the friendly road-第3节

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　and　not　to　know　where　or　how　to　get　anything　to　eat；　adds　something　to　the　zest　of　life。

By　noon　on　Wednesday；　then；　I　was　reduced　quite　to　a　point　of　necessity。　But　where　was　I　to　begin；　and　how？　I　know　from　long　experience　the　suspicion　with　which　the　ordinary　farmer　meets　the　Man　of　the　Road　the　man　who　appears　to　wish　to　enjoy　the　fruits　of　the　earth　without　working　for　them：　with　his　hands。　It　is　a　distrust　deep…seated　and　ages　old。　Nor　can　the　Man　of　the　Road　ever　quite　understand　the　Man　of　the　Fields。　And　here　was　I；　for　so　long　the　stationary　Man　of　the　Fields；　essaying　the　role　of　the　Man　of　the　Road。　I　experienced　a　sudden　sense　of　the　enlivenment　of　the　faculties：　I　must　now　depend　upon　wit　or　cunning　or　human　nature　to　win　my　way；　not　upon　mere　skill　of　the　hand　or　strength　in　the　bent　back。　Whereas　in　my　former　life；　when　I　was　assailed　by　a　Man　of　the　Road；　whether　tramp　or　peddler　or　poet；　I　had　only　to　stand　stock…still　within　my　fences　and　say　nothingthough　indeed　I　never　could　do　that；　being　far　too　much　interested　in　every　one　who　came　my　wayand　the　invader　was　soon　repelled。　There　is　nothing　so　resistant　as　the　dull　security　of　possession　the　stolidity　of　ownership！

Many　times　that　day　I　stopped　by　a　field　side　or　at　the　end　of　a　lane；　or　at　a　house…gate；　and　considered　the　possibilities　of　making　an　attack。　Oh；　I　measured　the　houses　and　barns　I　saw　with　a　new　eye！　The　kind　of　country　I　had　known　so　long　and　familiarly　became　a　new　and　foreign　land；　full　of　strange　possibilities。　I　spied　out　the　men　in　the　fields　and　did　not　fail；　also；　to　see　what　I　could　of　the　commissary　department　of　each　farmstead　as　I　passed。　I　walked　for　miles　looking　thus　for　a　favourable　openingand　with　a　sensation　of　embarrassment　at　once　disagreeable　and　pleasurable。　As　the　afternoon　began　to　deepen　I　saw　that　I　must　absolutely　do　something：　a　whole　day　tramping　in　the　open　air　without　a　bite　to　eat　is　an　irresistible　argument。

Presently　I　saw　from　the　road　a　farmer　and　his　son　planting　potatoes　in　a　sloping　field。　There　was　no　house　at　all　in　view。　At　the　bars　stood　a　light　wagon　half　filled　with　bags　of　seed　potatoes；　and　the　horse　which　had　drawn　it　stood　quietly；　not　far　off；　tied　to　the　fence。　The　man　and　the　boy；　each　with　a　basket　on　his　arm；　were　at　the　farther　end　of　the　field；　dropping　potatoes。　I　stood　quietly　watching　them。　They　stepped　quickly　and　kept　their　eyes　on　the　furrows：　good　workers。　I　liked　the　looks　of　them。　I　liked　also　the　straight；　clean　furrows；　I　liked　the　appearance　of　the　horse。

〃I　will　stop　here；〃　I　said　to　myself。

I　cannot　at　all　convey　the　sense　of　high　adventure　I　had　as　I　stood　there。　Though　I　had　not　the　slightest　idea　of　what　I　should　do　or　say；　yet　I　was　determined　upon　the　attack。

Neither　father　nor　son　saw　me　until　they　had　nearly　reached　the　end　of　the　field。

〃Step　lively；　Ben；〃　I　heard　the　man　say　with　some　impatience；　〃we've　got　to　finish　this　field　to…day。〃

〃I　AM　steppin'　lively；　dad；〃　responded　the　boy；　〃but　it's　awful　hot。　We　can't　possibly　finish　to…day。　It's　too　much。〃

