the choir invisible-第12章

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　silversmith；　if　I　can't　get　any　sleep？〃　And　stretching　himself　once　more　on　the　settee；　he　closed　his　eyes。

John　turned　straight　to　the　Wilkinsons'。　His　gait　was　not　hurried；　whatever　his　face　may　have　expressed　was　hidden　by　the　darkness。　The　tense　quietude　of　his　mind　was　like　that　of　a　summer　tree；　not　one　of　whose　thousands　of　leaves　quivers　along　the　edge；　but　toward　which　a　tempest　is　rolling　in　the　distance。

The　house　was　set　close　to　the　street。　The　windows　were　open；　long　bars　of　light　fell　out；　as　he　stepped　forward　to　the　threshold；　the　fiddlers　struck　up　〃Sir　Roger　de　Coverley〃；　the　company　parted　in　lines　to　the　right　and　left；　leaving　a　vacant　space　down　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　into　this　vacant　space　he　saw　Joseph　lead　Amy　and　the　two　begin　to　dance。　She　wore　a　white　muslin　dressa　little　skillful　work　had　restored　its　freshness；　a　blue　silk　coat　of　the　loveliest　hue；　a　wide　white　lace　tucker　caught　across　her　round　bosom　with　a　bunch　of　cinnamon　roses；　and　straw…coloured　kid　gloves；　reaching　far　up　her　snow…white　arms。　Her　hair　was　coiled　high　on　the　crown　of　her　head　and　airily　overtopped　by　a　great　curiously　carved　silver…and…tortoise…shell　comb；　and　under　her　dress　played　the　white　mice　of　her　feet。　The　tints　of　her　skin　were　pearl　and　rose；　her　red　lips　parted　in　smiles。　She　was　radiant　with　excitement；　happiness；　youth。　She　culled　admiration；　visiting　all　eyes　with　hers　as　a　bee　all　flowers。　　It　was　not　the　flowers　she　cared　for。

He　did　not　see　her　dress；　he　did　not　recognize　the　garments　that　had　hung　on　the　wall　of　his　room。　What　he　did　see　and　continued　to　see　was　the　fact　that　she　was　there　and　dancing　with　Joseph。

If　he　had　stepped　on　a　rattlesnake；　he　could　not　have　been　more　horribly；　more　miserably　stung。　He　had　the　sense　of　being　poisoned；　as　though　actual　venom　were　coursing　through　his　blood。　There　was　one　swift　backward　movement　of　his　mind　over　the　chain　of　forerunning　events。

〃She　is　a　venomous　little　serpent！〃　he　groaned　aloud。　〃And　I　have　been　crawling　in　the　dust　to　her；　to　be　stung　like　this！〃　He　walked　quietly　into　the　house。

He　sought　his　hostess　first。　He　found　her　in　the　centre　of　a　group　of　ladies；　wearing　the　toilet　of　the　past　Revolutionary　period　in　the　capitals　of　the　East。　The　vision　dazzled　him；　bewildered　him。　But　he　swept　his　eye　over　them　with　one　feeling　of　heart…sickness　and　asked　his　hostess　one　question：　was　Mrs。　Falconer　there？　She　was　not。

In　another　room　he　found　his　host；　and　a　group　of　Revolutionary　officers　and　other　tried　historic　men；　surrounding　the　Governor。　They　were　discussing　the　letters　that　had　passed　between　the　President　and　his　Excellency　for　the　suppression　of　a　revolution　in　Kentucky。　During　this　spring　of　1795　the　news　had　reached　Kentucky　that　Jay　had　at　last　concluded　a　treaty　with　England。　The　ratification　of　this　was　to　be　followed　by　the　surrender　of　those　terrible　Northwestern　posts　that　for　twenty　years　had　been　the　source　of　destruction　and　despair　to　the　single…handed；　maddened；　or　massacred　Kentuckians。　Behind　those　forts　had　rested　the　inexhaustible　power　of　the　Indian　confederacies；　of　Canada；　of　England。　Out　of　them；　summer　after　summer；　armies　that　knew　no　pity　had　swarmed　down　upon　the　doggedly　advancing　line　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　frontiersmen。　Against　them；　sometimes　unaided；　sometimes　with　the　aid　of　Virginia　or　of　the　National　Government；　the　pioneers　hurled　their　frantic　retaliating　armies：　Clarke　and　Boone　and　Kenton　often　and　often；　Harmar　followed　by　St。　Clair；　St。　Clair　followed　by　Wayne。　It　was　for　the　old　failure　to　give　aid　against　these　that　Kentucky　had　hated　Virginia　and　resolved　to　tear　herself　loose　from　the　mother　State　and　either　perish　or　triumph　alone。　It　was　for　the　failure　to　give　aid　against　these　that　Kentucky　hated　Washington；　hated　the　East；　hated　the　National　Government；　and　plotted　to　wrest　Kentucky　away　from　the　Union；　and　either　make　her　an　independent　power　or　ally　her　with　France　or　Spain。

