the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第47章
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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 HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
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 terrible bereavement？she herself must have felt it at the time；
for otherwise she would not have swooned。 A woman of sensibility； as
this one had seemed to be； should naturally feel more keenly； and for a
longer time than a man； an injury to the affections； but he； a son of the
ruling race； had been miserable for six weeks about a girl who had so far
forgotten him as already to plunge headlong into the childish amusements
of her own ignorant and degraded people。 What more； indeed； he asked
himself savagely；what more could be expected of the base…born child of
the plaything of a gentleman's idle hour； who to this ignoble origin added
the blood of a servile race？ And he； George Tryon； had honored her with
his love； he had very nearly linked his fate and joined his blood to hers by
the solemn sanctions of church and state。 Tryon was not a devout man；
but he thanked God with religious fervor that he had been saved a second
time from a mistake which would have wrecked his whole future。 If he
had yielded to the momentary weakness of the past night；the outcome of
a sickly sentimentality to which he recognized now； in the light of
reflection； that he was entirely too prone；he would have regretted it soon
enough。 The black streak would have been sure to come out in some
form； sooner or later； if not in the wife； then in her children。 He saw
clearly enough； in this hour of revulsion； that with his temperament and
training such a union could never have been happy。 If all the world had
been ignorant of the dark secret； it would always have been in his own
thoughts； or at least never far away。 Each fault of hers that the close
daily association of husband and wife might reveal；the most flawless of
sweethearts do not pas
