eben holden-第31节

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'And　they　don't　care　where　they　hit；'　he　went　on。

I　felt　of　my　head　that　was　still　sore；　from　a　forceful　argument　of　the　preceding　day；　and　admitted　there　was　good　ground　for　the　assertion。

When　I　met　my　classmen；　that　afternoon；　I　was　an　advocate　of　the　'stove…pipe'　as　a　means　of　protection。　There　were　a　number　of　husky　fellows；　in　my　class；　who　saw　its　resisting　power　and　seconded　my　suggestion。　We　decided　to　leave　it　to　the　ladies　of　the　class　and　they　greeted　our　plan　with　applause。　So；　that　morning；　we　arrayed　ourselves　mhigh　hats；　heavy　canes　and　fine　linen；　marching　together　up　College　Hill。　We　had　hardly　entered　the　gate　before　we　saw　the　Sophs　forming　in　a　thick　rank　outside　the　door　prepared；　as　we　took　it；　to　resist　our　entrance。　They　out…numbered　us　and　were；　in　the　main；　heavier　but　we　had　a　foot　or　more　of　good　stiff　material　between　each　head　and　harm。　Of　just　what　befell　us；　when　we　got　to　the　enemy；　I　have　never　felt　sure。　Of　the　total　inefficiency　of　the　stove…pipe　hat　as　an　article　of　armour；　I　have　never　had　the　slightest　doubt　since　then。　There　was　a　great　flash　and　rattle　of　canes。　Then　the　air　was　full　of　us。　In　the　heat　of　it　all　prudence　went　to　the　winds。　We　hit　out　right　and　left；　on　both　sides；　smashing　hats　and　bruising　heads　and　hands。　The　canes　went　down　in　a　jiffy　and　then　we　closed　with　each　other　hip　and　thigh。　Collars　were　ripped　off；　coats　were　torn；　shirts　were　gory　from　the　blood　of　noses；　and　in　this　condition　the　most　of　us　were　rolling　and　tumbling　on　the　ground。　I　had　flung　a　man；　heavily；　and　broke　away　and　was　tackling　another　when　I　heard　a　hush　in　the　tumult　and　then　the　voice　of　the　president。　He　stood　on　the　high　steps；　his　grey　head　bare；　his　right　hand　lifted。　It　must　have　looked　like　carnage　from　where　he　stood。

'Young　gentlemen！'　he　called。　'Cease；　I　command　you。　If　we　cannot　get　along　without　this　thing　we　will　shut　up　shop。'

Well；　that　was　the　end　of　it　and　came　near　being　the　end　of　our　careers　in　college。　We　looked　at　each　other；　torn　and　panting　and　bloody；　and　at　the　girls；　who　stood　by；　pale　with　alarm。　Then　we　picked　up　the　shapeless　hats　and　went　away　for　repairs。　I　had　heard　that　the　path　of　learning　was　long　and　beset　with　peril　but　I　hoped；　not　without　reason；　the　worst　was　over。　As　I　went　off　the　campus　the　top　of　my　hat　was　hanging　over　my　left　ear；　my　collar　and　cravat　were　turned　awry；　my　trousers　gaped　over　one　knee。　I　was　talking　with　a　fellow　sufferer　and　patching　the　skin　on　my　knuckles；　when　suddenly　I　met　Uncle　Eb。

'By　the　Lord　Harry！'　he　said；　looking　me　over　from　top　to　toe；　'teacher　up　there　mus'　be　purty　ha'sh。'

'It　wa'n't　the　teacher；'　I　said。

'Must　have　fit　then。'

'Fit　hard；'　I　answered；　laughing。

'Try　t'　walk　on　ye？'

'Tried　t'　walk　on　me。　Took　several　steps　too；'　I　said　stooping　to　brush　my　trousers。

'Hm！　guess　he　found　it　ruther　bad　walkin'　didn't　he？'　my　old　friend　enquired。　'Leetle　bit　rough　in　spots？'

'Little　bit　rough；　Uncle　Eb　…　that's　certain。'

