第2章

类别:其他 作者:Bret Harte字数:19007更新时间:19/01/05 13:39:32
IfMissSallywasreally——a——a——distractingelementtocontiguousman,itwascertainlysomethingtobeconsideredinamatterofbusinessofwhichshewouldtakeamanagerialpart。ItwastruethatChampneyhadsaidshewas\"notthatsortofgirl,\"butthiswasthetestimonyofonewhowasclearlyunderherinfluence。HeenteredthehousethroughtheopenFrenchwindow。Theparlorwasdeserted。Hewalkedthroughthefronthallandporch;noonewasthere。Helingeredafewmoments,aslightchagrinbeginningtominglewithhisuneasiness。Shemighthavebeenonthelookoutforhim。SheorSophymusthaveseenhimreturning。HewouldringforSophy,andleavehisthanksandregretsforhermistress。Helookedforabell,touchedit,butonbeingconfrontedwithSophy,changedhismindandaskedtoSEEMissDows。IntheintervalbetweenherdepartureandtheappearanceofMissSallyheresolvedtodotheverythingwhichhehaddismissedfromhisthoughtsbutanhourbeforeasill—timedanddoubtful。Hehadthephotographandletterinhispocket;hewouldmakethemhisexcuseforpersonallytakingleaveofher。 Sheenteredwithherfaireyebrowsliftedinaprettysurprise。 \"Ideclaretogoodness,Ithoughtyo’’driddenovertotheredbarnandgonehomefromthere。IgotthroughmyworkonthevinesearlierthanIthought。OneofJudgeGarret’snephewsdroppedinintimetohelpmewiththelastrow。Yo’needn’thavetroubledyo’selftosendupformeformerecompanymanners,butSophysaysyo’lookedsortof’anxiousandparticular’whenyo’askedforme—— soIsupposeyo’wanttoseemeforsomething。\" MentallyobjurgatingSophy,andwithanunpleasantimpressioninhismindoftheunknownneighborwhohadbeenhelpingMissSallyinhisplace,heneverthelesstriedtocollecthimselfgallantly。 \"Idon’tknowwhatmyexpressionconveyedtoSophy,\"hesaidwithasmile,\"butItrustthatwhatIhavetotellyoumaybeinterestingenoughtomakeyouforgetmysecondintrusion。\"Hepaused,andstillsmilingcontinued:\"Formorethanthreeyears,MissDows,youhavemoreorlessoccupiedmythoughts;andalthoughwehaveactuallymetto—dayonlyforthefirsttime,Ihaveduringthattimecarriedyourimagewithmeconstantly。Eventhismeeting,whichwasonlytheresultofanaccident,Ihadbeenseekingforthreeyears。Ifindyouhereunderyourownpeacefulvineandfig— tree,andyetthreeyearsagoyoucametomeoutofthethunder— cloudofbattle。\" \"Mygoodgracious!\"saidMissSally。 Shehadbeenclaspingherkneewithherlinkedfingers,butseparatedthemandleanedbackwardonthesofawithaffectedconsternation,butanexpressionofgrowingamusementinherbrighteyes。Courtlandsawthemistakeofhistone,butitwastoolatetochangeitnow。Hehandedherthelocketandtheletter,andbriefly,andperhapsalittlemoreseriously,recountedtheincidentthathadputhiminpossessionofthem。Butheentirelysuppressedthemoredramaticandghastlydetails,andhisownsuperstitionandstrangeprepossessiontowardsher。 MissSallytookthearticleswithoutatremor,ortheleastdeepeningorpalingofthedelicate,faintsuffusionofhercheek。 Whenshehadglancedovertheletter,whichappearedtobebrief,shesaid,withsmiling,half—pityingtranquillity:—— \"Yes!——itWASthatpoorChetBrooks,sure!IheardthathewaskilledatSnakeRiver。Itwasjustlikehimtorushinandgetkilledthefirstpop!Andallfornothing,too,——purefoolishness!\" Shocked,yetrelieved,butuneasyunderbothsensations,Courtlandwentonblindly: \"Buthewasnottheonlyone,MissDows。Therewasanothermanpickedupwhoalsohadyourpicture。\" \"Yes——JoyceMasterton。Theysentittome。Butyoudidn’tkillHIM,too?\" \"Idon’tknowthatIpersonallykilledeither,\"hesaidalittlecoldly。Hepaused,andcontinuedwithagravitywhichhecouldnothelpfeelingveryinconsistentandevenludicrous:\"Theywerebravemen,MissDows。\" \"Tohavewornmypicture?\"saidMissSallybrightly。 \"TohaveTHOUGHTtheyhadsomuchtolivefor,andyettohavewillinglylaiddowntheirlivesforwhattheybelievedwasright。\" \"Yo’didn’tgohuntin’meforthreeyearstotellME,aSo’th’ngirl,thatSo’th’nmenknowhowtofight,didyo’,co’nnle?\" returnedtheyounglady,withtheslightestliftingofherheadanddroopingofherblue—veinedlidsinadivinehauteur。\"Theywerealwaysreadyenoughforthat,evenamongthemselves。Itwasmucheasierforthesepooahboystofightathingoutthanthinkitout,orworkitout。Yo’folksintheNo’thlearnedtodoallthree; that’swhereyougotthegriponus。Yo’looksurprised,co’nnle。\" \"Ididn’texpectyouwouldlookatit——quitein——in——thatway,\" saidCourtlandawkwardly。 \"IamsorryIdisappointedyo’afteryo’’dtakensuchaheapo’ trouble,\"returnedtheyoungladywithapuzzlingassumptionofhumilityassheroseandsmoothedoutherskirts,\"butIcouldn’tknowexactlywhatyo’mightbeexpectingafterthreeyears;ifI HAD,Imighthaveputonmo’ning。\"Shestoppedandadjustedastrayingtendrilofherhairwiththesharpcornerofthedeadman’sletter。\"ButIthankyo’,allthesame,co’nnle。Itwasrealgoodinyo’tothinkoftotingthesethingsoverhere。\"Andsheheldoutherhandfrankly。 Courtlandtookitwiththesickeningconsciousnessthatforthelastfiveminuteshehadbeenanunconscionableass。Hecouldnotprolongtheinterviewaftershehadsosignificantlyrisen。