the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第20节
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He took the child in his arms and went out upon the piazza。 Several
porch pillows lay invitingly near。 He pushed them toward the steps with
his foot； sat down upon one； and placed little Albert upon another。 He
was scarcely seated when a messenger from the hotel came up the walk
from the gate and handed him a note。 At the same moment he heard the
long shriek of the afternoon train leaving the station on the opposite side
of the town。
He tore the envelope open anxiously； read the note； smiled a sickly
smile； and clenched the paper in his hand unconsciously。 There was
nothing he could do。 The train had gone； there was no telegraph to
Patesville； and no letter could leave Clarence for twenty…four hours。 The
best laid schemes go wrong at timesthe stanchest ships are sometimes
wrecked； or skirt the breakers perilously。 Life is a sea； full of strange
currents and uncharted reefswhoever leaves the traveled path must run
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the danger of destruction。 Warwick was a lawyer； however； and
accustomed to balance probabilities。
〃He may easily be in Patesville a day or two without meeting her。
She will spend most of her time at mother's bedside； and he will be
occupied with his own affairs。〃
If Tryon should meet herwell； he was very much in love； and he had
spoken very nobly of birth and blood。 Warwick would have preferred；
nevertheless； that Tryon's theories should not be put to this particular test。
Rena's scruples had so far been successfully combated； the question would
be opened again； and the situation unnecessarily complicated； if Tryon
should meet Rena in Patesville。
〃Will he or will he not？〃 he asked himself。 He took a coin from his
pocket and spun it upon the floor。 〃Heads； he sees her； tails； he does
not。〃
The coin spun swiftly and steadily； leaving upon the eye the
impression of a revolving sphere。 Little Albert； left for a moment to his
own devices； had crept behind his father and was watching the whirling
disk with great pleasure。 He felt that he would like to possess this
interesting object。 The coin began to move more slowly； and was
wabbling to its fall； when the child stretched forth his chubby fist and
caught it ere it touched the floor。
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XII
TRYON GOES TO PATESVILLE
Tryon arrived in the early morning and put up at the Patesville Hotel；
a very comfortable inn。 After a bath； breakfast； and a visit to the
barbershop； he inquired of the hotel clerk the way to the office of Dr。
Green； his mother's cousin。
〃On the corner； sir；〃 answered the clerk； 〃by the market…house； just
over the drugstore。 The doctor drove past here only half an hour ago。
You'll probably catch him in his office。〃
Tryon found the office without difficulty。 He climbed the stair； but
found no one in except a young colored man seated in the outer office；
who rose promptly as Tryon entered。
〃No； suh；〃 replied the man to Tryon's question； 〃he ain't hyuh now。
He's gone out to see a patient； suh； but he'll be back soon。 Won't you set
down in de private office an' wait fer 'im； suh？〃
Tryon had not slept well during his journey； and felt somewhat
fatigued。 Through the open door of the next room he saw an inviting
armchair； with a window at one side； and upon the other a table strewn
with papers and magazines。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃I'll wait。〃
He entered the private office； sank into the armchair； and looked out of
the window upon the square below。 The view was mildly interesting。
The old brick market…house with the tower was quite picturesque。 On a
wagon…scale at one end the public weighmaster was weighing a load of
hay。 In the booths under the wide arches several old negro women were
frying fish on little charcoal stoves the odor would have been appetizing
to one who had not breakfasted。 On the shady side stood half a dozen
two…wheeled carts； loaded with lightwood and drawn by diminutive steers；
or superannuated army mules branded on the flank with the cabalistic
letters 〃C。 S。 A。；〃 which represented a vanished dream； or 〃U。 S。 A。；〃
which； as any negro about the market…house would have borne witness；
signified a very concrete fact。 Now and then a lady or gentleman passed
with leisurely stepno one ever hurried in Patesvilleor some poor white
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sandhiller slouched listlessly along toward store or bar…room。
Tryon mechanically counted the slabs of gingerbread on the nearest
market…stall； and calculated the cubical contents of several of the meagre
loads of wood。 Having exhausted the view； he turned to the table at his
elbow and picked up a medical journal； in which he read first an account
of a marvelous surgical operation。 Turning the leaves idly； he came upon
an article by a Southern writer； upon the perennial race problem that has
vexed the country for a century。 The writer maintained that owing to a
special tendency of the negro blood； however diluted； to revert to the
African type； any future amalgamation of the white and black races； which
foolish and wicked Northern negrophiles predicted as the ultimate result of
the new conditions confronting the South； would therefore be an
ethnological impossibility； for the smallest trace of negro blood would
inevitably drag down the superior race to the level of the inferior； and
reduce the fair Southland； already devastated by the hand of the invader； to
the frightful level of Hayti； the awful example of negro incapacity。 To
forefend their beloved land； now doubly sanctified by the blood of her
devoted sons who had fallen in the struggle to maintain her liberties and
preserve her property； it behooved every true Southron to stand firm
against the abhorrent tide of radicalism； to maintain the supremacy and
purity of his all… pervading； all…conquering race； and to resist by every
available means the threatened domination of an inferior and degraded
people； who were set to rule hereditary freemen ere they had themselves
scarce ceased to be slaves。
When Tryon had finished the article； which seemed to him a well…
considered argument； albeit a trifle bombastic； he threw the book upon the
table。 Finding the armchair wonderfully comfortable； and feeling the
fatigue of his journey； he yielded to a drowsy impulse； leaned his head on
the cushioned back of the chair； and fell asleep。 According to the habit of
youth； he dreamed； and pursuant to his own individual habit； he dreamed
of Rena。 They were walking in the moonlight； along the quiet road in
front of her brother's house。 The air was redolent with the perfume of
flowers。 His arm was around her waist。 He had asked her if she loved
him； and was awaiting her answer in tremulous but confident expectation。
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She opened her lips to speak。 The sound that came from them seemed to
be：
〃Is Dr。 Green in？ No？ Ask him； when he comes back； please； to
call at our house as soon as he can。〃
Tryon was in that state of somnolence in w
