the trees of pride-第3章

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een　twilight　of　one　summer　evening　it　became　conscious　of　some　thing　sitting　and　speaking　in　its　branches　in　the　guise　of　a　great　bird；　and　it　was　that　which　once　spoke　from　a　tree　in　the　guise　of　a　great　serpent。　As　the　voice　grew　louder　among　its　murmuring　leaves　the　tree　was　torn　with　a　great　desire　to　stretch　out　and　snatch　at　the　birds　that　flew　harmlessly　about　their　nests；　and　pluck　them　to　pieces。　　Finally；　the　tempter　filled　the　tree…top　with　his　own　birds　of　pride；　the　starry　pageant　of　the　peacocks。　And　the　spirit　of　the　brute　overcame　the　spirit　of　the　tree；　and　it　rent　and　consumed　the　blue…green　birds　till　not　a　plume　was　left；　and　returned　to　the　quiet　tribe　of　trees。　　But　they　say　that　when　spring　came　all　the　other　trees　put　forth　leaves；　but　this　put　forth　feathers　of　a　strange　hue　and　pattern。　And　by　that　monstrous　assimilation　the　saint　knew　of　the　sin；　and　he　rooted　that　one　tree　to　the　earth　with　a　judgment；　so　that　evil　should　fall　on　any　who　removed　it　again。　That；　Squire；　is　the　beginning　in　the　deserts　of　the　tale　that　ended　here；　almost　in　this　garden。〃

〃And　the　end　is　about　as　reliable　as　the　beginning；　I　should　say；〃　said　Vane。　　〃Yours　is　a　nice　plain　tale　for　a　small　tea…party；　a　quiet　little　bit　of　still…life；　that　is。〃

〃What　a　queer；　horrible　story；〃　exclaimed　Barbara。　　〃It　makes　one　feel　like　a　cannibal。〃

〃Ex　Africa；〃　said　the　lawyer；　smiling。　　〃it　comes　from　a　cannibal　country。　　I　think　it's　the　touch　of　the　tar…brush；　that　nightmare　feeling　that　you　don't　know　whether　the　hero　is　a　plant　or　a　man　or　a　devil。　　Don't　you　feel　it　sometimes　in　'Uncle　Remus'？〃

〃True；〃　said　Paynter。　　〃Perfectly　true。〃　　And　he　looked　at　the　lawyer　with　a　new　interest。　　The　lawyer；　who　had　been　introduced　as　Mr。　Ashe；　was　one　of　those　people　who　are　more　worth　looking　at　than　most　people　realize　when　they　look。　　If　Napoleon　had　been　red…haired；　and　had　bent　all　his　powers　with　a　curious　contentment　upon　the　petty　lawsuits　of　a　province；　he　might　have　looked　much　the　same；　the　head　with　the　red　hair　was　heavy　and　powerful；　the　figure　in　its　dark；　quiet　clothes　was　comparatively　insignificant；　as　was　Napoleon's。　He　seemed　more　at　case　in　the　Squire's　society　than　the　doctor；　who；　though　a　gentleman；　was　a　shy　one；　and　a　mere　shadow　of　his　professional　brother。

〃As　you　truly　say；〃　remarked　Paynter；　〃the　story　seems　touched　with　quite　barbarous　elements；　probably　Negro。　　Originally；　though；　I　think　there　was　really　a　hagiological　story　about　some　hermit；　though　some　of　the　higher　critics　say　St。　Securis　never　existed；　but　was　only　an　allegory　of　arboriculture；　since　his　name　is　the　Latin　for　an　ax。〃

〃Oh；　if　you　come　to　that；〃　remarked　the　poet　Treherne；　〃you　might　as　well　say　Squire　Vane　doesn't　exist；　and　that　he's　only　an　allegory　for　a　weathercock。〃　　Something　a　shade　too　cool　about　this　sally　drew　the　lawyer's　red　brows　tgether。　He　looked　across　the　table　and　met　the　poet's　somewhat　equivocal　smile。

〃Do　I　understand；　Mr。　Treherne；〃　asked　Ashe；　〃that　you　support　the　miraculous　claims　of　St。　Securis　in　this　case。　Do　you；　by　any　chance；　believe　in　the　walking　trees？〃

〃I　see　men　as　trees　walking；〃　answered　the　poet；　〃like　the　man　cured　of　blindness　in　the　Gospel。　　By　the　way；　do　I　understand　that　you　support　the　miraculous　claims　of　thatthaumaturgist？〃

Paynter　intervened　swiftly　and　suavely。　　〃Now　that　sounds　a　fascinating　piece　of　psychology。　　You　see　men　as　trees？〃

〃As　I　can't　imagine　why　men　should　walk；　I　can't　imagine　why　trees　shouldn't；〃　answered　Treherne。

〃Obviously；　it　is　the　nature　of　the　organism〃；　interposed　the　medical　guest；　Dr。　Burton　Brown；　〃it　is　necessary　in　the　very　type　of　vegetable　structure。〃