Ifhehadonlytakenhisleaveandkepttheletterandlocketforalatervisit,perhapswhentheywereolderfriends!Itwastoolatenow。 Hebentoverherhandforamoment,againthankedherforhercourtesy,andwithdrew。Amomentlatersheheardtherecedingbeatofhishorse’shoofsontheroad。 Sheopenedthedrawerofabrass—handledcabinet,andafteramoment’scriticalsurveyofherpictureinthedeadman’slocket,tosseditandtheletterintotherecessesofthedrawer。Thenshestopped,removedherlittleslipperfromherfoot,lookedatTHAT,too,thoughtfully,andcalled\"Sophy!\" \"MissSally?\"saidthegirl,reappearingatthedoor。 \"Areyousureyoudidnotmovethatladder?\" \"I’claretogoodness,MissSally,Inevertechedit!\" MissSallydirectedacriticalglanceatherhandmaiden’sred— coifedhead。\"No,\"shesaidtoherselfsoftly,\"itfeltnicerthanwool,anyway!\" CHAPTERIII。 Inspiteoftheawkwardterminationofhisvisit,——orperhapsBECAUSEofit,——Courtlandcalledagainattheplantationwithintheweek。ButthistimehewasaccompaniedbyDrummond,andwasreceivedbyMissMirandaDows,atall,aquiline—nosedspinsteroffifty,whoseold—timepolitenesshadbecomeslightlyaffected,andwhoseoldbeliefshadgivenwaytoahalf—cynicalacceptanceofnewfacts。Mr。Drummond,delightedwiththefarmanditsmanagement,wasnolessfascinatedbyMissSally,whileCourtlandwasnowdiscreetenoughtodividehisattentionsbetweenherandheraunt,withtheresultthathewasfarfromparticipatinginChampney’sconvictionofMissMiranda’sunimportance。Tothefreedmenshestillrepresentedtheoldimplacabletask—mistress,anditwasevidentthattheysuperstitiouslybelievedthatshestillretainedavaguepowerofoverridingtheFourteenthAmendmentatherpleasure,andwasonlytoberestrainedbythemediationofthegood—humoredandsensibleMissSally。Courtlandwasquicktoseethevalueofthisinfluenceinthetransitionstateofthefreedmen,andpointeditouttohisprincipal。Drummond’spreviousdoubtsandskepticism,alreadyweakenedbyMissSally’sfascinations,vanishedentirelyatthisprospectofbeneficiallyutilizingtheselingeringevilsofslavery。Hewasconvinced,hewasevenenthusiastic。Theforeigninvestorswerementobeboughtout;theestateimprovedandenlargedbythecompany,andthefairownersretainedinthemanagementandcontrol。Likemostprejudicedmen,Drummond’sconversionwassuddenandextreme,and,beingapracticalman,wasatonceactedupon。Atasecondandthirdinterviewthepreliminarieswerearranged,andinthreeweeksfromCourtland’sfirstvisit,theDows’plantationandpartofMajorReed’sweremergedinthe\"DrummondSyndicate,\"andplacedbeyondfinancialuncertainty。CourtlandremainedtorepresentthecompanyassuperintendentatRedlands,andwiththetransferoftheEnglishinvestmentsChampneyretired,ashehadsuggested,toasmallerventureofhisown,onaplantationafewmilesdistantwhichthecompanyhadbeenunabletosecure。 DuringthisintervalCourtlandhadfrequentinterviewswithMissSally,andeasyandunrestrainedaccesstoherpresence。Hehadneveragainerredonthesideofromanceoremotion;hehadneveragainreferredtotheinfelixletterandphotograph;and,withoutbeingobligedtoconfinehimselfstrictlytobusinessaffairs,hehadmaintainedaneven,quiet,neighborlyintercoursewithher。 Muchofthiswastheresultofhisownself—controlandsoldierlytraining,andgavelittleindicationofthedeeperfeelingthathewasconsciouslaybeneathit。Attimeshecaughttheyounggirl’seyesfixeduponhimwithamischievouscuriosity。Astrangethrillwentthroughhim;therearefewsituationssosubtleanddangerousastheaccidentalconfidencesandunderstandingsoftwoyoungpeopleofoppositesex,eventhoughthequestionofanysentimentalinclinationbestillinabeyance。CourtlandknewthatMissSallyrememberedthetooseriousattitudehehadtakentowardsherpast。 Shemightlaughatit,andevenresentit,butsheKNEWit,rememberedit,knewthatHEdid,andthispreciousknowledgewasconfinedtothemselves。Itwasintheirmindswhentherewasapauseintheirmorepracticalandconventionalconversation,andwasevenrevealedintheexcessivecarewhichMissSallylatertooktoavertattherightmomenthermischievouslysmilingeyes。Onceshewentfarther。Courtlandhadjustfinishedexplainingtoheraplanforsubstitutingsmallfarmbuildingsfortheusualhalf— cultivatedgarden—patchesdeartothenegrofield—hand,andhadlaiddownthedrawingsonthetableintheoffice,whentheyounglady,leaningagainstitwithherhandsbehindher,fixedherbrightgrayeyesonhisseriousface。 \"Ivowandprotest,co’nnle,\"shesaid,droppingintooneofthequaintsurvivalsofanold—timephraseologypeculiartoherpeople,\"Ineverallowedyo’couldjustgiveyo’selfuptobusiness,soulandbody,asyo’do,whenIfirstmetyo’thatday。\" \"Why,whatdidyouthinkme?\"heaskedquickly。 MissSally,whohadaSouthernaptitudeforgesture,tookonelittlehandfrombehindher,twirleditaboveherheadwithaprettyairofdisposingofsomeairynothinginapresumablymasculinefashion,andsaid,\"Oh,THAT。\" \"IamafraidIdidnotimpressyouthenasaverypracticalman,\" hesaid,withafaintcolor。 \"Ithoughtyouroostedratherhigh,co’nnle,topickupmanywormsinthemo’ning。But,\"sheaddedwithadazzlingsmile,\"Ireckonfromwhatyo’saidaboutthephotograph,yo’thoughtIwasn’texactlywhatyo’believedIoughttobe,either。