eben holden-第21部分

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　see。　Gol'　durned　if　I　ever　heem　o'　the　like　o'　that；　ever。'

He　sat　down　a　moment　on　the　bank。

'Got　t'　rest　a　minute；'　he　remarked。　'Feel　kind　o'　wopsy　after　thet　squabble。'

They　soon　went　away。　And　when　Mose　told　the　story　of　'the　swallered　pole'　he　got　the　same　sort　of　reputation　he　had　given　to　others。　Only　it　was　real　and　large　and　lasting。

'Wha'　d'　ye　think　uv　it？'　he　asked；　when　he　had　finished。

'Wall；'　said　Ransom　Walker；　'wouldn't　want　t'　say　right　out　plain　t'　yer　face。'

''Twouldn't　he　p'lite；'　said　Uncle　Eb　soberly。

'Sound　a　leetle　ha'sh；'　Tip　Taylor　added。

'Thet　fish　has　jerked　the　fear　o'　God　out　o'　ye　…　thet's　the　way　it　looks　t'　me；'　said　Carlyle　Barber。

'Yer　up　'n　the　air；　Mose；'　said　another。　'Need　a　sinker　on　ye。'　They　bullied　him　…　they　talked　him　down；　demurring　mildly；　but　firmly。

'Tell　ye　what　I'll　do；'　said　Mose　sheepishly；　'I'll　b'lieve　you　fellers　if　you'll　b'lieve　me。'

'What；　swop　even？　Not　much！'　said　one；　with　emphasis。'　'Twouldn't　be　fair。　Ye've　ast　us　t'　b'lieve　a　genuwine　out　'n　out　impossibility。'

Mose　lifted　his　hat　and　scratched　his　head　thoughtfully。　There　was　a　look　of　embarrassment　in　his　face。

'Might　a　ben　dreamin'；'　said　he　slowly。　'I　swear　it's　gittin'　so　here　'n　this　town　a　feller　can't　hardly　b'lieve　himself。'

'Fur　'5　my　experience　goes；'　said　Ransom　Walker；　'he'd　be　a　fool　'f　he　did。'

''Minds　me　o'　the　time　I　went　fishin'　with　Ab　Thomas；'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'He　ketched　an　ol'　socker　the　fast　thing。　I　went　off　by　myself　'n　got　a　good　sized　fish；　but　'twant　s'　big　's　hisn。　So　I　tuk　'n　opened　his　mouth　n　poured　in　a　lot　o'　fine　shot。　When　I　come　back　Ab　he　looked　at　my　fish　'n　begun　t'　brag。　When　we　weighed　'em　mine　was　a　leetle　heavier。

'〃What！〃　says　he。　〃'Tain't　possible　thet　leetle　cuss　uv　a　trout　's　heavier　'n　mine。〃

''Tis　sarrin；〃　I　said。

''Dummed　deceivin'　business；〃　said　he　as　he　hefted　'em　both。　〃Gittin'　so　ye　can't　hardly　b'lieve　the　stillyards。〃'

Chapter　11

The　fifth　summer　was　passing　since　we　came　down　Paradise　Road　…　the　dog；　Uncle　Eb　and　I。　Times　innumerable　I　had　heard　my　good　old　friend　tell　the　story　of　our　coming　west　until　its　every　incident　was　familiar　to　me　as　the　alphabet。　Else　I　fear　my　youthful　memory　would　have　served　me　poorly　for　a　chronicle　of　my　childhood　so　exact　and　so　extended　as　this　I　have　written。　Uncle　Eb's　hair　was　white　now　and　the　voices　of　the　swift　and　the　panther　had　grown　mild　and　tremulous　and　unsatisfactory　and　even　absurd。　Time　had　tamed　the　monsters　of　that　imaginary　wilderness　and　I　had　begun　to　lose　my　respect　for　them。　But　one　fear　had　remained　with　me　as　I　grew　older　…　the　fear　of　the　night　man。　Every　boy　and　girl　in　the　valley　trembled　at　the　mention　of　him。　Many　a　time　I　had　held　awake　in　the　late　evening　to　hear　the　men　talk　of　him　before　they　went　asleep　…　Uncle　Eb　and　Tip　Taylor。　I　remember　a　night　when　Tip　said；　in　a　low　awesome　tone；　that　he　was　a　ghost。　The　word　carried　into　my　soul　the　first　thought　of　its　great　and　fearful　mystery。

'Years　and　years　ago；'　said　he；　'there　was　a　boy　by　the　name　of　Nehemiah　Brower。　An'　he　killed　another　boy；　once；　by　accident　an'　run　away　an'　was　drownded。'

'Drownded！'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'How？'

'In　the　ocean；'　the　first　answered　gaping。　'Went　away　off　'round　the　world　an'　they　got　a　letter　that　said　he　was　drownded　on　his　way　to　Van　Dieman's　Land。'

'To　Van　Dieman's　Land！'

'Yes；　an　some　say　the　night　man　is　the　ghost　o'　the　one　he　killed。'

