the village watch-tower- 第3部分

〃Their　land　joinin'　made　courtin'　come　dretful　handy。

His　critters　used　to　git　in　her　field　'bout　every　other　day

（I　always　suspicioned　she　broke　the　fence　down　herself）；

and　then　she'd　hev　to　go　over　and　git　him　to　drive　'em　out。

She's　wed　his　onion　bed　for　him　two　summers；　as　I　happen　to　know；

for　I've　been　ou'　doors　more　'n　common　this　summer；　tryin'

to　fetch　my　constitution　up。　　Diademy；　don't　you　want　to　look

out　the　back　way　'n'　see　if　Rube's　come　home　yet？〃



〃He　ain't；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom；　〃so　you　needn't　look；

can't　you　see　the　curtains　is　all　down？　　He's　gone　up　to　the　Mills；

'n'　it's　my　opinion　he's　gone　to　speak　to　the　minister。〃



〃He　hed　somethin'　in　the　back　o'　the　wagon　covered　up　with　an　old

linen　lap　robe；　't　ain't　at　all　likely　he　'd　'a'　hed　that　if　he'd　ben　goin'

to　the　minister's；〃　objected　Mrs。　Jot。



〃Anybody'd　think　you　was　born　yesterday；　to　hear　you　talk；　Diademy；〃

retorted　her　mother…in…law。　〃When　you　've　set　in　one　spot's　long's

I　hev；　p'raps　you'll　hev　the　use　o'　your　faculties！　　Men　folks　has　more

'n　one　way　o'　gettin'　married；　'specially　when　they　're　ashamed　of　it。

。　。　。　Well；　I　vow；　there's　the　little　Hobson　girls　comin'　out　o'

the　door　this　minute；　'n'　they　're　all　dressed　up；　and　Mote　don't　seem

to　be　with　'em。〃



Every　woman　in　the　room　rose　to　her　feet；　and　Diadema　removed

her　murderous　eye　from　a　fly　which　she　had　been　endeavoring　to　locate

for　some　moments。



〃I　guess　they　're　goin'　up　to　the　church　to　meet　their　father　'n'　Eunice；

poor　little　things；〃　ventured　the　Widow　Buzzell。



〃P'raps　they　be；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom　sarcastically；

〃p'raps　they　be　goin'　to　church；　takin'　a　three…quart

tin　pail　'n'　a　brown　paper　bundle　along　with　'em。

。　。　。　They　're　comin'　over　the　bridge；　just　as　I　s'posed。

。　。　。　Now；　if　they　come　past　this　house；　you　head　'em　off；

Almiry；　'n'　see　if　you　can　git　some　satisfaction　out　of　'em。

。　。　。　They　ain't　hardly　old　enough　to　hold　their　tongues。〃



An　exciting　interview　soon　took　place　in　the　middle　of　the　road；

and　Almira　reentered　the　room　with　the　expression　of　one　who　had

penetrated　the　inscrutable　and　solved　the　riddle　of　the　Sphinx。

She　had　been　vouch…safed　one　of　those　gleams　of　light　in　darkness

which　almost　dazzle　the　beholder。



〃That's　about　the　confirmingest　thing　I've　heern　yet！〃

she　ejaculated；　as　she　took　off　her　shaker　bonnet。

〃They　say　they're　goin'　up　to　their　aunt　Hitty's　to　stay　two　days。

They're　dressed　in　their　best；　clean　to　the　skin；　for　I　looked；

'n'　it's　their　night　gownds　they've　got　in　the　bundle。

They　say　little　Mote　has　gone　to　Union　to　stop　all　night

with　his　uncle　Abijah；　'n'　that　leaves　Rube　all　alone；

for　the　smith　girl　that　does　his　chores　is　home　sick

with　the　hives。　　And　what　do　you　s'pose　is　in　the　pail？

_Fruit_　_cake_；that's　what　't　is；　no　more　'n'　no　less！

I　knowed　that　Smith　girl　didn't　bake　it；　'n'　so　I　asked　'em；

'n'　they　said　Miss　Emery　give　it　to　'em。　　There　was　two　little

round　try…cakes；　baked　in　muffin…rings。　Eunice　hed　took　some　o'

the　batter　out　of　a　big　loaf　'n'　baked　it　to　se　how　it　was　goin'

