the dwelling place of ligh-第42节

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nothing；　I　know　it　isn't　right；　I　know　you　wouldn't　be　happy。　　I've　never
livedin　the　kind　of　house　you　live　in　and　known　the　kind　of　people　you
know；　I　shouldn't　know　what　to　do。〃

He　took　his　eyes　off　the　road　and　glanced　down　at　her　curiously。　　His
smile　was　self…confident；　exultant。

〃Now　do　you　feel　betteryou　little　Puritan？〃　he　said。

And　perforce　she　smiled　in　return；　a　pucker　appearing　between　her
eyebrows。

〃I　mean　it；〃　she　said。　　〃I　came　out　to　tell　you　so。　　I　knowit　just
isn't　possible。〃

〃I'd　marry　you　to…day　if　I　could　get　a　license；〃　he　declared。　　〃Why；
you're　worth　any　woman　in　America；　I　don't　care　who　she　is；　or　how　much
money　she　has。〃

In　spite　of　herself　she　was　absurdly　pleased。

〃Now　that　is　over；　we　won't　discuss　it　again；　do　you　understand？　　I've
got　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　mean　to　hold　on　to　you。〃

She　sighed。　　He　was　driving　slowly　now　along　the　sandy　road；　and　with　his
hand　on　hers　she　simply　could　not　think。　　The　spell　of　his　nearness；　of
his　touch；　which　all　nature　that　morning　conspired　to　deepen；　was　too
powerful　to　be　broken；　and　something　was　calling　to　her；　〃Take　this　day；
take　this　day；〃　drowning　out　the　other　voice　demanding　an　accounting。
She　was　livingwhat　did　it　all　matter？　　She　yielded　herself　to　the
witchery　of　the　hour；　the　sheer　delight　of　forthfaring　into　the　unknown。

They　turned　away　from　the　river；　crossing　the　hills　of　a　rolling　country
now　open；　now　wooded；　passing　white　farmhouses　and　red　barns；　and
ancient；　weather…beaten　dwellings　with　hipped　roofs　and　〃lean…tos〃　which
had　been　there　in　colonial　days　when　the　road　was　a　bridle…path。　　Cows
and　horses　stood　gazing　at　them　from　warm　paddocks；　where　the　rich；　black
mud　glistened；　melted　by　the　sun；　chickens　scratched　and　clucked　in　the
barnyards　or　flew　frantically　across　the　road；　sometimes　within　an　ace　of
destruction。　　Janet　flinched；　but　Ditmar　would　laugh；　gleefully；
boyishly。

〃We　nearly　got　that　one！〃　he　would　exclaim。　　And　then　he　had　to　assure
her　that　he　wouldn't　run　over　them。

〃I　haven't　run　over　one　yet；have　I？〃　he　would　demand。

〃No；　but　you　will；　it's　only　luck。〃

〃Luck！〃　he　cried　derisively。　　〃Skill！　　I　wish　I　had　a　dollar　for　every
one　I　got　when　I　was　learning　to　drive。　　There　was　a　farmer　over　here　in
Chester〃　and　he　proceeded　to　relate　how　he　had　had　to　pay　for　two
turkeys。　　〃He　got　my　number；　the　old　hayseed；　he　was　laying　for　me；　and
the　next　time　I　went　back　that　way　he　held　me　up　for　five　dollars。　　I　can
remember　the　time　when　a　man　in　a　motor　was　an　easy　mark　for　every　reuben
in　the　county。　　They　got　rich　on　us。〃

She　responded　to　his　mood；　which　was　wholly　irresponsible；　exuberant；　and
they　laughed　together　like　children；　every　little　incident　assuming　an
aspect　irresistibly　humorous。　　Once　he　stopped　to　ask　an　old　man　standing
in　his　dooryard　how　far　it　was　to　Kingsbury。

〃Wal；　mebbe　it's　two　mile；　they　mostly　call　it　two；〃　said　the　patriarch；
after　due　reflection；　gathering　his　beard　in　his　band。　　〃Mebbe　it's
more。〃　　His　upper　lip　was　blue；　shaven；　prehensile。

