tales of trail and town-第21章

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a　neighbor；　he　would　not　have　been　more　astonished。　　But　THEY　could

have　been　brought　back　with　a　rope；　and　without　a　heart　throb。



Passion　of　this　kind；　which　in　a　less　sincere　society　restricts　its

expression　to　innuendo　or　forced　politeness；　left　the　rustic　Ira

only　dumb　and　lethargic。　　He　moved　slowly　and　abstractedly　around

the　room；　accenting　his　slight　lameness　more　than　ever；　or　dropped

helplessly　into　a　chair；　where　he　sat；　inanely　conscious　of　the

contiguity　of　his　wife　and　the　deputy；　and　stupidly　expectant　of

he　knew　not　what。　　The　atmosphere　of　the　little　house　seemed　to　him

charged　with　some　unwholesome　electricity。　　It　kindled　his　wife's

eyes；　stimulating　the　deputy　and　his　follower　to　coarse

playfulness；　enthralled　his　own　limbs　to　the　convulsive　tightening

of　his　fingers　around　the　rungs　of　his　chair。　　Yet　he　managed　to

cling　to　his　idea　of　keeping　his　wife　occupied；　and　of　preventing

any　eyeshot　between　her　and　her　guests；　or　the　indulgence　of

dangerously　flippant　conversation；　by　ordering　her　to　bring　some

refreshment。　　〃What's　gone　o'　the　whiskey　bottle？〃　he　said；　after

fumbling　in　the　cupboard。



Mrs。　Beasley　did　not　blench。　　She　only　gave　her　head　a　slight　toss。

〃Ef　you　men　can't　get　along　with　the　coffee　and　flapjacks　I'm　going

to　give　ye；　made　with　my　own　hands；　ye　kin　just　toddle　right　along

to　the　first　bar；　and　order　your　tangle…foot　there。　　Ef　it's　a

barkeeper　you're　looking　for；　and　not　a　lady；　say　so！〃



The　novel　audacity　of　this　speech；　and　the　fact　that　it　suggested

that　preoccupation　he　hoped　for；　relieved　Ira　for　a　moment；　while

it　enchanted　the　guests　as　a　stroke　of　coquettish　fascination。

Mrs。　Beasley　triumphantly　disappeared　in　the　kitchen；　slipped　off

her　cuffs　and　set　to　work；　and　in　a　few　moments　emerged　with　a　tray

bearing　the　cakes　and　steaming　coffee。　　As　neither　she　nor　her

husband　ate　anything　（possibly　owing　to　an　equal　preoccupation）　the

guests　were　obliged　to　confine　their　attentions　to　the　repast

before　them。　　The　sun；　too；　was　already　nearing　the　horizon；　and

although　its　nearly　level　beams　acted　like　a　powerful　search…light

over　the　stretching　plain；　twilight　would　soon　put　an　end　to　the

quest。　　Yet　they　lingered。　　Ira　now　foresaw　a　new　difficulty：　the

cows　were　to　be　brought　up　and　fodder　taken　from　the　barn；　to　do

this　he　would　be　obliged　to　leave　his　wife　and　the　deputy　together。

I　do　not　know　if　Mrs。　Beasley　divined　his　perplexity；　but　she

carelessly　offered　to　perform　that　evening　function　herself。　　Ira's

heart　leaped　and　sank　again　as　the　deputy　gallantly　proposed　to

assist　her。　　But　here　rustic　simplicity　seemed　to　be　equal　to　the

occasion。　　〃Ef　I　propose　to　do　Ira's　work；〃　said　Mrs。　Beasley；　with

provocative　archness；　〃it's　because　I　reckon　he'll　do　more　good

helpin'　you　catch　your　man　than　you'll　do　helpin'　ME！　　So　clear

out；　both　of　ye！〃　　A　feminine　audacity　that　recalled　the　deputy　to

himself；　and　left　him　no　choice　but　to　accept　Ira's　aid。　　I　do　not

know　whether　Mrs。　Beasley　felt　a　pang　of　conscience　as　her　husband

arose　gratefully　and　limped　after　the　deputy；　I　only　know　that　she

stood　looking　at　them　from　the　door；　smiling　and　triumphant。



Then　she　slipped　out　of　the　back　door　again；　and　ran　swiftly　to　the

barn；　fastening　on　her　clean　cuffs　and　collar　as　she　ran。　　The

fugitive　was　anxiously　awaiting　her；　with　a　slight　touch　of

brusqueness　in　his　eagerness。



〃Thought　you　were　never　coming！〃　he　said。



She　breathlessly　explained；　and　showed　him　through　the　half…opened

door　the　figures　of　the　three　men　slowly　spreading　and　diverging