to　turn　out。　　That　means　wedding…cake；　or　I'm　mistaken！〃



〃There　ain't　no　gittin'　round　that；〃　agreed　the　assembled　company；

〃now　is　there；　Mis'　Bascom？〃



Old　Mrs。　Bascom　wet　her　finger；　smoothed　the　parting

of　her　false　front；　and　looked　inscrutable。



〃I　don't　see　why　you're　so　secret；〃　objected　Diadema。



〃I've　got　my　opinions；　and　I've　had　'em　some　time；〃

observed　the　good　lady。　　〃I　don't　know　's　I'm　bound　to　tell　'em

and　have　'em　held　up　to　ridicule。　　Let　the　veal　hang；　I　say。

If　any　one　of　us　is　right；　we'll　all　know　to…morrow。〃



〃Well；　all　any　of　us　has　got　to　judge　from　is　appearances；〃　said　Diadema；

〃and　how　you　can　twist　'em　one　way；　and　us　another；　stumps　me！〃



〃Perhaps　I　see　more　appearances　than　you　do；〃

retorted　her　mother…in…law。　〃Some　folks　mistakes　all　they　see

for　all　there　is。　　I　was　reading　a　detective　story　last　week。

It　seems　there　was　an　awful　murder　in　Schenectady；　and　a　mother

and　her　two　children　was　found　dead　in　one　bed；　with　bullet

holes　in　their　heads。　　The　husband　was　away　on　business；

and　there　wasn't　any　near　neighbors　to　hear　her　screech。

Well；　the　detectives　come　from　far　and　from　near；　and　begun

to　work　up　the　case。　　One　of　'em　thought　't　was　the　husband；

though　he　set　such　store　by　his　wife　he　went　ravin'

crazy　when　he　heard　she　was　dead；one　of　'em　laid　it

on　the　children；though　they　was　both　under　six　years　old；

and　one　decided　it　was　suicide；though　the　woman　was　a　church

member　and　didn't　know　how　to　fire　a　gun　off；　besides。

And　then　there　come　along　a　detective　younger　and　smarter　than

all　the　rest；　and　says　he；　‘If　all　you　bats　have　seen　everything

you　can　see；　I　guess　I'll　take　a　look　around；'　says　he。

Sure　enough；　there　was　a　rug　with　‘Welcome'　on　it　layin'　in　front

of　the　washstand；　and　when　he　turned　it　up　he　found　an　elegant

diamond　stud　with　a　man's　full　name　and　address　on　the　gold　part。

He　took　a　train　and　went　right　to　the　man's　house。

He　was　so　taken　by　surprise　（he　hadn't　missed　the　stud；

for　he　had　a　full　set　of　'em）　that　he　owned　right　up　and

confessed　the　murder。〃



〃I　don't　see　as　that's　got　anything　to　do　with　this　case；〃　said　Diadema。



〃It's　got　this　much　to　do　with　it；〃　replied　old　Mrs。　Bascom；

〃that　perhaps　you've　looked　all　round　the　room　and　seen　everything

you　had　eyes　to　see；　and　perhaps　I've　had　wit　enough　to　turn　up

the　rug　in　front　o'　the　washstand。〃



〃Whoever　he　marries　now；　Mis'　Bascom'll　have　to　say　't

was　the　one　she　meant；〃　laughed　the　Widow　Buzzell。



〃I　never　was　caught　cheatin'　yet；　and　if　I　live　till　Saturday　I　shall

be　seventy…one　years　old；〃　said　the　old　lady　with　some　heat。　　〃Hand　me

Jot's　lead　pencil；　Diademy；　and　that　old　envelope　on　the　winder　sill。

I'll　write　the　name　I　think　of；　and　shut　it　up　in　the　old　Bible。

My　hand's　so　stiff　to…day　I　can't　hardly　move　it；　but　I　guess　I　can　make

it　plain　enough　to　satisfy　you。〃



〃That's　fair　'n'　square；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia；　〃and　for

my　pat　I　hope　it　ain't　Eunice；　for　I　like　her　too　well。

What　they're　goin'　to　live　on　is　more　'n　I　can　see。　　Add　nothin'

to　nothin'　'n'　you　git　nothin'；that's　arethmetic！　　He　ain't　hed

a　cent　o'　ready　money　sence　he　failed　up　four　years　ago；　'thout　it

was　that　hundred　dollars　that　fell　to　him　from　his　wife's　aunt。

Eunice'll　hev　her　hands　full　this　winter；　I　guess；　with　them

three　hearty　children　'n'　him　all　wheezed　up　with　phthisic

from　October　to　April！　。　。　。　Who's　that　coming'　down　Tory　Hill？

It's　Rube's　horse　'n'　Rube's　wagon；　but　it　don't　look　like　Rube。〃



〃Yes；　it's　Rube；　but　he's　got　a　new　Panama　hat；　'n'　he　's　hed　his

linen　duster　washed；〃　said　old　Mrs。　Bascom。　　。　。　。　〃Now；　do　you

mean　to　tell　me　that　that　woman　with　a　stuck…up　hat　on　is　Eunice　Emery？

It　ain't；　'n'　that　green　parasol　don't　belong　to　this　village。　　He's　drivin'

