cressy- 第26部分

hospitality　since　his　accession　to　wealth　and　position；　he　remained

for　some　moments　in　a　state　of　bewildered　and　smiling　idiocy。　　It

was　true　that　their　meeting　was　chance　and　accidental；　it　was　true

that　Cressy　had　accepted　his　attention　with　lazy　amusement；　it　was

true　that　she　had　suddenly　and　audaciously　left　him　on　the　borders

of　the　McKinstry　woods　in　a　way　that　might　have　seemed　rude　and

abrupt　to　any　escort　less　invincibly　good…humored　than　Uncle　Ben；

but　none　of　these　things　marred　his　fatuous　felicity。　　It　is　even

probable　that　in　his　gratuitous　belief　that　his　timid　attentions

had　been　too　marked　and　impulsive；　he　attributed　Cressy's　flight　to

a　maidenly　coyness　that　pleasurably　increased　his　admiration　for

her　and　his　confidence　in　himself。　　In　his　abstraction　of　enjoyment

and　in　the　gathering　darkness　he　ran　against　a　fir…tree　very　much

as　he　had　done　while　walking　with　her；　and　he　confusedly　apologized

to　it　as　he　had　to　her；　and　by　her　own　appellation。　　In　this　way　he

eventually　overran　his　trail　and　found　himself　unexpectedly　and

apologetically　in　the　clearing　before　the　school…house。



〃Ef　this　ain't　the　singlerest　thing；　miss；〃　he　said；　and　then

stopped　suddenly。　　A　faint　noise　in　the　school…house　like　the　sound

of　splintered　wood　attracted　his　attention。　　The　master　was

evidently　there。　　If　he　was　alone　he　would　speak　to　him。



He　went　to　the　window；　looked　in；　and　in　an　instant　his　amiable

abstraction　left　him。　　He　crept　softly　to　the　door；　tried　it；　and

then　putting　his　powerful　shoulder　against　the　panel；　forced　the

lock　from　its　fastenings。　　He　entered　the　room　as　Seth　Davis；

frightened　but　furious；　lifted　himself　from　before　the　master's

desk　which　he　had　just　broken　open。　　He　had　barely　time　to　conceal

something　in　his　pocket　and　close　the　lid　again　before　Uncle　Ben

approached　him。



〃What　mouut　ye　be　doin'　here；　Seth　Davis？〃　he　asked　with　the　slow

deliberation　which　in　that　locality　meant　mischief。



〃And　what　mouut　YOU　be　doin'　here；　Mister　Ben　Dabney？〃　said　Seth；

resuming　his　effrontery。



〃Well；〃　returned　Uncle　Ben；　planting　himself　in　the　aisle　before

his　opponent；　〃I　ain't　doin'　no　sheriff's　posse　business　jest　now；

but　I　reckon　to　keep　my　hand　in　far　enuff　to　purtect　other　folks'

property；〃　he　added；　with　a　significant　glance　at　the　broken　lock

of　the　desk。



〃Ben　Dabney；〃　said　Seth　in　snarling　expostulation；　〃I　hain't　got　no

quar'll　with　ye！〃



〃Then　hand　me　over　whatever　you　took　just　now　from　teacher's　desk

and　we'll　talk　about　that　afterwards；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　advancing。



〃I　tell　ye　I　hain't　got　no　quar'll　with　ye；　Uncle　Ben；〃　continued

Seth；　retreating　with　a　malignant　sneer；　〃and　when　you　talk　of

protectin'　other　folks'　property；　mebbe　ye'd　better　protect　YOUR

OWNor　what　ye'd　like　to　call　soinstead　of　quar'llin'　with　the

man　that's　helpin'　ye。　　I've　got　yer　the　proofs　that　that　sneakin'

