twice-told tales- my kinsman, major molineux-第4节

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church；　and　now　an　uneasy　thought　obtruded　into　Robin's　breast。　What

if　the　object　of　his　search；　which　had　been　so　often　and　so

strangely　thwarted；　were　at　the　time　mouldering　in　his　shroud？　What　if

his　kinsman　should　glide　through　yonder　gate；　and　nod　and　smile　to　him

in　dimly　passing　by？

　　　〃O　that　any　breathing　thing　were　here　with　me！〃　said　Robin。

　　　Recalling　his　thoughts　from　this　uncomfortable　track；　he　sent

them　over　forest；　hill；　and　stream；　and　attempted　to　imagine　how

that　evening　of　ambiguity　and　weariness　had　been　spent　by　his　father's

household。　He　pictured　them　assembled　at　the　door；　beneath　the　tree；

the　great　old　tree；　which　had　been　spared　for　its　huge　twisted

trunk；　and　venerable　shade；　when　a　thousand　leafy　brethren　fell。

There；　at　the　going　down　of　the　summer　sun；　it　was　his　father's　custom

to　perform　domestic　worship；　that　the　neighbors　might　come　and　join

with　him　like　brothers　of　the　family；　and　that　the　wayfaring　man　might

pause　to　drink　at　that　fountain；　and　keep　his　heart　pure　by　freshening

the　memory　of　home。　Robin　distinguished　the　seat　of　every　individual

of　the　little　audience；　he　saw　the　good　man　in　the　midst；　holding

the　Scriptures　in　the　golden　light　that　fell　from　the　western

clouds；　he　beheld　him　close　the　book；　and　all　rise　up　to　pray。　He

heard　the　old　thanksgivings　for　daily　mercies；　the　old　supplications

for　their　continuance；　to　which　he　had　so　often　listened　in　weariness；

but　which　were　now　among　his　dear　remembrances。　He　perceived　the

slight　inequality　of　his　father's　voice　when　he　came　to　speak　of　the

absent　one；　he　noted　how　his　mother　turned　her　face　to　the　broad　and

knotted　trunk；　how　his　elder　brother　scorned；　because　the　beard　was

rough　upon　his　upper　lip；　to　permit　his　features　to　be　moved；　how

the　younger　sister　drew　down　a　low　hanging　branch　before　her　eyes；　and

how　the　little　one　of　all；　whose　sports　had　hitherto　broken　the

decorum　of　the　scene；　understood　the　prayer　for　her　playmate；　and

burst　into　clamorous　grief。　Then　he　saw　them　go　in　at　the　door；　and

when　Robin　would　have　entered　also；　the　latch　tinkled　into　its

place；　and　he　was　excluded　from　his　home。

　　　〃Am　I　here；　or　there？〃　cried　Robin；　starting；　for　all　at　once；　when

his　thoughts　had　become　visible　and　audible　in　a　dream；　the　long；

wide；　solitary　street　shone　out　before　him。

　　　He　aroused　himself；　and　endeavored　to　fix　his　attention　steadily

upon　the　large　edifice　which　he　had　surveyed　before。　But　still　his

mind　kept　vibrating　between　fancy　and　reality；　by　turns；　the　pillars

of　the　balcony　lengthened　into　the　tall；　bare　stems　of　pines；　dwindled

down　to　human　figures；　settled　again　into　their　true　shape　and　size；

and　then　commenced　a　new　succession　of　changes。　For　a　single　moment；

when　he　deemed　himself　awake；　he　could　have　sworn　that　a　visage…　one

which　he　seemed　to　remember；　yet　could　not　absolutely　name　as　his

kinsman's…　was　looking　towards　him　from　the　Gothic　window。　A　deeper

sleep　wrestled　with　and　nearly　overcame　him；　but　fled　at　the　sound

of　footsteps　along　the　opposite　pavement。　Robin　rubbed　his　eyes；

discerned　a　man　passing　at　the　foot　of　the　balcony；　and　addressed

him　in　a　loud；　peevish；　and　lamentable　cry。

　　　〃Hallo；　friend！　must　I　wait　here　all　night　for　my　kinsman；　Major

Molineux？〃

　　　The　sleeping　echoes　awoke；　and　answered　the　voice；　and　the

passenger；　barely　able　to　discern　a　figure　sitting　in　the　oblique

shade　of　the　steeple；　traversed　the　street　to　obtain　a　nearer　view。　He

was　himself　a　gentleman　in　his　prime；　of　open；　intelligent；

cheerful；　and　altogether　prepossessing　countenance。　Perceiving　a

country　youth；　apparently　homeless　and　without　friends；　he　accosted

him　in　a　tone　of　real　kindness；　which　had　become　strange　to　Robin's

ears。

　　　〃Well；　my　good　lad；　why　are　you　sitting　here？〃　inquired　he。　〃Can

I　be　of　service　to　you　in　any　way？〃

　　　〃I　am　afraid　not；　sir；〃　replied　Robin；　despondingly；　〃yet　I　shall

take　it　kindly；　if　you'll　answer　me　a　single　question。　I've　been

searching；　half　the　night；　for　one　Major　Molineux；　now；　sir；　is

there　really　such　a　person　in　these　parts；　or　am　I　dreaming？〃

　　　〃Major　Molineux！　The　name　is　not　altogether　strange　to　me；〃　said

the　gentleman；　smiling。　〃Have　you　any　objection　to　telling　me　the

nature　of　your　business　with　him？〃

　　　Then　Robin　briefly　related　that　his　father　was　a　clergyman；　settled

on　a　small　salary；　at　a　long　distance　back　in　the　country；　and　that　he

and　Major　Molineux　were　brothers'　children。　The　major；　having