〃What　did　you　ask　him　for；　when　you　know？〃　said　Janet；　mirthfully；　when
they　had　gone　on；　and　Ditmar　was　imitating　him。　　Ditmar's　reply　was　to
wink　at　her。　　Presently　they　saw　another　figure　on　the　road。

〃Let's　see　what　he'll　say；〃　Ditmar　proposed。　　This　man　was　young；　the
colour　of　mahogany；　with　glistening　black　hair　and　glistening　black　eyes
that　regarded　the　too　palpable　joyousness　of　their　holiday　humour　in　mute
surprise。

〃I　no　knowstranger；〃　he　said。

〃No　speaka　Portugueso？〃　inquired　Ditmar；　gravely。

〃The　country　is　getting　filthy　with　foreigners；〃　he　observed；　when　he　had
started　the　car。　　〃I　went　down　to　Plymouth　last　summer　to　see　the　old
rock；　and　by　George；　it　seemed　as　if　there　wasn't　anybody　could　speak
American　on　the　whole　cape。　　All　the　Portuguese　islands　are　dumped　there…
…cranberry　pickers；　you　know。〃

〃I　didn't　know　that；〃　said　Janet。

〃Sure　thing！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃And　when　I　got　there；　what　do　you　think？
there　was　hardly　enough　of　the　old　stone　left　to　stand　on；　and　that　had　a
fence　around　it　like　an　exhibit　in　an　exposition。　　It　had　all　been
chipped　away　by　souvenir　hunters。〃

She　gazed　at　him　incredulously。

〃You　don't　believe　me！　　I'll　take　you　down　there　sometime。　　And　another
thing；　the　rock's　high　and　dryup　on　the　land。　　I　said　to　Charlie　Crane；
who　was　with　me；　that　it　must　have　been　a　peach　of　a　jump　for　old　Miles
Standish　and　Priscilla　what's　her　name。〃

〃How　I'd　love　to　see　the　ocean　again！〃　　Janet　exclaimed。

〃Why；　I'll　take　youas　often　as　you　like；〃　he　promised。　　〃We'll　go　out
on　it　in　summer；　up　to　Maine；　or　down　to　the　Cape。〃

Her　enchantment　was　now　so　great　that　nothing　seemed　impossible。

〃And　we'll　go　down　to　Plymouth；　too；　some　Sunday　soon；　if　this　weather
keeps　up。　　If　we　start　early　enough　we　can　get　there　for　lunch；　easy。
We'll　see　the　rock。　　I　guess　some　of　your　ancestors　must　have　come　over
with　that　Mayflower　outfitfirst　cabin；　eh？　　You　look　like　it。〃

Janet　laughed。　　〃It's　a　joke　on　them；　if　they　did。　　I　wonder　what　they'd
think　of　Hampton；　if　they　could　see　it　now。　　I　counted　up　once；　just　to
tease　fatherhe's　the　seventh　generation　from　Ebenezer　Bumpus；　who　came
to　Dolton。　　Well；　I　proved　to　him　he　might　have　one　hundred　and　twenty…
six　other　ancestors　besides　Ebenezer　and　his　wife。〃

〃That　must　have　jarred　him　some；〃　was　Ditmar's　comment。　　〃Great　old　man；
your　father。　　I've　talked　to　himhe's　a　regular　historical　society　all
by　himself。　　Well；　there　must　be　something　in　it；　this　family　business。
Now；　you　can　tell　he　comes　from　fine　old　American　stock…he　looks　it。〃

Janet　flushed。　　〃A　lot　of　good　it　does！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Ditmar。　　〃It's　something　to　fall　back　ona　good
deal。　　And　he　hasn't　got　any　of　that　nonsense　in　his　head　about　labour
unionshe's　a　straight　American。　　And　you　look　the　part；〃　he　added。
〃You　remind　meI　never　thought　of　it　until　nowyou　remind　me　of　a
picture　of　Priscilla　I　saw　once　in　a　book　of　poems　Longfellow's；　you
know。　　I'm　not　much　on　literature；　but　I　remember　that；　and　I　remember
thinking　she　could　have　me。　　Funny　isn't　it；　that　you　should　have　come
along？　　But　you've　got　more　ginger　than　the　woman　in　that　picture。　　I'm
the　only　man　that　ever　guessed　it　isn't　that　so？〃　he　asked　jealously。

