a sappho of green springs-第5节

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such　rare　but　discomposing　graces　as　he　possessed　required　a

certain　apologetic　attitude　when　presented　to　women；　and　that　it

was　only　a　plain　man　who　could　be　always　complacently　self…

confident　in　their　presence。　　There　was；　consequently；　a　hesitating

lowering　of　this　hypocrite's　brown　eyelashes　as　he　said；　in　almost

pained　accents；



〃Excuse　me；　but　I　fear　I've　taken　the　wrong　road。　　I'm　going　to

Green　Springs。〃



〃I　reckon　you've　taken　the　wrong　road；　wherever　you're　going；〃

returned　the　young　lady；　having　apparently　made　up　her　mind　to

resent　each　of　Jack's　perfections　as　a　separate　impertinence：　〃this

is　a　PRIVATE　road。〃　　She　drew　herself　fairly　up　here；　although

gurgled　at　in　the　ear　and　pinched　in　the　arm　by　her　companion。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Jack；　meekly。　　〃I　see　I'm　trespassing　on

your　grounds。　　I'm　very　sorry。　　Thank　you　for　telling　me。　　I　should

have　gone　on　a　mile　or　two　farther；　I　suppose；　until　I　came　to　your

house；〃　he　added；　innocently。



〃A　mile　or　two！　　You'd　have　run　chock　ag'in'　our　gate　in　another

minit；〃　said　the　short…lipped　one；　eagerly。　　But　a　sharp　nudge　from

her　companion　sent　her　back　again　into　cover；　where　she　waited

expectantly　for　another　crushing　retort　from　her　protector。



But；　alas！　it　did　not　come。　　One　cannot　be　always　witty；　and　Jack

looked　distressed。　　Nevertheless；　he　took　advantage　of　the　pause。



〃It　was　so　stupid　in　me；　as　I　think　your　brother〃looking　at

Short…lip〃very　carefully　told　me　the　road。〃



The　two　girls　darted　quick　glances　at　each　other。　　〃Oh；　Bawb！〃　said

the　first　speaker；　in　wearied　accents；〃THAT　limb！　　He　don't

keer。〃



〃But　he　DID　care；〃　said　Hamlin；　quietly；　〃and　gave　me　a　good　deal

of　information。　　Thanks　to　him；　I　was　able　to　see　that　ferny　wood

that's　so　famousabout　two　miles　up　the　road。　　You　knowthe　one

that　there's　a　poem　written　about！〃



The　shot　told！　　Short…lip　burst　into　a　display　of　dazzling　little

teeth　and　caught　the　other　girl　convulsively　by　the　shoulders。　　The

superior　girl　bent　her　pretty　brows；　and　said；　〃Eunice；　what's　gone

of　ye？　　Quit　that！〃　but；　as　Hamlin　thought；　paled　slightly。



〃Of　course；〃　said　Hamlin；　quickly；　〃you　knowthe　poem　everybody's

talking　about。　　Dear　me！　let　me　see！　how　does　it　go？〃　　The　rascal

knit　his　brows；　said；　〃Ah；　yes；〃　and　then　murmured　the　verse　he　had

lately　sung　quite　as　musically。



Short…lip　was　shamelessly　exalted　and　excited。　　Really　she　could

scarcely　believe　it！　　She　already　heard　herself　relating　the　whole

occurrence。　　Here　was　the　most　beautiful　young　man　she　had　ever

seenan　entire　strangertalking　to　them　in　the　most　beautiful　and

natural　way；　right　in　the　lane；　and　reciting　poetry　to　her　sister！

It　was　like　a　novelonly　more　so。　　She　thought　that　Cynthia；　on

the　other　hand；　looked　distressed；　andshe　must　say　it〃silly。〃



All　of　which　Jack　noted；　and　was　wise。　　He　had　got　all　he　wanted

