cressy-第34节

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but　this　yer　is　suthin'　outside　the　old　woman's　regular　gait。〃　　He

paused；　and　then　drawing　the　master's　head　down　towards　him；　he

added　in　his　ear；　〃When　I　get　to　hev　a　look　at　the　size　and　shape

o'　this　yer　ball　that's　in　my　hip；　I'llI'llI'llbealittle

more　kam！〃　　A　gleam　of　dull　significance　struggled　into　his　eye。

The　master　evidently　understood　him；　for　he　rose　quickly；　ran　to

the　horse；　mounted　him　and　dashed　off　for　medical　assistance；　while

McKinstry；　closing　his　heavy　lids；　anticipated　this　looked…for　calm

by　fainting　gently　away。





CHAPTER　XIII。





Of　the　various　sentimental　fallacies　entertained　by　adult　humanity

in　regard　to　childhood；　none　are　more　ingeniously　inaccurate　and

gratuitously　idiotic　than　a　comfortable　belief　in　its　profound

ignorance　of　the　events　in　which　it　daily　moves；　and　the　motives

and　characters　of　the　people　who　surround　it。　　Yet　even　the

occasional　revelations　of　an　enfant　terrible　are　as　nothing

compared　to　the　perilous　secrets　which　a　discreet　infant　daily

buttons　up；　or　secures　with　a　hook…and…eye；　or　even　fastens　with　a

safety…pin　across　its　gentle　bosom。　　Society　can　never　cease　to　be

grateful　for　that　tact　and　considerationqualities　more　often

joined　with　childish　intuition　and　perception　than　with　matured

observationthat　they　owe　to　it；　and　the　most　accomplished　man　or

woman　of　the　great　world　might　take　a　lesson　from　this　little

audience　who　receive　from　their　lips　the　lie　they　feel　too

palpable；　with　round…eyed　complacency；　or　outwardly　accept　as　moral

and　genuine　the　hollow　sentiment　they　have　overheard　rehearsed　in

private　for　their　benefit。



It　was　not　strange　therefore　that　the　little　people　of　the　Indian

Spring　school　knew　perhaps　more　of　the　real　relations　of　Cressy

McKinstry　to　her　admirers　than　the　admirers　themselves。　　Not　that

this　knowledge　was　outspokenfor　children　rarely　gossip　in　the

grown…up　senseor　even　communicable　by　words　intelligent　to　the

matured　intellect。　　A　whisper；　a　laugh　that　often　seemed　vague　and

unmeaning；　conveyed　to　each　other　a　world　of　secret　significance；

and　an　apparently　senseless　burst　of　merriment　in　which　the　whole

class　joined　and　that　the　adult　critic　set　down　to　〃animal

spirits〃a　quality　much　more　rare　with　children　than　generally

supposedwas　only　a　sympathetic　expression　of　some　discovery

happily　oblivious　to　older　preoccupation。　　The　childish　simplicity

of　Uncle　Ben　perhaps　appealed　more　strongly　to　their　sympathy；　and

although；　for　that　very　reason；　they　regarded　him　with　no　more

respect　than　they　did　each　other；　he　was　at　times　carelessly

admitted　to　their　confidence。　　It　was　especially　Rupert　Filgee　who

extended　a　kind　of　patronizing　protectorate　over　himnot　unmixed

with　doubts　of　his　sanity；　in　spite　of　the　promised　confidential

clerkship　he　was　to　receive　from　his　hands。



On　the　day　of　the　events　chronicled　in　the　preceding　chapter；

Rupert　on　returning　from　school　was　somewhat　surprised　to　find

Uncle　Ben　perched　upon　the　rail…fence　before　the　humble　door　of　the

Filgee　mansion　and　evidently　awaiting　him。　　Slowly　dismounting　as

Rupert　and　Johnny　approached；　he　beamed　upon　the　former　for　some

moments　with　arch　and　yet　affable　mystery。



〃Roopy；　old　man；　I　s'pose　ye've　got　yer　duds　all　ready　in　yer　pack；

eh？〃



A　flush　of　pleasure　passed　over　the　boy's　handsome　face。　　He　cast；

however；　a　hurried　look　down　on　the　all…pervading　Johnny。



〃'Cause　ye　see　we　kalkilate　to　take　the　down　stage　to　Sacramento

at　four　o'clock；〃　continued　Uncle　Ben；　enjoying　Rupert's　half

sceptical　surprise。　　〃Ye　enter　into　office；　so　to　speak；　with　me

at　that　hour；　when　the　sellery；　seventy…five　dollars　a　month　and

board；　ez　private　and　confidential　clerk；　beginseh？〃



Rupert's　dimples　deepened　in　charming；　almost　feminine；

embarrassment。　　〃But　dad？〃　he　stammered。



〃Et's　all　right　with　HIM。　　He's　agreeable。〃



〃But？〃



Uncle　Ben　followed　Rupert's　glance　at　Johnny；　who　however　appeared

to　be　absorbed　in　the　pattern　of　Uncle　Ben's　new　trousers。



〃That's　fixed；〃　he　said　with　a　meaning　smile。　　〃There's　a　sort　o'

