the argonauts of north liberty-第10节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


must　have　stopped　the　hoss　and　buggy　somewhere；　got　in　and　got　run
away　agin；　and　pitched　over　the　bridge。　　But　seein'　your　relationship
to　both　Squire　and　Mrs。　Blandford；　and　all　the　sukumstances；　I
reckoned　you'd　remember　it。〃

〃I　heard　of　it　in　Boston　a　month　afterwards；〃　said　Demorest；　dryly；
〃but　I　don't　think　I'd　have　recognized　you。　　So　you　were　the　hired
man　who　gave　me　the　buggy。　　Well；　I　don't　suppose　they　discharged
you　for　it。〃

〃No；〃　said　Ezekiel；　with　undisturbed　equanimity。　　〃I　kalkilate　Joan
would　have　stopped　that。　　Considerin'；　too；　that　I　knew　her　when
she　was　Deacon　Salisbury's　darter；　and　our　fam'lies　waz　thick　az
peas。　　She　knew　me　well　enough　when　I　met　her　in　Frisco　the　other
day。〃

〃Have　you　seen　Mrs。　Demorest　already？〃　said　Demorest；　with　sudden
vivacity。　　〃Why　didn't　you　say　so　before？〃　　It　was　wonderful　how
quickly　his　face　had　lighted　up　with　an　earnestness　that　was　not；
however；　without　some　undefinable　uneasiness。　　The　alert　Ezekiel
noticed　it　and　observed　that　it　was　as　totally　unlike　the
irresistible　dominance　of　the　man　of　five　years　ago　as　it　was
different　from　the　heavy　abstraction　of　the　man　of　five　minutes
before。

〃I　reckon　you　didn't　ax　me；〃　he　returned　coolly。　　〃She　told　me
where　you　were；　and　as　I　had　business　down　this　way　she　guessed　I
might　drop　in。〃

〃Yes；　yesit's　all　right；　Mr。　Corwin；　glad　you　did；〃　said
Demorest；　kindly　but　half　nervously。　　〃And　you　saw　Mrs。　Demorest？
Where　did　you　see　her；　and　how　did　you　think　she　was　looking？　　As
pretty　as　ever；　eh？〃

But　the　coldly　literal　Ezekiel　was　not　to　be　beguiled　into　polite
or　ambiguous　fiction。　　He　even　went　to　the　extent　of　insulting
deliberation　before　he　replied。　　〃I've　seen　Joan　Salisbury　lookin'
healthier　and　ez　far　ez　I　kin　judge　doin'　more　credit　to　her　stock
and　raisin'　gin'rally；〃　he　said；　thoughtfully　combing　his　beard；
〃and　I've　seen　her　when　she　was　too　poor　to　get　the　silks　and
satins；　furbelows；　fineries　and　vanities　she's　flauntin'　in　now；
and　that　was　in　Squire　Blandford's　time；　too；　I　reckon。　　Ez　to　her
purtiness；　that's　a　matter　of　taste。　　You　think　her　purty；　and　I
guess　them　fellows　ez　was　escortin'　and　squirin'　her　round　Frisco
thought　so　too；　or　SHE　thought　they　did　to　hev　allowed　it。〃

〃You　are　not　very　merciful　to　your　townsfolk；　Mr。　Corwin；〃　said
Demorest；　with　a　forced　smile；　〃but　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃

It　was　the　turn　for　Ezekiel's　face　to　brighten；　or　rather　to　break
up；　like　a　cold　passionless　mirror　suddenly　cracked；　into　various
amusing　but　distorted　reflections　on　the　person　before　him。
〃Townies　ain't　to　be　fooled　by　other　townies；　Mr。　Demorest；　at
least　that　ain't　my　idea　o'　marcy；　he…he！　　But　seen　you're
pressin'；　I　don't　mind　tellen　you　MY　business。　　I'm　the　only　agent
of　Seventeen　Patent　Medicine　Proprietors　in　Connecticut　represented
by　the　firm　of　Dilworth　&　Dusenberry；　of　San　Francisco。　　Mebbe　you
heard　of　'em　aforeA1　druggists　and　importers。　　Wa'al；　I'm　openin'
a　field　for　'em　and　spreadin'　'em　gin'rally　through　these　air
benighted　and　onhealthy　districts；　havin'　the　contract　for　the　hull
Stateespecially　for　Wozun's　Universal　Injin　Panacea　ez　cures
everythingbein'　had　from　a　recipe　given　by　a　Sachem　to　Dr。
Wozun's　gran'ther。　　That　bagleavin'　out　a　dozen　paper　collars　and
socksis　all　the　rest　samples。　　That's　me；　Ezekiel　Corwinonly
agent　for　Californy；　and　that's　my　mission。〃

