the village watch-tower-第9章

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as　it　dashed　between　the　rocky　banks；　still　calling　to　him。

If　he　could　only　close　his　ears　to　it！　　But　it　still　called

called　stillthe　river！　　And　still　the　child's　voice

pierced　the　rush　of　sound　with　its　pitiful　flute　note；

until　the　two　resolved　themselves　into　contesting　strains；

answering　each　other　antiphonally。　　The　river　the　baby

the　riverthe　baby；　and　in　and　through；　and　betwixt　and　between；

there　spun　the　whirling　merry…go…round；　with　its　curveting

wooden　horses；　its　discordant　organ；　and　its　creaking　machinery。



But　gradually　the　child's　voice　gained　in　strength；

and　as　he　heard　it　more　plainly　the　other　sounds　grew　fainter；

till　at　last；　thank　God！　they　were　hushed。　　The　din；　the　whirlwind；

and　the　tempest　in　his　brain　were　lulled　into　silence；

as　under　a　〃Peace；　be　still！〃　and；　worn　out　with　the　contest；

the　man　from　Tennessee　fell　asleep　under　the　grateful　shade

of　the　nooning　tree。　　So　deep　was　the　slumber　that　settled　over

exhausted　body　and　troubled　spirit　that　the　gathering　clouds；

the　sudden　darkness；　the　distant　muttering　of　thunder；

the　frightened　twitter　of　the　birds；　passed　unnoticed。

A　heavy　drop　of　rain　pierced　the　thick　foliage　and　fell　on

his　face；　but　the　storm　within　had　been　too　fierce　for　him

to　heed　the　storm　without。　　He　slept　on。



*　*　*





Almost　every　man；　woman；　and　child　in　the　vicinity　of　Pleasant

River　was　on　the　way　to　the　circus；Boomer's　Grand　Six…in…One

Universal　Consolidated　Show；　Brilliant　Constellations　of　Fixed

Stars　shining　in　the　same　Vast　Firmament；　Glittering　Galaxies

of　World…Famous　Equestrian　Artists；　the　biggest　elephants；

the　funniest　clowns；　the　pluckiest　riders；　the　stubbornest　mules；

the　most　amazing　acrobats；　the　tallest　man　and　the　shortest　man；

the　thinnest　woman　and　the　thickest　woman；　on　the　habitable　globe；

and　no　connection　with　any　other　show　on　earth；　especially　Sypher's

Two…in…One　Show　now　devastating　the　same　State。



If　the　advertisements　setting　forth　these　attractions　were

couched　in　language　somewhat　rosier　than　the　facts　would　warrant；

there　were　few　persons　calm　enough　to　perceive　it；　when　once

the　glamour　of　the　village　parade　and　the　smell　of　the　menagerie

had　intoxicated　the　senses。



The　circus　had　been　the　sole　topic　of　conversation　for　a　fortnight。

Jot　Bascom　could　always　be　relied　on　for　the　latest　and　most　authentic

news　of　its　triumphant　progress　from　one　town　to　another。　　Jot　was　a　sort

of　town　crier；　and　whenever　the　approach　of　a　caravan　was　announced；

he　would　go　over　on　the　Liberty　road　to　find　out　just　where　it　was　and　what

were　its　immediate　plans；　for　the　thrilling　pleasure　of　calling　at　every

one　of　the　neighbors'　on　his　way　home；　and　delivering　his　budget　of　news。

He　was　an　attendant　at　every　funeral；　and　as　far　as　possible　at　every　wedding；

in　the　village；　at　every　flag…raising　and　husking；　and　town　and　county　fair。

When　more　pressing　duties　did　not　hinder；　he　endeavored　to　meet　the　two

daily　trains　that　passed　through　Milliken's　Mills；　a　mile　or　two　from

Pleasant　River。　　He　accompanied　the　sheriff　on　all　journeys　entailing

serving　of　papers　and　other　embarrassing　duties　common　to　the　law。

On　one　occasion；　when　the　two　lawyers　of　the　village　held　an　investigation

before　Trial　Justice　Simeon　Porter；　they　waited　an　hour　because　Jot

Bascom　did　not　come。　　They　knew　that　something　was　amiss；　but　it　was

only　on　reflection　that　they　remembered　that　Jot　was　not　indispensable。

He　went　with　all　paupers　to　the　Poor　Farm；　and　never　missed　a　town　meeting。

He　knew　all　the　conditions　attending　any　swapping　of　horses　that

