cressy-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



and　consoled　the　boy　as　he　had　often　done　before。　　But　he　was

anxious　to　know　the　cause　of　this　recent　attack　and　its　probable

relations　to　the　fascinating　Mrs。　Tripp。



〃I　thought　we　talked　all　that　over　some　time　ago；　Rupe。　　In　a　few

months　you'll　be　able　to　leave　school；　and　I'll　advise　your　father

about　putting　you　into　something　to　give　you　a　chance　for　yourself。

Patience；　old　fellow；　you're　doing　very　well。　　Considerthere's

your　pupil；　Uncle　Ben。〃



〃Oh；　yes！　　That's　another　big　baby　to　tot　round　in　school　when　I

ain't　niggerin'　at　home。〃



〃And　I　don't　see　exactly　what　else　you　could　do　at　Indian　Spring；〃

continued　Mr。　Ford。



〃No；〃　said　Rupert　gloomily；　〃but　I　could　get　away　to　Sacramento。

Yuba　Bill　says　they　take　boys　no　bigger　nor　me　in　thar　express

offices　or　banksand　in　a　year　or　two　they're　as　good　ez　anybody

and　get　paid　as　big。　　Why；　there　was　a　fellow　here；　just　now；　no

older　than　you；　Mr。　Ford；　and　not　half　your　learnin'；　and　he

dressed　to　death　with　jewelry；　and　everybody　bowin'　and　scrapin'　to

him；　that　it　was　perfectly　sickenin'。〃



Mr。　Ford　lifted　his　eyebrows。　　〃Oh；　you　mean　the　young　man　of

Benham　and　Co。；　who　was　talking　to　Mrs。　Tripp？〃　he　said。



A　quick　flush　of　angry　consciousness　crossed　Rupert's　face。

〃Maybe；　he　has　just　cheek　enough　for　anythin'。〃



〃And　you　want　to　be　like　him？〃　said　Mr。　Ford。



〃You　know　what　I　mean；　Mr。　Ford。　　Not　LIKE　him。　　Why　YOU'RE　as　good

as　he　is；　any　day；〃　continued　Rupert　with　relentless　naivete；　〃but

if　a　jay…bird　like　that　can　get　on；　why　couldn't　I？〃



There　was　no　doubt　that　the　master　here　pointed　out　the　defectiveness

of　Rupert's　logic　and　the　beneficence　of　patience　and　study；　as

became　their　relations　of　master　and　pupil；　but　with　the　addition　of

a　certain　fellow　sympathy　and　some　amusing　recital　of　his　own　boyish

experiences；　that　had　the　effect　of　calling　Rupert's　dimples　into

action　again。　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour　the　boy　had　become　quite

tractable；　and；　getting　ready　to　depart；　approached　his　sleeping

brother　with　something　like　resignation。　　But　Johnny's　nap　seemed　to

have　had　the　effect　of　transforming　him　into　an　inert　jelly…like

mass。　　It　required　the　joint　exertions　of　both　the　master　and　Rupert

to　transfer　him　bodily　into　the　latter's　arms；　where；　with　a　single

limp　elbow　encircling　his　brother's　neck；　he　lay　with　his　unfinished

slumber　still　visibly　distending　his　cheeks；　his　eyelids；　and　even

lifting　his　curls　from　his　moist　forehead。　　The　master　bade　Rupert

〃good…night；〃　and　returned　to　his　room　as　the　boy　descended　the

stairs　with　his　burden。



But　here　Providence；　with；　I　fear；　its　occasional　disregard　of　mere

human　morality；　rewarded　Rupert　after　his　own　foolish　desires。

Mrs。　Tripp　was　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　as　Rupert　came　slowly

