twilight stories-第4部分

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

shaking　loose　from　her　hold　and　turning　to　meet　a　messenger　with

news。



Poor　little　woman！　　What　could　she　do？　　The　wind　was　rising；　and

the　fire　grew。　　Flame　was　creeping　out　in　a　little　blue　curl　in　a

new　place；　under　the　rafter's　edge；　AND　NOBODY　CARED。　　That　was

what　increased　the　pressing　misery　of　it　all。　　It　was　so　unlike　a

common　country　alarm；　where　everybody　rushed　up　and　down　the

streets；　crying　〃Fire！　　fire！　　f…i…r…e！〃　and　went　hurrying　to　and

fro　for　pails　of　water　to　help　put　it　out。　　Until　that　moment　the

little　woman　did　not　know　how　utterly　deserted　she　was。



In　very　despair；　she　ran　to　her　house；　seized　two　pails；　filled

them　with　greater　haste　than　she　had　ever　drawn　water　before；

and；　regardless　of　Uncle　John's　imprecations；　carried　them　forth；

one　in　either　hand；　the　water　dripping　carelessly　down　the　side

breadths　of　her　fair　silk　gown；　her　silvery　curls　tossed　and

tumbled　in　white　confusion；　her　pleasant　face　aflame　with

eagerness；　and　her　clear　eyes　suffused　with　tears。



Thus　equipped　with　facts　and　feeling；　she　once　more　appeared　to

Major　Pitcairn。



〃Have　you　a　mother　in　old　England？〃　she　cried。　　〃If　so；　for　her

sake；　stop　this　fire。〃



Her　words　touched　his　heart。



〃And　if　I　do？〃　he　answered。



〃THEN　YOUR　JOHNNY…CAKE　ON　MY　HEARTH　WON'T　BURN　UP；〃　she　said；

with　a　quick　little　smile；　adjusting　her　cap。



Major　Pitcairn　laughed；　and　two　soldiers；　at　his　command；　seized

the　pails　and　made　haste　to　the　court…house；　followed　by　many

more。



For　awhile　the　fire　seemed　victorious；　but；　by　brave　effort；　it

was　finally　overcome；　and　the　court…house　saved。



At　a　distance　Joe　Devins　had　noticed　the　smoke　hovering　like　a

little　cloud；　then　sailing　away　still　more　like　a　cloud　over　the

town；　and　he　had　made　haste　to　the　scene；　arriving　in　time　to

venture　on　the　roof；　and　do　good　service　there。



After　the　fire　was　extinguished；　he　thought　of　Martha　Moulton；

and　he　could　not　help　feeling　a　bit　guilty　at　the　consciousness

that　he　had　gone　off　and　left　her　alone。



Going　to　the　house　he　found　her　entertaining　the　king's　troopers

with　the　best　food　her　humble　store　afforded。



She　was　so　charmed　with　herself；　and　so　utterly　well　pleased　with

the　success　of　her　pleading；　that　the　little　woman's　nerves

fairly　quivered　with　jubilation；　and　best　of　all；　the　blue

stocking　was　still　safe　in　the　well；　for　had　she　not　watched　with

her　own　eyes　every　time　the　bucket　was　dipped　to　fetch　up　water

for　the　fire；　having；　somehow；　got　rid　of　the　vow　she　had　taken

regarding　the　drawing　of　the　water。



As　she　saw　the　lad　looking；　with　surprised　countenance；　into　the

room　where　the　feast　was　going　on；　a　fear　crept　up　her　own　face

and　darted　out　from　her　eyes。　　It　was；　lest　Joe　Devins　should

spoil　it　all　by　ill…timed　words。



She　made　haste　to　meet　him；　basket　in　hand。



〃Here；　Joe；〃　she　said；　〃fetch　me　some　small　wood；　there's　a　good

boy。〃



As　she　gave　him　the　basket　she　was　just　in　time　to　stop　the

rejoinder　that　was　issuing　from　his　lips。



In　time　to　intercept　his　return　she　was　at　the　wood…pile。



〃Joe；〃　she　said；　half…abashed　before　the　truth　that　shone　in　the

boy's　eyes；　〃Joe；〃　she　repeated；　〃you　know　Major　Pitcairn　ordered

