the friendly road-第21节

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　let　alone。　〃I　can　live　to　myself；〃　says　the　unneighbourly　one。　〃Well；　live　to　yourself；　then；〃　cheerfully　responds　the　world；　and　it　goes　about　its　more　or　less　amusing　affairs　and　lets　the　unneighbourly　one　cut　himself　off。

So　our　small　community　had　let　Old　Toombs　go　his　way　with　all　his　money；　his　acres；　his　hedge；　and　his　reputation　for　being　a　just　man。

Not　meeting　him；　therefore；　in　the　familiar　and　friendly　life　of　the　neighbourhood；　I　took　to　walking　out　toward　his　farm；　looking　freshly　at　the　wonderful　hedge　and　musing　upon　that　most　fascinating　of　all　subjectshow　men　come　to　be　what　they　are。　And　at　last　I　was　rewarded。

One　day　I　had　scarcely　reached　the　end　of　the　hedge　when　I　saw　Old　Toombs　himself；　moving　toward　me　down　the　country　road。　Though　I　had　never　seen　him　before；　I　was　at　no　loss　to　identify　him。　The　first　and　vital　impression　he　gave　me；　if　I　can　compress　it　into　a　single　word；　was；　I　think；forceforce。　He　came　stubbing　down　the　country　road　with　a　brown　hickory　stick　in　his　hand　which　at　every　step　he　set　vigorously　into　the　soft　earth。　Though　not　tall；　he　gave　the　impression　of　being　enormously　strong。　He　was　thick；　solid；　firmthick　through　the　body；　thick　through　the　thighs；　and　his　shoulderswhat　shoulders　they　were！round　like　a　maple　log；　and　his　great　head　with　its　thatching　of　coarse　iron…gray　hair；　though　thrust　slightly　forward；　seemed　set　immovably　upon　them；

He　presented　such　a　forbidding　appearance　that　I　was　of　two　minds　about　addressing　him。　Dour　he　was　indeed！　Nor　shall　I　ever　forget　how　he　looked　when　I　spoke　to　him。　He　stopped　short　there　in　the　road。　On　his　big　square　nose　he　wore　a　pair　of　curious　spring…bowed　glasses　with　black　rims。　For　a　moment　he　looked　at　me　through　these　glasses；　raising　his　chin　a　little；　and　then；　deliberately　wrinkling　his　nose；　they　fell　off　and　dangled　at　the　length　of　the　faded　cord　by　which　they　were　hung。　There　was　something　almost　uncanny　about　this　peculiar　habit　of　his　and　of　the　way　in　which；　afterward；　he　looked　at　me　from　under　his　bushy　gray　brows。　This　was　in　truth　the　very　man　of　the　neighbourhood　portrait。

〃I　am　a　new　settler　here；〃　I　said；　〃and　I've　been　interested　in　looking　at　your　wonderful　hedge。〃

The　old　man's　eyes　rested　upon　me　a　moment　with　a　mingled　look　of　suspicion　and　hostility。

〃So　you've　heard　o'　me；〃　he　said　in　a　high…pitched　voice；　〃and　you've　heard　o'　my　hedge。〃

Again　he　paused　and　looked　me　over。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　with　an　indescribably　harsh；　cackling　laugh；　〃I　warrant　you've　heard　nothing　good　o'　me　down　there。　I'm　a　skinflint；　ain't　I　？　I'm　a　hard　citizen；　ain't　I？　I　grind　the　faces　o'　the　poor；　don't　I？〃

At　first　his　words　were　marked　by　a　sort　of　bitter　humour；　but　as　he　continued　to　speak　his　voice　rose　higher　and　higher　until　it　was　positively　menacing。

There　were　just　two　things　I　could　dohaul　down　the　flag　and　retreat　ingloriously；　or　face　the　music。　With　a　sudden　sense　of　rising　spiritsfor　such　things　do　not　often　happen　to　a　man　in　a　quiet　country　roadI　paused　a　moment；　looking　him　square　in　the　eye。