But　over　the　sea　now　FranceFrance　that　had　come　to　the　rescue　of　the　colonies　in　their　struggle　for　independencethis　same　beautiful；　passionate　France　was　fighting　all　Europe　unaided　and　victorious。　The　spectacle　had　amazed　the　world。　In　no　other　spot　had　sympathy　been　more　fiercely　kindled　than　along　that　Western　border　where　life　was　always　tense　with　martial　passion。　It　had　passed　from　station　to　station；　like　a　torch　blazing　in　the　darkness　and　with　a　two…forked　firegratitude　to　France；　hatred　of　Englandhatred　rankling　in　a　people　who　had　come　out　of　the　very　heart　of　the　English　stock　as　you　would　hew　the　heart　out　of　a　tree。　So　that　when；　two　years　before　this；　Citizen　Genet；　the　ambassador　of　the　French　republic；　had　landed　at　Charleston；　been　driven　through　the　country　to　New　York　amid　the　acclamations　of　French　sympathizers；　and　disregarding　the　President'sproclamation　of　neutrality；　had　begun　to　equip　privateers　and　enlist　crews　to　act　against　the　commerce　of　England　and　Spain；　it　was　to　the　backwoodsmen　of　Kentucky　that　he　sent　four　agents；　to　enlist　an　army；　appoint　a　generalissimo；　and　descend　upon　the　Spanish　settlements　at　the　mouth　of　the　Mississippithose　same　hated　settlements　that　had　refused　to　the　Kentuckians　the　right　of　navigation　for　their　commerce；　thus　shutting　them　off　from　the　world　by　water；　as　the　mountains　shut　them　off　from　the　world　by　land。

Hence　the　Jacobin　clubs　that　were　formed　in　Kentucky：　one　at　Lexington；　a　second　at　Georgetown；　a　third　at　Paris。　Hence　the　liberty　poles　in　the　streets　of　the　towns；　the　tricoloured　cockades　on　the　hats　of　the　men；　the　hot　blood　between　the　anti…federal　and　the　federalist　parties　of　the　State。

The　actions　of　Citizen　Genet　had　indeed　been　disavowed　by　his　republic。　But　the　sympathy　for　France；　the　hatred　of　England　and　of　Spain；　had　but　grown　meantime；　and　when　therefore　in　this　spring　of　1795　the　news　reached　the　frontier　that　Jay　had　concluded　a　treaty　with　Englandthe　very　treaty　that　would　bring　to　the　Kentuckians　the　end　of　all　their　troubles　with　the　posts　of　the　Northwestthe　flame　of　revolution　blazed　out　with　greater　brilliancy。

During　the　hour　that　John　Gray　spent　in　that　assemblage　of　men　that　night；　the　talk　led　always　to　the　same　front　of　offence：　the　baser　truckling　to　England；　an　old　enemy；　the　baser　desertion　of　France；　a　friend。　He　listened　to　one　man　of　commanding　eloquence；　while　he　traced　the　treaty　to　the　attachment　of　Washington　for　aristocratic　institutions；　to　another　who　referred　it　to　the　jealousy　felt　by　the　Eastern　congressmen　regarding　the　growth　of　the　new　power　beyond　the　Alleghanies；　to　a　third　who　foretold　that　like　all　foregoing　pledges　it　would　leave　Kentucky　still　exposed　to　the　fury　of　the　Northern　Indians；　to　a　fourth　who　declared　that　let　the　treaty　be　once　ratified　with　Lord　Granville；　and　in　the　same　old　faithless　way；　nothing　more　would　be　done　to　extort　from　Spain　for　Kentucky　the　open　passage　of　the　Mississippi。

At　any　other　time　he　would　have　borne　his　part　in　these　discussions。　Now　he　scarcely　heard　them。　All　the　forces　of　his　mind　were　away；　on　another　battle…field　and　he　longed　to　be　absent　with　them；　a　field　strewn　with　the　sorrowful　carnage　of　ideal　and　hope　and　plan；　home；　happiness；　love。　He　was　hardly　aware　that　his　own　actions　must　seem　unusual；　until　one　of　the　older　men　took　him　affectionately　by　the　hand　and　said：

