eben holden-第35部分

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The　man　that　loses　faith　in　God；　ye'll　find　out　every　time；　Has　found　a　faith　in　his　own　self　that's　mighty　nigh　sublime。　He　knows　as　much　as　all　the　saints　an'　calls　religion　flighty；　An'　in　his　narrow　world　assumes　the　place　o'　God　Almighty。

But　don't　expect　too　much　o'　God；　it　wouldn't　be　quite　fair　If　fer　everything　ye　wanted　ye　could　only　swap　a　prayer；　I'd　pray　fer　yours　an'　you　fer　mine　an'　Deacon　Henry　Hospur　He　wouldn't　hev　a　thing　t'　do　but　lay　a…bed　an'　prosper。

If　all　things　come　so　easy；　Bill；　they'd　hev　but　little　worth；　　An'　someone　with　a　gift　O'　prayer　'ud　mebbe　own　the　earth。　　It's　the　toil　ye　give　t'　git　a　thing　…　the　sweat　an'　blood　an；　trouble　We　reckon　by　…　an'　every　tear'll　make　its　value　double。

There's　a　money　O'　the　soul；　my　boy；　ye'll　find　in　after　years；　　Its　pennies　are　the　sweat　drops　an'　its　dollars　are　the　tears；　　An'　love　is　the　redeemin'　gold　that　measures　what　they're　worth；　An'　ye'll　git　as　much　in　Heaven　as　ye've　given　out　on　earth。

Fer　the　record　o'　yer　doin'　…　I　believe　the　soul　is　planned　With　an　automatic　register　t；　tell　jest　how　ye　stand；　An'　it　won't　take　any　cipherin'　t'　show　that　fearful　day；　If　ye've　multiplied　yer　talents　well；　er　thrown　'em　all　away。

When　yer　feet　are　on　the　summit；　an'　the　wide　horizon　clears；　　An'　ye　look　back　on　yer　pathway　windin'　thro'　the　vale　o'　tears；　When　ye　see　how　much　ye've　trespassed　an'　how　fur　ye've　gone　astray；　Ye'll　know　the　way　o'　Providence　ain't　apt　t'　be　your　way。

God　knows　as　much　as　can　be　known；　but　I　don't　think　it's　true　He　knows　of　all　the　dangers　in　the　path　o'　me　an'　you。　If　I　shet　my　eyes　an'　hurl　a　stone　that　kills　the　King　o'　Siam；　　The　chances　are　that　God'll　be　as　much　surprised　as　I　am。

If　ye　pray　with　faith　believin'；　why；　ye'll　certnly　receive；　But　that　God　does　what's　impossible　is　more　than　I'll　believe。　If　it　grieves　Him　when　a　sparrow　falls；　it's　sure　as　anything；　He'd　hev　turned　the　arrow　if　He　could；　that　broke　the　sparrow's　wing。

Ye　can　read　old　Nature's　history　thet's　writ　in　rocks　an'　stones；　Ye　can　see　her　throbbin'　vitals　an'　her　mighty　rack　o'　hones。　But　the　soul　o'　her　…　the　livin'　God；　a　little　child　may　know　No　lens　er　rule　o'　cipherin'　can　ever　hope　t'　show。

There's　a　part　o'　Cod's　creation　very　handy　t'　yer　view；　Al'　the　truth　o'　life　is　in　it　an'　remember；　Bill；　it's　you。　An'　after　all　yer　science　ye　must　look　up　in　yer　mind；　An'　leam　its　own　astronomy　the　star　o'　peace　t'　find。

There's　good　old　Aunt　Samanthy　Jane　thet　all　her　journey　long　Has　led　her　heart　to　labour　with　a　reveille　of　song。　　Her　folks　hev　robbed　an'　left　her　but　her　faith　in　goodness　grows；　She　hasn't　any　larnin'；　but　I　tell　ye　Bill；　she　knows！

She's　hed　her　share　o'　troubles；　I　remember　well　the　day　We　took　her　t'　the　poorhouse　…　she　was　singin'　all　the　way；　Ye　needn't　be　afraid　t'　come　where　stormy　Jordan　flows；　If　all　the　larnin'　ye　can　git　has　taught　ye　halfshe　knows。'

I　give　this　crude　example　of　rustic　philosophy；　not　because　it　has　my　endorsement　…　God　knows　I　have　ever　felt　it　far　beyond　me　…　but　because　it　is　useful　to　those　who　may　care　to　know　the　man　who　wrote　it。　I　give　it　the　poor　fame　of　these　pages　with　keen　regret　that　my　friend　is　now　long　passed　the　praise　or　blame　of　this　world。

