the choir invisible-第23节

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terfly's　gorgeous　wings　that　for　an　instant　had　opened　upon　him　and　already　were　closingclosing　upon　the　hidden　splendours　of　her　natureclosing　upon　the　power　to　receive　upon　walls　of　beauty　all　the　sunlight　of　the　world。

〃What　a　woman！〃　he　said　to　himself；　strangely　troubled　a　moment　later　when　she　was　gone。　He　had　not　looked　at　the　book　again。　It　lay　forgotten　by　his　pillow。

〃What　a　woman！〃　he　repeated；　with　a　sigh　that　was　like　a　groan。

Her　bringing　of　the　bookher　unusual　conversationher　excitementher　seriousnessthe　impression　she　made　upon　him　that　a　new　problem　was　beginning　to　work　itself　out　in　her　lifemost　of　all　that　one　startling　revelation　of　herself　at　the　instant　of　turning　away：　all　these　occupied　his　thoughts　that　day。

She　did　not　return　the　next　or　the　next　or　the　next。　　And；　it　was　during　these　long　vacant　hours　that　he　began　to　weave　curiously　together　all　that　he　had　ever　heard　of　her　and　of　her　past；　until；　in　the　end；　he　accomplished　something　like　a　true　restoration　of　her　lifein　the　colour　of　his　own　emotions。　Then　he　fell　to　wandering　up　and　down　this　long　vista　of　scenes　as　he　might　have　sought　unwearied　secret　gallery　of　pictures　through　which　he　alone　had　the　privilege　of　walking。

At　the　far　end　of　the　vista　he　could　behold　her　in　her　childhood　as　the　daughter　of　a　cavalier　land…holder　in　the　valley　of　the　James：　an　heiress　of　a　vast　estate　with　its　winding　creeks　and　sunny　bays；　its　tobacco　plantations　worked　by　troops　of　slaves；　its　deer　parks　and　open　country　for　the　riding　to　hounds。　There　was　the　manor…house　in　the　style　of　the　grand　places　of　the　English　gentry　from　whom　her　father　was　descended；　sloping　from　the　veranda　to　the　river　landing　a　wide　lawn　covered　with　the　silvery　grass　of　the　English　parks；　its　walks　bordered　with　hedges　of　box；　its　summer…house　festooned　with　vines；　its　terraces　gay　with　the　old　familiar　shrubs　and　flowers　loyally　brought　over　from　the　mother　land。　He　could　see　her　as；　some　bright　summer　morning；　followed　by　a　tame　fawn；　she　bounded　down　the　lawn　to　the　private　landing　where　a　slow　frigate　had　stopped　to　break　bulk　on　its　way　to　Williamsburg…perhaps　to　put　out　with　other　furniture　a　little　mahogany　chair　brought　especially　for　herself　over　the　rocking　sea　from　London　or　where　some　round…sterned　packet　from　New　England　or　New　Amsterdam　was　unloading　its　cargo　of　grain　or　hides　or　rum　in　exchange　for　her　father's　tobacco。　Perhaps　to　greet　her　father　himself　returning　from　a　long　absence　amid　old　scenes　that　still　could　draw　him　back　to　England；　or　standing　lonely　on　the　pier；　to　watch　in　tears　him　and　her　brothersa　vanishing　groupas　they　waved　her　a　last　good…bye　and　drifted　slowly　out　to　the　blue　ocean　on　their　way　〃home〃　to　school　at　Eton。

