twilight stories-第3部分

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

the　old　man's　ears；　for　the　policy　he　was　pursuing　would　be　fatal

to　the　treasure　in　garret　and　in　well；　but　she　was　forced　to

silence　and　inactivity。



As　the　King's　troops；　Major　Pitcairn　at　their　head；　reached　the

open　door　and　saw　the　old　lady；　they　paused。　　What　could　they　do

but　look；　for　a　moment；　at　the　unexpected　sight　that　met　their

view；　a　placid　old　lady　in　black　silk　and　dotted　muslin；　with　all

the　sweet　solemnity　of　morning　devotion　hovering　about　the　tidy

apartment　and　seeming　to　centre　at　the　round　stand　by　which　she

sat；　this　pretty　woman；　with　pink　and　white　face　surmounted　with

fleecy　little　curls　and　crinkles　and　wisps　of　floating　whiteness；

who　looked　up　to　meet　their　gaze　with　such　innocent

prayer…suffused　eyes。



〃Good　morning；　Mother；〃　said　Major　Pitcairn；　raising　his　hat。



〃Good　morning；　gentlemen　and　soldiers；〃　returned　Martha　Moulton。　

〃You　will　pardon　my　not　meeting　you　at　the　door；　when　you　see

that　I　was　occupied　in　rendering　service　to　the　Lord　of　all。〃　She

reverently　closed　the　book；　laid　it　on　the　table；　and　arose；　with

a　stately　bearing；　to　demand　their　wishes。



〃We're　hungry；　good　woman；〃　spoke　the　commander；　〃and　your　hearth

is　the　only　hospitable　one　we've　seen　since　we　left　Boston。　　With

your　good　leave　I'll　take　a　bit　of　this；　and　he　stooped　to　lift

up　the　Johnny…cake　that　had　been　all　this　while　on　the　hearth。



〃I　wish　I　had　something　better　to　offer　you；〃　she　said；　making

haste　to　fetch　plates　and　knives　from　the　corner…cupboard；　and

all　the　while　she　was　keeping　eye…guard　over　the　well。　　〃I'm

afraid　the　Concorders　haven't　left　much　for　you　to…day；〃　she

added；　with　a　soft　sigh　of　regret；　as　though　she　really　felt

sorry　that　such　brave　men　and　good　soldiers　had　fallen　on　hard

times　in　the　ancient　town。　　At　the　moment　she　had　brought　forth

bread　and　baked　beans；　and　was　putting　them　on　the　table；　a　voice

rang　into　the　room；　causing　every　eye　to　turn　toward　Uncle　John。　

He　had　gotten　down　the　stairs　without　uttering　one　audible　groan；

and　was　standing；　one　step　above　the　floor　of　the　room；

brandishing　and　whirling　his　staff　about　in　a　manner　to　cause

even　rheumatism　to　flee　the　place；　while；　at　the　top　of　his　voice

he　cried　out：



〃Martha　Moulton；　how　DARE　you　FEED　thesethesemonstersin

human　form！〃



〃Don't　mind　him；　gentlemen；　please　don't；〃　she　made　haste　to　say；

〃he's　old；　VERY　old；　eighty…five；　his　last　birthday；　anda

little　hoity…toity　at　times；〃　pointing　deftly　with　her　finger　in

the　region　of　the　reasoning　powers　in　her　own　shapely　head。



Summoning　Major　Pitcairn　by　an　offer　of　a　dish　of　beans；　she

contrived　to　say；　under　covert　of　it：



〃You　see；　sir；　I　couldn't　go　away　and　leave　him；　he　is　almost

distracted　with　rheumatism；　and　this　excitement　to…day　will　kill

him；　I'm　afraid。〃



Advancing　toward　the　staircase　with　bold　and　soldierly　front；

Major　Pitcairn　said　to　Uncle　John：



〃Stand　aside；　old　man；　and　we'll　hold　you　harmless。〃



〃I　don't　believe　you　will；　you　red…trimmed　trooper；　you；〃　was　the

reply；　and；　with　a　dexterous　swing　of　the　wooden　staff；　he　mowed

off　and　down　three　military　hats。



Before　any　one　had　time　to　speak；　Martha　Moulton　adroitly