the　fire　put　out；　TO　PLEASE　ME；　because　I　begged　him　so；　and；　in

return；　what　CAN　I　do　but　give　them　something　to　eat。　　Come　and

help　me。〃



〃I　won't；〃　responded　Joe。　　〃Their　hands　are　red　with　blood。　

They've　killed　two　men　at　the　bridge。〃



〃Who's　killed？〃　she　asked；　trembling；　but　Joe　would　not　tell　her。　

He　demanded　to　know　what　had　been　done　with　Uncle　John。



〃He's　quiet　enough；　up…stairs；〃　she　replied；　with　a　sudden　spasm

of　feeling　that　she　HAD　neglected　Uncle　John　shamefully；　still；

with　the　day；　and　the　fire　and　everything；　how　could　she　help　it？　

but；　really；　it　did　seem　strange　that　he　made　no　noise；　with　a

hundred　armed　men　coming　and　going　through　the　house。



At　least；　that　was　what　Joe　thought；　and；　having　deposited　the

basket　of　wood　on　the　threshold　of　the　kitchen　door；　he　departed

around　the　corner　of　the　house。　　Presently　he　had　climbed　a

pear…tree；　dropped　from　one　of　its　overhanging　branches　on　the

lean…to；　raised　a　sash　and　crept　into　the　window。



Slipping　off　his　shoes；　heavy　with　spring…mud；　he　proceeded　to

search　for　Uncle　John。　　He　was　not　in　his　own　room；　he　was　not　in

the　guest…chamber；　he　was　not　in　any　one　of　the　rooms。



On　the　floor；　by　the　window　in　the　hall；　looking　out　upon　the

green；　he　found　the　broken　cup　and　saucer　that　Martha　Moulton　had

let　fall。　　Having　made　a　second　round；　in　which　he　investigated

every　closet　and　penetrated　into　the　spaces　under　beds；　Joe

thought　of　the　garret。



Tramp；　tramp　went　the　heavy　feet　on　the　sanded　floors　below；

drowning　every　possible　sound　from　above；　nevertheless；　as　the

lad　opened　the　door　leading　into　the　garret；　he　whispered

cautiously：　〃Uncle　John！　　Uncle　John！〃



All　was　silent　above。　　Joe　went　up；　and　was　startled　by　a　groan。　

He　had　to　stand　a　few　seconds；　to　let　the　darkness　grow　into

light；　ere　he　could　see；　and；　when　he　could　discern　outlines　in

the　dimness；　there　was　given　to　him　the　picture　of　Uncle　John；

lying　helpless　amid　and　upon　the　nubbins　that　had　been　piled　over

his　strong　box。



〃Why；　Uncle　John；　are　you　dead？〃　asked　Joe；　climbing　over　to　his

side。



〃Is　the　house　afire？〃　was　the　response。



〃House　afire？　　No！　The　confounded　red…coats　up　and　put　it　out。〃



〃I　thought　they　was　going　to　let　me　burn　to　death　up　here！〃

groaned　Uncle　John。



〃Can　I　help　you　up？〃　and　Joe　proffered　two　strong　hands；　rather

black　with　toil　and　smoke。



〃No；　no！　　You　can't　help　me。　　If　the　house　isn't　afire；　I'll

stand　it　till　the　fellows　are　gone；　and　then；　Joe　you　fetch　the

doctor　as　quick　as　you　can。〃



〃YOU　can't　get　a　doctor　for　love　nor　money　this　night；　Uncle

John。　　There's　too　much　work　to　be　done　in　Lexington　and　Concord

to…night　for　wounded　and　dying　men；　and　there'll　be　more　of　'em

too　afore　a　single　red…coat　sees　Boston　again。　　They'll　be　hunted

down　every　step　of　the　way。　　They've　killed　Captain　Davis；　from

Acton。〃



〃You　don't　say　so！〃



〃Yes；　they　have；　and〃



〃I　say；　Joe　Devins；　go　down　and　do…　do　something。　　There's　my

niece；　a…feeding　the　murderers！　　I'll　disown　her。　　She　shan't

have　a　penny　of　my　pounds；　she　shan't！〃



Both　Joe　and　Uncle　John　were　compelled　to　remain　in　inaction；

while　below；　the　weary　little　woman　acted　the　kind　hostess　to　His

Majesty's　troops。



