lady baltimore-第7部分

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V：　The　Boy　of　the　Cake

One　is　unthankful；　I　suppose；　to　call　a　day　so　dreary　when　one　has　lunched　under　the　circumstances　that　I　have　attempted　to　indicate；　the　bright　spot　ought　to　shine　over　the　whole。　But　you　haven't　an　idea　what　a　nightmare　in　the　daytime　Cowpens　was　beginning　to　be。

I　had　thumbed　and　scanned　hundreds　of　ancient　pages；　some　of　them　manuscript；　I　had　sat　by　ancient　shelves　upon　hard　chairs；　I　had　sneezed　with　the　ancient　dust；　and　I　had　not　put　my　finger　upon　a　trace　of　the　right　Fanning。　I　should　have　given　it　up；　left　unexplored　the　territory　that　remained　staring　at　me　through　the　backs　of　unread　volumes；　had　it　not　been　for　my　Aunt　Carola。　To　her　I　owed　constancy　and　diligence；　and　so　I　kept　at　it；　and　the　hermit　hours　I　spent　at　Court　and　Chancel　streets　grew　worse　as　I　knew　better　what　rarely　good　company　was　ready　to　receive　me。　This　Kings　Port；　this　little　city　of　oblivion；　held；　shut　in　with　its　lavender　and　pressed…rose　memories；　a　handful　of　people　who　were　like　that　great　society　of　the　world；　the　high　society　of　distinguished　men　and　women　who　exist　no　more；　but　who　touched　history　with　a　light　hand；　and　left　their　mark　upon　it　in　a　host　of　memoirs　and　letters　that　we　read　to…day　with　a　starved　and　home…sick　longing　in　the　midst　of　our　sullen　welter　of　democracy。　With　its　silent　houses　and　gardens；　its　silent　streets；　its　silent　vistas　of　the　blue　water　in　the　sunshine；　this　beautiful；　sad　place　was　winning　my　heart　and　making　it　ache。　Nowhere　else　in　America　such　charm；　such　character；　such　true　elegance　as　here　and　nowhere　else　such　an　overwhelming　sense　of　finality！the　doom　of　a　civilization　founded　upon　a　crime。　And　yet；　how　much　has　the　ballot　done　for　that　race？　Or；　at　least；　how　much　has　the　ballot　done　for　the　majority　of　that　race？　And　what　way　was　it　to　meet　this　problem　with　the　sudden　sweeping　folly　of　the　Fifteenth　Amendment？　To　fling　the　〃door　of　hope〃　wide　open　before　those　within　had　learned　the　first　steps　of　how　to　walk　sagely　through　it！　Ah；　if　it　comes　to　blame；　who　goes　scatheless　in　this　heritage　of　error？　I　could　have　shaped　（we　all　could；　you　know）　a　better　scheme　for　the　universe；　a　plan　where　we　should　not　flourish　at　each　other's　expense；　where　the　lion　should　be　lying　down　with　the　lamb　now；　where　good　and　evil　should　not　be　husband　and　wife；　indissolubly　married　by　a　law　of　creation。

