cressy-第32节

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she　continued　with　the　same　half…weary　expression：　〃Don't　let　us　go

over　all　that　again　either。　　It　is　SO　tiresome。　　Listen；　dear。

You'll　do　one　or　two　little　things　for　mewon't　you；　dandy　boy？

Don't　linger　long　at　the　school…house　after　lessons。　　Go　right

home！　　Don't　look　after　these　men　TO…DAYto…morrow；　Saturday；　is

your　holidayyou　knowand　you'll　have　more　time。　　Keep　to

yourself　to…day　as　much　as　you　can；　dear；　for　twelve　hoursuntil

untilyou　hear　from　me；　you　know。　　It　will　be　all　right　then；〃　she

added；　lifting　her　eyelids　with　a　sudden　odd　resemblance　to　her

father's　look　of　drowsy　pain；　which　Ford　had　never　noticed　before。

〃Promise　me　that；　dear；　won't　you？〃



With　a　mental　reservation　he　promised　hurriedlypreoccupied　in　his

wonder　why　she　seemed　to　avoid　his　explanation；　in　his　desire　to

know　what　had　happened；　in　the　pride　that　had　kept　him　from　asking

more　or　volunteering　a　defence；　and　in　his　still　haunting　sense　of

having　been　wronged。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　saying　as　he　caught　and

