the choir invisible-第14节

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During　the　forenoon；　therefore；　by　an　effort　which　only　those　who　have　experienced　it　can　understand；　he　ordered　off　all　communication　with　larger　troubles　and　confined　himself　in　that　stifling　prison…house　of　the　mind　where　the　perplexities　and　toils　of　childhood　become　enormous　and　everything　else　in　the　world　grows　small。　Up　under　the　joists　there　was　the　terrible　struggle　of　a　fly　in　a　web；　at　first　more　and　more　violent；　then　ceasing　in　a　strain　so　fine　that　the　ear　could　scarce　take　it；　a　bee　came　in　one　window；　went　out　another；　a　rat；　sniffing　greedily　at　its　hole；　crept　toward　a　crumb　under　a　bench；　ran　back；　crept　nearer；　seized　it　and　was　gone；　a　toiling　slate…pencil　grated　on　its　way　as　arduously　as　a　wagon　up　a　hill；　he　had　to　teach　a　beginner　its　letters。　These　were　the　great　happenings。　At　noon　the　same　child　that　had　brought　him　a　note　on　the　day　before　came　with　another：

〃Kitty　is　going　to　the　ball　with　Horatio。　I　shall　be　alone。　We　can　have　our　talk　uninterrupted。　How　unreasonable　you　are！　Why　don't　you　understand　things　without　wanting　to　have　them　explained？　If　you　wish　to　go　to　the　ball；　you　can　do　this　afterwards。　Don't　come　till　Kitty　has　gone。〃

Duties　in　the　school　till　near　sunset；　then　letters。　　O'Bannon　had　told　him　that　Mr。　Bradford's　post…rider　would　leave　at　four　o'clock　next　morning；　if　he　had　letters　to　send；　they　must　be　deposited　in　the　box　that　night。　Gray　had　letters　of　the　utmost　importance　to　writeto　his　lawyer　regarding　the　late　decision　in　his　will　case；　and　to　the　secretary　of　the　Democratic　Club　in　Philadelphia　touching　the　revival　of　activity　in　the　clubs　throughout　the　country　on　account　of　the　expected　treaty　with　England。

After　he　had　finished　them；　he　strolled　slowly　about　the　dark　townpast　his　school…house；　thinking　that　his　teaching　days　would　soon　be　overpast　Peter's　blacksmith　shop；　thinking　what　a　good　fellow　he　always　waspast　Mr。　Bradford's　editorial　room；　with　a　light　under　the　door　and　the　curtain　drawn　across　the　window。　　Two　or　three　times　he　lingered　before　show…windows　of　merchandise。　He　had　some　taste　in　snuff…boxes；　being　the　inheritor　of　several　from　his　Scotch　and　Irish　ancestors；　and　there　were　a　few　in　the　new　silversmith's　window　which　he　found　little　to　his　liking。　As　he　passed　a　tavern；　a　group　of　Revolutionary　officers；　not　yet　gone　to　the　ball；　were　having　a　time　of　it　over　their　pipes　and　memories；　and　he　paused　to　hear　one　finish　a　yarn　of　strong　fibre　about　the　battle　of　King's　Mountain。　Couples　went　hurrying　by　him　beautifully　dressed。　Once　down　a　dark　street　he　fancied　that　he　distinguished　Amy's　laughter　ringing　faintly　out　on　the　still　air；　and　once　down　another　he　clearly　heard　the　long　cry　of　a　pet　panther　kept　by　a　young　backwoods　hunter。

The　Poythress　homestead　was　wrapped　in　silence　as　he　stepped　upon　the　porch；　but　the　door　was　open；　there　was　a　light　inside；　and　by　means　of　this　he　discovered；　lying　asleep　on　the　threshold；　a　lad　who　was　apprentice　to　the　new　English　silversmith　of　the　town　and　a　lodger　at　the　minister'sthe　bond　of　acquaintanceship　being　the　memory　of　John　Wesley　who　had　sprinkled　the　lad's　father　in　England。

John　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　tried　to　break　his　slumber。　He　opened　his　eyes　at　last　and　said；　〃Nobody　at　home；〃　and　went　to　sleep　again。　When　thoroughly　aroused；　he　sat　up。　　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Poythress　had　been　called　away　to　some　sick　person；　they　had　asked　him　to　sit　up　till　they　came　back；　he　wished　they'd　come；　he　didn't　see　how　he　was　ever　to　learn　how　to　make　watches　if　he　couldn't　get　any　sleep；　and　be　lay　down　again。

John　aroused　him　again。

〃Miss　Falconer　is　here；　will　you　tell　her　I　wish　to　see　her？〃

The　lad　didn't　open　his　eyes　but　said　dreamily：

〃She's　not　here；　she's　gone　to　the　party。〃

John　lifted　him　and　set　him　on　his　feet。　Then　he　put　his　hands　on　his　shoulders　and　shook　him：

〃You　are　asleep！　Wake　up！　Tell　Miss　Falconer　I　wish　to　see　her。〃　The　lad　seized　Gray　by　the　arms　and　shook　him　with　all　his　might。

〃You　wake　up；〃　he　cried。　〃I　tell　you　she's　gone　to　the　party。　Do　you　hear？　She's　gone　to　the　party！　Now　go　away；　will　you？　How　am　I　ever　to　be　a　silversmith；　if　I　can't　get　any　sleep？〃　And　stretching　himself　once　more　on　the　settee；　he　closed　his　eyes。

John　turned　straight　to　the　Wilkinsons'。　His　gait　was　not　hurried；　whatever　his　face　may　have　expressed　was　hidden　by　the　darkness。　The　tense　quietude　of　his　mind　was　like　that　of　a　summer　tree；　not　one　of　whose　thousands　of　leaves　quivers　along　the　edge；　but　toward　which　a　tempest　is　rolling　in　the　distance。