\" Hewouldhavelikedtotellherthenandtherethathewouldhavebeencontentifthosebright,beautifuleyeshadneverkindledwithanythingbutloveorwomanlyaspiration;thatthatsoft,lazy,caressingvoicehadneverbeenliftedbeyondthefiresideordomesticcircle;thatthesunny,tendriledhairandpinkearshadneverinclinedtoanythingbutwhisperedadmiration;andthatthegraceful,lithe,erectfigure,soindependentandself—contained,hadbeensatisfiedtoleanonlyuponhisarmforsupport。Hewasconsciousthatthishadbeeninhismindwhenhefirstsawher;hewasequallyconsciousthatshewasmorebewilderinglyfascinatingtohiminherpresentinaccessibleintelligenceandpracticality。 \"Iconfess,\"hesaid,lookingintohereyeswithavaguesmile,\"I didnotexpectyouwouldbesoforgetfulofsomeonewhohadevidentlycaredforyou。\" \"MeaningMr。ChetBrooks,orMr。JoyceMasterton,orboth。That’slikemostyo’men,co’nnle。Yo’reckonbecauseagirlpleasesyo’ sheoughttobegratefulallherlife——andyo’rs,too!Yo’thinkdifferentnow!Butyo’needn’tactuptoitquitesomuch。\"Shemadealittledeprecatinggesturewithherdisengagedhandasiftowardoffanyretaliatinggallantry。\"Iain’tspeakingformyself,co’nnle。Yo’andmearegoodenoughfriends。Butthegirlsroundherethinkyo’’reatrifletoomuchtakenupwithriceandniggers。Andlookingatiteveninyo’rlight,co’nnle,itain’tBUSINESS。Yo’wanttokeepstraightwithMajorReed,soitwouldbejustaswelltosquarethemajor’swomanfolks。TavyandGussieReedain’texactlypoisonous,co’nnle,andyo’mightseeoneortheotherhomefromchurchnextSunday。TheSundayafterthat,justtoshowyo’ain’tparticular,andthatyo’goinforbeingaregularbeau,yo’mightwalkhomewithME。Don’tbefrightened——I’vegotabettergownthanthis。It’sanewone,justcomehomefromLouisville,andI’llwearitfortheoccasion。\" Hedidnotdaretosaythatthequaintfrockshewasthenwearing—— aplain\"checked\"householdginghamusedforchildren’spinafores,withitsribbonsofthesamepattern,gatheredinbowsatthesmartapronpockets——hadbecomeapartofherbeauty,forhewasalreadyhopelesslyconsciousthatshewaslovelyinanything,andhemightbeimpelledtosayso。Hethankedhergravelyandearnestly,butwithoutgallantryoreffusion,andhadthesatisfactionofseeingthemischiefinhereyesincreaseinproportiontohisseriousness,andheardhersaywithaffectedconcern:\"Bearup,co’nnle!Don’tletitworryyo’tillthetimecomes,\"andtookhisleave。 OnthefollowingSundayhewaspresentattheRedlandsEpiscopalChurch,andaftertheservicestoodwithoutwardcomposurebutsomeinwardchafingamongthegallantyouthwho,afterthelocalfashion,hadrangedthemselvesoutsidethedoorsofthebuilding。 HewassomewhatsurprisedtofindMr。Champney,evidentlyasmuchoutofplaceashimself,butlessself—contained,waitinginthecrowdofexpectantcavaliers。AlthoughconvincedthattheyoungEnglishmanhadcomeonlytoseeMissSally,hewasgladtosharehisawkwardisolationwithanotherstranger,andgreetedhimpleasantly。TheDows’pew,beingnearertotheentrancethantheReeds’,gaveupitsoccupantsfirst。ColonelCourtlandliftedhishattoMissMirandaandhernieceatthesamemomentthatChampneymovedforwardandrangedhimselfbesidethem。MissSally,catchingCourtland’seye,showedthewhitesofherowninabackwardglanceofmischievoussignificancetoindicatethefollowingReeds。Whentheyapproached,Courtlandjoinedthem,andfindinghimselfbesideMissOctaviaenteredintoconversation。Apparentlythesuppressedpassionandsardonicmelancholyofthatdark—eyedyoungladyspurredhimtoalighter,gayerhumoreveninproportionasMissSally’sgood—naturedlevityandsunnypracticalityalwaysmadehimserious。Theypresentlyfelltotherearwithothercouples,andweresoonquitealone。 Alittlehaughty,buttallanderectinherwell—preservedblackgrenadinedress,whichgavehertheappearanceofayouthfulbutimplacablewidow,MissReeddeclaredshehadnotseentheco’nnlefor\"acoon’sage,\"andcertainlyhadnotexpectedtohavethehonorofhiscompanyaslongastherewereniggerstobeelevatedorpaintedtolooklikewhitemen。ShehopedthatheandpawandSallyDowswerehappy!Theyhadn’tyetgotsofarastoputupaniggerpreacherintheplaceofMr。Symes,theirrector,butsheunderstoodthattherewassometalkofrunningHannibalJohnson—— MissDows’coachman——forcountyjudgenextyear!No!shehadnotheardthattheco’nnleHIMSELFhadthoughtofrunningfortheoffice!Hemightlaughatherasmuchasheliked——heseemedtobeinbetterspiritsthanwhenshefirstsawhim——onlyshewouldliketoknowifitwas\"No’th’nstyle\"tolaughcominghomefromchurch? OfcourseifitWASshewouldhavetoadoptitwiththeFourteenthAmendment。But,justnow,shenoticedthefolkswerestaringatthem,andMissSallyDowshadturnedroundtolook。Nevertheless,MissOctavia’ssallowcheeknearestthecolonel——thesunnyside—— hadtakenafaintbrunette’sflush,andthecornersofherproudmouthwereslightlylifted。 \"But,candidly,MissReed,don’tyouthinkthatyouwouldprefertohaveoldHannibal,whomyouknow,ascountyjudge,thanastrangerandaNorthernmanlikeME?\" MissReed’sdarkeyesglancedsidewaysatthehandsomefaceandelegantfigurebesideher。Somethinglikeasaucysmilestruggledtoherthinlips。 \"Theremightn’tbemuchtochoose,Co’nnle。