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　with　great　deliberation；　〃you've　given　me　just　about　the　neighborhood　picture　of　yourself　as　I　have　had　it。　They　do　say　you　are　a　skinflint；　yes；　and　a　hard　man。　They　say　that　you　are　rich　and　friendless；　they　say　that　while　you　are　a　just　man；　you　do　not　know　mercy。　These　are　terrible　things　to　say　of　any　man　if　they　are　true。〃

I　paused。　The　old　man　looked　for　a　moment　as　though　he　were　going　to　strike　me　with　his　stick；　but　he　neither　stirred　nor　spoke。　It　was　evidently　a　wholly　new　experience　for　him。

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃you　are　not　popular　in　this　community；　but　what　do　you　suppose　I　care　about　that？　I'm　interested　in　your　hedge。　What　I'm　curious　to　knowand　I　might　as　well　tell　you　franklyis　how　such　a　man　as　you　are　reputed　to　be　could　grow　such　an　extraordinary　hedge。　You　must　have　been　at　it　a　very　long　time。〃

I　was　surprised　at　the　effect　of　my　words。　The　old　man　turned　partly　aside　and　looked　for　a　moment　along　the　proud　and　flaunting　embattlements　of　the　green　marvel　before　us。　Then　he　said　in　a　moderate　voice：

〃It's　a　putty　good　hedge；　a　putty　good　hedge。〃

〃I've　got　him；〃　I　thought　exultantly；　〃I've　got　him！〃

〃How　long　ago　did　you　start　it？〃　I　pursued　my　advantage　eagerly。

〃Thirty…two　years　come　spring；〃　said　he。

〃Thirty…two　years！〃　I　repeated；　〃you've　been　at　it　a　long　time。〃

With　that　I　plied　him　with　questions　in　the　liveliest　manner；　and　in　five　minutes　I　had　the　gruff　old　fellow　stumping　along　at　my　side　and　pointing　out　the　various　notable…features　of　his　wonderful　creation。　His　suppressed　excitement　was　quite　wonderful　to　see。　He　would　point　his　hickory　stick　with　a　poking　motion；　and；　when　he　looked　up；　instead　of　throwing　back　his　big；　rough　head；　he　bent　at　the　hips；　thus　imparting　an　impression　of　astonishing　solidity。

〃It　took　me　all　o'　ten　years　to　get　that　bell　right；〃　he　said；　and；　〃Take　a　look　at　that　arch：　now　what　is　your　opinion　o'　that？〃

Once；　in　the　midst　of　our　conversation；　he　checked　himself　abruptly　and　looked　around　at　me　with　a　sudden　dark　expression　of　suspicion。　I　saw　exactly　what　lay　in　his　mind；　but　I　continued　my　questioning　as　though　I　perceived　no　change　in　him。　It　was　only　momentary；　however；　and　he　was　soon　as　much　interested　as　before。　He　talked　as　though　he　had　not　had　such　an　opportunity　before　in　yearsand　I　doubt　whether　he　had。　It　was　plain　to　see　that　if　any　one　ever　loved　anything　in　this　world；　Old　Toombs　loved　that　hedge　of　his。　Think　of　it；　indeed！　He　had　lived　with　it；　nurtured　it；　clipped　it；　groomed　itfor　thirty…two　years。

So　we　walked　down　the　sloping　field　within　the　hedge；　and　it　seemed　as　though　one　of　the　deep　mysteries　of　human　nature　was　opening　there　before　me。　What　strange　things　men　set　their　hearts　upon！

Thus；　presently；　we　came　nearly　to　the　farther　end　of　the　hedge。　Here　the　old　man　stopped　and　turned　around；　facing　me。

〃Do　you　see　that　valley？〃　he　asked。　〃Do　you　see　that　slopin'　valley　up　through　the　meadow？〃

His　voice　rose　suddenly　to　a　sort　of　high…pitched　violence。

〃That'　passel　o'　hounds　up　there；〃　he　said；　〃want　to　build　a　road　down　my　valley。〃