The　house　was　set　close　to　the　street。　The　windows　were　open；　long　bars　of　light　fell　out；　as　he　stepped　forward　to　the　threshold；　the　fiddlers　struck　up　〃Sir　Roger　de　Coverley〃；　the　company　parted　in　lines　to　the　right　and　left；　leaving　a　vacant　space　down　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　into　this　vacant　space　he　saw　Joseph　lead　Amy　and　the　two　begin　to　dance。　She　wore　a　white　muslin　dressa　little　skillful　work　had　restored　its　freshness；　a　blue　silk　coat　of　the　loveliest　hue；　a　wide　white　lace　tucker　caught　across　her　round　bosom　with　a　bunch　of　cinnamon　roses；　and　straw…coloured　kid　gloves；　reaching　far　up　her　snow…white　arms。　Her　hair　was　coiled　high　on　the　crown　of　her　head　and　airily　overtopped　by　a　great　curiously　carved　silver…and…tortoise…shell　comb；　and　under　her　dress　played　the　white　mice　of　her　feet。　The　tints　of　her　skin　were　pearl　and　rose；　her　red　lips　parted　in　smiles。　She　was　radiant　with　excitement；　happiness；　youth。　She　culled　admiration；　visiting　all　eyes　with　hers　as　a　bee　all　flowers。　　It　was　not　the　flowers　she　cared　for。

He　did　not　see　her　dress；　he　did　not　recognize　the　garments　that　had　hung　on　the　wall　of　his　room。　What　he　did　see　and　continued　to　see　was　the　fact　that　she　was　there　and　dancing　with　Joseph。

If　he　had　stepped　on　a　rattlesnake；　he　could　not　have　been　more　horribly；　more　miserably　stung。　He　had　the　sense　of　being　poisoned；　as　though　actual　venom　were　coursing　through　his　blood。　There　was　one　swift　backward　movement　of　his　mind　over　the　chain　of　forerunning　events。

〃She　is　a　venomous　little　serpent！〃　he　groaned　aloud。　〃And　I　have　been　crawling　in　the　dust　to　her；　to　be　stung　like　this！〃　He　walked　quietly　into　the　house。

He　sought　his　hostess　first。　He　found　her　in　the　centre　of　a　group　of　ladies；　wearing　the　toilet　of　the　past　Revolutionary　period　in　the　capitals　of　the　East。　The　vision　dazzled　him；　bewildered　him。　But　he　swept　his　eye　over　them　with　one　feeling　of　heart…sickness　and　asked　his　hostess　one　question：　was　Mrs。　Falconer　there？　She　was　not。

In　another　room　he　found　his　host；　and　a　group　of　Revolutionary　officers　and　other　tried　historic　men；　surrounding　the　Governor。　They　were　discussing　the　letters　that　had　passed　between　the　President　and　his　Excellency　for　the　suppression　of　a　revolution　in　Kentucky。　During　this　spring　of　1795　the　news　had　reached　Kentucky　that　Jay　had　at　last　concluded　a　treaty　with　England。　The　ratification　of　this　was　to　be　followed　by　the　surrender　of　those　terrible　Northwestern　posts　that　for　twenty　years　had　been　the　source　of　destruction　and　despair　to　the　single…handed；　maddened；　or　massacred　Kentuckians。　Behind　those　forts　had　rested　the　inexhaustible　power　of　the　Indian　confederacies；　of　Canada；　of　England。　Out　of　them；　summer　after　summer；　armies　that　knew　no　pity　had　swarmed　down　upon　the　doggedly　advancing　line　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　frontiersmen。　Against　them；　sometimes　unaided；　sometimes　with　the　aid　of　Virginia　or　of　the　National　Government；　the　pioneers　hurled　their　frantic　retaliating　armies：　Clarke　and　Boone　and　Kenton　often　and　often；　Harmar　followed　by　St。　Clair；　St。　Clair　followed　by　Wayne。　It　was　for　the　old　failure　to　give　aid　against　these　that　Kentucky　had　hated　Virginia　and　resolved　to　tear　herself　loose　from　the　mother　State　and　either　perish　or　triumph　alone。　It　was　for　the　failure　to　give　aid　against　these　that　Kentucky　hated　Washington；　hated　the　East；　hated　the　National　Government；　and　plotted　to　wrest　Kentucky　away　from　the　Union；　and　either　make　her　an　independent　power　or　ally　her　with　France　or　Spain。

But　over　the　sea　now　FranceFrance　that　had　come　to　the　rescue　of　the　colonies　in　their　struggle　for　independencethis　same　beautiful；　passionate　France　was　fighting　all　Europe　unaided　and　victorious。　The　spectacle　had　amazed　the　world。　In　no　other　spot　had　sympathy　been　more　fiercely　kindled　than　along　that　Western　border　where　life　was　always　tense　with　martial　passion。　It　had　passed　from　station　to　station；　like　a　torch　blazing　in　the　darkness　and　with　a　two…forked　firegratitude　to　France；　hatred　of　Englandhatred　rankling　in　a　people　who　had　come　out　of　the　very　heart　of　the　English　stock　as　you　would　hew　the　heart　out　of　a　tree。　So　that　when；　two　years　before　this；　Citizen　Genet；　the　ambassador　of　the　French　republic；　had　landed　at　Charleston；　been　driven　through　the　country　to　New　York　amid　the　acclamations　of　French　sympathizers；　and　disregarding　the　President'sproclamation　of　neutrality；　had　begun　to　equip　privateers　and　enlist　crews　to　act　against　the　commerce　of　England　and　Spain；　it　was　to　the　backwoodsmen　of　Kentucky　that　he　sent　four　agents；　to　enlist　an　army；　appoint　a　generalissimo；　and　descend