at　present。　　He　gathered　up　his　reins。



〃Thank　you　so　much；　and　your　brother；　too；　Miss　Cynthia；〃　he　said；

without　looking　up。　　Then；　adding；　with　a　parting　glance　and　smile；

〃But　don't　tell　Bob　how　stupid　I　was；〃　he　swiftly　departed。



In　half　an　hour　he　was　at　the　Green　Springs　Hotel。　　As　he　rode　into

the　stable　yard；　he　noticed　that　the　coach　had　only　just　arrived；

having　been　detained　by　a　land…slip　on　the　Summit　road。　　With　the

recollection　of　Bob　fresh　in　his　mind；　he　glanced　at　the　loungers


at　the　stage　office。　　The　boy　was　not　there；　but　a　moment　later

Jack　detected　him　among　the　waiting　crowd　at　the　post…office

opposite。　　With　a　view　of　following　up　his　inquiries；　he　crossed

the　road　as　the　boy　entered　the　vestibule　of　the　post…office。　　He

arrived　in　time　to　see　him　unlock　one　of　a　row　of　numbered　letter…

boxes　rented　by　subscribers；　which　occupied　a　partition　by　the

window；　and　take　out　a　small　package　and　a　letter。　　But　in　that

brief　glance　Mr。　Hamlin　detected　the　printed　address　of　the

〃Excelsior　Magazine〃　on　the　wrapper。　　It　was　enough。　　Luck　was

certainly　with　him。



He　had　time　to　get　rid　of　the　wicked　sparkle　that　had　lit　his　dark

eyes；　and　to　lounge　carelessly　towards　the　boy　as　the　latter　broke

open　the　package；　and　then　hurriedly　concealed　it　in　his　jacket…

pocket；　and　started　for　the　door。　　Mr。　Hamlin　quickly　followed　him；

unperceived；　and；　as　he　stepped　into　the　street；　gently　tapped　him

on　the　shoulder。　　The　boy　turned　and　faced　him　quickly。　　But　Mr。

Hamlin's　eyes　showed　nothing　but　lazy　good…humor。



〃Hullo；　Bob。　　Where　are　you　going？〃



The　boy　again　looked　up　suspiciously　at　this　revelation　of　his

name。



〃Home；〃　he　said；　briefly。



〃Oh；　over　yonder；〃　said　Hamlin；　calmly。　　〃I　don't　mind　walking　with

you　as　far　as　the　lane。〃



He　saw　the　boy's　eyes　glance　furtively　towards　an　alley　that　ran

beside　the　blacksmith's　shop　a　few　rods　ahead；　and　was　convinced

that　he　intended　to　evade　him　there。　　Slipping　his　arm　carelessly

in　the　youth's；　he　concluded　to　open　fire　at　once。



〃Bob；〃　he　said；　with　irresistible　gravity；　〃I　did　not　know　when　I

met　you　this　morning　that　I　had　the　honor　of　addressing　a　poet

none　other　than　the　famous　author　of　'Underbrush。'〃



The　boy　started　back；　and　endeavored　to　withdraw　his　arm；　but　Mr。

Hamlin　tightened　his　hold；　without；　however；　changing　his　careless

expression。



〃You　see；〃　he　continued；　〃the　editor　is　a　friend　of　mine；　and；

being　afraid　this　package　might　not　get　into　the　right　handsas

you　didn't　give　your　namehe　deputized　me　to　come　here　and　see

that　it　was　all　square。　　As　you're　rather　young；　for　all　you're　so

gifted；　I　reckon　I'd　better　go　home　with　you；　and　take　a　receipt

from　your　parents。　　That's　about　square；　I　think？〃



The　consternation　of　the　boy　was　so　evident　and　so　far　beyond　Mr。

Hamlin's　expectation　that　he　instantly　halted　him；　gazed　into　his

shifting　eyes；　and　gave　a　long　whistle。



〃Who　said　it　was　for　ME？　　Wot　you　talkin'　about？　　Lemme　go！〃　gasped