over　the　plain；　like　the　nearly　level　sun…rays　they　were　following。

The　sunlight　fell　also　on　her　panting　bosom；　her　electrified　sandy

hair；　her　red；　half…opened　mouth；　and　short　and　freckled　upper　lip。

The　relieved　fugitive　turned　from　the　three　remoter　figures　to　the

one　beside　him；　and　saw；　for　the　first　time；　that　it　was　fair。　　At

which　he　smiled；　and　her　face　flushed　and　was　irradiated。



Then　they　fell　to　talk；he　grateful；　boastful；as　the　distant

figures　grew　dim；　she　quickly　assenting；　but　following　his

expression　rather　than　his　words；　with　her　own　girlish　face　and

brightening　eyes。　　But　what　he　said；　or　how　he　explained　his

position；　with　what　speciousness　he　dwelt　upon　himself；　his　wrongs；

and　his　manifold　manly　virtues；　is　not　necessary　for　us　to　know；

nor　was　it；　indeed；　for　her　to　understand。　　Enough　for　her　that　she

felt　she　had　found　the　one　man　of　all　the　world；　and　that　she　was

at　that　moment　protecting　him　against　all　the　world！　　He　was　the

unexpected；　spontaneous　gift　to　her；　the　companion　her　childhood

had　never　known；　the　lover　she　had　never　dreamed　of；　even　the　child

of　her　unsatisfied　maternal　yearnings。　　If　she　could　not　comprehend

all　his　selfish　incoherences；　she　felt　it　was　her　own　fault；　if　she

could　not　follow　his　ignorant　assumptions；　she　knew　it　was　SHE　who

was　deficient；　if　she　could　not　translate　his　coarse　speech；　it　was

because　it　was　the　language　of　a　larger　world　from　which　she　had

been　excluded。　　To　this　world　belonged　the　beautiful　limbs　she

gazed　on；a　very　different　world　from　that　which　had　produced　the

rheumatic　deformities　and　useless　mayhem　of　her　husband；　or　the

provincially　foppish　garments　of　the　deputy。　　Sitting　in　the

hayloft　together；　where　she　had　mounted　for　greater　security；　they

forgot　themselves　in　his　monologue　of　cheap　vaporing；　broken　only

by　her　assenting　smiles　and　her　half…checked　sighs。　　The　sharp

spices　of　the　heated　pine…shingles　over　their　heads　and　the

fragrance　of　the　clover…scented　hay　filled　the　close　air　around

them。　　The　sun　was　falling　with　the　wind；　but　they　heeded　it　not；

until　the　usual　fateful　premonition　struck　the　woman；　and　saying　〃I

must　go　now；〃　she　only　half…unconsciously　precipitated　the　end。

For；　as　she　rose；　he　caught　first　her　hand　and　then　her　waist；　and

attempted　to　raise　the　face　that　was　suddenly　bending　down　as　if

seeking　to　hide　itself　in　the　hay。　　It　was　a　brief　struggle；　ending

in　a　submission　as　sudden；　and　their　lips　met　in　a　kiss；　so　eager

that　it　might　have　been　impending　for　days　instead　of　minutes。



〃Oh；　Sue！　where　are　ye？〃



It　was　her　husband's　voice；　out　of　a　darkness　that　they　only　then

realized。　　The　man　threw　her　aside　with　a　roughness　that

momentarily　shocked　her　above　any　sense　of　surprise　or　shame：　SHE

would　have　confronted　her　husband　in　his　arms；glorified　and

translated；had　he　but　kept　her　there。　　Yet　she　answered；　with　a

quiet；　level　voice　that　astonished　her　lover；　〃Here！　　I'm　just

coming　down！〃　and　walked　coolly　to　the　ladder。　　Looking　over；　and

seeing　her　husband　with　the　deputy　standing　in　the　barnyard；　she

quickly　returned；　put　her　finger　to　her　lips；　made　a　gesture　for

her　companion　to　conceal　himself　in　the　hay　again；　and　was　turning

away；　when；　perhaps　shamed　by　her　superior　calmness；　he　grasped　her

hand　tightly　and　whispered；　〃Come　again　tonight；　dear；　do！〃　　She

hesitated；　raised　her　hand　suddenly　to　her　lips；　and　then　quickly

disengaging　it；　slipped　down　the　ladder。



〃Ye　haven't　done　much　work　yet　as　I　kin　see；〃　said　Ira　wearily。

〃Whitey　and　Red　Tip　＇the　cows＇　are　hangin'　over　the　corral；　just

waitin'。〃



