the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第34章
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wuss 'n ef dey wuz w'ite folks。 I'd see 'em dead fus'！〃
Frank himself resisted the temptation for half an hour after the music
began； but at length he made his way across the street and stationed
himself at the window opening upon the back piazza。 When Rena was in
the room； he had eyes for her only； but when she was absent； he fixed his
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attention mainly upon Wain。 With jealous clairvoyance he observed that
Wain's eyes followed Rena when she left the room； and lit up when she
returned。 Frank had heard that Rena was going away with this man； and
he watched Wain closely； liking him less the longer he looked at him。 To
his fancy； Wain's style and skill were affectation； his good…nature mere
hypocrisy； and his glance at Rena the eye of the hawk upon his quarry。
He had heard that Wain was unmarried； and he could not see how； this
being so； he could help wishing Rena for a wife。 Frank would have been
content to see her marry a white man； who would have raised her to a
plane worthy of her merits。 In this man's shifty eye he read the liarhis
wealth and standing were probably as false as his seeming good…humor。
〃Is that you； Frank？〃 said a soft voice near at hand。
He looked up with a joyful thrill。 Rena was peering intently at him；
as if trying to distinguish his features in the darkness。 It was a bright
moonlight night； but Frank stood in the shadow of the piazza。
〃Yas 'm； it's me； Miss Rena。 Yo' mammy said I could come over an'
see you…all dance。 You ain' be'n out on de flo' at all； ter…night。〃
〃 No； Frank； I don't care for dancing。 I shall not dance to…night。〃
This answer was pleasing to Frank。 If he could not hope to dance
with her； at least the men inside at least this snake in the grass from
down the countryshould not have that privilege。
〃But you must have some supper； Frank；〃 said Rena。 〃I'll bring it
myself。〃
〃No； Miss Rena； I don' keer fer nothin'I did n' come over ter eat
r'al'y I didn't。〃
〃Nonsense； Frank； there's plenty of it。 I have no appetite； and you
shall have my portion。〃
She brought him a slice of cake and a glass of eggnog。 When Mis'
Molly； a minute later； came out upon the piazza； Frank left the yard and
walked down the street toward the old canal。 Rena had spoken softly to
him； she had fed him with her own dainty hands。 He might never hope
that she would see in him anything but a friend； but he loved her； and he
would watch over her and protect her； wherever she might be。 He did not
believe that she would ever marry the grinning hypocrite masquerading
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back there in Mis' Molly's parlor； but the man would bear watching。
Mis' Molly had come to call her daughter into the house。 〃Rena；〃 she
said； 〃Mr。 Wain wants ter know if you won't dance just one dance with
him。〃
〃Yas； Rena；〃 pleaded Mary B。； who followed Miss Molly out to the
piazza； 〃jes' one dance。 I don't think you're treatin' my comp'ny jes' right；
Cousin Rena。〃
〃You're goin' down there with 'im；〃 added her mother； 〃an' it 'd be just
as well to be on friendly terms with 'im。〃
Wain himself had followed the women。 〃Sho'ly； Miss Rena； you're
gwine ter honah me wid one dance？ I'd go 'way f'm dis pa'ty sad at hea't
ef I had n' stood up oncet wid de young lady er de house。〃
As Rena； weakly persuaded； placed her hand on Wain's arm and
entered the house； a buggy； coming up Front Street； paused a moment at
the corner； and then turning slowly； drove quietly up the nameless by…
street； concealed by the intervening cedars； until it reached a point from
which the occupant could view； through the open front window； the
interior of the parlor。
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XXIV
SWING YOUR PARTNERS
Moved by tenderness and thoughts of self…sacrifice； which had
occupied his mind to the momentary exclusion of all else； Tryon had
scarcely noticed； as be approached the house behind the cedars； a strain of
lively music； to which was added； as he drew still nearer； the
accompaniment of other festive sounds。 He suddenly awoke； however； to
the fact that these signs of merriment came from the house at which he had
intended to stop； he had not meant that Rena should pass another
sleepless night of sorrow； or that he should himself endure another
