with lee in virginia-第52节

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perfectly　absurd；　when　one　finds　one's　self　the　happiest　fellow

living；　that　one　is　obliged　to　look　as　demure　and　solemn　as　if　one

was　in　church。〃



〃Then　you　should　have　waited；　sir；〃　the　girl　said。



〃I　meant　to　have　waited；　Lucy；　until　I　got　to　your　home；　but

directly　I　felt　that　there　was　no　longer　any　harm　in　my　speaking；

out　it　came；　but　it's　very　hard　to　have　to　wait　for　hours　perhaps。〃



〃To　wait　for　what？〃　Lucy　asked　demurely。



〃You　must　wait　for　explanations　until　we　are　alone；　Lucy。　　And

now　I　think　the　train　begins　to　slacken；　and　it　is　the　next　station　at

which　we　get　out。〃



〃I　think；　Lucy；〃　Vincent　said；　when　they　approached　the　house　of

her　relatives；　〃you　and　Chloe　had　better　get　out　end　go　in　by

yourselves　and　tell　your　story。　　Dan　and　I　will　go　to　the　inn；　and　I

will　come　round　in　an　hour。　　If　we　were　to　walk　in　together　like

this　it　would　be　next　to　impossible　for　you　to　explain　how　it　all

came　about。〃



〃I　think　that　would　be　the　best　plan。　　My　two　aunts　are　the　kindest

creatures　possible；　but　no　doubt　they　will　be　bewildered　at　seeing

me　so　suddenly。　　I　do　think　it　would　be　best　to　let　me　have　a　talk

with　them　and　tell　them　all　about　it　before　you　appear　upon　the

scene。〃



〃Very　well；　then；　in　an　hour　I　will　come　in。



When　they　arrived　at　the　gate；　therefore；　Vincent　helped　Lucy　and

Chloe　to　alight；　and　then　jumping　into　the　buggy　again　told　the

driver　to　take　him　to　the　inn。



Having　engaged　a　room　and　indulged　in　a　thorough　wash　Vincent

sallied　out　into　the　little　town；　and　was　fortunate　enough　to

succeed　in　purchasing　a　suit　of　tweed　clothes；　which；　although

they　scarcely　fitted　him　as　if　they　had　been　made　for　him；　were

still　an　immense　improvement　upon　the　rough　clothes　in　which　he

had　traveled。　　Returning　to　the　hotel　he　put　on　his　new　purchases；

and　then　walked　to　the　house　of　Lucy's　aunts；　which　was　a　quarter

of　a　mile　outside　the　town。



Lucy　had　walked　up　the　little　path　through　the　garden　in　front　of

the　house；　and　turning　the　handle　of　the　door　had　entered

unannounced　and　walked　straight　into　the　parlor。　　Two　elderly

ladies　rose　with　some　surprise　at　the　entry　of　a　strange　visitor。　　It

was　three　years　since　she　had　paid　her　last　visit　there；　and　for　a

moment　they　did　not　recognize　her。



〃Don't　you　know　me；　aunts？〃



〃Why；　goodness　me！〃　the　eldest　exclaimed；　〃if　it　isn't　our　little

Lucy　grown　into　a　woman！　My　dear　child；　where　have　you　sprung

from？〃　And　the　two　ladies　warmly　embraced　their　niece；　who；　as

soon　as　they　released　her　from　their　arms；　burst　into　a　fit　of　crying；

and　it　was　some　time　before　she　could　answer　the　questions

showered　upon　her。



〃It　is　nothing；　aunts；〃　she　said　at　last；　wiping　her　eyes；　〃but　I　am　so

glad　to　be　with　you　again；　and　I　have　gone　through　so　much；　and　I

am　so　happy；　and　it　is　so　nice　being　with　you　again。　　Here　is　Chloe

waiting　to　speak　to　you；　aunts。　　She　has　come　with　me　all　the

way。〃



The　old　negress；　who　had　been　waiting　in　the　passage；　was　now

called　in。



〃Why；　Chloe；　you　look　no　older　than　when　you　went　away　from

here　six　years　ago；〃　Miss　Kingston　said。　　〃But　how　ever　did　you

both　get　through　the　lines？　　We　have　been　terribly　anxious　ahout

you。　　Your　brother　was　here　only　a　fortnight　ago；　and　he　and　your

father　were　in　a　great　way　about　you；　and　reproached　themselves

bitterly　that　they　did　not　send　you　to　us　before　the　troubles　began；

which　certainly　would　have　been　a　wiser　step；　as　I　told　them。　　Of

course　your　brother　said　that　when　they　left　you　to　join　the　army

they　had　no　idea　that　matters　were　going　so　far；　or　that　the

Yankees　would　drive　us　out　of　Tennessee；　or　they　would　never

have　dreamed　of　leaving　you　alone。　　However；　here　you　are；　so

now　tell　me　all　about　it。〃



Lucy　told　the　story　of　the　various　visits　of　the　Federal

bushwhackers　to　the　house；　and　how　they　had　narrowly　escaped

death　for　refusing　to　betray　the　Confederate　officer　who　had　come

to　the　house　for　food。　　Her　recital　was　frequently　interrupted　by

exclamations　of　indignation　and　pity　from　her　aunts。



〃Well；　aunts；　after　that；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　see　it　was　impossible

for　me　to　stop　there　any　longer。　　No　doubt　they　came　back　again　a

few　hours　afterward　and　burned　the　house；　and　had　I　been　found

there　I　should　have　been　sure　to　be　burned　in　it；　so　Chloe　agreed

with　me　that　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　try　and　get　through　the

