twilight stories-第17部分

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face　as　white　as　a　sheet；　and　his　cap　on　hind…side　before；　and

called　out　hurriedly：



〃　'Mr。　Swett；　if　you　love　your　family；　for　God's　sake　find　a

place　of　safety　for　'em！　　The　British　are　coming　ashorethree

boat…loads　of　'em；　armed　to　the　teethand　they　won't　spare　man；

woman　nor　child！



〃Mother's　face　grew　very　pale；　but　she　stepped　quietly　around；

with　her　baby　on　her　arm；　close　to　where　father　was　standing；　and

laid　one　hand　on　his　arm；　while　she　said；　in　a　firm；　clear　voice：



〃'MY　place　is　with　you；　Benjamin；　but　we　must　think　of　some　place

of　safety　for　the　children。　　Where　can　they　go？'



〃Sol　was　just　rushing　out　of　the　door　as　unceremoniously　as　he

had　rushed　in；　but　he　stopped　when　he　heard　her　ask　that；　long

enough　to　say：



〃　'I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　Aunt　Polly　Shedd　will　take　all　the

children　put　in　her　charge　out　to　Old　Gubtil's；　that's　so　out　of

the　way　they　won't　be　disturbed；　'specially　as　the　old　man's　a

Tory　himself。'



〃Mother　kissed　us　all　round；　with　a　smile　on　her　face　that

couldn't　quite　hide　the　tears　with　which　her　dear　eyes　were

filled；　and　as　she　hastily　bundled　us　in　whatever　garment　came　to

hand；　she　bade　us　be　good　children；　and　make　Aunt　Polly　and　the

Gubtils　as　little　trouble　as　possible。　　Then　we　followed　father

out…of…doors　and　into　the　school…house　yard　where　a　score　or　more

of　children　were　already　gatheredstill　as　mice　for　intense

terror。　　Aunt　Polly；　in　her　big　green　calash；　and　a　pillow…case

of　valuables　under　one　arm；　was　bustling　to　and　fro；　speaking　an

encouraging　or　admonitory　word；　as　the　case　might　be；　and　wearing

upon　her　pinched；　freckled　little　face　such　a　reassuring　smile

that　I　soon　felt　my　own　courage　rise　and；　dashing　back　the　tears

that　had　filled　my　eyes　a　moment　before；　I　busied　myself　in

pinning　little　Sally's　blanket　more　closely　about　her　neck　and

setting　the　faded　sunbonnet　upon　the　tangled　curls　that　had　not

yet　had　their　customary　morning's　dressing。



〃　'Come；　children；'　called　out　Aunt　Polly　cheerily；　'you're　all

here　now；　and　we'll　start　right　off。　　I'll　go　ahead；　an'　all　you

little　ones　had　best　keep　close　to　me；　the　bigger　ones　can　come

along　behind。'



〃Obedient　to　her　order　we　started；　following　her　steps　across　the

road　by　the　beeches；　and　up　by　the　grocery　store　where　a　crowd　of

excited　men　were　congregated；　talking　loudly　with　wild

gesticulations；　while　farther　down；　toward　the　shore；　we　could

catch　glimpses；　through　the　thick　morning　fog；　of　the　blue

uniforms　of　our　militia　company　that　had　been　summoned　in　hot

haste　to　defend　the　town。　　As　we　filed　past；　I　remember　I　heard

one　of　the　men　on　the　grocery　steps　speak：



〃　'I　tell　you　they　won't　leave　one　stone　on　another　if　they　get

possession　of　the　town；　and　they'll　impress　all　the　able…bodied

men　and　all　the　big　boys　into　the　King's　service　besides。'



〃A　cold　shiver　ran　over　me　and　I　caught　so　hard　at　little　Sally's

hand　that　the　child　cried　out　with　pain；　and　Aunt　Polly　said

anxiously：



〃　'Hurry　up；　dears！　　'Tain't　much　more'n　a　mile　out　to　Gubtil's；

and　you'll　have　a　good　nice　chance　to　rest　after　we　get　there。'



