the choir invisible-第34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！


rang　up　and　seized　his　hat。

There　was　no　fog　out　on　the　clearing。　He　could　not　have　said　why　he　had　come。　He　only　knew　that　he　was　there　in　the　garden　where　he　had　parted　from　her　the　day　before。　He　sat　on　the　bench　where　they　had　talked　so　often；　he　strolled　among　her　plants。　How　clear　in　the　moonlight　every　leaf　of　the　dark　green　little　things　was；　many　of　them　holding　white　drops　of　dew　on　their　tips　and　edges！　How　plain　the　last　shoe…prints　where　she　had　worked！　How　peaceful　the　whole　scene　in　every　direction；　how　sacredly　at　rest！　And　the　cabin　up　there　at　the　end　of　the　garden　where　they　were　sleeping　side　by　sidehow　the　moon　poured　its　strongest　light　upon　that：　his　eye　could　never　get　away　from　it。　So　closely　a　man　might　live　with　a　woman　in　this　seclusion！　So　entirely　she　must　be　his！

His　passions　leaped　like　dogs　against　their　chains　when　brought　too　near。　They　began　to　draw　him　toward　the　cabin　until　at　last　he　had　come　opposite　to　it；　his　figure　remaining　hidden　behind　the　fence　and　under　the　heavy　shadow　of　a　group　of　the　wilderness　trees。　Then　it　was　that　taking　one　step　further；　he　drew　back。

The　low　window　of　the　cabin　was　open　and　she　was　sitting　there　near　the　foot　of　her　bed；　perfectly　still　and　looking　out　into　the　night。　Her　face　rested　in　one　palm；　her　elbow　on　the　window　sill。　Her　nightgown　had　slipped　down　from　her　arm。　The　only　sleepless　thing　in　all　the　peace　of　that　summer　night：　the　yearning　image　of　mated　loneliness。

He　was　so　close　that　he　could　hear　the　loud　regular　breathing　of　a　sleeper　on　the　bed　just　inside　the　shadow。　Once　the　breathing　stopped　abruptly；　and　a　moment　later；　as　though　in　reply　to　a　command；　he　heard　her　say　without　turning　her　head：

〃I　am　coming！〃

The　voice　was　sweet　and　dutiful；　but　to　an　ear　that　could　have　divined　everything；　so　dead　worn　away　with　weariness。

Then　he　saw　an　arm　put　forth。　Then　he　heard　the　shutter　being　fastened　on　the　inside。


XIX

THE　closing　day　of　school　had　come；　and　although　he　had　waited　in　impatience　for　the　end；　it　was　with　a　lump　in　his　throat　that　he　sat　behind　the　desk　and　ruler　for　the　last　time　and　looked　out　on　the　gleeful　faces　of　the　children。　No　more　toil　and　trouble　between　them　and　him　from　this　time　on；　a　dismissal；　and　as　far　as　he　was　concerned　the　scattering　of　the　huddled　lambkins　to　the　wide　pastures　and　long　cold　mountain　sides　of　the　world。　He　had　grown　so　fond　of　them　and　he　had　grown　so　used　to　teach　them　by　talking　to　them；　that　his　speech　overflowed。　But　it　had　been　his　unbroken　wont　to　keep　his　troubles　out　of　the　schoolroom；　and　although　the　thought　never　left　him　of　the　other　parting　to　be　faced　that　day；　he　spoke　out　bravely　and　cheerily；　with　a　smile：

〃This　is　the　last　day　of　school；　and　you　know　that　to…morrow　I　am　going　away　and　may　never　come　back。　Whether　I　do　or　not；　I　shall　never　teach　again；　so　that　I　am　now　saying　good…bye　to　you　for　life。

