the village watch-tower-第3节

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and　I'll　be　bound　it　means　somethin'。　There　goes　a　broom；　too。

Much　sweepin'　he'll　get　out　o'　Eunice；　it's　a　slick　'n'

a　promise　with　her！〃



〃When　did　you　begin　to　suspicion　this；　Diademy？〃　asked　Almira　Berry。

〃I've　got　as　much　faculty　as　the　next　one；　but　anybody　that　lives　on　the　river

road　has　just　got　to　give　up　knowin'　anything。　　You　can't　keep　runnin'

to　the　store　every　day；　and　if　you　could　you　don't　find　out　much　nowadays。

Bill　Peters　don't　take　no　more　interest　in　his　neighbors　than　a　cow

does　in　election。〃



〃I　can't　get　mother　Bascom　to　see　it　as　I　do；〃　said　Diadema；

〃but　for　one　thing　she's　ben　carryin'　home　bundles　'bout　every

other　night　for　a　month；　though　she's　ben　too　smart　to　buy　anythin'

here　at　this　store。　　She　had　Packard's　horse　to　go　to　Saco　last　week。

When　she　got　home；　jest　at　dusk；　she　drove　int'　the　barn；

'n'　bimeby　Pitt　Packard　come　to　git　his　horse；'t　was　her　own

buggy　she　went　with。　　She　looked　over　here　when　she　went　int'

the　house；　'n'　she　ketched　my　eye；　though　't　was　half　a　mile　away；

so　she　never　took　a　thing　in　with　her；　but　soon　as't　was　dark　she　made

three　trips　out　to　the　barn　with　a　lantern；　'n'　any　fool　could　tell

't　her　arms　was　full　o'　pa'cels　by　the　way　she　carried　the　lantern。

The　Hobsons　and　the　Emerys　have　married　one　another　more　'n　once；

as　fur　as　that　goes。　　I　declare　if　I　was　goin'　to　get　married　I

should　want　to　be　relation　to　somebody　besides　my　own　folks。〃



〃The　reason　I　can　hardly　credit　it；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；

〃is　because　Eunice　never　had　a　beau　in　her　life；　that　I　can

remember　of。　　Cyse　Higgins　set　up　with　her　for　a　spell；

but　it　never　amounted　to　nothin'。　It　seems　queer；　too；　for　she

was　always　so　fond　o'　seein'　men　folks　round　that　when　Pitt

Packard　was　shinglin'　her　barn　she　used　to　go　out　nights

'n'　rip　some　o'　the　shingles　off；　so　't　he'd　hev　more　days'

work　on　it。〃



〃I　always　said　't　was　she　that　begun　on　Rube　Hobson；

not　him　on　her；〃　remarked　the　Widow　Buzzell。

〃Their　land　joinin'　made　courtin'　come　dretful　handy。

His　critters　used　to　git　in　her　field　'bout　every　other　day

（I　always　suspicioned　she　broke　the　fence　down　herself）；

and　then　she'd　hev　to　go　over　and　git　him　to　drive　'em　out。

She's　wed　his　onion　bed　for　him　two　summers；　as　I　happen　to　know；

for　I've　been　ou'　doors　more　'n　common　this　summer；　tryin'

to　fetch　my　constitution　up。　　Diademy；　don't　you　want　to　look

out　the　back　way　'n'　see　if　Rube's　come　home　yet？〃



〃He　ain't；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom；　〃so　you　needn't　look；

can't　you　see　the　curtains　is　all　down？　　He's　gone　up　to　the　Mills；

'n'　it's　my　opinion　he's　gone　to　speak　to　the　minister。〃



〃He　hed　somethin'　in　the　back　o'　the　wagon　covered　up　with　an　old

linen　lap　robe；　't　ain't　at　all　likely　he　'd　'a'　hed　that　if　he'd　ben　goin'