stooping；　as　though　to　recover　Major　Pitcairn's　hat；　which　had

rolled　to　her　feet；　swung　the　stairway…door　into　its　place　with　a

resounding　bang；　and　followed　up　that　achievement　with　a　swift

turn　of　two　large　wooden　buttons；　one　high　up；　and　the　other　low

down；　near　the　floor。



〃There！〃　she　said；　〃he　is　safe　out　of　mischief　for　awhile；　and

your　heads　are　safe　as　well。　　Pardon　a　poor　old　man；　who　does　not

know　what　he　is　about。〃



〃He　seems　to　know　remarkably　well；〃　exclaimed　an　officer。



Meanwhile；　behind　the　strong　door；　Uncle　John's　wrath　knew　no

bounds。　　In　his　frantic　endeavors　to　burst　the　fastenings　of　the

wooden　buttons；　rheumatic　cramps　seized　him　and　carried　the　day；

leaving　him　out　of　the　battle。



Meanwhile；　a　portion　of　the　soldiery　clustered　about　the　door。　

The　king's　horses　were　fed　within　five　feet　of　the　great　brass

knocker；　while；　within　the　house；　the　beautiful　little　old　woman；

in　her　Sunday…best…raiment；　tried　to　do　the　dismal　honors　of　the

day　to　the　foes　of　her　country。　　Watching　her；　one　would　have

thought　she　was　entertaining　heroes　returned　from　the　achievement

of　valiant　deeds；　whereas；　in　her　own　heart；　she　knew　full　well

that　she　was　giving　a　little　to　save　much。



Nothing　could　exceed　the　seeming　alacrity　with　which　she　fetched

water　from　the　well　for　the　officers：　and；　when　Major　Pitcairn

gallantly　ordered　his　men　to　do　the　service；　the　little　soul　was

in　alarm；　she　was　so　afraid　that　〃somehow；　in　some　way　or

another；　the　blue　stocking　would　get　hitched　on　to　the　bucket。〃

She　knew　that　she　must　to　its　rescue；　and　so　she　bravely

acknowledged　herself　to　have　taken　a　vow　（when；　she　did　not　say）；

to　draw　all　the　water　that　was　taken　from　that　well。



〃A　remnant　of　witchcraft！〃　remarked　a　soldier　within　hearing。



〃Do　I　look　like　a　witch？〃　she　demanded。



〃If　you　do；〃　replied　Major　Pitcairn；　〃I　admire　New　England

witches；　and　never　would　condemn　one　to　be　hung；　or　burned；

orsmothered。〃



Martha　Moulton　never　wore　so　brilliant　a　color　on　her　aged　cheeks

as　at　that　moment。　　She　felt　bitter　shame　at　the　ruse　she　had

attempted；　but　silver　spoons　were　precious；　and；　to　escape　the

smile　that　went　around　at　Major　Pitcairn's　words；　she　was　only

too　glad　to　go　again　to　the　well　and　dip　slowly　the　high；

over…hanging　sweep　into　the　cool；　clear；　dark　depth　below。



During　this　time　the　cold；　frosty　morning　spent　itself　into　the

brilliant；　shining　noon。



You　know　what　happened　at　Concord　on　that　19th　of　April　in　the

year　1775。　　You　have　been　told　the　story；　how　the　men　of　Acton

met　and　resisted　the　king's　troops　at　the　old　North　Bridge；　how

brave　Captain　Davis　and　minute…man　Hosmer　fell；　how　the　sound　of

their　falling　struck　down　to　the　very　heart　of　mother　earth；　and

caused　her　to　send　forth　her　brave　sons　to　cry　〃Liberty；　or

Death！〃



And　the　rest　of　the　story；　the　sixty　or　more　barrels　of　flour

that　the　king's　troops　found　and　struck　the　heads　from；　leaving

the　flour　in　condition　to　be　gathered　again　at　nightfall；　the

arms　and　powder　that　they　destroyed；　the　houses　they　burned；　all

these；　are　they　not　recorded　in　every　child's　history　in　the

land？



While　these　things　were　going　on；　for　a　brief　while；　at　mid…day；

Martha　Moulton　found　her　home　deserted。　　She　had　not　forgotten