But　now　the　feast　was　spent；　and　the　soldiers　were　summoned　to

begin　their　painful　march。　　Assembled　on　the　green；　all　was

ready；　when　Major　Pitcairn；　remembering　the　little　woman　who　had

ministered　to　his　wants；　returned　to　the　house　to　say　farewell。



'Twas　but　a　step　to　her　door；　and　but　a　moment　since　he　had　left

it；　but　he　found　her　crying；　crying　with　joy；　in　the　very　chair

where　he　had　found　her　at　prayers　in　the　morning。



〃I　would　like　to　say　good…by；〃　he　said；　〃you've　been　very　kind　to

me　to…day。〃



With　a　quick　dash　or　two　of　the　dotted　white　apron　（spotless　no

longer）　to　her　eye；　she　arose。　　Major　Pitcairn　extended　his　hand；

but　she　folded　her　own　closely　together；　and　said：



〃I　wish　you　a　pleasant　journey　back　to　Boston；　sir。〃



〃Will　you　not　shake　hands　with　me　before　I　go？〃



〃I　can　feed　the　enemy　of　my　country；　but　shake　hands　with　him；

NEVER！〃



For　the　first　time　that　day；　the　little　woman's　love　of　country

seemed　to　rise　triumphant　within　her；　and　drown　every　impulse　to

selfishness；　or　was　it　the　nearness　to　safety　that　she　felt？　　

Human　conduct　is　the　result　of　so　many　motives　that　it　is

sometimes　impossible　to　name　the　compound；　although　on　that

occasion　Martha　Moulton　labelled　it　〃Patriotism。〃



〃And　yet　I　put　out　the　fire　for　you；〃　he　said。



〃For　your　mother's　sake；　in　old　England；　it　was；　you　remember；

sir。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Major　Pitcairn；　with　a　sigh；　as　he　turned

away。



〃And　for　HER　sake　I　will　shake　hands　with　you；〃　said　Martha

Moulton。



So　he　turned　back；　and　across　the　threshold；　in　presence　of　the

waiting　troops；　the　commander　of　the　expedition　to　Concord；　and

the　only　woman　in　the　town；　shook　hands　at　parting。



Martha　Moulton　saw　Major　Pitcairn　mount　his　horse；　heard　the

order　given　for　the　march　to　begin；the　march　of　which　you　all

have　heard。　　You　know　what　a　sorry　time　the　Red…coats　had　of　it

in　getting　back　to　Boston；　how　they　were　fought　at　every　inch　of

the　way；　and　waylaid　from　behind　every　convenient　tree…trunk；　and

shot　at　from　tree…tops；　and　aimed　at　from　upper　windows；　and

beseiged　from　behind　stone　walls；　and；　in　short；　made　so

miserable　and　harassed　and　overworn；　that　at　last　their　depleted

ranks；　with　the　tongues　of　the　men　parched　and　hanging；　were　fain

to　lie　down　by　the　road…side　and　take　what　came　next；　even　though

it　might　be　death。　　And　then　THE　DEAD　they　left　behind　them！



Ah！　　there's　nothing　wholesome　to　mind　or　body　about　war；　until

long；　long　after　it　is　over；　and　the　earth　has　had　time　to　hide

the　blood；　and　send　it　forth　in　sweet　blooms　of　liberty；　with

forget…me…nots　springing　thick　between。



The　men　of　that　day　are　long　dead。　　The　same　soil　holds　regulars

and　minute…men。　　England；　who　over…ruled；　and　the　provinces；　that

put　out　brave　hands　to　seize　their　rights；　are　good　friends

to…day；　and　have　shaken　hands　over　many　a　threshold　of　hearty

thought　and　kind　deeds　since　that　time。



The　tree　of　Liberty　grows　yet；　stately　and　fair；　for　the　men　of

the　Revolution　planted　it　well　and　surely。　　God　himself　HATH

given　it　increase。　　So　we　gather　to…day；　in　this　our　story；　a

forget…me…not　more；　from　the　old　town　of　Concord。



When　the　troops　had　marched　away；　the　weary　little　woman　laid

aside　her　silken　gown；　resumed　h