the friendly road(友好的路)-第27节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
enhance the values of his own upper lands； and that they would pay him
far more for a right…of…way than the land was actually worth； but he had
spurned themI can imagine with what vehemence。
〃Let 'em drive round；〃 he said。 〃Didn't they know what they'd have to
do when they settled up there？ What a passel o' curs！ They can keep off o'
my land； or I'll have the law on 'em。〃
And thus the matter came to the courts with the town attempting to
condemn the land for a road through Old Toombs's farm。
〃What can we do？〃 asked the Scotch Preacher； who was deeply
distressed by the bitterness of feeling displayed。 〃There is no getting to the
man。 He will listen to no one。〃
At one time I thought of going over and talking with Old Toombs
myself； for it seemed that I had been able to get nearer to him than any one
had in a long time。 But I dreaded it。 I kept dallying；for what； indeed；
could I have said to him？ If he had been suspicious of me before； how
much more hostile he might be when I expressed an interest in his
difficulties。 As to reaching the Swan Hill settlers； they were now aroused
to an implacable state of bitterness； and they had the people of the whole
community with them； for no one liked Old Toombs。
Thus while I hesitated time passed and my next meeting with Old
Toombs； instead of being premeditated； came about quite unexpectedly。 I
was walking in the town road late one afternoon when I heard a wagon
rattling behind me； and then； quite suddenly； a shouted； 〃Whoa。〃
Looking around； I saw Old Toombs； his great solid figure mounted
high on the wagon seat； the reins held fast in the fingers of one hand。 I was
struck by the strange expression in his facea sort of grim exaltation。 As I
stepped aside he burst out in a loud； shrill； cackling laugh：
99
… Page 100…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
〃He…he…hehe…he…he〃
I was too astonished to speak at once。 Ordinarily when I meet any one
in the town road it is in my heart to cry out to him；
〃Good morning； friend；〃 or； 〃How are you； brother？〃 but I had no such
prompting that day。
〃Git in； Grayson；〃 he said； 〃git in； git in。〃
I climbed up beside him； and he slapped me on the knee with another
burst of shrill laughter。
〃They thought they had the old man；〃 he said； starting up his horses。
〃They thought there weren't no law left in Israel。 I showed 'em。〃
I cannot convey the bitter triumphancy of his voice。
〃You mean the road case？〃 I asked。
〃Road case！〃 he exploded； 〃they wan't no road case； they didn't have
no road case。 I beat 'em。 I says to 'em； 'What right hev any o' you on my
property？ Go round with you；' I says。 Oh； I beat 'em。 If they'd had their
way； they'd 'a' cut through my hedgethe hounds！〃
When he set me down at my door； I had said hardly a word。 There
seemed nothing that could be said。 I remember I stood for some time
watching the old man as he rode away； his wagon jolting in the country
road； his stout figure perched firmly in the seat。 I went in with a sense of
heaviness at the heart。
〃Harriet；〃 I said； 〃there are some things in this world beyond human
remedy。〃
Two evenings later I was surprised to see the Scotch Preacher drive up
to my gate and hastily tie his horse。
〃David；〃 said he； 〃there's bad business afoot。 A lot of the young
fellows in Swan Hill are planning a raid on Old Toombs's hedge。 They are
coming down to…night。〃
I got my hat and jumped in with him。 We drove up the hilly road and
out around Old Toombs's farm and thus came； near to the settlement。 I had
no conception of the bitterness that the lawsuit had engendered。
〃Where once you start men hating one another；〃 said the Scotch
Preacher； 〃there's utterly no end of it。〃
100
… Page 101…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
I have seen our Scotch Preacher in many difficult places； but never
have I seen him rise to greater heights than he did that night。 It is not in his
preaching that Doctor McAlway excels； but what a power he is among
men！ He was like some stern old giant； standing there and holding up the
portals of civilization。 I saw men melt under his words like wax； I saw
wild young fellows subdued into quietude； I saw unwise old men set to
thinking。
〃Man； man；〃 he'd say； lapsing in his earnestness into the broad Scotch
accent of his youth； 〃you canna' mean plunder； and destruction； and riot！
You canna！ Not in this neighbourhood！〃
〃What about Old Toombs？〃 shouted one of the boys。
I never shall forget how Doctor McAlway drew himself up nor the
majesty that looked from his eye。
〃Old Toombs！〃 he said in a voice that thrilled one to the bone； 〃Old
Toombs！ Have you no faith； that you stand in the place of Almighty God
and measure punishments？〃
Before we left it was past midnight and we drove home； almost silent；
in the darkness。
〃Doctor McAlway；〃 I said； 〃if Old Toombs could know the history of
this night it might change his point of view。〃
〃I doot it；〃 said the Scotch Preacher。 〃I doot it。〃
The night passed serenely； the morning saw Old Toombs's hedge
standing as gorgeous as ever。 The community had again stepped aside and
let Old Toombs have his way： they had let him alone； with all his great
barns； his wide acres and his wonderful hedge。 He probably never even
knew what had threatened him that night； nor how the forces of religion；
of social order； of neighbourliness in the community which he despised
had； after all； held him safe。 There is a supreme faith among common
peopleit is； indeed； the very taproot of democracythat although the
unfriendly one may persist long in his power and arrogance； there is a
moving Force which commands events。
I suppose if I were writing a mere story I should tell how Old Toombs
was miraculously softened at the age of sixty…eight years； and came into
101
… Page 102…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
new relationships with his neighbours； or else I should relate how the mills
of God； grinding slowly； had crushed the recalcitrant human atom into
dust。
Either of these results conceivably might have happenedall things are
possibleand being ingeniously related would somehow have answered a
need in the human soul that the logic of events be constantly and
conclusively demonstrated in the lives of individual men and women。
But as a matter of fact； neither of these things did happen in this quiet
community of ours。 There exists； assuredly； a logic of events； oh； a terrible；
irresistible logic of events； but it is careless of the span of any one man's
life。 We would like to have each man enjoy the sweets of his own virtues
and suffer the lash of his own misdeedsbut it rarely so happens in life。
No； it is the community which lives or dies； is regenerated or marred by
the deeds of men。
So Old Toombs continued to live。 So he continued to buy more land；
raise more cattle； collect more interest； and the wonderful hedge continued
to flaunt its marvels still more notably upon the country road。 To what end？
Who knows？ Who knows？
I saw him afterward from time to time； tried to maintain some sort of
friendly relations with him； but it seemed as the years passed that he grew
ever lonelier and more bitter； and not only more friendless； but seemingly
more incapable of friendliness。 In times past I have seen what men call
tragediesI saw once a perfect young man die in his strengthbut it seems
to me I never knew anything more tragic than the life and death of Old
Toombs。 If it cannot be said of a man when he dies that either his nation；
his state； his neighborhood； his family； or at least his wife or child； is
better for his having lived； what CAN be said for him？
Old Toombs is dead。 Like Jehoram； King of Judah； of whom it is
terribly said in the Book of Chronicles； 〃he departed without being
desired。〃
Of this story of Nathan Toombs we