〃We've　got　to　get　through　here　to…day；〃　the　man　replied　grimly；　〃we're　already　two　weeks　late。〃

I　know　just　how　the　man　felt；　for　I　knew　well　the　difficulty　a　farmer　has　in　getting　help　in　planting　time。　The　spring　waits　for　no　man。　My　heart　went　out　to　the　man　and　boy　struggling　there　in　the　heat　of　their　field。　For　this　is　the　real　warfare　of　the　common　life。

〃Why；〃　I　said　to　myself　with　a　curious　lift　of　the　heart；　〃they　have　need　of　a　fellow　just　like　me。〃

At　that　moment　the　boy　saw　me　and；　missing　a　step　in　the　rhythm　of　the　planting；　the　father　also　looked　up　and　saw　me。　But　neither　said　a　word　until　the　furrows　were　finished；　and　the　planters　came　to　refill　their　baskets。

〃Fine　afternoon；〃　I　said；　sparring　for　an　opening。

〃Fine；〃　responded　the　man　rather　shortly；　glancing　up　from　his　work。　I　recalled　the　scores　of　times　I　had　been　exactly　in　his　place；　and　had　glanced　up　to　see　the　stranger　in　the　road。

〃Got　another　basket　handy？〃　I　asked。

〃There　is　one　somewhere　around　here；〃　he　answered　not　too　cordially。　The　boy　said　nothing　at　all；　but　eyed　me　with　absorbing　interest。　The　gloomy　look　had　already　gone　from　his　face。

I　slipped　my　gray　bag　from　my　shoulder；　took　off　my　coat；　and　put　them　both　down　inside　the　fence。　Then　I　found　the　basket　and　began　to　fill　it　from　one　of　the　bags。　Both　man　and　boy　looked　up　at　me　questioningly。　I　enjoyed　the　situation　immensely。

〃I　heard　you　say　to　your　son；〃　I　said；　〃that　you'd　have　to　hurry　in　order　to　get　in　your　potatoes　to…day。　I　can　see　that　for　myself。　Let　me　take　a　hand　for　a　row　or　two。〃

The　unmistakable　shrewd　look　of　the　bargainer　came　suddenly　into　the　man's　face；　but　when　I　went　about　my　business　without　hesitation　or　questioning；　he　said　nothing　at　all。　As　for　the　boy；　the　change　in　his　countenance　was　marvellous　to　see。　Something　new　and　astonishing　had　come　into　the　world。　Oh；　I　know　what　a　thing　it　is　to　be　a　boy　and　to　work　in　trouting　time！

〃How　near　are　you　planting；　Ben？〃　I　asked。

〃About　fourteen　inches。〃

So　we　began　in　fine　spirits。　I　was　delighted　with　the　favourable　beginning　of　my　enterprise；　there　is　nothing　which　so　draws　men　together　as　their　employment　at　a　common　task。

Ben　was　a　lad　some　fifteen　years　old…very　stout　and　stocky；　with　a　fine　open　countenance　and　a　frank　blue　eyeall　boy。　His　nose　was　as　freckled　as　the　belly　of　a　trout。　The　whole　situation；　including　the　prospect　of　help　in　finishing　a　tiresome　job；　pleased　him　hugely。　He　stole　a　glimpse　from　time　to　time　at　me　then　at　his　father。　Finally　he　said：

〃Say；　you'll　have　to　step　lively　to　keep　up　with　dad。〃

〃I'll　show　you；〃　I　said；　〃how　we　used　to　drop　potatoes　when　I　was　a　boy。〃

And　with　that　I　began　to　step　ahead　more　quickly　and　make　the　pieces　fairly　fly。

〃We　old　fellows；〃　I　said　to　the　father；　〃must　give　these　young　sprouts　a　lesson　once　in　a　while。〃

〃You　will；　will　you？〃　responded　the　boy；　and　instantly　began　to　drop　the　potatoes　at　a　prodigious　speed。　The　father　followed　with　more　dignity；　but　with　evident　amusement；　and　so　we　all　came　with　a　rush　to　the　end　of　the　row。

