aaron trow-第2节

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house。

It　stood　upon　what　would　have　been　an　island　in　the　creek；　had　not　a
narrow　causeway；　barely　broad　enough　for　a　road；　joined　it　to　that
larger　island　on　which　stands　the　town　of　St。　George。　　As　the　main
road　approaches　the　ferry　it　runs　through　some　rough；　hilly；　open
ground；　which　on　the　right　side　towards　the　ocean　has　never　been
cultivated。　　The　distance　from　the　ocean　here　may；　perhaps；　be　a
quarter　of　a　mile；　and　the　ground　is　for　the　most　part　covered　with
low　furze。　　On　the　left　of　the　road　the　land　is　cultivated　in
patches；　and　here；　some　half　mile　or　more　from　the　ferry；　a　path
turns　away　to　Crump　Island。　　The　house　cannot　be　seen　from　the　road；
and；　indeed；　can　hardly　be　seen　at　all；　except　from　the　sea。　　It
lies；　perhaps；　three　furlongs　from　the　high　road；　and　the　path　to　it
is　but　little　used；　as　the　passage　to　and　from　it　is　chiefly　made　by
water。

Here；　at　the　time　of　our　story；　lived　Mr。　Bergen；　and　here　lived　Mr。
Bergen's　daughter。　　Miss　Bergen　was　well　known　at　St。　George's　as　a
steady；　good　girl；　who　spent　her　time　in　looking　after　her　father's
household　matters；　in　managing　his　two　black　maid…servants　and　the
black　gardener；　and　who　did　her　duty　in　that　sphere　of　life　to　which
she　had　been　called。　　She　was　a　comely；　well…shaped　young　woman；
with　a　sweet　countenance；　rather　large　in　size；　and　very　quiet　in
demeanour。　　In　her　earlier　years；　when　young　girls　usually　first　bud
forth　into　womanly　beauty；　the　neighbours　had　not　thought　much　of
Anastasia　Bergen；　nor　had　the　young　men　of　St。　George　been　wont　to
stay　their　boats　under　the　window　of　Crump　Cottage　in　order　that
they　might　listen　to　her　voice　or　feel　the　light　of　her　eye；　but
slowly；　as　years　went　by；　Anastasia　Bergen　became　a　woman　that　a　man
might　well　love；　and　a　man　learned　to　love　her　who　was　well　worthy
of　a　woman's　heart。　　This　was　Caleb　Morton；　the　Presbyterian
minister　of　St。　George；　and　Caleb　Morton　had　been　engaged　to　marry
Miss　Bergen　for　the　last　two　years　past；　at　the　period　of　Aaron
Trow's　escape　from　prison。

Caleb　Morton　was　not　a　native　of　Bermuda；　but　had　been　sent　thither
by　the　synod　of　his　church　from　Nova　Scotia。　　He　was　a　tall；
handsome　man；　at　this　time　of　some　thirty　years　of　age；　of　a
presence　which　might　almost　have　been　called　commanding。　　He　was
very　strong；　but　of　a　temperament　which　did　not　often　give　him
opportunity　to　put　forth　his　strength；　and　his　life　had　been　such
that　neither　he　nor　others　knew　of　what　nature　might　be　his　courage。
The　greater　part　of　his　life　was　spent　in　preaching　to　some　few　of
the　white　people　around　him；　and　in　teaching　as　many　of　the　blacks
as　he　could　get　to　hear　him。　　His　days　were　very　quiet；　and　had　been
altogether　without　excitement　until　he　had　met　with　Anastasia
Bergen。　　It　will　suffice　for　us　to　say　that　he　did　meet　her；　and
that　now；　for　two　years　past；　they　had　been　engaged　as　man　and　wife。