He　liked　to　dwell　on　the　picture　of　her　as　a　little　school…girl　herself：　sent　fastidiously　on　her　way；　with　long　gloves　covering　her　arms；　a　white　linen　mask　tied　over　her　face　to　screen　her　complexion　from　tan；　a　sunbonnet　sewed　tightly　on　her　head　to　keep　it　secure　from　the　capricious　winds　of　heaven　and　the　more　variable　gusts　of　her　own　wilfulness；　or　on　another　picture　of　heras　a　lonely　little　lassbegging　to　be　taken　to　court；　where　she　could　marvel　at　her　father；　an　awful　judge　in　his　wig　and　his　robe　of　scarlet　and　black　velvet；　or　on　a　third　picture　of　heras　when　she　was　marshalled　into　church　behind　a　liveried　servant　bearing　the　family　prayer…book；　sat　in　the　raised　pew　upholstered　in　purple　velvet；　with　its　canopy　overhead　and　the　gilt　letters　of　the　family　name　in　front；　and　a　little　farther　away　on　the　wall　of　the　church　the　Lord's　Prayer　and　the　Commandments　put　there　by　her　father　at　the　cost　of　two　thousand　pounds　of　his　best　tobacco；　finally　to　be　preached　to　by　a　minister　with　whom　her　father　sometimes　spilt　wine　on　the　table…cloth；　and　who　had　once　fought　a　successful　duel　behind　his　own　sanctuary　of　peace　and　good　will　to　all　men。　Here　succeeded　other　scenes；　for　as　his　interest　deepened；　he　never　grew　tired　of　this　restorative　image…building　by　which　she　could　be　brought　always　more　vividly　before　his　imagination。

Her　childhood　gone；　then；　he　followed　her　as　she　glided　along　the　shining　creeks　from　plantation　to　plantation　in　a　canoe　manned　by　singing　black　oarsmen：　or　rode　abroad　followed　by　her　greyhound；　her　face　concealed　by　a　black　velvet　riding　mask　kept　in　place　by　a　silver　mouth…piece　held　between　her　teeth；　or　when　autumn　waned；　went　rolling　slowly　along　towards　Williamsburg　or　Annapolis　in　the　great　family　coach　of　mahogany；　with　its　yellow　facings；　Venetian　windows；　projection　lamps；　and　high　seat　for　footmen　and　coachman　there　to　take　a　house　for　the　winter　seasonthere　to　give　and　to　be　given　balls；　where　she　trod　the　minuet；　stiff　in　blue　brocade；　her　white　shoulders　rising　out　of　a　bodice　hung　with　gems；　her　beautiful　head　bearing　aloft　its　tower　of　long　white　feathers。　Yet　with　most　of　her　life　passed　at　the　great　lonely　country…house　by　the　bright　river：　qazing　wistfully　out　of　the　deep…mullioned　windows　of　diamond　panes；　flitting　up　and　down　the　wide　staircase　of　carven　oak；　buried　in　its　library；　with　its　wainscoted　walls　crossed　with　swords　and　hung　with　portraits　of　soldierly　faces：　all　of　which　pleased　him　best；　he　being　a　home…lover。　So　that　when　facts　were　lacking；　sometimes　he　would　kindle　true　fancies　of　her　young　life　in　this　place：　as　when　she　reclined　on　mats　and　cushions　in　the　breeze…swept　balls；　fanned　by　a　slave　and　reading　the　Tatler　or　the　Spectator；　or　if　it　were　the　chill　twilights　of　October；　perhaps　came　in　from　a　walk　in　the　cool　woods　with　a　red　leaf　at　her　white　throat；　and　seated　herself　at　the　spinet；　while　a　low　blaze　from　the　deep　chimney　seat　flickered　over　her　face；　and　the　low　music　flickered　with　the　shadows；　or　when　the　white　tempests　of　winter　raved　outside；　gave　her　nights　to　the　reading　of　〃Tom　Jones；〃　by　the　light　of　myrtleberry　candles　on　a　slender…legged　mahogany　table。

