put yourself in his place-第29部分

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Then　they　brought　him　another　horse；　just　as　docile　as　the　mare。　The　obedient　creature；　at　a　signal；　reared　suddenly；　and　seated　Mr。　Little　on　the　sawdust　behind　him。　　A　similar　result　was　attained　several　times；　by　various　means。　　But　Henry　showed　himself　so　tough；　courageous；　and　persistent；　that　he　made　great　progress；　and　his　good…humor　won　his　preceptors。　　They　invited　him　to　come　tomorrow；　at　an　earlier　hour；　and　bring　half　a　quid　with　him。　　He　did　so；　and　this　time　there　was　an　American　rider　rehearsing；　who　showed　Henry　what　to　do；　and　what　not　to　do；　and　gave　him　a　most　humorous　and　instructive　lesson。　　Indeed；　his　imitations　of　bad　riding　were　so　truthful　and　funny；　that　even　the　clown　was　surprised　into　one　laugh；　he　who　rarely　smiled；　unless　in　the　way　of　business。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Henry；　〃you　have　given　me　a　good　lesson；　now　take　a　hint　from　me；　just　you　go　and　do　all　this　before　the　public；　for　I　never　saw　you　do　any　thing　half　as　droll。〃

They　all　three　shook　their　heads　with　one　accord。　　Go　out　of　the　beaten　track；　before　an　audience？　　Never。　　Such　vagaries　were　only　admissible　in　private。

After　this　second　day　the　fee　was　reduced　to　a　gallon　of　ale。

But；　on　the　third　day；　the　pupil　combined　theory　with　practice。　　He　told　his　mother　he　was　going　to　Cairnhope　for　the　night。　　He　then　rode　off　to　Cairnhope　Church。　　He　had　two　large　saddle…bags；　containing　provisions；　and　tools　of　all　sorts。　　He　got　safe　across　the　moor　just　before　sunset。　　He　entered　the　church；　led　the　horse　in　with　him；　and　put　him　into　the　Squire's　pew。　　He　then　struck　a　light；　went　into　the　chancel；　and　looked　at　the　picture。　　It　was　as　he　had　left　it；　half　on　the　wall；　half　drooping　over　the　altar…　place。　　The　walls　were　dank；　and　streaked　here　and　there　with　green。　His　footsteps　echoed；　and　the　edifice　was　all　dark；　except　within　the　rays　of　his　lantern；　it　also　sang　and　moaned　in　a　way　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　action　of　the　wind　on　a　number　of　small　apertures；　but；　nevertheless；　it　was　a　most　weird　and　ghostly　sound。　He　was　glad　of　the　companionship　of　his　very　horse。

He　took　his　buckets　to　the　mountain　stream；　and；　in　due　course；　filled　his　trough；　and　left　one　bucket　full　for　other　uses。　　He　then　prepared　and　lighted　his　forge。　　As　he　plied　the　bellows；　and　the　coals　gleamed　brighter　and　brighter；　monumental　figures　came　out　and　glared　at　him；　mutilated　inscriptions　wavered　on　the　walls；　portions　of　the　dark　walls　themselves　gleamed　in　the　full　light；　and　showed　the　streaks　and　stains　of　age　and　weather；　and　the　shadow　of　a　gigantic　horse's　head；　and；　as　the　illuminated　part　seemed　on　fire　by　contrast；　so　the　dark　part　of　the　church　was　horribly　black　and　mysterious；　and　a　place　out　of　which　a　ghost　or　phantom　might　be　expected；　at　any　moment；　to　come　forth　into　that　brilliant　patch　of　light。

Young　Little；　who　had　entered　on　this　business　in　all　the　skepticism　of　the　nineteenth　century；　felt　awed；　and　began　to　wish　he　had　selected　any　other　building　in　the　world　but　this。　　He　seemed　to　be　desecrating　a　tomb。

However；　he　mustered　up　his　manly　resolution。　　He　looked　up　at　a　small　aperture　in　the　roof；　and　saw　a　star　glittering　above：　it　seemed　close；　and　a　type　of　that　omniscient　eye　〃from　which　no　secrets　are　hid。〃