held　her　hand：



〃YOU　have　not　doubted　me；　Cressy？　　YOU　have　not　allowed　this

infamous　raking　up　of　things　that　are　past　and　gone　to　alter　your

feelings？〃



She　looked　at　him　abstractedly。　　〃You　think　it　might　alter　ANYBODY'S

feelings；　then？〃



〃Nobody's　who　really　loved　another〃he　stammered。



〃Don't　let　us　talk　of　it　any　more；〃　she　said　suddenly　stretching

out　her　arms；　lifting　them　above　her　head　with　a　wearied　gesture；

and　then　letting　them　fall　clasped　before　her　in　her　old　habitual

fashion。　　〃It　makes　my　head　ache；　what　with　Paw　and　Maw　and　the

rest　of　themI'm　sick　of　it　all。〃



She　turned　away　as　Ford　drew　back　coldly　and　let　her　hand　fall　from

his　arm。　　She　took　a　few　steps　forward；　stopped；　ran　back　to　him

again；　crushed　his　face　and　head　in　a　close　embrace；　and　then

seemed　to　dip　like　a　bird　into　the　tall　bracken；　and　was　gone。



The　master　stood　for　some　moments　chagrined　and　bewildered；　it　was

characteristic　of　his　temperament　that　he　had　paid　less　heed　to

what　she　told　him　than　what　he　IMAGINED　had　passed　between　her

mother　and　herself。　　She　was　naturally　jealous　of　the　lettershe

could　forgive　her　for　that；　she　had　doubtless　been　twitted　about

them；　but　he　could　easily　explain　them　to　her　parentsas　he　would

have　done　to　her。　　But　he　was　not　such　a　fool　as　to　elope　with　her

at　such　a　moment；　without　first　clearing　his　characterand　knowing

more　of　hers。　　And　it　was　equally　characteristic　of　him　that　in　his

sense　of　injury　he　confounded　her　with　the　writer　of　the　letters

as　sympathizing　with　his　correspondent　in　her　estimate　of　his

character；　and　was　quite　carried　away　with　the　belief　that　he　was

equally　wronged　by　both。



It　was　not　until　he　reached　the　schoolhouse　that　the　evidences　of

last　night's　outrage　for　a　time　distracted　his　mind　from　his

singular　interview。　　He　was　struck　with　the　workmanlike　manner　in

which　the　locks　had　been　restored；　and　the　care　that　had　evidently

been　taken　to　remove　the　more　obvious　and　brutal　traces　of

burglary。　　This　somewhat　staggered　his　theory　that　Seth　Davis　was

the　perpetrator；　mechanical　skill　and　thoughtfulness　were　not　among

the　lout's　characteristics。　　But　he　was　still　more　disconcerted　on

pushing　back　his　chair　to　find　a　small　india…rubber　tobacco　pouch

lying　beneath　it。　　The　master　instantly　recognized　it：　he　had　seen

it　a　hundred　times　beforeit　was　Uncle　Ben's。　　It　was　not　there

when　he　had　closed　the　room　yesterday　afternoon。　　Either　Uncle　Ben

had　been　there　last　night；　or　had　anticipated　him　this　morning。

But　in　the　latter　case　he　would　scarcely　have　overlooked　his　fallen

propertythat；　in　the　darkness　of　the　night；　might　have　readily

escaped　detection。　　His　brow　darkened　with　a　sudden　conviction　that

it　was　Uncle　Ben　who　was　the　real　and　only　offender；　and　that　his

simplicity　of　the　previous　night　was　part　of　his　deception。　　A

sickening　sense　that　he　had　been　again　dupedbut　why　or　to　what

purpose　he　hardly　dared　to　thinkovercame　him。　　Who　among　these

strange　people　could　he　ever　again　trust？　　After　the　fashion　of

more　elevated　individuals；　he　had　accepted　the　respect　and　kindness

of　those　he　believed　his　inferiors　as　a　natural　tribute　to　his　own

superiority；　any　change　in　THEIR　feelings　must　therefore　be

hypocrisy　or　disloyalty；　it　never　occurred　to　him　that　HE　might

have　fallen　below　their　standard。



The　arrival　of　the　children　and　the　resumption　of　his　duties　for　a

time　diverted　him。　　But　although　the　morning's　exercise　restored

the　master's　self…confidence；　it　cannot　be　said　to　have　improved

his　judgment。　　Disdaining　to　question　Rupert　Filgee；　as　the

possible　confidant　of　Uncle　Ben；　he　answered　the　curious　inquiries

of　the　children　as　to　the　broken　doorlock　with　the　remark　that　it

was　a　matter　that　he　should　have　to　bring　before　the　Trustees　of

the　Board；　and　by　the　time　that　school　was　over　and　the　pupils

dismissed　he　had　quite　resolved　upon　this　formal　disposition　of　it。

In　spite　of　Cressy's　warningrather　because　of　itin　the　new

attitude　he　had　taken　towards　her　and　her　friends；　he　lingered　in

the　school…house　until　late。　　He　had　occupied　himself　in　drawing　up

a　statement　of　the　facts；　with　an　intimation　that　his　continuance

in　the　school　would　depend　upon　a　rigid　investigation　of　the

circumstances；　when　he　was　aroused　by　the　clatter　of　horses'　hoofs。

The　next　moment　the　school…house　was　surrounded　by　a　dozen　men。



He　looked　up；　half　of　them　dismounted　and　entered　the　room。　　The

other　half　remained　outside　darkening　the　windows　with　their

motionless　figures。　　Each　man　carried　a　gun　before　him　on　the

saddle；　each　man　wore　a　rude　mask　of　black　cloth　partly　covering

his　face。



Although　the　master　was　instinctively　aware　that　he　was　threatened

by　serious　danger；　he　was　far　from　being　impressed　by　the　arms　and

disguise　of　his　mysterious　intruders。　　On　the　contrary；　the　obvious

and　glaring　inconsistency　of　this　cheaply　theatrical　invasion　of

the　peaceful　school…house；　of　this　opposition　of　menacing　figures

to　the　scattered　childish　primers　and　text…books　that　still　lay　on

the　desks　around　him；　only　extracted　from　him　a　half　scornful　smile

as　he　coolly　regarded　them。　　The　fearlessness　of　ignorance　is　often

as　unassailable　as　the　most　experienced　valor；　and　the　awe…

inspiring　invaders　were　at　first　embarrassed　and　then　humanly

angry。　　A　lank　figure　to　the　right　made　a　forward　movement　of

impotent　rage；　but　was　checked　by　the　evident　leader　of　the　party。



〃Ef　he　likes　to　take　it　that　way；　there　ain't　no　Regulators　law

agin　it；　I　reckon；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　which　the　master　instantly

recognized　as　Jim　Harrison's；　〃though　ez　a　gin'ral　thing　they　don't

usually　find　it　FUN。〃　　Then　turning　to　the　master　he　added；　〃Mister

Ford；　ef　that's　the　name　you　go　by　everywhere；　we're　wantin'　a　man

about　your　size。〃



Ford　knew　that　he　was　in　hopeless　peril。　　He　knew　that　he　was

physically　defenceless　and　at　the　mercy　of　twelve　armed　and　lawless

men。　　But　he　retained　a　preternatural　clearness　of　perception；　and

audacity　born　of　unqualified　scorn　for　his　antagonists；　with　a

feminine　sharpness　of　tongue。　　In　a　voice　which　astonished　even

himself　by　its　contemptuous　distinctness；　he　said：　〃My　name　IS

Ford；　but　as　I　only　SUPPOSE　your　name　is　Harrison　perhaps　you'll　be

fair　enough　to　take　that　rag　from　your　face　and　show　it　to　me　like

a　man。〃



The　man　removed　the　mask　from　his　face　with　a　slight　laugh。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Ford。　　〃Now；　perhaps　you　will　tell　me　which　one

of　you　gentlemen　broke　into　the　school…house；　forced　the　lock　of　my

desk；　and　stole　my　papers。　　If　he　is　here　I　wish　to　tell　him　he　is

not　only　a　thief；　but　a　cur　and　a　coward；　for　the　letters　are　a

woman'swhom　he　neither　knows　nor　has　the　right　to　know。〃



If　he　had　hoped　to　force　a　personal　quarrel　and　trust　his　life　to

the　chance　of　a　single　antagonist；　he　was　disappointed；　for

although　his　unexpected　attitude　had　produced　some　effect　among　the

group；　and　even　attracted　the　attention　of　the　men　at　the　windows；

Harrison　strode　deliberately　towards　him。



〃That　kin　wait；〃　he　said；　〃jest　now　we　propose　to　take　you　and　your

letters　and　drop　'em　and　you　outer　this　yer　township　of　Injin

Springs。　　You　kin　take　'em　back　to　the　woman　or　critter　you　got　'em

of。　　But　we　kalkilate　you're　a　little　too　handy　and　free　in　them

sorter　things　to　teach　school　round　yer；　and　we　kinder　allow　we

don't　keer　to　hev　our　gals　and　boys　eddicated　up　to　your　high…toned

standard。　　So　ef　you　choose　to　kem　along　easy　we'll　mak'　you

comf'ble　on　a　hoss　we've　got　waitin'　outside；　an'　escort　you　across

the　line。　　Ef　you　don'twe'll　take　you　anyway。〃



The　master　cast　a　rapid　glance　around　him。　　In　his　quickness　of

perception　he　had　already　noted　that　the　led　horse　among　the

cavalcade　was　fastened　by　a　lariat　to　one　of　the　riders　so　that

escape　by　flight　was　impossible；　and　that　he　had　not　a　single

weapon　to　defend　himself