occurred　within　a　radius　of　twenty　miles；the　terms　of　the　trade

and　the　amount　paid　to　boot。　　He　knew　who　owed　the　fish…man　and　who　owed

the　meat…man；　and　who　could　not　get　trusted　by　either　of　them。

In　fact；　so　far　as　the　divine　attributes　of　omniscience　and　omnipresence

could　be　vested　in　a　faulty　human　creature；　they　were　present　in　Jot　Bascom。

That　he　was　quite　unable　to　attend　conscientiously　to　home　duties；

when　overborne　by　press　of　public　service；　was　true。　　When　Diadema　Bascom

wanted　kindling　split；　wood　brought　in；　the　cows　milked；　or　the　pigs　fed；

she　commonly　found　her　spouse　serving　humanity　in　bulk。



All　the　details　of　the　approach　of　the　Grand　Six…in…One

Show　had；　therefore；　been　heralded　to　those　work…sodden

and　unambitious　persons　who　tied　themselves　to　their　own

wood…piles　or　haying…fields。



These　were　the　bulletins　issues：



The　men　were　making　a　circle　in　the　Widow　Buzzell's　field；

in　the　same　place　where　the　old　one　had　been；the　old　one；

viewed　with　awe　for　five　years　by　all　the　village　small　boys。



The　forerunners；　outriders；　proprietors；　whatever　they　might　be；

had　arrived　and　gone　to　the　tavern。



An　elephant　was　quartered　in　the　tavern　shed！



The　elephant　had　stepped　through　the　floor！！



The　advance　guard　of　performers　and　part　of　the　show　itself　had　come！



And　the　〃Cheriot〃！！



This　far…famed　vehicle　had　paused　on　top　of　Deacon　Chute's　hill；

to　prepare　for　the　street　parade。　　Little　Jim　Chute　had　been　gloating

over　the　fact　that　it　must　pass　by　his　house；　and　when　it　stopped

short　under　the　elms　in　the　dooryard　his　heart　almost　broke　for　joy。

He　pinched　the　twenty…five…cent　piece　in　his　pocket　to　assure

himself　that　he　was　alive　and　in　his　right　mind。　　The　precious　coin

had　been　the　result　of　careful　saving；　and　his　hot；　excited　hands

had　almost　worn　it　thin。　　But　alas　for　the　vanity　of　human　hopes！

When　the　magnificent　red…and…gold　〃Cheriot〃　was　uncovered；

that　its　glories　might　shine　upon　the　waiting　world；　the　door　opened；

and　a　huddle　of　painted　Indians　tumbled　out；　ready　to　lead

the　procession；　or；　if　so　disposed；　to　scalp　the　neighborhood。

Little　Jim　gave　one　panic…stricken　look　as　they　leaped　over

the　chariot　steps；　and　then　fled　to　the　barn　chamber；　whence　he　had

to　be　dragged　by　his　mother；　and　cuffed　into　willingness　to　attend

the　spectacle　that　had　once　so　dazzled　his　imagination。



On　the　eventful　afternoon　of　the　performance　the　road

was　gay　with　teams。　　David　and　Samantha　Milliken　drove　by　in

Miss　Cummin's　neat　carryall；　two　children　on　the　back　seat；

a　will…o'…the…wisp　baby　girl　held　down　by　a　serious　boy。

Steve　Webster　was　driving　Doxy　Morton　in　his　mother's　buggy。

Jabe　Slocum；　Pitt　Packard；　Brad　Gibson；　Cyse　Higgins；

and　scores　of　others　were　riding　〃shank's　mare；〃　as　they

would　have　said。



It　had　been　a　close；　warm　day；　and　as　the　afternoon　wore　away　it　grew

hotter　and　closer。　　There　was　a　dead　calm　in　the　air；　a　threatening　blackness

in　the　west　that　made　the　farmers　think　anxiously　of　their　hay。　　Presently　the

thunderheads　ran　together　into　big　black　clouds；　which　melted　in　turn　into

molten　masses　of　smoky　orange；　so　that　the　heavens　were　like　burnished　brass。

Drivers　whipped　up　their　horses；　and　pedestrians　hastened　their　steps。

Steve　Webster　decided　not　to　run　even　the　smallest　risk　of　injuring　so

precious　a　commodity　as　Doxy　Morton　by　a　shower　of　rain；　so　he　drove　into

a　friend's　yard；　put　up　his　horse；　and　waited　till　the　storm　should　pass　by。

Brad　Gibson　stooped　to　drink　at　a　wayside　brook；　and　as　he　bent　over

the　water　he　heard　a　low；　murmuring；　muttering　sound　that　seemed　to　make

