stories of a western town-第8节
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rockets and Roman candles； which painted above it a kaleidoscopic archway of fire； welcomed by answering javelins of light and red and orange and blue and green flares from the shore； the fleet bombarded the bridge； escorted Neptune in his car； manoeuvred and massed and charged on the blazing city with a many…hued shower of flame。 After the boats； silently； softly； floated the battalions of lanterns； so close to the water that they seemed flaming water…lilies； while the dusky mirror repeated and inverted their splendor。 〃They're shingles； you know；〃 explained Nelson's companion； 〃with lanterns on them； but aren't they pretty？〃 〃Yes； they are！ I wish you had not told me。 It is like a fairy story！〃 〃Ain't it？ But we aren't through； there's more to come。 Beautiful fireworks！〃 The fireworks； however； were slow of coming。 They could see the barge from which they were to be sent； they could watch the movements of the men in white oil…cloth who moved in a ghostly fashion about the barge； they could hear the tap of hammers； but nothing came of it all。 They sat in the darkness； waiting； and there came to Nelson a strange sensation of being alone and apart from all the breathing world with this woman。 He did not perceive that Tim had quietly returned with a box which did very well for a seat； and was sitting with his knees against the chair…rungs。 He seemed to be somehow outside of all the tumult and the spectacle。 It was the vainglorying triumph of this world。 He was the soul outside； the soul that had missed its triumph。 In his perplexity and loneliness he felt an overwhelming longing for sympathy； neither did it strike Nelson； who believed in all sorts of occult influences； that his confidence in a stranger was unwarranted。 He would have told you that his 〃psychic instincts〃 never played him false； although really they were traitors from their astral cradles to their astral graves。 He said in a hesitating way： 〃You must excuse me being kinder dull； I've got some serious business on my mind and I can't help thinking of it。〃 〃Is that so？ Well； I know how that is； I have often stayed awake nights worrying about things。 Lest I shouldn't suit and all that especially after mother took sick。〃 〃I s'pose you had to give up and nurse her then？〃 〃That was what Ebenezer and Ralph were for having me do； but mother my mother always had so much sensemother says； 'No； Alma； you've got a good place and a chance in life； you sha'n't give it up。 We'll hire a girl。 I ain't never lonesome except evenings； and then you will be home。 I should jest want to die；' she says； 'if I thought I kept you in a kind of prison like by my being sicknow； just when you are getting on so well。' There never WAS a woman like my mother！〃 Her voice shook a little； and Nelson asked gently： 〃Ain't your mother living now？〃 〃No； she died last year。〃 She added； after a little silence； 〃I somehow can't get used to being lonesome。〃 〃It IS hard；〃 said Nelson。 〃I lost my wife three years ago。〃 〃That's hard； too。〃 〃My goodness！ I guess it is。 And it's hardest when trouble comes on a man and he can't go nowhere for advice。〃 〃Yes； that's so； too。 Buthave you any children？〃 〃Yes； ma'am； that is； they ain't my own children。 Lizzie and I never had any； but these two we took and they are most like my own。 The girl is eighteen and the boy rising of fourteen。〃 〃They must be a comfort to you； but they are considerable of a responsibility； too。〃 〃Yes； ma'am；〃 he sighed softly to himself。 〃Sometimes I feel I haven't done the right way by them； though I've tried。 Not that they ain't good children； for they areno better anywhere。 Tim； he will work from morning till night； and never need to urge him； and he never gives me a promise he don't keep it； no ma'am； never did since he was a little mite of a lad。 And he is a kind boy； too； always good to the beasts； and while he may speak up a little short to his sister； he saves her many a step。 He doesn't take to his studies quite as I would like to have him； but he has a wonderful head for business。 There is splendid stuff in Tim if it could only be worked right。〃 While Nelson spoke； Tim was hunching his shoulders forward in the darkness； listening with the whole of two sharp ears。 His face worked in spite of him； and he gave an inarticulate snort。 〃Well；〃 the woman said； 〃I think that speaks well for Tim。 Why should you be worried about him？〃 〃I am afraid he is getting to love money and worldly success too well； and that is what I fear for the girl； too。 You see； she is so pretty； and the idols of the tribe and the market； as Bacon calls them； are strong with the young。