poor；　suffering；　irate　Uncle　John　in　the　regions　above；　and；　so；

the　very　minute　she　had　the　chance；　she　made　a　strong　cup　of

catnip　tea　（the　real　tea；　you　know；　was　brewing　in　Boston

harbor）。



She　turned　the　buttons；　and；　with　a　bit　of　trembling　at　her

heart；　such　as　she　had　not　felt　all　day；　she　ventured　up　the

stairs；　bearing　the　steaming　peace…offering　before　her。



Uncle　John　was　writhing　under　the　sharp　thorns　and　twinges　of　his

old　enemy；　and　in　no　frame　of　mind　to　receive　any　overtures　in

the　shape　of　catnip　tea；　nevertheless；　he　was　watching；　as　well

as　he　was　able；　the　motions　of　the　enemy。　　As　she　drew　near　he

cried　out：



〃Look　out　this　window；　and　see！　　Much　GOOD　all　your　scheming　will

do　YOU！〃



She　obeyed　his　command　to　look；　and　the　sight　she　then　saw　caused

her　to　let　fall　the　cup　of　catnip　tea　and　rush　down　the　stairs；

wringing　her　hands　as　she　went　and　crying　out：



〃Oh；　dear！　　what　shall　I　do？　　The　house　will　burn　and　the　box　up

garret。　　Everything's　lost！〃



Major　Pitcairn；　at　that　moment；　was　on　the　green　in　front　of　her

door；　giving　orders。



Forgetting　the　dignified　part　she　intended　to　play；　forgetting

everything　but　the　supreme　danger　that　was　hovering　in　mid…air

over　her　homethe　old　house　wherein　she　had　been　born；　and　the

only　home　she　had　ever　knownshe　rushed　out　upon　the　green；　amid

the　troops；　and　surrounded　by　cavalry；　and　made　her　way　to　Major

Pitcairn。



〃The　town…house　is　on　fire！〃　she　cried；　laying　her　hand　upon　the

commander's　arm。



He　turned　and　looked　at　her。　　Major　Pitcairn　had　recently　learned

that　the　task　he　had　been　set　to　do　in　the　provincial　towns　that

day　was　not　an　easy　one；　that；　when　hard　pressed　and　trodden

down；　the　despised　rustics；　in　home…spun　dress；　could　sting　even

English　soldiers；　and　thus　it　happened　that；　when　he　felt　the

touch　of　Mother　Moulton's　plump　little　old　fingers　on　his

military　sleeve；　he　was　not　in　the　pleasant　humor　that　he　had

been；　when　the　same　hand　had　ministered　to　his　hunger　in　the

early　morning。



〃Well；　what　of　it？　　LET　IT　BURN！　　We　won't　hurt　you；　if　you　go　in

the　house　and　stay　there！〃



She　turned　and　glanced　up　at　the　court…house。　　Already　flames

were　issuing　from　it。　　〃Go　in　the　house　and　let　it　burn；　INDEED！〃

thought　she。　　〃He　knows　me；　don't　he？　　Oh；　sir！　　for　the　love　of

Heaven　won't　you　stop　it？〃　she　said；　entreatingly。



〃Run　in　the　house；　good　mother。　　That　is　a　wise　woman；〃　he

advised。



Down　in　her　heart；　and　as　the　very　outcome　of　lip　and　brain　she

wanted　to　say；　〃You　needn't　'mother'　me；　you　murderous　rascal！〃

but；　remembering　everything　that　was　at　stake；　she　crushed　her

wrath　and　buttoned　it　in　as　closely　as　she　had　Uncle　John　behind

the　door　in　the　morning；　and　again；　with　swift　gentleness；　laid

her　hand　on　his　arm。



He　turned　and　looked　at　her。　　Vexed　at　her　persistence；　and

extremely　annoyed　at　intelligence　that　had　just　reached　him　from

the　North　Bridge；　he　said；　imperiously；　〃Get　away！　　or　you'll　be

trodden　down　by　the　horses！〃



〃I　CAN'T　go！〃　she　cried；　clasping　his　arm；　and　fairly　clinging　to

it　in　her　frenzy　of　excitement。　　〃Oh　stop　the　fire；　quick；　quick！　

or　my　house　will　burn！〃



〃I　have　no　time　to　put　out　your　fires；〃　he　said；　carelessly；

shaking　loose　from　her　hold　and　turning　to　me