the village watch-tower-第13部分

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wanted　to；　and　I　never　had　such　a　rest　before　nor　since。

There　ain't　any　heaven　in　the　book　o'　Revelations　that　's　any

better　than　them　two　weeks　was。　　I　used　to　lay　quiet　in　my　good

feather　bed；　fingering　the　pattern　of　my　best　crochet　quilt；

and　looking　at　the　fire…light　shining　on　Lovey　and　the　baby。

She　'd　hardly　leave　him　in　the　cradle　a　minute。　　When　I　did

n't　want　him　in　bed　with　me；　she　'd　have　him　in　her　lap。

Babies　are　common　enough　to　most　folks；　but　Lovey　was　diff'rent。

She　'd　never　had　any　experience　with　children；　either；　for　we

was　the　youngest　in　our　family；　and　it　wa'n't　long　before　we

come　near　being　the　oldest；　too；　for　mother　buried

seven　of　us　before　she　went　herself。　　Anyway；　I　never　saw

nobody　else　look　as　she　done　when　she　held　my　baby。

I　don't　mean　nothing　blasphemious　when　I　say　't　was　for　all

the　world　like　your　photograph　of　Mary；　the　mother　of　Jesus。



〃The　nights　come　in　early；　so　it　was　'most　dark

at　four　o'clock。　The　little　chamber　was　so　peaceful！

I　could　hear　Jot　rattling　the　milk…pails；　but　I'd　draw　a　deep

breath　o'　comfort；　for　I　knew　the　milk　would　be　strained

and　set　away　without　my　stepping　foot　to　the　floor。

Lovey　used　to　set　by　the　fire；　with　a　tall　candle　on　the　light…stand

behind　her；　and　a　little　white　knit　cape　over　her　shoulders。

She　had　the　pinkest　cheeks；　and　the　longest　eyelashes；　and　a　mouth

like　a　little　red　buttonhole；　and　when　she　bent　over　the　baby；

and　sung　to　him；though　his　ears　wa'n't　open；　I　guess　for　his

eyes　wa'n't；the　tears　o'　joy　used　to　rain　down　my　cheeks。

It　was　pennyrial　hymns　she　used　to　sing　mostly；　and　the　one　I

remember　best　was





〃'Daniel's　wisdom　may　I　know；

Stephen's　faith　and　spirit　show；

John's　divine　communion　feel；

Moses'　meekness；　Joshua's　zeal；

Run　like　the　unwearied　Paul；

Win　the　day　and　conquer　all。





〃'Mary's　love　may　I　possess；

Lydia's　tender…heartedness；

Peter's　fervent　spirit　feel；

James's　faith　by　works　reveal；

Like　young　Timothy　may　I

Every　sinful　passion　fly。'





〃'Oh　Diademy；'　she　'd　say；　'you　was　always　the　best；

and　it　's　nothing　more　'n　right　the　baby　should　have　come　to　you。

P'r'aps　God　will　think　I'm　good　enough　some　time；　and　if　he　does；

Diademy；　I'll　offer　up　a　sacrifice　every　morning　and　every　evening。

But　I'm　afraid；'　says　she；　'he　thinks　I　can't　stand　any　more　happiness；

and　be　a　faithful　follower　of　the　cross。　　The　Bible　says　we　've

got　to　wade　through　fiery　floods　before　we　can　enter　the　kingdom。

I　don't　hardly　know　how　Reuben　and　I　are　going　to　find　any　way

to　wade　through；　we're　both　so　happy；　they　'd　have　to　be　consid'able

hot　before　we　took　notice；'　says　she；　with　the　dimples　all　breaking

out　in　her　cheeks。



〃And　that　was　true　as　gospel。　　She　thought　everything　Reuben　done

was　just　right；　and　he　thought　everything　she　done　was　just　right。

There　wa'n't　nobody　else；　the　world　was　all　Reuben　'n'　all　Lovey　to　them。

If　you　could　have　seen　her　when　she　was　looking　for　him　to　come

from　Skowhegan！　　She　used　to　watch　at　the　attic　window；　and　when　she

seen　him　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　she　'd　up　like　a　squirrel；　and　run　down

