the red acorn-第30部分

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ches　o'　corn　ter　make　ther　breadstuff；　an'　depend　on　huntin'；　fishin'；　an'　stealin'　fur　the　rest　o'　their　vittles。　　They've　half…a…dozen　guns　in　every　cabin；　but　nary　a　hoe；　they've　more　yaller　dogs　then　the　rest　o'　us　hev　sheep；　an　they　find　hit　a　good　deal　handier　ter　kill　other　folks's　hogs　than　ter　raise　ther　own　pork。〃

〃Hardly　desirable　neighbors；　I　should　think；〃　ventured　Harry。

〃Hit's　war　all　the　time　between　our　kind　o'　people；　and　them　other　kinds。　　Both　on　'em　hates　us　like　pizen；　an'　on　our　sidewell；　we　air　Christians；　but　we　recken　thet　when　Christ　tole　us　ter　love　our　inimies；　an'　do　good　ter　them　ez　despitefully　used　us；　he　couldn't　hev　hed　no　idee　how　mean　people　would　git　ter　be　long　arter　he　left　the　airth。〃

Harry　could　not　help　smiling　at　this　new　adaptation　of　Scriptural　mandate。

〃The　low…down　white　hates　us　bekase　we　ain't　mean　an'　ornery　ez　they　air；　an'　hold　ourselves　above　'em。　　The　big…bugs　hates　us　bekase　we　won't　knuckle　down　ter　'em；　ez　ther　niggers　an'　the　pore　whites　do。　　So　hit's　cat…an'…dog　all　the　time。　　We　don't　belong　ter　the　same　parties；　we　don't　jine　the　same　churches；　an'　thar's　more　or　less　trouble　a…gwine　on　batween　us　an'　them　continnerly。〃

〃Then　when　the　war　broke　out　you　took　different　sides　as　usual？〃

〃Of　course！　of　course！　　The　big　nigger…owners　an'　the　ornery　whites　who　air　just　ez　much　ther　slaves　ez　ef　they'd　been　bot　an'　paid　fur　with　ther　own　money；　became　red…hot　Secessioners；　while　our　people　stuck　ter　the　Union。　　The　very　old　Satan　hisself　seemed　ter　take　possession　ov　'em；　and　stir　'em　up　ter　do　all　manner　o'　cruelty　ter　conquer　us　inter　jinin'　in　with　'em。　　The　Brills　an'　Fortners　hed　allers　been　leaders　agin　the　other　people；an'　now　the　Rebels　hissed　their　white　slaves　onter　our　men；　ez　one　sets　dogs　onter　steers　in　the　corn。　　The　chief　man　among　'em　wuz　Kunnel　Bill　Pennington。〃

Harry　looked　up　with　a　start。

〃Yes；　the　same　one　who　got　his　reward　yesterd；〃　she　continued；　interpreting　the　expression　of　his　eyes。　　〃The　Penningtons　air　the　richest　family　this　side　o'　Danville。　　They　an'　the　Brills　an'　Fortners　hev　allers　been　mortal　enemies。　　Thar's　bin　blood　shed　in　ev'ry　gineration。　　Kunnel　Bill's　father　limpt　ter　his　grae　on　'count　of　a　bullet　in　his　hip；　which　wuz　lodged　thar　soon　arter　I'd　flung　on　the　floor　a　ten　dollar　gold　piece　he'd　crowded　inter　my　hand　at　a　dance；　where　he'd　come　'ithout　ary　invite。　　The　bullet　wuz　from　teh　rifle　ov　a　young　man　named　David　Brill；　thet　I　married　the　next　day；　jest　ez　he　wuz　startin'　fur　Mexico。　　He　volunteered　a　little　airlier　then　he'd　intended；　fur　his　father's　wheat　wuz　not　nearly　all　harvested；　but　hit　wuz　thot　best　ter　git　himself　out　o'　the　way　o'　the　Penningtons；　who　wuz　a　mouty　revengeful　family；　an'　besides　they　then　hed　the　law　on　ther　side。　　Ez　soon　ez　he　come　back　from　teh　war　Ole　Kunnel　Bill；　an'　Young　Kunnel　Bill；　an'　all　the　rest　o'　the　Pennington　clan　an'　connection　begun　watchin'　fur　a　chance　ter　git　even　with　him。　　The　Ole　Kunnel　used　ter　vow　an'　swar　thet　he'd　never　leave　the　airth　ontil　Dave　Brill　wuz　under　the　clods　o'　the　valley。　　But　he　hed　ter　go　last　year；　spite　o'　hisself；　an'　leave　David　Brill　'live　an'　well　an'　becomin'　more　an'　more　lookt　up　ter　ev'ry　day　by　the　people；　while　the　Penningtons　war　gittin'　wuss　and　wuss　hated。　　We　hed　a　son；　too；　the　very　apple　of　our　eyes；　who　wuz　growin'　up　jest　like　his　father…〃

The　quaver　of　an　ill…repressed　sob　blurred　her　tones。　　She　closed　her　eyes　firmly；　as　if　to　choke　back　the　brimming　tears；　and　then　rising　from　her　seat；　busied　herself　brushing　the　coals　and　ashes　back　into　the　fire。