He　clasped　his　hands　together；　and　said；　〃I　hope　God；　who　has　seen　me　driven　from　the　haunts　of　men；　will　forgive　me　for　taking　refuge　here；　and；　if　he　does；　I　don't　care　who　else　is　offended；　alive　or　dead。〃　　And；　with　this；　he　drew　the　white…hot　strip　of　steel　from　the　forge　on　to　the　anvil；　and　down　came　his　hammer　with　a　blow　that　sent　the　fiery　steel　flying　all　round；　and　rang　and　echoed　through　the　desolate　building；　instantly　there　was　a　tremendous　plunge　and　clatter；　followed　by　a　shaking　sound；　and；　whiz；　the　church　was　fanned　by　black　wings　going　zigzag。

〃Ten　thousand　devils！〃　yelled　Henry；　and　heaved　the　hammer　high；　in　his　own　defense。

But　it　was　only　the　horse　plunging　and　quivering　with　fear；　and　a　score　of　bats　the　blow　of　the　hammer　had　frightened　out　of　the　rotten　pulpit。

He　resumed　work　with　a　beating　heart；　and　the　building　rang　and　echoed　and　re…echoed　with　the　rapid　blows；　and　no　more　interruption　came。　　The　nineteenth　century　conquered。

After　four　hours　of　earnest　work；　he　fed　his　horse；　ate　a　slice　of　bread　and　meat；　drank　water　from　the　bucket；　gave　his　horse　some；　and　went　to　sleep　in　a　pew　beside　that　useful　animal。

Back　to　Hillsborough；　at　peep　of　day；　with　the　blades　he　had　forged。

He　now　took　his　mother；　in　a　great　measure；　into　his　confidence；　under　a　strict　promise　to　tell　nobody；　not　even　Dr。　Amboyne。　　Mrs。　Little　received　the　communication　in　a　way　that　both　surprised　and　encouraged　him。　　She　was　as　willing　to　outwit　the　Unions；　as　she　was　willing　to　resist　them　openly；　and　Henry　found　her　an　admirable　coadjutor。

Had　she　known　where　Henry　had　set　up　his　forge；　she　would　have　been　very　unhappy。　　But　he　merely　told　her　it　was　in　a　secluded　place；　near　Cairnhope；　where　he　could　never　be　detected。

The　carving　business；　being　merely　a　blind；　was　not　pushed。　　But　Henry　gave　his　apprentice；　Billy；　instruction；　and　the　youth　began　to　show　an　aptitude　which　contrasted　remarkably　with　his　general　incapacity。

Mrs。　Little　paid　one　or　two　visits　to　factories；　to　see　what　women　could　do　in　this　sort　of　work；　and；　one　day；　she　told　Henry　she　was　sure　she　could　sharpen　and　finish　the　blades。

〃No；　mother；〃　said　Henry。　　〃You　are　a　lady。　　I　can't　have　you　made　a　slave　of；　and　your　beautiful　white　hands　spoiled。〃

〃I　shall　be　happier；　helping　you；　dear；　and　I　won't　spoil　my　hands；　since　you　care　about　them。〃

She　insisted　on　a　trial；　and　soon　acquired　a　remarkable　knack：　she　had　a　fine　light　hand：　and　it　is　an　art　easily　learned　by　an　attentive　and　careful　woman。　　Indeed　they　can　beat　the　men　at　it；　if　they　will　only　make　up　their　minds。

And　so　the　enterprise　was　launched；　and　conducted　thus：　in　the　day　time；　Henry　showed　himself　in　the　town；　and　talked　big　about　carving；　and；　in　the　afternoon；　he　rode　out；　and　did　the　real　work　of　his　life；　over　the　dead　bodies　of　his　ancestors。

His　saddle…bags　were　always　full；　and；　gradually；　he　collected　some　comforts　about　him　in　the　deserted　church。

He　called；　more　than　once；　at　〃Woodbine　Villa；〃　but　Miss　Carden　was　on　a　visit。

He　was　in　the　full　career　of　fortune　again；　and　sanguine　of　success；　before　they　met。　　One　day；　having　ascertained　from　Jael　what　day　she　would　be　at　home；　he　called　and　was　admitted。　　The　room　was　empty；　but　Miss　Carden　soon　came　into　it；　accompanied　by　Jael　carrying　the　bust。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Little；〃　said　she；　before　he　could　possibly　utter　a　word；　〃this　is　fortunate。　　There　is　a　party　here　on　Thursday；　and　I　want　to　show　the　bust　complete；　if　you　don't　mind。〃

Henry　said　he　would　finish　it　for　her。　　He　accordingly　set　to　work；　and　waited　quietly　till　Jael　should　leave　the　room；　to　have　it　out　with　Grace。