With　such　highly　novel　thoughts　as　these　I　descended　the　steps　from　my　researches　at　the　corner　of　Court　and　Chancel　streets　an　hour　earlier　than　my　custom；　becausewell；　I　couldn't；　that　day；　stand　Cowpens　for　another　minute。　Up　at　the　corner　of　Court　and　Worship　the　people　were　going　decently　into　church；　it　was　a　sweet；　gentle　late　Friday　in　Lent。　I　had　intended　keeping　out…of…doors；　to　smell　the　roses　in　the　gardens；　to　bask　in　the　soft　remnant　of　sunshine；　to　loiter　and　peep　in　through　the　Kings　Port　garden　gates；　up　the　silent　walks　to　the　silent　verandas。　But　the　slow　stream　of　people　took　me；　instead；　into　church　with　the　deeply　veiled　ladies　of　Kings　Port；　hushed　in　their　perpetual　mourning　for　not　only；　I　think；　those　husbands　and　brothers　and　sons　whom　the　war　had　turned　to　dust　forty　years　ago；　but　also　for　the　Cause；　the　lost　Cause；　that　died　with　them。　I　sat　there　among　these　Christians　suckled　in　a　creed　outworn；　envying　them　their　well…regulated　faith；　it；　too；　was　part　of　the　town's　repose　and　sweetness；　together　with　the　old…fashioned　roses　and　the　old…fashioned　ladies。　Men；　also；　were　in　the　congregationnot　many；　to　be　sure；　but　all　unanimously　wearing　that　expression　of　remarkable　virtue　which　seems　always　to　visit；　when　he　goes　to　church；　the　average　good　fellow　who　is　no　better　than　he　should　be。　I　became；　myself；　filled　with　this　same　decorous　inconsistency；　and　was　singing　the　hymn；　when　I　caught　sight　of　John　Mayrant。　What　lady　was　he　with？　It　was　just　this　that　most　annoyingly　I　couldn't　make　out；　because　the　unlucky　disposition　of　things　hid　it。　I　caught　myself　craning　my　neck　and　singing　the　hymn　simultaneously　and　with　no　difficulty；　because　all　my　childhood　was　in　that　hymn；　I　couldn't　tell　when　I　hadn't　known　words　and　music　by　heart。　Who　was　she？　I　tried　for　a　clear　view　when　we　sat　down；　and　also；　let　me　confess；　when　we　knelt　down；　I　saw　even　less　of　her　so；　and　my　hope　at　the　end　of　the　service　was　dashed　by　her　slow　but　entire　disappearance　amid　the　engulfing　exits　of　the　other　ladies。　I　followed　where　I　imagined　she　had　gone；　out　by　a　side　door；　into　the　beautiful　graveyard；　but　among　the　flowers　and　monuments　she　was　not；　nor　was　he；　and　next　I　saw；　through　the　iron　gate；　John　Mayrant　in　the　street；　walking　with　his　intimate　aunt　and　her　more　severe　sister；　and　Miss　La　Heu。　I　somewhat　superfluously　hastened　to　the　gate　and　greeted　them；　to　which　they　responded　with　polite；　masterly　discouragement。　He；　however；　after　taking　off　his　hat　to　them；　turned　back；　and　I　watched　them　pursuing　their　leisurely；　reticent　course　　toward　the　South　Place。　Why　should　the　old　ladies　strike　me　as　looking　like　a　tremendously　proper　pair　of　conspirators？　I　was　wondering　this　as　I　turned　back　among　the　tombs；　when　I　perceived　John　Mayrant　coming　along　one　of　the　churchyard　paths。　His　approach　was　made　at　right　angles　with　that　of　another　personage；　the　respectful　negro　custodian　of　the　place。　This　dignitary　was　evidently　hoping　to　lead　me　among　the　monuments；　recite　to　me　their　old　histories；　and　benefit　by　my　consequent　gratitude；　he　had　even　got　so　far　as　smiling　and　removing　his　hat　when　John　Mayrant　stopped　him。　The　young　man　hailed　the　negro　by　his　first　name　with　that　particular　and　affectionate　superiority　which　few　Northerners　can　understand　and　none　can　acquire；　and　which　resembles　nothing　so　much　as　the　way　in　which　you　speak　to　your　old　dog　who　has　loved　you　and　followed　you；　because　you　have　cared　for　him。

〃Not　this　time；〃　John　Mayrant　said。　〃I　wish　to　show　our　relics　to　this　gentleman　myselfif　he　will　permit　me？〃　This　last　was　a　question　put　to　me　with　a　courteous　formality；　a　formality　which　a　few　minutes　more　were　to　see　smashed　to　smithereens。

I　told　him　that　I　should　consider　myself　undeservedly　privileged。

〃Some　of　these　people　are　my　people；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　move。

The　old　custodian　stood　smiling；　familiar；　respectful；　disappointed。　〃Some　of　'em　my　people；　too；　Mas'　John；〃　he　cannily　observed。

I　put　a　little　silver　in　his　hand。　〃Didn't　I　see　a　box　somewhere；〃　I　said；　〃with　something　on　it　about　the　restoration　of　the　church？〃

〃Something　on　it；　but　nothing　in　it！〃　exclaimed　Mayrant；　at　which　moderate　pleasantry　the　custodian　broke　into　extreme　African　merriment　and　ambled　away。　〃You　needn't　have　done　it；〃　protested　the　Southerner；　and　I　naturally　claimed　my　stranger's　right　to　pay　my　respects　in　this　manner。　Such　was　our　introduction；　agreeable　and　unusual。

