the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第2节
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bawn er 'oman hath but a sho't time ter lib； an' is full er mis'ry。 He
cometh up an' is cut down lack as a flower。' ‘De days er his life is three…
sco' an' ten'an' de ole jedge is libbed mo' d'n dat； suh； by five yeahs； ter
say de leas'。〃
〃‘Death；'〃 quoted Warwick； with whose mood the undertaker's remarks
were in tune； 〃‘is the penalty that all must pay for the crime of living。'〃
〃Dat 's a fac'； suh； dat 's a fac'； so dey mus' so dey mus'。 An' den all
de dead has ter be buried。 An' we does ou' sheer of it； suh； we does ou'
sheer。 We conduc's de obs'quies er all de bes' w'ite folks er de town；
suh。〃
Warwick left the undertaker's shop and retraced his steps until he had
passed the lawyer's office； toward which he threw an affectionate glance。
A few rods farther led him past the old black Presbyterian church； with its
square tower； embowered in a stately grove； past the Catholic church； with
its many crosses； and a painted wooden figure of St。 James in a recess
beneath the gable； and past the old Jefferson House； once the leading hotel
of the town； in front of which political meetings had been held； and
political speeches made； and political hard cider drunk； in the days of
〃Tippecanoe and Tyler too。〃
The street down which Warwick had come intersected Front Street at a
sharp angle in front of the old hotel； forming a sort of flatiron block at the
junction； known as Liberty Point；perhaps because slave auctions were
sometimes held there in the good old days。 Just before Warwick reached
Liberty Point； a young woman came down Front Street from the direction
of the market…house。 When their paths converged； Warwick kept on
down Front Street behind her； it having been already his intention to walk
in this direction。
Warwick's first glance had revealed the fact that the young woman was
strikingly handsome； with a stately beauty seldom encountered。 As he
walked along behind her at a measured distance； he could not help noting
the details that made up this pleasing impression； for his mind was
singularly alive to beauty； in whatever embodiment。 The girl's figure； he
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THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
perceived； was admirably proportioned； she was evidently at the period
when the angles of childhood were rounding into the promising curves of
adolescence。 Her abundant hair； of a dark and glossy brown； was neatly
plaited and coiled above an ivory column that rose straight from a pair of
gently sloping shoulders； clearly outlined beneath the light muslin frock
that covered them。 He could see that she was tastefully； though not
richly； dressed； and that she walked with an elastic step that revealed a
light heart and the vigor of perfect health。 Her face； of course； he could
not analyze； since he had caught only the one brief but convincing glimpse
of it。
The young woman kept on down Front Street； Warwick maintaining
his distance a few rods behind her。 They passed a factory； a warehouse
or two； and then； leaving the brick pavement； walked along on mother
earth； under a leafy arcade of spreading oaks and elms。 Their way led
now through a residential portion of the town； which； as they advanced；
gradually declined from staid respectability to poverty； open and
unabashed。 Warwick observed； as they passed through the respectable
quarter； that few people who met the girl greeted her； and that some others
whom she passed at gates or doorways gave her no sign of recognition；
from which he inferred that she was possibly a visitor in the town and not
well acquainted。
Their walk had continued not more than ten minutes when they
crossed a creek by a wooden bridge and came to a row of mean houses
standing flush with the street。 At the door of one； an old black woman
had stooped to lift a large basket； piled high with laundered clothes。 The
girl； as she passed； seized one end of the basket and helped the old woman
to raise it to her head； where it rested solidly on the cushion of her head…
kerchief。 During this interlude； Warwick； though he had slackened his
pace measurably； had so nearly closed the gap between himself and them
as to hear the old woman say； with the dulcet negro intonation：
〃T'anky'； honey； de Lawd gwine bless you sho'。 You wuz alluz a
good gal； and de Lawd love eve'ybody w'at he'p de po' ole nigger。 You
gwine ter hab good luck all yo' bawn days。〃 〃I hope you're a true prophet；
Aunt Zilphy；〃 laughed the girl in response。
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THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
The sound of her voice gave Warwick a thrill。 It was soft and sweet
and clearquite in harmony with her appearance。 That it had a faint
suggestiveness of the old woman's accent he hardly noticed； for the
current Southern speech； including his own； was rarely without a touch of
it。 The corruption of the white people's speech was one elementonly
oneof the negro's unconscious revenge for his own debasement。
The houses they passed now grew scattering； and the quarter of the
town more neglected。 Warwick felt himself wondering where the girl
might be going in a neighborhood so uninviting。 When she stopped to
pull a half…naked negro child out of a mudhole and set him upon his feet；
he thought she might be some young lady from the upper part of the town；
bound on some errand of mercy； or going； perhaps； to visit an old servant
or look for a new one。 Once she threw a backward glance at Warwick；
thus enabling him to catch a second glimpse of a singularly pretty face。
Perhaps the young woman found his presence in the neighborhood as
unaccountable as he had deemed hers； for； finding his glance fixed upon
her； she quickened her pace with an air of startled timidity。
〃A woman with such a figure；〃 thought Warwick； 〃ought to be able to
face the world with the confidence of Phryne confronting her judges。〃
By this time Warwick was conscious that something more than mere
grace or beauty had attracted him with increasing force toward this young
woman。 A suggestion； at first faint and elusive； of something familiar；
had grown stronger when he heard her voice； and became more and more
pronounced with each rod of their advance； and when she stopped finally
before a gate； and； opening it； went into a yard shut off from the street by a
row of dwarf cedars； Warwick had already discounted in some measure
the surprise he would have felt at seeing her enter there had he not walked
down Front Street behind her。 There was still sufficient unexpectedness
about the act； however； to give him a decided thrill of pleasure。
〃It must be Rena；〃 he murmured。 〃Who could have dreamed that she
would blossom out like that？ It must surely be Rena！〃
He walked slowly past the gate and peered through a narrow gap in the
cedar hedge。 The girl was moving along a sanded walk； toward a gray；
unpainted house； with a steep roof； broken by dormer windows。 The
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THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
trace of timidity he had observed in her had given place to the more
assured bearing of one who is upon his own ground。 The garden walks
were bordered by long rows of jonquils； pinks； and carnations； inclosing
clumps of fragrant shrubs； lilies； and roses already in bloom。 Toward the
middle of the garden stood two fine magnolia…trees； with heavy； dark
green； glistening leaves； while nearer the house two mighty elms shaded a
wide piazza； at one end of which a honeysuckle vine； and at the other a
Virginia creeper； running over a wooden lattice； furnished additional shade
and seclusion。 On dark or wintry days； the aspect of this garden must
