lady baltimore-第25部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　been　〃coerced；〃　and　he　contributed　remarkably　few　observations　to　the　talk。

It　was　all　harmonious；　and　decorous；　and　properly　conducted；　this　state　visit；　yet　even　so；　Juno　and　John　exchanged　at　parting　some　verbal　sweet…meats　which　rather　stuck　out　from　the　smooth　meringue　of　diplomacy。

She　contemplated　his　bruise。　〃You　are　feeling　stronger；　I　hope；　than　you　have　been　lately？　A　bridegroom's　health　should　be　good。〃

He　thanked　her。　〃I　am　feeling　better　to…night　than　for　many　weeks。〃

The　rascal　had　the　thirty　dollars　visibly　bulging　that　moment　in　his　pocket。　I　doubt　if　he　had　acquainted　his　aunt　with　this　episode；　but　she　was　certain　to　hear　it　soon；　and　when　she　did　hear　it；　I　rather　fancy　that　she　wished　to　smileas　I　completely　smiled　alone　in　my　bed　that　night　thinking　young　John　over。

But　I　did　not　go　to　sleep　smiling；　listening　to　the　〃Ode　for　the　Daughters　of　Dixie〃　had　been　an　ordeal　too　truly　painful；　because　it　disclosed　live　feelings　which　I　had　thought　were　dead；　or　rather；　it　disclosed　that　those　feelings　smouldered　in　the　young　as　well　as　in　the　old。　Doctor　Beaugarcon　didn't　have　themhe　had　fought　them　out；　just　as　Mr。　Braintree　had　fought　them　out；　and　Mrs。　Braintree；　like　Juno；　retained　them；　because　she　hadn't　fought　them　out；　and　John　Mayrant　didn't　have　them；　because　he　had　been　to　other　places；　and　I　didn't　have　themnever　had　had　them　in　my　life；　because　I　came　into　the　world　when　it　was　all　over。　Why　thenStop；　I　told　myself；　growing　very　wakeful；　and　seeing　in　the　darkness　He　light　which　had　come　to　me；　you　have　beheld　；he　ashes；　and　even　the　sight　has　overwhelmed　you；　these　others　were　born　in　the　ashes；　and　have　had　ashes　to　sleep　in　and　ashes　to　eat。　This　I　said　to　myself；　and　I　remembered　that　War　hadn't　been　all；　that　Reconstruction　came　in　due　season；　and　I　thought　of　the　〃reconstructed〃　negro；　as　Daddy　Ben　had　so　ingeniously　styled　him。　These　white　people；　my　race；　had　been　set　beneath　the　reconstructed　negro。　Still；　still；　this　did　not　justify　the　whole　of　it　to　me；　my　perfectly　innocent　generation　seemed　to　be　included　in　the　unforgiving；　unforgetting　ode。　〃I　must　have　it　out　with　somebody；〃　I　said。　And　in　time　I　fell　asleep。



XIII：　The　Girl　Behind　the　CounterIII

I　was　still　thinking　the　ode　over　as　I　dressed　for　breakfast；　for　which　I　was　late；　owing　to　my　hair；　which　the　changes　in　the　weather　had　rendered　somewhat　recalcitrant。　Yes；　decidedly　I　must　have　it　out　with　somebody。　The　weather　was　once　more　superb；　and　in　the　garden　beneath　my　window　men　were　already　sweeping　away　the　broken　twigs　and　debris　of　the　storm。　I　say　〃already；〃　because　it　had　not　seemed　to　me　to　be　the　Kings　Port　custom　to　remove　debris；　or　anything；　with　speed。　I　also　had　it　in　my　mind　to　perform　at　lunch　Aunt　Carola's　commission；　and　learn　if　the　family　of　La　Heu　were　indeed　of　royal　descent　through　the　Bombos。　I　intended　to　find　this　out　from　the　girl　behind　the　counter；　but　the　course　which　our　conversation　took　led　me　completely　to　forget　about　it。

As　soon　as　I　entered　the　Exchange　I　planted　myself　in　front　of　the　counter；　in　spite　of　the　discouragement　which　I　too　plainly　perceived　in　her　countenance；　the　unfavorable　impression　which　I　had　made　upon　her　at　our　last　interview　was　still　in　force。

I　plunged　into　it　at　once。　〃I　have　a　confession　to　make。〃

〃You　do　me　surprising　honor。〃

〃Oh；　now；　don't　begin　like　that！　I　suppose　you　never　told　a　lie。〃

〃I'm　telling　the　truth　now　when　I　say　that　I　do　not　see　why　an　entire　stranger　should　confess　anything　to　me。〃

