cressy- 第3部分

books。　　The　act　appeared　to　relieve　his　companion；　who　with　his

eyes　still　turned　towards　the　window　went　on：



〃Ef　you'd　had　them　bookswhich　you　haven'tI　had　it　in　my　mind　to

ask　you　suthen'。　　I　had　an　idea　ofofsort　of　reviewing　my

eddication。　　Kinder　going　over　the　old　books　aginjist　to　pass　the

time。　　Sorter　running　in　yer　arter　school　hours　and　doin'　a　little

practisin'；　eh？　　You　looking　on　me　as　an　extry　scholarand　I

payin'　ye　as　sichbut　keepin'　it　'twixt　ourselves；　you　knowjust

for　a　pastime；　eh？〃



As　the　master　smilingly　raised　his　head；　he　became　suddenly　and

ostentatiously　attracted　to　the　window。



〃Them　jay　birds　out　there　is　mighty　peart；　coming　right　up　to　the

school…house！　　I　reckon　they　think　it　sort　o'　restful　too。〃



〃But　if　you　really　mean　it；　couldn't　you　use　these　books；　Uncle

Ben？〃　said　the　master　cheerfully。　　〃I　dare　say　there's　little

differencethe　principle　is　the　same；　you　know。〃



Uncle　Ben's　face；　which　had　suddenly　brightened；　as　suddenly　fell。

He　took　the　book　from　the　master's　hand　without　meeting　his　eyes；

held　it　at　arm's　length；　turned　it　over　and　then　laid　it　softly

down　upon　the　desk　as　if　it　were　some　excessively　fragile　article。

〃Certingly；〃　he　murmured；　with　assumed　reflective　ease。　　〃Certingly。

The　principle's　all　there。〃　　Nevertheless　he　was　quite　breathless

and　a　few　beads　of　perspiration　stood　out　upon　his　smooth；　blank

forehead。



〃And　as　to　writing；　for　instance；〃　continued　the　master　with

increasing　heartiness　as　he　took　notice　of　these　phenomena；　〃you

know　ANY　copy…book　will　do。〃



He　handed　his　pen　carelessly　to　Uncle　Ben。　　The　large　hand　that

took　it　timidly　not　only　trembled　but　grasped　it　with　such　fatal

and　hopeless　unfamiliarity　that　the　master　was　fain　to　walk　to　the

window　and　observe　the　birds　also。



〃They're　mighty　boldthem　jays；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　laying　down　the

pen　with　scrupulous　exactitude　beside　the　book　and　gazing　at　his

fingers　as　if　he　had　achieved　a　miracle　of　delicate　manipulation。

〃They　don't　seem　to　be　afeared　of　nothing；　do　they？〃



There　was　another　pause。　　The　master　suddenly　turned　from　the

window。　　〃I　tell　you　what；　Uncle　Ben；〃　he　said　with　prompt　decision

and　unshaken　gravity；　〃the　only　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　just

throw　over　Dobell　and　Parsons　and　Jones　and　the　old　quill　pen　that

I　see　you're　accustomed　to；　and　start　in　fresh　as　if　you'd　never

known　them。　　Forget　'em　all；　you　know。　　It　will　be　mighty　hard　of

course　to　do　that；〃　he　continued；　looking　out　of　the　window；　〃but

you　must　do　it。〃



He　turned　back；　the　brightness　that　transfigured　Uncle　Ben's　face

at　that　moment　brought　a　slight　moisture　into　his　own　eyes。　　The

humble　seeker　of　knowledge　said　hurriedly　that　he　would　try。



〃And　begin　again　at　the　beginning；〃　continued　the　master　cheerfully。

〃Exactly　like　one　of　thosein　fact；　as　if　you　REALLY　were　a　child

again。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　rubbing　his　hands　delightedly；　〃that's

