the village watch-tower-第15节

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at　one　another　in　the　face　as　if　we　was　dead　instead　of　her；

and　we　went　about　that　house　o'　mourning　like　sleep…walkers

for　days　and　says；　not　knowing　whether　we　et　or　slept；

or　what　we　done。



〃As　for　the　baby；　the　poor　little　mite　didn't　live

many　hours　after　its　mother；　and　we　buried　'em　together。

Reuben　and　I　knew　what　Lovey　would　have　liked。　　She　gave　her　life

for　the　baby's；　and　it　was　a　useless　sacrifice；　after　all。

No；　it　wa'n't　neither；　it　_could_n't　have　been！

You　needn't　tell　me　God'll　let　such　sacrifices　as　that　come

out　useless！　　But　anyhow；　we　had　one　coffin　for　'em　both；

and　I　opened　Lovey's　arms　and　laid　the　baby　in　'em。

When　Reuben　and　I　took　our　last　look；　we　thought　she

seemed　more　'n　ever　like　Mary；　the　mother　of　Jesus。

There　never　was　another　like　her；　and　there　never　will　be。

'Nonesuch；'　Reuben　used　to　call　her。〃



There　was　silence　in　the　room；　broken　only　by　the　ticking

of　the　old　clock　and　the　tinkle　of　a　distant　cowbell。

Priscilla　made　an　impetuous　movement；　flung　herself　down　by　the

basket　of　rags；　and　buried　her　head　in　Diadema's　gingham　apron。



〃Dear　Mrs。　Bascom；　don't　cry。　　I'm　sorry；　as　the　children　say。〃



〃No；　I　won't　more　'n　a　minute。　　Jot　can't　stand　it　to　see

me　give　way。　　You　go　and　touch　a　match　to　the　kitchen　fire；

so　't　the　kettle　will　be　boiling；　and　I'll　have　a　minute　to　myself。

I　don't　know　what　the　neighbors　would　think　to　ketch　me　crying　over　my

drawing…in　frame；　but　the　spell's　over　now；　or　'bout　over；　and　when　I

can　muster　up　courage　I'll　take　the　rest　of　the　baby's　cloak　and　put

a　border　of　white　everlastings　round　the　outside　of　the　rug。

I'll　always　mean　the　baby's　birth　and　Lovey's　death　to　me；

but　the　flowers　will　remind　me　it　's　life　everlasting　for　both

of　'em；　and　so　it's　the　most　comforting　end　I　can　think　of。〃



It　was　indeed　a　beautiful　rug　when　it　was　finished　and　laid

in　front　of　the　sofa　in　the　fore…room。　Diadema　was　very　choice　of　it。

When　company　was　expected　she　removed　it　from　its　accustomed　place；

and　spread　it　in　a　corner　of　the　room　where　no　profane　foot　could　possibly

tread　on　it。　　Unexpected　callers　were　managed　by　a　different　method。

If　they　seated　themselves　on　the　sofa；　she　would　fear　they　did　not　〃set　easy〃

or　〃rest　comfortable〃　there；　and　suggest　their　moving　to　the　stuffed

chair　by　the　window。　　The　neighbors　thought　this　solicitude　merely

another　sign　of　Diadema's　〃p'ison　neatness；〃　excusable　in　this　case

as　there　was　so　much　white　in　the　new　rug。



The　fore…room　blinds　were　ordinarily　closed；　and　the　chillness

of　death　pervaded　the　sacred　apartment；　but　on　great　occasions；

when　the　sun　was　allowed　to　penetrate　the　thirty…two　tiny　panes

of　glass　in　each　window；　and　a　blaze　was　lighted　in　the　fire…place；

Miss　Hollis　would　look　in　as　she　went　upstairs；　and　muse

a　moment　over　the　pathetic　little　romance　of　rags；　the　story

of　two　lives　worked　into　a　bouquet　of　old…fashioned　posies；

whose　gay　tints　were　brought　out　by　a　setting　of　sombre　threads。

Existence　had　gone　so　quietly　in　this　remote　corner　of　the　world　that

all　its　important　events；　babyhood；　childhood；　betrothal；　marriage；

motherhood；　with　all　their　mysteries　of　love　and　life　and　death；

were　chronicled　in　this　narrow　space　not　two　yards　square。



Diadema　came　in　behind　the　little　school…teacher　one　afternoon。



〃I　cal'late；〃　she　said；　〃that　being　kep'　in　a　dark　room；　and　never

being　tread　on；　it　will　last　longer　'n　I　do。　　If　it　does；　Priscilla；

you　know　that　white　crepe　shawl　of　mine　I　wear　to　meeting　hot　Sundays：

that　would　make　a　second　row　of　everlastings　round　the　border。

You　could　piece　out　the　linings　good　and　smooth　on　the　under　side；

draw　in　the　white　flowers；　and　fill　'em　round　with　black　to　set　'em　off。

The　rug　would　be　han'somer　than　ever　then；　and　the　story

would　be　finished。〃





…





A　VILLAGE　STRADIVARIUS。



I。





〃Goodfellow；　Puck　and　goblins；

Know　more　than　any　book。

Down　with　your　doleful　problems；

And　court　the　sunny　brook。

The　south…winds　are　quick…witted；

The　schools　are　sad　and　slow；

The　masters　quite　omitted

The　lore　we　care　to　know。〃



Emerson's　_April。_







〃Find　the　317th　page；　Davy；　and　begin　at　the　top　of

the　right…hand　column。〃



The　boy　turned　the　leaves　of　the　old　instruction　book　obediently；　and

then　began　to　read　in　a　sing…song；　monotonous　tone：



〃'One　of　Pag…pag'〃



〃Pag…a…ni…ni's。〃



〃'One　of　Paggernyner's'　（I　wish　all　the　fellers　in　your　stories