her　into　his　yard！　。　。　。　Just　as　I　s'posed；　it's　that　little；　smirkin'

worthless　school…teacher　up　to　the　Mills。Don't　break　my　neck；　Diademy；

can't　you　see　out　the　other　winder？Yes；　he's　helpin'　her　out；　'n'　showin'

her　in。　　He　can't　'a'　ben　married　more'n　ten　minutes；　for　he's　goin'

clear　up　the　steps　to　open　the　door　for　her！〃



〃Wait　'n'　see　if　he　takes　his　horse　out；〃　said　Hannah　Sophia。

〃Mebbe　he'll　drive　her　back　in　a　few　minutes。　　。　。　。　No；　he's　onhitched！

。　。　。　There；　he's　hangin'　up　the　head…stall！〃



〃I've　ben　up　in　the　attic　chamber；〃　called　the　Widow　Buzzell；

as　she　descended　the　stairs；　〃she's　pulled　up　the　curtains；　and　took

off　her　hat　right　in　front　o'　the　winder；　's　bold　as　a　brass　kettle！

She's　come　to　stay！　　Ain't　that　Rube　Hobson　all　over；to　bring　another

woman　int'　this　village　'stid　o'　weedin'　one　of　'em　out　as　he'd　oughter。

He　ain't　got　any　more　public　sperit　than　ahedgehog；　'n'　never　had！〃



Almira　drew　on　her　mitts　excitedly；　tied　on　her　shaker；

and　started　for　the　door。



〃I'm　goin'　over　to　Eunice's；〃　she　said；　〃and　I'm　goin'

to　take　my　bottle　of　camphire。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　a　mite

if　I　found　her　in　a　dead　faint　on　the　kitchen　floor。

Nobody　need　tell　me　she　wa'n't　buildin'　hopes。〃



〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　said　the　Widow　Buzzell。

〃I'd　like　to　see　with　my　own　eyes　how　she　takes　it；

'n'　it'll　be　too　late　to　tell　if　I　wait　till　after　supper。

If　she'd　ben　more　open　with　me　'n'　ever　asked　for　my　advice；

I　could　'a'　told　her　it　wa'n't　the　first　time　Rube　Hobson　has

played　that　trick。〃



〃I'd　come　too　if　't　wa'n't　milkin'　but　Jot　ain't　home

from　the　Centre；　and　I've　got　to　do　his　chores；　come　in　as　you

go　along　back；　will　you？〃　asked　Diadema。



Hannah　Sophia　remained　behind；　promising　to　meet　them　at　the　post…office

and　hear　the　news。　　As　the　two　women　walked　down　the　hill　she　drew　the　old

envelope　from　the　Bible　and　read　the　wavering　words　scrawled　upon　it　in　old

Mrs。　Bascom's　rheumatic　and　uncertain　hand；





_the_　_milikins_　_Mills_　_Teecher。_





〃Well　Lucindy；　you　do　make　good　use　o'　your　winder；〃

she　exclaimed；　〃but　how　you　pitched　on　anything　so　onlikely

as　her　is　more'n　I　can　see。〃



〃Just　because　't　was　onlikely。　　A　man's　a　great　sight　likelier

to　do　an　onlikely　thing　than　he　is　a　likely　one；　when　it　comes

to　marryin'。　　In　the　first　place；　Rube　sent　his　children　to　school

up　to　the　Mills　'stid　of　to　the　brick　schoolhouse；　though　he　had

to　pay　a　little　something　to　get　'em　taken　in　to　another　deestrick。

They　used　to　come　down　at　night　with　their　hands　full　o'

'ward　o'　merit　cards。　　Do　you　s'pose　I　thought　they　got　'em

for　good　behavior；　or　for　knowin'　their　lessons？　　Then　aunt　Hitty

told　me　some　question　or　other　Rube　had　asked　examination　day。

Since　when　has　Rube　Hobson　'tended　examinations；　thinks　I。　　And

when　I　see　the　girl；　a　red…and…white　paper　doll　that　wouldn't　know

whether　to　move　the　churn…dasher　up　'n'　down　or　round　'n'　round；

I　made　up　my　mind　that　bein'　a　man　he'd　take　her