me！　　Why；　that's　jest　what　I　was　sayin'　to　Roop〃



〃Then　you've　already　been　talking　about　it？〃　intercepted　the　master

in　some　surprise。　　〃I　thought　you　wanted　it　kept　secret？〃



〃Well；　yes；〃　responded　Uncle　Ben　dubiously。　　〃But　you　see　I　sorter

agreed　with　Roop　Filgee　that　if　you　took　to　my　ideas　and　didn't

object；　I'd　give　him　two　bits*　every　time　he'd　kem　here　and　help　me

of　an　arternoon　when　you　was　away　and　kinder　stand　guard　around　the

school…house；　you　know；　so　as　to　keep　the　fellows　off。　　And　Roop's

mighty　sharp　for　a　boy；　ye　know。〃





*　Two　bits；　i。　e。；　twenty…five　cents。





The　master　reflected　a　moment　and　concluded　that　Uncle　Ben　was

probably　right。　　Rupert　Filgee；　who　was　a　handsome　boy　of　fourteen；

was　also　a　strongly　original　character　whose　youthful　cynicism　and

blunt；　honest　temper　had　always　attracted　him。　　He　was　a　fair

scholar；　with　a　possibility　of　being　a　better　one；　and　the　proposed

arrangement　with　Uncle　Ben　would　not　interfere　with　the　discipline

of　school　hours　and　might　help　them　both。　　Nevertheless　he　asked

good…humoredly；　〃But　couldn't　you　do　this　more　securely　and　easily

in　your　own　house？　　I　might　lend　you　the　books；　you　know；　and　come

to　you　twice　a　week。〃



Uncle　Ben's　radiant　face　suddenly　clouded。　　〃It　wouldn't　be　exactly

the　same　kind　o'　game　to　me　an'　Roop；〃　he　said　hesitatingly。　　〃You

see　thar's　the　idea　o'　the　school…house；　ye　know；　and　the

restfulness　and　the　quiet；　and　the　gen'ral　air　o'　study。　　And　the

boys　around　town　ez　wouldn't　think　nothin'　o'　trapsen'　into　my

cabin　if　they　spotted　what　I　was　up　to　thar；　would　never　dream　o'

hunting　me　here。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　master；　〃let　it　be　here　then。〃　　Observing