〃Very　well；　but　look　here；　Corwin；〃　said　Demorest；　with　a　slight
return　of　his　old　off…hand　manner；〃I'd　advise　you　to　adopt　a
little　more　caution；　and　a　little　less　criticism　in　your　speech　to
the　people　about　here；　or　I'm　afraid　you'll　need　the　Universal
Panacea　for　yourself。　　Better　men　than　you　have　been　shot　in　my
presence　for　half　your　freedom。〃

〃I　guess　you've　just　hit　the　bull's…eye　there；〃　replied　Ezekiel；
coolly；　〃for　it's　that　HALF…freedom　and　HALF…truth　that　doesn't
pay。　　I　kalkilate　gin'rally　to　speak　my　hull　mindand　I　DO。　　Wot's
the　consequence？　　Why；　when　folks　find　I　ain't　afeard　to　speak　my
mind　on　their　affairs；　they　kinder　guess　I'm　tellin'　the　truth
about　my　own。　　Folks　don't　like　the　man　that　truckles　to　'em；
whether　it's　in　the　sellin'　of　a　box　of　pills　or　a　principle。　　When
they　re…cognize　Ezekiel　Corwin　ain't　goin'　to　lie　about　'em　to
curry　favor　with　'em；　they're　ready　to　believe　he　ain't　goin'　to
lie　about　Jones'　Bitters　or　Wozun's　Panacea。　　And；　wa'al；　I've　been
on　the　road　just　about　a　fortnit；　and　I　haven't　yet　discovered　that
the　original　independent　style　introduced　by　Ezekiel　Corwin　ever
broke　anybody's　bones　or　didn't　pay。〃

And　he　told　the　truth。　　That　remarkably　unfair　and　unpleasant
spoken　man　had　actually　frozen　Hanley's　Ford　into　icy　astonishment
at　his　audacity；　and　he　had　sold　them　an　invoice　of　the　Panacea
before　they　had　recovered；　he　had　insulted　Chipitas　into　giving　an
extensive　order　in　bitters；　he　had　left　Hayward's　Creek　pledged　to
Burne's　pillswith　drawn　revolvers　still　in　their　hands。

At　another　time　Demorest　might　have　been　amused　at　his　guest's
audacity；　or　have　combated　it　with　his　old　imperiousness；　but　he
only　remained　looking　at　him　in　a　dull　sort　of　way　as　if　yielding
to　his　influence。　　It　was　part　of　the　phenomenon　that　the　two　men
seemed　to　have　changed　character　since　they　last　met；　and　when
Ezekiel　said　confidentially：　〃I　reckon　you're　goin'　to　show　me　what
room　I　ken　stow　these　duds　o'　mine　in；〃　Demorest　replied　hurriedly；
〃Yes；　certainly；〃　and　taking　up　his　guest's　carpet…bag　preceded　him
through　the　hall　to　one　of　the　apartments。

〃I'll　send　Manuel　to　you　presently；〃　he　said；　putting　down　the　bag
mechanically；　〃the　servants　are　not　back　from　church；　it's　some
saint's　festival　to…day。〃

〃And　so　you　keep　a　pack　of　lazy　idolaters　to　leave　your　house　to
take　care　of　itself；　whilst　they　worship　graven　images；〃　said
Ezekiel；　delighted　at　this　opportunity　to　improve　the　occasion。