down。　　He　saw　her；　and　was　covered　with　shame；　she　saw　him　and　his

burden；　and　was　touched　with　kindliness。　　Whether　or　not　she　was

also　mischievously　aware　of　Rupert's　admiration；　and　was　not

altogether　displeased　with　it；　I　cannot　say。　　In　a　voice　that

thrilled　him；　she　said：



〃What！　　Rupert；　are　you　going　so　soon？〃



〃Yes；　ma'am…on　account　of　Johnny。〃



〃But　let　me　take　himI　can　keep　him　here　to…night。〃



It　was　a　great　temptation；　but　Rupert　had　strength　to　refuse；

albeit　with　his　hat　pulled　over　his　downcast　eyes。



〃Poor　dear；　how　tired　he　looks。〃



She　approached　her　still　fresh　and　pretty　face　close　to　Rupert　and

laid　her　lips　on　Johnny's　cheek。　　Then　she　lifted　her　audacious

eyes　to　his　brother；　and　pushing　back　his　well…worn　chip　hat　from

his　clustering　curls；　she　kissed　him　squarely　on　the　forehead。



〃Good…night；　dear。〃



The　boy　stumbled；　and　then　staggered　blindly　forward　into　the　outer

darkness。　　But　with　a　gentleman's　delicacy　he　turned　almost

instantly　into　a　side　street；　as　if　to　keep　this　consecration　of

himself　from　vulgar　eyes。　　The　path　he　had　chosen　was　rough　and

weary；　the　night　was　dark；　and　Johnny　was　ridiculously　heavy；　but

he　kept　steadily　on；　the　woman's　kiss　in　the　fancy　of　the　foolish

boy　shining　on　his　forehead　and　lighting　him　onward　like　a　star。





CHAPTER　VI。





When　the　door　closed　on　Rupert　the　master　pulled　down　the　blind；

and；　trimming　his　lamp；　tried　to　compose　himself　by　reading。

Outside；　the　〃Great　Day　for　Indian　Spring〃　was　slowly　evaporating

in　pale　mists　from　the　river；　and　the　celebration　itself

spasmodically　taking　flight　here　and　there　in　Roman　candles　and

rockets。　　An　occasional　outbreak　from　revellers　in　the　bar…room

below；　a　stumbling　straggler　along　the　planked　sidewalk　before　the

hotel；　only　seemed　to　intensify　the　rustic　stillness。　　For　the

future　of　Indian　Spring　was　still　so　remote　that　Nature　insensibly

re…invested　its　boundaries　on　the　slightest　relaxation　of　civic

influence；　and　Mr。　Ford　lifted　his　head　from　the　glowing　columns

of　the　〃Star〃　to　listen　to　the　far…off　yelp　of　a　coyote　on　the

opposite　shore。



He　was　also　conscious　of　the　recurrence　of　that　vague；　pleasurable

recollection；　so　indefinite　that；　when　he　sought　to　identify　it

with　anythingeven　the　finding　of　the　myrtle　sprays　on　his　desk

it　evaded　him。　　He　tried　to　work；　with　the　same　interruption。　　Then

an　uneasy　sensation　that　he　had　not　been　sufficiently　kind　to

Rupert　in　his　foolish　love…troubles　remorsefully　seized　him。　　A

half　pathetic；　half　humorous　picture　of　the　miserable　Rupert

staggering　under　the　double　burden　of　his　sleeping　brother　and　a

misplaced　affection；　or　possibly　abandoning　the　one　or　both　in　the

nearest　ditch　in　a　reckless　access　of　boyish　frenzy　and　fleeing　his

home　forever；　rose　before　his　eyes。　　He　seized　his　hat　with　the

intention　of　seeking　himor　forgetting　him　in　some　other　occupation

by　the　way。　　For　Mr。　Ford　had　the　sensitive　conscience　of　many

imaginative　people；　an　unfailing　monitor；　it　was　always　calling　his

whole　moral　being　into　play　to　evade　it。



As　he　crossed　the　passage　he　came　upon　Mrs。　Tripp　hooded　and

elaborately　attired　in　a　white　ball　dress；　which　however　did　not；

to　his　own　fancy；　become　her　as　well　as　her　ordinary　costume。　　He

was　passing　her　with　a　bow；　when　she　said；　with　complacent

consciousness　of　her　appearance；　〃Aren't　you　going　to　the　ball　to…

night？〃



He　remembered　then　that　〃an　opening　ball〃　at　the　Court…house　was　a

part　of　the　celebration。　　〃No；〃　he　said　smiling；　〃but　it　is　a　pity

that　Rupert　couldn't　have　seen　you　in　your　charming　array。〃



〃Rupert；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　slightly　coquettish　laugh；　〃you

have　made　him　as　much　a　woman…hater　as　yourself。　　I　offered　to　take

him　in　our　party；　and　he　ran　away　to　you。〃　　She　paused；　and　giving

him　a　furtive　critical　glance　said；　with　an　easy　mingling　of

confidence　and　audacity；　〃Why　don't　YOU　go？　　Nobody'll　hurt　you。〃



〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　replied　Mr。　Ford　gallantly。　　〃There's

the　melancholy　example　of　Rupert　always　before　me。〃



Mrs。　Tripp　tossed　her　chignon　and　descended　a　step　of　the　stairs。

〃You'd　better　go；〃　she　continued；　looking　up　over　the　balusters。

〃You　can　look　on　if　you　can't　dance。〃



Now　Mr。　Ford　COULD　dance；　and　it　so　chanced；　rather　well；　too。

With　this　consciousness　he　remained　standing　in　half　indignant

hesitation　on　the　landing　as　she　disappeared。　　Why　shouldn't　he　go？

It　was　true；　he　had　half　tacitly　acquiesced　in　the　reserve　with

which　he　had　been　treated；　and　had　never　mingled　socially　in　the

gatherings　of　either　sex　at　Indian　Springbut　that　was　no　reason。

He　could　at　least　dress　himself；　walk　to　the　Court…house　andlook

on。



Any　black　coat　and　white　shirt　was　sufficiently　de　rigueur　for

Indian　Spring。　　Mr。　Ford　added　the　superfluous　elegance　of　a

forgotten　white　waistcoat。　　When　he　reached　the　sidewalk　it　was

only　nine　o'clock；　but　the　windows　of　the　Court…house　were　already

flaring　like　a　stranded　steamer　on　the　barren　bank　where　it　had

struck。　　On　the　way　thither　he　was　once　or　twice　tempted　to　change

his　mind；　and　hesitated