cressy-第4节

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this　healthy　quality　that　inclined　the　master　towards　him；　and　it

was　consequently　with　some　satisfaction　that　he　overheard　fragments

of　his　openly　disparaging　comments　upon　his　worshippers。



〃There！〃　to　Clarinda　Jones；　〃don't　flop！　　And　don't　YOU；〃　to

Octavia　Dean；　〃go　on　breathing　over　my　head　like　that。　　If　there's

anything　I　hate　it's　having　a　girl　breathing　round　me。　　Yes；　you

were！　　I　felt　it　in　my　hair。　　And　YOU　tooyou're　always　snoopin'

and　snoodgin'。　　Oh；　yes；　you　want　to　know　WHY　I've　got　an　extry

copy…book　and　another　'Rithmetic；　Miss　Curiosity。　　Well；　what　would

you　give　to　know？　　Want　to　see　if　they're　PRETTY〃　（with　infinite

scorn　at　the　adjective）。　　〃No；　they　ain't　PRETTY。　　That's　all　you

girls　think　aboutwhat's　PRETTY　and　what's　curious！　　Quit　now！

Come！　　Don't　ye　see　teacher　lookin'　at　you？　　Ain't　you　ashamed？〃



He　caught　the　master's　beckoning　eye　and　came　forward；　slightly

abashed；　with　a　flush　of　irritation　still　on　his　handsome　face；　and

his　chestnut　curls　slightly　rumpled。　　One；　which　Octavia　had

covertly　accented　by　twisting　round　her　forefinger；　stood　up　like　a

crest　on　his　head。



〃I've　told　Uncle　Ben　that　you　might　help　him　here　after　school

hours；〃　said　the　master；　taking　him　aside。　　〃You　may　therefore　omit

your　writing　exercise　in　the　morning　and　do　it　in　the　afternoon。〃



The　boy's　dark　eyes　sparkled。　　〃And　if　it　would　be　all　the　same　to

you；　sir；〃　he　added　earnestly；　〃you　might　sorter　give　out　in　school

that　I　was　to　be　kept　in。〃



〃I'm　afraid　that　would　hardly　do；〃　said　the　master；　much　amused。

〃But　why？〃



Rupert's　color　deepened。　　〃So　ez　to　keep　them　darned　girls　from

foolin'　round　me　and　followin'　me　back　here。〃



〃We　will　attend　to　that；〃　said　the　master　smiling；　a　moment　after

he　added　more　seriously；　〃I　suppose　your　father　knows　that　you　are

to　receive　money　for　this？　　And　he　doesn't　object？〃



〃He！　　Oh　no！〃　returned　Rupert　with　a　slight　look　of　astonishment；

and　the　same　general　suggestion　of　patronizing　his　progenitor　that

he　had　previously　shown　to　his　younger　brother。　　〃You　needn't　mind

HIM。〃　　In　reality　Filgee　pere；　a　widower　of　two　years'　standing；

had　tacitly　allowed　the　discipline　of　his　family　to　devolve　upon

Rupert。　　Remembering　this；　the　master　could　only　say；　〃Very　well；〃

and　good…naturedly　dismiss　the　pupil　to　his　seat　and　the　subject

from　his　mind。　　The　last　laggard　had　just　slipped　in；　the　master

had　glanced　over　the　occupied　benches　with　his　hand　upon　his

warning　bell；　when　there　was　a　quick　step　on　the　gravel；　a　flutter

of　skirts　like　the　sound　of　alighting　birds；　and　a　young　woman

lightly　entered。



In　the　rounded；　untouched；　and　untroubled　freshness　of　her　cheek

and　chin；　and　the　forward　droop　of　her　slender　neck；　she　appeared　a

girl　of　fifteen；　in　her　developed　figure　and　the　maturer　drapery　of

her　full　skirts　she　seemed　a　woman；　in　her　combination　of　naive

recklessness　and　perfect　understanding　of　her　person　she　was　both。

In　spite　of　a　few　school…books　that　jauntily　swung　from　a　strap　in

her　gloved　hand；　she　bore　no　resemblance　to　a　pupil；　in　her　pretty

gown　of　dotted　muslin　with　bows　of　blue　ribbon　on　the　skirt　and

corsage；　and　a　cluster　of　roses　in　her　belt；　she　was　as　inconsistent

and　incongruous　to　the　others　as　a　fashion…plate　would　have　been　in

the　dry　and　dog…eared　pages　before　them。　　Yet　she　carried　it　off

with　a　demure　mingling　of　the　naivete　of　youth　and　the　aplomb　of　a

woman；　and　as　she　swept　down　the　narrow　aisle；　burying　a　few　small

wondering　heads　in　the　overflow　of　her　flounces；　there　was　no　doubt

of　her　reception　in　the　arch　smile　that　dimpled　her　cheek。　　Dropping

a　half　curtsey　to　the　master；　the　only　suggestion　of　her　equality

with　the　others；　she　took　her　place　at　one　of　the　larger　desks；　and

resting　her　elbow　on　the　lid　began　to　quietly　remove　her　gloves。　　It

was　Cressy　McKinstry。



Irritated　and　disturbed　at　the　girl's　unceremonious　entrance；　the

master　for　the　moment　recognized　her　salutation　coldly；　and

affected　to　ignore　her　elaborate　appearance。　　The　situation　was

embarrassing。　　He　could　not　decline　to　receive　her　as　she　was　no

longer　accompanied　by　her　lover；　nor　could　he　plead　entire

ignorance　of　her　broken　engagement；　while　to　point　out　the　glaring

inappropriateness　of　costume　would　be　a　fresh　interference　he　knew

Indian　Spring　would　scarcely　tolerate。　　He　could　only　accept　such

explanation　as　she　might　choose　to　give。　　He　rang　his　bell　as　much

to　avert　the　directed　eyes　of　the　children　as　to　bring　the　scene　to

a　climax。



She　had　removed　her　gloves　and　was　standing　up。



〃I　reckon　I　can　go　on　where　I　left　off？〃　she　said　lazily；　pointing

to　the　books　she　had　brought　with　her。



〃For　the　present；〃　said　the　master　dryly。



The　first　class　was　called。　　Later；　when　his　duty　brought　him　to

her　side；　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　she　was　evidently　already