〃 〃Yes； that's so；〃 the woman assented vaguely； not at all sure what either Bacon or his idols might be。 〃Are the children relations of yours？〃 〃No； ma'am； it was like this： When I was up in Henry County there came a photographic artist to the village near us； and pitched his tent and took tintypes in his wagon。 He had his wife and his two children with him。 The poor woman fell ill and died； so we took the two children。 My wife was willing； she was a wonderfully good woman； member of the Methodist church till she died。 II am not a church member myself； ma'am； I passed through that stage of spiritual development a long while ago。〃 He gave a wistful glance at his companion's dimly outlined profile。 〃But I never tried to disturb her faith； it made HER happy。〃 〃Oh； I don't think it is any good fooling with other people's religions；〃 said the woman； easily。 〃It is just like trying to talk folks out of drinking； nobody knows what is right for anybody else's soul any more than they do what is good for anybody else's stomach！〃 〃Yes； ma'am。 You put things very clearly。〃 〃I guess it is because you understand so quickly。 But you were saying 〃 〃That's all the story。 We took the children； and their father was killed by the cars the next year； poor man； and so we have done the best we could ever since by them。〃 〃I should say you had done very well by them。〃 〃No； ma'am； I haven't done very well somehow by anyone； myself included； though God knows I've tried hard enough！〃 Then followed the silence natural after such a confession when the listener does not know the speaker well enough to parry abasement by denial。 〃I am impressed；〃 said Nelson； simply； 〃to talk with you frankly。 It isn't polite to bother strangers with your troubles； but I am impressed that you won't mind。〃 〃Oh； no； I won't mind。〃 It was not extravagant sympathy； but Nelson thought how kind her voice sounded； and what a musical voice it was。 Most people would have called it rather sharp。 He told herwith surprisingly little egotism； as the keen listener notedthe story of his life； the struggle of his boyhood； his random self…education； his years in the army （he had criticised his superior officers； thereby losing the promotion that was coming for bravery in the field）； his marriage （apparently he had married his wife because another man had jilted her）； his wrestle with nature （whose pranks included a cyclone） on a frontier farm that he eventually lost； having put all his savings into a 〃Greenback〃 newspaper； and being thus swamped with debt； his final slow success in paying for his Iowa farm； and his purchase of the new farm； with its resulting disaster。 〃I've farmed in Kansas；〃 he said； 〃in Nebraska； in Dakota； in Iowa。 I was willing to go wherever the land promised。 It always seemed like I was going to succeed； but somehow I never did。 The world ain't fixed right for the workers； I take it。 A man who has spent thirty years in hard； honest toil oughtn't to be staring ruin in the face like I am to…day。 They won't let it be so when we have the single tax and when we farmers send our own men instead of city lawyers； to the Legislature and halls of Congress。 Sometimes I think it's the world that's wrong and sometimes I think it's me！〃 The reply came in crisp and assured accents； which were the strongest contrast to Nelson's soft； undecided pipe： 〃Seems to me in this last case the one most to blame is neither you nor the world at large； but this man Richards； who is asking YOU to pay for HIS farm。 And I notice you don't seem to consider your creditor in this business。 How do you know she don't need the money？ Look at me； for instance； I'm in some financial difficulty myself。 I have a mortgage for two thousand dollars； and that mortgagefor which good value was given； mind youfalls due this month。 I want the money。 I want it bad。 I have a chance to put my money into stock at the factory。 I know all about the investment； I haven't worked there all these years and not know how the business stands。 It is a chance to make a fortune。 I ain't likely to ever have another like it； and it won't wait for me to make up my mind forever； either。 Isn't it hard on me； too？〃 〃Lord knows it is； ma'am；〃 said Nelson； despondently； 〃it is hard on us all！ Sometimes I don't see the end of it all。 A vast social revolution 〃 〃Social fiddlesticks！ I beg your pardon； Mr。 Forrest； but it puts me out of patience to have people expecting to be allowed to make every mortal kind of fools of themselves and then have 'a social revolution' jump in to slue off the consequences。 Let us understand each other。 Who do you suppose I am？〃 〃MissMiss Almer； ai
