　are　these　people　to　us？　　What　are　Seth's　jealousies；　Uncle

Ben's　and　Masters's　foolishness；　Paw　and　Maw's　quarr'ls　and

tantrums　to　you　and　me；　dear？　　What　is　it　what　THEY　think；　what

they　reckon；　what　they　plan　out；　and　what　they　set　themselves

againstto　us？　　We　love　each　other；　we　belong　to　each　other；

without　their　help　or　their　hindrance。　　From　the　time　we　first　saw

each　other　it　was　so；　and　from　that　time　Paw　and　Maw；　and　Seth　and

Masters；　and　even　YOU　and　ME；　dear；　had　nothing　else　to　do。　　That

was　love　as　I　know　it；　not　Seth's　sneaking　rages；　and　Uncle　Ben's

sneaking　fooleries；　and　Masters's　sneaking　conceit；　but　only　love。

And　knowing　that；　I　let　Seth　rage；　and　Uncle　Ben　dawdle；　and

Masters　trifleand　for　what？　　To　keep　them　from　me　and　my　boy。

They　were　satisfied；　and　we　were　happy。〃



Vague　and　unreasoning　as　he　knew　her　speech　to　be；　the　rapt　and

perfect　conviction　with　which　it　was　uttered　staggered　him。



〃But　how　is　this　to　end；　Cressy？〃　he　said　passionately。



The　abstracted　look　passed；　and　the　slight　color　and　delicate

mobility　of　her　face　returned。　　〃To　end；　dandy　boy？〃　she　repeated

lazily。　　〃You　didn't　think　of　marrying　medid　you？〃



He　blushed；　stammered；　and　said　〃Yes；〃　albeit　with　all　his　past

vacillation　and　his　present　distrust　of　her；　transparent　on　his

cheek　and　audible　in　his　voice。



〃No；　dear；〃　she　said　quietly；　reaching　down；　untying　her　little

shoe　and　shaking　the　dust　and　pine　needles　from　its　recesses；　〃no！

I　don't　know　enough　to　be　a　wife　to　you；　just　now；　and　you　know　it。

And　I　couldn't　keep　a　house　fit　for　you；　and　you　couldn't　afford　to

keep　ME　without　it。　　And　then　it　would　be　all　known；　and　it

wouldn't　be　us　two；　dear；　and　our　lonely　meetings　any　more。　　And　we

couldn't　be　engagedthat　would　be　too　much　like　me　and　Seth　over

again。　　That's　what　you　mean；　dandy　boyfor　you're　only　a　dandy

boy；　you　know；　and　they　don't　get　married　to　backwood　Southern

girls　who　haven't　a　nigger　to　bless　themselves　with　since　the　war！

No；〃　she　continued；　lifting　her　proud　little　head　so　promptly　after

Ford　had　recovered　from　his　surprise　as　to　make　the　ruse　of

emptying　her　shoe　perfectly　palpable；　〃no；　that's　what　we've　both

allowed；　dear；　all　along。　　And　now；　honey；　it's　near　time　for　me　to

go。　　Tell　me　something　goodbefore　I　go。　　Tell　me　that　you　love　me

as　you　used　totell　me　how　you　felt　that　night　at　the　ball　when

you　first　knew　we　loved　each　other。　　But　stopkiss　me　first

there；　once　morefor　keeps。〃





CHAPTER　XI。





When　Uncle　Ben；　or　〃Benjamin　Daubigny；　Esq。；〃　as　he　was　already

known　in　the　columns　of　the　〃Star；〃　accompanied　Miss　Cressy

McKinstry　on　her　way　home　after　the　first　display　of　attention　and

hospitality　since　his　accession　to　wealth　and　position；　he　remained

for　some　moments　in　a　state　of　bewildered　and　smiling　idiocy。　　It

was　true　that　their　meeting　was　chance　and　accidental；　it　was　true

that　Cressy　had　accepted　his　attention　with　lazy　amusement；　it　was

true　that　she　had　suddenly　and　audaciously　left　him　on　the　borders

of　the　McKinstry　woods　in　a　way　that　might　have　seemed　rude　and

abrupt　to　any　escort　less　invincibly　good…humored　than　Uncle　Ben；

but　none　of　these　things　marred　his　fatuous　felicity。　　It　is　even

probable　that　in　his　gratuitous　belief　that　his　timid　attentions

had　been　too　marked　and　impulsive；　he　attributed　Cressy's　flight　to

a　maidenly　coyness　that　pleasurably　increased　his　admiration　for

her　and　his　confidence　in　himself。　　In　his　abstraction　of　enjoyment

and　in　the　gathering　darkness　he　ran　against　a　fir…tree　very　much

as　he　had　done　while　walking　with　her；　and　he　confusedly　apologized

to　it　as　he　had　to　her；　and　by　her　own　appellation。　　In　this　way　he

eventually　overran　his　trail　and　found　himself　unexpectedly　and

apologetically　in　the　clearing　before　the　school…house。



〃Ef　this　ain't　the　singlerest　thing；　miss；〃　he　said；　and　then

stopped　suddenly。　　A　faint　noise　in　the　school…house　like　the　sound

of　splintered　wood　attracted　his　attention。　　The　master　was

evidently　there。　　If　he　was　alone　he　would　speak　to　him。



He　went　to　the　window；　looked　in；　and　in　an　instant　his　amiable

abstraction　left　him。　　He　crept　softly　to　the　door；　tried　it；　and

then　putting　his　powerful　shoulder　against　the　panel；　forced　the

lock　from　its　fastenings。　　He　entered　the　room　as　Seth　Davis；

frightened　but　furious；　lifted　himself　from　before　the　master's

desk　which　he　had　just　broken　open。　　He　had　barely　time　to　conceal

something　in　his　pocket　and　close　the　lid　again　before　Uncle　Ben

approached　him。



〃What　mouut　ye　be　doin'　here；　Seth　Davis？〃　he　asked　with　the　slow

deliberation　which　in　that　locality　meant　mischief。



〃And　what　mouut　YOU　be　doin'　here；　Mister　Ben　Dabney？〃　said　Seth；

resuming　his　effrontery。



〃Well；〃　returned　Uncle　Ben；