the village watch-tower-第21章

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but　Mrs。　Todd　deemed　it　much　better　for　him　to　be　in　the　open

air　than　dealing　out　rum　and　molasses　to　a　roystering　crew。

This　being　her　view　of　the　case；　it　is　unnecessary　to　state

that　he　went　on　driving　the　stage。



〃Do　you　wear　a　flannel　shirt；　Jerry？〃　asked　Pel　Frost　once。

〃I　don'　know；〃　he　replied；　〃ask　Mis'　Todd；　she　keeps　the　books。〃



〃Women…folks〃　（he　used　to　say　to　a　casual　passenger）；　〃like　all

other　animiles；　has　to　be　trained　up　before　they're　real　good　comp'ny。

You　have　to　begin　with　'em　early；　and　begin　as　you　mean　to　hold　out。

When　they　once　git　in　the　habit　of　takin'　the　bit　in　their　teeth　and

runnin'；　it's　too　late　for　you　to　hold　'em　in。〃



It　was　only　to　strangers　that　he　aired　his　convictions

on　the　training　of　〃womenfolks；〃　though　for　that　matter

he　might　safely　have　done　it　even　at　home；　for　everybody

in　Limington　knew　that　it　would　always　have　been　too　late

to　begin　with　the　Widder　Bixby；　since；　like　all　the　Stovers

of　Scarboro；　she　had　been　born　with　the　bit　in　her　teeth。

Jerry　had　never　done　anything　he　wanted　to　since　he　had

married　her；　and　he　hadn't　really　wanted　to　do　that。

He　had　been　rather　candid　with　her　on　this　point　（as　candid

as　a　tender…hearted　and　obliging　man　can　be　with　a　woman　who　is

determined　to　marry　him；　and　has　two　good　reasons　why　she　should

to　every　one　of　his　why　he　shouldn't）；　and　this　may　have　been

the　reason　for　her　jealousy。　　Although　by　her　superior　force

she　had　overborne　his　visible　reluctance；　she；　being　a　woman；

or　at　all　events　of　the　female　gender；　could　never　quite　forget

that　she　had　done　the　wooing。



Certainly　his　charms　were　not　of　the　sort　to　tempt　women　from　the　strict

and　narrow　path；　yet　the　fact　remained　that　the　Widder　Bixby　was　jealous；

and　more　than　one　person　in　Limington　was　aware　of　it。



Pelatiah；　otherwise　〃Pel〃　Frost；　knew　more　about　the　matter　than　most

other　folks；　because　he　had　unlimited　time　to　devote　to　general　culture。

Though　not　yet　thirty　years　old；　he　was　the　laziest　man　in　York　County。

（Jabe　Slocum　had　not　then　established　his　record；　and　Jot　Bascom　had　ruined

his　by　cutting　his　hay　before　it　was　dead　in　the　summer　of　'49；　always　alluded

to　afterwards　in　Pleasant　River　as　the　year　when　gold　was　discovered

and　Jot　Bascom　cut　his　hay。）



Pel　was　a　general　favorite　in　half　a　dozen　villages；

where　he　was　the　life　of　the　loafers'　bench。　　An　energetic

loafer　can　attend　properly　to　one　bench；　but　it　takes

genius　as　well　as　assiduity　to　do　justice　to　six　of　them。

His　habits　were　decidedly　convivial；　and　he　spent　a　good　deal

of　time　at　the　general　musters；　drinking　and　carousing　with

the　other　ne'er…do…weels。　You　may　be　sure　he　was　no　favorite

of　Mrs。　Todd's；　and　she　represented　to　him　all　that　is　most

undesirable　in　womankind；　his　taste　running　decidedly　to　rosy；

smiling；　easy…going　ones　who　had　no　regular　hours　for　meals；

but　could　have　a　dinner　on　the　table　any　time　in　fifteen

minutes　after　you　got　there。



Now；　a　certain　lady　with　a　noticeable　green　frock　and　a　white

〃drawn…in〃　cape　bonnet　had　graced　the　Midnight　Cry　on　its　journey

from　Limington　to　Saco　on　three　occasions　during　the　month　of　July。

Report　said　that　she　was　a　stranger　who　had　appeared　at　the　post…office

in　a　wagon　driven　by　a　small；　freckled　boy。



The　first　trip　passed　without　comment；　the　second

provoked　some　discussion；　on　the　occasion　of　the　third；

Mrs。　Todd　said　nothing；　because　there　seemed　nothing　to　say；

but　she　felt　so　out…of…sorts　that　she　cut　Jerry's　hair　close

to　his　head；　though　he　particularly　fancied　the　thin　fringe

of　curls　at　the　nape　of　his　neck。



Pel　Frost　went　over　to　Todd's　one　morning　to　borrow　an　axe；

and　seized　a　favorable　opportunity　to　ask　casually；　〃Oh；　Mis'