inherited　riches；　and　acquired　civil　and　military　rank；　had　visited

his　cousin；　in　great　pomp；　a　year　or　two　before；　had　manifested　much

interest　in　Robin　and　an　elder　brother；　and；　being　childless

himself；　had　thrown　out　hints　respecting　the　future　establishment　of

one　of　them　in　life。　The　elder　brother　was　destined　to　succeed　to

the　farm　which　his　father　cultivated　in　the　interval　of　sacred　duties；

it　was　therefore　determined　that　Robin　should　profit　by　his

kinsman's　generous　intentions；　especially　as　he　seemed　to　be　rather

the　favorite；　and　was　thought　to　possess　other　necessary　endowments。

　　　〃For　I　have　the　name　of　being　a　shrewd　youth；〃　observed　Robin；　in

this　part　of　his　story。

　　　〃I　doubt　not　you　deserve　it；〃　replied　his　new　friend；

good…naturedly；　〃but　pray　proceed。〃

　　　〃Well；　sir；　being　nearly　eighteen　years　old；　and　well…grown；　as　you

see；〃　continued　Robin；　drawing　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　〃I

thought　it　high　time　to　begin　the　world。　So　my　mother　and　sister　put

me　in　handsome　trim；　and　my　father　gave　me　half　the　remnant　of　his

last　year's　salary；　and　five　days　ago　I　started　for　this　place；　to　pay

the　major　a　visit。　But；　would　you　believe　it；　sir！　I　crossed　the　ferry

a　little　after　dark；　and　have　yet　found　nobody　that　would　show　me

the　way　to　his　dwelling…　only；　an　hour　or　two　since；　I　was　told　to

wait　here；　and　Major　Molineux　would　pass　by。〃

　　　〃Can　you　describe　the　man　who　told　you　this？〃　inquired　the

gentleman。

　　　〃O；　he　was　a　very　ill…favored　fellow；　sir；〃　replied　Robin；　〃with

two　great　bumps　on　his　forehead；　a　hook　nose；　fiery　eyes…　and；　what

struck　me　as　the　strangest；　his　face　was　of　two　different　colors。　Do

you　happen　to　know　such　a　man；　sir！〃

　　　〃Not　intimately；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃but　I　chanced　to　meet　him

a　little　time　previous　to　your　stopping　me。　I　believe　you　may　trust

his　word；　and　that　the　major　will　very　shortly　pass　through　this

street。　In　the　meantime；　as　I　have　a　singular　curiosity　to　witness

your　meeting；　I　will　sit　down　here　upon　the　steps；　and　bear　you

company。〃

　　　He　seated　himself　accordingly；　and　soon　engaged　his　companion　in

animated　discourse。　It　was　but　of　brief　continuance；　however；　for　a

noise　of　shouting；　which　bad　long　been　remotely　audible；　drew　so

much　nearer　that　Robin　inquired　its　cause。

　　　〃What　may　be　the　meaning　of　this　uproar？〃　asked　he。　〃Truly；　if　your

town　be　always　as　noisy；　I　shall　find　little　sleep；　while　I　am　an

inhabitant。〃

　　　〃Why；　indeed；　friend　Robin；　there　do　appear　to　be　three　or　four

riotous　fellows　abroad　tonight；〃　replied　the　gentleman。　〃You　must

not　expect　all　the　stillness　of　your　native　woods；　here　in　our

streets。　But　the　watch　will　shortly　be　at　the　heels　of　these　lads；

and…〃

　　　〃Ay；　and　set　them　in　the　stocks　by　peep　of　day；〃　interrupted　Robin；

recollecting　his　own　encounter　with　the　drowsy　lantern…bearer。　〃But；

dear　sir；　if　I　may　trust　my　ears；　an　army　of　watchmen　would　never　make

head　against　such　a　multitude　of　rioters。　There　were　at　least　a

thousand　voices　went　up　to　make　that　one　shout。〃

　　　〃May　not　a　man　have　several　voices；　Robin；　as　well　as　two

complexions？〃　said　his　friend。

　　　〃Perhaps　a　man　may；　but　Heaven　forbid　that　a　woman　should！〃

responded　the　shrewd　youth；　thinking　of　the　seductive　tones　of　the

major's　housekeeper。

　　　The　sounds　of　a　trumpet　in　some　neighboring　street　now　became　so

evident　and　continual；　that　Robin's　curiosity　was　strongly　excited。　In

addition　to　the　shouts；　he　heard　frequent　bursts　from　many　instruments

of　discord；　and　a　wild　and　confused　laughter　filled　up　the

intervals。　Robin　rose　from　the　steps；　and　looked　wistfully　towards　a

point　whither　several　people　seemed　to　be　hastening。

　　　〃Surely　some　prodigious　merry…making　is　going　on；〃　exclaimed　he。　〃I

have　laughed　very　little　since　I　left　home；　sir；　and　should　be　sorry

to　lose　an　opportunity。　Shall　we　step　round　the　corner　by　that　darkish

house；　and　take　our　share　of　the　fun？〃

　　　〃Sit　down　again；　sit　down；　good　Robin；〃　replied　the　gentleman；

laying　his　hand　on　the　skirt　of　the　gray　coat。　〃You　forget　that　we

must　wait　here　for　your　kinsman；　and　there　is　reason　to　believe　that

he　will　pass　by；　in　the　course　of　a　very　few　moments。〃

　　　The　near　approach　of　the　uproar　had　now　disturbed　the　neighborhood；

windows　flew　open　on　all　sides；　and　many　heads；　in　the　attire　of　the

pillow；　and　confused　by　sleep　suddenly　broken；　were　protruded　to　the

gaze　of　whoever　had　leisure　to　observe　them。　Eager　voices　hailed

each　other　from　house　to　house；　all　demanding　the　explanation；　which

not　a　soul　could　give。　Half…dressed　men　hurr