needless hour of suspense。
He drew rein at the corner。 Shocked surprise； a nascent anger； a
vague alarm； an insistent curiosity； urged him nearer。 Turning the mare
into the side street and keeping close to the fence； he drove ahead in the
shadow of the cedars until he reached a gap through which he could see
into the open door and windows of the brightly lighted hall。
There was evidently a ball in progress。 The fiddle was squeaking
merrily so a tune that he remembered well；it was associated with one of
the most delightful evenings of his life； that of the tournament ball。 A
mellow negro voice was calling with a rhyming accompaniment the
figures of a quadrille。 Tryon； with parted lips and slowly hardening heart；
leaned forward from the buggy… seat； gripping the rein so tightly that his
nails cut into the opposing palm。 Above the clatter of noisy conversation
rose the fiddler's voice：
〃Swing yo' pa'dners； doan be shy； Look yo' lady in de
eye！ Th'ow yo' ahm aroun' huh wais'； Take yo' time
dey ain' no has'e！〃
To the middle of the floor； in full view through an open window；
advanced the woman who all day long had been the burden of his
thoughtsnot pale with grief and hollow…eyed with weeping； but flushed
with pleasure； around her waist the arm of a burly； grinning mulatto；
whose face was offensively familiar to Tryon。
With a muttered curse of concentrated bitterness； Tryon struck the
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mare a sharp blow with the whip。 The sensitive creature； spirited even in
her great weariness； resented the lash and started off with the bit in her
teeth。 Perceiving that it would be difficult to turn in the narrow roadway
without running into the ditch at the left； Tryon gave the mare rein and
dashed down the street； scarcely missing； as the buggy crossed the bridge；
a man standing abstractedly by the old canal； who sprang aside barely in
time to avoid being run over。
Meantime Rena was passing through a trying ordeal。 After the first
few bars； the fiddler plunged into a well…known air； in which Rena； keenly
susceptible to musical impressions； recognized the tune to which； as
Queen of Love and Beauty； she had opened the dance at her entrance into
the world of life and love； for it was there she had met George Tryon。
The combination of music and movement brought up the scene with great
distinctness。 Tryon； peering angrily through the cedars； had not been
more conscious than she of the external contrast between her partners on
this and the former occasion。 She perceived； too； as Tryon from the
outside had not； the difference between Wain's wordy flattery （only saved
by his cousin's warning from pointed and fulsome adulation）； and the
tenderly graceful compliment； couched in the romantic terms of chivalry；
with which the knight of the handkerchief had charmed her ear。 It was
only by an immense effort that she was able to keep her emotions under
control until the end of the dance； when she fled to her chamber and burst
into tears。 It was not the cruel Tryon who had blasted her love with his
deadly look that she mourned； but the gallant young knight who had worn
her favor on his lance and crowned her Queen of Love and Beauty。
Tryon's stay in Patesville was very brief。 He drove to the hotel and
put up for the night。 During many sleepless hours his mind was in a
turmoil with a very different set of thoughts from those which had
occupied it on the way to town。 Not the least of them was a profound
self…contempt for his own lack of discernment。 How had he been so
blind as not to have read long ago the character of this wretched girl who
had bewitched him？ To…night his eyes had been openedhe had seen her
with the mask thrown off； a true daughter of a race in which the sensuous
enjoyment of the moment took precedence of taste or sentiment or any of
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the higher emotions。 Her few months of boarding… school； her brief
association with white people； had evidently been a mere veneer over the
underlying negro； and their effects had slipped away as soon as the
intercourse had ceased。 With the monkey…like imitativeness of the negro
she had copied the manners of white people while she lived among them；
and had dropped them with equal facility when they ceased to serve a
purpose。 Who but a negro could have recovered so soon from what had
seemed a terribl