Todd；　did　Jerry　find　out　the　name　o'　that　woman　in　a　green　dress

and　white　bunnit　that　rid　to　Saco　with　him　last　week？〃



〃Mr。　Todd's　got　something　better　to　do　than　get　acquainted

with　his　lady　passengers；〃　snapped　Mrs。　Todd；　〃'specially　as　they

always　ride　inside。〃



〃I　know　they　gen'ally　do；〃　said　Pel；　shouldering　the　axe

（it　was　for　his　mother's　use）；　but　this　one　rides　up　in　front　part　o'

the　way；　so　I　thought　mebbe　Jerry　'd　find　out　something　'bout　her。

She's　han'some　as　a　picture；　but　she　must　have　a　good　strong　back

to　make　the　trip　down　'n'　up　in　one　day。〃



Nothing　could　have　been　more　effective　or　more

effectual　than　this　blow　dealt　with　consummate　skill。

Having　thus　driven　the　iron　into　Mrs。　Todd's　soul；

Pel　entertained　his　mother　with　an　account　of　the　interview

while　she　chopped　the　kindling…wood。　He　had　no　special　end

in　view　when；　Iago…like；　he　dropped　his　first　poisoned　seed

in　Mrs。　Todd's　fertile　mind；　or；　at　most；　nothing　worse

than　the　hope　that　matters　might　reach　an　unendurable　point；

and　Jerry　might　strike　for　his　altars　and　his　fires。

Jerry　was　a　man　and　a　brother；　and　petticoat　government　must

be　discouraged　whenever　and　wherever　possible；　or　the　world　would

soon　cease　to　be　a　safe　place　to　live　in。　　Pel's　idea　grew　upon

him　in　the　night　watches；　and　the　next　morning　he　searched　his

mother's　garret　till　he　found　a　green　dress　and　a　white　bonnet。

Putting　them　in　a　basket；　he　walked　out　on　the　road　a　little

distance　till　he　met　the　stage；　when；　finding　no　passengers　inside；

he　asked　Jerry　to　let　him　jump　in　and　〃ride　a　piece。〃

Once　within；　he　hastily　donned　the　green　wrapper　and　tell…tale

headgear；　and；　when　the　Midnight　Cry　rattled　down　the　stony　hill

past　the　Todd　house；　Pel　took　good　care　to　expose　a　large　green

sleeve　and　the　side　of　a　white　bonnet　at　the　stage　window。

It　was　easy　enough　to　cram　the　things　back　into　the　basket；

jump　out；　and　call　a　cordial　thank　you　to　the　unsuspecting　Jerry。

He　was　rewarded　for　his　ingenuity　and　enterprise　at　night；

when　he　returned　Mrs。　Todd's　axe；　for　just　as　he　reached

the　back　door　he　distinctly　heard　her　say　that　if　she　saw

that　green　woman　on　the　stage　again；　she　would　knock　her　off

with　a　broomstick　as　sure　as　she　was　a　Stover　of　Scarboro。

As　a　matter　of　fact　she　was　equal　to　it。　　Her　great…grandmother

had　been　born　on　a　soil　where　the　broomstick　is　a　prominent

factor　in　settling　connubial　differences；　and　if　it　occurred

to　her　at　this　juncture；　it　is　a　satisfactory　proof　of　the

theory　of　atavism。



Pel　intended　to　see　this　domestic　tragedy　through　to　the　end；

and　accordingly　took　another　brief　trip　in　costume　the　very　next　week；

hoping　to　be　the　witness　of　a　scene　of　blood　and　carnage。

But　Mrs。　Todd　did　not　stir　from　her　house；　although　he　was　confident

she　had　seen　〃my　lady　green…sleeves〃　from　her　post　at　the　window。

Puzzled　by　her　apathy；　and　much　disappointed　in　her　temper；

he　took　off　the　dress；　and；　climbing　up　in　front；　rode　to　Moderation；

where　he　received　an　urgent　invitation　to　go　over　to　the　county　fair

at　Gorham。　　The　last　idea　was　always　the　most　captivating　to　Pel；

and　he　departed　serenely　for　a　stay　of　several　days　without

so　much　luggage　as　a　hairbrush。　　His　mother's　best　clothespin　basket；

to　say　nothing　of　its　contents；　appeared　at　this　juncture　to　be

an　unexpected　incumbrance；　so　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　he　handed

it　up　to　Jerry　just　as　the　stage　was　starting；　saying；　〃If　Mis'