to　the　minister's；〃　objected　Mrs。　Jot。



〃Anybody'd　think　you　was　born　yesterday；　to　hear　you　talk；　Diademy；〃

retorted　her　mother…in…law。　〃When　you　've　set　in　one　spot's　long's

I　hev；　p'raps　you'll　hev　the　use　o'　your　faculties！　　Men　folks　has　more

'n　one　way　o'　gettin'　married；　'specially　when　they　're　ashamed　of　it。

。　。　。　Well；　I　vow；　there's　the　little　Hobson　girls　comin'　out　o'

the　door　this　minute；　'n'　they　're　all　dressed　up；　and　Mote　don't　seem

to　be　with　'em。〃



Every　woman　in　the　room　rose　to　her　feet；　and　Diadema　removed

her　murderous　eye　from　a　fly　which　she　had　been　endeavoring　to　locate

for　some　moments。



〃I　guess　they　're　goin'　up　to　the　church　to　meet　their　father　'n'　Eunice；

poor　little　things；〃　ventured　the　Widow　Buzzell。



〃P'raps　they　be；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom　sarcastically；

〃p'raps　they　be　goin'　to　church；　takin'　a　three…quart

tin　pail　'n'　a　brown　paper　bundle　along　with　'em。

。　。　。　They　're　comin'　over　the　bridge；　just　as　I　s'posed。

。　。　。　Now；　if　they　come　past　this　house；　you　head　'em　off；

Almiry；　'n'　see　if　you　can　git　some　satisfaction　out　of　'em。

。　。　。　They　ain't　hardly　old　enough　to　hold　their　tongues。〃



An　exciting　interview　soon　took　place　in　the　middle　of　the　road；

and　Almira　reentered　the　room　with　the　expression　of　one　who　had

penetrated　the　inscrutable　and　solved　the　riddle　of　the　Sphinx。

She　had　been　vouch…safed　one　of　those　gleams　of　light　in　darkness

which　almost　dazzle　the　beholder。



〃That's　about　the　confirmingest　thing　I've　heern　yet！〃

she　ejaculated；　as　she　took　off　her　shaker　bonnet。

〃They　say　they're　goin'　up　to　their　aunt　Hitty's　to　stay　two　days。

They're　dressed　in　their　best；　clean　to　the　skin；　for　I　looked；

'n'　it's　their　night　gownds　they've　got　in　the　bundle。

They　say　little　Mote　has　gone　to　Union　to　stop　all　night

with　his　uncle　Abijah；　'n'　that　leaves　Rube　all　alone；

for　the　smith　girl　that　does　his　chores　is　home　sick

with　the　hives。　　And　what　do　you　s'pose　is　in　the　pail？

_Fruit_　_cake_；that's　what　't　is；　no　more　'n'　no　less！

I　knowed　that　Smith　girl　didn't　bake　it；　'n'　so　I　asked　'em；

'n'　they　said　Miss　Emery　give　it　to　'em。　　There　was　two　little

round　try…cakes；　baked　in　muffin…rings。　Eunice　hed　took　some　o'

the　batter　out　of　a　big　loaf　'n'　baked　it　to　se　how　it　was　goin'

to　turn　out。　　That　means　wedding…cake；　or　I'm　mistaken！〃



〃There　ain't　no　gittin'　round　that；〃　agreed　the　assembled　company；

〃now　is　there；　Mis'　Bascom？〃



Old　Mrs。　Bascom　wet　her　finger；　smoothed　the　parting

of　her　false　front；　and　looked　inscrutable。



〃I　don't　see　why　you're　so　secret；〃　objected　Diadema。



〃I've　got　my　opinions；　and　I've　had　'em　some　time；〃

observed　the　good　lady。　　〃I　don't　know　's　I'm　bound　to　tell　'em

and　have　'em　held　up　to　ridicule。　　Let　the　veal　hang；　I　say。

If　any　one　of　us　is　right；　we'll　all　know　to…morrow。〃



〃Well；　all　any　of　us　has　got　to　judge　from　is　appearances；〃　said　Diadema；

〃and　how　you　can　twist　'em　one　way；　and　us　another；　stumps　me！〃



〃Perhaps　I　see　more　appearances　than　you　do；〃

retorted　her　mother…in…law。　〃Some　folks　mistakes　all　they　see

for　all　there　is。　　I　was　reading　a　detective　story　last　week。

It　seems　there　was　an　awful　murder　in　Schenectady；　and　a　mother

and　her　two　children　was　found　dead　in　one　bed；　with　bullet

holes　in　their　heads。　　The　husband　was　away　on　business；

and　there　wasn't　any　near　neighbors　to　hear　her　screech。

Well；　the　detectives　come　from　far　and　from　near；　and　begun

to　work　up　the　case。　　One　of　'em　thought　't　was　the　husband；

though　he　set　such　store　by　his　wife　he　went　ravin'