Old　Mr。　Bergen；　when　he　heard　of　the　engagement；　was　not　well
pleased　at　the　information。　　In　the　first　place；　his　daughter　was
very　necessary　to　him；　and　the　idea　of　her　marrying　and　going　away
had　hardly　as　yet　occurred　to　him；　and　then　he　was　by　no　means
inclined　to　part　with　any　of　his　money。　　It　must　not　be　presumed
that　he　had　amassed　a　fortune　by　his　trade　in　cedar　wood。　　Few
tradesmen　in　Bermuda　do；　as　I　imagine；　amass　fortunes。　　Of　some　few
hundred　pounds　he　was　possessed；　and　these；　in　the　course　of　nature；
would　go　to　his　daughter　when　he　died；　but　he　had　no　inclination　to
hand　any　portion　of　them　over　to　his　daughter　before　they　did　go　to
her　in　the　course　of　nature。　　Now；　the　income　which　Caleb　Morton
earned　as　a　Presbyterian　clergyman　was　not　large；　and；　therefore；　no
day　had　been　fixed　as　yet　for　his　marriage　with　Anastasia。

But；　though　the　old　man　had　been　from　the　first　averse　to　the　match；
his　hostility　had　not　been　active。　　He　had　not　forbidden　Mr。　Morton
his　house；　or　affected　to　be　in　any　degree　angry　because　his
daughter　had　a　lover。　　He　had　merely　grumbled　forth　an　intimation
that　those　who　marry　in　haste　repent　at　leisure；that　love　kept
nobody　warm　if　the　pot　did　not　boil；　and　that；　as　for　him；　it　was　as
much　as　he　could　do　to　keep　his　own　pot　boiling　at　Crump　Cottage。
In　answer　to　this　Anastasia　said　nothing。　　She　asked　him　for　no
money；　but　still　kept　his　accounts；　managed　his　household；　and
looked　patiently　forward　for　better　days。

Old　Mr。　Bergen　himself　spent　much　of　his　time　at　Hamilton；　where　he
had　a　woodyard　with　a　couple　of　rooms　attached　to　it。　　It　was　his
custom　to　remain　here　three　nights　of　the　week；　during　which
Anastasia　was　left　alone　at　the　cottage；　and　it　happened　by　no　means
seldom　that　she　was　altogether　alone；　for　the　negro　whom　they　called
the　gardener　would　go　to　her　father's　place　at　Hamilton；　and　the　two
black　girls　would　crawl　away　up　to　the　road；　tired　with　the　monotony
of　the　sea　at　the　cottage。　　Caleb　had　more　than　once　told　her　that
she　was　too　much　alone；　but　she　had　laughed　at　him；　saying　that
solitude　in　Bermuda　was　not　dangerous。　　Nor；　indeed；　was　it；　for　the
people　are　quiet　and　well…mannered；　lacking　much　energy；　but　being；
in　the　same　degree；　free　from　any　propensity　to　violence。

〃So　you　are　going；〃　she　said　to　her　lover；　one　evening；　as　he　rose
from　the　chair　on　which　he　had　been　swinging　himself　at　the　door　of
the　cottage　which　looks　down　over　the　creek　of　the　sea。　　He　had　sat
there　for　an　hour　talking　to　her　as　she　worked；　or　watching　her　as
she　moved　about　the　place。　　It　was　a　beautiful　evening；　and　the　sun
had　been　falling　to　rest　with　almost　tropical　glory　before　his　feet。
The　bright　oleanders　were　red　with　their　blossoms　all　around　him；
and　he　had　thoroughly　enjoyed　his　hour　of　easy　rest。　　〃So　you　are
going；〃　she　said　to　him；　not　putting　her　work　out　of　her　hand　as　he
rose　to　depart。

〃Yes；　and　it　is　time　for　me　to　go。　　I　have　still　work　to　do　before　I
can　get　to　bed。　　Ah；　well；　I　suppose　the　day　will　come　at　last　when
I　need　not　leave　you　as　soon　as　my　hour　of　rest　is　over。〃

〃Come；　of　course　it　will　come。　　That　is；　if　your　reverence　should
choose　to　wait　for　it　another　ten　years　or　so。〃