lines　and　come　to　you。　　There　was　no　way　of　my　getting　my　living

at　Nashville　except　by　going　out　as　a　help；　and　there　might　have

been　some　difficulties　about　that。〃



〃Quite　right；　my　dear。　　It　was　clearly　the　best　thing　for　you　to　come

to　us…indeed；　the　only　thing。　　But　how　in　the　world　did　you　two

manage　to　travel　alone　all　that　distance　and　get　through　the　Federal

lines？〃



〃You　see；　we　were　not　alone；　aunts；〃　Lucy　said；　〃the　Confederate

officer　and　his　servant　were　coming　through；　and　of　course　they

took　care　of　us。　　We　could　never　have　got　through　alone；　and　as

Chloe　was　with　me　we　got　on　very　nicely；　hut　we　have　been　a　long

time　getting　through；　for　in　that　fight；　where　he　saved　my　life　and

killed　five　of　the　band；　he　had　his　shoulder　broken　by　a　pistol

bullet；　and　we　had　to　stop　in　a　farmhouse　near　Mount　Pleasant；

and　he　was　very　ill　for　some　time；　but　the　doctor　who　attended　him

was　a　true　Southerner；　and　so　we　were　quite　safe　till　he　was　able　to

move　again。〃



〃And　who　is　this　officer；　Lucy？〃　Miss　Kingston　asked　rather

anxiously。



〃He　is　a　Virginian　gentleman；　auntie。　　His　mother　has　large　estates

near　Richmond。　　He　was　in　the　cavalry　with　Stuart；　and　was　made

prisoner　while　he　was　lying　wounded　and　insensible；　at　Antietam；

and　I　think；　auntie；　that　that…〃　and　she　hesitated…〃　some　day　we　are

going　to　be　married。〃



Oh；　that's　it；　is　it？〃　the　old　lady　said　kindly。　　〃Well；　I　can't　say

anything　about　that　until　I　see　him；　Lucy。　Now　tell　us　the　whole

story；　and　then　we　shall　be　better　able　to　judge　about　it。　　I　don't

think；　my　dear；　that　while　you　were　traveling　under　his　protection

he　ought　to　have　talked　to　you　about　such　things。〃



〃He　didn't；　auntie；　not　until　we　were　half　a　mile　from　the　station

here。　　I　never　thought　he　cared　for　me　the　least　bit；　he　was　just　like

a　brother　to　me…just　like　what　Jack　would　have　been　if　he　had　been

bringing　me　here。〃



〃That's　right；　my　dear；　I　am　glad　to　hear　it。　　Now；　let　us　hear　all

about　it。〃



Lucy　told　the　whole　story　of　her　escape　and　her　adventures；　and

when　she　had　finished　her　aunts　nodded　to　each　other。



〃That's　all　very　satisfactory；　Lucy。　　It　was　a　difficult　position　to　be

placed　in；　though　I　don't　see　how　it　was　to　be　avoided；　and　the

young　man　really　seems　to　have　hehaved　very　well。　　Don't　you

think　so；　Ada？〃　The　younger　Miss　Kingston　agreed；　and　both　were

prepared　to　receive　Vincent　with　cordiality　when　he　appeared



The　hour　had　been　considerably　exceeded　when　Vincent　came　to

the　door。　　He　felt　it　rather　an　awkward　moment　when　he　was

ushered　into　the　presence　of　Lucy's　aunts；　who　could　scarcely

restrain　an　exclamation　of　surprise　at　his　youth；　for　although　Lucy

had　said　nothing　about　his　age；　they　expected　to　meet　an　older

man；　the　impression　being　gained　from　the　recital　of　his　bravery　in

attacking　singlehanded　twelve　men；　and　by　the　manner　in　which　he

had　piloted　the　party　through　their　dangers。



We　are　very　glad　to　see　you…my　sister　Ada　and　myself；〃　Miss

Kingston　said；　shaking　hands　cordially　with　their　visitor。　　〃Lucy

has　been　telling　us　all　about　you；　but　we　certainly　expected　from

what　you　had　gone　through　that　you　were　older。〃



〃I　am　two　or　three　years　older　than　she　is；　Miss　Kingston；　and　I

have　gone　through　so　much　in　the　last　three　years　that　I　feel　older

than　I　am。　　She　has　told　you；　I　hope；　that　she　has　been　good　enough

to　promise　to　be　my　wife　some　day？〃



〃Yes；　she　has　told　us　that；　Mr。　Wingfield；　and　although　we　don't

know　you　personally；　we　feel　sure…my　sister　Ada　and　I…from　what

she　has　told　us　of　your　behavior　while　you　have　been　together　that

you　are　an　honorable　gentleman；　and　we　hope　and　believe　that　you

will　make　her　happy。〃



〃I　will　do　my　best　to　do　so；〃　Vincent　said　earnestly。　〃As　to　my

circumstances；　I　shall　in　another　year　come　into　possession　of

estates　sufficient　to　keep　her　in　every　comfort。〃



〃I　have　no　doubt　that　that　is　all　satisfactory；　Mr。　Wingfield；　and

that　her　father　will　give　his　hearty　approval　when　he　hears　all　the

circumstances　of　the　case。　　Now；　if　you　will　go　into　the　next　room；

Mr。　Wingfield；　I　will　call　her　down〃…for　Lucy　bad　run　upstairs

when　she　heard　Vincent　knock。



〃I　dare　say　you　will　like　a　quiet　talk　together；〃　she　added　smiling；

〃for　she　tells　me　you　have　never　been　alone　together　since　you

started。〃



Lucy　required　several　calls　before　she　came　down。　A　new　shyness

such　as　she　had　never　before　felt　bad　seized　her；　and　it　was　with

flush