〃Thet　walnut　pops　so　awfully；〃　she　said；　〃thet　a　body　hez　to　sweep　nearly　ev'ry　minnit　ter　keep　the　harth　at　all　clean。〃

〃The　death　of　his　father　made　no　change　in　the　younger　Col。　Pennington？　　He　kept　up　the　quarrel　the　same　as　ever；　did　he？〃　asked　Harry；　deeply　interested　in　teh　narrative。

〃Wussen　ever！　　Wussen　ever！　　He　got　bitterer　ev'ry　day。　　He　laid　his　defeat　when　he　wuz　runnin'　fur　the　Legislatur　at　our　door。　　He　hired　bullies　ter　git　inter　a　quarrel　with　David；　at　public　getherin's；　an'　kill　him　in　sech　a　way　ez　ter　have　a　plea　o'　self…defense　ter　cla'r　themselves　on；　but　David　tuck　too　good　keer　o'　hisself　ter　git　ketched　that　a…way；　an'　he　hurt　one　o'　the　bullies　so　bad　thet　he　niver　quite　got　over　hit。　　He　an'　Kunnel　Pennington　leveled　ther　weepons　on　each　other　at　a　barbecue　near　London　last　Fall；　but　the　bystanders　interfered；　an'　prevented　bloodshed　fur　a　time。〃

〃When　the　war　broke　out；　we　never　believed　hit　would　reach　us。　　Thar　mout　be　trouble　in　Louisville　and　Cincinnatisome　even　thought　hit　likely　that　thar　would　be　fouten'　in　Lexingtonbut　way　up　in　the　mountings　we'd　be　peaceable　an'　safe　allers。　　Our　young　men　formed　theirselves　inter　a　company　o'　Home　Gyards；　an'　elected　my　husband　their　Capting。　　Kunnel　Pennington　gathered　together　'bout　a　hundred　o'　the　poorest；　orneriest　shakes　on　the　headwaters；　an'　tuck　them　off　ter　jine　Sidney　Johnson；　an'　drive　the　Yankees　'way　from　Louisville。　　Everybody　said　hit　wuz　the　best　riddance　o'　bad　rubbish　the　country　'd　ever　knowed；　and　when　they　wuz　gone　our　chances　fur　peace　seemed　better'n　ever。

〃All　the　flurry　made　by　ther　gwine　'way　hed　died　down；　an'　ez　we　heered　nothin'　from　'em；　or　the　war；　people's　minds　got　quiet　ag'in；　an'　they　sot　'bout　hurryin'　up　their　Spring　work。

〃One　bright；　sweet　mornin'　in　May；　I　wuz　at　my　work　in　the　yard　with　Fortnerthet　wuz　my　son's　namefixin'　up　the　kittles　ter　dye　some　yarn　fur　a　coat　fur　him。　　Husband　'd　went　ter　the　other　side　o'　the　hill；　whar　the　new　terbacker　ground　wuz；　ter　cut　out　some　trees　that　shaded　the　plants。　　The　skies　wuz　ez　bright　an'　fa'r　ez　the　good　Lord　ever　made　'em。　　I　could　heah　the　ringin'　o'　David's　ax；　ez　he　chopped　away；　an'h　hit　seemed　ter　be　sayin'　ter　me　cheefully　all　the　time：　　'Heah　I　amhard　at　work。'　　The　smoke　from　some　brush…piles　that　he'd　sot　afire　riz　up　slowly　an'　gently；　fur　thar　wuz　no　wind　a…stirring。　　The　birds　sung　gayly　'bout　their　work　o'　nest…buildin'；　an'　I　couldn't　help　singin'　about　mine。　　I　left　the　kittles　fur　a　minnit　ter　run　down　the　gyardin　walk；　ter　see　how　my　bed　o'　pinks　wuz　comin'　out；　an'　I　sung　ez　I　run。

〃Jest　then　a　passel　o'　men　come　stringin'　up　the　road　ter　the　bars。　　They　looked　like　some　o'　them　that　Kunnel　Pennington　tuck　'way　with　him；　but　they　rid　better　critters　then　any　o'　them　ever　hed；　an'　they　were　dressed　in　a　sorter　soljer…cloze；　an'　all　o'　'em　toted　guns。

〃Something　sent　a　chill　ter　my　very　heart　the　moment　I　laid　eyes　on　'em。　　Hit　a'most　stopped　beatin'　when　I　see　Kunnel　Bill　Pennington　a　little　ways　behind　'em；　with　a　feather　in　his　hat；　an'　sword　an'　pistols　in　his　belt。　　When　they　waited　at　the　bars　fur　him　ter　come　up；　I　knowed　instantly　what　they　were　arter。

〃'Fortner；'　I　said　ter　my　son；　tryin'　ter　speak　ez　low　ez　possible；　'Fortner；　honey；　slip　back　through　the　bushes　ez　quick　ez　the　Lord'll　let　ye；　an　tell　yer　daddy　that　Bill　Pennington　an'　his　gang　air　heah　arter　him。　　Sneak　away；　but　when　ye　air　out　o'　sight；　run　fur　yer　life；　honey。'

〃He　turned　ter　go；　but　tat　that　minnit　Bill　Pennington　shouted　out：

〃'Stop　thar！　　Don't　ye　send　thet　boy　away！