the　road　without　stopping　for　anything　but　to　throw　a　shawl　over　her　head。

And　Reuben　would　ketch　her　up　as　if　she　was　a　child；　and　scold　her　for

not　putting　a　hat　on；　and　take　her　under　his　coat　coming　up　the　hill。

They　was　a　sight　for　the　neighbors；　I　must　confess；　but　it　wa'n't　one　you

could　hardly　disapprove　of；　neither。　　Aunt　Hitty　said　it　was　tempting

Providence　and　couldn't　last；　and　God　would　visit　his　wrath　on　'em

for　making　idols　of　sinful　human　flesh。



〃She　was　right　one　way；it　didn't　last；　but　nobody

can　tell　me　God　was　punishing　of　'em　for　being　too　happy。

I　guess　he　'ain't　got　no　objection　to　folks　being　happy　here　below；

if　they　don't　forget　it　ain't　the　whole　story。



〃Well；　I　must　mark　in　a　bud　on　Lovey's　stalk　now；

and　I'm　going　to　make　it　of　her　baby's　long　white　cloak。

I　earned　the　money　for　it　myself；　making　coats；　and　put　four

yards　of　the　finest　cashmere　into　it；　for　three　years　after

little　Jot　was　born　I　went　over　to　Skowhegan　to　help

Lovey　through　her　time　o'　trial。　　Time　o'　trial！　　I　thought　I

was　happy；　but　I　didn't　know　how　to　be　as　happy　as　Lovey　did；

I　wa'n't　made　on　that　pattern。



〃When　I　first　showed　her　the　baby　（it　was　a　boy；

same　as　mine）；　her　eyes　shone　like　two　evening　stars。

She　held　up　her　weak　arms；　and　gathered　the　little　bundle　o'

warm　flannen　into　'em；　and　when　she　got　it　close　she　shut

her　eyes　and　moved　her　lips；　and　I　knew　she　was　taking

her　lamb　to　the　altar　and　offering　it　up　as　a　sacrifice。

Then　Reuben　come　in。　　I　seen　him　give　one　look　at　the　two

dark　heads　laying　close　together　on　the　white　piller；

and　then　go　down　on　his　knees　by　the　side　of　the　bed。

'T　wa'n't　no　place　for　me；　I　went　off；　and　left　'em　together。

We　didn't　mistrust　it　then；　but　they　only　had　three　days

more　of　happiness；　and　I'm　glad　I　give　'em　every　minute。〃



The　room　grew　dusky　as　twilight　stole　gently　over

the　hills　of　Pleasant　River。　　Priscilla's　lip　trembled；

Diadema's　tears　fell　thick　and　fast　on　the　white　rosebud；

and　she　had　to　keep　wiping　her　eyes　as　she　followed　the　pattern。





〃I　ain't　said　as　much　as　this　about　it　for　five　years；〃　she　went　on；

with　a　tell…tale　quiver　in　her　voice；　〃but　now　I've　got　going　I　can't　stop。

I'll　have　to　get　the　weight　out　o'　my　heart　somehow。



〃Three　days　after　I　put　Lovey's　baby　into　her　arms　the　Lord

called　her　home。　　'When　I　prayed　so　hard　for　this　little

new　life；　Reuben；'　says　she　holding　the　baby　as　if　she　could　never　let

it　go；　'I　didn't　think　I'd　got　to　give　up　my　own　in　place　of　it；

but　it's　the　first　fiery　flood　we've　had；　dear；　and　though　it　burns

to　my　feet　I'll　tread　it　as　brave　as　I　know　how。'



