a mountain europa-第6部分

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they　took　long　walks　together　on　the　mountains。　This　was　contrary　to　mountain　etiquette；　but　they　were　remote　even　from　the　rude　conventionalities　of　the　life　below　them。　　They　even　went　hunting　together；　and　Easter　had　the　joy　of　a　child　when　she　discovered　her　superiority　to　Clayton　in　woodcraft　and　in　the　use　of　a　rifle。　If　he　could　tell　her　the　names　of　plants　and　flowers　they　found；　and　how　they　were　akin；　she　could　show　him　where　they　grew。　　If　he　could　teach　her　a　little　more　about　animals　and　their　habits　than　she　already　knew；　he　had　always　to　follow　her　in　the　search　for　game。　Their　fellowship　was；　in　consequence；　never　more　complete　than　when　they　were　roaming　the　woods。　In　them　Easter　was　at　home；　and　her　ardent　nature　came　to　the　surface　like　a　poetic　glow　from　her　buoyant　health　and　beauty。　Then　appeared　all　that　was　wayward　and　elfin…like　in　her　character；　and　she　would　be　as　playful；　wilful；　evanescent　as　a　wood…spirit。　Sometimes；　when　they　were　separated；　she　would　lead　him　into　a　ravine　by　imitating　a　squirrel　or　a　wild…turkey；　and；　as　he　crept　noiselessly　along　with　bated　breath　and　eyes　peering　eagerly　through　the　tree…tops　or　the　underbrush；　she　would　step　like　a　dryad　from　behind　some　tree　at　his　side；　with　a　ringing　laugh　at　his　discomfiture。　　Again；　she　might　startle　him　by　running　lightly　along　the　fallen　trunk　of　a　tree　that　lay　across　a　torrent；　or；　in　a　freak　of　wilfulness；　would　let　herself　down　the　bare　face　of　some　steep　cliff。　　If　he　scolded　her；　she　laughed。　　If　he　grew　angry；　she　was　serious　instantly；　and　once　she　fell　to　weeping　and　fled　home。　　He　followed　her；　but　she　barricaded　herself　in　her　room　in　the　loft；　and　would　not　be　coaxed　down。　　The　next　day　she　had　forgotten　that　she　was　angry。

Her　mother　showed　no　surprise　at　any　of　her　moods。　Easter　was　not　like　other　〃　gals；〃　she　said；　she　had　always　been〃　quar；〃　and　she　reckoned　would〃　al'ays　be　that　way。〃　She　objected　in　no　wise　to　Clayton's　intimacy　with　her。　The　furriner；〃　she　told　Raines；　was　the　only　man　who　had　ever　been　able　to　manage　her；　and　if　she　wanted　Easter　to　do　anything　〃　ag'in　her　will；　she　went　to　him　fust　〃…a　simple　remark　that　threw　the　mountaineer　into　deep　thoughtfulness。

Indeed；　this　sense　of　power　that　Clayton　felt　over　the　wilful；　passionate　creature　thrilled　him　with　more　pleasure　than　he　would　have　been　willing　to　admit；　at　the　same　time　it　suggested　to　him　a　certain　responsibility。　Why　not　make　use　of　it；　and　a　good　use？　The　girl　was　perhaps　deplorably　ignorant；　could　do　but　little　more　than　read　and　write；　but　she　was　susceptible　of　development；　and　at　times　apparently　conscious　of　the　need　of　it　and　desirous　for　it。　　Once　he　had　carried　her　a　handful　of　violets；　and　thereafter　an　old　pitcher　that　stood　on　a　shelf　blossomed　every　day　with　wild…flowers。　　He　had　transplanted　a　vine　from　the　woods　and　taught　her　to　train　it　over　the　porch；　and　the　first　hint　of　tenderness　he　found　in　her　nature　was　in　the　care　of　that　plant。　　He　had　taken　her　a　book　full　of　pictures　and　fashion…plates；　and　he　had　noticed　a　quick　and　ingenious　adoption　of　some　of　its　hints　in　her　dress。

One　afternoon；　as　he　lay　on　his　bed　in　a　darkened　corner　of　his　room；　a　woman's　shadow　passed　across　the　wall；　returned；　and　a　moment　later　he　saw　Easter's　face　at　the　window。　　He　had　lain　quiet；　and　watched　her　while　her　wondering　eyes　roved　from　one　object　to　another；　until　they　were　fastened　with　a　long；　intent　look　on　a　picture　that　stood　upon　a　table　near　the　window。　He　stirred；　and　her　face　melted　away　instantly。　A　few　days　later　he　was　sitting　with　Easter　and　Raines　at　the　cabin。　The　mother　was　at　the　other　end　of　the　porch；　talking　to　a　neighbor　who　had　stopped　to　rest　on　his　way　across　the　mountains。