\" \"Iadmitit。Weshouldbothacknowledgeourmistress,andbelikewaxinherhands。\" \"Yo’oughttomakethatpootyspeechtoSallyDows,she’sgenerallymistressaroundhere。But,\"sheadded,suddenlyfixinghereyesonhim,\"howdoesithappenthatyo’ain’twalkingwithherinsteadofthatEnglishman?Yo’knowthatit’sasplainasdaythathetookthatlandovertherejusttobenearher,whenhewasnolongeragent。\" ButCourtlandwasalwaysmasterofhimselfandquiteateaseregardingMissSallywhennotinthatlady’spresence。\"Youforget,\"hesaidsmilingly,\"thatI’mstillastrangerandknewlittleofthelocalgossip;andifIdidknowit,Iamafraidwedidn’tbargaintobuyupwiththeLANDMr。Champney’spersonalinterestintheLANDLADY。\" \"Yo’’dhavehadyourhandsfull,forIreckonshe’spootyheavilymortgagedinthatfashion,already,\"returnedMissReedwithmerebadinagethanspitefulnessinthesuggestion。\"AndMr。ChampneywasrunpootyclosebyaFrenchcousinofherswhenhewashere。 Yo’haven’tgotanyFrenchbookstolendme,co’nnle——haveyo’? PawsaysyoureadaheapofFrench,andIfinditmightyhardtokeepupMYpracticesinceIlefttheConventatSt。Louis,forpawdon’tknewwhatsortofbookstoorder,andIreckonhemakesawfulmistakessometimes。\" Theconversationhereturninguponpoliteliterature,itappearedthatMissOctavia’sFrenchreading,throughashy,proudinnocenceandanimperfectknowledgeofthewickedsubtletiesofthelanguage,wassomewhatbroadandunconventionalforayounglady。 Courtlandpromisedtosendhersomebooks,andevenventuredtosuggestsomeAmericanandEnglishnovelsnotintensely\"No’th’n\" nor\"metaphysical\"——accordingtotheacceptedSouthernbeliefs。A newrespectandpityinginterestinthissullen,solitarygirl,crampedbytradition,andbruisedratherthanenlightenedbysadexperiences,cameoverhim。Hefoundhimselftalkingquiteconfidentiallytotheliftedhead,archedeyebrows,andaquilinenosebesidehim,andeventhinkingwhatahandsomehigh—bredBROTHERshemighthavebeentosomeone。Whentheyhadreachedthehouse,incompliancewiththefamiliarcustom,hesatdownononeofthelowerstepsoftheveranda,whileshe,shakingoutherskirt,tookaseatasteportwoabovehim。Thisenabledhim,afterthelanguidlocalfashion,toleanonhiselbowandgazeupintotheeyesoftheyounglady,whileshewithequallanguorlookeddownuponhim。ButinthepresentinstanceMissReedleanedforwardsuddenly,anddartingasharpquickglanceintohisveryconsciousnesssaid:—— \"Andyo’meantosay,co’nnle,there’snothingbetweenyo’andSallyDows?\" Courtlandneitherflushed,trembled,grewconfused,norprevaricated。 \"Wearegoodfriends,Ithink,\"herepliedquietly,withoutevasionorhesitation。 MissReedlookedathimthoughtfully,\"Ireckonthatisso——andnomore。Andthat’swhyyo’’vebeensoluckyineverything,\"shesaidslowly。 \"Idon’tthinkIquiteunderstand,\"returnedCourtland,smiling。 \"Isthisaparadox——oraconsolation?\" \"It’stheTRUTH,\"saidMissReedgravely。\"ThosewhotrytobeanythingmoretoSallyDowslosetheirluck。\" \"Thatis——arerejectedbyher。Isshereallysorelentless?\" continuedCourtlandgayly。 \"Imeanthattheylosetheirluckineverything。Somethingissuretohappen。AndSHEcan’thelpiteither。\" \"IsthisaSibyllinewarning,MissReed?\" \"No。It’sniggersuperstition。ItcamefromMammyJudy,Sally’soldnurse。It’spartoftheirregularHoo—doo。ShebewitchedMissSallywhenshewasababy,sothateverybodyisboundtoHERaslongastheycareforher,andsheisn’tboundtoTHEMinanyway。 Alltheirluckgoestoherassoonasthespellisonthem,\"sheaddeddarkly。 \"IthinkIknowtherest,\"returnedCourtlandwithstillgreatersolemnity。\"Yougatherthebudsofthewitch—hazelinAprilwhenthemoonisfull。Youthenpluckthreehairsfromtheyounglady’srighteyebrowwhensheisn’tlooking\"—— \"Yo’canlaugh,co’nnle,foryo’’relucky——becauseyo’’refree。\" \"I’mnotsosureofthat,\"hesaidgallantly,\"forIoughttoberidingatthismomentovertotheInfirmarytovisitmySundaysick。Ifbeingmadetopleasantlyforgetone’stimeanddutyisasignofwitchcraftIamafraidMammyJudy’senchantmentswerenotconfinedtoonlyoneSouthernyounglady。\" Thesoundofquickfootstepsonthegravelpathcausedthembothtolookup。Asurlylookingyoungfellow,ostentatiouslybootedandspurred,andcarryingaheavyrawhideriding—whipinhisswinginghand,wasapproachingthem。Deliberately,yetwithuneasyself— consciousness,ignoringthepresenceofCourtland,henoddedabruptlytoMissReed,ascendedthesteps,brushedpastthembothwithoutpausing,andenteredthehouse。 \"Isthatyo’rmanners,Mr。Tom?\"calledtheyoungladyafterhim,aslightflushrisingtohersallowcheek。TheyoungmanmutteredsomethingfromthehallwhichCourtlanddidnotcatch。\"It’sCousinTomHigbee,\"sheexplainedhalfdisdainfully。\"He’shadsomeuglinesswithhishorse,Ireckon;butpawoughttoteachhimhowtobehave。And——Idon’tthinkhelikesNo’th’nmen,\"sheaddedgravely。 Courtland,whohadkepthistemperwithhisfullunderstandingoftheintruder’smeaning,smiledashetookMissReed’shandinparting。\"That’squiteenoughexplanation,andIdon’tknowwhyitshouldn’tbeevenanapology。\" YettheincidentleftlittleimpressiononhimashestrolledbacktoRedlands。