prepared　with　consecutive　lessons；　as　if　she　were　serenely

unconscious　of　any　doubt　of　her　return；　and　as　coolly　as　if　she　had

only　left　school　the　day　before。　　Her　studies　were　still　quite

elementary；　for　Cressy　McKinstry　had　never　been　a　brilliant

scholar；　but　he　perceived；　with　a　cynical　doubt　of　its　permanency；

that　she　had　bestowed　unusual　care　upon　her　present　performance。

There　was　moreover　a　certain　defiance　in　it；　as　if　she　had　resolved

to　stop　any　objection　to　her　return　on　the　score　of　deficiencies。

He　was　obliged　in　self…defence　to　take　particular　note　of　some

rings　she　wore；　and　a　large　bracelet　that　ostentatiously　glittered

on　her　white　armwhich　had　already　attracted　the　attention　of　her

companions；　and　prompted　the　audible　comment　from　Johnny　Filgee

that　it　was　〃truly　gold。〃　　Without　meeting　her　eyes　he　contented

himself　with　severely　restraining　the　glances　of　the　children　that

wandered　in　her　direction。　　She　had　never　been　quite　popular　with

the　school　in　her　previous　role　of　fiancee；　and　only　Octavia　Dean

and　one　or　two　older　girls　appreciated　its　mysterious　fascination；

while　the　beautiful　Rupert；　secure　in　his　avowed　predilection　for

the　middle…aged　wife　of　the　proprietor　of　the　Indian　Spring　hotel；

looked　upon　her　as　a　precocious　chit　with　more　than　the　usual

propensity　to　objectionable　〃breathing。〃　　Nevertheless　the　master

was　irritatingly　conscious　of　her　presencea　presence　which　now

had　all　the　absurdity　of　her　ridiculous　love…experiences　superadded

to　it。　　He　tried　to　reason　with　himself　that　it　was　only　a　phase　of

frontier　life；　which　ought　to　have　amused　him。　　But　it　did　not。

The　intrusion　of　this　preposterous　girl　seemed　to　disarrange　the

discipline　of　his　life　as　well　as　of　his　school。　　The　usual　vague；

far…off　dreams　in　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　indulging　during

school…hours；　dreams　that　were　perhaps　superinduced　by　the

remoteness　of　his　retreat　and　a　certain　restful　sympathy　in　his

little　auditors；　which　had　made　himthe　grown…up　dreamer

acceptable　to　them　in　his　gentle　understanding　of　their　needs　and

weaknesses；　now　seemed　to　have　vanished　forever。



At　recess；　Octavia　Dean；　who　had　drawn　near　Cressy　and　reached　up

to　place　her　arm　round　the　older　girl's　waist；　glanced　at　her　with

a　patronizing　smile　born　of　some　rapid　free…masonry；　and　laughingly

retired　with　the　others。　　The　master　at　his　desk；　and　Cressy　who

had　halted　in　the　aisle　were　left　alone。



〃I　have　had　no　intimation　yet　from　your　father　or　mother　that　you

were　coming　back　to　school　again；〃　he　began。　　〃But　I　suppose　THEY

have　decided　upon　your　return？〃



An　uneasy　suspicion　of　some　arrangement　with　her　former　lover　had

prompted　the　emphasis。



The　young　girl　looked　at　him　with　languid　astonishment。　　〃I　reckon

paw　and　maw　ain't　no　objection；〃　she　said　with　the　same　easy

ignoring　of　parental　authority　that　had　characterized　Rupert

Filgee；　and　which　seemed　to　be　a　local　peculiarity。　　〃Maw　DID　offer

to　come　yer　and　see　you；　but　I　told　her　she　needn't　bother。〃



She　rested　her　two　hands　behind　her　on　the　edge　of　a　desk；　and

leaned　against　it；　looking　down　upon　the　toe　of　her　smart　little

shoe　which　was　describing　a　small　semicircle　beyond　the　hem　of　her

gown。　　Her　attitude；　which　was　half…defiant；　half…indolent；　brought

out　the　pretty　curves　of　her　waist　and　shoulders。　　The　master

noticed　it　and　became　a　trifle　more　austere。



〃Then　I　am　to　understand　that　this　is　a　permanent　thing？〃　he　asked

coldly。



〃What's　that？〃　said　Cressy　interrogatively。



〃Am　I　to　understand　that　you　intend　coming　regularly　to　school？〃

repeated　the　master　curtly；　〃or　is　this　merely　an　arrangement　for　a

few　daysuntil〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Cressy　comprehendingly；　lifting　her　unabashed　blue　eyes

to　his；　〃you　mean　THAT。　　Oh；　THAT'S　broke　off。　　Yes；〃　she　added

contemptuously；　making　a　larger　semicircle　with　her　foot；　〃that's

overthree　weeks　ago。〃



〃And　Seth　Davisdoes　HE　intend　returning　too？〃



〃He！〃　　She　broke　into　a　light　girlish　laugh。　　〃I　reckon　not　much！

S'long's　I'm　her