hound　of　a　Yankee　school…master　that　Cress　McKinstry's　hell　bent

on；　and　that　the　old　man　and　old　woman　are　just　chuckin'　into　her

arms；　is　a　lyin'；　black…hearted；　hypocritical　seducer〃



〃Stop！〃　said　Uncle　Ben　in　a　voice　that　made　the　crazy　casement

rattle。



He　strode　towards　Seth　Davis；　no　longer　with　his　habitual　careful；

hesitating　step；　but　with　a　tread　that　seemed　to　shake　the　whole

school…room。　　A　single　dominant　clutch　of　his　powerful　right　hand

on　the　young　man's　breast　forced　him　backwards　into　the　vacant

chair　of　the　master。　　His　usually　florid　face　had　grown　as　gray　as

the　twilight；　his　menacing　form　in　a　moment　filled　the　little　room

and　darkened　the　windows。　　Then　in　some　inexplicable　reaction　his

figure　slightly　drooped；　he　laid　one　heavy　hand　tremblingly　on　the

desk；　and　with　the　other　affected　to　wipe　his　mouth　after　his　old

embarrassed　fashion。



〃What's　that　you　were　sayin'　o'　Cressy？〃　he　said　huskily。



〃Wot　everybody　says；〃　said　the　frightened　Seth；　gaining　a　cowardly

confidence　under　his　adversary's　emotion。　　〃Wot　every　cub　that　sets

yer　under　his　cantin'　teachin'；　and　sees　'em　together；　knows。　　It's

wot　you'd　hev　knowed　ef　he　and　Roop　Filgee　hadn't　played　ye　fer　a

softy　all　the　time。　　And　while　you've　bin　hangin'　round　yer　fer　a

flicker　of　Cressy's　gownd　as　she　prances　out　o'　school；　he's　bin

lyin'　low　and　laffin'　at　ye；　and　while　he's　turned　Roop　over　to

keep　you　here；　pretendin'　to　give　ye　lessons；　he's　bin　gallivantin'

round　with　her　and　huggin'　and　kissin'　her　in　barns　and　in　the

brushand　now　YOU　want　to　quar'll　with　me。〃



He　stopped；　panting　for　breath；　and　stared　malignantly　in　the　gray

face　of　his　hearer。　　But　Uncle　Ben　only　lifted　his　heavy　hand

mildly　with　an　awkward　gesture　of　warning；　stepped　softly　in　his

old　cautious　hesitating　manner　to　the　open　door；　closed　it；　and

returned　gently：



〃I　reckon　ye　got　in　through　the　winder；　didn't　ye；　Seth？〃　he　said；

with　a　labored　affectation　of　unemotional　ease；　〃a　kind　o'　one　leg

over；　and　one；　two；　and　then　you're　in；　eh？〃



〃Never　you　mind　HOW　I　got　in；　Ben　Dabney；〃　returned　Seth；　his

hostility　and　insolence　increasing　with　his　opponent's　evident

weakness；　〃ez　long　ez　I　got　yer　and　got；　by　G…d！　what　I　kem　here

fer！　　For　whiles　all　this　was　goin'　on；　and　whiles　the　old　fool　man

and　old　fool　woman　was　swallowin'　what　they　did　see　and　blinkin'　at

what　they　didn't；　and　huggin'　themselves　that　they'd　got　high…toned

kempany　fer　their　darter；　that　high…toned　kempany　was　playin'　THEM

too；　by　G…d！　　Yes；　Sir！　that　high…toned；　cantin'　school…teacher　was

keepin'　a　married　woman　in　'Frisco；　all　the　while　he　was　here

honey…foglin'　with　Cressy；　and　I've　got　the　papers　yer　to　prove

it。〃　　He　tapped　his　breast…pocket　with　a　coarse　laugh　and　thrust

his　face　forward　into　the　gray　shadow　of　his　adversary's。



〃An'　you　sorter　spotted　their　bein'　in　this　yer　desk　and　bursted

it？〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　gravely　examining　the　broken　lock　in　the