that　his　companion　seemed　to　be　struggling　with　an　inarticulate

gratitude　and　an　apparently　inextricable　buckskin　purse　in　his

pocket；　he　added　quietly；　〃I'll　set　you　a　few　copies　to　commence

with；〃　and　began　to　lay　out　a　few　unfinished　examples　of　Master

Johnny　Filgee's　scholastic　achievements。



〃After　thanking　YOU；　Mr。　Ford；〃　said　Uncle　Ben；　faintly；　〃ef　you'll

jest　kinder　signify；　you　know；　what　you　consider　a　fair〃



Mr。　Ford　turned　quickly　and　dexterously　offered　his　hand　to　his

companion　in　such　a　manner　that　he　was　obliged　to　withdraw　his　own

from　his　pocket　to　grasp　it　in　return。　　〃You're　very　welcome；〃　said

the　master；　〃and　as　I　can　only　permit　this　sort　of　thing

gratuitously；　you'd　better　NOT　let　me　know　that　you　propose　giving

anything　even　to　Rupert。〃　　He　shook　Uncle　Ben's　perplexed　hand

again；　briefly　explained　what　he　had　to　do；　and　saying　that　he

would　now　leave　him　alone　a　few　minutes；　he　took　his　hat　and　walked

towards　the　door。



〃Then　you　reckon；〃　said　Uncle　Ben　slowly；　regarding　the　work　before

him；　〃that　I'd　better　jest　chuck　them　Dobell　fellers　overboard？〃



〃I　certainly　should；〃　responded　the　master　with　infinite　gravity。



〃And　sorter　waltz　in　fresh；　like　one　them　children？〃



〃Like　a　child；〃　nodded　the　master　as　he　left　the　porch。



A　few　moments　later；　as　he　was　finishing　his　cigar　in　the　clearing；

he　paused　to　glance　in　at　the　school…room　window。　　Uncle　Ben；

stripped　of　his　coat　and　waistcoat；　with　his　shirt…sleeves　rolled

up　on　his　powerful　arms；　had　evidently　cast　Dobell　and　all

misleading　extraneous　aid　aside；　and　with　the　perspiration　standing

out　on　his　foolish　forehead；　and　his　perplexed　face　close　to　the

master's　desk；　was　painfully　groping　along　towards　the　light　in　the

tottering　and　devious　tracks　of　Master　Johnny　Filgee；　like　a　very

child　indeed！





CHAPTER　II。





As　the　children　were　slowly　straggling　to　their　places　the　next

morning；　the　master　waited　for　an　opportunity　to　speak　to　Rupert。

That　beautiful　but　scarcely　amiable　youth　was；　as　usual；　surrounded

and　impeded　by　a　group　of　his　small　female　admirers；　for　whom；　it

is　but　just　to　add；　he　had　a　supreme　contempt。　　Possibly　it　was

this　healthy　quality　that　inclined　the　master　towards　him；　and　it

was　consequently　with　some　satisfaction　that　he　overheard　fragments

of　his　openly　disparaging　comments　upon　his　worshippers。



〃There！〃　to　Clarinda　Jones；　〃don't　flop！　　And　don't　YOU；〃　to

Octavia　Dean；　〃go　on　breathing　over　my　head　like　that。　　If　there's

anything　I　hate　it's　having　a　girl　breathing　round　me。　　Yes；　you

were！　　I　felt　it　in　my　hair。　　And　YOU　tooyou're　always　snoopin'

and　snoodgin'。　　Oh；　yes；　you　want　to　know　WHY　I've　got　an　extry

copy…book　and　another　'Rithmetic；　Miss　Curiosity。　　Well；　what　would

you　give　to　know？　　Want　to　see　if　they're　PRETTY〃　（with　infinite

scorn　at　the　adjective）。　　〃No；　they　ain't　PRETTY。　　That's　all　you

girls　think　aboutwhat's　PRETTY　and　what's　curious！　　Quit　now！

Come！　　Don't　ye　see　teacher　lookin'　at　you？　　Ain't　you　ashamed？〃



He　caught　the　master's　beckoning　eye　and　came　forward；　slightly

abashed；　with　a　flush　of　irritation　still　on　his　handsome　face；　and

his　chestnut　curls　slightly　rumpled。　　One；　which　Octavia　had

covertly　accented　by　twisting　round　her　forefinger；　stood　up　like　a

crest　on　his　head。



〃I've　told　Uncle　Ben　that　you　might　help　him　here　after　school

hours；〃　said　the　master；　taking　him　aside。　　〃You　may　therefore　omit

your　writing　exercise　in　the　morning　and　do　it　in　the　afternoon。〃



The　boy's　dark　eyes　sparkled。　　〃And　if　it　would　be　all　the　same　to

you；　sir；〃　he　added　earnestly；　〃you　might　sorter　give　out　in　school

that　I　was　to　be　kept　in。〃



〃I'm　afraid　that　would　hardly　do；〃　said　the　master；　much　amused。

〃But　why？〃



Rupert's　color　deepened。　　〃So　ez　to　keep　them　darned　girls　from

foolin'　round　me　and　followin'　me　back　here。〃



〃We　will　attend　to　that；〃　said　the　master　smiling；　a　moment　after

he　added　more　seriously；　〃I　suppose　your　father　knows　that　you　are

to　receive　money　for　this？　　And　he　doesn't　object？〃



〃He！　　Oh　no！〃　returned　Rupert　with　a　slight　look　of　astonishment；

and　the　same　general　suggestion　of　patronizing　his　progenitor　that

he　had　previously　shown　to　his　younger　brother。　　〃You　needn't　mind

HIM。〃　　In　reality　Filgee　pere；　a　widower　of　two　years'　standing；

had　tacitly　allowed　the　discipline　of　his　family　to　devolve　upon

Rupert。　　Remembering　this；　the　master　could　only　say；　〃Very　well；〃

and　good…naturedly　dismiss　the　pupil　to　his　seat　and　the　subject

from　his　mind。　　The　last　laggard　had　just　slipped　in；　the　master

had　glanced　over　the　occupied　benches　with　his　hand　upon　his

warning　bell；　when　there　was　a　quick　step　on　the　gravel；　a　flutter

of　skirts　like　the　sound　of　alighting　birds；　and　a　young　woman

lightly　entered。



In　the　rounded；　untouched；　and　untroubled　freshness　of　her　cheek

and　chin；　and　the　forward　droop　of　her　slender　neck；　she　appeared　a

girl　of　fifteen；　in　her　developed　figure　and　the　maturer　drapery　of

her　full　skirts　she　seemed　a　woman；　in　her　combination　of　naive

recklessness　and　perfect　understanding　of　her　person　she　was　both。

In　spite　of　a　few　school…books　that　jauntily　swung　from　a　strap　in

her