twilight stories-第2部分

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of　water　and　proceeded　to　pour　the　contents　into　the　well。



Just　as　the　dark　circle　had　closed　over　the　blue　stockings；　Joe

Devin's　face　peered　down　the　depths　by　her　side；　and　his　voice

sounded　out　the　words：　〃O　Mother　Moulton；　the　British　will　search

the　wells　the　VERY　first　thing。　　Of　course；　they　EXPECT　to　find

things　in　wells！〃



〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　before；　Joe？　　　but　now　it　is　too　late。〃



〃I　would；　if　I'd　known　what　you　was　going　to　do；　they'd　been　a

sight　safer；　in　the　honey　tree。〃



〃Yes；　and　what　a　fool　I've　beenflung　MY　WATCH　into　the　well

with　the　spoons！〃



〃Well；　well！　　Don't　stand　there；　looking；〃　as　she　hovered　over

the　high　curb；　with　her　hand　on　the　bucket。　　〃Everybody　will

know；　if　you　do；　there。〃



〃Martha！　　Martha？〃　shrieked　Uncle　John's　quavering　voice　from　the

house　door。



〃Bless　my　heart！〃　she　exclaimed；　hurrying　back　over　the　stones。



〃What's　the　matter　with　your　heart？〃　questioned　Joe。



〃Nothing。　　I　was　thinking　of　Uncle　John's　money；〃　she　answered。



〃Has　he　got　money？〃　cried　Joe。　　〃I　thought　he　was　poor；　and　you

took　care　of　him　because　you　were　so　good〃



Not　one　word　that　Joe　uttered　did　the　little　woman　hear。　　She　was

already　by　Uncle　John's　side　and　asking　him　for　the　key　to　his

strong　box。



Uncle　John's　rheumatism　was　terribly　exasperating。　　〃No；　I　won't

give　it　to　you！〃　he　cried；　〃and　nobody　shall　have　it　as　long　as

I'm　above　ground。〃



〃Then　the　soldiers　will　carry　it　off；〃　she　said。



〃Let　'em！〃　was　his　reply；　grasping　his　staff　firmly　with　both

hands　and　gleaming　defiance　out　of　his　wide；　pale　eyes。　　〃YOU

won't　get　the　key；　even　if　they　do。〃



At　this　instant；　a　voice　at　the　doorway　shouted　the　words；　〃Hide；

hide　away　somewhere；　Mother　Moulton；　for　the　Red…coats　are　in

sight　this　minute！〃



She　heard　the　warning；　and　giving　one　glance　at　Uncle　John；　which

look　was　answered　by　another；　〃no；　you　won't　have　it；〃　she

grasped　Joe　Devins　by　the　collar　of　his　jacket　and　thrust　him

before　her　up　the　staircase；　so　quickly　that　the　boy　had　no

chance　to　speak；　until　she　released　her　hold　at　the　entrance　to

Uncle　John's　room。



The　idea　of　being　taken　prisoner　in　such　a　manner；　and　by　a

woman；　too；　was　too　much　for　the　lad's　endurance。　　〃Let　me　go！〃

he　cried；　the　instant　he　could　recover　his　breath。　　〃I　won't　hide

away　in　your　garret；　like　a　woman；　I　won't。　　I　want　to　see　the

militia　and　the　minute　men　fight　the　troops；　I　do。〃



〃Help　me　first；　Joe。　　Here；　quick　now；　let's　get　this　box　out　and

up　garret。　　We'll　hide　it　under　the　corn　and　it'll　be　safe；〃　she

coaxed。



The　box　was　under　Uncle　John's　bed。



〃What's　in　the　old　thing　any　how？〃　questioned　Joe；　pulling　with

all　his　strength　at　it。



The　box；　or　chest；　was　painted　red；　and　was　bound　about　by

massive　iron　bands。



〃I've　never　seen　the　inside　of　it；〃　said　Mother　Moulton。　　〃It

holds　the　poor　old　soul's　sole　treasure；　and　I　DO　want　to　save　it

for　him　if　I　can。〃



They　had　drawn　it　with　much　hard　endeavor；　as　far　as　the　garret

stairs；　but　their　united　strength　failed　to　lift　it。　　〃Heave　it；

now！〃　cried　Joe；　and　lo！　　it　was　up　two　steps。　　So　they　turned　it

over　and　over　with　many　a　thudding　thump；　every　one　of　which

thumps　Uncle　John　heard；　and　believed　to　be　strokes　upon　the　box

itself　to　burst　it　asunder；　until　it　was　fairly　shelved　on　the

garret　floor。



In　the　very　midst　of　the　overturnings；　a　voice　from　below　had

