sally dows-第9节

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It　was　over　twenty　years　ago。　　I　shall　not　imperil　the　effect　of
that　lovely　vision　by　recalling　to　the　eye　of　to…day　a　fashion　of
yesterday。　　Enough；　that　it　enabled　her　to　set　her　sweet　face　and
vapory　golden　hair　in　a　horseshoe　frame　of　delicate　flowers；　and　to
lift　her　oval　chin　out　of　a　bewildering　mist　of　tulle。　　Nor　did　a
certain　light　polonaise　conceal　the　outlines　of　her　charming
figure。　　Even　those　who　were　constrained　to　whisper　to　each　other
that　〃Miss　Sally〃　must　〃be　now　going　on　twenty…five；〃　did　so
because　she　still　carried　the　slender　graces　of　seventeen。　　The
organ　swelled　as　if　to　welcome　her；　as　she　took　her　seat　a　ray　of
sunlight；　that　would　have　been　cruel　and　searching　to　any　other
complexion；　drifted　across　the　faint　pink　of　her　cheeks；　and
nestling　in　her　nebulous　hair　became　itself　transfigured。　　A　few
stained…glass　Virtues　on　the　windows　did　not　come　out　of　this
effulgence　as　triumphantly；　and　it　was　small　wonder　that　the
devotional　eyes　of　the　worshipers　wandered　from　them　to　the　face
of　Sally　Dows。

When　the　service　was　over；　as　the　congregation　filed　slowly　into
the　aisle；　Courtland　slipped　mutely　behind　her。　　As　she　reached　the
porch　he　said　in　an　undertone：

〃I　brought　my　horse　and　buggy。　　I　thought　you　might　possibly　allow
me　to　drive〃　　But　he　was　stopped　by　a　distressful　knitting　of　her
golden　brows。　　〃No；〃　she　said　quickly；　but　firmly；　〃you　must　not
it　won't　do。〃　　As　Courtland　hesitated　in　momentary　perplexity；　she
smiled　sweetly：　〃We'll　walk　round　by　the　cemetery；　if　you　like；　it
will　take　about　as　long　as　a　drive。〃　　Courtland　vanished；　gave
hurried　instructions　and　a　dollar　to　a　lounging　negro；　and　rejoined
Miss　Sally　as　the　delighted　and　proud　freedman　drove　out　of　the
gate。　　Miss　Sally　heaved　a　slight　sigh　as　the　gallant　equipage
passed。　　〃It　was　a　mighty　pooty　turnout；　co'nnle；　and　I'd　have　just
admired　to　go；　but　it　would　have　been　rather　hard　on　the　other
folks。　　There's　the　Reeds　and　Maxwells　and　Robertsons　that　are　too
pooah　to　keep　blood　horses；　and　too　proud　to　ride　behind　anything
else。　　It　wouldn't　be　the　right　thing　for　us　to　go　whirling　by；
scattering　our　dust　over　them。〃　　There　was　something　so　subtly
pleasant　in　this　implied　partnership　of　responsibility；　that
Courtland　forgot　the　abrupt　refusal　and　thought　only　of　the　tact
that　prompted　it。　　Nevertheless；　here　a　spell　seemed　to　fall　upon
his　usually　ready　speech。　　Now　that　they　were　together　for　the
first　time　in　a　distinctly　social　fashion；　he　found　himself
vacantly；　meaninglessly　silent；　content　to　walk　beside　this
charming；　summery　presence；　brushed　by　its　delicate　draperies；
and　inhaling　its　freshness。　　Presently　it　spoke。

〃It　would　take　more　than　a　thousand　feet　of　lumber　to　patch　up　the
cowsheds　beyond　the　Moseley　pasture；　and　an　entirely　new　building
with　an　improved　dairy　would　require　only　about　two　thousand　more。
All　the　old　material　would　come　in　good　for　fencing；　and　could　be
used　with　the　new　post　and　rails。　　Don't　yo'　think　it　would　be
better　to　have　an　out…and…out　new　building？〃

