an episode of fiddletown-第7章

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kept　them　bravely　up；　but；　in　ambitiously　attempting　a　short　cut

from　the　highroad　across　an　open　field；　their　strength　gave　out；

the　laugh　grew　less　frequent；　and　tears　began　to　stand　in　Carry's

brown　eyes。　　When　they　reached　the　road　again；　they　were　utterly

exhausted。　　〃Let　us　go　back；〃　said　Carry。



〃We'd　never　get　across　that　field　again；〃　said　Addy。



〃Let's　stop　at　the　first　house；　then；〃　said　Carry。



〃The　first　house；〃　said　Addy；　peering　through　the　gathering

darkness；　〃is　Squire　Robinson's。〃　　She　darted　a　mischievous　glance

at　Carry　that；　even　in　her　discomfort　and　fear；　brought　the　quick

blood　to　her　cheek。



〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Kate　with　gloomy　irony；　〃certainly；　stop　at　the

squire's　by　all　means；　and　be　invited　to　tea；　and　be　driven　home

after　by　your　dear　friend　Mr。　Harry；　with　a　formal　apology　from

Mrs。　Robinson；　and　hopes　that　the　young　ladies　may　be　excused　this

time。　　No！〃　continued　Kate　with　sudden　energy。　　〃That　may　suit　YOU；

but　I'm　going　back　as　I　cameby　the　window；　or　not　at　all〃　　Then

she　pounced　suddenly；　like　a　hawk；　on　Carry；　who　was　betraying　a

tendency　to　sit　down　on　a　snowbank　and　whimper；　and　shook　her

briskly。　　〃You'll　be　going　to　sleep　next。　　Stay；　hold　your　tongues；

all　of　youwhat's　that？〃



It　was　the　sound　of　sleigh　bells。　　Coming　down　toward　them　out　of

the　darkness　was　a　sleigh　with　a　single　occupant。　　〃Hold　down　your

heads；　girls：　if　it's　anybody　that　knows　us；　we're　lost。〃　　But　it

was　not；　for　a　voice　strange　to　their　ears；　but　withal　very　kindly

and　pleasant；　asked　if　its　owner　could　be　of　any　help　to　them。　　As

they　turned　toward　him；　they　saw　it　was　a　man　wrapped　in　a　handsome

sealskin　cloak；　wearing　a　sealskin　cap；　his　face；　half…concealed　by

a　muffler　of　the　same　material；　disclosing　only　a　pair　of　long

mustaches；　and　two　keen　dark　eyes。　　〃It's　a　son　of　old　Santa

Claus！〃　whispered　Addy。　　The　girls　tittered　audibly　as　they　tumbled

into　the　sleigh；　they　had　regained　their　former　spirits。　　〃Where

shall　I　take　you？〃　said　the　stranger　quietly。　　There　was　a　hurried

whispering；　and　then　Kate　said　boldly；　〃To　the　Institute。〃　　They

drove　silently　up　the　hill；　until　the　long；　ascetic　building　loomed

up　before　them。　　The　stranger　reined　up　suddenly。　　〃You　know　the

way　better　than　I；〃　he　said。　　〃Where　do　you　go　in？〃　　〃Through　the

back　window；〃　said　Kate　with　sudden　and　appalling　frankness。　　〃I

see！〃　responded　their　strange　driver　quietly　and；　alighting

quickly；　removed　the　bells　from　the　horses。　　〃We　can　drive　as　near

as　you　please　now；〃　he　added　by　way　of　explanation。　　〃He　certainly

is　a　son　of　Santa　Claus；〃　whispered　Addy。　　〃Hadn't　we　better　ask

after　his　father？〃　　〃Hush！〃　said　Kate　decidedly。　　〃He　is　an　angel；

I　dare　say。〃　　She　added　with　a　delicious　irrelevance；　which　was；

however；　perfectly　understood　by　her　feminine　auditors；　〃We　are

looking　like　three　frights。〃



Cautiously　skirting　the　fences；　they　at　last　pulled　up　a　few　feet

from　a　dark　wall。　　The　stranger　proceeded　to　assist　them　to　alight。

There　was　still　some　light　from　the　reflected　snow；　and　as　he

handed　his　fair　companions　to　the　ground；　each　was　conscious　of

undergoing　an　intense　though　respectful　scrutiny。　　He　assisted　them

gravely　to　open　the　window；　and　then　discreetly　retired　to　the

sleigh　until　the　difficult　and　somewhat　discomposing　ingress　was

made。　　He　then　walked　to　the　window。　　〃Thank　you　and　good　night！〃

whispered　three　voices。　　A　single　figure　still　lingered。　　The

stranger　leaned　over　the　window　sill。　　〃Will　you　permit　me　to　light

my　cigar　here？　　It　might　attract　attention　if　I　struck　a　match

outside。〃　　By　the　upspringing　light　he　saw　the　figure　of　Kate　very

charmingly　framed　in　by　the　window。　　The　match　burnt　slowly　out　in

his　fingers。　　Kate　smiled　mischievously。　　The　astute　young　woman

had　detected　the　pitiable　subterfuge。　　For　what　else　did　she　stand

at　the　head　of　her　class；　and　had　doting　parents　paid　three　years'