〃I　believe　you　would　not　mind　waiting　twenty　years。〃

〃Not　if　a　certain　friend　of　mine　would　come　down　and　see　me　of
evenings　when　I'm　alone　after　the　day。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I
shouldn't　mind　waiting　as　long　as　I　had　that　to　look　for。〃

〃You　are　right　not　to　be　impatient；〃　he　said　to　her；　after　a　pause；
as　he　held　her　hand　before　he　went。　　〃Quite　right。　　I　only　wish　I
could　school　myself　to　be　as　easy　about　it。〃

〃I　did　not　say　I　was　easy；〃　said　Anastasia。　　〃People　are　seldom　easy
in　this　world；　I　take　it。　　I　said　I　could　be　patient。　　Do　not　look
in　that　way；　as　though　you　pretended　that　you　were　dissatisfied　with
me。　　You　know　that　I　am　true　to　you；　and　you　ought　to　be　very　proud
of　me。〃

〃I　am　proud　of　you；　Anastasia〃　on　hearing　which　she　got　up　and
courtesied　to　him。　　〃I　am　proud　of　you；　so　proud　of　you　that　I　feel
you　should　not　be　left　here　all　alone；　with　no　one　to　help　you　if
you　were　in　trouble。〃

〃Women　don't　get　into　trouble　as　men　do；　and　do　not　want　any　one　to
help　them。　　If　you　were　alone　in　the　house　you　would　have　to　go　to
bed　without　your　supper；　because　you　could　not　make　a　basin　of
boiled　milk　ready　for　your　own　meal。　　Now；　when　your　reverence　has
gone；　I　shall　go　to　work　and　have　my　tea　comfortably。〃　　And　then　he
did　go；　bidding　God　bless　her　as　he　left　her。　　Three　hours　after
that　he　was　disturbed　in　his　own　lodgings　by　one　of　the　negro　girls
from　the　cottage　rushing　to　his　door；　and　begging　him　in　Heaven's
name　to　come　down　to　the　assistance　of　her　mistress。

When　Morton　left　her；　Anastasia　did　not　proceed　to　do　as　she　had
said；　and　seemed　to　have　forgotten　her　evening　meal。　　She　had　been
working　sedulously　with　her　needle　during　all　that　last
conversation；　but　when　her　lover　was　gone；　she　allowed　the　work　to
fall　from　her　hands；　and　sat　motionless　for　awhile；　gazing　at　the
last　streak　of　colour　left　by　the　setting　sun；　but　there　was　no
longer　a　sign　of　its　glory　to　be　traced　in　the　heavens　around　her。
The　twilight　in　Bermuda　is　not　long　and　enduring　as　it　is　with　us；
though　the　daylight　does　not　depart　suddenly；　leaving　the　darkness
of　night　behind　it　without　any　intermediate　time　of　warning；　as　is
the　case　farther　south；　down　among　the　islands　of　the　tropics。　　But
the　soft；　sweet　light　of　the　evening　had　waned　and　gone；　and　night
had　absolutely　come　upon　her；　while　Anastasia　was　still　seated
before　the　cottage　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　white　streak　of
motionless　sea　which　was　still　visible　through　the　gloom。　　She　was
thinking　of　him；　of　his　ways　of　life；　of　his　happiness；　and　of　her
duty　towards　him。　　She　had　told　him；　with　her　pretty　feminine
falseness；　that　she　could　wait　without　impatience；　but　now　she　said
to　herself　that　it　would　not　be　good　for　him　to　wait　longer。　　He
lived　alone　and　without　comfort；　working　very　hard　for　his　poor
pittance；　and　she　could　see；　and　feel；　and　understand　that　a
companion　in　his　life　was　to　him　almost　a　necessity。　　She　would　tell
her　father　that　all　this　must　be　brought　to　an　end。　　She　would　not
ask　him　for　money；　but　she　woul