been　heard　crying　out；　〃Let　my　box　alone！　　Don't　break　it　open。　

If　you　do；　I'llI'll〃　but；　whatever　the　poor　man　MEANT　to

threaten　as　a　penalty；　he　could　not　think　of　anything　half　severe

enough　to　say　and　so　left　it　uncertain　as　to　the　punishment　that

might　be　looked　for。



〃Poor　old　soul！〃　ejaculated　the　little　woman；　her　soft　white

curls　in　disorder　and　the　pink　color　rising　from　her　cheeks　to

her　fair　forehead；　as　she　bent　to　help　Joe　drag　the　box　beneath

the　rafter's　edge。



〃Now；　Joe；〃　she　said。　　〃we'll　heap　nubbins　over　it；　and　if　the

soldiers　want　corn　they'll　take　good　ears　and　never　think　of

touching　poor　nubbins〃；　so　they　fell　to　work　throwing　corn　over

the　red　chest；　until　it　was　completely　concealed　from　view。



Then　he　sprang　to　the　high…up…window　ledge　in　the　point　of　the

roof　and　took　one　glance　out。　　〃Oh；　I　see　them；　the　Red…　coats。　

True's　I　live；　there　go　the　militia　UP　THE　HILL。　　I　thought　they

was　going　to　stand　and　defend。　　Shame　on　'em；　I　say。〃　Jumping

down　and　crying　back　to　Mother　Moulton；　〃I'm　going　to　stand　by

the　minute　men；〃　he　went　down；　three　steps　at　a　leap；　and　nearly

overturned　Uncle　John　on　the　stairs；　who；　with　many　groans　was

trying　to　get　to　the　defense　of　his　strong　box。



〃What　did　you　help　her　for；　you　scamp；〃　he　demanded　of　Joe；

flourishing　his　staff　unpleasantly　near　the　lad's　head。



〃　'Cause　she　asked　me　to；　and　couldn't　do　it　alone；〃　returned

Joe；　dodging　the　stick　and　disappearing　from　the　scene；　at　the

very　moment　Martha　Moulton　encountered　Uncle　John。



〃Your　strong　box　is　safe　under　nubbins　in　the　garret；　unless　the

house　burns　down；　and　now　that　you　are　up　here；　you　had　better

stay；〃　she　added　soothingly；　as　she　hastened　by　him　to　reach　the

kitchen　below。



Once　there；　she　paused　a　second　or　two　to　take　resolution

regarding　her　next　act。　　She　knew　full　well　that　there　was　not

one　second　to　spare；　and　yet　she　stood　looking；　apparently；　into

the　glowing　embers　on　the　hearth。　　She　was　flushed　and　excited；

both　by　the　unwonted　toil；　and　the　coming　events。　　Cobwebs　from

the　rafters　had　fallen　on　her　hair　and　home…spun　dress；　and　would

readily　have　betrayed　her　late　occupation；　to　any　discerning

soldier　of　the　king。



A　smile　broke　suddenly　over　her　face；　displacing　for　a　brief

second　every　trace　of　care。　　〃It's　my　only　weapon；　and　I　must　use

it；〃　she　said；　making　a　stately　courtesy　to　an　imaginary　guest

and　straightway　disappeared　within　an　adjoining　room。　　With

buttoned　door　and　dropped　curtains　the　little　woman　made　haste　to

array　herself　in　her　finest　raiment。　　In　five　minutes　she

reappeared　in　the　kitchen；　a　picture　pleasant　to　look　at。　　In　all

New　England；　there　could　not　be　a　more　beautiful　little　old　lady

than　Martha　Moulton　was　that　day。　　Her　hair　was　guiltless　now　of

cobwebs；　but　haloed　her　face　with　fluffy　little　curls　of　silvery

whiteness；　above　which；　like　a　crown；　was　a　little　cap　of　dotted

muslin；　pure　as　snow。　　Her　erect　figure；　not　a　particle　of　the

hard…working…day　in　it　now；　carried　well　the　folds　of　a　sheeny；

black　silk　gown；　over　which　she　had　tied　an　apron　as　spotless　as

the　cap。



As　she　fastened　back　her　gown　and　hurried　away　the　signs　of　the

breakfast　she　had　not　eaten；　the　clear　pink　tints　seemed　to　come

out　with　added　beauty　of　coloring　in　her　cheeks；　while　her　hair

seemed　fairer　and　whiter　than　at　any　moment　in　her　three…score

and　eleven　years。



Once　more　Joe　Devins　looked　in。　　As　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the