〃Just　then　the　martial　music　of　a　fife　and　drum　announced　the

landing　of　the　enemy's　troops；　and　I　tell　you　it　quickened　the

lagging　footsteps　of　even　the　youngest　child　into　a　run；　and　we

just　flew；　helter…skelter；　over　the　rough；　little…used　road　that

led　to　the　Gubtil　farm。　　Aunt　Polly's　gentle　tones　were　unheeded。　

All　she　could　do　was　to　carry　the　weakest　in　her　arms　over　all

the　worst　places；　with　a　word　of　cheer；　now　and　then；　to　some

child　who　was　not　too　much　frightened　to　heed　it。



〃What　a　haven　of　safety　the　low；　unpainted　old　farm…house　looked

to　us；　as　we　rushed；　pell…mell；　into　the　dooryard；　never

noticing；　in　our　own　relief；　the　ungracious　scowl　with　which　the

master　and　mistress　of　the　house　regarded　our　advent。



〃Aunt　Polly　soon　explained　matters；　taking　care　to　assure　the

inhospitable　pair　that　our　parents　would　amply　recompense　them

for　the　trouble　and　expense　we　must；　of　course；　be　to　them。



〃The　farmer　held　a　whispered　consultation　with　his　wife；　and　I

remember　well　his　harsh；　loud　tones　as　he　came　back　to　Aunt

Polly：



〃　'They'll　HAVE　to　stay；　I　s'pose；　there　don't　seem　no　help　for

it　now。　　There's　pertaters　in　the　cellar；　an'　they　can　roast　an'

eat　what　they　want。　　I'll　give　'em　salt　an'　what　milk　an'　brown

bread　they　want；　an'　that's　what　they'll　have　to　live　on　for　the

present。　　As　for　housin'　'em；　the　boys　can　sleep　on　the　hay　in

the　barn；　an'　the　girls　can　camp　down　on　rugs　an'　comforters　on

the　kitchen　floor。　　that's　the　best　I　can　do；　an'　if　they　ain't

satisfied　they　can　go　furder。'



〃I　remember　just　how　he　looked　down　at　the　troubled；　childish

faces　upturned　to　his　own；　as　if　half　hoping　we　might　conclude　to

wander　yet　farther　away　from　our　imperilled　homes；　but　Aunt　Polly

hastened　to　answer：



〃　'Oh；　we'll　get　along　nicely　with　milk　for　the　little　ones；　and

potatoes　and　salt　for　the　big　boys　and　girls；　and　we　won't

trouble　you　any　more　nor　any　longer　than　we　can　help；　Mr。

Gubtil。'



〃She　stood　upon　the　door…stone　beside　him　as　she　spoke；　a　little；

bent；　slightly　deformed　figure；　with　a　face　shrivelled　and　faded

like　a　winter…russet　apple　in　spring…time；　and　a　dress　patched

and　darned　till　one　scarcely　could　tell　what　the　original　was

like；　in　a　striking　contrast　to　the　tall；　broad…shouldered；　hale

old　man；　whose　iron　frame　had　defied　the　storms　of　more　than

seventy　winters；　but　I　remember　how　he　seemed　to　me　a　mere　pigmy

by　the　side　of　the　generous；　large…hearted　woman　whose　tones　and

gestures　had　a　protectiveness；　a　strength　born　of　love　and　pity；

that　reassured　us　trembling　little　fugitives　in　spite　of　our

ungracious　reception。　　We　felt　that　Aunt　Polly　would　take　care　of

us；　let　what　would　come。



〃The　hours　dragged　slowly　away。　　Aunt　Polly　told　us　that　the

distant　firing　meant　that　our　men　had　not　retreated　without　an

effort　to　defend　the　village。　　When　this　firing　ceased；　we　began

to　watch　and　hope　that　some　message　would　come　from　our　fathers

and　mothers。　　But　none　came。　　We　wondered　among　our　little　selves

if　they　all　had　been　put　to　death　by　the　British；　and　even　the

oldest　among　us　shed　some　dreary　tears。



〃Dan　Parsons；　who　was　the　biggest　boy　among　us　and　of　an

adventurous　turn；　went　in　the　gathering　twilight　gloom　down　as

near　the　village　as　he　dared。　　He　came　shivering　back　to　us　with

such　tales　of　vague　horror　that　our　very　hearts　stopped　beating

while　we　listened。



〃　'I　crep'　along　under　the　shadder　of　the　alders　and　black…berry

bushes；'　he　began；　'　'til　I　got　close　ter　De'con　Milleses　house。　

'Twas　as　still　as　death　'round　there；　but　jest　as　I　turned　the

corner　by　the　barn　I　see　somethin'　gray　a…flappin'　and

a…flutterin'　jest　inside　the　barn　door。　　I　stopped；　kind　o'

wonderin'　what　it　could　be；　when　all　at　once　I　thought　I　should

'a'　dropped；　for　it　came　over　me　like　a　flash　that　it　might　be'