Easter　air　a…gettin'　high　notions；〃　she　was　saying；　〃　'n'　she　air　a…spendin'　her　savin　's；　'n'　all　mine　she　kin　git　hold　of；　to　buy　fixin's　at　the　commissary。　　She　must　hev　white　crockery；　'n'　towels；　'n'　newfangled　forks；　'n'　sichlike。〃　　A　conscious　flush　came　into　the　girl's　face；　and　she　rose　hastily　and　went　into　the　house。

〃I　was　afeard；〃　continued　the　mother；　〃　that　she　would　hev　her　hair　cut　short；　'n'　be　a…flyin'　with　ribbons；　'n'　spangled　out　like　a　rainbow；　like　old　'Lige　Hicks's　gal；　ef　I　hadn't　heerd　the　furriner　tell　her　it　was　'　beastly。'　　Thar　ain't　no　fear　now；　fer　what　that　furriner　don't　like；　Easter　don't　nother。〃

For　an　instant　the　mountaineer's　eyes　had　flashed　on　Clayton；　but　when　the　latter；　a　trifle　embarrassed；　looked　up；　Raines　apparently　had　heard　nothing。　　Easter　did　not　reappear　until　the　mountaineer　was　gone。

There　were　othcr　hopeful　signs。　　Whenever　Clayton　spoke　of　his　friends；　she　always　listened　eagerly；　and　asked　innumerable　questions　about　them。　　If　his　attention　was　caught　by　any　queer　custom　or　phrase　of　the　mountain　dialect；　she　was　quick　to　ask　in　return　how　he　would　say　the　same　thing；　and　what　the　custom　was　in　the　settlemints。〃　　She　even　made　feeble　attempts　to　model　her　own　speech　after　his。

In　a　conscious　glow　that　he　imagined　was　philanthropy；　Clayton　began　his　task　of　elevation。　　She　was　not　so　ignorant　as　he　had　supposed。　　Apparently　she　had　been　taught　by　somebody；　but　when　asked　by　whom；　she　hesitated　answering；　and　he　had　taken　it　for　granted　that　what　she　knew　she　had　puzzled　out　alone。　He　was　astonished　by　her　quickness；　her　docility；　and　the　passionate　energy　with　which　she　worked。　　Her　instant　obedience　to　every　suggestion；　her　trust　in　every　word　he　uttered；　made　him　acutely　and　at　times　uncomfortably　conscious　of　his　responsibility。　　At　the　same　time　there　was　in　the　task　something　of　the　pleasure　that　a　young　sculptor　feels　when；　for　the　first　time；　the　clay　begins　to　yield　obedience　to　his　fingers；　and　something　of　the　delight　that　must　have　thrilled　Pygmalion　when　he　saw　his　statue　tremulous　with　conscious　life。

VI

THE　possibility　of　lifting　the　girl　above　her　own　people；　and　of　creating　a　spirit　of　discontent　that　might　embitter　her　whole　life；　had　occurred　to　Clayton；　but　at　such　moments　the　figure　of　Raines　came　into　the　philanthropic　picture　forming　slowly　in　his　mind；　and　his　conscience　was　quieted。　　He　could　see　them　together；　the　gradual　change　that　Easter　would　bring　about　in　him；　the　influence　of　the　two　on　their　fellows。　　The　mining…camp　grew　into　a　town　with　a　modest　church　on　the　outskirts；　and　a　cottage　where　Raines　and　Easter　were　installed。　　They　stood　between　the　old　civilization　and　the　new；　understanding　both；　and　protecting　the　native　strength　of　the　one　from　the　vices　of　the　other；　and　training　it　after　more　breadth　and　refinement。　But　Raines　and　Easter　did　not　lend　themselves　to　the　picture　so　readily；　and　gradually　it　grew　vague　and　shadowy；　and　the　figure　of　the　mountaineer　was　blurred。