〃In　other　words；　a　tree　sticks　in　the　mud　from　year's　end　to　year's　end；〃　answered　Treherne。　　〃So　do　you　stop　in　your　consulting　room　from　ten　to　eleven　every　day。　　And　don't　you　fancy　a　fairy；　looking　in　at　your　window　for　a　flash　after　having　just　jumped　over　the　moon　and　played　mulberry　bush　with　the　Pleiades；　would　think　you　were　a　vegetable　structure；　and　that　sitting　still　was　the　nature　of　the　organism？〃

〃I　don't　happen　to　believe　in　fairies；〃　said　the　doctor　rather　stiffly；　for　the　argumentum　ad　hominem　was　becoming　too　common。　　A　sulphurous　subconscious　anger　seemed　to　radiate　from　the　dark　poet。

〃Well；　I　should　hope　not；　Doctor；〃　began　the　Squire；　in　his　loud　and　friendly　style；　and　then　stopped；　seeing　the　other's　attention　arrested。　　The　silent　butler　waiting　on　the　guests　had　appeared　behind　the　doctor's　chair；　and　was　saying　something　in　the　low；　level　tones　of　the　welltrained　servant。　He　was　so　smooth　a　specimen　of　the　type　that　others　never　noticed；　at　first；　that　he　also　repeated　the　dark　portrait；　however　varnished；　so　common　in　this　particular　family　of　Cornish　Celts。　　His　face　was　sallow　and　even　yellow；　and　his　hair　indigo　black。　He　went　by　the　name　of　Miles。　　Some　felt　oppressed　by　the　tribal　type　in　this　tiny　corner　of　England。　　They　felt　somehow　as　if　all　these　dark　faces　were　the　masks　of　a　secret　society。

The　doctor　rose　with　a　half　apology。　　〃'I　must　ask　pardon　for　disturbing　this　pleasant　party；　I　am　called　away　on　duty。　Please　don't　let　anybody　move。　　We　have　to　be　ready　for　these　things；　you　know。　　Perhaps　Mr。　Treherne　will　admit　that　my　habits　are　not　so　very　vegetable；　after　all。〃　With　this　Parthian　shaft；　at　which　there　was　some　laughter；　he　strode　away　very　rapidly　across　the　sunny　lawn　to　where　the　road　dipped　down　toward　the　village。

〃He　is　very　good　among　the　poor；〃　said　the　girl　with　an　honorable　seriousness。

〃A　capital　fellow；〃　agreed　the　Squire。　　〃Where　is　Miles？　　You　will　have　a　cigar；　Mr。　Treherne？〃　　And　he　got　up　from　the　table；　the　rest　followed；　and　the　group　broke　up　on　the　lawn。

〃Remarkable　man；　Treherne；〃　said　the　American　to　the　lawyer　conversationally。

〃Remarkable　is　the　word；〃　assented　Ashe　rather　grimly。　〃But　I　don't　think　I'll　make　any　remark　about　him。〃

The　Squire；　too　impatient　to　wait　for　the　yellow…faced　Miles；　had　betaken　himself　indoors　for　the　cigars；　and　Barbara　found　herself　once　more　paired　off　with　the　poet；　as　she　floated　along　the　terrace　garden；　but　this　time；　symbolically　enough；　upon　the　same　level　of　lawn。　Mr。　Treherne　looked　less　eccentric　after　having　shed　his　curious　cloak；　and　seemed　a　quieter　and　more　casual　figure。

〃I　didn't　mean　to　be　rude　to　you　just　now；〃　she　said　abruptly。

〃And　that's　the　worst　of　it；〃　replied　the　man　of　letters；　〃for　I'm　horribly　afraid　I　did　mean　to　be　rude　to　you。　　When　I　looked　up　and　saw　you　up　there　something　surged　up　in　me　that　was　in　all　the　revolutions　of　history。　　Oh；　there　was　admiration　in　it　too！　Perhaps　there　was　idolatry　in　all　the　iconoclasts。〃

He　seemed　to　have　a　power　of　reaching　rather　intimate　conversation　in　one　silent　and　cat…like　bound；　as　he　had　scaled　the　steep　road；　and　it　made　her　feel　him　to　be　dangerous；　and　perhaps　unscrupulous。　She　changed　the　subject　sharply；　not　without　it　movement　toward　gratifying　her　own　curiosity。

〃What　DID　you　mean　by　all　that　about　walking　trees？〃　she　asked。　〃Don't　tell　me　you　really　believe　in　a　magic　tree　that　eats　birds！〃

〃I　should　probably　surprise　you；〃　said　Treherne　gravely；　〃more　by　what　I　don't　believe　than　by　what　I　do。〃

Then；　after　a　pause；　lie　made　a　general　gesture　toward　the　house　and　garden。　　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　believe　in　all　this；　for　instance；　in　Elizabethan　houses　and　Elizabethan　families　and　the　way　estates　have　been　improved；　and　the　rest　of　it。　Look　at　our　friend　the　woodcutter　now。〃　　And　he　pointed　to　the　man　with　the　quaint　black　beard；　who　was　still　plying　his　ax　upon　the　timber　below。