〃　'What；　what；　Dan？'　cried　a　score　of　frightened　voices；　and　Dan

replied　solemnly：



〃　'THE　OLD　DEACON'S　SKULP！'



〃　'Oh　dear！　　oh　dear！'　sobbed　the　terrified　chorus。



〃Aunt　Polly　could　do　nothing　with　us；　and　little　Dolly　Miles；　the

deacon's　granddaughter；　burst　into　a　series　of　wild　lamentations

that　called　Farmer　Gubtil　to　the　door　to　know　the　cause　of　the

commotion。



〃　'What's　all　this　hullabaloo　about？'　he　asked　crossly；　and　when

he　had　heard　the　story　he　seized　Dan　and　shook　him　till　his　teeth

chattered。



〃　'What　do　you　mean　by　tellin'　such　stuff　an'　scarin'　these　young

ones　ter　death？'　he　demanded。



〃Dan　wriggled　himself　from　his　grasp　and　looked　sulkily　defiant：



〃　'I　didn't　say　'TWAS　that；'　he　muttered。　　'I　said　it　MIGHT　be；

an'　p'r'aps　'twas；　or　it　might　'a'　been　the　deacon's　old　mare

switchin'　'er　tail　ter　keep　off　the　flies。　　I'm　sure　_I_　don't

know　which　'twas。　　But　girls　are　always　a…squealin'　at　nothin'。'



〃And　with　this　parting　fling　at　us　tearful　ones；　Dan　turned　in

the　direction　of　the　barn；　but　I　was　too　anxious　to　hear　from

father　and　mother　to　let　him　go　without　a　word　more。　　'Dan；'　I

whispered　with　my　hand　on　his　arm；　'did　you　see　or　hear　anything

of　OUR　folks？'



〃　'No！'　was　the　rather　grump　reply；　'after　what　I　saw　at　the

deacon's　I　didn't　want　ter　ventur'　furder；　but　from　there　I　could

see　'em　lightin'　fires　in　the　village；　an'　I　don't　doubt　by　this

time　that　most　o'　the　houses　is　in　flames。'



〃With　this　comforting　assurance　Dan　went　off　to　his　bed　upon　the

haymow；　and　I　crept　back　into　the　house　and　laid　my　tired　head

down　upon　Aunt　Polly's　motherly　lap；　where；　between　my　sobs；　I

managed　to　tell　what　Dan　had　told　me。



Aunt　Polly　laid　a　caressing　hand　upon　my　hair：　'La；　child；'　said

she　soothingly；　'don't　you　worry　yourself　a　bit　over　Dan　Parson's

stories。　　That　boy　was　BORN　to　tell　stories。　　The　Britishers　are

bad　enough；　but　they　ain't　heathen　savages；　an'　if　the　town　has

surrendered；　as　I　calc'late　it　has；　the　settlers　will　be　treated

like　prisoners　o'　war。　　There　won't　be　no　sculpin'　nor　burnin'　o'

housesno；　dear。　　And　now；'　giving　me　a　little　reassuring　pat；

'you're　all　tired　out；　an'　ought　ter　be　asleep。　　I'll　make　up　a

bed　on　this　rug　with　a　cushion　under　your　head；　an'　my　big　plaid

shawl　over　you；　an'　you'll　sleep　jest　as　sound　as　if　you　was　ter

home　in　your　own　trundle…bed。'



〃Little　Sally　shared　my　rug　and　shawl；　and　Aunt　Polly；　gently

refusing　the　ungracious　civility　of　the　old　couple；　who　had

offered　her　the　use　of　their　spare　bedroom；　after　seeing　every

little；　tired　form　made　as　comfortable　as　possible　with　quilts

and　blankets　from　the　farmwife's　stores；　laid　herself　down　upon

the　floor　beside　us；　after　commending　herself　and　us　to　the　God

she　loved　and　trusted；　raised　her　head　and　spoke　to　us　once　more

in　her　sweet；　hopeful；　quavering　old　tones：