〃I　guess　that　beats　the　record　across　THIS　field！〃　remarked　the　lad；　puffing　and　wiping　his　forehead。　〃Say；　but　you're　a　good　one！〃

It　gave　me　a　peculiar　thrill　of　pleasure；　there　is　nothing　more　pleasing　than　the　frank　admiration　of　a　boy。

We　paused　a　moment　and　I　said　to　the　man：　〃This　looks　like　fine　potato　land。〃

〃The'　ain't　any　better　in　these　parts；〃　he　replied　with　some　pride　in　his　voice。

And　so　we　went　at　the　planting　again：　and　as　we　planted　we　had　great　talk　of　seed　potatoes　and　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　mechanical　planters；　of　cultivating　and　spraying；　and　all　the　lore　of　prices　and　profits。　Once　we　stopped　at　the　lower　end　of　the　field　to　get　a　drink　from　a　jug　of　water　set　in　the　shade　of　a　fence　corner；　and　once　we　set　the　horse　in　the　thills　and　moved　the　seed　farther　up　the　field。　And　tired　and　hungry　as　I　felt　I　really　enjoyed　the　work；　I　really　enjoyed　talking　with　this　busy　father　and　son；　and　I　wondered　what　their　home　life　was　like　and　what　were　their　real　ambitions　and　hopes。　Thus　the　sun　sank　lower　and　lower；　the　long　shadows　began　to　creep　into　the　valleys；　and　we　came　finally　toward　the　end　of　the　field。　Suddenly　the　boy　Ben　cried　out：

〃There's　Sis！〃

I　glanced　up　and　saw　standing　near　the　gateway　a　slim；　bright　girl　of　about　twelve　in　a　fresh　gingham　dress。

〃We're　coming！〃　roared　Ben；　exultantly。

While　we　were　hitching　up　the　horse；　the　man　said　to　me：

〃You'll　come　down　with　us　and　have　some　supper。〃

〃Indeed　I　will；〃　I　replied；　trying　not　to　make　my　response　too　eager。

〃Did　mother　make　gingerbread　to…day？〃　I　heard　the　boy　whisper　audibly。

〃Sh…h〃　replied　the　girl；　〃who　is　that　man？〃

〃_I_　don't　know〃　with　a　great　accent　of　mystery〃and　dad　don't　know。　Did　mother　make　gingerbread？〃

〃Sh…hhe'll　hear　you。〃

〃Gee！　but　he　can　plant　potatoes。　He　dropped　down　on　us　out　of　a　clear　sky。〃

〃What　is　he？〃　she　asked。　〃A　tramp？〃

〃Nope；　not　a　tramp。　He　works。　But；　Sis；　did　mother　make　gingerbread？〃

So　we　all　got　into　the　light　wagon　and　drove　briskly　out　along　the　shady　country　road。　The　evening　was　coming　on；　and　the　air　was　full　of　the　scent　of　blossoms。　We　turned　finally　into　a　lane　and　thus　came　promptly；　for　the　horse　was　as　eager　as　we；　to　the　capacious　farmyard。　A　motherly　woman　came　out　from　the　house；　spoke　to　her　son；　and　nodded　pleasantly　to　me。　There　was　no　especial　introduction。　I　said　merely；　〃My　name　is　Grayson；〃　and　I　was　accepted　without　a　word。

I　waited　to　help　the　man；　whose　name　I　had　now　learnedit　was　Stanleywith　his　horse　and　wagon；　and　then　we　came　up　to　the　house。　Near　the　back　door　there　was　a　pump；　with　a　bench　and　basin　set　just　within　a　little　cleanly　swept；　open　shed。　Rolling　back　my　collar　and　baring　my　arms　I　washed　myself　in　the　cool　water；　dashing　it　over　my　head　until　I　gasped；　and　then　stepping　back；　breathless　and　refreshed；　I　found　the　slim　girl；　Mary；　at　my　elbow　with　a　clean　soft　towel。　As　I　stood　wiping　quietly　I　could　smell　the　ambrosial　odours　from　the　kitchen。　In　all　my　life　I　never　enjoyed　a　moment　more　than　that；　I　think。