tuition？



The　storm　had　passed；　and　the　sun　was　shining　quite　cheerily　in　the

eastern　recitation　room　the　next　morning　when　Miss　Kate；　whose　seat

was　nearest　the　window；　placing　her　hand　pathetically　upon　her

heart；　affected　to　fall　in　bashful　and　extreme　agitation　upon　the

shoulder　of　Carry；　her　neighbor。　　〃HE　has　come；〃　she　gasped　in　a

thrilling　whisper。　　〃Who？〃　asked　Carry　sympathetically；　who　never

clearly　understood　when　Kate　was　in　earnest。　　〃Who？Why；　the　man

who　rescued　us　last　night！　　I　saw　him　drive　to　the　door　this

moment。　　Don't　speak；　I　shall　be　better　in　a　momentthere！〃　she

said；　and　the　shameless　hypocrite　passed　her　hand　pathetically

across　her　forehead　with　a　tragic　air。



〃What　can　he　want？〃　asked　Carry；　whose　curiosity　was　excited。　　〃I

don't　know；〃　said　Kate；　suddenly　relapsing　into　gloomy　cynicism。

〃Possibly　to　put　his　five　daughters　to　school；　perhaps　to　finish

his　young　wife；　and　warn　her　against　us。〃



〃He　didn't　look　old；　and　he　didn't　seem　like　a　married　man；〃

rejoined　Addy　thoughtfully。



〃That　was　his　art；　you　poor　creature！〃　returned　Kate　scornfully。

〃You　can　never　tell　anything　of　these　men；　they　are　so　deceitful。

Besides；　it's　just　my　fate！〃



〃Why；　Kate；〃　began　Carry；　in　serious　concern。



〃Hush！　　Miss　Walker　is　saying　something；〃　said　Kate；　laughing。



〃The　young　ladies　will　please　give　attention；〃　said　a　slow；

perfunctory　voice。　　〃Miss　Carry　Tretherick　is　wanted　in　the

parlor。〃



Meantime　Mr。　Jack　Prince；　the　name　given　on　the　card；　and　various

letters　and　credentials　submitted　to　the　Rev。　Mr。　Crammer；　paced

the　somewhat　severe　apartment　known　publicly　as　the　〃reception

parlor〃　and　privately　to　the　pupils　as　〃purgatory。〃　　His　keen　eyes

had　taken　in　the　various　rigid　details；　from　the　flat　steam

〃radiator；〃　like　an　enormous　japanned　soda　cracker；　that　heated　one

end　of　the　room　to　the　monumental　bust　of　Dr。　Crammer　that

hopelessly　chilled　the　other；　from　the　Lord's　Prayer；　executed　by　a

former　writing　master　in　such　gratuitous　variety　of　elegant

calligraphic　trifling　as　to　abate　considerably　the　serious　value　of

the　composition；　to　three　views　of　Genoa　from　the　Institute；　which

nobody　ever　recognized；　taken　on　the　spot　by　the　drawing　teacher；

from　two　illuminated　texts　of　Scripture　in　an　English　letter；　so

gratuitously　and　hideously　remote　as　to　chill　all　human　interest；

to　a　large　photograph　of　the　senior　class；　in　which　the　prettiest

girls　were　Ethiopian　in　complexion；　and　sat；　apparently；　on　each

other's　heads　and　shoulders。　　His　fingers　had　turned　listlessly　the

leaves　of　school…catalogues；　the　SERMONS　of　Dr。　Crammer；　the　POEMS

of　Henry　Kirke　White；　the　LAYS　OF　THE　SANCTUARY　and　LIVES　OF

CELEBRATED　WOMEN。　　His　fancy；　and　it　was　a　nervously　active　one；

had　gone　over　the　partings　and　greetings　that　must　have　taken　place

here；　and　wondered　why　the　apartment　had　yet　caught　so　little　of

the　flavor　of　humanity；　indeed；　I　am　afraid　he　had　almost　forgotten

the　object　of　his　visit　when　the　door　opened；　and　Carry　Tretherick

stood　before　him。



It　was　one　of　those　faces　he　had　seen　the　night　before；　prettier

even　than　it　had　seemed　then；　and　yet　I　think　he　was　conscious　of

some　disappointment；　without　knowing　exactly　why。　　Her　abundant

waving　hair　was　of　a　guinea…golden　tint；　her　complexion　of　a

peculiar　flowerlike　delicacy；　her　brown　eyes　of　the　color　of

seaweed　in　deep　water。　　It　certainly　was　not　her　beauty　that

disappointed　him。



Without　possessing　his　sensitiveness　to　impression；　Carry　was；　on