Itwasnotthefirsttimehehadtastedthedregsofformersectionalhatredinincivilityanddiscourtesy,butasitseldomcamefromhisoldpersonalantagonists——thesoldiers——andwasconfinedtothecallowyouth,previousnon—combatantsandpoliticians,hecouldaffordtooverlookit。HedidnotseeMissSallyduringthefollowingweek。 CHAPTERIV。 OnthenextSundayhewasearlyatchurch。Buthehadperhapsaccentedtheoccasionbydrivingthereinalightbuggybehindafastthoroughbred,possiblyselectedmoretothetasteofasmartcavalryofficerthananagriculturalsuperintendent。Hewasalreadyinasidepew,hiseyesdreamilyfixedontheprayer—bookledgebeforehim,whentherewasarustleatthechurchdoor,andathrillofcuriosityandadmirationpassedovertheexpectantcongregation。ItwastheentranceoftheDowsparty,MissSallywelltothefore。Shewasinhernewclothes,thelatestfashioninLouisville,thelatestbuttwoinParisandNewYork。 Itwasovertwentyyearsago。Ishallnotimperiltheeffectofthatlovelyvisionbyrecallingtotheeyeofto—dayafashionofyesterday。Enough,thatitenabledhertosethersweetfaceandvaporygoldenhairinahorseshoeframeofdelicateflowers,andtoliftherovalchinoutofabewilderingmistoftulle。Nordidacertainlightpolonaiseconcealtheoutlinesofhercharmingfigure。Eventhosewhowereconstrainedtowhispertoeachotherthat\"MissSally\"must\"benowgoingontwenty—five,\"didsobecauseshestillcarriedtheslendergracesofseventeen。Theorganswelledasiftowelcomeher;asshetookherseatarayofsunlight,thatwouldhavebeencruelandsearchingtoanyothercomplexion,driftedacrossthefaintpinkofhercheeks,andnestlinginhernebuloushairbecameitselftransfigured。Afewstained—glassVirtuesonthewindowsdidnotcomeoutofthiseffulgenceastriumphantly,anditwassmallwonderthatthedevotionaleyesoftheworshiperswanderedfromthemtothefaceofSallyDows。 Whentheservicewasover,asthecongregationfiledslowlyintotheaisle,Courtlandslippedmutelybehindher。Asshereachedtheporchhesaidinanundertone: \"Ibroughtmyhorseandbuggy。Ithoughtyoumightpossiblyallowmetodrive\"——Buthewasstoppedbyadistressfulknittingofhergoldenbrows。\"No,\"shesaidquickly,butfirmly,\"youmustnot—— itwon’tdo。\"AsCourtlandhesitatedinmomentaryperplexity,shesmiledsweetly:\"We’llwalkroundbythecemetery,ifyoulike;itwilltakeaboutaslongasadrive。\"Courtlandvanished,gavehurriedinstructionsandadollartoaloungingnegro,andrejoinedMissSallyasthedelightedandproudfreedmandroveoutofthegate。MissSallyheavedaslightsighasthegallantequipagepassed。\"Itwasamightypootyturnout,co’nnle,andI’dhavejustadmiredtogo,butitwouldhavebeenratherhardontheotherfolks。There’stheReedsandMaxwellsandRobertsonsthataretoopooahtokeepbloodhorses,andtooproudtoridebehindanythingelse。Itwouldn’tbetherightthingforustogowhirlingby,scatteringourdustoverthem。\"Therewassomethingsosubtlypleasantinthisimpliedpartnershipofresponsibility,thatCourtlandforgottheabruptrefusalandthoughtonlyofthetactthatpromptedit。Nevertheless,hereaspellseemedtofalluponhisusuallyreadyspeech。Nowthattheyweretogetherforthefirsttimeinadistinctlysocialfashion,hefoundhimselfvacantly,meaninglesslysilent,contenttowalkbesidethischarming,summerypresence,brushedbyitsdelicatedraperies,andinhalingitsfreshness。Presentlyitspoke。 \"ItwouldtakemorethanathousandfeetoflumbertopatchupthecowshedsbeyondtheMoseleypasture,andanentirelynewbuildingwithanimproveddairywouldrequireonlyabouttwothousandmore。 Alltheoldmaterialwouldcomeingoodforfencing,andcouldbeusedwiththenewpostandrails。Don’tyo’thinkitwouldbebettertohaveanout—and—outnewbuilding?\" \"Yes,certainly,\"returnedCourtlandalittleconfusedly。Hehadnotcalculateduponthispracticalconversation,andwasthemoredisconcertedastheywerepassingsomeoftheothercouples,whohadpurposelylingeredtooverhearthem。 \"And,\"continuedtheyounggirlbrightly,\"thefreightquestionisgettingtobeaprettyseriousone。AuntMirandaholdssomesharesintheBriggsvillebranchline,andthinkssomethingcouldbedonewiththedirectorsforanewtariffofchargesifsheputapressureonthem;Tylersaysthattherewassometalkoftheirreducingitonesixteenthpercent。beforewemovethisyear’scrop。\" Courtlandglancedquicklyathiscompanion’sface。Itwasgrave,buttherewasthefaintestwrinklingofthecorneroftheeyelidnearesthim。\"Hadwenotbetterleavetheseseriousquestionsuntilto—morrow?\"hesaid,smiling。 MissSallyopenedhereyesdemurely。\"Why,yo’seemedSOquiet,I reckonedyo’mustbefullofbusinessthismorning;butifyo’ prefercompanytalk,we’llchangethesubject。Theysaythatyo’ andMissReeddidn’thavemuchtroubletofindonelastSunday。 Shedon’tusuallytalkmuch,butshekeepsupapowerofthinking。 Ishouldreckon,\"sheadded,suddenlyeyinghimcritically,\"thatyo’andshemighthaveaheapo’thingstosaytoeachother。 She’sagooddealinyo’fashion,co’nnle,shedon’tforget,but\"—— moreslowly——\"Idon’tknowthatTHAT’SaltogetherthebestthingforYO’!\" Courtlandliftedhiseyeswithaffectedconsternation。\"Ifthisisinthelightofanothermysteriouswarning,MissDows,Iwarnyouthatmyintellectisalreadytotteringwiththem。LastSundayMissReedthrilledmeforanhourwithsuperstitionandCassandra—likeprophecy。