cressy-第7章

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that　I　reckon　you'd　better　giv　out　that　we're　engaged。'　　'But　are

you？'　sez　I。　　'It'll　come　to　that　in　the　end；'　sez　Cress；　'and　if

that　yer　teacher　hez　come　here　with　Northern　ideas　o'　society；　it's

just　ez　well　to　let　him　see　Injin　Spring　ain't　entirely　in　the

woods　about　them　things　either。'　　So　I　agreed；　and　Martin　told　you

it　was　all　right；　Cress　and　Seth　was　an　engaged　couple；　and　you　was

to　take　no　notice。　　And　then　YOU　ups　and　objects　to　the　hull　thing；

and　allows　that　courtin'　in　school；　even　among　engaged　pupils；

ain't　proper。〃



The　master　turned　his　eyes　with　some　uneasiness　to　the　face　of

Cressy's　father。　　It　was　heavy　but　impassive。



〃I　don't　mind　tellin'　you；　now　that　it's　over；　what　happened。　　The

trouble　with　me；　Mr。　Ford；　isI　ain't　kam！　and　YOU　air；　and　that's

what　got　me。　　For　when　I　heard　what　you'd　said；　I　got　on　that

mustang　and　started　for　the　school…house　to　clean　you　out　and　giv'

you　five　minutes　to　leave　Injin　Spring。　　I　don't　know　ez　you

remember　that　day。　　I'd　kalkilated　my　time　so　ez　to　ketch　ye　comin'

out　o'　school；　but　I　was　too　airly。　　I　hung　around　out　o'　sight；

and　then　hitched　my　hoss　to　a　buckeye　and　peeped　inter　the　winder

to　hev　a　good　look　at　ye。　　It　was　very　quiet　and　kam。　　There　was

squirrels　over　the　roof；　yellow…jackets　and　bees　dronin'　away；　and

kinder　sleeping…like　all　around　in　the　air；　and　jay…birds

twitterin'　in　the　shingles；　and　they　never　minded　me。　　You　were

movin'　up　and　down　among　them　little　gals　and　boys；　liftin'　up

their　heads　and　talkin'　to　'em　softly　and　quiet　like；　ez　if　you　was

one　of　them　yourself。　　And　they　looked　contented　and　kam。　　And

onctI　don't　know　if　YOU　remember　ityou　kem　close　up　to　the

winder　with　your　hands　behind　you；　and　looked　out　so　kam　and　quiet

and　so　far　off；　ez　if　everybody　else　outside　the　school　was　miles

away　from　you。　　It　kem　to　me　then　that　I'd　given　a　heap　to　hev　had

the　old　woman　see　you　thar。　　It　kem　to　me；　Mr。　Ford；　that　there

wasn't　any　place　for　ME　thar；　and　it　kem　to　me；　tooand　a　little

rough　likethat　mebbee　there　wasn't　any　place　there　for　MY　Cress

either！　　So　I　rode　away　without　disturbin'　you　nor　the　birds　nor

the　squirrels。　　Talkin'　with　Cress　that　night；　she　said　ez　how　it

was　a　fair　sample　of　what　happened　every　day；　and　that　you'd　always

treated　her　fair　like　the　others。　　So　she　allowed　that　she'd　go

down　to　Sacramento；　and　get　some　things　agin　her　and　Seth　bein'