I　remember　waking　that　night　and　hearing　excited　whispers　at　the　window　near　my　bed。　It　was　very　dark　in　the　room　and　at　first　I　could　not　tell　who　was　there。

'Don't　you　see　him？'　Tip　whispered。

'Where？'　I　heard　Uncle　Be　ask

'Under　the　pine　trees　…　see　him　move。'

At　that　I　was　up　at　the　window　myself　and　could　plainly　see　the　dark　figure　of　a　man　standing　under　the　little　pine　below　us。

'The　night　man；　I　guess；'　said　Uncle　Be；　'but　he　won't　do　no　harm。　Let　him　alone；　he's　going'　away　now。'

We　saw　him　disappear　behind　the　trees　and　then　we　got　back　into　our　beds　again。　I　covered　my　head　with　the　bedclothes　and　said　a　small　prayer　for　the　poor　night　man。

And　in　this　atmosphere　of　mystery　and　adventure；　among　the　plain　folk　of　Faraway；　whose　care　of　me　when　I　was　in　great　need；　and　whose　love　of　me　always；　I　count　among　the　priceless　treasures　of　God's　providence；　my　childhood　passed。　And　the　day　came　near　when　I　was　to　begin　to　play　my　poor　part　in　the　world。

BOOK　TWO

Chapter　12

It　was　a　time　of　new　things　…　that　winter　when　I　saw　the　end　of　my　fifteenth　year。　Then　I　began　to　enjoy　the　finer　humours　of　life　in　Faraway　…　to　see　with　understanding；　and　by　God's　grace　…　to　feel。

The　land　of　play　and　fear　and　fable　was　now　far　behind　me　and　I　had　begun　to　feel　the　infinite　in　the　ancient　forest'　in　the　everlasting　hills；　in　the　deep　of　heaven；　in　all　the　ways　of　men。　Hope　Brower　was　now　near　woman　grown。　She　had　a　beauty　of　face　and　form　that　was　the　talk　of　the　countryside。　I　have　travelled　far　and　seen　many　a　fair　face　hut　never　one　more　to　my　eye。　I　have　heard　men　say　she　was　like　a　girl　out　of　a　story…book　those　days。

Late　years　something　had　come　between　us。　Long　ago　we　had　fallen　out　of　each　other's　confidence；　and　ever　since　she　had　seemed　to　shun　me。　It　was　the　trip　in　the　sledgehouse　that'　years　after；　came　up　between　us　and　broke　our　childish　intimacy。　Uncle　Be　had　told；　before　company；　how　she　had　kissed　me　that　day　and　bespoke　me　for　a　husband；　and　while　the　others　laughed　loudly　she　had　gone　out　of　the　room　crying。　She　would　have　little　to　say　to　me　then。　I　began　to　play　with　boys　and　she　with　girls。　And　it　made　me　miserable　to　hear　the　boys　a　bit　older　than　I　gossip　of　her　beauty　and　accuse　each　other　of　the　sweet　disgrace　of　love。

But　I　must　hasten　to　those　events　in　Faraway　that　shaped　our　destinies。　And　first　comes　that　memorable　night　when　I　had　the　privilege　of　escorting　Hope　to　the　school　lyceum　where　the　argument　of　Jed　Feary　…　poet　of　the　hills　…　fired　my　soul　with　an　ambition　that　has　remained　with　me　always。

Uncle　Be　suggested　that　I　ask　Hope　to　go　with　me。

'Prance　right　up　to　her；'　he　said；　'an'　say　you'd　be　glad　of　the　pleasure　of　her　company。

It　seemed　to　me　a　very　dubious　thing　to　do。　I　looked　thoughtful　and　turned　red　in　the　face。

'Young　man；'　he　continued；　'the　boy　thet's　'fraid　o'　women'll　never　hev　whiskers。'

'How's　that？'　I　enquired。

'Be　scairt　t'　death；'　he　answered；'　'fore　they've　hed　time　t'　start　Ye　want　t'　step　right　up　t'　the　rack　jes'　if　ye'd　bought　an'　paid　fer　yerself　an'　was　proud　o'　yer　bargain。'

I　took　his　advice　and　when　I　found　Hope　alone　in　the　parlour　I　came　and　asked　her；　very　awkwardly　as　I　now　remember；　to　go　with　me。

She　looked　at　me；　blushing；　and　said　she　would　ask　her　mother。

And　she　did；　and　we　walked　to　the　schoolhouse　together　that　evening；　her　hand　holding　my　arm；　timidly；　the　most　serious　pair　that　ever　struggled　with　the　problem　of　deportment　on　such　an　occasion。　I　was　oppressed　with　a　heavy　sense　of　responsibility　in　every　word　I　uttered。

Ann　Jane　Foster；　known　as　'Scooter　Jane'；　for　her　rapid　walk　and　stiff　carriage；　met　us　at　the　corners　on　her　way　to　the　schoolhouse。

'B