〃That　man's　family　goes　back　for　ages；　and　it　was　far　richer　and　freer　in　what　you　call　the　Dark　Ages　than　it　is　now。　Wait　till　the　Cornish　peasant　writes　a　history　of　Cornwall。〃

〃But　what　in　the　world；〃　she　demanded；　〃has　this　to　do　with　whether　you　believe　in　a　tree　eating　birds？〃

〃Why　should　I　confess　what　I　believe　in？〃　he　said；　a　muffled　drum　of　mutiny　in　his　voice。　　〃The　gentry　came　here　and　took　our　land　and　took　our　labor　and　took　our　customs。　And　now；　after　exploitation；　a　viler　thing；　education！　They　must　take　our　dreams！〃

〃Well；　this　dream　was　rather　a　nightmare；　wasn't　it？〃　asked　Barbara；　smiling；　and　the　next　moment　grew　quite　grave；　saying　almost　anxiously：　　〃But　here's　Doctor　Brown　back　again。　Why；　he　looks　quite　upset。〃

The　doctor；　a　black　figure　on　the　green　lawn；　was；　indeed；　coming　toward　them　at　a　very　vigorous　walk。　　His　body　and　gait　very　much　younger　than　his　face；　which　seemed　prematurely　lined　as　with　worry；　his　brow　was　bald；　and　projected　from　the　straight；　dark　hair　behind　it。　He　was　visibly　paler　than　when　he　left　the　lunch　table。

〃I　am　sorry　to　say；　Miss　Vane；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　am　the　bearer　of　bad　news　to　poor　Martin；　the　woodman　here。　His　daughter　died　half　an　hour　ago。〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　Barbara　warmly；　〃I　am　SO　sorry！〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　the　doctor；　and　passed　on　rather　abruptly；　he　ran　down　the　stone　steps　between　the　stone　urns；　and　they　saw　him　in　talk　with　the　woodcutter。　　They　could　not　see　the　woodcutter's　face。　He　stood　with　his　back　to　them；　but　they　saw　something　that　seemed　more　moving　than　any　change　of　countenance。　The　man's　hand　holding　the　ax　rose　high　above　his　head；　and　for　a　flash　it　seemed　as　if　he　would　have　cut　down　the　doctor。　But　in　fact　he　was　not　looking　at　the　doctor。　　His　face　was　set　toward　the　cliff；　where；　sheer　out　of　the　dwarf　forest；　rose；　gigantic　and　gilded　by　the　sun；　the　trees　of　pride。

The　strong　brown　hand　made　a　movement　and　was　empty。　The　ax　went　circling　swiftly　through　the　air；　its　head　showing　like　a　silver　crescent　against　the　gray　twilight　of　the　trees。　It　did　not　reach　its　tall　objective；　but　fell　among　the　undergrowth；　shaking　up　a　flying　litter　of　birds。　　But　in　the　poet's　memory；　full　of　primal　things；　something　seemed　to　say　that　he　had　seen　the　birds　of　some　pagan　augury；　the　ax　of　some　pagan　sacrifice。

A　moment　after　the　man　made　a　heavy　movement　forward；　as　if　to　recover　his　tool；　but　the　doctor　put　a　hand　on　his　arm。

〃Never　mind　that　now；〃　they　heard　him　say　sadly　and　kindly。　〃The　Squire　will　excuse　you　any　more　work；　I　know。〃

Something　made　the　girl　look　at　Treherne。　　He　stood　gazing；　his　head　a　little　bent；　and　one　of　his　black　elf…locks　had　fallen　forward　over　his　forehead。　　And　again　she　had　the　sense　of　a　shadow　over　the　grass；　she　almost　felt　as　if　the　grass　were　a　host　of　fairies；　and　that　the　fairies　were　not　her　friends。



II。　　THE　WAGER　OF　SQUIRE　VANE

It　was　more　than　a　month　before　the　legend　of　the　peacock　trees　was　again　discussed　in　the　Squire's　circle。　　It　fell　out　one　evening；　when　his　eccentric　taste　for　meals　in　the　garden　that　gathered　the　company　round　the　same　table；　now　lit　with　a　lamp　and　laid　out　for　dinner　in　a　glowing　spring　twilight。　It　was　even　the　same　company；　for　in　the　few　weeks　intervening　they　had　insensibly　grown　more　and　more　into　each　other's　lives；　forming　a　little　group　like　a　club。　　The　American　aesthete　was　of　course　the　most　active　agent；　his　resolution　to　pluck　out　the　heart　of　the　Cornish　poet's　mystery　leading　him　again　and　again　to　influence　his　flighty　host　for　such　reunions。　Even　Mr。　Ashe；　the　lawyer；　seemed　to　have　swallowed　his