'Better　not　go　hum；'　he　said；　a　great　relief　in　his　face。　'Look　's　if　ye'd　been　chopped　down　an'　sawed　…　an'　split　…　an'　throwed　in　a　pile。　I'll　go　an'　bring　over　some　things　fer　ye。'

I　went　with　my　friend；　who　had　suffered　less　darnage；　and　Uncle　Eb　brought　me　what　I　needed　to　look　more　respectable　than　I　felt

The　president；　great　and　good　man　that　he　was；　forgave　us；　finally；　after　many　interviews　and　such　wholesome　reproof　as　made　us　all　ashamed　of　our　folly。

In　my　second　year；　at　college；　Hope　went　away　to　continue　her　studies　in　New　York　She　was　to　live　in　the　family　of　John　Fuller；　a　friend　of　David；　who　had　left　Faraway　years　before　and　made　his　fortune　there　in　the　big　city。　Her　going　filled　my　days　with　a　lingering　and　pervasive　sadness。　1　saw　in　it　sometimes　the　shadow　of　a　heavier　loss　than　I　dared　to　contemplate。　She　had　come　home　once　a　week　from　Ogdensburg　and　I　had　always　had　a　letter　between　times。　She　was　ambitious　and；　I　fancy；　they　let　her　go；　so　that　there　should　be　no　danger　of　any　turning　aside　from　the　plan　of　my　life；　or　of　hers；　for　they　knew　our　hearts　as　well　as　we　knew　them　and　possibly　better。

We　had　the　parlour　to　ourselves　the　evening　before　she　went　away；　and　I　read　her　a　little　love　tale　I　had　written　especially　for　that　occasion。　It　gave　us　some　chance　to　discuss　the　absorbing　and　forbidden　topic　of　our　lives。

'He's　too　much　afraid　of　her；'　she　said；　'he　ought　to　put　his　arm　about　her　waist　in　that　love　scene。'

'Like　that；'　I　said；　suiting　the　action　to　the　word。

'About　like　that；'　she　answered；　laughing；　'and　then　he　ought　to　say　something　very；　very；　nice　to　her　before　he　proposes　…　something　about　his　having　loved　her　for　so　long　…　you　know。'

'And　how　about　her？'　I　asked；　my　arm　still　about　her　waist。

'If　she　really　loves　him；'　Hope　answered；　'she　would　put　her　arms　about　his　neck　and　lay　her　head　upon　his　shoulder；　so；　and　then　he　might　say　what　is　in　the　story。'　She　was　smiling　now　as　she　looked　up　at　me。

'And　kiss　her？'

'And　kiss　her；'　she　whispered；　and；　let　me　add；　that　part　of　the　scene　was　in　nowise　neglected。

'And　when　he　says：　〃will　you　wait　for　me　and　keep　me　always　in　your　heart？〃　what　should　be　her　answer；'　I　continued。

'Always！'　she　said。

'Hope；　this　is　our　own　story；'　I　whispered。　'Does　it　need　any　further　correction？'

'It's　too　short　…　that's　all；'　she　answered；　as　our　lips　met　again。

Just　then　Uncle　Eb　opened　the　door；　suddenly。

'Tut　tut！'　he　said　tuning　quickly　about

'Come　in；　Uncle　Eb；'　said　Hope；　'come　right　in；　we　want　to　see　you。

In　a　moment　she　had　caught　him　by　the　arm。

'Don'　want　'o　break　up　the　meetin'；'　said　he　laughing。

'We　don't　care　if　you　do　know；'　said　Hope；　'we're　not　ashamed　of　it。'

'Hain't　got　no　cause　t'　be；'　he　said。　'Go　it　while　ye're　young　'n　full　'o　vinegar！　That's　what　I　say　every　time。　It's　the　best　fun　there　is。　I　thought　I'd　like　t'　hev　ye　both　come　up　t'　my　room；　fer　a　minute；　'fore　yer　mother　'n　father　come　back；'　he　said　in　a　low　tone　that　was　almost　a　whisper。

