put yourself in his place-第8部分

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This　was　a　heavenly　change　to　Henry　Little。　　Away　from　the　deafening　workshop；　and　the　mean　jealousies　and　brutality　of　his　inferiors；　who　despised　him；　to　the　presence　of　a　beautiful　and　refined　girl；　who　was　his　superior；　yet　did　not　despise　him。　　From　sin　to　purity；　from　din　to　cleanliness；　from　war　to　peace；　from　vilest　passions　to　Paradise。

Her　smile　had　never　appeared　so　fascinating；　her　manner　never　so　polite　yet　placid。　　How　softly　and　comfortably　she　and　her　ample　dress　nestled　into　the　corner　of　the　sofa　and　fitted　it！　　How　white　her　nimble　hand！　how　bright　her　delicious　face！　　How　he　longed　to　kiss　her　exquisite　hand；　or　her　little　foot；　or　her　hem；　or　the　ground　she　walked　on；　or　something　she　had　touched；　or　her　eye　had　dwelt　on。

But　he　must　not　even　think　too　much　of　such　delights；　lest　he　should　show　his　heart　too　soon。　　So；　after　a　short　lesson；　he　proposed　to　go　into　the　lumber…room　and　find　something　to　work　upon。　　〃Yes；　do；〃　said　Grace。　　〃I　would　go　too；　but　no；　it　was　my　palace　of　delight　for　years；　and　its　treasures　inexhaustible。　　I　will　not　go　to　be　robbed　of　one　more　illusion；　it　is　just　possible　I　might　find　it　really　is　what　the　profane　in　this　house　call　ita　lumber…roomand　not　what　memory　paints　it；　a　temple　of　divine　curiosities。〃　　And　so　she　sent　them　off；　and　she　set　herself　to　feel　old〃oh；　so　old！〃

And　presently　Henry　came　back；　laden　with　a　great　wooden　bust　of　Erin；　that　had　been　the　figure…head　of　a　wrecked　schooner；　and　set　it　down；　and　told　her　he　should　carve　that　into　a　likeness　of　herself；　and　she　must　do　her　share　of　the　work。

Straightway　she　forgot　she　was　worn　out；　and　clapped　her　hands；　and　her　eyes　sparkled。　　And　the　floor　was　prepared；　and　Henry　went　to　work　like　one　inspired；　and　the　chips　flew　in　every　direction；　and　the　paint　was　chiseled　away　in　no　time；　and　the　wood　proved　soft　and　kindly；　and　just　the　color　of　a　delicate　skin；　and　Henry　said；　〃The　Greek　Statues；　begging　their　pardons；　have　all　got　hair　like　mops；　but　this　shall　have　real　hair；　like　your　own：　and　the　silk　dress；　with　the　gloss　on；　and　the　lace；　but　the　face；　the　expression；　how　can　I　ever？〃

〃Oh；　never　mind　THEM；〃　cried　Grace。　　〃Jael；　this　is　too　exciting。　Please　go　and　tell　them　'not　at　home'　to　anybody。〃

Then　came　a　pretty　picture：　the　workman；　with　his　superb　hand；　brown　and　sinewy；　yet　elegant　and　shapely　as　a　duchess's；　and　the　fingers　almost　as　taper；　and　his　black　eye　that　glowed　like　a　coal　over　the　model；　which　grew　under　his　masterly　strokes；　now　hard；　now　light：　the　enchanting　girl　who　sat　to　him；　and　seemed　on　fire　with　curiosity　and　innocent　admiration：　and　the　simple　rural　beauty；　that　plied　the　needle；　and　beamed　mildly　with　demure　happiness；　and　shot　a　shy　glance　upward　now　and　then。

Yes；　Love　was　at　his　old　mischievous　game。

Henry　now　lived　in　secret　for　Grace　Carden；　and　Jael　was　garnering　Henry　into　her　devoted　heart；　unobserved　by　the　object　of　her　simple　devotion。　　Yet；　of　the　three；　these　two；　that　loved　with　so　little　encouragement；　were　the　happiest。　　To　them　the　world　was　Heaven　this　glorious　afternoon。　　Time；　strewing　roses　as　he　went；　glided　so　sweetly　and　so　swiftly；　that　they　started　with　surprise　when　the　horizontal　beams　glorified　the　windows；　and　told　them　the　brightest　day　of　their　lives　was　drawing　to　its　end。