Chapter　22

The　horse　played　a　part　of　no　small　importance　in　that　country。　He　was　the　coin　of　the　realin；　a　medium　of　exchange；　a　standard　of　value；　an　exponent　of　moral　character。　The　man　that　travelled　without　a　horse　was　on　his　way　to　the　poorhouse。　Uncle　Eb　or　David　Brower　could　tell　a　good　horse　by　the　sound　of　his　footsteps；　and　they　brought　into　St　Lawrence　County　the　haughty　Morgans　from　Vermont。　There　was　more　pride　in　their　high　heads　than　in　any　of　the　good　people。　A　Northern　Yankee　who　was　not　carried　away　with　a　fine　horse　had　excellent　self…control。　Politics　and　the　steed　were　the　only　things　that　ever　woke　him　to　enthusiasm；　and　there　a　man　was　known　as　he　traded。　Uncle　Eb　used　to　say　that　one　ought　always　to　underestimate　his　horse　'a　leetle　fer　the　sake　of　a　reputation'。

We　needed　another　horse　to　help　with　the　haying；　and　Bob　Dean；　a　tricky　trader；　who　had　heard　of　it；　drove　in　after　supper　one　evening；　and　offered　a　rangy　brown　animal　at　a　low　figure。　We　looked　him　over；　tried　him　up　and　down　the　road；　and　then　David；　with　some　shrewd　suspicion；　as　I　divined　later；　said　I　could　do　as　I　pleased。　I　bought　the　horse　and　led　him　proudly　to　the　stable。　Next　morning　an　Irishman；　the　extra　man　for　the　haying；　came　in　with　a　worried　look　to　breakfast。

'That　new　horse　has　a　chittern'　kind　of　a　coff；'　he　said。

'A　cough？'　said　I。

''Tain't　jist　a　coff；　nayther；'　he　said；　'but　a　kind　of　toom！'

With　the　last　word　he　obligingly　imitated　the　sound　of　the　cough。　It　threw　me　into　perspiration。

'Sounds　bad；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　looked　at　me　and　snickered。

''Fraid　Bill　ain't　much　of　a　jockey；'　said　David；　smaling。

'Got　a　grand　appetite　…　that　hoss　has；'　said　Tip　Taylor。

After　breakfast　Uncle　Eb　and　I　hitched　him　to　the　light　buggy　and　touched　him　up　for　a　short　journey　down　the　road。　In　five　minutes　he　had　begun　to　heave　and　whistle。　I　felt　sure　one　could　have　heard　him　half　a　mile　away。　Uncle　Eb　stopped　him　and　began　to　laugh。

'A　whistler；'　said　he；　'sure's　yer　born。　He　ain't　wuth　a　bag　o'　beans。　But　don't　ye　never　let　on。　When　ye　git　licked　ye　musn't　never　fin'　fault。　If　anybody　asks　ye　'bout　him　tell　'em　he's　all　ye　expected。'

We　stood　waiting　a　moment　for　the　horse　to　recover　himself。　A　team　was　nearing　us。

'There's　Bob　Dean；'　Uncle　Eb　whispered。　'The　durn　scalawag！　Don't　ye　say　a　word　now。

'Good…mornin'！'　said　Dean；　smiling　as　he　pulled　up　beside　us。

'Nice　pleasant　mornin'！'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　cast　a　glance　into　the　sky。

'What　ye　standin'　here　for？'　Dean　asked。

Uncle　Eb　expectorated　thoughtfullyy。

'Jest　a　1ookin'　at　the　scenery；'　said　he。　'Purty　country；　right　here！　AIwus　liked　it。'

'Nice　lookin'　hoss　ye　got　there；'　said　Dean。

'Grand　hoss！'　said　Uncle　Eb；　surveymg　him　proudly。　'Most　reemarkable　hoss。'

'Good　stepper；　too；'　said　Dean　soberly。

'Splendid！'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'Can　go　a　mile　without　ketchin'　his　breath。'

'Thet　so？'　said　Dean。

'Good　deal　like　Lucy　Purvis；'　Unde　Eb　added。　'She　can　say　the　hull　mul'plication　table　an'　only　breathe　once。　Ye　can　learn　sumthin'　from　a　hoss　like　thet。　He's　good　as　a　deestric'　school　…　thet　hoss　is。'

Yes；　sir；　thet　hoss　is　all　right；'　said　Dean；　as　he　drove　away。

'Righter'n　I　expected；'　Uncle　Eb　shouted；　and　then　he　covered　his　mouth；　shaking　with　suppressed　laughter。

'Skunk！'　he　said；　as　we　turned　the　animal　and　started　to　walk　him　home。　'Don't　min'　bein'　beat；　but　I　don't　like　t'　hev　a　man　rub　it　in　on　me。　I'll　git　even　with　him　mebbe。'

And　he　did。　It　came　about　in　this　way。　We　turned　our　new　purchase　into　the　pasture；　and　Uncle　Eb　and　I　drove　away　to　Potsdam　for　a　better　nag。　We　examined　all　the　horses　in　that　part　of　the　country。　At　last　we　chanced　upon　one　that　looked　like　the　whistler；　save　that　he　had　a　white　stocking　on　one　hind　foot

'Same　age；　too；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　looked　into　his　mouth。

'Can　pass　anything　on　the　road；'　said　his　owner。

'Can　he？'　said　Uncle　Eb；　who　had