eben holden-第10部分

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'Full　o'　white　owls；'　said　he；　stepping　inside；　where　the　rustling　was　now　continuous。　'They'll　do　us　no　harm。'

I　could　see　them　now　flying　about　under　the　low　ceiling。　Uncle　Eb　gathered　an　gathered　an　armful　of　grass　and　clover；　in　the　near　field；　and　spread　it　in　a　corner　well　away　from　the　ruined　door　and　windows。　Covered　with　our　blanket　it　made　a　fairly　comfortable　bed。　Soon　as　we　had　lain　down；　the　rain　began　to　rattle　on　the　shaky　roof　and　flashes　of　lightning　lit　every　comer　of　the　old　room。

I　have　had；　ever；　a　curious　love　of　storms；　and；　from　the　time　when　memory　began　its　record　in　my　brain；　it　has　delighted　me　to　hear　at　night　the　roar　of　thunder　and　see　the　swift　play　of　the　lightning。　I　lay　between　Uncle　Eb　and　the　old　dog；　who　both　went　asleep　shortly。　Less　wearied　I　presume　than　either　of　them；　for　I　had　done　none　of　the　carrying；　and　had　slept　along　time　that　day　in　the　shade　of　a　tree；　I　was　awake　an　hour　or　more　after　they　were　snoring。　Every　flash　lit　the　old　room　like　the　full　glare　of　the　noonday　sun。　I　remember　it　showed　me　an　old　cradle；　piled　full　of　rubbish；　a　rusty　scythe　hung　in　the　rotting　sash　of　a　window；　a　few　lengths　of　stove…pipe　and　a　plough　in　one　comer；　and　three　staring　white　owls　that　sat　on　a　beam　above　the　doorway。　The　rain　roared　on　the　old　roof　shortly；　and　came　dripping　down　through　the　bare　boards　above　us。　A　big　drop　struck　in　my　face　and　I　moved　a　little。　Then　I　saw　what　made　me　hold　my　breath　a　moment　and　cover　my　head　with　the　shawl。　A　flash　of　lightning　revealed　a　tall；　ragged　man　looking　in　at　the　doorway。　I　lay　close　to　Uncle　Eb　imagining　much　evil　of　that　vision　but　made　no　outcry。

Snugged　in　between　my　two　companions　I　felt　reasonably　secure　and　soon　fell　asleep。　The　sun；　streaming　in　at　the　open　door；　roused　me　in　the　morning。　At　the　beginning　of　each　day　of　our　journey　I　woke　to　find　Uncle　Eb　cooking　at　the　fire。　He　was　lying　beside　me；　this　morning；　his　eyes　open。

'Fraid　I'm　hard　sick；'　he　said　as　I　kissed　him。

'What's　the　matter？'　I　enquired。

He　struggled　to　a　sitting　posture；　groaning　soit　went　to　my　heart。

'Rheumatiz；'　he　answered　presently。

He　got　to　his　feet；　little　by　little；　and　every　move　he　made　gave　him　great　pain。　With　one　hand　on　his　cane　and　the　other　on　my　shoulder　he　made　his　way　slowly　to　the　broken　gate。　Even　now　I　can　see　clearly　the　fair　prospect　of　that　high　place　…　a　valley　reaching　to　distant　hills　and　a　river　winding　through　it；　glimmering　in　the　sunlight；　a　long　wooded　ledge　breaking　into　naked；　grassy　slopes　on　one　side　of　the　valley　and　on　the　other　a　deep　forest　rolling　to　the　far　horizon；　between　them　big　patches　of　yellow　grain　and　white　buckwheat　and　green　pasture　land　and　greener　meadows　and　the　straight　road；　with　white　houses　on　either　side　of　it；　glorious　in　a　double　fringe　of　golden　rod　and　purple　aster　and　yellow　John's…wort　and　the　deep　blue　of　the　Jacob's　ladder。

'Looks　a　good　deal　like　the　promised　land；'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'Hain't　got　much　further　t'　go。'

He　sat　on　the　rotting　threshold　while　I　pulled　some　of　the　weeds　in　front　of　the　doorstep　and　brought　kindlings　out　of　the　house　and　built　a　fire。　While　we　were　eating　I　told　Uncle　Eb　of　the　man　that　I　had　seen　in　the　night。