〃Yes；　certainly；〃　returned　Courtland　a　little　confusedly。　　He　had
not　calculated　upon　this　practical　conversation；　and　was　the　more
disconcerted　as　they　were　passing　some　of　the　other　couples；　who
had　purposely　lingered　to　overhear　them。

〃And；〃　continued　the　young　girl　brightly；　〃the　freight　question　is
getting　to　be　a　pretty　serious　one。　　Aunt　Miranda　holds　some　shares
in　the　Briggsville　branch　line；　and　thinks　something　could　be　done
with　the　directors　for　a　new　tariff　of　charges　if　she　put　a
pressure　on　them；　Tyler　says　that　there　was　some　talk　of　their
reducing　it　one　sixteenth　per　cent。　before　we　move　this　year's
crop。〃

Courtland　glanced　quickly　at　his　companion's　face。　　It　was　grave；
but　there　was　the　faintest　wrinkling　of　the　corner　of　the　eyelid
nearest　him。　　〃Had　we　not　better　leave　these　serious　questions
until　to…morrow？〃　he　said；　smiling。

Miss　Sally　opened　her　eyes　demurely。　　〃Why；　yo'　seemed　SO　quiet；　I
reckoned　yo'　must　be　full　of　business　this　morning；　but　if　yo'
prefer　company　talk；　we'll　change　the　subject。　　They　say　that　yo'
and　Miss　Reed　didn't　have　much　trouble　to　find　one　last　Sunday。
She　don't　usually　talk　much；　but　she　keeps　up　a　power　of　thinking。
I　should　reckon；〃　she　added；　suddenly　eying　him　critically；　〃that
yo'　and　she　might　have　a　heap　o'　things　to　say　to　each　other。
She's　a　good　deal　in　yo'　fashion；　co'nnle；　she　don't　forget；　but〃
more　slowly〃I　don't　know　that　THAT'S　altogether　the　best　thing
for　YO'！〃

Courtland　lifted　his　eyes　with　affected　consternation。　　〃If　this　is
in　the　light　of　another　mysterious　warning；　Miss　Dows；　I　warn　you
that　my　intellect　is　already　tottering　with　them。　　Last　Sunday　Miss
Reed　thrilled　me　for　an　hour　with　superstition　and　Cassandra…like
prophecy。　　Don't　things　ever　happen　accidentally　here；　and　without
warning？〃

〃I　mean；〃　returned　the　young　lady　with　her　usual　practical
directness；　〃that　Tave　Reed　remembers　a　good　many　horrid　things
about　the　wah　that　she　ought　to　forget；　but　don't。　　But；〃　she
continued；　looking　at　him　curiously；　〃she　allows　she　was　mighty　cut
up　by　her　cousin's　manner　to　yo'。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　Miss　Reed　was　more　annoyed　than　I　was；〃　said
Courtland。　　〃I　should　be　very　sorry　if　she　attached　any　importance
to　it；〃　he　added　earnestly。

〃And　YO'　don't？〃　continued　Miss　Sally。

〃No。　　Why　should　I？〃　　She　noticed；　however；　that　he　had　slightly
drawn　himself　up　a　little　more　erect；　and　she　smiled　as　he
continued；　〃I　dare　say　I　should　feel　as　he　does　if　I　were　in　his
place。〃

〃But　YO'　wouldn't　do　anything　underhanded；〃　she　said　quietly。　　As
he　glanced　at　her　quickly　she　added　dryly：　〃Don't　trust　too　much　to
people　always　acting　in　yo'　fashion；　co'nnle。　　And　don't　think　too
much　nor　too　little　of　what　yo'　hear　here。　　Yo'　're　just　the　kind
of　man　to　make　a　good　many　silly　enemies；　and　as　many　foolish
friends。　　And　I　don't　know　which　will　give　yo'　the　most　trouble。
Only　don't　yo'　underrate　EITHER；　or　hold　yo'　head　so　high；　yo'
don't　see　what's　crawlin'　around　yo'。　　That's　why；　in　a　copperhead
swamp；　a　horse　is　bitten　oftener　than　a　hog。〃