Todd　has　a　brash　to…night；　you　can　clear　yourself　by　showing

her　this　basket；　but　for　massy　sakes　don't　lay　it　on　to　me！

You　can　stan'　it　better'n　I　can；you　're　more　used　to　it！〃



Jerry　took　the　basket；　and　when　he　was　well　out　on　the　road

he　looked　inside　and　saw　a　bright　green　calico　wrapper；　a　white

cape　bonnet；　a　white　〃fall　veil；〃　and　a　pair　of　white　cotton　gloves。

He　had　ample　time　for　reflection；　for　it　was　a　hot　day；

and　though　he　drove　slowly；　the　horses　were　sweating　at　every　pore。

Pel　Frost；　then；　must　have　overheard　his　wife's　storm　of　reproaches；

perhaps　even　her　threats　of　violence。　　It　had　come　to　this；

that　he　was　the　village　laughing…stock；　a　butt　of　ridicule　at

the　store　and　tavern。



Now；　two　years　before　this；　Jerry　Todd　had　for　the　first

and　only　time　in　his　married　life　〃put　his　foot　down。〃

Mrs。　Todd　had　insisted　on　making　him　a　suit　of　clothes

much　against　his　wishes。　　When　finished　she　put　them

on　him　almost　by　main　force；　though　his　plaintive　appeals

would　have　melted　any　but　a　Stover…of…Scarboro　heart。

The　stuff　was　a　large　plaid；　the　elbows　and　knees　came

in　the　wrong　places；　the　seat　was　lined　with　enameled　cloth；

and　the　sleeves　cut　him　in　the　armholes。



Mr。　Todd　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　but　the　pent…up

slavery　of　years　stirred　in　him；　and；　mounting　to　his　brain；

gave　him　a　momentary　courage　that　resembled　intoxication。

He　retired；　took　off　the　suit；　hung　it　over　his　arm；　and；　stalking

into　the　sitting…room　in　his　undergarments；　laid　it　on　the　table

before　his　astonished　spouse；　and；　thumping　it　dramatically；

said　firmly；　〃Iwillnotwearthemclo'es！〃　whereupon

he　fell　into　silence　again　and　went　to　bed。



The　joke　of　the　matter　was；　that；　all　unknown　to　himself；

he　had　absolutely　frightened　Mrs。　Todd。　　If　only　he　could　have　realized

the　impressiveness　and　the　thorough　success　of　his　first　rebellion！

But　if　he　had　realized　it　he　could　not　have　repeated　it　often；

for　so　much　virtue　went　out　of　him　on　that　occasion　that　he　felt

hardly　able　to　drive　the　stage　for　days　afterward。



〃I　shall　have　to　put　down　my　foot　agin；〃　he　said　to　himself

on　the　eventful　morning　when　Pel　presented　him　with　the　basket。

〃Dern　my　luck；　I've　got　to　do　it　agin；　when　I　ain't　hardly　got

over　the　other　time。〃　　So；　after　an　hour's　plotting　and　planning；

he　made　some　purchases　in　Biddeford　and　started　on　his　return　trip。

He　was　very　low　in　his　mind；　thinking；　if　his　wife　really　meditated

upon　warfare；　she　was　likely　to　inspect　the　stage　that　night；

but　giving　her　credit　in　his　inmost　heart　for　too　much　common　sense

to　use　a　broomstick；a　woman　with　her　tongue！



The　Midnight　Cry　rattled　on　lumberingly。　　Its　route　had　been　shortened；

and　Mrs。　Todd　wanted　its　name　changed　to　something　less　outlandish；

such　as　the　Rising　Sun；　or　the　Breaking　Dawn；　or　the　High　Noon；

but　her　idea　met　with　no　votaries；　it　had　been；　was；　and　ever　should　be；

the　Midnight　Cry；　no　matter　what　time　it　set　out　or　got　back。

It　had　seen　its　best　days；　Jerry　thought；　and　so　had　he；　for　that　matter。

Yet　he　had　been　called　〃a　likely　feller〃　when　he　married　the　Widder　Bixby；

or　rather　when　she　married　him。　　Well；　the　mischief　was　done；

all　that　remained　was　to　save　a　remnant　of　his　self…respect；

and　make　an　occasional　dash　for　liberty。



He　did　all　his　errands　with　his　usual　care；　dropping　a　blue

ribbon　for　Doxy　Morton's　Sunday　hat；　four　cents'　worth　of

gum…camphor　for　Almira　Berry；　a　spool　of　cotton　for　Mrs。　Wentworth；

and　a　pair　of　〃galluses〃　for　Living　Bean。　　He　finally　turned　into

the　〃back…nippin'〃　road　from　Bonny　Eagle　to　Limington；　and　when　he　was

within　forty　rods　of　his　own　house　he　stopped　to　water　his　horses。

I