the　earth　tremble。



Then　from　hill　to　hill　〃leapt　the　live　thunder。〃

Even　the　distant　mountains　seemed　to　have　〃found　a　tongue。〃

A　zigzag　chain　of　lightning　flashed　in　the　lurid　sky；

and　after　an　appreciable　interval　another　peal；　louder　than

the　first；　and　nearer。



The　rain　began　to　fall；　the　forked　flashes　of　flame　darted　hither

and　thither　in　the　clouds；　and　the　boom　of　heaven's　artillery　grew　heavier

and　heavier。　　The　blinding　sheets　of　light　and　the　tumultuous　roar　of　sound

now　followed　each　other　so　quickly　that　they　seemed　almost　simultaneous。

Flashcrashflashcrashflashcrash；　blinding　and　deafening　eye　and　ear

at　once。　　Everybody　who　could　find　a　shelter　of　any　sort　hastened　to　it。

The　women　at　home　set　their　children　in　the　midst　of　feather　beds；

and　some　of　them　even　huddled　there　themselves；　their　babies　clinging

to　them　in　sympathetic　fear；　as　the　livid　shafts　of　light　illuminated

the　dark　rooms　with　more　than　noonday　glare。



The　air　was　full　of　gloom；　a　nameless　terror　lurked

within　it；　the　elements　seemed　at　war　with　each　other。

Horses　whinnied　in　the　stables；　and　colts　dashed　about　the　pastures。

The　cattle　sought　sheltered　places；　the　cows　ambling　clumsily　towards

some　refuge；　their　full　bags　dripping　milk　as　they　swung　heavily

to　and　fro。　　The　birds　flew　towards　the　orchards　and　the　deep　woods；

the　swallows　swooped　restlessly　round　the　barns；　and　hid　themselves

under　the　eaves　or　in　the　shadow　of　deserted　nests。



The　rain　now　fell　in　sheets。



〃Hurry　up　'n'　git　under　cover；　Jabe；〃　said　Brad　Gibson；

〃you're　jest　the　kind　of　a　pole　to　draw　lightnin'！〃



〃You　hain't；　then！〃　retorted　Jabe。　　〃There　ain't　enough　o'

you　fer　lightnin'　to　ketch　holt　of！〃



Suddenly　a　ghastly　streak　of　light　leaped　out　of　a　cloud；

and　then　another；　till　the　sky　seemed　lit　up　by　cataracts

of　flame。　　A　breath　of　wind　sprang　into　the　still　air。

Then　a　deafening　crash；　clap；　crack；　roar；　peal！　and　as　Jabe

Slocum　looked　out　of　a　protecting　shed　door；　he　saw　a　fiery

ball　burst　from　the　clouds；　shooting　brazen　arrows　as　it　fell。

Within　the　instant　the　meeting…house　steeple　broke　into　a　tongue

of　flame；　and　then；　looking　towards　home；　he　fancied

that　the　fireball　dropped　to　earth　in　Squire　Bean's　meadow。



The　wind　blew　more　fiercely　now。　　There　was　a　sudden

crackling　of　wood；　falling　of　old　timers；　and　breaking　of　glass。

The　deadly　fluid　ran　in　a　winding　course　down　a　great　maple

by　the　shed；　leaving　a　narrow　charred　channel　through　the　bark

to　tell　how　it　passed　to　earth。　　A　sombre　pine　stood　up；

black　and　burned；　its　heart　gaping　through　a　ghastly　wound

in　the　split　trunk。



The　rain　now　subsided；　there　was　only　an　occasional　faint

rumbling　of　thunder；　as　if　it　were　murmuring　over　the　distant　sea；

the　clouds　broke　away　in　the　west；　the　sun　peeped　out；　as　if　to　see

what　had　been　going　on　in　the　world　since　he　hid　himself　an　hour　before。

A　delicate　rainbow　bridge　stretched　from　the　blackened　church

steeple　to　the　glittering　weathercock　on　the　squire's　barn；

and　there；　in　the　centre　of　the　fair　green　meadows　from　which　it

had　risen　in　glorious　strength　and　beauty　for　a　century　or　more；

lay　the　nooning　tree。



The　fireball；　if　ball　of　fire　indeed　there　were；　had　struck

in　the　very　centre　of　its　splendid　dome；　and　ploughed　its　way

from　feather　tip　to　sturdy　root；　riving　the　tree　in　twain；

cleaving　its　great　boughs　left　and　right；　laying　one

majestic　half　level　with　the　earth；　and　bending　the　other　till

the　proud　head　almost　touched　the　grass。



The　rainbow　was　reflected　in　the　million　drops　glittering

upon　the　bowed　branches；　turning　each　into　a　tear　of　liqu