〃Oh；　my　goodness！　Well；　I　told　you　a　lie；　anyhow；　a　great；　successful；　deplorable　lie。〃

She　opened　her　mouth　under　the　shock　of　it；　and　I　recited　to　her　unsparingly　my　deception；　during　this　recital　her　mouth　gradually　closed。

〃Well；　I　declare；　declare；　declare！〃　she　slowly　and　deliciously　breathed　over　the　sum　total；　and　she　considered　me　at　length；　silently；　before　her　words　came　again；　like　a　soft　soliloquy。　〃I　could　never　have　believed　it　in　one　who〃here　gayety　flashed　in　her　eyes　suddenly〃parts　his　back　hair　so　rigidly。　Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon　for　being　personal！〃　And　her　gayety　broke　in　ripples。　Some　habitual　instinct　moved　me　to　turn　to　the　looking…glass。　〃Useless！〃　she　cried；　〃you　can't　see　it　in　that。　But　it's　perfectly　splendid　to…day。〃

Nature　has　been　kind　to　me　in　many　waysnay；　prodigal；　it　is　not　every　man　who　can　perceive　the　humor　in　a　jest　of　which　he　is　himself　the　subject。　I　laughed　with　her。　〃I　trust　that　I　am　forgiven；〃　I　said。

〃Oh；　yes；　you　are　forgiven！　Come　out；　General；　and　give　the　gentleman　your　right　paw；　and　tell　him　that　he　is　forgivenif　only　for　the　sake　of　Daddy　Ben。〃　With　these　latter　words　she　gave　me　a　gracious　nod　of　understanding。　They　were　all　thanking　me　for　the　kettle…supporter！　She　probably　knew　also　the　tale　of　John　Mayrant；　the　cards；　and　the　bedside。

The　curly　dog　came　out；　and　went　through　his　part　very　graciously。

〃I　can　guess　his　last　name；〃　I　remarked。

〃General's？　How？　Oh；　you've　heard　it！　I　don't　believe　in　you　any　more。〃

〃That's　not　a　bit　handsome；　after　my　confession。　No；　I'm　getting　to　understand　South　Carolina　a　little。　You　came　from　the　'up…country；'　you　call　your　dog　General；　his　name　is　General　Hampton！〃

Her　laughter　assented。　〃Tell　me　some　more　about　South　Carolina；〃　she　added　with　her　caressing　insinuation。

〃Well；　to　begin　with〃

〃Go　sit　down　at　your　lunch…table　first。　Aunt　Josephine　would　never　tolerate　my　encouraging　gentlemen　to　talk　to　me　over　the　counter。〃

I　went　back　obediently；　and　then　resumed：　〃Well；　what　sort　of　people　are　those　who　own　the　handsome　garden　behind　Mrs。　Trevise's！〃

〃I　don't　know　them。〃

〃Thank　you；　that's　all　I　wanted。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃They're　new　people。　I　could　tell　it　from　the　way　you　stuck　your　nose　in　the　air。〃

〃Sir！〃

〃Oh；　if　you　talk　about　my　hair；　I　can　talk　about　your　nose；　I　think。　I　suspected　that　they　were：　'new　people'　because　they　cleaned　up　their　garden　immediately　after　the　storm　this　morning。　Now；　I'll　tell　you　something　else：　the　whole　South　looks　down　on　the　whole　North。〃

She　made　her　voice　kind。　〃Do　you　mind　it　very　much？〃

I　joined　in　her　latent　mirth。　〃It　makes　life　not　worth　living！　But　more　than　this；　South　Carolina　looks　down　on　the　whole　South。〃

〃Not　Virginia。〃

〃Not？　An　'entire　stranger；'　you　know；　sometimes　notices　things　which　escape　the　family　eyefamily　likenesses　in　the　children；　for　instance。〃

〃Never　Virginia；〃　she　persisted。

〃Very　well；　very　well！　Somehow　you've　admitted　the　rest；　however。〃

She　began　to　smile。

〃And　next；　Kings　Port　looks　down　on　all　the　rest　of　South　Carolina。〃

She　now　laughed　outright。　〃An　up…country　girl　will　not　deny　that；　anyhow！〃

〃And　finally；　your　aunts〃

〃My　aunts　are　Kings　Port。〃

〃The　whole　of　it？〃

〃If　you　mean　the　thirty　thousand　negroes〃

〃No；　there　are　other　white　people　herethere　goes　your　nose　again！〃

〃I　will　not　have　you　so　impudent；　sir！〃

〃A　thousand　pardons；　I'm　on　my　knees。　But　your　aunts〃　There　was　such　a　flash　of　war　in　her　eye　that　I　stopped。

