a sappho of green springs-第4节

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large　though　sparsely…populated　area　for　locality；　while　it

suggested　a　settlement　of　Louisianians　or　Mississippians　near　the

Summit；　of　whom；　through　their　native　gambling　proclivities；　he　was

professionally　cognizant。　　But　he　mainly　trusted　Fortune。　　Secure　in

his　faith　in　the　feminine　character　of　that　goddess；　he　relied　a

great　deal　on　her　well…known　weakness　for　scamps　of　his　quality。



It　was　not　long　before　he　came　to　the　〃slide〃a　lightly…cut　or

shallow　ditch。　　It　descended　slightly　in　a　course　that　was　far　from

straight；　at　times　diverging　to　avoid　the　obstacles　of　trees　or

boulders；　at　times　shaving　them　so　closely　as　to　leave　smooth

abrasions　along　their　sides　made　by　the　grinding　passage　of　long

logs　down　the　incline。　　The　track　itself　was　slippery　from　this；

and　preoccupied　all　Hamlin's　skill　as　a　horseman；　even　to　the　point

of　stopping　his　usual　careless　whistle。　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour

the　track　became　level　again；　and　he　was　confronted　with　a　singular

phenomenon。



He　had　entered　the　wood；　and　the　trail　seemed　to　cleave　through　a

far…stretching；　motionless　sea　of　ferns　that　flowed　on　either　side

to　the　height　of　his　horse's　flanks。　　The　straight　shafts　of　the

trees　rose　like　columns　from　their　hidden　bases　and　were　lost　again

in　a　roof　of　impenetrable　leafage；　leaving　a　clear　space　of　fifty

feet　between；　through　which　the　surrounding　horizon　of　sky　was

perfectly　visible。　　All　the　light　that　entered　this　vast　sylvan

hall　came　from　the　sides；　nothing　permeated　from　above；　nothing

radiated　from　below；　the　height　of　the　crest　on　which　the　wood　was

placed　gave　it　this　lateral　illumination；　but　gave　it　also　the

profound　isolation　of　some　temple　raised　by　long…forgotten　hands。

In　spite　of　the　height　of　these　clear　shafts；　they　seemed　dwarfed

by　the　expanse　of　the　wood；　and　in　the　farthest　perspective　the

base　of　ferns　and　the　capital　of　foliage　appeared　almost　to　meet。

As　the　boy　had　warned　him；　the　slide　had　turned　aside；　skirting　the

wood　to　follow　the　incline；　and　presently　the　little　trail　he　now

followed　vanished　utterly；　leaving　him　and　his　horse　adrift　breast…

high　in　this　green　and　yellow　sea　of　fronds。　　But　Mr。　Hamlin；

imperious　of　obstacles；　and　touched　by　some　curiosity；　continued　to

advance　lazily；　taking　the　bearings　of　a　larger　red…wood　in　the

centre　of　the　grove　for　his　objective　point。　　The　elastic　mass　gave

way　before　him；　brushing　his　knees　or　combing　his　horse's　flanks

with　wide…spread　elfin　fingers；　and　closing　up　behind　him　as　he

passed；　as　if　to　obliterate　any　track　by　which　he　might　return。

Yet　his　usual　luck　did　not　desert　him　here。　　Being　on　horseback；　he

found　that　he　could　detect　what　had　been　invisible　to　the　boy　and

probably　to　all　pedestrians；　namely；　that　the　growth　was　not

equally　dense；　that　there　were　certain　thinner　and　more　open　spaces

that　he　could　take　advantage　of　by　more　circuitous　progression；

always；　however；　keeping　the　bearings　of　the　central　tree。　　This　he

at　last　reached；　and　halted　his　panting　horse。　　Here　a　new　idea

which　had　been　haunting　him　since　he　entered　the　wood　took　fuller

possession　of　him。　　He　had　seen　or　known　all　this　before！　　There

was　a　strange　familiarity　either　in　these　objects　or　in　the

impression　or　spell　they　left　upon　him。　　He　remembered　the　verses！

Yes；　this　was　the　〃underbrush〃　which　the　poetess　had　described：　the

gloom　above　and　below；　the　light　that　seemed　blown　through　it　like

the　wind；　the　suggestion　of　hidden　life　beneath　this　tangled

luxuriance；　which　she　alone　had　penetrated；all　this　was　here。

But；　more　than　that；　here　was　the　atmosphere　that　she　had　breathed

into　the　plaintive　melody　of　her　verse。　　It　did　not　necessarily

follow　that　Mr。　Hamlin's　translation　of　her　sentiment　was　the

correct　one；　or　that　the　ideas　her　verses　had　provoked　in　his　mind

were　at　all　what　had　been　hers：　in　his　easy　susceptibility　he　was

simply　thrown　into　a　corresponding　mood　of　emotion　and　relieved

himself　with　song。　　One　of　the　verses　he　had　already　associated　in

his　mind　with　the　rhythm　of　an　old　plantation　melody；　and　it　struck

his　fancy　to　take　advantage　of　the　solitude　to　try　its　effect。

Humming　to　himself；　at　first　softly；　he　at　last　grew　bolder；　and

let　his　voice　drift　away　through　the　stark　pillars　of　the　sylvan

colonnade　till　it　seemed　to　suffuse　and　fill　it　with　no　more　effort

than　the　light　which　strayed　in　on　either　side。　　Sitting　thus；　his