But　he　had　heard　a　great　deal　of　her　visits　at　the　other　great　country　places　of　the　day。　Often　at　Greenway　Court；　where　her　father　went　to　ride　to　hounds　with　Lord　Fairfax　and　Washington；　at　Carter's　Grove；　at　the　homes　of　the　Berkeleys；　the　Masons；　the　Spottswoods；　once；　indeed；　at　Castlewood　itself；　where　the　stately　Madam　Esmond　Warrington　had　placed　her　by　her　own　side　at　dinner　and　had　kissed　her　check　at　leaving；　but　oftenest　at　Brandon　Mansion　where　one　of　her　heroines　had　livedEvelyn　Byrd；　so　that；　Sir　Godfrey　Knell　having　painted　that　sad　young　lady；　who　now　lies　with　a　heavy　stone　on　her　heavier　heart　in　the　dim　old　burying…ground　at　Westover；　she　would　have　it　that　hers　must　be　painted　in　the　same　identical　fashion；　with　herself　sitting　on　a　green　bank；　a　cluster　of　roses　in　her　hand；　a　shepherd's　crook　across　her　knees。

And　then；　just　as　she　was　fairly　opening　into　the　earliest　flower　of　womanhood；　the　sudden；　awful　end　of　all　this　half…barbaric；　half…aristocratic　lifethe　revolt　of　the　colonies；　the　outbreak　of　the　Revolution；　the　blaze　of　way　that　swept　the　land　like　a　forest　fire；　and　that　enveloped　in　its　furies　even　the　great　house　on　the　James。　One　of　her　brothers　turned　Whig；　and　already　gone　impetuously　away　in　his　uniform　of　buff　and　blue；　to　follow　the　fortunes　of　Washington；　the　other　siding　with　the　〃home〃　across　the　sea；　and　he　too　already　ridden　impetuously　away　in　scarlet。　　Her　proud　father；　his　heart　long　torn　between　these　two　and　between　his　two　countries；　pacing　the　great　hall；　his　face　flushed　with　wine；　his　eyes　turning　confusedly；　pitifully；　on　the　soldierly　portraits　of　his　ancestors；　until　at　last　he　too　was　gone；　to　keep　his　sword　and　his　conscience　loyal　to　his　king。

And　then　more　dreadful　years　and　still　sadder　times；　as　when　one　dark　morning　toward　daybreak；　by　the　edge　of　a　darker　forest　draped　with　snow　where　the　frozen　dead　lay　thick；　they　found　an　officer's　hat　half　filled　with　snow；　and　near　by；　her　father　fallen　face　downward；　and　turning　him　over；　saw　a　bullet…hole　over　his　breast；　and　the　crimson　of　his　blood　on　the　scarlet　of　his　waistcoat；　so　departed；　with　manfulness　out　of　this　world　and　leaving　behind　him　some　finer　things　than　his　debts　and　mortgages　over　dice　and　cards　and　dogs　and　wine　and　lotteries。　Then　not　long　after　that；　the　manor…house　on　the　James　turned　into　the　unkindest　of　battlefields；　one　brother　defending　at　the　head　of　troops　within；　the　other　attacking　at　the　head　of　troops　without；　the　snowy　bedrooms　becoming　the　red…stained　wards　of　a　hospital；　the　staircase　hacked　by　swords；　the　poor　little　spinet　and　the　slender…legged　little　mahogany　tables　overturned　and　smashed；　the　portraits　slashed；　the　library　scattered。　Then　one　night；　seen　from　a　distance；　a　vast　flame　licking　the　low　clouds；　and　afterwards　a　black　ruin　where　the　great　house　had　stood；　and　so　the　end　of　it　all　forever。

During　these　years；　she；　herself；　had　been　like　a　lily　in　a　lake；　never　uprooted；　but　buried　out　of　sight　beneath　the　storm　that　tosses　the　waves　back　and　forth。

Then　white　and　heavenly　Peace　again；　and　the　liberty　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　race　in　the　New　World。　But　with　wounds　harder　to　heal　than　those　of　the　flesh；　with　memories　that　were　as　sword…points　broken　off　in　the　body；　with　glory　to　brighten　more　and　more；　as　t