twice-told tales- my kinsman, major molineux-第3章

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stranger；　muffled　in　a　cloak。　The　man　was　proceeding　with　the　speed　of

earnest　business；　but　Robin　planted　himself　full　before　him；　holding

the　oak　cudgel　with　both　hands　across　his　body；　as　a　bar　to　further

passage。

　　　〃Halt；　honest　man；　and　answer　me　a　question；〃　said　he；　very

resolutely。　〃Tell　me；　this　instant；　whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of

my　kinsman；　Major　Molineux？〃

　　　〃Keep　your　tongue　between　your　teeth；　fool；　and　let　me　pass！〃

said　a　deep；　gruff　voice；　which　Robin　partly　remembered。　〃Let　me　pass；

I　say；　or　I'll　strike　you　to　the　earth！〃

　　　〃No；　no；　neighbor！〃　cried　Robin；　flourishing　his　cudgel；　and　then

thrusting　its　larger　end　close　to　the　man's　muffled　face。　〃No；　no；　I'm

not　the　fool　you　take　me　for；　nor　do　you　pass　till　I　have　an　answer　to

my　question。　Whereabouts　is　the　dwelling　of　my　kinsman；　Major

Molineux？〃

　　　The　stranger；　instead　of　attempting　to　force　his　passage；　stepped

back　into　the　moonlight；　unmuffled　his　face；　and　stared　full　into　that

of　Robin。

　　　〃Watch　here　an　hour；　and　Major　Molineux　will　pass　by；〃　said　he。

　　　Robin　gazed　with　dismay　and　astonishment　on　the　unprecedented

physiognomy　of　the　speaker。　The　forehead　with　its　double　prominence；

the　broad　hooked　nose；　the　shaggy　eyebrows；　and　fiery　eyes；　were　those

which　he　had　noticed　at　the　inn；　but　the　man's　complexion　had

undergone　a　singular；　or；　more　properly；　a　two…fold　change。　One　side

of　the　face　blazed　an　intense　red；　while　the　other　was　black　as

midnight；　the　division　line　being　in　the　broad　bridge　of　the　nose；　and

a　mouth　which　seemed　to　extend　from　ear　to　ear　was　black　or　red；　in

contrast　to　the　color　of　the　cheek。　The　effect　was　as　if　two

individual　devils；　a　fiend　of　fire　and　a　fiend　of　darkness；　had　united

themselves　to　form　this　infernal　visage。　The　stranger　grinned　in

Robin's　face；　muffled　his　parti…colored　features；　and　was　out　of　sight

in　a　moment。

　　　〃Strange　things　we　travellers　see！〃　ejaculated　Robin。

　　　He　seated　himself；　however；　upon　the　steps　of　the　church…door；

resolving　to　wait　the　appointed　time　for　his　kinsman。　A　few　moments

were　consumed　in　philosophical　speculations　upon　the　species　of　man

who　had　just　left　him；　but　having　settled　this　point　shrewdly；

rationally；　and　satisfactorily；　he　was　compelled　to　look　elsewhere　for

his　amusement。　And　first　he　threw　his　eyes　along　the　street。　It　was　of

more　respectable　appearance　than　most　of　those　into　which　he　had

wandered；　and　the　moon；　creating；　like　the　imaginative　power；　a

beautiful　strangeness　in　familiar　objects；　gave　something　of　romance

to　a　scene　that　might　not　have　possessed　it　in　the　light　of　day。　The

irregular　and　often　quaint　architecture　of　the　houses；　some　of　whose

roofs　were　broken　into　numerous　little　peaks；　while　others　ascended；

steep　and　narrow；　into　a　single　point；　and　others　again　were　square；

the　pure　snow…white　of　some　of　their　complexions；　the　aged　darkness　of

others；　and　the　thousand　sparklings；　reflected　from　bright

substances　in　the　walls　of　many；　these　matters　engaged　Robin's

attention　for　a　while；　and　then　began　to　grow　wearisome。　Next　he

endeavored　to　define　the　forms　of　distant　objects；　starting　away；　with

almost　ghostly　indistinctness；　just　as　his　eye　appeared　to　grasp　them；

and　finally　he　took　a　minute　survey　of　an　edifice　which　stood　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　street；　directly　in　front　of　the　church…door；

where　he　was　stationed。　It　was　a　large；　square　mansion；

distinguished　from　its　neighbors　by　a　balcony；　which　rested　on　tall

pillars；　and　by　an　elaborate　Gothic　window；　communicating　therewith。

　　　〃Perhaps　this　is　the　very　house　I　have　been　seeking；〃　thought

Robin。

　　　Then　he　strove　to　speed　away　the　time；　by　listening　to　a　murmur

which　swept　continually　along　the　street；　yet　was　scarcely　audible；

except　to　an　unaccustomed　ear　like　his；　it　was　a　low；　dull；　dreamy

sound；　compounded　of　many　noises；　each　of　which　was　at　too　great　a

distance　to　be　separately　heard。　Robin　marvelled　at　this　snore　of　a

sleeping　town；　and　marvelled　more　whenever　its　continuity　was　broken

by　now　and　then　a　distant　shout；　apparently　loud　where　it

originated。　But　altogether　it　was　a　sleep…inspiring　sound；　and；　to

shake　off　its　drowsy　influence；　Robin　arose；　and　climbed　a

window…frame；　that　he　might　view　the　interior　of　the　church。　There　the

moonbeams　came　trembling　in；　and　fell　down　upon　the　deserted　pews；　and

extended　along　the　quiet　aisles。　A　fainter　yet　more　awful　radiance　was

hovering　around　the　pulpit；　and　one　solitary　ray　had　dared　to　rest

upon　the　opened　page　of　the　great　Bible。　Had　nature；　in　that　deep

hour；　become　a　worshipper　in　the　house　which　man　had　builded？　Or　was

that　heavenly　light　the　visible　sanctity　of　the　place…　visible　because

no　earthly　and　impure　feet　were　within　the　walls？　The　scene　made

Robin's　heart　shiver　with　a　sensation　of　loneliness　stronger　than　he

had　ever　felt　in　the　remotest　depths　of　his　native　woods；　so　he　turned

away；　and　sat　down　again　before　the　door。　There　were　graves　around　the

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…　a