eben holden-第38部分

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ything　if　I　did　that

'I　must　not　let　you　kiss　me；　William；'　she　said；　'not　…　not　for　all　in　the　world。　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　have　me　do　what　I　think　is　wrong　…would　you？'

There　was　but　one　answer　to　such　an　appeal；　and　I　made　myself　as　happy　as　possible　feeling　her　head　upon　my　shoulder　and　her　soft　hair　touching　my　cheek。　As　I　think　of　it　now　the　trust　she　put　in　me　was　something　sublime　and　holy。

'Then　I　shall　talk　about　…　about　our　love；'　I　said；　'I　must　do　something。'

'Promised　I　wouldn't　let　you；'　she　said。　Then　she　added　after　a　moment　of　silence；　'I'll　tell　you　what　you　may　do　…　tell　me　what　is　your　ideal　in　a　woman　…　the　one　you　would　love　best　of　all。　I　don't　think　that　would　be　wicked　…　do　you？'

'I　think　God　would　forgive　that；'　I　said。　'She　must　be　tall　and　slim；　with　dainty　feet　and　hands；　and　a　pair　of　big　eyes；　blue　as　a　violet；　shaded　with　long　dark　lashes。　And　her　hair　must　be　wavy　and　light　with　a　little　tinge　of　gold　in　it。　And　her　cheek　must　have　the　pink　of　the　rose　and　dimples　that　show　in　laughter。　And　her　voice　…　that　must　have　music　in　it　and　the　ring　of　kindness　and　good…natare。　And　her　lips　…　let　them　show　the　crimson　of　her　blood　and　be　ready　to　give　and　receive　a　kiss　when　I　meet　her。'

She　sighed　and　nestled　closer　to　me。

'If　I　let　you　kiss　me　just　once；'　she　whispered；　'you　will　not　ask　me　again　…　will　you？'

'No；　sweetheart；　I　will　not；'　I　answered。　Then　we　gave　each　other　such　a　kiss　as　may　be　known　once　and　only　once　in　a　lifetime。

'What　would　you　do　for　the　love　of　a　girl　like　that？'　she　whispered。

I　thought　a　moment；　sounding　depths　of　undiscovered　woe　to　see　if　there　were　anything　I　should　hesitate　to　suffer　and　there　was　nothing。

'I'd　lay　me　doun　an'　dee；'　I　said。

And　I　well　remember　how；　when　I　lay　dying；　as　I　believed；　in　rain　and　darkness　on　the　bloody　field　of　Bull　Run；　I　thought　of　that　moment　and　of　those　words。

'I　cannot　say　such　beautiful　things　as　you；'　she　answered；　when　I　asked　her　to　describe　her　ideal。　'He　must　be　good　and　he　must　be　tall　and　handsome　and　strong　and　brave。'

Then　she　sang　a　tender　love　ballad。　I　have　often　shared　the　pleasure　of　thousands　under　the　spell　of　her　voice；　but　I　have　never　heard　her　sing　as　to　that　small　audience　on　Faraway　turnpike。

As　we　came　near　Rickard's　Hall　we　could　hear　the　fiddles　and　the　calling　off。

The　windows　on　the　long　sides　of　the　big　house　were　open。　Long　shafts　of　light　shot　out　upon　the　gloom。　It　had　always　reminded　me　of　a　picture　of　Noah's　ark　that　hung　in　my　bedroom　and　now　it　seemed　to　be　floating；　with　resting　oars　of　gold；　in　a　deluge　of　darkness。　We　were　greeted　with　a　noisy　welcome；　at　the　door。　Many　of　the　boys　and　girls　came；　from　all　sides　of　the　big　hall；　and　shook　hands　with　us。　Enos　Brown；　whose　long　forelocks　had　been　oiled　for　the　occasion　and　combed　down　so　they　touched　his　right　eyebrow；　was　panting　in　a　jig　that　jarred　the　house。　His　trouser　legs　were　caught　on　the　tops　of　his　fine　boots。　He　nodded　to　me　as　I　came　in；　snapped　his　fingers　and　doubled　his　energy。　It　was　an　exhibition　both　of　power　and　endurance。　He　was　damp　and　apologetic　when；　at　length；　he　stopped　with　a　mighty　bang　of　his　foot　and　sat　down　beside　me。　He　said　he　was　badly　out　of　practice　when　I　offered　congratulations。　The　first　fiddler　was　a　small　man；　with　a　short　leg；　and　a　character　that　was　minus　one　dimension。　It　had　length　and　breadth　but　no　thickness。　He　sat　with　his　fellow　player　on　a　little　platform　at　one　end　of　the　room。　He　was　an　odd　man　who　wandered　all　over　the　township　with　his　fiddle。　He　played　by　ear；　and　I　have　seen　babies　smile　and　old　men　dance　when　his　bow　was　swaying。　I　remember　that　when　I　heard　it　for　the　first　time；　I　determined　that　I　should　be　a　fiddler　if　I　ever　grew　to　be　a　man。　But　David　told　me　that　fiddlers　were　a　worthless　lot；　and　that　no　wise　man　should　ever　fool　with　a　fiddle。　One　is　lucky；　I　have　since　leamed；　if　any　dream　of　yesterday　shall　stand　the　better　light　of　today　or　the　more　searching　rays　of　tomorrow。