her　part；　quite　as　vaguely　ill　at　ease。　　She　saw　before　her　one　of

those　men　whom　the　sex　would　vaguely　generalize　as　〃nice；〃　that　is

to　say；　correct　in　all　the　superficial　appointments　of　style；

dress；　manners；　and　feature。　　Yet　there　was　a　decidedly

unconventional　quality　about　him：　he　was　totally　unlike　anything　or

anybody　that　she　could　remember；　and　as　the　attributes　of

originality　are　often　as　apt　to　alarm　as　to　attract　people；　she　was

not　entirely　prepossessed　in　his　favor。



〃I　can　hardly　hope；〃　he　began　pleasantly；　〃that　you　remember　me。

It　is　eleven　years　ago；　and　you　were　a　very　little　girl。　　I　am

afraid　I　cannot　even　claim　to　have　enjoyed　that　familiarity　that

might　exist　between　a　child　of　six　and　a　young　man　of　twenty…one。

I　don't　think　I　was　fond　of　children。　　But　I　knew　your　mother　very

well。　　I　was　editor　of　the　AVALANCHE　in　Fiddletown　when　she　took

you　to　San　Francisco。〃



〃You　mean　my　stepmother；　she　wasn't　my　mother；　you　know；〃

interposed　Carry　hastily。



Mr。　Prince　looked　at　her　curiously。　　〃I　mean　your　stepmother；〃　he

said　gravely。　　〃I　never　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　your　mother。〃



〃No；　MOTHER　hasn't　been　in　California　these　twelve　years。〃



There　was　an　intentional　emphasizing　of　the　title　and　of　its

distinction　that　began　to　interest　coldly　Prince　after　his　first

astonishment　was　past。



〃As　I　come　from　your　stepmother　now；〃　he　went　on　with　a　slight

laugh；　〃I　must　ask　you　to　go　back　for　a　few　moments　to　that　point。

After　your　father's　death；　your　motherI　mean　your　stepmother

recognized　the　fact　that　your　mother；　the　first　Mrs。　Tretherick；

was　legally　and　morally　your　guardian　and；　although　much　against

her　inclination　and　affections；　placed　you　again　in　her　charge。〃



〃My　stepmother　married　again　within　a　month　after　father　died；　and

sent　me　home；〃　said　Carry　with　great　directness；　and　the　faintest

toss　of　her　head。



Mr。　Prince　smiled　so　sweetly；　and　apparently　so　sympathetically；

that　Carry　began　to　like　him。　　With　no　other　notice　of　the

interruption　he　went　on；　〃After　your　stepmother　had　performed　this

act　of　simple　justice；　she　entered　into　an　agreement　with　your

mother　to　defray　the　expenses　of　your　education　until　your

eighteenth　year；　when　you　were　to　elect　and　choose　which　of　the　two

should　thereafter　be　your　guardian；　and　with　whom　you　would　make

your　home。　　This　agreement；　I　think；　you　are　already　aware　of；　and；

I　believe；　knew　at　the　time。〃



〃I　was　a　mere　child　then；〃　said　Carry。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Mr。　Prince；　with　the　same　smile。　　〃Still　the

conditions；　I　think；　have　never　been　oppressive　to　you　nor　your

mother；　and　the　only　time　they　are　likely　to　give　you　the　least

uneasiness　will　be　when　you　come　to　make　up　your　mind　in　the　choice

of　your　guardian。　　That　will　be　on　your　eighteenth　birthdaythe

twentieth；　I　think；　of　the　present　month。〃



Carry　was　silent。



〃Pray　do　not　think　that　I　am　here　to　receive　your　decision；　even　if

it　be　already　made。　　I　only　came　to　inform　you　that　your

stepmother；　Mrs。　Starbottle；　will　be　in　town　tomorrow；　and　will

pass　a　few　days　at　the　hotel。　　If　it　is　your　wish　to　see　her　before

you　make　up　your　mind；　she　will　be　glad　to　meet　you。　　She　does　not；

however；　wish　to　do　anything　to　influence　your　judgment。



〃Does　Mother　know　she　is　coming？〃　said　Carry　hastily。



〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Prince　gravely。　　〃I　only　know　that　if　you

conclude　to　see　Mrs。　Starbot