Then　he　shut　one　eye；　suggestively；　and　beckoned　with　his　head；　as　we　followed　him　up　the　stairway　to　the　little　room　in　which　he　slept。　He　knelt　by　the　bed　and　pulled　out　the　old　skin…covered　trunk　that　David　Brower　had　given　him　soon　after　we　came。　He　felt　a　moment　for　the　keyhole；　his　hand　trembling；　and　then　I　helped　him　open　the　trunk。　From　under　that　sacred　suit　of　broadcloth；　worn　only　on　the　grandest　occasions；　he　fetched　a　bundle　about　the　size　of　a　man's　head。　It　was　tied　in　a　big　red　handkerchief。　We　were　both　sitting　on　the　floor　beside　him。

'Heft　it；'　he　whispered。

I　did　so　and　found　it　heavier　than　I　expected。

'What　is　it？'　I　asked。

'Spondoolix；'　he　whispered。

Then　he　untied　the　bundle　…　a　close　packed　hoard　of　bankbills　with　some　pieces　of　gold　and　silver　at　the　bottom。

'Hain't　never　hed　no　use　fer　it；'　he　said　as　he　drew　out　a　layer　of　greenbacks　and　spread　them　with　trembling　fingers。　Then　he　began　counting　them　slowly　and　carefully。

'There！'　he　whispered；　when　at　length　he　had　counted　a　hundred　dollars。　'There　Hope！　take　thet　an'　put　it　away　in　yer　wallet。　Might　come　handy　when　ye're　'way　fr'm　hum。'

She　kissed　him　tenderly。

'Put　it　'n　yer　wallet　an'　say　nothin'　…　not　a　word　t'　nobody；'　he　said。

Then　he　counted　over　a　like　amount　for　me。

'Say　nothin'；'　he　said；　looking　up　at　me　over　his　spectacles。　'Ye'll　hev　t'　spile　a　suit　o'　clothes　purty　often　if　them　fellers　keep　a　fightin'　uv　ye　all　the　time。'

Father　and　mother　were　coming　in　below　stairs　and；　hearing　them；　we　helped　Uncle　Eb　tie　up　his　bundle　and　stow　it　away。　Then　we　went　down　to　meet　them。

Next　morning　we　bade　Hope　goodbye　at　the　cars　and　returned　to　our　home　with　a　sense　of　loss　that；　for　long；　lay　heavy　upon　us　all。

Chapter　27

Uncle　Eb　and　David　were　away　buying　cattle；　half　the　week；　but　Elizabeth　Brower　was　always　at　home　to　look　after　my　comfort。　She　was　up　betimes　in　the　morning　and　singing　at　her　work　long　before　I　was　out　of　bed。　when　the　breakfast　was　near　ready　she　came　to　my　door　with　a　call　so　fall　of　cheerfulness　and　good…nature　it　was　the　best　thing　in　the　day。　And　often；　at　night；　I　have　known　her　to　come　into　my　room　when　I　was　lying　awake　with　some　hard　problem；　to　see　that　I　was　properly　covered　or　that　my　window　was　not　open　too　far。　As　we　sat　alone　together；　of　an　evening；　I　have　seen　her　listen　for　hours　while　I　was　committing　the　Odes　of　Horace　with　a　curiosity　that　finally　gave　way　to　resignation。　Sometimes　she　would　look　over　my　shoulder　at　the　printed　page　and　try　to　discern　some　meaning　in　it　when　Uncle　Eb　was　with　us　he　would　often　sit　a　long　time　his　head　turned　attentively　as　the　lines　came　rattling　off　my　tongue。

'Cur'us　talk！'　he　said；　one　evening；　as　I　paused　a　moment；　while　he　crossed　the　room　for　a　drink　of　water。　'Don'　seem　t'　make　no　kind　O'　sense。　I　can　make　out　a　word　here　'n　there　but　fer　good；　sound；　common　sense　I　call　it　a　purtythin　crop。'

Hope　wrote　me　every　week　for　a　time。　A　church　choir　had　offered　her　a　place　soon　after　she　went　to　the　big　city。　She　came　home　intending　to　surprise　us　all；　the　first　summer　but　unfortunately；　I　had　gone　away　in　the　woods　with　a　party　of　surveyors　and　missed　her。