〃She　didn't　speak　a　word　after　that；　she　just　faded

away　like　a　snowdrop；　hour　by　hour。　　And　Reuben　and　I　stared

at　one　another　in　the　face　as　if　we　was　dead　instead　of　her；

and　we　went　about　that　house　o'　mourning　like　sleep…walkers

for　days　and　says；　not　knowing　whether　we　et　or　slept；

or　what　we　done。



〃As　for　the　baby；　the　poor　little　mite　didn't　live

many　hours　after　its　mother；　and　we　buried　'em　together。

Reuben　and　I　knew　what　Lovey　would　have　liked。　　She　gave　her　life

for　the　baby's；　and　it　was　a　useless　sacrifice；　after　all。

No；　it　wa'n't　neither；　it　_could_n't　have　been！

You　needn't　tell　me　God'll　let　such　sacrifices　as　that　come

out　useless！　　But　anyhow；　we　had　one　coffin　for　'em　both；

and　I　opened　Lovey's　arms　and　laid　the　baby　in　'em。

When　Reuben　and　I　took　our　last　look；　we　thought　she

seemed　more　'n　ever　like　Mary；　the　mother　of　Jesus。

There　never　was　another　like　her；　and　there　never　will　be。

'Nonesuch；'　Reuben　used　to　call　her。〃



There　was　silence　in　the　room；　broken　only　by　the　ticking

of　the　old　clock　and　the　tinkle　of　a　distant　cowbell。

Priscilla　made　an　impetuous　movement；　flung　herself　down　by　the

basket　of　rags；　and　buried　her　head　in　Diadema's　gingham　apron。



〃Dear　Mrs。　Bascom；　don't　cry。　　I'm　sorry；　as　the　children　say。〃



〃No；　I　won't　more　'n　a　minute。　　Jot　can't　stand　it　to　see

me　give　way。　　You　go　and　touch　a　match　to　the　kitchen　fire；

so　't　the　kettle　will　be　boiling；　and　I'll　have　a　minute　to　myself。

I　don't　know　what　the　neighbors　would　think　to　ketch　me　crying　over　my

drawing…in　frame；　but　the　spell's　over　now；　or　'bout　over；　and　when　I

can　muster　up　courage　I'll　take　the　rest　of　the　baby's　cloak　and　put

a　border　of　white　everlastings　round　the　outside　of　the　rug。

I'll　always　mean　the　baby's　birth　and　Lovey's　death　to　me；

but　the　flowers　will　remind　me　it　's　life　everlasting　for　both

of　'em；　and　so　it's　the　most　comforting　end　I　can　think　of。〃



It　was　indeed　a　beautiful　rug　when　it　was　finished　and　laid

in　front　of　the　sofa　in　the　fore…room。　Diadema　was　very　choice　of　it。

When　company　was　expected　she　removed　it　from　its　accustomed　place；

and　spread　it　in　a　corner　of　the　room　where　no　profane　foot　could　possibly

tread　on　it。　　Unexpected　callers　were　managed　by　a　different　method。

If　they　seated　themselves　on　the　sofa；　she　would　fear　they　did　not　〃set　easy〃

or　〃rest　comfortable〃　there；　and　suggest　their　moving　to　the　stuffed

chair　by　the　window。　　The　neighbors　thought　this　solicitude　merely

another　sign　of　Diadema's　〃p'ison　neatness；〃　excusable　in　this　case

as　there　was　so　much　white　in　the　new　rug。



The　fore…room　blinds　were　ordinarily　closed；　and　the　chillness

of　death　pervaded　the　sacred　apartment；　but　on　great　occasions；

when　the　sun　was　allowed　to　penetrate　the　thirty…two　tiny　panes

of　glass　in　each　window；　and　a　blaze　was　lighted　in　the　fire…place；

Miss　Hollis　would　look　in　as　she　went　upstairs；　and　muse

a　moment　over　the　pathetic　little　romance　of　rags；　the　story

of　two　lives　worked　into　a　bouquet　of　old…fashioned　posies；

whose　gay　tints　were　brought　out　by　a　setting　of　sombre　threads。

Existence　had　gone　so　quietly　in　this　remote　corner　of　the　world　that

all　its　important　events；　babyhood；　childhood；　betrothal；　marriage；

motherhood；　with　all　their　mysteries　of　love　and　life　and　death；

were　chronicled　in　this　narrow　space　not　two　yards　square。



Diadema　came　in　behind　the　little　school…teacher　one　afternoon。



〃I　cal'late；〃　she　said；　〃that　being　kep'　in　a　dark　room；　and　never

being　tread　on；　it　will　last　longer　'n　I　do。　　If　it　does；　Priscilla；

you　know　that　white　crepe　shawl　of　mine　I　wear　to　meeting　hot　Sundays：

that　would　make　a　second　row　of　everlastings　round　the　border。

You　could　piece　out　the　linings　good　and　smooth　on　the　under　side；

draw　in　the　white　flowers；　and　fill　'em　round　with　black　to　set　'em　off。

The　rug　would　be　han'somer　than　ever　then；　and　the　story

would　be　finished。〃





…





A　VILLAGE　STRADIVARIUS。



I。





〃Goodfellow；　Puck　and　goblins；

Know　more　than　any　book。

Down　with　your　doleful　problems；

And　court　the　sunny　brook。

The　s