cressy-第26章

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with　himself　that　as　the　only　party　really　aggrieved　in　the

incident　of　the　previous　night；　the　right　of　remedy　remained　with

him　solely；　and　under　the　benign　influence　of　an　early　breakfast

and　the　fresh　morning　air　he　was　inclined　to　feel　less　sternly　even

towards　Seth　Davis。　　In　any　event；　he　must　first　carefully　weigh

the　evidence　against　him；　and　examine　the　scene　of　the　outrage

closely。　　For　this　purpose；　he　had　started　for　the　school…house

fully　an　hour　before　his　usual　time。　　He　was　even　light…hearted

enough　to　recognize　the　humorous　aspect　of　Uncle　Ben's　appeal　to

him；　and　his　own　ludicrously　paradoxical　attitude；　and　as　he　at

last　passed　from　the　dreary　flat　into　the　fringe　of　upland　pines；

he　was　smiling。　　Well　for　him；　perhaps；　that　he　was　no　more

affected　by　any　premonition　of　the　day　before　him　than　the　lately

awakened　birds　that　lightly　cut　the　still　sleeping　woods　around　him

in　their　long　flashing　sabre…curves　of　flight。　　A　yellow…throat；

destined　to　become　the　breakfast　of　a　lazy　hawk　still　swinging

above　the　river；　was　especially　moved　to　such　a　causeless　and

idiotic　roulade　of　mirth　that　the　master　listening　to　the　foolish

bird　was　fain　to　whistle　too。　　He　presently　stopped；　however；　with

a　slight　embarrassment。　　For　a　few　paces　before　him　Cressy　had

unexpectedly　appeared。



She　had　evidently　been　watching　for　him。　　But　not　with　her　usual

indolent　confidence。　　There　was　a　strained　look　of　the　muscles　of

her　mouth；　as　of　some　past　repression；　and　a　shaded　hollow　under

her　temples　beneath　the　blonde　rings　of　her　shorter　hair。　　Her

habitually　slow；　steady　eye　was　troubled；　and　she　cast　a　furtive

glance　around　her　before　she　searched　him　with　her　glance。　　Without

knowing　why；　yet　vaguely　fearing　that　he　did；　he　became　still　more

embarrassed；　and　in　the　very　egotism　of　awkwardness；　stammered

without　a　further　salutation：　〃A　disgraceful　thing　has　happened

last　night；　and　I'm　up　early　to　find　the　perpetrator。　　My　desk　was

broken　into；　and〃



〃I　know　it；〃　she　interrupted；　with　a　half…impatient；　half　uneasy

putting　away　of　the　subject　with　her　little　hand〃theredon't　go

all　over　it　again。　　Paw　and　Maw　have　been　at　me　about　it　all　night

ever　since　those　Harrisons　in　their　anxiousness　to　make　up　their

quarrel；　rushed　over　with　the　news。　　I'm　tired　of　it！〃



For　an　instant　he　was　staggered。　　How　much　had　she　learned！　　With

the　same　awkward　indirectness；　he　said　vaguely；　〃But　it　might　have

been　YOUR　letters；　you　know？〃



〃But　it　wasn't；〃　she　said；　simply。　　〃It　OUGHT　to　have　been。　　I　wish

it　had〃　　She　stopped；　and　again　regarded　him　with　a　strange

expression。　　〃Well；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃what　are　you　going　to　do？〃