'Choose　yer　partners　fer　Money　Musk！'　the　caller　shouted。

Hope　and　I　got　into　line；　the　music　started；　the　circles　began　to　sway。　Darwin　Powers；　an　old　but　frisky　man；　stood　up　beside　the　fiddlers；　whistling；　with　sobriety　and　vigour；　as　they　played。　It　was　a　pleasure　to　see　some　of　the　older　men　of　the　neighbourhood　join　the　dizzy　riot　by　skipping　playfully　in　the　corners。　They　tried　to　rally　their　unwilling　wives；　and　generally　a　number　of　them　were　dancing　before　the　night　was　over。　The　life　and　colour　of　the　scene；　the　fresh；　young　faces　of　the　girls　some　of　them　models　of　rustic　beauty　…　the　playful　antics　of　the　young　men；　the　merrymaking　of　their　fathers；　the　laughter；　the　airs　of　gallantry；　the　glances　of　affection　…　there　is　a　magic　in　the　thought　of　it　all　that　makes　me　young　again。

There　were　teams　before　and　behind　us　when　we　came　home；　late　at　night；　so　sleepy　that　the　stars　went　reeling　as　we　looked　at　them。

'This　night　is　the　end　of　many　things；'　I　remarked。

'And　the　beginning　of　better　ones；　I　hope；'　was　her　answer。

'Yes；　but　they　are　so　far　away；'　I　said；　'you　leave　home　to　study　and　I　am　to　be　four　years　in　college…possibly　I　can　finish　in　three。'

'Perfectly　terrible！'　she　said；　and　then　she　added　the　favourite　phrase　and　tone　of　her　mother：　'We　must　be　patient。'

'I　am　very　sorry　of　one　thing；'　I　said。　'What's　that？'

'I　promised　not　to　ask　you　for　one　more　kiss。'

'Well　then；'　said　she；　'you　…　you　…　needn't　ask　me。'　And　in　a　moment　I　helped　her　out　at　the　door。

Chapter　25

David　Brower　had　prospered；　as　I　have　said　before；　and　now　he　was　chiefly　concerned　in　the　welfare　of　his　children。　So；　that　he　might　give　us　the　advantages　of　the　town；　he　decided　either　to　lease　or　sell　his　farm…　by　far　the　handsomest　property　in　the　township。　I　was　there　when　a　buyer　came；　in　the　last　days　of　that　summer。　We　took　him　over　the　smooth　acres　from　Lone　Pine　to　Woody　Ledge；　from　the　top　of　Bowman's　Hill　to　Tinkie　Brook　in　the　far　valley。　He　went　with　us　through　every　tidy　room　of　the　house。　He　looked　over　the　stock　and　the　stables。

'Wall！　what's　it　wuth？'　he　said；　at　last；　as　we　stood　looking　down　the　fair　green　acres　sloping　to　the　sugar　bush。

David　picked　up　a　stick；　opened　his　knife；　and　began　to　whittle　thoughtfully；　a　familiar　squint　of　reflection　in　his　face。　I　suppose　he　thought　of　all　it　had　cost　him　…　the　toil　of　many　years；　the　strength　of　his　young　manhood；　the　youth　and　beauty　of　his　wife；　a　hundred　things　that　were　far　better　than　money。

'Fifteen　thousan'　dollars；'　he　said　slowly　…　'not　a　cent　less。'　The　man　parleyed　a　little　over　the　price。

'Don'　care　t'　take　any　less　t'day；'　said　David　calmly。　'No　harm　done。'

'How　much　down？'

David　named　the　sum。

'An'　possession？'

'Next　week'

'Everything　as　it　stan's？'

'Everything　as　it　stan's　'cept　the　beds　an'　bedding。'

'Here's　some　money　on　account；'　he　said。　'We'll　close　t'morrer？'

'Close　t'morrer；'　said　David；　a　little　sadness　in　his　tone；　as　he　took　the　money。

It　was　growing　dusk　as　the　man　went　away。　The　crickets　sang　with　a　loud；　accusing；　clamour。　Slowly　we　turned　and　went　into　the　dark　house；　David　whistling　under　his　breath。　Eli