cressy-第25章

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downstairs。　　Let's　have　a　drink。〃



The　master　gazed　at　Uncle　Ben；　who；　owing　to　his　abstraction；　had

not　yet　wiped　his　mouth　of　the　liquor　he　had　imperfectly　swallowed；

and　was　in　consequence　more　redolent　of　whiskey　than　a　confirmed

toper。　　He　rang　the　bell　for　the　desired　refreshment　with　a

slightly　cynical　smile。　　He　was　satisfied　that　his　visitor；　like

many　others　of　humble　position；　was　succumbing　to　his　good　fortune。



〃I　wanted　to　see　ye；　Mr。　Ford；〃　he　began；　taking　an　unproffered

chair　and　depositing　his　hat　after　some　hesitation　outside　the

door；　〃in　regard　to　what　I　onct　told　ye　about　my　wife　in　Mizzouri。

P'r'aps　you　disremember？〃



〃I　remember；〃　returned　the　master　resignedly。



〃You　know　it　was　that　arternoon　that　fool　Stacey　sent　the　sheriff

and　the　Harrisons　over　to　McKinstry's　barn。〃



〃Go　on！〃　petulantly　said　the　master；　who　had　his　own　reasons　for

not　caring　to　recall　it。



〃It　was　that　arternoon；　you　know；　that　you　hadn't　time　to　hark　to

mehevin'　to　go　off　on　an　engagement；〃　continued　Uncle　Ben　with

protracted　deliberation；　〃and〃



〃Yes；　yes；　I　remember；〃　interrupted　the　master　exasperatedly；　〃and

really　unless　you　get　on　faster；　I'll　have　to　leave　you　again。〃



〃It　was　that　arternoon；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　without　heeding　him；　〃when

I　told　you　I　hadn't　any　idea　what　had　become　o'　my　wife　ez　I　left

in　Mizzouri。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　master　sharply；　〃and　I　told　you　it　was　your　bounden

duty　to　look　for　her。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　nodding　comfortably；　〃them's　your　very