Ah；　stay　a　little　while　longer　for　them；　Western　Sun。　　Stand　still；　not　as　in　the　cruel　days　of　old；　to　glare　upon　poor；　beaten；　wounded；　panting　warriors；　and　rob　them　of　their　last　chance；　the　shelter　of　the　night：　but　to　prolong　these　holy　rapturous　hours　of　youth；　and　hope；　and　first　love　in　bosoms　unsullied　by　the　world　the　golden　hours　of　life；　that　glow　so　warm；　and　shine　so　bright；　and　flee　so　soon；　and　return　in　this　world　　Never　more！


CHAPTER　V。


Henry　Little　began　this　bust　in　a　fervid　hour；　and　made　great　progress　the　first　day；　but　as　the　work　grew　on　him；　it　went　slower　and　slower；　for　his　ambitious　love　drove　him　to　attempt　beauties　of　execution　that　were　without　precedent　in　this　kind　of　wood…carving；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　the　fastidiousness　of　a　true　craftsman　made　him　correct　his　attempts　again　and　again。　　As　to　those　mechanical　parts；　which　he　intrusted　at　first　to　his　pupil；　she　fell　so　far　short　of　his　ideal　even　in　these；　that　he　told　her　bluntly　she　must　strike　work　for　the　present：　he　could　not　have　THIS　spoiled。

Grace　thought　it　hard　she　might　not　be　allowed　to　spoil　her　own　image；　however；　she　submitted；　and　henceforth　her　lesson　was　confined　to　looking　on。　　And　she　did　look　on　with　interest；　and；　at　last；　with　profound　admiration。　　Hitherto　she　had　thought；　with　many　other　persons；　that；　if　a　man's　hand　was　the　stronger；　a　woman's　was　the　neater；　but　now　she　saw　the　same　hand；　which　had　begun　by　hewing　away　the　coarse　outlines　of　the　model；　bestow　touches　of　the　chisel　so　unerring　and　effective；　yet　so　exquisitely　delicate；　that　she　said　to　herself；　〃No　woman's　hand　could　be　so　firm；　yet　so　feather…　like；　as　all　this。〃

And　the　result　was　as　admirable　as　the　process。　　The　very　texture　of　the　ivory　forehead　began　to　come　under　those　master…touches；　executed　with　perfect　and　various　instruments：　and；　for　the　first　time　perhaps　in　the　history　of　this　art；　a　bloom；　more　delicate　far　than　that　of　a　plum；　crept　over　the　dimpled　cheek。　　But；　indeed；　when　love　and　skill　work　together；　expect　a　masterpiece。

Henry　worked　on　it　four　afternoons；　the　happiest　he　had　ever　known。　There　was　the　natural　pleasure　of　creating；　and　the　distinct　glory　and　delight　of　reproducing　features　so　beloved；　and　to　these　joys　were　added　the　pleasure　of　larger　conversation。　　The　model　gave　Grace　many　opportunities　of　making　remarks；　or　asking　questions；　and　Henry　contrived　to　say　so　many　things　in　answer　to　one。　　Sculptor　and　sitter　made　acquaintance　with　each　other's　minds　over　the　growing　bust。

And　then　the　young　ladies　and　gentlemen　dropped　in；　and　gazed；　and　said　such　wonderfully　silly　things；　and　thereby　left　their　characters　behind　them　as　fruitful　themes　for　conversation。　　In　short；　topics　were　never　wanting　now。

As　for　Jael；　she　worked；　and　beamed；　and　pondered　every　word　her　idol　uttered；　but　seldom　ventured　to　say　anything；　till　he　was　gone；　and　then　she　prattled　fast　enough　about　him。

The　work　drew　near　completion。　　The　hair；　not　in　ropes；　as　heretofore；　but　its　silken　threads　boldly　and　accurately　shown；　yet　not　so　as　to　cord　the　mass；　and　unsatin　it　quite。　　The　silk　dress；　the　lace　collar；　the　blooming　cheek；　with　its　every　dimple　and　incident；　all　these　were　completed；　and　one　eyebrow；　a　masterpiece　in　itself。　　This　carved　eyebrow　was　a　revelation；　and　made　everybody　who　saw　it　wonder　at　the　conventional　substitutes　they　had　hitherto　put　up　with　in　statuary　of　all　sorts；　when　the　eyebrow　itself　was　so　beautiful；　and　might　it　seems　have　been　imitated；　instead　of　libeled；　all　these　centuries。