darkness　as　if　it　were　the　most　important　feature　of　the　incident。



Seth　nodded。　　〃You　bet　your　life。　　I　saw　him　through　the　winder

only　this　afternoon　lookin　over　'em　alone；　and　I　reckoned　to　lay

my　hands　on　'em　if　I　had　to　bust　him　or　his　desk。　　And　I　did！〃　he

added　with　a　triumphant　chuckle。



〃And　you　didsure　pop！〃　said　Uncle　Ben　with　slow　deliberate

admiration；　passing　his　heavy　hand　along　the　splintered　lid。　　〃And

you　reckon；　Seth；　that　this　yer　showin'　of　him　up　will　break　off

enythin'　betwixt　him　and　this　yerthis　yer　MissMiss　McKinstry？〃

he　continued　with　labored　formality。



〃I　reckon　ef　the　old　fool　McKinstry　don't　shoot　him　in　his　tracks

thar'll　be　white　men　enough　in　Injin　Springs　to　ride　this　high…

toned；　pizenous　hypocrit　on　a　rail　outer　the　settlement！〃



〃That's　so！〃　said　Uncle　Ben　musingly；　after　a　thoughtful　pause；　in

which　he　still　seemed　to　be　more　occupied　with　the　broken　desk　than

his　companion's　remark。　　Then　he　went　on　cautiously：　〃And　ez　this

thing　orter　be　worked　mighty　fine；　Seth；　p'r'aps；　on　the　hull；

you'd　better　let　me　have　them　papers。〃



〃What！　　YOU？〃　snarled　Seth；　drawing　back　with　a　glance　of　angry

suspicion；　〃not　if　I　know　it！〃



〃Seth；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　resting　his　elbows　on　the　desk

confidentially；　and　speaking　with　painful　and　heavy　deliberation；

〃when　you　first　interdoosed　this　yer　subject　you　elluded　to　my

hevin'；　so　to　speak；　rights　o'　preemption　and　interference　with

this　young　lady；　and　that　in　your　opinion；　I　wasn't　purtectin'　them

rights。　　It　'pears　to　me　that；　allowin'　that　to　be　gospel　truth；

them　ther　papers　orter　be　in　MY　possessionyou　hevin'　so　to　speak

no　rights　to　purtect；　bein'　off　the　board　with　this　yer　young　lady；

and　bein'　moved　gin'rally　by　free　and　independent　cussedness。　　And

ez　I　sed　afore；　this　sort　o'　thing　havin'　to　be　worked　mighty　fine；

and　them　papers　manniperlated　with　judgment；　I　reckon；　Seth；　if　you

don't　objeck；　I'll　hevhevto　trouble　you。〃



Seth　started　to　his　feet　with　a　rapid　glance　at　the　door；　but　Uncle

Ben　had　risen　again　with　the　same　alarming　expression　of　completely

filling　the　darkened　school…room；　and　of　shaking　the　floor　beneath

him　at　the　slightest　movement。　　Already　he　fancied　he　saw　Uncle

Ben's　powerful　arm　hovering　above　him　ready　to　descend。　　It

suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　if　he　left　the　execution　of　his

scheme　of　exposure　and　vengeance　to　Uncle　Ben；　the　onus　of　stealing

the　letters　would　fall　equally　upon　their　possessor。　　This

advantage　seemed　more　probable　than　the　danger　of　Uncle　Ben's

weakly　yielding　them　up　to　the　master。　　In　the　latter　case　he；

Seth；　could　still　circulate　the　report　of　having　seen　the　letters

which　Uncle　Ben　had　himself　stolen　in　a　fit　of　jealousya

hypothesis　the　more　readily　accepted　from　the　latter's　familiar

knowledge　of　the　schoolhouse　and　his　presumed　ambitious　jealousy　of

Cressy　in　his　present　attitude　as　a　man　of　position。　　With　affected

reluctance　and　hesitation　he　put　his　hand　to　his　breast…pocket。



〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　〃if　you're　kalkilatin'　to　take　up　the　quar'll

on　YOUR　rights；　and　ez　Cressy　ain't　anythin'　more　to　me；　YOU　orter

hev　the　proofs。　　Only　don't　trust　them　into　that　hound's　hands。

Once　he　gets　'em　again　he'll　secure　a　warrant　agin　you　for　stealin'。

That'll　be　his　game。　　I'd　show　'em　to　HER　firstdon't　ye　see？and

I　reckon　ef　she's　old　Ma'am　McKinstry's　darter；　she'll　make　it

lively　for　him。〃



He　handed　the　letters　to　the　looming　figure　before　him。　　It　seemed

to　become　again　a　yielding　mortal；　and　said　in　a　hesitating　voice；

〃P'r'aps　you'd　better　make　tracks　outer　this；　Seth；　and　leave　me

yer　to　put　things　to　rights　and　fix　up　that　door　and　the　desk　agin

to…morrow　mornin'。　　He'd　better　not　know　it　to　onct；　and　so　start　a

row　about　bein'　broken　into。〃



The　proposition　seemed　to　please　Seth；　he　even　extended　his　hand　in

the　darkness。　　But　he　met　only　an　irresponsive　void。　　With　a　slight

shrug　of　his　shoulders　and　a　grunting　farewell；　he　felt　his　way　to

the　door　and　disappeared。　　For