〃May　I　not　even　mention　them？〃　I　asked　her。

And　suddenly　upon　this　she　became　serious　and　gentle。　〃I　thought　that　you　understood　them。　Would　you　take　them　from　their　seclusion；　too？　It　is　all　they　have　leftsince　you　burned　the　rest　in　1865。〃

I　had　made　her　say　what　I　wanted！　That　〃you〃　was　what　I　wanted。　Now　I　should　presently　have　it　out　with　her。　But；　for　the　moment；　I　did　not　disclaim　the　〃you。〃　I　said：

〃The　burning　in　1865　was　horrible；　but　it　was　war。〃

〃It　was　outrage。〃

〃Yes；　the　same　kind　as　England's；　who　burned　Washington　in　1812；　and　whom　you　all　so　deeply　admire。〃

She　had；　it　seemed；　no　answer　to　this。　But　we　trembled　on　the　verge　of　a　real　quarrel。　It　was　in　her　voice　when　she　said：

〃I　think　I　interrupted　you。〃

I　pushed　the　risk　one　step　nearer　the　verge；　because　of　the　words　I　wished　finally　to　reach。　〃In　1812；　when　England　burned　our　White　House　down；　we　did　not　sit　in　the　ashes；　we　set　about　rebuilding。〃

And　now　she　burst　out。　〃That's　not　fair；　that's　perfectly　inexcusable！　Did　England　then　set　loose　on　us　a　pack　of　black　savages　and　politicians　to　help　us　rebuild？　Why；　this　very　day　I　cannot　walk　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　I　dare　not　venture　off　the　New　Bridge；　and　you　who　first　beat　us　and　then　unleashed　the　blacks　to　riot　in　a　new　'equality'　that　they　were　no　more　fit　for　than　so　many　apes；　you　sat　back　at　ease　in　your　victory　and　your　progress；　having　handed　the　vote　to　the　negro　as　you　might　have　handed　a　kerosene　lamp　to　a　child　of　three；　and　let　us　crushed；　breathless　people　cope　with　the　chaos　and　destruction　that　never　came　near　you。　Why；　how　can　you　dare〃　Once　again；　admirably　she　pulled　herself　up　as　she　had　done　when　she　spoke　of　the　President。　〃I　mustn't！〃　she　declared；　half　whispering；　and　then　more　clearly　and　calmly；　〃I　mustn't。〃　And　she　shook　her　head　as　if　shaking　something　off。　〃Nor　must　you；〃　she　finished；　charmingly　and　quietly；　with　a　smile。

〃I　will　not；〃　I　assured　her。　She　was　truly　noble。

〃But　I　did　think　that　you　understood　us；〃　she　said　pensively。

〃Miss　La　Heu；　when　you　talked　to　me　about　the　President　and　the　White　House；　I　said　that　you　were　hard　to　answer。　Do　you　remember？〃

〃Perfectly。　I　said　I　was　glad　you　found　me　so。'

〃You　helped　me　to　understand　you　then；　and　now　I　want　to　be　helped　to　further　understanding。　Last　night　I　heard　the　'Ode　for　the　Daughters　of　Dixie。'　I　had　a　bad　time　listening　to　that。〃

〃Do　you　presume　to　criticise　it？　Do　we　criticise　your　Grand　Army　reunions；　and　your　'Marching　through　Georgia；'　and　your　'John　Brown's　Body；'　and　your　Arlington　Museum？　Can　we　not　be　allowed　to　celebrate　our　heroes　and　our　glories　and　sing　our　songs？〃

She　had　helped　me　already！　Still；　still；　the　something　I　was　groping　for；　the　something　which　had　given　me　such　pain　during　the　ode；　remained　undissolved；　remained　unanalyzed　between　us；　I　still　had　to　have　it　out　with　her；　and　the　point　was　that　it　had　to　be　with　her；　and　not　simply　with　myself　alone。　We　must　thrash　out　together　the　way　to　an　understanding；　an　agreement　was　not　in　the　least　necessarywe　could　agree　to　differ；　for　that　matter；　with　perfect　cordialitybut　an　understanding　we　must　reach。　And　as　I　was　t