the　boy；　with　the　short　intermittent　breath　of　mingled　fear　and

passion。



〃Bob；〃　said　Mr。　Hamlin；　in　a　singularly　colorless　voice　which　was

very　rare　with　him；　and　an　expression　quite　unlike　his　own；　〃what

is　your　little　game？〃



The　boy　looked　down　in　dogged　silence。



〃Out　with　it！　　Who　are　you　playing　this　on？〃



〃It's　all　among　my　own　folks；　it's　nothin'　to　YOU；〃　said　the　boy；

suddenly　beginning　to　struggle　violently；　as　if　inspired　by　this

extenuating　fact。



〃Among　your　own　folks；　eh？　　White　Violet　and　the　rest；　eh？　　But

SHE'S　not　in　it？〃



No　reply。



〃Hand　me　over　that　package。　　I'll　give　it　back　to　you　again。〃



The　boy　handed　it　to　Mr。　Hamlin。　　He　read　the　letter；　and　found　the

inclosure　contained　a　twenty…dollar　gold…piece。　　A　half…

supercilious　smile　passed　over　his　face　at　this　revelation　of　the

inadequate　emoluments　of　literature　and　the　trifling　inducements　to

crime。　　Indeed；　I　fear　the　affair　began　to　take　a　less　serious

moral　complexion　in　his　eyes。



〃Then　White　Violetyour　sister　Cynthia；　you　know；〃　continued　Mr。

Hamlin；　in　easy　parenthesis〃wrote　for　this？〃　holding　the　coin

contemplatively　in　his　fingers；　〃and　you　calculated　to　nab　it

yourself？〃



The　quick　searching　glance　with　which　Bob　received　the　name　of　his

sister；　Mr。　Hamlin　attributed　only　to　his　natural　surprise　that

this　stranger　should　be　on　such　familiar　terms　with　her；　but　the

boy　responded　immediately　and　bluntly：



〃No！　　SHE　didn't　write　for　it。　　She　didn't　want　nobody　to　know　who

she　was。　　Nobody　wrote　for　it　but　me。　　Nobody　KNEW　FOLKS　WAS　PAID

FOR　PO'TRY　BUT　ME。　　I　found　it　out　from　a　feller。　　I　wrote　for　it。

I　wasn't　goin'　to　let　that　skunk　of　an　editor　have　it　himself！〃



〃And　you　thought　YOU　would　take　it；〃　said　Hamlin；　his　voice

resuming　its　old　tone。　　〃Well；　GeorgeI　mean　Bob；　your　conduct　was

praiseworthy；　although　your　intentions　were　bad。　　Still；　twenty

dollars　is　rather　too　much　for　your　trouble。　　Suppose　we　say　five

and　call　it　square？〃　　He　handed　the　astonished　boy　five　dollars。

〃Now；　George　Washington；〃　he　continued；　taking　four　other　twenty…

dollar　pieces　from　his　pocket；　and　adding　them　to　the　inclosure；

which　he　carefully　refolded；　〃I'm　going　to　give　you　another　chance

to　live　up　to　your　reputation。　　You'll　take　that　package；　and　hand

it　to　White　Violet；　and　say　you　found　it；　just　as　it　is；　in　the

lock…box。　　I'll　keep　the　letter；　for　it　would　knock　you　endways　if

it　was　seen；　and　I'll　make　it　all　right　with　the　editor。　　But；　as

I've　got　to　tell　him　that　I've　seen　White　Violet　myself；　and　know

she's　got　it；　I　expect　YOU　to　manage　in　some　way　to　have　me　see

her。　　I'll　manage　the　rest　of　it；　and　I　won't　blow　on　you；　either。

You'll　come　back　to　the　hotel；　and　tell　me　what　you've　done。　　And

now；　George　〃　concluded　Mr。　Hamlin；　succeeding　at　last　in　fixing

the　boy's　evasive　eye　with　a　peculiar　look；　〃it　may　be　just　as　well

for　you　to　understand　that　I　know　every　nook　and　corner　of　this

place；　that　I've　alr