But　beautiful　works；　and　pleasant　habits；　seem　particularly　liable　to　interruption。　　Just　when　the　one　eyebrow　was　finished；　and　when　Jael　Dence　had　come　to　look　on　Saturday　and　Monday　as　the　only　real　days　in　the　week；　and　when　even　Grace　Carden　was　brighter　on　those　days；　and　gliding　into　a　gentle　complacent　custom；　suddenly　a　Saturday　came　and　went；　but　Little　did　not　appear。

Jaet　was　restless。

Grace　was　disappointed；　but　contented　to　wait　till　Monday。

Monday　came　and　went；　but　no　Henry　Little。

Jael　began　to　fret　and　sigh；　and；　after　two　more　blank　weeks；　she　could　bear　the　mystery　no　longer。　　〃If　you　please；　miss；〃　said　she；　〃shall　I　go　to　that　place　where　he　works？〃

〃Where　who　works？〃　inquired　Grace；　rather　disingenuously。

〃Why；　the　dark　young　man；　miss；〃　said　Jael；　blushing　deeply。

Grace　reflected　and　curiosity　struggled　with　discretion；　but　discretion　got　the　better；　being　aided　by　self…respect。　　〃No；　Jael；〃　said　she；　〃he　is　charming；　when　he　is　here；　but；　when　he　gets　away；　he　is　not　always　so　civil　as　he　might　be。　　I　had　to　go　twice　after　him。　　I　shall　not　go　nor　send　a　third　time。　　It　really　is　too　bad　of　him。〃

〃Dear　heart；〃　pleaded　Jael；　〃mayhap　he　is　not　well。〃

〃Then　he　ought　to　write　and　say　so。　　No；　no；　he　is　a　radical；　and　full　of　conceit；　and　he　has　done　this　one　eyebrow；　and　then　gone　off　laughing　and　saying；　'Now；　let　us　see　if　the　gentry　can　do　the　other　amongst　them。'　　If　he　doesn't　come　soon；　I'll　do　the　other　eyebrow　myself。〃

〃Mayhap　he　will　never　come　again；〃　said　Jael。

〃Oh；　yes；　he　will；〃　said　Grace；　mighty　cunningly；　〃he　is　as　fond　of　coming　here　as　we　are　of　having　him。　　Not　that　I'm　at　all　surprised；　for　the　fact　is；　you　are　very　pretty；　extremely　pretty；　abominably　pretty。〃

〃I　might　pass　in　Cairnhope　town；〃　said　Jael；　modestly；　〃but　not　here。　　The　moon　goes　for　naught　when　the　sun　is　there。　　He　don't　come　here　for　me。〃

This　sudden　elegance　of　language；　and　Jael's　tone　of　dignified　despondency；　silenced　Grace；　somehow；　and　made　her　thoughtful。　　She　avoided　the　subject　for　several　days。　　Indeed；　when　Saturday　came；　not　a　word　was　said　about　the　defaulter：　it　was　only　by　her　sending　for　Jael　to　sit　with　her；　and　by　certain　looks；　and　occasional　restlessness；　she　betrayed　the　slightest　curiosity　or　expectation。

Jael　sat　and　sewed；　and　often　looked　quickly　up　at　the　window；　as　some　footstep　passed；　and　then　looked　down　again　and　sighed。

Young　Little　never　came。　　He　seemed　to　have　disappeared　from　both　their　lives；　quietly　disappeared。

Next　day；　Sunday；　Jael　came　to　Miss　Carden；　after　morning　church；　and　said；　meekly；　〃if　you　please；　miss；　may　I　go　home？〃

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　said　Grace；　a　little　haughtily。　　〃What　for？〃

Jael　hung　her　head；　and　said　she　was　not　used　to　be　long　away。　　Then　she　lifted　her　head；　and　her　great　candid　eyes；　and　spoke　more　frankly。　　〃I　feel　to　be　drawed　home。　　Something　have　been　at　me　all　the　night　to　that　degree　as　I　couldn't　close　my　eyes。　　I　could　almost　feel　it；　like　a　child's　hand；　a　pulling　me　East。　　I'm　afeared　father's　ill；　or　may　be　the　calves　are　bleating　for　me；　that　is　better　acquaint　with　them　than　sister　Patty　is。　　And　Hillsborough　air　don't　seem　to　'gree　with　me　now　not　altogether　as　it　did　at　first。　　If　you　please；　miss；　to　let　me　go；　and　then　I'll　come　back　when　I'm　better　company　than　I　be　now。　　Oh　dear！　oh　dear！〃

〃