hat　thrown　a　little　back　from　his　clustering　curls；　the　white　neck

and　shoulders　of　his　horse　uplifting　him　above　the　crested　mass　of

fern；　his　red　sash　the　one　fleck　of　color　in　their　olive　depths；　I

am　afraid　he　looked　much　more　like　the　real　minstrel　of　the　grove

than　the　unknown　poetess　who　transfigured　it。　　But　this；　as　has

been　already　indicated；　was　Jack　Hamlin's　peculiar　gift。　　Even　as

he　had　previously　outshone　the　vaquero　in　his　borrowed　dress；　he

now　silenced　and　supplanted　a　few　fluttering　blue…jaysrightful

tenants　of　the　woodwith　a　more　graceful　and　airy　presence　and　a

far　sweeter　voice。



The　open　horizon　towards　the　west　had　taken　a　warmer　color　from　the

already　slanting　sun　when　Mr。　Hamlin；　having　rested　his　horse；

turned　to　that　direction。　　He　had　noticed　that　the　wood　was　thinner

there；　and；　pushing　forward；　he　was　presently　rewarded　by　the　sound

of　far…off　wheels；　and　knew　he　must　be　near　the　high…road　that　the

boy　had　spoken　of。　　Having　given　up　his　previous　intention　of

crossing　the　stream；　there　seemed　nothing　better　for　him　to　do　than

to　follow　the　truant's　advice　and　take　the　road　back　to　Green

Springs。　　Yet　he　was　loath　to　leave　the　wood；　halting　on　its　verge；

and　turning　to　look　back　into　its　charmed　recesses。　　Once　or　twice

perhaps　because　he　recalled　the　words　of　the　poemthat　yellowish

sea　of　ferns　had　seemed　instinct　with　hidden　life；　and　he　had　even

fancied；　here　and　there；　a　swaying　of　its　plumed　crests。　　Howbeit；

he　still　lingered　long　enough　for　the　open　sunlight　into　which　he

had　obtruded　to　point　out　the　bravery　of　his　handsome　figure。　　Then

he　wheeled　his　horse；　the　light　glanced　from　polished　double　bit

and　bridle…fripperies；　caught　his　red　sash　and　bullion　buttons；

struck　a　parting　flash　from　his　silver　spurs；　and　he　was　gone！



For　a　moment　the　light　streamed　unbrokenly　through　the　wood。　　And

then　it　could　be　seen　that　the　yellow　mass　of　undergrowth　HAD　moved

with　the　passage　of　another　figure　than　his　own。　　For　ever　since　he

had　entered　the　shade；　a　woman；　shawled　in　a　vague；　shapeless

fashion；　had　watched　him　wonderingly；　eagerly；　excitedly；　gliding

from　tree　to　tree　as　he　advanced；　or　else　dropping　breathlessly

below　the　fronds　of　fern　whence　she　gazed　at　him　as　between　parted

fingers。　　When　he　wheeled　she　had　run　openly　to　the　west；　albeit

with　hidden　face　and　still　clinging　shawl；　and　taken　a　last　look　at

his　retreating　figure。　　And　then；　with　a　faint　but　lingering　sigh；

she　drew　back　into　the　shadow　of　the　wood　again　and　vanished　also。





CHAPTER　III





At　the　end　of　twenty　minutes　Mr。　Hamlin　reined　in　his　mare。　　He　had

just　observed　in　the　distant　shadows　of　a　by…lane　that　intersected

his　road　the　vanishing　flutter　of　two　light　print　dresses。　　Without

a　moment's　hesitation　he　lightly　swerved　out　of　the　high…road　and

followed　the　retreating　figures。



As　he　neared　them；　they　seemed　to　be　two　slim　young　girls；

evidently　so　preoccupied　with　the　rustic　amusement　of　edging　each

other　off　the　grassy　border　into　the　dust　of　the　track　that　they

did　not　perceive　his　approach。　　Little　shrieks；　slight　scufflings；

and　interjections　of　〃Cynthy！　you　limb！〃　〃Quit　that；　Eunice；　now！〃

and　〃I　just　call　that　real　mean！〃　apparently　drowned　the　sound　of

his　canter　in　the　soft　dust。　　Checking　his　speed　to　a　gentle　trot；

and　pressing　his　horse　close　beside　the　opposite　fence；　he　passed

them　with　gravely　uplifted　hat　and　a　serious；　preoccupied　air。　　But

in　that　single；　seemingly　conventional　glance；　Mr。　Hamlin　had　seen

that　they　were　both　pretty；　and　that　one　had　the　short　upper　lip　of

his　errant　little　guide。　　A　hundred　yards　farther　on　he　halted；　as

if　irresolutely；　gazed　doubtfully　ahead　of　him；　and　then　turned

back。　　An　expression　of　innocentalmost　childlikeconcern　was

clouding　the　rascal's　face。　　It　was　well；　as　the　two　girls　had

drawn　closely　together；　having　been　apparently　surprised　in　the

midst　of　a　glowing　eulogium　of　this　glorious　passing　vision　by　its

sudden　return。　　At　his　nearer　approach；　the　one　with　the　short

upper　lip　hid　that　piquant　feature　and　the　rest　of　her　rosy　face

behind　the　other's　shoulder；　which　was　suddenly　and　significantly

opposed　to　the　advance　of　this　handsome　intruder；　with　a　certain

dignity；　half　real；　half　affected；　but　wholly　charming。　　The

protectress　appearedpossibly　from　her　defensive　attitudethe

superior　of　her　companion。



Audacious　as　Jack　was　to　his　own　sex；　he　had　early　learned　that

such　rare　but　discomposing　graces　as　he　possessed