'Guess　you　was　dreamin'；'　he　said；　and；　while　I　stood　firm　for　the　reality　of　that　I　had　seen；　it　held　our　thought　only　for　a　brief　moment。　My　companion　was　unable　to　walk　that　day　so　we　lay　by；　in　the　shelter　of　the　old　house；　eating　as　little　of　our　scanty　store　as　we　could　do　with。　I　went　to　a　spring　near　by　for　water　and　picked　a　good　mess　of　blackberries　that　I　hid　away　until　supper　time；　so　as　to　surprise　Uncle　Eb。　A　longer　day　than　that　we　spent　in　the　old　house；　after　our　coming；　I　have　never　known。　I　made　the　room　a　bit　tidier　and　gathered　more　grass　for　bedding。　Uncle　Eb　felt　better　as　the　day　grew　warm。　I　had　a　busy　time　of　it　that　morning　bathing　his　back　in　the　spirits　and　rubbing　until　my　small　arms　ached。　I　have　heard　him　tell　often　how　vigorously　I　worked　that　day　and　how　I　would　say：　'I'll　take　care　o'　you；　Uncle　Eb　…won't　I；　Uncle　Eb？'　as　my　little　hands　flew　with　redoubled　energy　on　his　bare　skin。　That　finished　we　lay　down　sleeping　until　the　sun　was　low；　when　I　made　ready　the　supper　that　took　the　last　of　everything　we　had　to　eat。　Uncle　Eb　was　more　like　himself　that　evening　and；　sitting　up　in　the　corner；　as　the　darkness　came；　told　me　the　story　of　Squirreltown　and　Frog　Ferry；　which　came　to　be　so　great　a　standby　in　those　days　that；　even　now；　I　can　recall　much　of　the　language　in　which　he　told　it　

'Once；'　he　said；　'there　was　a　boy　thet　hed　two　grey　squirrels　in　a　cage。　They　kep'　thinkin'　o'　the　time　they　used　t'　scamper　in　the　tree…tops　an'　make　nests　an'　eat　all　the　nuts　they　wanted　an'　play　I　spy　in　the　thick　leaves。　An　they　grew　poor　an'　looked　kind　o'　ragged　an'　sickly　an'　downhearted。　When　he　brought　'em　outdoors　they　used　t'　look　up　in　the　trees　an'　run　in　the　wire　wheel　as　if　they　thought　they　could　get　there　sometime　if　they　kep'　goin'。　As　the　boy　grew　older　he　see　it　was　cruel　to　keep　'em　shet　in　a　cage；　but　he'd　hed　em　a　long　time　an'　couldn't　bear　t'　give　'em　up。

'One　day　he　was　out　in　the　woods　a　little　back　o'　the　clearin'。　All　t'　once　he　heard　a　swift　holler。　'Twas　nearby　an'　echoed　so　he　couldn't　tell　which　way　it　come　from。　He　run　fer　home　but　the　critter　ketched　'im　before　he　got　out　o'　the　woods　an'　took　'im　into　a　cave；　an'　give　'im　t'　the　little　swifis　t'　play　with。　The　boy　cried　terrible。　The　swifts　they　laughed　an'　nudged　each　other。

'〃O　ain't　he　cute！〃　says　one。　〃He's　a　beauty！〃　says　another。　〃Cur'us　how　he　can　git　along　without　any　fur；〃　says　the　mother　swift；　as　she　run　er　nose　over　'is　bare　foot。　He　thought　of　'is　folks　waitin'　fer　him　an'　he　begged　em　t'　let　'im　go。　Then　they　come　an'　smelt　'im　over。

'〃Yer　sech　a　cunin'　critter；〃　says　the　mother　swift；　〃we　couldn't　spare　ye。〃

'〃Want　to　see　my　mother；〃　says　the　boy　sobbing。

'〃Couldn't　afford　t'　let　ye　go　…　yer　so　cute〃　says　the　swift。　〃Bring　the　poor　critter　a　bone　an'　a　bit　o'　snake　meat〃

'The　boy　couldn't　eat。　They　fixed　a　bed　fer　him；　but　'twant　clean。　The　feel　uv　it　made　his　back　ache　an'　the　smell　uv　it　made　him　sick　to　his　stomach。

'〃When　the　swifts　hed　comp'ny　they　'd　bring　'em　overt'　look　at　him　there　'n　his　dark　comer。　〃'S　a　boy；〃　said　the　mother　swift　pokin'　him　with　a　long　stick　〃Wouldn't　ye　like　t'　see　'im　run？〃　Then　she　punched　him　until　he　got　up　an'　run　'round　the　cave　fer　his　life。　Happened　one　day　et　a　very　benevolent　swift　come　int'　the　cave。

'〃'S　a　pity　t'　keep　the　boy　here；〃　said　he；　〃he　looks　bad。〃

'〃But　he　makes　fun　fer　the　children；〃　said　the　swift。

〃Fun　that　makes　misery　is　only　fit　fer　a　fool；〃　said　the　visitor。

'They　let　him　go　thet　day。　Soon　as　he　got　hum　he　thought　o'　the　squirrels　an'　was　tickled　t'　find　'em　alive。　He　tak　'em　off　to　an　island；　in　the　middle　of　a　big　lake；　thet　very　day；　an'　set　the　cage　on　the　shore　n'　opened　it　He　thought　he　would　come　back　sometime　an'　see　how　they　was　ginin'　along。　The　cage　was　made　of　light　wire　an'　hed　a　tin　bottom　fastened　to　a　big　piece　o'　plank。　At　fust　they　was　'fraid　t'　leave　it　an'　peeked　out　o'　the　door　an'　scratched　their　heads's　if　t