She　smiled；　yet　with　knitted　brows　and　such　a　pretty　affectation　of
concern　for　her　companion　that　he　suddenly　took　heart。

〃I　wish　I　had　ONE　friend　I　could　call　my　own；〃　he　said　boldly；
looking　straight　into　her　eyes。　　〃I'd　care　little　for　other
friends；　and　fear　no　enemies。〃

〃Yo'　're　right；　co'nnle；〃　she　said；　ostentatiously　slanting　her
parasol　in　a　marvelous　simulation　of　hiding　a　purely　imaginative
blush　on　a　cheek　that　was　perfectly　infantine　in　its　unchanged
pink；　〃company　talk　is　much　pootier　than　what　we've　been　saying。
Andmeaning　mefor　I　reckon　yo'　wouldn't　say　that　of　any　other
girl　but　the　one　yo'　're　walking　withwhat's　the　matter　with　me？〃

He　could　not　help　smiling；　though　he　hesitated。　　〃Nothing！　but
others　have　been　disappointed。〃

〃And　that　bothers　YO'？〃

〃I　mean　I　have　as　yet　had　no　right　to　put　your　feelings　to　any
test；　while〃

〃Poor　Chet　had；　yo'　were　going　to　say！　　Well；　here　we　are　at　the
cemetery！　　I　reckoned　yo'　were　bound　to　get　back　to　the　dead　again
before　we'd　gone　far；　and　that's　why　I　thought　we　might　take　the
cemetery　on　our　way。　　It　may　put　me　in　a　more　proper　frame　of　mind
to　please　yo'。〃

As　he　raised　his　eyes　he　could　not　repress　a　slight　start。　　He　had
not　noticed　before　that　they　had　passed　through　a　small　gateway　on
diverging　from　the　road；　and　was　quite　unprepared　to　find　himself
on　the　edge　of　a　gentle　slope　leading　to　a　beautiful　valley；　and
before　him　a　long　vista　of　tombs；　white　head…stones　and　low
crosses；　edged　by　drooping　cypress　and　trailing　feathery　vines。
Some　vines　had　fallen　and　been　caught　in　long　loops　from　bough　to
bough；　like　funeral　garlands；　and　here　and　there　the　tops　of
isolated　palmettos　lifted　a　cluster　of　hearse…like　plumes。　　Yet　in
spite　of　this　dominance　of　sombre　but　graceful　shadow；　the　drooping
delicacy　of　dark…tasseled　foliage　and　leafy　fringes；　and　the　waving
mourning　veils　of　gray；　translucent　moss；　a　glorious　vivifying
Southern　sun　smiled　and　glittered　everywhere　as　through　tears。　　The
balm　of　bay；　southernwood；　pine；　and　syringa　breathed　through　the
long　alleys；　the　stimulating　scent　of　roses　moved　with　every
zephyr；　and　the　closer　odors　of　jessamine；　honeysuckle；　and　orange
flowers　hung　heavily　in　the　hollows。　　It　seemed　to　Courtland　like
the　mourning　of　beautiful　and　youthful　widowhood；　seductive　even　in
its　dissembling　trappings；　provocative　in　the　contrast　of　its　own
still　strong　virility。　　Everywhere　the　grass　grew　thick　and
luxuriant；　the　quick　earth　was　teeming　with　the　germination　of　the
dead　below。

They　moved　slowly　along　side　by　side；　speaking　only　of　the　beauty
of　the　spot　and　the　glory　of　that　summer　day；　which　seemed　to　have
completed　its　perfection　here。　　Perhaps　from　the　heat；　the
overpowering　perfume；　or　some　unsuspected　sentiment；　the　young　lady
became　presently　as　silent　and　preoccupied　as　her　companion。　　She
began　to　linger　and　loiter　behind；　hovering　like　a　butterfly　over
some　flowering　shrub　or　clustered　sheaf　of　lilies；　until；
encountered　suddenly　in　her　floating　draperies；