eben holden-第26部分

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'Turning　her　head！'　he　exclaimed。

'Turning　her　head；'　she　answered。　'He　sat　here　the　other　day　and　deliberately　told　her　that　he　had　never　seen　such　a　complexion　and　such　lovely　hair。'

Elizabeth　Brower　mocked　his　accent　with　a　show　of　contempt　that　feebly　echoed　my　own　emotions。

'That's　the　way　o'　city　folks；　mother；'　said　David。

'It's　a　bad　way；'　she　answered。　'I　do　not　thank　he　ought　to　come　here。　Hope's　a　child　yet；　and　we　mustn't　let　her　get　notions。'

'I'll　tell　him　not　t'　come　any　more；'　said　David；　as　he　and　Uncle　Eb　rose　to　go　to　their　work

'I'm　'fraid　she　ought　not　to　go　away　to　school　for　a　year　yet；'　said　Elizabeth；　a　troubled　look　in　her　face。

'Pshaw；　mother！　Ye　can't　keep　her　under　yer　wing　alwus；'　said　he。　'Well；　David；　you　know　she　is　very　young　and　uncommonly　…　'　she　hesitated。

'Han'some；'　said　he；　'we　might　as　well　own　up　if　she　is　our　child。'

'If　she　goes　away；'　continued　Elizabeth；　'some　of　us　ought　t'　go　with　her。'

Then　Uncle　Eb　and　David　went　to　their　work　in　the　fields　and　I　to　my　own　task　That　very　evening　they　began　to　talk　of　renting　the　farm　and　going　to　town　with　the　children。

I　had　a　stent　of　cording　wood　that　day　and　finished　it　before　two　o'clock　Then　I　got　my　pole　of　mountain　ash；　made　hook　and　line　ready；　dug　some　worms　and　went　fishing。　I　cared　not　so　much　for　the　fishing　as　for　the　solitude　of　the　woods。　I　had　a　bit　of　thing　to　do。　In　the　thick　timber　there　was　a　place　where　Tinkle　brook　began　to　hurry　and　break　into　murmurs　on　a　pebble　bar；　as　if　its　feet　were　tickled。　A　few　more　steps　and　it　burst　into　a　peal　of　laughter　that　lasted　half　the　year　as　it　tumbled　over　narrow　shelves　of　rock　into　a　foamy　pool。　Many　a　day　I　had　sat　fishing　for　hours　at　the　little　fall　under　a　birch　tree；　among　the　brakes　and　moss。　No　ray　of　sunlight　ever　got　to　the　dark　water　below　me　…　the　lair　of　many　a　big　fish　that　had　yielded　to　the　temptation　of　my　bait。　Here　I　lay　in　the　cool　shade　while　a　singular　sort　of　heart　sickness　came　over　me。　A　wild　partridge　was　beating　his　gong　in　the　near　woods　all　the　afternoon。　The　sound　of　the　water　seemed　to　break　in　the　tree…tops　and　fall　back　upon　me。　I　had　lain　there　thinking　an　hour　or　more　when　I　caught　the　jar　of　approaching　footsteps。　Looking　up　I　saw　Jed　Feary　coming　through　the　bushes；　pole　in　hand。

'Fishin'？'　he　asked。

'Only　thinking；'　I　answered。

'Couldn't　be　in　better　business；'　said　he　as　he　sat　down　beside　me。

More　than　once　he　had　been　my　father　confessor　and　I　was　glad　he　had　come。

'In　love？'　he　asked。　'No　boy　ever　thinks　unless　he's　in　love。'

'In　trouble；'　said　I。

'Same　thing；'　he　answered；　lighting　his　pipe。　'Love　is　trouble　with　a　bit　of　sugar　in　it　…　the　sweetest　trouble　a　man　can　have。　what's　the　matter？'

'It's　a　great　secret；'　I　said；　'I　have　never　told　it。　I　am　in　love。'

'Knew　it；'　he　said；　puffing　at　his　pipe　and　smiling　in　a　kindly　way。　'Now　let's　put　in　the　trouble。'

'She　does　not　love　me；'　I　answered。

'Glad　of　it；'　he　remarked。　'I've　got　a　secret　t；　tell　you。'

'What's　that？'　I　enquired。

'Wouldn't　tell　anybody　else　for　the　world；　my　boy；'　he　said；　'it's　between　you　an'　me。'

'Between　you　an'　me；'　I　repeated。

'Well；'　he　said；　you're　a　fool。'

'That's　no　secret；'　I　answered　much　embarrassed。

'Yes　it　is；'　he　insisted；　'you're　smart　enough　an'　ye　can　have　most　anything　in　this　world　if　ye　take　the　right　road。　Ye've　grown　t'　be　a　great　big　strapping　fellow　but　you're　only　…　sixteen？'

'That's　all；'　I　said　mournfully。

'Ye're　as　big　a　fool　to　go　falling　in　love　as　I'd　be。　Ye're　too　young　an'　I'm　too　old。　I　say　to　you；　wait。　Ye've　got　to　go　t'　college。'