picture　she　made；　he　paused　to　cry　out：　〃All　dressed　up　to　meet

the　robbers！　　My；　how　fine　you　do　look！　　I　wouldn't。　　I'd　go　and

hide　behind　the　nubbins。　　They'll　be　here　in　less　than　five

minutes　now；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I'm　going　over　the　North　Bridge　to

see　what's　going　on　there。〃



〃O　Joe；　stay；　won't　you？〃　she　urged；　but　the　lad　was　gone；　and

she　was　left　alone　to　meet　the　foe；　comforting　herself　with　the

thought；　〃They'll　treat　me　with　more　respect　if　I　LOOK

respectable；　and　if　I　must　die；　I'll　die　good…looking　in　my　best

clothes；　anyhow。〃



She　threw　a　few　sticks　of　hickory…wood　on　the　embers；　and　then

drew　out　the　little　round　stand；　on　which　the　family　Bible　was

always　lying。　　Recollecting　that　the　British　soldiers　probably

belonged　to　the　Church　of　England；　she　hurried　away　to　fetch

Uncle　John's　〃prayer…book。〃



〃They'll　have　respect　to　me；　if　they　find　me　reading　that；　I

know；〃　she　thought。　　Having　drawn　the　round　stand　within　sight　of

the　well；　and　where　she　could　also　command　a　view　of　the

staircase；　she　sat　and　waited　for　coming　events。



Uncle　John　was　keeping　watch　of　the　advancing　troops　from　an

upper　window。　　〃Martha；〃　he　called；　〃you'd　better　come　up。　

They're　close　by；　now。〃　To　tell　the　truth；　Uncle　John　himself　was

a　little　afraid；　that　is　to　say　he　hadn't　quite　courage　enough　to

go　down；　and；　perhaps；　encounter　his　own　rheumatism　and　the

king's　soldiers　on　the　same　stairway；　and　yet；　he　felt　that　he

must　defend　Martha　as　well　as　he　could。



The　rap　of　a　musket；　quick　and　ringing　on　the　front　door；

startled　the　little　woman　from　her　apparent　devotions。　　She　did

not　move　at　the　call　of　anything　so　profane。　　It　was　the　custom

of　the　time　to　have　the　front　door　divided　into　two　parts；　the

lower　half　and　the　upper　half。　　The　former　was　closed　and　made

fast；　the　upper　could　be　swung　open　at　will。



The　soldier　getting　no　reply；　and　doubtless　thinking　that　the

house　was　deserted；　leaped　over　the　chained　lower　half　of　the

door。



At　the　clang　of　his　bayonet　against　the　brass　trimmings；　Martha

Moulton　groaned　in　spirit；　for；　if　there　was　any　one　thing　that

she　deemed　essential　to　her　comfort　in　this　life；　it　was　to　keep

spotless；　speckless　and　in　every　way　unharmed；　the　great　knocker

on　her　front　door。



〃Good；　sound　English　metal；　too；〃　she　thought；　〃that　an　English

soldier　ought　to　know　how　to　respect。〃



As　she　heard　the　tramp　of　coming　feet　she　only　bent　the　closer

over　the　Book　of　Prayer　that　lay　open　on　her　knee。　　Not　one　word

did　she　read　or　see；　she　was　inwardly　trembling　and　outwardly

watching　the　well　and　the　staircase。　　But　now；　above　all　other

sounds；　broke　the　noise　of　Uncle　John's　staff　thrashing　the　upper

step　of　the　staircase；　and　the　shrill　tremulous　cry　of　the　old

man　defiant；　doing　his　utmost　for　the　defense　of　his　castle。



The　fingers　that　lay　beneath　the　book　tingled　with　desire　to　box

the　old　man's　ears；　for　the　policy　he　was　pursuing　wou