cressy- 第7部分

but　on　him。



〃Your　wife　was　sending　you　your　rifle　by　Cressy；〃　said　the　master；

〃but　I　offered　to　bring　it　myself；　as　I　thought　it　scarcely　a

proper　errand　for　a　young　lady。　　Here　it　is。　　I　hope　you　didn't

miss　it　before　and　don't　require　it　now；〃　he　added　quietly。



Mr。　McKinstry　took　it　in　one　hand　with　an　air　of　slightly

embarrassed　surprise；　rested　it　against　his　shoulder；　and　then　with

the　same　hand　and　without　removing　the　other　from　his　pocket；　took

off　his　soft　felt　hat；　showed　a　bullet…hole　in　its　rim；　and

returned　lazily；　〃It's　about　half　an　hour　late；　but　them　Harrisons

reckoned　I　was　fixed　for　'em　and　war　too　narvous　to　draw　a　clear

bead　on　me。〃



The　moment　was　evidently　not　a　felicitous　one　for　the　master's

purpose；　but　he　was　determined　to　go　on。　　He　hesitated　an　instant；

when　his　companion；　who　seemed　to　be　equally　but　more　sluggishly

embarrassed；　in　a　moment　of　preoccupied　perplexity　withdrew　from

his　pocket　his　right　hand　swathed　in　a　blood…stained　bandage；　and

following　some　instinctive　habit；　attempted；　as　if　reflectively；　to

scratch　his　head　with　two　stiffened　fingers。



〃You　are　hurt；〃　said　the　master；　genuinely　shocked；　〃and　here　I　am

detaining　you。〃



〃I　had　my　hand　upso；〃　explained　McKinstry；　with　heavy　deliberation；

〃and　the　ball　raked　off　my　little　finger　after　it　went　through　my

hat。　　But　that　ain't　what　I　wanted　to　say　when　I　stopped　ye。　　I

ain't　just　kam　enough　yet；〃　he　apologized　in　the　calmest　manner；

〃and　I　clean　forgit　myself；〃　he　added　with　perfect　self…possession。

〃But　I　was　kalkilatin'　to　ask　you〃he　laid　his　bandaged　hand

familiarly　on　the　master's　shoulder〃if　Cressy　kem　all　right？〃



〃Perfectly；〃　said　the　master。　　〃But　shan't　I　walk　on　home　with　you；

and　we　can　talk　together　after　your　wound　is　attended　to？〃



〃And　she　looked　purty？〃　continued　McKinstry　without　moving。



〃Very。〃



〃And　you　thought　them　new　store　gownds　of　hers　right　peart？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　master。　　〃Perhaps　a　little　too　fine　for　the　school；