〃To　find　out　the　scoundrel　who　has　done　this；〃　he　said　firmly；　〃and

punish　him　as　he　deserves。〃



The　almost　imperceptible　shrug　that　had　raised　her　shoulders　gave

way　as　she　regarded　him　with　a　look　of　wearied　compassion。



〃No；〃　she　said；　gravely；　〃you　cannot。　　They're　too　many　for　you。

You　must　go　away；　at　once。〃



〃Never；〃　he　said　indignantly。　　〃Even　if　it　were　not　a　cowardice。

It　would　be　morea　confession！〃



〃Not　more　than　they　already　know；〃　she　said　wearily。　　〃But；　I　tell

you；　you　MUST　go。　　I　have　sneaked　out　of　the　house　and　run　here　all

the　way　to　warn　you。　　If　youyou　care　for　me；　Jackyou　will　go。〃



〃I　should　be　a　traitor　to　you　if　I　did；〃　he　said　quickly。　　〃I　shall

stay。〃



〃But　ififJackif〃she　drew　nearer　him　with　a　new…found

timidity；　and　then　suddenly　placed　her　two　hands　upon　his

shoulders：　〃IfifJackI　were　to　go　with　you？〃



The　old　rapt；　eager　look　of　possession　had　come　back　to　her　face

now；　her　lips　were　softly　parted。　　Yet　even　then　she　seemed　to　be

waiting　some　reply　more　potent　than　that　syllabled　on　the　lips　of

the　man　before　her。



Howbeit　that　was　the　only　response。　　〃Darling；〃　he　said　kissing

her；　〃but　wouldn't　that　justify　them〃



〃Stop；〃　she　said　suddenly。　　Then　putting　her　hand　over　his　mouth；

she　continued　with　the　same　half…weary　expression：　〃Don't　let　us　go

over　all　that　again　either。　　It　is　SO　tiresome。　　Listen；　dear。

You'll　do　one　or　two　little　things　for　mewon't　you；　dandy　boy？

Don't　linger　long　at　the　school…house　after　lessons。　　Go　right

home！　　Don't　look　after　these　men　TO…DAYto…morrow；　Saturday；　is

your　holidayyou　knowand　you'll　have　more　time。　　Keep　to

yourself　to…day　as　much　as　you　can；　dear；　for　twelve　hoursuntil

untilyou　hear　from　me；　you　know。　　It　will　be　all　right　then；〃　she

added；　lifting　her　eyelids　with　a　sudden　odd　resemblance　to　her

father's　look　of　drowsy　pain；　which　Ford　had　never　noticed　before。

〃Promise　me　that；　dear；　won't　you？〃



With　a　mental　reservation　he　promised　hurriedlypreoccupied　in　his

wonder　why　she　seemed　to　avoid　his　explanation；　in　his　desire　to

know　what　had　happened；　in　the　pride　that　had　kept　him　from　asking

more　or　volunteering　a　defence；　and　in　his　still　haunting　sense　of

having　been　wronged。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　saying　as　he　caught　and