She；　for　her　part；　seemed　to　have　forgotten　his　strange　manner　to　her　the　other　day；　perhaps　she　chose　to　forget　it；　or　overlook　it。　But　Henry　observed　that　Jael　was　not　allowed　to　quit　the　room。　Whatever　Miss　Carden　wanted　she　fetched　herself；　and　came　back　softly；　and　rather　suddenly；　as　if　she　had　a　mind　to　surprise　Jeel　and　the　other　too。　　Female　subtlety　was　clearly　at　work。

〃What　do　you　advise　me？〃　said　Henry　to　Jael；　during　one　of　these　intervals。

Jael　never　lifted　her　eyes　from　her　work；　and　spoke　under　her　breath；　〃I　think　I'd　be　patient　to…day。　　She　must　give　you　a　chance　to　speak　some　day。　　Talk　to　me；　when　she　comes　backabout　the　Cairnhope　folk；　or　anything。〃

Henry　followed　this　advice；　and　Grace；　for　the　first　time；　found　herself　a　little　ignored　in　the　conversation。　　She　was　astonished　at　this　and　I　don't　think　she　quite　liked　it。

Henry　was　still　going　on　with　warmth　and　volubility　about　the　Cairnhope　folk；　their　good　hearts；　and　their　superstitions；　when　a　visitor　was　announced。

〃Mr。　Coventry。〃

Henry　stopped　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence。

Grace　brightened　up；　and　said　she　was　at　home。

Mr。　Coventry　entered　the　room；　a　tall；　well…made　man；　with　an　aquiline　nose；　and　handsome　face；　only　perhaps　there　were　more　lines　in　it　than　he　was　entitled　to　at　his　age；　for　he　was　barely　thirty。　He　greeted　Miss　Carden　with　easy　grace；　and　took　no　more　notice　of　the　other　two；　than　if　they　were　chairs　and　tables。

Mr。　Frederick　Coventry　had　studied　the　great　art　of　pleasing；　and　had　mastered　it　wonderfully；　but　he　was　not　the　man　to　waste　it　indiscriminately。

He　was　there　to　please　a　young　lady；　to　whom　he　was　attached；　not　to　diffuse　his　sunshine　indiscriminately。

He　courted　her　openly；　not　indelicately；　but　with　a　happy　air　of　respect　and　self…assurance。

Henry　sat；　sick　with　jealousy；　and　tried　to　work　and　watch；　but　he　could　only　watch：　his　hand　trembled　too　much　to　work。

What　may　be　called　oblique　flattery　is　very　pleasing　to　those　quick…　witted　girls；　who　have　had　a　surfeit　of　direct　compliments：　and　it　is　oblique　flattery；　when　a　man　is　supercilious　and　distant　to　others；　as　well　as　tender　and　a　little　obsequious　to　her　he　would　please。

Grace　Carden　enjoyed　this　oblique　flattery　of　Mr。　Coventry's　all　the　more　that　it　came　to　her　just　at　a　moment　when　her　companions　seemed　disposed　to　ignore　her。　　She　rewarded　Mr。　Coventry　accordingly；　and　made　Henry　Little's　heart　die　within　him。　　His　agony　became　intolerable。　　What　a　position　was　his！　　Set　there；　with　a　chisel　in　his　hand；　to　copy　the　woman　he　loved；　while　another　wooed　her　before　his　face；　and　she　smiled　at　his　wooing！

At　last　his　chisel　fell　out　of　his　hand；　and　startled　everybody：　and　then　he　rose　up　with　pale　cheek；　and　glittering　eyes；　and　Heaven　only　knows　what　he　was　going　to　do　or　say。　　But　at　that　moment　another　visitor　was　announced；　to　whom　indeed　the　door　was　never　closed。　　He　entered　the　next　moment；　and　Grace　ran　to　meet　him；　crying；　〃Oh；　Mr。　Raby！　this　IS　a　surprise。〃

Mr。　Raby　kissed　her；　and　shook　hands　with　Mr。　Coventry。　　He　then　said　a　kind　word　to　Jael　Dence；　who　got　up　and　courtesied　to　him。　He　cast　a　careless　glance　on　Henry　and　the　bust；　but　said　nothing。　He　was　in　a　hurry；　and　soon　came　to　the　object　of　his　visit。

〃My　dear；〃　said　he；　〃the　last　time　I　saw　you；　you　said