married　next　month；　and　she　reckoned　she　wouldn't　trouble　you　nor

the　school　agin。　　Hark　till　I've　done；　Mr。　Ford；〃　he　continued；　as

the　young　man　made　a　slight　movement　of　deprecation。　　〃Well；　I

agreed。　　But　arter　she　got　to　Sacramento　and　bought　some　fancy

fixin's；　she　wrote　to　me　and　sez　ez　how　she'd　been　thinkin'　the

hull　thing　over；　and　she　reckoned　that　she　and　Seth　were　too　young

to　marry；　and　the　engagement　had　better　be　broke。　　And　I　broke　it

for　her。〃



〃But　how？〃　asked　the　bewildered　master。



〃Gin'rally　with　this　gun；〃　returned　McKinstry　with　slow　gravity；

indicating　the　rifle　he　was　carrying；　〃for　I　ain't　kam。　　I　let　on

to　Seth's　father　that　if　I　ever　found　Seth　and　Cressy　together

again；　I'd　shoot　him。　　It　made　a　sort　o'　coolness　betwixt　the

families；　and　hez　given　some　comfort　to　them　low…down　Harrisons；

but　even　the　law；　I　reckon；　recognizes　a　father's　rights。　　And　ez

Cress　sez；　now　ez　Seth's　out　o'　the　way；　thar　ain't　no　reason　why

she　can't　go　back　to　school　and　finish　her　eddication。　　And　I

reckoned　she　was　right。　　And　we　both　agreed　that　ez　she'd　left

school　to　git　them　store　clothes；　it　was　only　fair　that　she'd　give

the　school　the　benefit　of　'em。〃



The　case　seemed　more　hopeless　than　ever。　　The　master　knew　that　the

man　beside　him　might　hardly　prove　as　lenient　to　a　second　objection

at　his　hand。　　But　that　very　reason；　perhaps；　impelled　him；　now　that

he　knew　his　danger；　to　consider　it　more　strongly　as　a　duty；　and　his

pride　revolted　from　a　possible　threat　underlying　McKinstry's

confidences。　　Nevertheless　he　began　gently：



〃But　you　are　quite　sure　you　won't　regret　that　you　didn't　avail

yourself　of　this　broken　engagement；　and　your　daughter's　outfitto

send　her　to　some　larger　boarding…school　in　Sacramento　or　San

Francisco？　　Don't　you　think　she　may　find　it　dull；　and　soon　tire　of

the　company　of　mere　children　when　she　has　already　known　the

excitement　of〃he　was　about　to　say　〃a　lover；〃　but　checked　himself；

and　added；　〃a　young　girl's　freedom？〃



〃Mr。　Ford；〃　returned　McKinstry；　with　the　slow　and　fatuous

misconception　of　a　one…ideaed　man；　〃when　I　said　just　now　that；

lookin'　inter　that　kam；　peaceful　school　of　yours；　I　didn't　find　a

place　for　Cress；　it　warn't　because　I　didn't　think　she　OUGHTER　hev　a

place　thar。　　Thar　was　that　thar　wot　she　never　had　ez　a　little　girl

with　me　and　the　old　woman；　and　that　she　couldn't　find　ez　a　grownd

up　girl　in　any　boarding…schoolthe　home　of　a　child；　that　kind　o'

innocent　foolishness　that　I　sometimes　reckon　must　hev　slipped　outer

our　emigrant　wagon　comin'　across　the　plains；　or　got　left　behind　at

St。　Joe。　　She　was　a　grownd　girl　fit　to　marry　afore　she　was　a　child。

She　had　young　fellers　a…sparkin'　her　afore　she　ever　played　with　'em

ez　boy　and　girl。　　I　don't　mind　tellin'　you　that　it　wern't　in　the

natur　of　Blair　Rawlins'　darter　to　teach　her　own　darter　any　better；

for　all　she's　been　a　mighty　help　to　me。　　So　if　it's　all　the　same　to

you；　Mr。　Ford；　we　won't　talk　about　a　grownd　up　school；　I'd　rather

Cress　be　a　little　girl　again　among　them　other　children。　　I　should

be　a　powerful　sight　more　kam　if　I　knowed　that　when　I　was　away

huntin'　stock　or　fightin'　stakes　with　them　Harrisons；　that　she　was

a　settin'　there　with　them　and　the　birds　and　the　bees；　and　listenin'

