the fortunes of oliver horn-第38节
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The next day he told Mr。 Slade of his plans； and read him part of his mother's letter。
〃Very sensible woman； your mother；〃 his employer answered； with his bluff heartiness。 〃Just the thing for you to do； and I've got the very spot。 Go to Ezra Pollard's。 He lives up in the mountains at a little place called East Branch； on the edge of a wilderness。 I fish there every spring； and I'll give you a letter to him。〃
Long before his day of departure came he had dusted out his old hair trunkthere were other and more modern trunks to be had； but Oliver loved this one because it had been his father'sgathered his painting materials together his easel； brushes； leather case； and old slouch hat that he wore to fish in at homeand spent his time counting the days and hours when he could leave the world behind him and； as he wrote Fred； 〃begin to live。〃
He was not alone in this planning for a summer exodus。 The other students had indeed all cut their tether…strings and disappeared long before his own freedom came。 Jack Bedford had gone to the coast to live with a fisherman and paint the surf； and Fred was with his people away up near the lakes。 As for the lithographers； sign…painters； and beginners； they were spending their evenings somewhere else than in the old room under the shaded gas…jets。 Even Margaret； so Mother Mulligan told him； was up 〃wid her folks； somewheres。〃
〃And she was that broken…hearted；〃 she added； 〃whin they shut up the schoolbad cess to 'em！ Oh； ye would a…nigh kilt yerself wid grief to a…seen her； poor darlint。〃
〃Where is her home？〃 asked Oliver； ignoring the tribute to his sympathetic tendencies。 He had no reason for asking； except that she had been the only woman among them； and he accordingly felt that a certain courtesy was due her even in her absence。
〃I've bothered me head loose tryin' to remimber； but for the soul o' me； I can't。 It's cold enough up there； I know； to freeze ye solid； for Miss Margaret had wan o' her ears nipped last time she was home。〃
And so one fine morning in June； with Oliver bursting with happiness； the hair trunk and the leather case and sketching umbrella were thrown out at a New England way…station in the gray dawn from a train in which Oliver had spent the night curled up on one of the seats。
Just as he had expected； the old coach that was to carry him was waiting beside the platform。 There was a rush for top seats； and Oliver got the one beside the driver； and the trunk and traps were stored in the boot under the driver's seatit was a very small trunk and took up but little roomand Marvin cracked his whip and away everybody went； the dogs barking behind and the women waving their aprons from the porches of the low houses facing the road。
And it was a happy young fellow who filled his lungs with the fresh air of the morning and held on to the iron rail of the top seat as they bumped over the 〃Thank ye marms；〃 and who asked the driver innumerable questions which it was part of the noted whip's duty and always his pleasure to answer。 The squirrels darted across the road as if to get a look at the enthusiast and then ran for their lives to escape the wheels； and the crows heard the rumble and rose in a body from the sparse cornfields for a closer view； and the big trees arched over his head； cooling the air and casting big shadows； and even the sun kept peeping over the edge of the hills from behind some jutting rock or clump of pines or hemlock as if bent on lighting up his face so that everybody could see how happy he was。
As the day wore on and the coach rattled over the big open bridge that spanned the rushing mountain… stream； Oliver's eye caught； far up the vista； the little dent in the line of blue that stood low against the sky。 The driver said this was the Notch and that the big hump to the right was Moose Hillock； and that Ezra's cabin nestled at its feet and was watered by the rushing stream； only it was a tiny little brook away up there that anybody could step over。
〃'Tain't bigger'n yer body where it starts out fresh up in them mountings；〃 the driver said； touching his leaders behind their ears with the lash of his whip。 〃Runs clean round Ezra's； and's jest as chuckfull o' trout； be gosh； as a hive is o' bees。〃
And the swing and the freedom of it all！ No office… hours to keep； no boxes to nail up and roll outnothing but sweetness and cool draughts of fresh mountain…air； and big trees that he wanted to get down and hug； and jolly laughing brooks that ran out to meet him and called to him as he trotted along； or as the horses did； which was the same thing； he being part of the team。