didn't　have　such　tough　old　names！）　'most　dis…as…ter…ous　triumphs

he　had　when　playing　at　Lord　Holland's。'　（Who　was　Lord　Holland；

uncle　Tony？）　'Some　one　asked　him　to　im…pro…vise　on　the　violin

the　story　of　a　son　who　kills　his　father；　runs　a…way；　becomes

a　highway…man；　falls　in　love　with　a　girl　who　will　not　listen　to　him；

so　he　leads　her　to　a　wild　country　site；　suddenly　jumping　with　her

from　a　rock　into　an　a…b…y…double…s'〃



〃Abyss。〃



〃'a　rockintoanabyss；　were　they　disappear　forever。

Paggernyner　listened　quietly；　and　when　the　story　was　at　an　end

he　asked　that　all　the　lights　should　be　distinguished。'〃



〃Look　closer；　Davy。〃



〃'Should　be　extinguished。　　He　then　began　playing；　and　so　terrible　was　the

musical　in…ter…pre…ta…tion　of　the　idea　which　had　been　given　him　that　several

of　the　ladies　fainted；　and　the　sal…salon…s_a_lon；　when　relighted；　looked　like

a　battle…field。'　Cracky！　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　have　been　there；　uncle　Tony？

But　I　don't　believe　anybody　ever　played　that　way；　do　you？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　listener；　dreamily　raising　his　sightless　eyes

to　the　elm…tree　that　grew　by　the　kitchen　door。　　〃I　believe　it；

and　I　can　hear　it　myself　when　you　read　the　story　to　me。

I　feel　that　the　secret　of　everything　in　the　world　that　is　beautiful；

or　true；　or　terrible；　is　hidden　in　the　strings　of　my　violin；

Davy；　but　only　a　master　can　draw　it　from　captivity。〃



〃You　make　stories　on　your　violin；　too；　uncle　Tony；

even　if　the　ladies　don't　faint　away　in　heaps；　and　if　the　kitchen

doesn't　look　like　a　battle…field　when　you　've　finished。

I'm　glad　it　doesn't；　for　my　part；　for　I　should　have　more

housework　to　do　than　ever。〃



〃Poor　Davy！　you　couldn't　hate　housework　any　worse　if　you　were　a　woman；

but　it　is　all　done　for　to…day。　Now　paint　me　one　of　your　pictures；　laddie；

make　me　see　with　your　eyes。〃



The　boy　put　down　the　book　and　leaped　out　of　the　open　door；

barely　touching　the　old　millstone　that　served　for　a　step。

Taking　a　stand　in　the　well…worn　path；　he　rested　his　hands

on　his　hips；　swept　the　landscape　with　the　glance　of　an　eagle；

and　began　like　a　young　improvisator：



〃The　sun　is　just　dropping　behind　Brigadier　Hill。〃



〃What　color　is　it？〃



〃Red　as　fire；　and　there　isn't　anything　near　it；it　's　almost　alone

in　the　sky；　there　's　only　teenty　little　white　feather　clouds　here　and　there。

The　bridge　looks　as　if　it　was　a　silver　string　tying　the　two　sides

of　the　river　together。　　The　water　is　pink　where　the　sun　shines　into　it。

All　the　leaves　of　the　trees　are　kind　of　swimming　in　the　red　light；

I　tell　you；　nunky；　just　as　if　I　was　looking　through　red　glass。

The　weather　vane　on　Squire　Bean's　barn　dazzles　so　the　rooster　seems

to　be　shooting　gold　arrows　into　the　river。　　I　can　see　the　tip　top　of

Mount　Washington　where　the　peak　of　its　snow…cap　touches　the　pink　sky。

The　hen…house　door　is　open。　　The　chickens　are　all　on　their　roost；

with　their　heads　cuddled　under　their　wings。〃



〃Did　you　feed　them？〃



The　boy　clapped　his　hand　over　his　mouth　with　a　comical　gesture

of　penitence；　and　dashed　into　the　shed　for　a　panful　of　corn；　which　he

scattered　over　the　ground；　enticing　the　sleepy　fowls　by　insinuating　calls

of　〃Chick；　chick；　chick；　chick！〃　　_Come；_　biddy；　biddy；　biddy；　biddy！

_Come；_　chick；　chick；　chick；　chick；　chick！〃



The　man　in　the　doorway　smiled　as　over　the　misdemeanor　of　somebody　very

dear　and　lovable；　and　rising　from　his　chair　felt　his　way　to　a　corner　shelf；

took　down　a　box；　and　drew　from　it　a　violin　swathed　in　a　silk　bag。

He　removed　the　covering　with　reverential　hands。　　The　tenderness　of

the　face　was　like　that　of　a　young　mother　dressing　or　undressing　her　child。

As　he　fingered　the　instrument　his　hands　seemed　to　have　become　all　eyes。

They　wandered　caressingly　over　the　polished　surface　as　if　enamored

of　the　perfect　thing　that　they　had　created；　lingering　here　and　there

with　rapturous　tenderness　on　some　special　beauty；the　graceful　arch

of　the　neck；　the　melting　curves　of　the　cheeks；　the　delicious　swell

of　the　breasts。



When　he　had　satisfied　himself　for　the　moment；　he　took　the　bow；

and　lifting　the　violin　under　his　chin；　inclined　his　head　fondly

toward　it　and　began　to　play。



The　tune　at　first　seemed　muffled；　but　had　a　curious　bite；

that　began　in　distant　echoes；　but　after　a　few　minutes'　the　playing

grew　firmer　and　clearer；　ringing　out　at　last　with　velvety　richness

and　strength　until　the　atmosphere　was　satiated　with　harmony。

No　more　ethereal　note　ever