words；　on'y　a　leetle　more　strong　than　that；　ef　I　don't　disremember。

Well；　I　reckon　I've　got　an　idee！〃　　The　master　assumed　a　sudden

expression　of　interest；　but　Uncle　Ben　did　not　vary　his　monotonous

tone。



〃I　kem　across　that　idee；　so　to　speak；　on　the　trail。　　I　kem　across

it　in　some　letters　ez　was　lying　wide　open　in　the　brush。　　I　picked

em　up　and　I've　got　'em　here。〃



He　slowly　took　the　letters　from　his　pocket　with　one　hand；　while　he

dragged　the　chair　on　which　he　was　sitting　beside　the　master。　　But

with　a　quick　flush　of　indignation　Mr。　Ford　rose　and　extended　his

hand。



〃These　are　MY　letters；　Dabney；〃　he　said　sternly；　〃stolen　from　my

desk。　　Who　has　dared　to　do　this？〃



But　Uncle　Ben　had；　as　if　accidentally；　interposed　his　elbow　between

the　master　and　Seth's　spoils。



〃Then　it's　all　right？〃　he　returned　deliberately。　　〃I　brought　'em

here　because　I　thought　they　might　give　an　idee　where　my　wife　was。

For　them　letters　is　in　her　own　handwrite。　　You　remember　ez　I　told

ez　how　she　was　a　scollard。〃



The　master　sat　back　in　his　chair　white　and　dumb。　　Incredible；

extraordinary；　and　utterly　unlooked　for　as　was　this　revelation；　he

felt　instinctively　that　it　was　true。



〃I　couldn't　read　it　myselfez　you　know。　　I　didn't　keer　to　ax　any

one　else　to　read　it　for　meyou　kin　reckon　why；　too。　　And　that's

why　I'm　troublin'　you　to…night；　Mr。　Fordez　a　friend。〃



The　master　with　a　desperate　effort　recovered　his　voice。　　〃It　is

impossible。　　The　lady　who　wrote　those　letters　does　not　bear　your

name。　　More　than　that；〃　he　added　with　hasty　irrelevance；　〃she　is　so

free　that　she　is　about　to　be　married；　as　you　might　have　read。　　You

have　made　a　mistake；　the　handwriting　may　be　like；　but　it　cannot　be

really　your　wife's。〃



Uncle　Ben　shook　his　head　slowly。　　〃It's　her'nthere's　no　mistake。

When　a　man；　Mr。　Ford；　hez　studied　that　handwritehavin'；　so　to

speak；　knowed　it　on'y　from　the　OUTSIDEfrom　seein'　it　passin'　like

between　friendsthat　man's　chances　o'　bein'　mistook　ain't　ez　great

ez　the　man's　who　on'y　takes　in　the　sense　of　the　words　that　might

b'long　to　everybody。　　And　her　name　not　bein'　the　same　ez　mine；

don't　foller。　　Ef　she　got　a　divorce　she'd　take　her　old　gal's　name

the　name　of　her　fammerly。　　And　that　would　seem　to　allow　she　DID　get

a　divorce。　　What　mowt　she　hev　called　herself　when　she　writ　this？〃



The　master　saw　his　opportunity　and　rose　to　it　with　a　chivalrous

indignation；　that　for　the　moment　imposed　even　upon　himself。　　〃I

decline　to　answer　that　question；〃　he　said　angrily。　　〃I　refuse　to

allow　the　name　of　any　woman　who　honors　me　with　her　confidence　to　be

dragged　into　the　infamous　outrage　that　has　been　committed　upon　me

and　common　decency。　　And　I　shall　hold　the　thief　and　scoundrel

whoever　he　may　beanswerable　to　myself　in　the　absence　of　her

natural　protector。〃



Uncle　Ben　surveyed　the　hero　of　these　glittering　generalities　with

undisguised　admiration。　　He　extended　his　hand　to　him　gravely。



〃Shake！　　Ef　another　proof　was　wantin'；　Mr。　Ford；　of　that　bein'　my

wife's　letter；〃　he　said；　〃that　high…toned　style　of　yours　would

settle　it。　　For；　ef　thar　was　one　thing　she　DID　like；　it　was　that

sort　of　po'try。　　And　one　reason　why　her　and　me　didn't　get　on；　and

why　I　skedaddled；　was　because　it　wasn't　in　my　line。　　Et's　all　in

trainin'！　　On'y　a　man　ez　had　the　Fourth　Reader　at　his　fingers'　ends

could　talk　like　that。　　Bein'　brought　up　on　Dobellez　is　nowhere

it　sorter　lets　me　outer　you；　ez　it　did　outer　HER。　　But　allowin'　it

ain't　the　square　thing　for　YOU　to　mention　her　name；　that　wouldn't

be　nothin'　agin'　MY　doin'　it；　and　callin'　her；　wellLou　Price　in　a

keerless　sort　o'　way；　eh？〃



〃I　decline　to　answer　further；〃　replied　the　master　quickly；　although

his　color　had　changed　at　the　name。　　〃I　decline　to　say　another　word

on　the　matter　until　this　mystery　is　cleared　upuntil　I　know　who

dared　to　break　into　my　desk　and　steal　my　property；　and　the　purpose

of　this　unheard…of　outrage。　　And　I　demand　possession　of　those

letters　at　once。〃



Uncle　Ben　without　a　word　put　them　in　the　master's　hand；　to　his

slight　surprise；　and　it　must　be　added　to　his　faint　discomfiture；

nor　was　it　decreased　when　Uncle　Ben　added；　with　grave　naivete　and　a

patronizing　pressure　of　his　hand　on　his　shoulder；〃In　course　ez

you're　taken'　it　on　to　yourself；　and　ez　Lou　Price　ain't　got　no

further　call　on　ME；　they　orter　be　yours。　　Ez　to　who　got　'em　outer

the　desk；　I　reckon　you　ain't　got　no　suspicion　of　any　one　spyin'