Don’tthingseverhappenaccidentallyhere,andwithoutwarning?\" \"Imean,\"returnedtheyoungladywithherusualpracticaldirectness,\"thatTaveReedremembersagoodmanyhorridthingsaboutthewahthatsheoughttoforget,butdon’t。But,\"shecontinued,lookingathimcuriously,\"sheallowsshewasmightycutupbyhercousin’smannertoyo’。\" \"IamafraidthatMissReedwasmoreannoyedthanIwas,\"saidCourtland。\"Ishouldbeverysorryifsheattachedanyimportancetoit,\"headdedearnestly。 \"AndYO’don’t?\"continuedMissSally。 \"No。WhyshouldI?\"Shenoticed,however,thathehadslightlydrawnhimselfupalittlemoreerect,andshesmiledashecontinued,\"IdaresayIshouldfeelashedoesifIwereinhisplace。\" \"ButYO’wouldn’tdoanythingunderhanded,\"shesaidquietly。Asheglancedatherquicklysheaddeddryly:\"Don’ttrusttoomuchtopeoplealwaysactinginyo’fashion,co’nnle。Anddon’tthinktoomuchnortoolittleofwhatyo’hearhere。Yo’’rejustthekindofmantomakeagoodmanysillyenemies,andasmanyfoolishfriends。AndIdon’tknowwhichwillgiveyo’themosttrouble。 Onlydon’tyo’underrateEITHER,orholdyo’headsohigh,yo’ don’tseewhat’scrawlin’aroundyo’。That’swhy,inacopperheadswamp,ahorseisbittenoftenerthanahog。\" Shesmiled,yetwithknittedbrowsandsuchaprettyaffectationofconcernforhercompanionthathesuddenlytookheart。 \"IwishIhadONEfriendIcouldcallmyown,\"hesaidboldly,lookingstraightintohereyes。\"I’dcarelittleforotherfriends,andfearnoenemies。\" \"Yo’’reright,co’nnle,\"shesaid,ostentatiouslyslantingherparasolinamarveloussimulationofhidingapurelyimaginativeblushonacheekthatwasperfectlyinfantineinitsunchangedpink;\"companytalkismuchpootierthanwhatwe’vebeensaying。 And——meaningme——forIreckonyo’wouldn’tsaythatofanyothergirlbuttheoneyo’’rewalkingwith——what’sthematterwithme?\" Hecouldnothelpsmiling,thoughhehesitated。\"Nothing!butothershavebeendisappointed。\" \"AndthatbothersYO’?\" \"ImeanIhaveasyethadnorighttoputyourfeelingstoanytest,while\"—— \"PoorChethad,yo’weregoingtosay!Well,hereweareatthecemetery!Ireckonedyo’wereboundtogetbacktothedeadagainbeforewe’dgonefar,andthat’swhyIthoughtwemighttakethecemeteryonourway。Itmayputmeinamoreproperframeofmindtopleaseyo’。\" Asheraisedhiseyeshecouldnotrepressaslightstart。Hehadnotnoticedbeforethattheyhadpassedthroughasmallgatewayondivergingfromtheroad,andwasquiteunpreparedtofindhimselfontheedgeofagentleslopeleadingtoabeautifulvalley,andbeforehimalongvistaoftombs,whitehead—stonesandlowcrosses,edgedbydroopingcypressandtrailingfeatheryvines。 Somevineshadfallenandbeencaughtinlongloopsfromboughtobough,likefuneralgarlands,andhereandtherethetopsofisolatedpalmettosliftedaclusterofhearse—likeplumes。Yetinspiteofthisdominanceofsombrebutgracefulshadow,thedroopingdelicacyofdark—tasseledfoliageandleafyfringes,andthewavingmourningveilsofgray,translucentmoss,agloriousvivifyingSouthernsunsmiledandglitteredeverywhereasthroughtears。Thebalmofbay,southernwood,pine,andsyringabreathedthroughthelongalleys;thestimulatingscentofrosesmovedwitheveryzephyr,andthecloserodorsofjessamine,honeysuckle,andorangeflowershungheavilyinthehollows。ItseemedtoCourtlandlikethemourningofbeautifulandyouthfulwidowhood,seductiveeveninitsdissemblingtrappings,provocativeinthecontrastofitsownstillstrongvirility。Everywherethegrassgrewthickandluxuriant;thequickearthwasteemingwiththegerminationofthedeadbelow。 Theymovedslowlyalongsidebyside,speakingonlyofthebeautyofthespotandthegloryofthatsummerday,whichseemedtohavecompleteditsperfectionhere。Perhapsfromtheheat,theoverpoweringperfume,orsomeunsuspectedsentiment,theyoungladybecamepresentlyassilentandpreoccupiedashercompanion。Shebegantolingerandloiterbehind,hoveringlikeabutterflyoversomefloweringshruborclusteredsheafoflilies,until,encounteredsuddenlyinherfloatingdraperies,shemighthavebeentakenforasomewhatearlyandfartoobecomingghost。Itseemedtohim,also,thatherbrighteyeswereslightlyshadowedbyagentlethoughtfulness。Hemovedclosetohersidewithanirresistibleimpulseoftenderness,butsheturnedsuddenly,andsaying,\"Come!\"movedataquickerpacedownanarrowsidepath。 Courtlandfollowed。Hehadnotgonefarbeforehenoticedthatthegravesseemedtofallintoregularlines,theemblemsbecamecheaperandmorecommon;woodenheadandfootstonesofonemonotonouspatterntooktheplaceofcarvedfreestoneormarble,andheknewthattheyhadreachedthatpartofthecemeteryreservedforthosewhohadfalleninthewar。Thelonglinesdrawnwithmilitaryprecisionstretchedthroughthelittlevalley,andagainuptheoppositehillinanoddsemblanceofhollowsquares,ranks,andcolumns。AvaguerecollectionofthefatefulslopeofSnakeRivercameoverhim。ItwasintensifiedasMissSally,whowasstillprecedinghim,suddenlystoppedbeforeanisolatedmoundbearingabrokenmarbleshaftandapedestalwiththeinscription,\"ChesterBrooks。\"Afewwitheredgarlandsandimmortelleswerelyingatitsbase,butencirclingthebrokenshaftwasaperfectlyfresh,unfadedwreath。 \"Younevertoldmehewasburiedhere!\"saidCourtlandquickly,halfshockedattheunexpectedrevelation。\"WashefromthisState?\" \"No,buthisregimentwas,\"saidMissSally,eyingthewreathcritically。 \"Andthiswreath,isitfromyou?\"continuedCourtlandgently。 \"Yes,Ithoughtyo’’dliketoseesomethingfreshandpooty,insteadofthosestaleones。\" \"Andweretheyalsofromyou?\"heaskedevenmoregently。 \"Dearno!Theywereleftoverfromlastanniversarydaybysomeoftheveterans。That’stheonlyoneIputthere——thatis——IgotMr。 Champneytoleaveithereonhiswaytohishouse。Helivesjustyonder,yo’know。\" Itwasimpossibletoresistthisinvinciblenaivete。CourtlandbithislipasthevisionarosebeforehimofthisstillmorenaifEnglishadmirerbringinghither,atMissSally’sbidding,thetributewhichshewishedtoplaceonthegraveofanoldlovertopleaseaTHIRDman。Meantime,shehadputhertwolittlehandsbehindherbackinthesimulatedattitudeof\"agoodgirl,\"andwassayinghalfsmilingly,andheeventhoughthalfwistfully:—— \"Areyo’satisfied?\" \"Perfectly。\" \"Thenlet’sgoaway。It’smightyhothere。\" Theyturnedaway,anddescendingtheslopeagainre—enteredthethickershadeofthemainavenue。HeretheyseemedtohaveleftthesterneraspectofDeath。Theywalkedslowly;theairwasheavywiththehotincenseofflowers;theroadsinkingalittleleftagrassybankononeside。HereMissSallyhaltedandlistlesslyseatedherself,motioningCourtlandtodothesame。Heobeyedeagerly。Theincidentofthewreathhadtroubledhim,albeitwithcontendingsensations。ShehadgivenittopleaseHIM;whyshouldHEquestionthemanner,ortormenthimselfwithanyretrospectivethought?Hewouldhavegivenworldstohavebeenabletoacceptitlightlyorgallantly,——withanyothergirlhecould;butheknewhewastremblingonthevergeofapassionatedeclaration;themagnitudeofthestakewastoogreattobeimperiledbyalevityofwhichshewasmoreamistressthanhimself,andheknewthathissentimenthadfailedtoimpressher。Hispridekepthimfromappealingtoherstrangelypracticalnature,althoughhehadrecognizedandacceptedit,andhadevenbeguntobelieveitanessentialpartofthestrongfascinationshehadoverhim。Butbeingneitheracowardnoraweak,hesitatingidealist,whenhedeliberatelytookhisseatbesideherheasdeliberatelymadeuphismindtoaccepthisfate,whateveritmightbe,thenandthere。 Perhapstherewassomethingofthisinhisface。\"Ithoughtyo’ werelookingalittlewhite,co’nnle,\"shesaidquietly,\"andI reckonedwemightsitdownaspell,andthentakeitslowlyhome。 Yo’ain’taccustomedtotheSo’th’nsun,andtheairinthehollowWASswampy。\"Ashemadeaslightgestureofdenial,shewentonwithaprettysisterlysuperiority:\"That’sthewayofyo’No’th’nmen。Yo’thinkyo’candoeverythingjustasifyo’wererearedtoit,andyo’nevermakeallowancefordifferentclimates,differentblood,anddifferentcustoms。That’swhereyo’slipup。\" Buthewasalreadyleaningtowardsherwithhisdarkearnesteyesfixeduponherinawayshecouldnolongermistake。\"Attheriskofslippingupagain,MissDows,\"hesaidgently,droppingintoherdialectwithutterlyunconsciousflattery,\"IamgoingtoaskyoutoteachmeeverythingYOUwish,tobeallthatYOUdemand——whichwouldbefarbetter。Youhavesaidweweregoodfriends;Iwantyoutoletmehopetobemore。IwantyoutooverlookmydeficienciesandthedifferencesofmyraceandletmemeetyouontheonlylevelwhereIcanclaimtobetheequalofyourownpeople——thatoflovingyou。Givemeonlythesamechanceyougavetheotherpoorfellowwhosleepsyonder——thesamechanceyougavetheluckiermanwhocarriedthewreathforyoutoputuponhisgrave。\" Shehadlistenedwithdelicatelyknittedbrows,thefaintesttouchofcolor,andahalf—laughing,half—superiordisapprobation。Whenhehadfinished,sheutteredaplaintivelittlesigh。\"Yo’ oughtn’ttohavesaidthat,co’nnle,butyo’andmearetoogoodfriendstoletevenTHATstandbetweenus。Andtoproveittoyo’ I’mgoingtoforgetitrightaway——andsoareyo’。\" \"ButIcannot,\"hesaidquickly;\"ifIcouldIshouldbeunworthyofevenyourfriendship。Ifyoumustrejectit,donotmakemefeeltheshameofthinkingyoubelievemecapableofwantontrifling。Iknowthatthisavowalisabrupttoyou,butitisnottome。Youhaveknownmeonlyforthreemonths,butthesethreemonthshavebeentometherealizationofthreeyears’dreaming!\" Assheremainedlookingathimwithbright,curiouseyes,butstillshakingherfairheaddistressedly,hemovednearerandcaughtherhandinthelittlepalelilacthreadglovethatwas,nevertheless,toowideforhersmallfingers,andsaidappealingly:\"ButwhyshouldYOUforgetit?Whymustitbeaforbiddentopic?Whatisthebarrier?Areyounolongerfree?Speak,MissDows——givemesomehope。MissDows!——Sally!\" Shehaddrawnherselfaway,distressed,protesting,herfairheadturnedaside,untilwithaslighttwistandnarrowingofherhandshesucceededinslippingitfromtheglovewhichsheleftaprisonerinhiseagerclasp。\"There!Yo’cankeeptheglove,co’nnle,\"shesaid,breathingquickly。\"Sitdown!Thisisnottheplacenortheweatherforhuskingfrolics!Well!——yo’wanttoknowWHYyo’mustn’tspeaktomeinthatway。Bestill,andI’lltellyo’。\" Shesmootheddownthefoldsofherfrock,sittingsidewaysonthebank,onelittlefoottouchingtheroad。