to　them　and　to　you。　　Mebbee　there's　been　a　little　too　many

scrimmages　goin'　on　round　the　ranch　sence　she's　been　a　child；

mebbee　she　orter　know　suthin'　more　of　a　man　than　a　feller　who

sparks　her　and　fights　for　her。〃



The　master　was　silent。　　Had　this　dull；　narrow…minded　partisan

stumbled　upon　a　truth　that　had　never　dawned　upon　his　own　broader

comprehension？　　Had　this　selfish　savage　and　literally　red…handed

frontier　brawler　been　moved　by　some　dumb　instinct　of　the　power　of

gentleness　to　understand　his　daughter's　needs　better　than　he？　　For

a　moment　he　was　staggered。　　Then　he　thought　of　Cressy's　later

flirtations　with　Joe　Masters；　and　her　concealment　of　their　meeting

from　her　mother。　　Had　she　deceived　her　father　also？　　Or　was　not　the

father　deceiving　him　with　this　alternate　suggestion　of　threat　and

of　kindlinessof　power　and　weakness。　　He　had　heard　of　this　cruel

phase　of　Southwestern　cunning　before。　　With　the　feeble　sophistry　of

the　cynic　he　mistrusted　the　good　his　scepticism　could　not

understand。　　Howbeit；　glancing　sideways　at　the　slumbering　savagery

of　the　man　beside　him；　and　his　wounded　hand；　he　did　not　care　to

show　his　lack　of　confidence。　　He　contented　himself　with　that

equally　feeble　resource　of　weak　humanity　in　such　casesgood…

natured　indifference。　　〃All　right；〃　he　said　carelessly；　〃I'll　see

what　can　be　done。　　But　are　you　quite　sure　you　are　fit　to　go　home

alone？　　Shall　I　accompany　you？〃　　As　McKinstry　waived　the　suggestion

with　a　gesture；　he　added　lightly；　as　if　to　conclude　the　interview；

〃I'll　report　progress　to　you　from　time　to　time；　if　you　like。〃



〃To　ME；〃　emphasized　McKinstry；　〃not　over　THAR；〃　indicating　the

ranch。　　〃But　p'rhaps　you　wouldn't　mind　my　ridin'　by　and　lookin'　in

at　the　school…room　winder　onct　in　a　while？　　Ahyou　WOULD；〃　he

added；　with　the　first　deepening　of　color　he　had　shown。　　〃Well；

never　mind。〃



〃You　see　it　might　distract　the　children　from　their　lessons；〃

explained　the　master　gently；　who　had　however　contemplated　with　some

concern　the　infinite　delight　which　a　glimpse　of　McKinstry's　fiery

and　fatuous　face　at　the　window　would　awaken　in　Johnny　Filgee's

infant　breast。



〃Well；　no　matter！〃　returned　McKinstry　slowly。　　〃Ye　don't　keer；　I

s'pose；　to　come　over　to　the　hotel　and　take　suthin'？　　A　julep　or　a

smash？〃



〃I　shouldn't　think　of　keeping　you　a　moment　longer　from　Mrs。

McKinstry；〃　said　the　master；　looking　at　his　companion's　wounded

hand。　　〃Thank　you　all　the　same。　　Good…by。〃



They　shook　hands；　McKinstry　transferring　his　rifle　to　the　hollow　of

his　elbow　to　offer　his　unwounded　left。　　The　master　watched　him

slowly　resume　his　way　towards　the　ranch。　　Then　with　a　half　uneasy

and　half　pleasurable　sense　that　he　had　taken　some　step　whose

consequences　were　more　important　than　he　would　at　present

understand；　he　turned　in　the　opposite　direction　to　the　school…

house。　　He　was　so　preoccupied　that　it　was　not　until　he　had　nearly

reached　it　that　he　remembered　Uncle　Ben。　　With　an　odd　recollection

of　McKinstry's　previous　performance；　he　approached　the　school　from

the　thicket　in　the　rear　and　slipped　noiselessly　to　the　open　window

with　the　intention　of　looking　in。　　But　the　school…house；　far　from

exhibiting　that　〃kam〃　and　studious　abstraction　which　had　so　touched

the　savage　breast　of　McKinstry；　was　filled　with　the　accents　of

youthful　and　unrestrained　vituperation。　　The　voice　of　Rupert　Filgee

came　sharply　to　the　master's　astonished　ears。



〃You　needn't　try　to　play　off　Dobell　or　Mitchell　on　MEyou　hear！

Much　YOU　know　of　either；　don't　you？　　Look　at　that　copy。　　If　Johnny

couldn't　do　better　than　that；　I'd　lick　him。　　Of　course　it's　the

penit　ain't　your　stodgy　fingersoh；　no！　　P'r'aps　you'd　like　to

hev　a　few　more　boxes　o'　quills　and　gold　pens　and　Gillott's　best

thrown　in；　for　two　bits　a　lesson？　　I　tell　you　what！　　I'll　throw　up

the　contract　in　another　minit！　　There　goes　another　quill　busted！

Look　here；　what　YOU　want　ain't　a　pen；　but　a　clothes…pin　and　a　split

nail！　　That'll　about　jibe　with　your　dilikit　gait。〃



The　master　at　once　stepped　to　the　window　and；　unobserved；　took　a

quick　survey　of　the　interior。　　Following　some　ingenious　idea　of　his

own　regarding　fitness；　the　beautiful　Filgee　had　induced　Uncle　Ben

to　seat　himself　on　the　floor　before　one　of　the　smallest　desks；

presumably　his　brother's；　in　an　attitude　which；　while　it　certainly

gave　him　considerable　elbow…room　for　those　contortions　common　to

immature　penmanship；　offered　his　youthful　instructor　a　superior

eminence；　from　which　he　hovered；　occasionally　swooping　down　upon

his　grown…up　pupil　like　a　mischievous　but　graceful　jay。　　But　Mr。

Ford's　most　distinct　impression　was　that；　far　from　resenting　the

derogatory　position　and　the　abuse　that　accompanied　it；　Uncle　Ben

not　only　beamed　upon　his　persecutor　with　unquenchable　good　humor；

but　with　undisguised　admiration；　and　showed　not　the　slightest

inclination　to　accept　his　proposed　resignation。



〃Go　slow；　Roop；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　　〃You　was　onct　a　boy　yourself。

Nat'rally　I　kalkilate　to　stand　all　the　damages。　　You've　got　ter

waste　some　powder　over　a　blast　like　this　yer；　way　down　to　the　bed

rock。　　Next　time　I'll　bring　my　own　pens。〃



〃Do。　　Some　from　the　Dobell　school　you　uster　go　to；〃　suggested　th