round　yehev　ye？〃



In　an　instant　the　recollection　of　Seth　Davis's　face　at　the　window

and　the　corroboration　of　Rupert's　warning　flashed　across　Ford's

mind。　　The　hypothesis　that　Seth　had　imagined　that　they　were

Cressy's　letters；　and　had　thrown　them　down　without　reading　them

when　he　had　found　out　his　mistake；　seemed　natural。　　For　if　he　had

read　them　he　would　undoubtedly　have　kept　them　to　show　to　Cressy。

The　complex　emotions　that　had　disturbed　the　master　on　the　discovery

of　Uncle　Ben's　relationship　to　the　writer　of　the　letters　were

resolving　themselves　into　a　furious　rage　at　Seth。　　But　before　he

dared　revenge　himself　he　must　be　first　assured　that　Seth　was

ignorant　of　their　contents。　　He　turned　to　Uncle　Ben。



〃I　have　a　suspicion；　but　to　make　it　certain　I　must　ask　you　for　the

present　to　say　nothing　of　this　to　any　one。〃



Uncle　Ben　nodded。　　〃And　when　you　hev　found　out　and　you're　settled

in　your　mind　that　you　kin　make　my　mind　easy　about　this　yer　Lou

Price；　ez　we'll　call　her；　bein'　divorced　squarely；　and　bein'；　so　to

speak；　in　the　way　o'　gettin'　married　agin；　ye　might　let　me　know　ez

a　friend。　　I　reckon　I　won't　trouble　you　any　more　to…nightonless

you　and　me　takes　another　sociable　drink　together　in　the　bar。　　No？

Well；　then；　good…night。〃　　He　moved　slowly　towards　the　door。　　With

his　hand　on　the　lock　he　added：　〃Ef　yer　writin'　to　her　agin；　you

might　say　ez　how　you　found　ME　lookin'　well　and　comf'able；　and

hopin'　she's　enjyin'　the　same　blessin'。　　'So　long。〃



He　disappeared；　leaving　the　master　in　a　hopeless　collapse　of

conflicting；　and；　it　is　to　be　feared；　not　very　heroic　emotions。

The　situation；　which　had　begun　so　dramatically；　had　become　suddenly

unromantically　ludicrous；　without；　however；　losing　any　of　its

embarrassing　quality。　　He　was　conscious　that　he　occupied　the

singular　position　of　being　more　ridiculous　than　the　husbandwhose

invincible　and　complacent　simplicity　stung　him　like　the　most

exquisite　irony。　　For　an　instant　he　was　almost　goaded　into　the　fury

of　declaring　that　he　had　broken　off　from　the　writer　of　the　letters

forever；　but　its　inconsistency　with　the　chivalrous　attitude　he　had

just　taken　occurred　to　him　in　time　to　prevent　him　from　becoming

doubly　absurd。　　His　rage　with　Seth　Davis　seemed　to　him　the　only

feeling　left　that　was　genuine　and　rational；　and　yet；　now　that　Uncle

Ben　had　gone；　even　that　had　a　spurious　ring。　　It　was　necessary　for

him　to　lash　himself　into　a　fury　over　the　hypothesis　that　the

letters　MIGHT　have　been　Cressy's；　and　desecrated　by　that　scoundrel's

touch。　　Perhaps　he　had　read　them　and　left　them　to　be　picked　up　by

others。　　He　looked　over　them　carefully　to　see　if　their　meaning

would；　to　the　ordinary　reader；　appear　obvious　and　compromising。

His　eye　fell　on　the　first　paragraph。



〃I　should　not　be　quite　fair　with　you；　Jack；　if　I　affected　to

disbelieve　in　your　faith　in　your　love　for　me　and　its　endurance；　but

I　should　be　still　more　unfair　if　I　didn't　tell　you　what　I　honestly

believe；　that　at　your　age　you　are　apt　to　deceive　yourself；　and；

without　knowing　it；　to　deceive　others。　　You　confess　you　have　not

yet　decided　upon　your　career；　and　you　are　always　looking　forward　so

hopefully；　dear　Jack；　for　a　change　in　the　future；　but　you　are

willing　to　believe　that　far　more　serious　things　than　that　will

suffer　no　change　in　the　mean　time。　　If　we　continued　as　we　were；　I；

who　am　older　than　you　and　have　more　experience；　might　learn　the

misery　of　seeing　you　change　towards　ME　as　I　have　changed　towards

another；　and　for　the　same　reason。　　If　I　were　sure　I　could　keep　pace

with　you　in　your　dreams　and　your　ambition；　if　I　were　sure　that　I

always　knew　WHAT　they　were；　we　might　still　be　happybut　I　am　not

sure；　and　I　dare　not　again　risk　my　happiness　on　an　uncertainty。　　In

coming　to　my　present　resolution　I　do　not　look　for　happiness；　but　at

least　I　know　I　shall　not　suffer　disappointment；　nor　involve　others

in　it。　　I　confess　I　am　growing　too　old　not　to　feel　the　value　to　a

womana　necessity　to　her　in　this　countryof　security　in　her

present　and　future　position。　　Another　can　give　me　that。　　And

although　you　may　call　this　a　selfish　view　of　our　relations；　I

believe　that　you　will　soonif　you　do　not；　even　as　you　read　this

nowfeel　the　justice　of　it；　and　thank　me　for　taking　it。〃



With　a　smile　of　scorn　he　tore　up　the　letter；　in　what　he　fondly

believed　was　the　bitterness　of　an　outraged　trustful　nature；

forgetting　that　for　many　weeks　he　had　scarcely　thought　of　its

writer；　and　that　he　himself　in　his　conduct　had　already　anticipated

its　truths。





CHAPTER　XII。





The　master　awoke　the　next　morning；　albeit　after　a　restless　night；

with　that　clarity　of　conscience　and　perception　which　it　is　to　be

feared　is　more　often　the　consequence　of　youth　and　a　perfect

circulation　than　of　any　moral　conviction　or　integrity。　　He　argued

with　himself　that　as　the　only　party　really　aggrieved　in　the

incident　of　the　previous　night；　the　right　of　r