〃What　I　wish　to　impress　upon　you　once　more　is　the　kind　of　men　and　women　your　fathers　and　mothers　were　and　the　kind　of　men　and　women　you　must　become　to　be　worthy　of　them。　I　am　not　speaking　so　much　to　those　of　you　whose　parents　have　not　been　long　in　Kentucky　as　to　those　whose　parents　were　the　first　to　fight　for　the　land　until　it　was　safe　for　others　to　follow　and　share　it。　Let　me　tell　you　that　nothing　like　that　was　ever　done　before　in　all　this　world。　And　if；　as　I　sit　here；　I　can't　help　seeing　that　this　one　of　you　has　no　father　and　this　one　no　mother　and　this　one　neither　father　nor　mother　and　that　almost　none　of　you　have　both；　still　I　cannot　help　saying；　You　ought　to　be　happy　children！　not　that　you　have　lost　your　parents；　but　that　you　have　had　such　parents　to　lose　and　to　remember！

〃All　of　you　are　still　too　young　to　know　fully　what　they　have　done　and　how　the　whole　world　will　some　day　speak　of　them。　Still；　you　can　understand　some　things。　For　nowadays；　when　you　go　to　your　homes　at　night；　you　can　lie　down　and　sleep　without　fear　or　danger。

〃And　in　the　mornings　your　fathers　go　off　to　the　fields　to　their　work；　your　mothers　go　off　to　theirs；　you　go　off　to　yours；　feeling　sure　that　you　will　all　come　together　at　night　again。　Some　of　you　can　remember　when　this　was　not　so。　Your　father　would　put　his　arms　around　you　in　the　morning　and　you　would　never　see　him　again；　your　mother　kissed　you；　and　waved　her　hand　to　you　as　she　went　out　of　the　gate；　and　you　never　knew　what　became　of　her　afterwards。

〃And　don't　you　recollect　how　you　little　babes　in　the　wilderness　could　never　go　anywhere？　If　you　heard　wild　turkeys　gobbling　just　inside　the　forest；　or　an　owl　hooting；　or　a　paroquet　screaming；　or　a　fawn　bleating；　you　were　warned　never　to　go　there；　it　was　the　trick　of　the　Indians。　You　could　never　go　near　a　clump　of　high　weeds；　or　a　patch　of　cane；　or　a　stump；　or　a　fallen　tree。　You　must　not　go　to　the　sugar　camp；　to　get　a　good　drink；　or　to　a　salt　lick　for　a　pinch　of　salt；　or　to　the　field　for　an　ear　of　corn；　or　even　to　the　spring　for　a　bucket　of　water：　so　that　you　could　have　neither　bread　nor　water　nor　sugar　nor　salt。　Always；　always；　it　was　the　Indians。　If　you　cried　in　the　night；　your　mother　came　over　to　you　and　whispered　'Hush！　they　are　coming！　They　will　get　you！'　And　you　forgot　your　pain　and　clung　to　her　neck　and　listened。

〃Now　you　are　let　alone；　you　go　farther　and　farther　away　from　your　homes；　you　can　play　hide…and…seek　in　the　canebrakes；　you　can　explore　the　woods；　you　fish　and　you　hunt；　you　are　free　for　the　land　is　safe。

〃And　then　only　think；　that　by　the　time　you　are　men　and　women；　Kentucky　will　no　longer　be　the　great　wilderness　it　still　is。　There　will　be　thousands　and　thousands　of　people　scattered　over　it；　and　the　forest　will　be　cut　downcan　you　ever　believe　that？cut　through　and　through；　leaving　some　trees　here　and　some　trees　there。　And　the　cane　will　be　cut　down：　can　you　believe　that？　And　instead　of　buffalo　and　wild…cats　and　bears　and　wolves　and　panthers　there　will　be　flocks　of　the　whitest　sheep；　with　little　lambs　frisking　about　on　the　green　spring　meadows。　And　under　the　big　shady　trees　in　the　pastures　there　will　be　herds　of　red　cattle；　so　gentle　and　with　backs　so　soft　and　broad　that　you　could　almost　stretch　yourselves　out　and　go　to　sleep　on　them；　and　they　would　never　stop　chewing　their　cuds。　Only　think　of　the　hundreds　of　orchards　with　their　apple…blossoms　and　of　the　big　ripe；　golden　apples　on　the　trees　in　the　fall！　It　will　be　one　of　the　quietest；　gentlest　lands　that　a　people　ever　owned；　and　this　is　the　gift　of　your　fathers　who　fought　for　it　and　of　your　mothers　who　fought　for　it　also。　And　you　must　never　forget　that　you　would　never　have　had　such　fathers；　had　you　not　had　such　mothers　to　stand　by　them　and　to　die　with　them。