Clayton　did　not　bring　harmony　to　the　two。　At　first　he　saw　nothing　of　the　mountaineer；　and　when　they　met　at　the　cabin　Raines　remained　only　a　short　time。　　If　Easter　cared　for　him　at　all；　she　did　not　show　it。　　How　he　was　regarded　by　the　mother；　Clayton　had　learned　long　ago；　when；　in　answer　to　one　of　his　questions；　she　had　said；　with　a　look　at　Easter；　that　〃　Raines　was　the　likeliest　young　feller　in　them　mountains　〃；　that　〃he　knew　morn'n　anybody　round　thar〃；　that　〃　he　had　spent　a　year　in　the　settlemints；　was　mighty　religious；　and　would　one　day　be　a　circuit…rider。　　Anyhow；〃　she　concluded；　〃　he　was　a　mighty　good　friend　o'　theirn。〃

But　as　for　Easter；　she　treated　him　with　unvarying　indifference；　though　Clayton　noticed　she　was　more　quiet　and　reserved　in　the　mountaineer's　presence；　and；　what　was　unintelligible　to　him；　she　refused　to　speak　of　her　studies　when　Raines　was　at　the　cabin；　and　warned　her　mother　with　an　angry　frown　when　the　latter　began　telling　the　mountaineer　of　〃whut　a　change　had　come　over　Easter；　and　how　she　reckoned　the　gal　was　a…gittin'　eddicated　enough　fer　to　teach　anybody　in　the　mountains；　she　was　a…larnin'　so　much。〃

After　that　little　incident；　he　met　Raines　at　the　cabin　oftener。　The　mountaineer　was　always　taciturn；　though　he　listened　closely　when　anything　was　said；　and　even　when　addressed　by　Easter's　mother　his　attention；　Clayton　noticed；　was　fixed　on　Easter　and　himself。　　He　felt　that　he　was　being　watched；　and　it　irritated　him。　He　had　tried　to　be　friendly　with　the　mountaineer；　but　his　advances　were　received　with　a　reserve　that　was　almost　suspicion。　　As　time　went　on；　the　mountaineer's　visits　increased　in　frequency　and　in　length；　and　at　last　one　night　he　stayed　so　long　that；　for　the　first　time；　Clayton　left　him　there。

Neither　spoke　after　the　young　engineer　was　gone。　　The　mountaineer　sat　looking　closely　at　Easter；　who　was　listlessly　watching　the　moon　as　it　rose　above　the　Cumberland　Range　and　brought　into　view　the　wavering　outline　of　Pine　Mountain　and　the　shadowed　valley　below。　　It　was　evident　from　his　face　and　his　eyes；　which　glowed　with　the　suppressed　fire　of　some　powerful　emotion　within；　that　he　had　remained　for　a　purpose；　and　when　he　rose　and　said；　〃I　reckon　I　better　be　a…goin'；　Easter；〃　his　voice　was　so　unnatural　that　the　girl　looked　up　quickly。


Hit　air　late；〃　she　said；　after　a　slight　pause。

His　face　flushed；　but　he　set　his　lips　and　caught　the　back　of　his　chair；　as　though　to　steady　himself。

〃I　reckon；〃　he　said；　with　slow　bitterness；　〃that　hit　would　'a'　been　early　long　as　the　furriner　was　hyeh。〃

The　girl　was　roused　instantly；　but　she　said　nothing；　and　he　continued；　in　a　determined　tone：

〃Easter；　thar's　a　good　deal　I've　wanted　to　say　to　ye　fer　a　long　time；　but　I　hev　kept　a…puttin'　hit　off　until　I'm　afeard　maybe　hit　air　too　late。　But　I'm　a…goin'　to　say　hit　now；　and　I　want　ye　to　listen。〃　He　cleared　his　throat　huskily。　〃　Do　ye　know；　Easter；　what　folks　in　the　mountains　is　a…sayin'？

The　girl's　quick　insight　told　her　what　was　coming；　and　her　face　hardened。

〃Have　ye　ever　knowed　me；　Sherd　Raines；　to　keer　what　folks　in　the　mountains　say？　I　reckon　ye　mean　as　how　they　air　a…talkin'　about　me

That's　what　I　mean；〃　said　the　mountaineer…〃　you　'n'　him。〃

〃Whut　air　they　a…sayin'？〃　she　asked；　defiantly。　Raines　watched　her　narrowly。

〃They　air　a…sayin'　as　how　he　air　a…comin'　up　here　mighty　often；　as　how　Easter　Hicks；　who　hev　never　keered　fer　no　man；　air　in　love　with　this　furriner　from　the　settlemints。〃

The　girl　reddened；　in　spite　of　her