He　drew　his　breath　fiercely。

〃They　want　to　build　a　road　through　my　land。　They　want　to　ruin　my　farmthey　want　to　cut　down　my　hedge。　I'll　fight　'em。　I'll　fight　'em。　I'll　show　'em　yet！〃

It　was　appalling。　His　face　grew　purple；　his　eyes　narrowed　to　pin　points　and　grew　red　and　angrylike　the　eyes　of　an　infuriated　boar。　His　hands　shook。　Suddenly　he　turned　upon　me；　poising　his　stick　in　his　hand；　and　said　violently。

〃And　who　are　you？　Who　are　you？　Are　you　one　of　these　surveyor　fellows？〃

〃My　name；〃　I　answered　as　quietly　as　I　could；　〃is　Grayson。　I　live　on　the　old　Mather　farm。　I　am　not　in　the　least　interested　in　any　of　your　road　troubles。〃

He　looked　at　me　a　moment　more；　and　then　seemed　to　shake　himself　or　shudder；　his　eyes　dropped　away　and　he　began　walking　toward　his　house。　He　had　taken　only　a　few　steps；　however；　before　he　turned；　and；　without　looking　at　me；　asked　if　I　would　like　to　see　the　tools　he　used　for　trimming　his　hedge。　When　I　hesitated；　for　I　was　decidedly　uncomfortable；　he　came　up　to　me　and　laid　his　hand　awkwardly　on　my　arm。

〃You'll　see　something；　I　warrant；　you　never　see　before。〃

It　was　so　evident　that　he　regretted　his　outbreak　that　I　followed　him；　and　he　showed　me　an　odd　double　ladder　set　on　low　wheels　which　he　said　he　used　in　trimming　the　higher　parts　of　his　hedge。

〃It's　my　own　invention；〃　he　said　with　pride。

〃And　that〃he　pointed　as　we　came　out　of　the　tool　shed〃is　my　housea　good　house。　I　planned　it　all　myself。　I　never　needed　to　take　lessons　of　any　carpenter　I　ever　see。　And　there's　my　barns。　What　do　you　think　o'　my　barns？　Ever　see　any　bigger　ones？　They　ain't　any　bigger　in　this　country　than　Old　Toombs's　barns。　They　don't　like　Old　Toombs；　but　they　ain't　any　of　one　of　'em　can　ekal　his　barns！〃

He　followed　me　down　to　the　roadside　now　quite　loquacious。　Even　after　I　had　thanked　him　and　started　to　go　he　called　after　me。

When　I　stopped　he　came　forward　hesitatinglyand　I　had　the　impressions；　suddenly；　and　for　the　first　time　that　he　was　an　old　man。　It　may　have　been　the　result　of　his　sudden　fierce　explosion　of　anger；　but　his　hand　shook；　his　face　was　pale；　and　he　seemed　somehow　broken。

〃Youyou　like　my　hedge？〃　he　asked。

〃It　is　certainly　wonderful　hedge；〃　I　said。　〃I　never　have　seen　anything　like　it？〃

〃The'　AIN'T　nothing　like　it；〃　he　responded；　quickly。　〃The'　ain't　nothing　like　it　anywhere。〃

In　the　twilight　as　I　passed　onward　I　saw　the　lonely　figure　of　the　old　man　moving　with　his　hickory　stick　up　the　pathway　to　his　lonely　house。　The　poor　rich　old　man！

〃He　thinks　he　can　live　wholly　to　himself；〃　I　said　aloud。

I　thought；　as　I　tramped　homeward；　of　our　friendly　and　kindly　community；　of　how　we　often　come　together　of　an　evening　with　skylarking　and　laughter；　of　how　we　weep　with　one　another；　of　how　we　join　in　making　better　roads　and　better　schools；　and　building　up　the　Scotch　Preacher's　friendly　little　church。　And　in　all　these　things　Old　Toombs　has　never　had　a　part。　He　is　not　even　missed。


As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　reflected；　and　this　is　a　strange；　deep　thing；　no　man　is　in　reality　more　dependent　upon