〃This　is　what　I　have　wished　to　teach　you　more　than　anything　in　your　booksthat　you　may　become　men　and　women　worthy　of　them　and　of　what　they　have　left　you。　But　while　being　the　bravest　kind　of　men　and　women；　you　should　try　also　to　be　gentle　men　and　gentle　women。　You　boys　must　get　over　your　rudeness　and　your　roughness；　that　is　all　right　in　you　now　but　it　would　be　all　wrong　in　you　afterwards。　And　the　last　and　the　best　thing　I　have　to　say　to　you　is　be　good　boys　and　grow　up　to　be　good　men！　That　sounds　very　plain　and　common　but　I　can　wish　you　nothing　better　for　there　is　nothing　better。　As　for　my　little　girls；　they　are　good　enough　as　they　are！

〃I　have　talked　a　long　time。　God　bless　you　everyone。　I　wish　you　long　and　happy　lives　and　I　hope　we　may　meet　again。　And　now　all　of　you　must　come　and　shake　hands　with　me　and　tell　me　good…bye。〃

They　started　forward　and　swarmed　toward　him；　only；　as　the　foremost　of　them　rose　and　hid　her　from　sight；　little　Jennie；　with　one　mighty　act　of　defiant　joy；　hurled　her　arithmetic　out　of　the　window；　and　a　chubby…cheeked　veteran　on　the　end　of　the　bench　produced　a　big　red　apple　from　between　his　legs　and　went　for　it　with　a　smack　of　gastric　rapture　that　made　his　toes　curl　and　sent　his　glance　to　the　rafters。　They　swarmed　on　him；　and　he　folded　his　arms　around　the　little　ones　and　kissed　them；　the　older　boys；　the　warriors；　brown　and　barefoot；　stepping　sturdily　forward　one　by　one；　and　holding　out　a　strong　hand　that　closed　on　his　and　held　it；　their　eyes　answering　his　sometimes　with　clear　calm　trust　and　fondness；　sometimes　lowered　and　full　of　tears；　other　little　hands　resting　unconsciously　on　each　of　his　shoulders；　waiting　for　their　turns。　　Then　there　were　softened　echoes　gay　voices；　dying　away　in　one　direction　and　another；　and　thenhimself　alone　in　the　roomschool…master　no　longer。

He　waited　till　there　was　silence；　sitting　in　his　old　erect　way　behind　his　desk；　the　bight　smile　still　on　his　face　though　his　eyes　were　wet。　　Then；　with　the　thought　that　now　he　was　to　take　leave　of　her；　he　suddenly　leaned　forward　and　buried　his　face　on　his　arms。


XX

IN　the　Country　of　the　Spirit　there　is　a　certain　high　table…land　that　lies　far　on　among　the　out…posts　toward　Eternity。　Standing　on　that　calm　clear　height；　where　the　sun　shines　ever　though　it　shines　coldly；　the　wayfarer　may　look　behind　him　at　his　own　footprints　of　self…renunciation；　below　on　his　dark　zones　of　storm；　and　forward　to　the　final　land　where　the　mystery；　the　pain；　and　the　yearning　of　his　life　will　either　be　infinitely　satisfied　or　infinitely　quieted。　But　no　man　can　write　a　description　of　this