〃The　yellow　hen　we　reckoned　was　lost　is　sittin'　in　the　hayloft；　and

mustn't　be　disturbed；〃　said　Mrs。　Beasley；　with　decision；　〃and　ye'll

have　to　take　the　hay　from　the　stack　to…night。　　And；〃　with　an　arch

glance　at　the　deputy；　〃as　I　don't　see　that　you　two　have　done　much

either；　you're　just　in　time　to　help　fodder　down。〃



Setting　the　three　men　to　work　with　the　same　bright　audacity；　the

task　was　soon　completedparticularly　as　the　deputy　found　no

opportunity　for　exclusive　dalliance　with　Mrs。　Beasley。　　She　shut

the　barn　door　herself；　and　led　the　way　to　the　house；　learning

incidentally　that　the　deputy　had　abandoned　the　chase；　was　to　occupy

a　〃shake…down〃　on　the　kitchen…floor　that　night　with　the　constable；

and　depart　at　daybreak。　　The　gloom　of　her　husband's　face　had

settled　into　a　look　of　heavy　resignation　and　alternate　glances　of

watchfulness；　which　only　seemed　to　inspire　her　with　renewed

vivacity。　　But　the　cooking　of　supper　withdrew　her　disturbing

presence　for　a　time　from　the　room；　and　gave　him　some　relief。　　When

the　meal　was　ready　he　sought　further　surcease　from　trouble　in

copious　draughts　of　whiskey；　which　she　produced　from　a　new　bottle；

and　even　pressed　upon　the　deputy　in　mischievous　contrition　for　her

previous　inhospitality。



〃Now　I　know　that　it　wasn't　whiskey　only　ye　came　for；　I'll　show　you

that　Sue　Beasley　is　no　slouch　of　a　barkeeper　either；〃　she　said。



Then；　rolling　her　sleeves　above　her　pretty　arms；　she　mixed　a

cocktail　in　such　delightful　imitation　of　the　fashionable

barkeeper's　dexterity　that　her　guests　were　convulsed　with

admiration。　　Even　Ira　was　struck　with　this　revelation　of　a

youthfulness　that　five　years　of　household　care　had　checked；　but

never　yet　subdued。　　He　had　forgotten　that　he　had　married　a　child。

Only　once；　when　she　glanced　at　the　cheap　clock　on　the　mantel；　had

he　noticed　another　change；　more　remarkable　still　from　its　very

inconsistency　with　her　burst　of　youthful　spirits。　　It　was　another

face　that　he　saw；older　and　matured　with　an　intensity　of

abstraction　that　struck　a　chill　to　his　heart。　　It　was　not　HIS　Sue

that　was　standing　there；　but　another　Sue；　wrought；　as　it　seemed　to

his　morbid　extravagance；　by　some　one　else's　hand。



Yet　there　was　another　interval　of　relief　when　his　wife；　declaring

she　was　tired；　and　even　jocosely　confessing　to　some　effect　of　the

liquor　she　had　pretended　to　taste；　went　early　to　bed。　　The　deputy；

not　finding　the　gloomy　company　of　the　husband　to　his　taste；

presently　ensconced　himself　on　the　floor；　before　the　kitchen　fire；

in　the　blankets　that　she　had　provided。　　The　constable　followed　his

example。　　In　a　few　moments　the　house　was　silent　and　sleeping；　save

for　Ira　sitting　alone；　with　his　head　sunk　on　his　chest　and　his

hands　gripping　the　arms　of　his　chair　before　the　dying　embers　of　his

hearth。



He　was　trying；　with　the　alternate　quickness　and　inaction　of　an

inexperienced　intellect　and　an　imagination　morbidly　awakened；　to

grasp　the　situation　before　him。　　The　common　sense　that　had　hitherto

governed　his　life　told　him　that　the　deputy　would　go　to…morrow；　and

that　there　was　nothing　in　his　wife's　conduct　to　show　that　her

coquetry　and　aberration　would　not　pass　as　easily。　　But　it　recurred

to　him　that　she　had　never　shown　this　coquetry　or　aberration　to　HIM

during　their　own　brief　courtship；that　she　had　never　looked　or

acted　like　this　before。　　If　this　was　love；　she　had　never　known　it；

if　it　was　only　〃women's　ways；〃　as　he　had　heard　men　say；　and　so

dangerously　attractive；　why　had　she　not　shown　it　to　him？　　He

remembered　that　matter…of…fact　wedding；　the　bride　without　timidity；

without　blushes；　without　expectation　beyond　the　transference　of　her

home　to　his。　　Would　it　have　been　di