you　know；〃　he　added　insinuatingly；　〃and〃



〃Not　for　hernot　for　her；〃　interrupted　McKinstry。　　〃I　reckon

thar's　more　whar　that　cam　from！　　Ye　needn't　fear　but　that　she　kin

keep　up　that　gait　ez　long　ez　Hiram　McKinstry　hez　the　runnin'　of

her。〃



Mr。　Ford　gazed　hopelessly　at　the　hideous　ranch　in　the　distance；　at

the　sky；　and　the　trail　before　him；　then　his　glance　fell　upon　the

hand　still　upon　his　shoulder；　and　he　struggled　with　a　final　effort。

〃At　another　time　I'd　like　to　have　a　long　talk　with　you　about　your

daughter；　Mr。　McKinstry。〃



〃Talk　on；〃　said　McKinstry；　putting　his　wounded　hand　through　the

master's　arm。　　〃I　admire　to　hear　you。　　You're　that　kam；　it　does　me

good。〃



Nevertheless　the　master　was　conscious　that　his　own　arm　was　scarcely

as　firm　as　his　companion's。　　It　was　however　useless　to　draw　back

now；　and　with　as　much　tact　as　he　could　command　he　relieved　his　mind

of　its　purpose。　　Addressing　the　obtruding　bandage　before　him；　he

dwelt　upon　Cressy's　previous　attitude　in　the　school；　the　danger　of

any　relapse；　the　necessity　of　her　having　a　more　clearly　defined

position　as　a　scholar；　and　even　the　advisability　of　her　being

transferred　to　a　more　advanced　school　with　a　more　mature　teacher　of

her　own　sex。　　〃This　is　what　I　wished　to　say　to　Mrs。　McKinstry　to…

day；〃　he　concluded；　〃but　she　referred　me　to　you。〃



〃In　course；　in　course；〃　said　McKinstry；　nodding　complacently。

〃She's　a　good　woman　in　and　around　the　ranch；　and　in　any　doin's　o'

this　kind；〃　he　lightly　waved　his　wounded　arm　in　the　air；　〃there

ain't　a　better；　tho'　I　say　it。　　She　was　Blair　Rawlins'　darter；　she

and　her　brother　Clay　bein'　the　only　ones　that　kem　out　safe　arter

their　twenty　years'　fight　with　the　McEntees　in　West　Kaintuck。　　But

she　don't　understand　gals　ez　you　and　me　do。　　Not　that　I'm　much；　ez

I　orter　be　more　kam。　　And　the　old　woman　jest　sized　the　hull　thing

when　she　said　SHE　hadn't　any　hand　in　Cressy's　engagement。　　No　more

she　had！　　And　ez　far　ez　that　goes；　no　more　did　me；　nor　Seth　Davis；

nor　Cressy。〃　　He　paused；　and　lifting　his　heavy…lidded　eyes　to　the

master　for　the　second　time；　said　reflectively；　〃Ye　mustn't　mind　my

tellin'　yeez　betwixt　man　and　manthat　THE　one　ez　is　most

responsible　for　the　makin'　and　breakin'　o'　that　engagement　is　YOU！〃



〃Me！〃　said　the　master　in　utter　bewilderment。



〃You！〃　repeated　McKinstry　quietly；　reinstalling　the　hand　Ford　had

attempted　to　withdraw。　　〃I　ain't　sayin'　ye　either　know'd　it　or

kalkilated　on　it。　　But　it　war　so。　　Ef　ye'd　hark　to　me；　and　meander

on　a　little；　I'll　tell　ye　HOW　it　war。　　I　don't　mind　walkin'　a　piece

YOUR　way；　for　if　we　go　towards　the　ranch；　and　the　hounds　see　me；

they'll　set　up　a　racket　and　bring　out　the　old　woman；　and　then　good…

by　to　any　confidential　talk　betwixt　you　and　me。　　And　I'm；　somehow；

kammer　out　yer。〃



He　moved　slowly　down　the　trail；　still　holding　Ford's　arm

confidentially；　although；　owing　to　his　large　protecting　manner；　he

seemed　to　offer　a　ridiculous　suggestion　of　supporting　HIM　with　his

wounded　member。



〃When　you　first　kem　to　Injin　Spring；〃　he　began；　〃Seth　and　Cressy

was　goin'　to　school；　boy　and　girl　like；　and　nothin'　more。　　They'd

known　each　other　from　babiesthe　Davises　bein'　our　neighbors　in

Kaintuck；　and　emigraten'　with　us　from　St。　Joe。　　Seth　mout　hev

cottoned　to　Cress；　and　Cress　to　him；　in　course　o'　time；　and　there

wasn't　anythin'　betwixt　the　families　to　hev　kept　'em　from　marryin'

when　they　wanted。　　But　there　never　war　any　words　passed；　and　no

engagement。〃



〃But；〃　interrupted　Ford　hastily；　〃my　predecessor；　Mr。　Martin；

distinctly　told　me　that　there　was；　and　that　it　was　with　YOUR

permission。〃



〃That's　only　because　you　noticed　suthin'　the　first　day　you　looked

over　the　school　with　Martin。　　'Dad；'　sez　Cress　to　me；　'that　new

teacher's　very　peart；　and　he's　that　keen　about　noticin'　me　and　Seth

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