And the day！ Had there ever been such another？ And the sky； too； filled with soft white clouds that sailed away over his headthe little ones far in advance and already crowding up the Notch； which was getting nearer every hour。
And Marvin the driverwhat a character he was and how quaint his speech。 And the cabins by the road； with their trim fences and winter's wood piled up so neatly under the shedsall so different from any which he had seen at the South and all so charming and exhilarating。
Never had he been so happy！
And why not？ Twenty…three and in perfect health； without a care； and for the first time in all his life doing what he wanted most to do； with opportunities opening every hour for doing what he believed he could do best。
Oh； for some planet where such young saplings can grow without hinderance from the ignorant and the unsympathetic； where they can reach out for the sun on all sides and stretch their long arms skyward； where each vine can grow as it would in all the luxuriance of its nature； free from the pruning…knife of criticism and the straitlaced trellis of conventionalitya planet on which the Puritan with his creeds； customs； fads； issues； and dogmas； and the Cavalier with his traditions and time…honored notions never sat foot。 Where every round peg fits a round hole； and men toil with a will and with unclouded brows because their hearts find work for their hands and each day's task is a joy。
If the road and the country on each side of it； and the giant trees； now that they neared the mountains； and the deep ravines and busy； hurrying brooks had each inspired some exclamation of joy from Oliver； the first view of Ezra's cabin filled him so full of uncontrollable delight that he could hardly keep his seat long enough for Marvin to rein in his horses and get down and swing back the gate that opened into the pasture surrounding the house。
〃Got a boarder for ye； Ezra；〃 Marvin called to Oliver's prospective host； who had come down to meet the stage and get his empty butter…pails。 Then； in a lower tone： 〃Sezs he's a painter chap； and that Mr。 Slade sent him up。 He's goin' to bunk in with ye all summer； he sezs。 Seems like a knowin'； happy kind er young feller。〃
They were pulling the pails from the rear boot； each one tied up in a wheat…sack； with a card marked 〃Ezra Pollard〃 sewed on the outside to distinguish it from the property of other East Branch settlers up and down the road。
Oliver had slipped from his seat and was tugging at his hair trunk。 He did not know that the long； thin； slab…sided old fellow in a slouch hat； hickory shirt crossed by one suspender； and heavy cowhide boots was his prospective landlord。 He supposed him to be the hired man； and that he would find Mr。 Pollard waiting for him in the little sitting…room with the windows full of geraniums that looked so inviting and picturesque。
〃Marve sez you're lookin' fur me。 Come along。 Glad ter see ye。〃
〃Are you Mr。 Pollard？〃 His surprise not only marked the tones of his voice but the expression of his face。
〃No； jes' Ezry Pollard； that's all。 Hope Mr。 Slade's up and hearty？〃
Mr。 Slade was never so 〃up and hearty〃 as was Oliver that next morning。
Up with the sun he was； and hearty as a young buck out of a bed of mountain…moss。
〃Time to be movin'； ain't it？〃 came Ezra Pollard's voice； shouting up the unpainted staircase； 〃Hank's drawed a bucket out here at the well for ye to wash in。 Needn't worry about no towel。 Samanthy's got one fur ye； but ye kin bring yer comb。〃
At the sound of Ezra's voice Oliver sprang from the coarse straw mattressit had been as eider…down to his stage…jolted bodypushed open the wooden blind and peered out。 The sun was peeping over the edge of the Notch and looking with wide eyes into the saucer…shaped valley in which the cabin stood。 The fogs which at twilight had stolen down to the meadows and had made a night of it； now startled into life by the warm rays of the sun； were gathering up their skirts of shredded mist and tiptoeing back up the hill…side； looking over their shoulders as they fled。 The fresh smell of the new corn watered by the night dew and the scent of pine and balsam from the woods about him； filled the morning air。 Songs of birds were all about； a robin on a fence…post and two larks high in air； singing as they flew。
Below him； bounding from rock to rock； ran the brook； laughing in the sunlight and tossing the spray high in the air in a mad frolic。 Across this swirling line of silver lay a sparse meadow strewn with rock； plotted with squares of last year's cropspotatoes； string…bea