〃You're　wonderful！〃　retorted　Janet；　daringly。

〃You　just　bet　I　am；　or　I　couldn't　have　landed　you；〃　he　asserted。　　〃You're
chock　full　of　ginger；　but　it's　been　all　corked　up。　　You're　so　prim…so
Priscilla。〃　　He　was　immensely　pleased　with　the　adjective　he　had　coined；
repeating　it。　　〃It's　a　great　combination。　　When　I　think　of　it；　I　want　to
shake　you；　to　squeeze　you　until　you　scream。〃

〃Then　please　don't　think　of　it；〃　she　said。

〃That's　easy！〃　he　exclaimed；　mockingly。

At　a　quarter　to　one　they　entered　a　sleepy　village　reminiscent　of　a　New
England　of　other　days。　　The　long　street；　deeply　shaded　in　summer；　was
bordered　by　decorous　homes；　some　of　which　had　stood　there　for　a　century
and　a　half；　others　were　of　the　Mansard　period。　　The　high　school；　of
strawberry…coloured　brick；　had　been　the　pride　and　glory　of　the　Kingsbury
of　the　'70s：　there　were　many　churches；　some　graceful　and　some　hideous。
At　the　end　of　the　street　they　came　upon　a　common；　surrounded　by　stone
posts　and　a　railing；　with　a　monument　in　the　middle　of　it；　and　facing　the
common　on　the　north　side　was　a　rambling　edifice　with　many　white　gables；
in　front　of　which；　from　an　iron　arm　on　a　post；　swung　a　quaint　sign；
〃Kingsbury　Tavern。〃　　In　revolutionary　and　coaching　days　the　place　bad
been　a　famous　inn；　and　now；　thanks　to　the　enterprise　of　a　man　who　had
foreseen　the　possibilities　of　an　era　of　automobiles；　it　had　become　even
more　famous。　　A　score　of　these　modern　vehicles　were　drawn　up　before　it
under　the　bare；　ancient　elms；　there　was　a　scene　of　animation　on　the　long
porch；　where　guests　strolled　up　and　down　or　sat　in　groups　in　the　rocking…
chairs　which　the　mild　weather　had　brought　forth　again。　　Ditmar　drew　up　in
line　with　the　other　motors；　and　stopped。

〃Well；　here　we　are！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　pulled　off　his　gauntlets。　　〃I
guess　I　could　get　along　with　something　to　eat。　　How　about　you？　　They
treat　you　as　well　here　as　any　place　I　know　of　in　New　England。〃

He　assumed　their　lunching　together　at　a　public　place　as　a　matter　of
course　to　which　there　could　not　possibly　be　an　objection；　springing　out
of　the　car；　removing　the　laprobe　from　her　knees；　and　helping　her　to
alight。　　She　laid　the　roses　on　the　seat。

〃Aren't　you　going　to　bring　them　along？〃　he　demanded。

〃I'd　rather　not；〃　she　said。　　〃Don't　you　think　they'll　be　safe　here？〃

〃Oh；　I　guess　so；〃　he　replied。　　She　was　always　surprising　him；　but　her
solicitation　concerning　them　was　a　balm；　and　he　found　all　such
instinctive　acts　refreshing。

〃Afraid　of　putting　up　too　much　of　a　front；　are　you？〃　he　asked　smilingly。

〃I'd　rather　leave　them　here；〃　she　replied。　　As　she　walked　beside　Ditmar
to　the　door　she　was　excited；　unwontedly　self…conscious；　painfully　aware
of　inspection　by　the　groups　on　the　porch。　　She　had　seen　such　people　as
these　hurrying　in　automobiles　through　the　ugliness　of　Faber　Street　in
Hampton　toward　just　such　de