crazy　when　he　heard　she　was　dead；one　of　'em　laid　it

on　the　children；though　they　was　both　under　six　years　old；

and　one　decided　it　was　suicide；though　the　woman　was　a　church

member　and　didn't　know　how　to　fire　a　gun　off；　besides。

And　then　there　come　along　a　detective　younger　and　smarter　than

all　the　rest；　and　says　he；　‘If　all　you　bats　have　seen　everything

you　can　see；　I　guess　I'll　take　a　look　around；'　says　he。

Sure　enough；　there　was　a　rug　with　‘Welcome'　on　it　layin'　in　front

of　the　washstand；　and　when　he　turned　it　up　he　found　an　elegant

diamond　stud　with　a　man's　full　name　and　address　on　the　gold　part。

He　took　a　train　and　went　right　to　the　man's　house。

He　was　so　taken　by　surprise　（he　hadn't　missed　the　stud；

for　he　had　a　full　set　of　'em）　that　he　owned　right　up　and

confessed　the　murder。〃



〃I　don't　see　as　that's　got　anything　to　do　with　this　case；〃　said　Diadema。



〃It's　got　this　much　to　do　with　it；〃　replied　old　Mrs。　Bascom；

〃that　perhaps　you've　looked　all　round　the　room　and　seen　everything

you　had　eyes　to　see；　and　perhaps　I've　had　wit　enough　to　turn　up

the　rug　in　front　o'　the　washstand。〃



〃Whoever　he　marries　now；　Mis'　Bascom'll　have　to　say　't

was　the　one　she　meant；〃　laughed　the　Widow　Buzzell。



〃I　never　was　caught　cheatin'　yet；　and　if　I　live　till　Saturday　I　shall

be　seventy…one　years　old；〃　said　the　old　lady　with　some　heat。　　〃Hand　me

Jot's　lead　pencil；　Diademy；　and　that　old　envelope　on　the　winder　sill。

I'll　write　the　name　I　think　of；　and　shut　it　up　in　the　old　Bible。

My　hand's　so　stiff　to…day　I　can't　hardly　move　it；　but　I　guess　I　can　make

it　plain　enough　to　satisfy　you。〃



〃That's　fair　'n'　square；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；　〃and　for

my　pat　I　hope　it　ain't　Eunice；　for　I　like　her　too　well。

What　they're　goin'　to　live　on　is　more　'n　I　can　see。　　Add　nothin'

to　nothin'　'n'　you　git　nothin'；that's　arethmetic！　　He　ain't　hed

a　cent　o'　ready　money　sence　he　failed　up　four　years　ago；　'thout　it

was　that　hundred　dollars　that　fell　to　him　from　his　wife's　aunt。

Eunice'll　hev　her　hands　full　this　winter；　I　guess；　with　them

three　hearty　children　'n'　him　all　wheezed　up　with　phthisic

from　October　to　April！　。　。　。　Who's　that　coming'　down　Tory　Hill？

It's　Rube's　horse　'n'　Rube's　wagon；　but　it　don't　look　like　Rube。〃



〃Yes；　it's　Rube；　but　he's　got　a　new　Panama　hat；　'n'　he　's　hed　his

linen　duster　washed；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom。　　。　。　。　〃Now；　do　you

mean　to　tell　me　that　that　woman　with　a　stuck…up　hat　on　is　Eunice　Emery？

It　ain't；　'n'　that　green　parasol　don't　belong　to　this　village。　　He's　drivin'

her　into　his　yard！　。　。　。　Just　as　I　s'po