'College！'　I　exclaimed；　incredulously。

'Yes！　an'　thet's　another　secret；'　said　he。　I　tol'　David　Brower　what　I　thought　o'　your　writing　thet　essay　on　bugs　in　pertickier　…　an'　I　tol'　'im　what　people　were　sayin'　o'　your　work　in　school。'

'What　d'　he　say？'　I　asked。

'Said　Hope　had　tol'　him　all　about　it　…　that　she　was　as　proud　o'　you　as　she　was　uv　her　curls；　an'　I　believe　it。　〃Well；〃　says　I；　〃y'　oughter　sen'　that　boy　t'　college。〃　〃Goin'　to；〃　says　he。　〃He'll　go　t'　the　'Cademy　this　fall　if　he　wants　to。　Then　he　can　go　t'　college　soon's　he's　ready。〃　Threw　up　my　hat　an'　shouted　I　was　that　glad。'

As　he　spoke　the　old　man's　face　kindled　with　enthusiasm。　In　me　he　had　one　who　understood　him；　who　saw　truth　in　his　thought；　music　in　his　verse；　a　noble　simplicity　in　his　soul。　I　took　his　hand　in　mine　and　thanked　him　heartily。　Then　we　rose　and　came　away　together。

'Remember；'　he　said；　as　we　parted　at　the　corner；　'there's　a　way　laid　out　fer　you。　In　God's　time　it　will　lead　to　every　good　thing　you　desire。　Don't　jump　over　the　fence。　Don't　try　t'　pass　any　milestun　'fore　ye've　come　to　it。　Don't　mope。　Keep　yer　head　cool　with　philosophy；　yer　feet　warm　with　travel　an'　don't　worry　bout　yer　heart。　It　won't　turn　t'　stun　if　ye　do　keep　it　awhile。　Allwus　hev　enough　of　it　about　ye　t'　do　business　with。　Goodbye！'

Chapter　15

Gerald　Brower；　who　was　a　baby　when　I　came　to　live　at　Faraway；　and　was　now　eleven；　had　caught　a　cold　in　seed　time；　and　he　had　never　quite　recovered。　His　coughing　had　begun　to　keep　him　awake；　and　one　night　it　brought　alarm　to　the　whole　household。　Elizabeth　Brower　was　up　early　in　the　morning　and　called　Uncle　Eb；　who　went　away　for　the　doctor　as　soon　as　light　came。　We　ate　our　breakfast　in　silence。　Father　and　mother　and　Grandma　Bisnette　spoke　only　in　low　tones　and　somehow　the　anxiety　in　their　faces　went　to　my　heart。　Uncle　Eb　returned　about　eight　o'clock　and　said　the　doctor　was　coming。　Old　Doctor　Bigsby　was　a　very　great　man　in　that　country。　Other　physicians　called　him　far　and　wide　for　consultation。　I　had　always　regarded　him　with　a　kind　of　awe　intensified　by　the　aroma　of　his　drugs　and　the　gleam　of　his　lancet。　Once　I　had　been　his　patient　and　then　I　had　trembled　at　his　approach。　when　he　took　my　little　wrist　in　his　big　hand；　I　remember　with　what　reluctance　I　stuck　out　my　quivering　tongue；　black；　as　I　feared　with　evidences　of　prevarication。

He　was　a　picture　for　a　painter　man　as　he　came　that　morning　erect　in　his　gig。　who　could　forget　the　hoary　majesty　of　his　head　…　his　'stovepipe'　tilted　back；　his　white　locks　flying　about　his　ears？　He　had　a　long　nose；　a　smooth…shaven　face　and　a　left　eye　that　was　a　trifle　turned。　His　thoughts　were　generally　one　day　behind　the　calendar。　Today　he　seemed　to　be　digesting　the　affairs　of　yesterday。　He　was；　therefore；　absentminded；　to　a　degree　that　made　no　end　of　gossip。　If　he　came　out　one　day　with　shoe…strings　flying；　in　his　remorse　the　next　he　would　forget　his　collar；　if　one　told　him　a　good　joke　today；　he　might　not　seem　to　hear　it；　but　tomorrow　he　would　take　it　up　in　its　turn　and　shake　with　laughter。

I　remember　how；　that　morning　after　noting　the　symptoms　of　his　patient；　he　sat　a　little　in　silent　reflection。　He　knew　that　colour　in　the　cheek；　that　look　in　the　eye　…　he　had　seen　so　much　of　it。　His　legs　were　crossed　and　one　elbow　thrown　carelessly　over　the　back　of　his　chair。　We　all　sat　looking　at　him　anxiously。　In　a　moment　he　began　chewing　hard　on　his　quid　of　tobacco。　Uncle　Eb　pushed　the　cuspidor　a　bit　nearer。　The　doctor　expectorated　freely　and　resumed　his　attitude　of　reflection。　The　clock　ticked　loudly；　the