the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第31节
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reading which one might well wonder why North Carolina had not long
ago eclipsed the rest of the world in wealth； wisdom； glory； and renown。
On almost every page of this monumental work could be found the most
ardent panegyrics of liberty； side by side with the slavery statistics of the
State；an incongruity of which the learned author was deliciously
unconscious。
When John Walden was yet a small boy； he had learned all that could
be taught by the faded mulatto teacher in the long； shiny black frock coat；
whom local public opinion permitted to teach a handful of free colored
children for a pittance barely enough to keep soul and body together。
When the boy had learned to read； he discovered the library； which for
several years had been without a reader； and found in it the portal of a new
world； peopled with strange and marvelous beings。 Lying prone upon the
floor of the shaded front piazza； behind the fragrant garden； he followed
the fortunes of Tom Jones and Sophia； he wept over the fate of Eugene
Aram； he penetrated with Richard the Lion…heart into Saladin's tent； with
Gil Blas into the robbers' cave； he flew through the air on the magic carpet
or the enchanted horse； or tied with Sindbad to the roc's leg。 Sometimes
he read or repeated the simpler stories to his little sister； sitting wide…eyed
by his side。 When he had read all the books；indeed； long before he had
read them all；he too had tasted of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge：
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contentment took its flight； and happiness lay far beyond the sphere where
he was born。 The blood of his white fathers； the heirs of the ages； cried
out for its own； and after the manner of that blood set about getting the
object of its desire。
Near the corner of Mackenzie Street； just one block north of the
Patesville market…house； there had stood for many years before the war； on
the verge of the steep bank of Beaver Creek； a small frame office building；
the front of which was level with the street； while the rear rested on long
brick pillars founded on the solid rock at the edge of the brawling stream
below。 Here； for nearly half a century； Archibald Straight had transacted
legal business for the best people of Northumberland County。 Full many
a lawsuit had he won； lost； or settled； many a spendthrift had he saved
from ruin； and not a few families from disgrace。 Several times honored
by election to the bench； he had so dispensed justice tempered with mercy
as to win the hearts of all good citizens； and especially those of the poor；
the oppressed； and the socially disinherited。 The rights of the humblest
negro； few as they might be； were as sacred to him as those of the proudest
aristocrat； and he had sentenced a man to be hanged for the murder of his
own slave。 An old…fashioned man； tall and spare of figure and bowed
somewhat with age； he was always correctly clad in a long frock coat of
broadcloth； with a high collar and a black stock。 Courtly in address to his
social equals （superiors he had none）； he was kind and considerate to those
beneath him。 He owned a few domestic servants； no one of whom had
ever felt the weight of his hand； and for whose ultimate freedom he had
provided in his will。 In the long…drawn…out slavery agitation he had
taken a keen interest； rather as observer than as participant。 As the heat
of controversy increased； his lack of zeal for the peculiar institution led to
his defeat for the bench by a more active partisan。 His was too just a
mind not to perceive the arguments on both sides； but； on the whole； he
had stood by the ancient landmarks； content to let events drift to a
conclusion he did not expect to see； the institutions of his fathers would
probably last his lifetime。
One day Judge Straight was sitting in his office reading a recently
published pamphlet； presenting an elaborate pro…slavery argument； based
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upon the hopeless intellectual inferiority of the negro； and the physical and
moral degeneration of mulattoes； who combined the worst qualities of
their two ancestral races；when a barefooted boy walked into the office；
straw hat in hand； came boldly up to the desk at which the old judge was
sitting； and said as the judge looked up through his gold…rimmed glasses；
〃Sir； I want to be a lawyer！〃
〃God bless me！〃 exclaimed the judge。 〃It is a singular desire； from a
singular source； and expressed in a singular way。 Who the devil are you；
sir； that wish so strange a thing as to become a lawyereverybody's
servant？〃
〃And everybody's master； sir；〃 replied the lad stoutly。
〃That is a matter of opinion； and open to argument；〃 rejoined the judge；
amused and secretly flattered by this tribute to his profession； 〃though
there may be a grain of truth in what you say。 But what is your name； Mr。
Would…be…lawyer？〃
〃John Walden； sir；〃 answered the lad。
〃John Walden？Walden？〃 mused the judge。 〃What Walden can that be？
Do you belong in town？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Humph！ I can't imagine who you are。 It's plain that you are a lad
of good blood； and yet I don't know whose son you can be。 What is your
father's name？〃
The lad hesitated； and flushed crimson。
The old gentleman noted his hesitation。 〃It is a wise son；〃 he thought；
〃that knows his own father。 He is a bright lad； and will have this
question put to him more than once。 I'll see how he will answer it。〃
The boy maintained an awkward silence； while the old judge eyed him
keenly。
〃My father's dead；〃 he said at length； in a low voice。 〃I'm Mis' Molly
Walden's son。〃 He had expected； of course； to tell who he was； if asked；
but had not foreseen just the form of the inquiry； and while he had thought
more of his race than of his illegitimate birth； he realized at this moment
as never before that this question too would be always with him。 As put
now by Judge Straight； it made him wince。 He had not read his father's
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books for nothing。
〃God bless my soul！〃 exclaimed the judge in genuine surprise at this
answer； 〃and you want to be a lawyer！〃 The situation was so much
worse than he had suspected that even an old practitioner； case…hardened
by years of life at the trial table and on the bench； was startled for a
moment into a comical sort of consternation； so apparent that a lad less
stout…hearted would have weakened and fled at the sight of it。
〃Yes； sir。 Why not？〃 responded the boy； trembling a little at the
knees； but stoutly holding his ground。
〃He wants to be a lawyer； and he asks me why not！〃 muttered the
judge； speaking apparently to himself。 He rose from his chair； walked
across the room； and threw open a window。 The cool morning air
brought with it the babbling of the stream below and the murmur of the
mill near by。 He glanced across the creek to the ruined foundation of an
old house on the low ground beyond the creek。 Turning from the
window； he looked back at the boy； who had remained standing between
him and the door。 At that moment another lad came along the street and
stopped opposite the open doorway。 The presence of the two boys in
connection with the book he had been reading suggested a comparison。
The judge knew the lad outside as the son of a leading merchant of the
town。 The merchant and his wife were both of old families which had
lived in the community for several generations； and whose blood was
presumably of the purest strain； yet the boy was sallow； with amorphous
features； thin shanks； and stooping shoulders。 The youth standing in the
j