\"Yo’mustn’tspeakthatwaytome,\"shewentonslowly,\"becauseit’sasmuchasyo’ company’swo’th,asmuchasOURproperty’swo’th,asmuchmaybeasyo’life’swo’th!Don’tliftyo’comb,co’nnle;ifyoudon’tcareforTHAT,othersmay。Sitstill,Itellyo’!Well,yo’comeherefromtheNo’thtorunthispropertyformoney——that’ssquareandfairbusiness;THATanyfoolherecanunderstand——it’sNo’th’nstyle;itdon’tinterferewiththesefools’familyaffairs;itdon’tbringintotheirbloodanyNo’th’ntaint;itdon’tdividetheirclannishness;itdon’tseparatefatherandson,sisterandbrother;andevenifyo’gotafootholdhereandsettleddown,theyknowtheycanalwaysoutvoteyo’fivetoone!Butletthesesamefoolsknowthatyo’’recourtin’aSo’th’ngirlknowntobe’Union’ duringthewah,thatgirlwhohaslaughedattheirfoolishness;letthemevenTHINKthathewantsthatgirltomixupthefamilyandtheraceandthepropertyforhim,andthereain’tayoungoroldfoolthatbelievesinSo’th’nisolationasthepriceofSo’th’nsalvationthatwouldn’triseagainstyo’!Thereisn’tonethatwouldn’tmakeshipwreckofyo’rsyndicateandyo’rcapitalandtheprosperityofRedlandsforthenextfouryearstocome,andthinktheyweredoingright!Theybegantosuspectyo’fromthefirst! Theysuspectedyo’whenyo’neverwentanywhere,butstuckclosetothefahmandme。That’swhyIwantedyo’toshowyourselfamongthegirls;theywouldn’thavemindedyo’flirtingwiththemwiththechanceofyo’breakingyo’heartoverTaveReedorLympyMorris!They’refoolsenoughtobelievethatasnuborajiltfromaSo’th’ngirlwouldpaythembackforalostbattleoraruinedplantation!\" ForthefirsttimeMissSallysawCourtland’scalmbloodflytohischeekandkindleinhiseye。\"YousurelydonotexpectMEtotoleratethisblindandinsolentinterference!\"hesaid,risingtohisfeet。 Sheliftedherunglovedhandindeprecation。\"Sitstill,co’nnle。 Yo’’vebeenasoldier,andyo’knowwhatdutyis。Well!what’syo’dutytoyo’company?\" \"Itneitherincludesmyprivateaffairsnorregulatesthebeatingofmyheart。Iwillresign。\" \"AndleavemeandAuntMirandaandtheplantation?\" \"No!Thecompanywillfindanothersuperintendenttolookafteryouraunt’saffairsandcarryoutourplans。Andyou,Sally——youwillletmefindyouahomeandfortuneNorth?Thereisworkformethere;thereisroomforyouamongmypeople。\" Sheshookherheadslowlywithasweetbutsuperiorsmile。\"No,co’nnle!Ididn’tbelieveinthewah,buttheleastIcoulddowastostandbymyfolksandsharethepunishmentthatIknewwascomingfromit。Idespisethisfoolishnessasmuchasyo’,butI can’trunawayfromit。Come,co’nnle,Iwon’taskyo’toforgetthis;mo’,I’llevenbelieveyo’MEANTit,butyo’’llpromisemeyo’won’tspeakofitagainaslongasyo’arewiththecompanyandAuntMirandaandme!Theremustn’tbemore——theremustn’tevenSEEMtobemore——betweenus。\" \"ButthenImayhope?\"hesaid,eagerlygraspingherhand。 \"Ipromisenothing,foryo’mustnotevenhaveTHATexcuseforspeakingofthisagain,eitherfromanythingIdoormayseemtodo。\"Shestopped,releasedherhand,ashereyesweresuddenlyfixedonthedistance。Thenshesaidwithaslightsmile,butwithouttheleastembarrassmentorimpatience:\"There’sMr。 Champneycomingherenow。Ireckonhe’slookingtoseeifthatwreathissafe。\" Courtlandlookedupquickly。HecouldseethestrawhatoftheyoungEnglishmanjustabovethemyrtlebushesinapathintersectingtheavenue。Afaintshadowcrossedhisface。\"Letmeknowonethingmore,\"hesaidhurriedly。\"IknowIhavenorighttoaskthequestion,buthas——has——hasMr。Champneyanythingtodowithyourdecision?\" Shesmiledbrightly。\"Yo’askedjustnowifyo’couldhavethesamechanceheandChetBrookshad。Well,poorChetisdead,andMr。Champney——well!——waitandsee。\"Sheliftedhervoiceandcalled,\"Mr。Champney!\"Theyoungfellowcamebrisklytowardsthem;hisfacebetrayedaslightsurprise,butnodiscomfiture,asherecognizedhercompanion。 \"Oh,Mr。Champney,\"saidMissSallyplaintively,\"I’velostmyglovesomewherenearpooahBrooks’stombinthehollow。Won’tyougoandfetchit,andcomebackheretotakemehome?Theco’nnlehasgottogoandseehissickniggersinthehospital。\"Champneyliftedhishat,noddedgeniallytoCourtland,anddisappearedbelowthecypressesontheslope。\"Yo’mustn’tbemad,\"shesaid,turninginexplanationtohercompanion,\"butwehavebeenheretoolongalready,andit’sbetterthatIshouldbeseencominghomewithhimthanyo’。\" \"Thenthissectionalinterferencedoesnottouchhim?\"saidCourtlandbitterly。 \"No。He’sanEnglishman;hisfatherwasaknownfriendoftheConfederacy,andboughttheircottonbonds。\" Shestopped,gazingintoCourtland’sfacewithaprettyvagueimpatienceandaslightpoutingofherlip。 \"Co’nnle!\" \"MissSally。\" \"Yo’sayyo’hadknownmeforthreeyearsbeforeyo’sawme。Well,wemetoncebeforeweeverspoketoeachother!\" Courtlandlookedinherlaughingeyeswithadmiringwonder。 \"When?\"heasked。 \"Thefirstdayyo’came!Yo’movedtheladderwhenIwasonthecornice,andIwalkedalleveryo’head。And,likeagentleman,yo’neversaidawordaboutit。IreckonIstoodonyo’headforfiveminutes。\" \"Notaslongasthat,\"saidCourtlandlaughing,\"ifIrememberrightly。\" \"Yes,\"saidMissSallywithdancingeyes。\"I,aSo’th’ngirl,actuallysetmyfootontheheadofaNo’th’nscumofaco’nnle! My!\" \"Letthatsatisfyyourfriendsthen。\"