an episode of fiddletown-第4章
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the proof of his vileness。 I will put him face to face with his
infamy。〃
I do not know whether Colonel Starbottle thoroughly appreciated the
convincing proof of Tretherick's unfaithfulness and malignity
afforded by the damning evidence of the existence of Tretherick's
own child in his own house。 He was dimly aware; however; of some
unforeseen obstacle to the perfect expression of the infinite
longing of his own sentimental nature。 But; before he could say
anything; Carry appeared on the landing above them; looking
timidly; and yet half…critically; at the pair。
〃That's her;〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick excitedly。 In her deepest
emotions; in either verse or prose; she rose above a consideration
of grammatical construction。
〃Ah!〃 said the colonel; with a sudden assumption of parental
affection and jocularity that was glaringly unreal and affected。
〃Ah! pretty little girl; pretty little girl! How do you do? How
are you? You find yourself pretty well; do you; pretty little
girl?〃 The colonel's impulse also was to expand his chest and
swing his cane; until it occurred to him that this action might be
ineffective with a child of six or seven。 Carry; however; took no
immediate notice of this advance; but further discomposed the
chivalrous colonel by running quickly to Mrs。 Tretherick and hiding
herself; as if for protection; in the folds of her gown。
Nevertheless; the colonel was not vanquished。 Falling back into an
attitude of respectful admiration; he pointed out a marvelous
resemblance to the 〃Madonna and Child。〃 Mrs。 Tretherick simpered;
but did not dislodge Carry as before。 There was an awkward pause
for a moment; and then Mrs。 Tretherick; motioning significantly to
the child; said in a whisper: 〃Go now。 Don't come here again; but
meet me tonight at the hotel。〃 She extended her hand: the colonel
bent over it gallantly and; raising his hat; the next moment was
gone。
〃Do you think;〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick with an embarrassed voice and
a prodigious blush; looking down; and addressing the fiery curls
just visible in the folds of her dress〃do you think you will be
'dood' if I let you stay in here and sit with me?〃
〃And let me tall you Mamma?〃 queried Carry; looking up。
〃And let you call me Mamma!〃 assented Mrs。 Tretherick with an
embarrassed laugh。
〃Yeth;〃 said Carry promptly。
They entered the bedroom together。 Carry's eye instantly caught
sight of the trunk。
〃Are you dowin' away adain; Mamma?〃 she said with a quick nervous
look; and a clutch at the woman's dress。
〃No…o;〃 said Mrs。 Tretherick; looking out of the window。
〃Only playing your dowin' away;〃 suggested Carry with a laugh。
〃Let me play too。〃
Mrs。 Tretherick assented。 Carry flew into the next room; and
presently reappeared dragging a small trunk; into which she gravely
proceeded to pack her clothes。 Mrs。 Tretherick noticed that they
were not many。 A question or two regarding them brought out some
further replies from the child; and before many minutes had
elapsed; Mrs。 Tretherick was in possession of all her earlier
history。 But; to do this; Mrs。 Tretherick had been obliged to take
Carry upon her lap; pending the most confidential disclosures。
They sat thus a long time after Mrs。 Tretherick had apparently
ceased to be interested in Carry's disclosures; and when lost in
thought; she allowed the child to rattle on unheeded; and ran her
fingers through the scarlet curls。
〃You don't hold me right; Mamma;〃 said Carry at last; after one or
two uneasy shiftings of position。
〃How should I hold you?〃 asked Mrs。 Tretherick with a half…amused;
half…embarrassed laugh。
〃Dis way;〃 said Carry; curling up into position; with one arm
around Mrs。 Tretherick's neck and her cheek resting on her bosom
〃dis waydere。〃 After a little preparatory nestling; not unlike
some small animal; she closed her eyes; and went to sleep。
For a few moments the woman sat silent; scarcely daring to breathe
in that artificial attitude。 And then; whether from some occult
sympathy in the touch; or God best knows what; a sudden fancy began
to thrill her。 She began by remembering an old pain that she had
forgotten; an old horror that she had resolutely put away all these
years。 She recalled days of sickness and distrustdays of an
overshadowing feardays of preparation for something that was to
be prevented; that WAS prevented; with mortal agony and fear。 She
thought of a life that might have beenshe dared not say HAD been…
…and wondered。 It was six years ago; if it had lived; it would
have been as old as Carry。 The arms which were folded loosely
around the sleeping child began to tremble; and tighten their
clasp。 And then the deep potential impulse came; and with a half…
sob; half…sigh; she threw her arms out and drew the body of the
sleeping child down; down; into her breast; down again and again as
if she would hide it in the grave dug there years before。 And the
gust that shook her passed; and then; ah me! the rain。
A drop or two fell upon the curls of Carry; and she moved uneasily
in her sleep。 But the woman soothed her againit was SO easy to
do it nowand they sat there quiet and undisturbed; so quiet that
they might have seemed incorporate of the lonely silent house; the
slowly declining sunbeams; and the general air of desertion and
abandonment; yet a desertion that had in it nothing of age; decay;
or despair。
Colonel Starbottle waited at the Fiddletown Hotel all that night in
vain。 And the next morning; when Mr。 Tretherick returned to his
husks; he found the house vacant and untenanted; except by motes
and sunbeams。
When it was fairly known that Mrs。 Tretherick had run away; taking
Mr。 Tretherick's own child with her; there was some excitement and
much diversity of opinion; in Fiddletown。 THE DUTCH FLAT
INTELLIGENCER openly alluded to the 〃forcible abduction〃 of the
child with the same freedom; and it is to be feared the same
prejudice; with which it had criticized the abductor's poetry。 All
of Mrs。 Tretherick's own sex; and perhaps a few of the opposite
sex; whose distinctive quality was not; however; very strongly
indicated; fully coincided in the views of the INTELLIGENCER。 The
majority; however; evaded the moral issue; that Mrs。 Tretherick had
shaken the red dust of Fiddletown from her dainty slippers was
enough for them to know。 They mourned the loss of the fair
abductor more than her offense。 They promptly rejected Tretherick
as an injured husband and disconsolate father; and even went so far
as to openly cast discredit on the sincerity of his grief。 They
reserved an ironical condolence for Colonel Starbottle; overbearing
that excellent man with untimely and demonstrative sympathy in
barrooms; saloons; and other localities not generally deemed
favorable to the display of sentiment。 〃She was alliz a skittish
thing; Kernel;〃 said one sympathizer; with a fine affectation of
gloomy concern and great readiness of illustration; 〃and it's
kinder nat'ril thet she'd get away someday; and stampede that theer
colt: but thet she should shake YOU; Kernel; diet she should jist
shake youis what gits me。 And they do say thet you jist hung
around thet hotel all night; and payrolled them corriders; and
histed yourself up and down them stairs; and meandered in and out
o' thet piazzy; and all for nothing?〃 It was another generous and
tenderly commiserating spirit that poured additional oil and wine
on the colonel's wounds。 〃The boys yer let on thet Mrs。 Tretherick
prevailed on ye to pack her trunk and a baby over from the house to
the stage offis; and that the chap ez did go off with her thanked
you; and offered you two short bits; and sed ez how he liked your
looks; and ud employ you aginand now you say it ain't so? Well;
I'll tell the boys it ain't so; and I'm glad I met you; for stories
DO get round。〃
Happily for Mrs。 Tretherick's reput