〃If　my　memory　isn't　bad；　Mr。　Corwin；〃　said　Demorest　dryly；　〃when　I
accompanied　Mr。　Blandford　home　the　night　he　returned　from　his
journey；　we　found　YOU　at　church；　and　he　had　to　put　up　his　horse
himself。〃

〃But　that　was　the　Sabbaththe　seventh　day　of　the　command；〃
retorted　Ezekiel。

〃And　here　the　Sabbath　doesn't　consist　of　only　ONE　day　to　serve　God
in；〃　said　Demorest；　sententiously。

Ezekiel　glanced　under　his　white　lashes　at　Demorest's　thoughtful
face。　　His　fondest　fears　appeared　to　be　confirmed；　Demorest　had
evidently　become　a　Papist。　　But　that　gentleman　stopped　any
theological　discussion　by　the　abrupt　inquiry：

〃Did　Mrs。　Demorest　say　when　she　thought　of　returning？〃

〃She　allowed　she　mout　kem　to…morrowbut〃　added　Ezekiel　dubiously。

〃But　what？〃

〃Wa'al；　wot　with　her　enjyments　of　the　vanities　of　this　life　and　the
kempany　she　keeps；　I　reckon　she's　in　no　hurry；〃　said　Ezekiel；
cheerfully。

The　entrance　of　Manuel　here　cut　short　any　response　from　Demorest；
who　after　a　few　directions　in　Spanish　to　the　peon；　left　his　guest
to　himself。

He　walked　to　the　veranda　with　the　same　dull　preoccupation　that
Ezekiel　had　noticed　as　so　different　from　his　old　decisive　manner；
and　remained　for　a　few　moments　abstractedly　gazing　into　the　dark
garden。　　The　strange　and　mystic　shapes　which　had　impressed　even　the
practical　Ezekiel；　had　become　even　more　weird　and　ghost…like　in　the
faint　radiance　of　a　rising　moon。

What　memories　evoked　by　his　rude　guest　seemed　to　take　form　and
outline　in　that　dreamy　and　unreal　expanse！

He　saw　his　wife　again；　standing　as　she　had　stood　that　night　in　her
mother's　house；　with　the　white　muffler　around　her　head；　and　white
face；　imploring　him　to　fly；　he　saw　himself　again　hurrying　through
the　driving　storm　to　Warensboro；　and　reaching　the　train　that　bore
him　swiftly　and　safely　miles　awaythat　same　night　when　her　husband
was　perishing　in　the　swollen　river。　　He　remembered　with　what
strangely　mingled　sensations　he　had　read　the　account　of　Blandford's
death　in　the　newspapers；　and　how　the　loss　of　his　old　friend　was
forgotten　in　the　associations　conjured　up　by　his　singular　meeting
that　very　night　with　the　mysterious　woman　he　had　loved。　　He
remembered　that　he　had　never　dreamed　how　near　and　fateful　were
these　associations；　and　how　he　had　kept　his　promise　not　to　seek　her
without　her　permission；　until　six　months　after；　when　she　appointed
a　meeting；　and　revealed　to　him　the　whole　truth。　　He　could　see　her
now；　as　he　had　seen　her　then；　more　beautiful　and　fascinating　than
ever　in　her　black　dress；　and　the　pensive　grace　of　refined　suffering
and　restrained　passion　in　her　delicate　face。　　He　remembered；　too；
how　the　shock　of　her　disclosurethe　knowledge　that　she　had　been
his　old　friend's　wifeseemed　only　to　accent　her　purity　and
suffering　and　his　own　wilful　recklessness；　and　how　it　had　stirred
all　the　chivalry；　generosity；　and　affection　of　his　easy　nature　to
take　the　whole　responsibility　of　this　innocent　but　compromising
intrigue　on　his　own　shoulders。　　He　had　had　no　self…accusing　sense
of　disloyalty　to　Blandford　in　his　practical　nature；　he　had　never
suspected　the　shy；　proper　girl　of　being　his　wife；　he　was　willing　to
believe　now；　that　had　he　known　it；　even　that　night；　he　would　never
have　seen　her　again；　he　had　been　very　foolish；　he　had　made　this
poor　woman