bonus　we　pays　down；　you　knowfor　a　Chinyman　to　do　the　odd　jobs。〃



〃And　teacherMr。　Forddid　ye　tell　him？〃　said　Rupert　brightening。



Uncle　Ben　coughed　slightly。　　〃He's　agreeable；　too；　I　reckon。　　That

is；〃　he　wiped　his　mouth　meditatively；　〃he　ez　good　ez　allowed　it　in

gin'ral　conversation　a　week　ago；　Roop。〃



A　swift　shadow　of　suspicion　darkened　the　boy's　brown　eyes。　　〃Is

anybody　else　goin'　with　us？〃　he　said　quickly。



〃Not　this　yer　trip；〃　replied　Uncle　Ben　complacently。　　〃Ye　see；

Roop；〃　he　continued；　drawing　him　aside　with　an　air　of　comfortable

mystery；　〃this　yer　biz'ness　b'longs　to　the　private　and　confidential

branch　of　the　office。　　From　informashun　we've　received〃



〃WE？〃　interrupted　Rupert。



〃'We；'　that's　the　OFFICE；　you　know；〃　continued　Uncle　Ben　with　a

heavy　assumption　of　business　formality；　〃wot　we've　received　per

several　hands　and　consigneewethat's　YOU　and　ME；　Roopwe　goes

down　to　Sacramento　to　inquire　into　the　standin'　of　a　certing　party；

as　per　invoice；　and　ter　seeter　seeter　negotiate　you　know；　ter

find　out　if　she's　married　or　di…vorced；〃　he　concluded　quickly；　as

if　abandoning　for　the　moment　his　business　manner　in　consideration

of　Rupert's　inexperience。　　〃We're　to　find　out　her　standin'；　Roop；〃

he　began　again　with　a　more　judicious　blending　of　ease　and

technicality；　〃and　her　contracts；　if　any；　and　where　she　lives　and

her　way　o'　life；　and　examine　her　books　and　papers　ez　to　marriages

and　sich；　and　arbitrate　with　her　gin'rally　in　conversationyou

inside　the　house　and　me　out　on　the　pavement；　ready　to　be　called　in

if　an　interview　with　business　principals　is　desired。〃



Observing　Rupert　somewhat　perplexed　and　confused　with　these

technicalities；　he　tactfully　abandoned　them　for　the　present；　and

consulting　a　pocket…book　said；　〃I've　made　a　memorandum　of　some

pints　that　we'll　talk　over　on　the　journey；〃　again　charged　Rupert

to　be　punctually　at　the　stage　office　with　his　carpetbag；　and

cheerfully　departed。



When　he　had　disappeared　Johnny　Filgee；　without　a　single　word　of

explanation；　fell　upon　his　brother；　and　at　once　began　a　violent

attack　of　kicks　and　blows　upon　his　legs　and　other　easily　accessible

parts　of　his　person；　accompanying　his　assault　with　unintelligible

gasps　and　actions；　finally　culminating　in　a　flood　of　tears　and　the

casting　of　himself　on　his　back　in　the　dust　with　the　copper…fastened

toes　of　his　small　boots　turning　imaginary　wheels　in　the　air。

Rupert　received　these　characteristic　marks　of　despairing　and

outraged　affection　with　great　forbearance；　only　saying；　〃There；

now；　Johnny；　quit　that；〃　and　eventually　bearing　him　still

struggling　into　the　house。　　Here　Johnny；　declaring　that　he　would

kill　any　〃Chinyman〃　that　offered　to　dress　him；　and　burn　down　the

house　after　his　brother's　infamous　desertion　of　it；　Rupert　was

constrained　to　mingle　a　few　nervous；　excited　tears　with　his

brother's　outbreak。　　Whereat　Johnny；　admitting　the　alleviation　of

an　orange；　a　four…bladed　knife；　and　the　reversionary　interest　in

much　of　Rupert's　personal　property；　became　more　subdued。　　Sitting

there　with　their　arms　entwined　about　each　other；　the　sunlight

searching　the　shiftless　desolation　of　their　motherless　home；　the

few　cheap　playthings　they　had　known　lying　around　them；　they

beguiled　themselves　with　those　charming　illusions　of　their　future

intentions　common　to　their　yearsillusions　they　only　half　believed

themselves　and　half　accepted　of　each　other。　　Rupert　was　quite

certain　that　he　would　return　in　a　few　days　with　a　gold　watch　and　a

present　for　Johnny；　and　Johnny；　with　a　baleful　vision　of　never

seeing　him　again；　and　a　catching　breath；　magnificently　undertook　to

bring　in　the　wood　and　build　the　fire　and　wash　the　dishes　〃all　of

himself。〃　　And　then　there　were　a　few　childish　confidences　regarding

their　absent　fatherthen　ingenuously　playing　poker　in　the　Magnolia

Saloonthat　might　have　made　that　public…spirited；　genial　companion

somewhat　uncomfortable；　and　more　tears　that　were　half　smiling　and

some　brave　silences　that　were　wholly　pathetic；　and　then　the　hour

for　Rupert's　departure　all　too　suddenly　arrived。　　They　separated

with　ostentatious　whooping；　and　then　Johnny；　suddenly　overcome　with

the　dreadfulness　of　all　earthly　things；　and　the　hollowness　of　life

generally；　instantly　resolved　to　run　away！



To　do　this　he　prepared　himself　with　a　purposeless　hatchet；　an

inconsistent　but　long…treasured　lump　of　putty　and　all　the　sugar

that　was　left　in　the　cracked　sugar…bowl。　　Thus　accoutred　he　sallied

forth；　first　to　remove　all　traces　of　his　hated　existence　that　might

be　left　in　his　desk　at　school。　　If　the　master　were　there　he　would

say　Rupert　had　sent　him；　if　he　wasn't；　he　would　climb　in　at　the

window。　　The　sun　was　already　sinking　when　he　reached　the　clearing

and　found　a　cavalcade　of　armed　men　around　the　building。



Johnny's　first　conviction