A　silence　then　unexpectedly　ensued　and　the　formality　fell　colder　than　ever　upon　us。　The　custodian's　departure　had　left　us　alone；　looking　at　each　other　across　all　the　unexpressed　knowledge　that　each　knew　the　other　had。　Mayrant　had　come　impulsively　back　to　me　from　his　aunts；　without　stopping　to　think　that　we　had　never　yet　exchanged　a　word；　both　of　us　were　now　brought　up　short；　and　it　was　the　cake　that　was　speaking　volubly　in　our　self…conscious　dumbness。　It　was　only　after　this　brief；　deep　gap　of　things　unsaid　that　John　Mayrant　came　to　the　surface　again；　and　began　a　conversation　of　which；　on　both　our　parts；　the　first　few　steps　were　taken　on　the　tiptoes　of　an　archaic　politeness；　we　trod　convention　like　a　polished　French　floor；　you　might　have　expected　us；　after　such　deliberate　and　graceful　preliminaries；　to　dance　a　verbal　minuet。

We；　however；　danced　something　quite　different；　and　that　conversation　lasted　during　many　days；　and　led　us；　like　a　road；　up　hill　and　down　dale　to　a　perfect　acquaintance。　No；　not　perfect；　but　delightful；　to　the　end　he　never　spoke　to　me　of　the　matter　most　near　him；　and　I　but　honor　him　the　more　for　his　reticence。

Of　course　his　first　remark　had　to　be　about　Kings　Port　and　me；　had　he　understood　rightly　that　this　was　my　first　visit？

My　answer　was　equally　traditional。

It　was；　next；　correct　that　he　should　allude　to　the　weather；　and　his　reference　was　one　of　the　two　or　three　that　it　seems　a　stranger's　destiny　always　to　hear　in　a　place　new　to　him：　he　apologized　for　the　weatherso　cold　a　season　had　not；　in　his　memory；　been　experienced　in　Kings　Port；　it　was　to　the　highest　point　exceptional。

I　exclaimed　that　it　had　been；　to　my　Northern　notions；　delightfully　mild　for　March。　〃Indeed；〃　I　continued；　〃I　have　always　said　that　if　March　could　be　cut　out　of　our　Northern　climate；　as　the　core　is　cut　out　of　an　apple；　I　should　be　quite　satisfied　with　eleven　months；　instead　of　twelve。　I　think　it　might　prolong　one's　youth。〃

The　fire　of　that　season　lighted　in　his　eyes；　but　he　still　stepped　upon　polished　convention。　He　assured　me　that　the　Southern　September　hurricane　was　more　deplorable　than　any　Northern　March　could　be。　〃Our　zone　should　be　called　the　Intemperate　zone；〃　said　he。

〃But　never　in　Kings　Port；〃　I　protested；　〃with　your　roses　out…of…doors　and　your　ladies　indoors！〃

He　bowed。　〃You　pay　us　a　high　compliment。〃

I　smiled　urbanely。　〃If　the　truth　is　a　compliment！〃

〃Our　young　ladies　are　roses；〃　he　now　admitted　with　a　delicate　touch　of　pride。

〃Don't　forget　your　old　ones！　I　never　shall。〃

There　was　pleasure　in　his　face　at　this　tribute；　which；　he　could　see；　came　from　the　heart。　But；　thus　pictured　to　him；　the　old　ladies　brought　a　further　idea　quite　plainly　into　his　expression；　and　he　announced　it。　〃Some　of　them　are　not　without　thorns。〃

〃What　would　you　give；〃　I　quickly　replied；　〃for　anybodyman　or　womanwho　could　not；　on　an　occasion；　make　themselves　sharply　felt？〃

To　this　he　returned　a　full　but　somewhat　absent…minded　assent。　He　seemed　to　be　reflecting　that　he　himself　didn't　care　to　be　the　〃occasion〃　upon　which　an　old　lady　rose　should　try　her　thorns；　and　I　was　inclined　to　suspect　that　his　intimate　aunt　had　been　giving　him　a　wigging。

Anyhow；　I　stood　ready　to　keep　it　up；　this　interchange　of　lofty　civilities。　I；　too；　could　wear　the　courtly　red…heels　of　eighteenth…century　procedure；　and　for　just　as　long　as　his　Southern　up…bringing　inclined　him　to　wear　them；　I　h