held　her　hand：



〃YOU　have　not　doubted　me；　Cressy？　　YOU　have　not　allowed　this

infamous　raking　up　of　things　that　are　past　and　gone　to　alter　your

feelings？〃



She　looked　at　him　abstractedly。　　〃You　think　it　might　alter　ANYBODY'S

feelings；　then？〃



〃Nobody's　who　really　loved　another〃he　stammered。



〃Don't　let　us　talk　of　it　any　more；〃　she　said　suddenly　stretching

out　her　arms；　lifting　them　above　her　head　with　a　wearied　gesture；

and　then　letting　them　fall　clasped　before　her　in　her　old　habitual

fashion。　　〃It　makes　my　head　ache；　what　with　Paw　and　Maw　and　the

rest　of　themI'm　sick　of　it　all。〃



She　turned　away　as　Ford　drew　back　coldly　and　let　her　hand　fall　from

his　arm。　　She　took　a　few　steps　forward；　stopped；　ran　back　to　him

again；　crushed　his　face　and　head　in　a　close　embrace；　and　then

seemed　to　dip　like　a　bird　into　the　tall　bracken；　and　was　gone。



The　master　stood　for　some　moments　chagrined　and　bewildered；　it　was

characteristic　of　his　temperament　that　he　had　paid　less　heed　to

what　she　told　him　than　what　he　IMAGINED　had　passed　between　her

mother　and　herself。　　She　was　naturally　jealous　of　the　lettershe

could　forgive　her　for　that；　she　had　doubtless　been　twitted　about

them；　but　he　could　easily　explain　them　to　her　parentsas　he　would

have　done　to　her。　　But　he　was　not　such　a　fool　as　to　elope　with　her

at　such　a　moment；　without　first　clearing　his　characterand　knowing

more　of　hers。　　And　it　was　equally　characteristic　of　him　that　in　his

sense　of　injury　he　confounded　her　with　the　writer　of　the　letters

as　sympathizing　with　his　correspondent　in　her　estimate　of　his

character；　and　was　quite　carried　away　with　the　belief　that　he　was

equally　wronged　by　both。



It　was　not　until　he　reached　the　schoolhouse　that　the　evidences　of

last　night's　outrage　for　a　time　distracted　his　mind　from　his

singular　interview。　　He　was　struck　with　the　workmanlike　manner　in

which　the　locks　had　been　restored；　and　the　care　that　had　evidently

been　taken　to　remove　the　more　obvious　and　brutal　traces　of

burglary。　　This　somewhat　staggered　his　theory　that　Seth　Davis　was

the　perpetrator；　mechanical　skill　and　thoughtfulness　were　not　among

the　lout's　characteristics。　　But　he　was　still　more　disconcerted　on

pushing　back　his　chair　to　find　a　small　india…rubber　tobacco　pouch

lying　beneath　it。　　The　master　instantly　recognized　it：　he　had　seen

it　a　hundred　times　beforeit　was　Uncle　Ben's。　　It　was　not　there

when　he　had　closed　the　room　yesterday　afternoon。　　Either　Uncle　Ben

had　been　there　last　night；　or　had　anticipated　him　this　morning。

But　in　the　latter　case　he　would　scarcely　have　overlooked　his　fallen

propertythat；　in　the　darkness　of　the　night；　might　have　readily

escaped　detection。　　His　brow　darkened　with　a　sudden　conviction　that

it　was　Uncle　Ben　who　was　the　real　and　only　offender；　and　that　his

simplicity　of　the　previous　night　was　part　of　his　deception。　　A

sickening　sense　that　he　had　been　again　dupedbut　why　or　to　what

purpose　he　hardly　dared　to　thinkovercame　him。　　Who　among　these

strange　people　could　he　ever　again　trust？　　After　the　fashion　of

more　elevated　individuals；　he　had　accepted　the　respect　and　kindness

of　those　he　believed　his　inferiors　as　a　natural　tribute　to　his　own

superiority；　any　change　in　THEIR　feelings　must　therefore　be

hypocrisy　or　disloyalty；　it　never　occurred　to　him　that　HE　might

have　fallen　below　their　standard。



The　arrival　of　the　children　and　the　resumption　of　his　duties　for　a

time　diverted　him。　　But　although　the　morning's　exercise　restored

the　master's　self…confidence；　it　cannot　be　said　to　have　improved

his　judgment。　　Disdaining　to　question　Rupert　Filgee；　as　the

possible　confidant　of　Uncle　Ben；　he　answered　the　curious　inquiries

of　the　children　as　to　the　broken　doorlock　with　the　remark　that　it

was　a　matter　that　he　should　have　to　bring　before　the　Trustees　of

the　Board；　and　by　the　time　that　school　was　over　and　the　pupils

dismissed　he　had　quite　resolved　upon　this　formal　disposition　of　it。

In　spite　of　Cressy's　warningrather　because　of　itin　the　new

attitude　he　had　taken　towards　her　and　her　friends；　he　lingered　in

the　school…house　until　late。　　He　had　occupied　himself　in　drawing　up

a　statement　of　the　facts；　with　an　intimation　that　his　continuance

in　the　school　would　depend　upon　a　rigid　investigation　of　the

circumstances；　when　he　was　aroused　by　the　clatter　of　horses'　hoofs。

The　next　moment　the　school…house　was　surrounded　by　a　dozen　men。



He　looked　up；　half　of　them　dismounted　and　entered　the　room。　　The

other　half　remained　outside　darkening　the　windows　with　their

motionless　figures。　　Each　man　carried　a　gun　before　him　on　the

saddle；　each　man　wore　a　rude　mask　of　black　cloth　partly　covering

his　face。



Although　the　master　was　instinctively　aware　that　he　was　threatened

by　serious　danger；　he　was　far　from　being　impressed　by　the　arms　and

disguise　of　his　mysterious　intruders。　　On　the　contrary；　the　obvious

and　glaring　inconsistency　of　this　cheaply　theatrical　invasion　of

the　peaceful　school…house；　of　this　opposition　of　menacing　figures

to　the　scattered　childish　primers　and　text…books　that　still　lay　on

the　desks　around　him；　only　extracted　from　him　a　half　scornful　smile

as　he　coolly　regarded　them。　　The　fearlessness　of　ignorance　is　often

as　unassailable　as　the　most　experienced　valor；　and　the　awe…

inspiring　invaders　were　at　first　embarrassed　and　then　humanly

angry。　　A　lank　figure　to　the　right　made　a　forward　movement　of

impotent　rage；　but　was　checked　by　the　evident　leader　of　the　party。



〃Ef　he　likes　to　take　it　that　way；　there　ain't　no　Regulators　law

agin　it；　I　reckon；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　which　the　master　instantly

recognized　as　Jim　Harrison's；　〃though　ez　a　gin'ral　thing　they　don't

usually　find　it　FUN。〃　　Then　turning　to　the　master　he　added；　〃Mister

Ford；　ef　that's　the　name　you　go　by　everywhere；　we're　wantin'　a　man

about　your　size。〃



Ford　knew　that　he　was　in　hopeless　peril。　　He　knew　that　he　was

physically　defenceless　and　at