the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第47节
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minute； Jenny。 I'm going your way； and you can walk along with me。〃
Wain with difficulty hid a scowl behind a smiling front。 When they
had gone a little distance along the road through the woods； he clapped his
hand upon his pocket。
〃I declare ter goodness；〃 he exclaimed； 〃ef I ain't dropped my pocket…
knife！ I thought I felt somethin' slip th'ough dat hole in my pocket jes' by
the big pine stump in the schoolhouse ya'd。 Jinny； chile； run back an'
hunt fer my knife； an' I'll give yer five cents ef yer find it。 Me an' Miss
Rena'll walk on slow 'tel you ketches us。〃
Rena did not dare to object； though she was afraid to be alone with this
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man。 If she could have had a moment to think； she would have
volunteered to go back with Jenny and look for the knife； which； although
a palpable subterfuge on her part； would have been one to which Wain
could not object； but the child； dazzled by the prospect of reward； had
darted back so quickly that this way of escape was cut off。 She was
evidently in for a declaration of love； which she had taken infinite pains to
avoid。 Just the form it would assume； she could not foresee。 She was
not long left in suspense。 No sooner was the child well out of sight than
Wain threw his arms suddenly about her waist and smilingly attempted to
kiss her。
Speechless with fear and indignation； she tore herself from his grasp
with totally unexpected force； and fled incontinently along the forest path。
Wainwho； to do him justice； had merely meant to declare his passion in
what he had hoped might prove a not unacceptable fashionfollowed in
some alarm； expostulating and apologizing as he went。 But he was heavy
and Rena was light； and fear lent wings to her feet。 He followed her until
he saw her enter the house of Elder Johnson； the father of several of her
pupils； after which he sneaked uneasily homeward； somewhat
apprehensive of the consequences of his abrupt wooing； which was
evidently open to an unfavorable construction。 When； an hour later；
Rena sent one of the Johnson children for some of her things； with a
message explaining that the teacher had been invited to spend a few days
at Elder Johnson's； Wain felt a pronounced measure of relief。 For an hour
he had even thought it might be better to relinquish his pursuit。 With a
fatuousness born of vanity； however； no sooner had she sent her excuse
than he began to look upon her visit to Johnson's as a mere exhibition of
coyness； which； together with her conduct in the woods； was merely
intended to lure him on。
Right upon the heels of the perturbation caused by Wain's conduct；
Rena discovered that Tryon lived in the neighborhood； that not only might
she meet him any day upon the highway； but that he had actually driven by
the schoolhouse。 That he knew or would know of her proximity there
could be no possible doubt； since she had freely told his mother her name
and her home。 A hot wave of shame swept over her at the thought that
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George Tryon might imagine she were following him； throwing herself in
his way； and at the thought of the construction which he might place upon
her actions。 Caught thus between two emotional fires； at the very time
when her school duties； owing to the approaching exhibition； demanded
all her energies； Rena was subjected to a physical and mental strain that
only youth and health could have resisted； and then only for a short time。
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XXIX
PLATO EARNS HALF A DOLLAR
Tryon's first feeling； when his mother at the dinner…table gave an
account of her visit to the schoolhouse in the woods； was one of extreme
annoyance。 Why； of all created beings； should this particular woman be
chosen to teach the colored school at Sandy Run？ Had she learned that
he lived in the neighborhood； and had she sought the place hoping that he
might consent to renew； on different terms； relations which could never be
resumed upon their former footing？ Six weeks before； he would not
have believed her capable of following him； but his last visit to Patesville
had revealed her character in such a light that it was difficult to predict
what she might do。 It was； however； no affair of his。 He was done with
her； he had dismissed her from his own life； where she had never properly
belonged； and he had filled her place； or would soon fill it； with another
and worthier woman。 Even his mother； a woman of keen discernment
and delicate intuitions； had been deceived by this girl's specious exterior。
She had brought away from her interview of the morning the impression
that Rena was a fine； pure spirit； born out of place； through some freak of
Fate； devoting herself with heroic self…sacrifice to a noble cause。 Well；
he had imagined her just as pure and fine； and she had deliberately； with a
negro's low cunning； deceived him into believing that she was a white girl。
The pretended confession of the brother； in which he had spoken of the
humble origin of the family； had been； consciously or unconsciously； the
most disingenuous feature of the whole miserable performance。 They
had tried by a show of frankness to satisfy their own consciences；they
doubtless had enough of white blood to give them a rudimentary trace of
such a moral organ；and by the same act to disarm him against future
recriminations； in the event of possible discovery。 How was he to
imagine that persons of their appearance and pretensions were tainted with
negro blood？ The more he dwelt upon the subject； the more angry he
became with those who had surprised his virgin heart and deflowered it by
such low trickery。 The man who brought the first negro into the British
colonies had committed a crime against humanity and a worse crime
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against his own race。 The father of this girl had been guilty of a sin
against society for which othersfor which he； George Tryon must pay
the penalty。 As slaves； negroes were tolerable。 As freemen； they were
an excrescence； an alien element incapable of absorption into the body
politic of white men。 He would like to send them all back to the Africa
from which their forefathers had come；unwillingly enough； he would
admit； and he would like especially to banish this girl from his own
neighborhood； not indeed that her presence would make any difference to
him； except as a humiliating reminder of his own folly and weakness with
which he could very well dispense。
Of this state of mind Tryon gave no visible manifestation beyond a
certain taciturnity； so much at variance with his recent liveliness that the
ladies could not fail to notice it。 No effort upon the part of either was
able to affect his mood； and they both resigned themselves to await his
lordship's pleasure to be companionable。
For a day or two； Tryon sedulously kept away from the neighborhood
of the schoolhouse at Sandy Rim。 He really had business which would
have taken him in that direction； but made a detour of five miles rather
than go near his abandoned and discredited sweetheart。
But George Tryon was wisely distrustful of his own impulses。
Driving one day along the road to Clinton； he overhauled a diminutive
black figure trudging along the road； occasionally turning a handspring by
way of diversion。
〃Hello； Plato；〃 called Tryon； 〃do you want a lift？〃