〃Marshall　tells　me　that　you　teach　school　till　sunset　and　read　law　till　sunrise；　and　tonight　you　come　here　with　your　eyes　blazing　and　your　skin　as　pallid　and　dry　as　a　monk's。　Take　off　the　leeches　of　the　law　for　a　good　month；　John！　They　abstract　too　much　blood。　If　the　Senate　ratifies　in　June　the　treachery　of　Jay　and　Lord　Granville；　there　will　be　more　work　than　ever　for　the　Democratic　Societies　in　this　country；　and　nowhere　more　than　in　Kentucky。　We　shall　need　you　then　more　than　the　law　needs　you　now；　or　than　you　need　it。　Save　yourself　for　the　cause　of　your　tricolour。　You　shall　have　a　chance　to　rub　the　velvet　off　your　antlers。〃

〃We　shall　soon　put　him　beyond　the　reach　of　his　law；〃　said　a　member　of　the　Transylvania　Library　Committee。　〃As　soon　as　his　school　is　out；　we　are　going　to　send　him　to　ask　subscriptions　from　the　President；　the　Vice…President；　and　others；　and　then　on　to　Philadelphia　to　buy　the　books。〃

A　shadow　fell　upon　the　face　of　another　officer；　and　in　a　lowered　tone　he　said；　with　cold　emphasis：　〃I　am　sorry　that　the　citizens　of　this　town　should　stoop　to　ask　anything　from　such　a　man　as　George　Washington。〃

The　schoolmaster　scarcely　realized　what　he　had　done　when　he　consented　to　act　as　a　secret　emissary　of　the　Jacobin　Club　of　Lexington　to　the　club　in　Philadelphia　during　the　summer。

The　political　talk　ended　at　last；　the　gentlemen　returned　to　the　ladies。　He　found　himself　standing　in　a　doorway　beside　an　elderly　man　of　the　most　polished　hearing　and　graceful　manners；　who　was　watching　a　minuet。

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　waving　his　hand　with　delight　toward　the　scene。　〃This　is　Virginia　and　Maryland　brought　into　the　West！　It　reminds　me　of　the　days　when　I　danced　with　Martha　Custis　and　Dolly　Madison。　Some　day；　with　a　beginning　like　this；　Kentucky　will　be　celebrated　for　its　beautiful　women。　The　daughters　and　the　grand…daughters　and　the　great…granddaughters　of　such　mothers　as　these〃

〃And　of　fathers　like　these！〃　interposed　one　of　the　town　trustees　who　came　up　at　that　moment。　〃But　for　the　sake　of　these　ladies　isn't　it　time　we　were　passing　a　law　against　the　keeping　of　pet　panthers？　I　heard　the　cry　of　one　as　I　came　here　to…night。　What　can　we　do　with　these　young　backwoods　hunters？　Will　civilization　ever　make　pets　of　themever　tame　them？〃　John　felt　some　one　touch　his　arm；　it　was　Kitty　with　Horatio。　Her　cheeks　were　like　poppies；　her　good　kind　eyes　welcomed　him　sincerely。

〃You　here！　I'm　so　glad。　Haven't　you　seen　Amy？　She　is　in　the　other　room　with　Joseph。　Have　they　explained　everything？　But　we　will　loose　our　place〃she　cried；　and　with　a　sweet　smile　of　adieu　to　him；　and　of　warning　to　her　partner；　she　glided　away。

〃We　are　entered　for　this　horse　race；〃　remarked　Mr。　Turpin；　lingering　a　moment　longer。　〃Weight　for　age；　agreeable　to　the　rules　of　New　Market。　Each　subscriber　to　pay　one　guinea；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。〃　He　was　known　as　the　rising　young　turfman　of　the　town；　having　first　run　his　horses　down　Water　Street；　but　future　member　of　the　first　Jockey　Club；　so　that　in　the　full　blossom　of　his　power　he　could　name　all　the　horses　of　his　day　with　the　pedigree　of　each：　beginning　with　Tiger　by　Tiger；　and　on　through　Sea　Serpent　by　Shylock；　and　Diamond　by　Brilliant；　and　Black　Snake　by　Sky　Lark：　a　type　of　man　whom　long　association　with　the　refined　and　noble　nature　of　the　horse　only　vulgarizes　and　disennobles。

Once　afterward　Gray's　glance　fell　on　Amy　and　Joseph　across　the　room。　They　were　looking　at　him　and　laughing　at　his　expense　and　the　sight　burnt　his　eyes　as　though　hot　needles　had　been　run　into　them。　They　beckoned　gaily；　but　he　gave　no　sign；　and　in　a　moment　they　were　lost　behind　the　shifting　figures　of　the　company。　While　he　was　dancing；　however；　Joseph　came　up。

〃As　soon　as　you　get　away；　Amy　wants　to　see　you。〃

Half　and　hour　later　he　came　a　second　time　and　drew　Gray　aside　from　a　group　of　gentlemen；　speaking　more　seriously：　〃Amy　wants　to　explain　how　all　this　happened。　Come　at　once。〃

〃There　i