The Misses Cheesborough had the best authority for saying that Albert had acted in the most malignant12 and shameful13 manner, seizing the farm, and turning poor Seth out of doors, and it was more than a suspicion in their minds that the feeble old father would soon be railroaded off to an asylum14.
On the other hand, Miss Tabitha Wilcox, who by superior vigor15 and resource held her own very well against the combined Misses Cheesbrough, knew, absolutely knew, that Albert had behaved most handsomely, paying off all the mortgages, making a will in favor of John and Seth, and agreeing to send Seth to College, and what was more, Miss Tabitha would not be surprised, though some others might be, if the public-spirited Albert erected16 a new library building in Thessaly as a donation to the village.
Between these two bold extremes there was room for many shades of variation in the story, and many original bents of speculation17. Down at the cheese factory they even professed18 to have heard that a grand coal deposit had been surreptitiously discovered on the Fairchild farm, and that Albert was merely the agent of a syndicate of city speculators who would presently begin buying all the land roundabout. Old Elhanan Pratt did not credit this, but he did write to his son in Albany, a clerk in one of the departments, to find out if a charter for a railroad near Thessaly had been applied19 for. The worst of it was, neither John nor Seth would talk, and as for Albert, he had gone back to New York, leaving his wife behind.
On the farm the fortnight following the funeral passed without event. In the lull20 of field labor21 which precedes haying time, there was not much for Seth to do. He went down to the river several times on solitary fishing trips; it seemed to him now that he was saying farewell not only to the one pastime which never failed him in interest or delight, but to the valley itself, and the river. How fond he was of the stream, and all its belongings22!
More like home than even the old farmhouse6 on the hill seemed some of these haunts to which he now said good-bye—the shadowed pool under the butternut tree, with its high steep bank of bare clay where, just under the overhanging cornice of sod, the gypsy swallows had made holes for their nests, and at the black base of which silly rock bass23 lay waiting for worms and hooks; the place further up where the river grew sharply narrow, and deep dark water sped swiftly under an ancient jam of rotting logs, and where by creeping cautiously through the alders24, and gaining a foothold on the birch which was the key to the obstructing25 pile, there were pike to be had for the throwing, and sometimes exciting struggles with angry black bass, who made the pole bend like a whip, and had an evil trick of cutting the line back under the logs; and then the broader stretch of water below the ruined paper mill’s dam, where the wading26 in the thigh-deep rifts27 was so pleasant, and where the white fish would bite in the swift water almost as gamely as trout28, if one had only the knack29 of playing his line rightly in the eddies30.
A score of these spots Seth had known and loved from the boyhood of twine31 and pin hooks; they seemed almost sacredly familiar now, as he wandered up and down the stream, dividing his attention between the lures32 and wiles33 of the angler’s art and musings on the vast change of scene which was so close before him. Ah, how fair were the day dreams he had idly, fondly built for himself here in these old haunts, with kingfishers and water rats for sympathizers, and the ceaseless murmur34 of the water, the buzz of the locusts35 in the sun, the croak36 of the frogs among the reeds, for a soft inspiring chorus of accompaniment to his thoughts!
Now these dreams were really to come true; he was actually going to the city, to wear decent clothes, to mingle37 as much as he chose with men of wisdom and refinement38, to attain39 that one aim and vision of his life, a place on a great paper!
It was only here by the river, rod in hand, that he seemed able to fully40 realize the beatitude of the vista41. So as often as he could he came, and if there was a ground note of sorrow at leaving these nooks, this dear old river, there was also a triumphant42 song of exaltation in the air, the water, the sunshine, which he could not hear on the farm.
Partly because these excursions generally led him from the house before she made her appearance mornings, partly because he felt vaguely43 that his own victory over fate involved disappointment for her, Seth did not see much of Isabel during her husband’s absence. So far as he knew, she had taken the news of Albert’s determination to move into the country quietly enough. Neither by word or sign had she discovered to Seth any distaste for the prospect44. But none the less he had a half-guilty conviction that she did not like it, and that she must blame him, or at least have some feeling against him, for it. She had spoken so earnestly to him about the curse of existence in the country; it was not conceivable to him that she should suddenly accept for herself without protests or repining, the very life she had thus commiserated46 with him about.
Yet it seemed after all that he was mistaken. It was the evening after Albert’s return, and Annie had come over after supper, ostensibly to borrow a wrapper-pattern from Isabel, but really, it need not be doubted, to hear the news.
What news there was to be given out the eldest47 brother dispensed48 to the family circle, after Alvira had cleared away the “tea-things.”
That domestic had a clear idea of making one in the circle, and, hastening in from the kitchen without her apron49, drew up a chair to sit with the others, and enjoy the revelations which, from Albert’s manner during supper, all felt to be impending50. But the invasion of city manners, which she and Milton had deplored51 and ridiculed52 for a fortnight back, had an unsuspected bitterness in its train for her. The lawyer looked at her coolly, as he struck a match on the under side of the mantel-piece, and asked: “Hadn’t you better go out, Alvira, and see that the chickens don’t get into the kitchen?”—and she flounced out again, with nose in air, and black eyes flashing.
Albert lighted his cigar, put an arm chair down near the old rocker in which his father sat and took his seat. Near the open door, overlooking the farmyard and the barns, and full in the light from the west, sat Miss Sabrina, knitting, and Isabel, with a paper. At the latter’s feet, on a hassock, was Annie, and Seth sat on the doorstep.
“Father,” said Albert, “things have been arranged in New York so that I can speak, now, about the plans which I hinted of ten days ago.”
The old man nodded his head, and said plaintively53, “Whatever yew54 think best, Albert, s’long as the boys git a fair shaow.”
“You needn’t worry about that. My business is settled now, I think, so that I can live here six or eight months in the year, say from March till October, running down occasionally, perhaps, but making this my residence. I will take up all the mortgages—perhaps buy back some of the old farm, may be all of it. There are three or four ways in which this can be equitably55 arranged—we’ll talk of those in detail later on, some day when John can come up. I will have the carpenters here in a few days, to look over the house, and figure on putting it in first-class repair. The barns will have to be new throughout. There must be new machinery56, new fences, and a pretty thorough weeding out of the cattle. We shall want a carriage house—but then its no use of enumerating57, there is so much to be done. We will put some money into horseflesh down on Long Island, and see if something can’t be done in the way of a stock-farm. I’m thinking of a trout pond, up beyond the orchard58, in the ravine there, too.”
“Oh, Albert, this is what I’ve be’n prayin’ for this thirty year!” It was Sabrina who spoke45. There were tears of joy in her eyes.
Lemuel Fairchild seemed rather dazed, not to say dismayed, at the prospect thus bewilderingly unfolded. “It’ll cost a heap o’ money, Albert,” he said at last, rather dubiously59, “an’ I dunnao’ ’baout yer gittin’ it back agin.”
“That will be my look out,” said the lawyer, confidently. “At any rate, Isabel and I will make a good home for you and Aunt Sabrina, as long as you both live. It will be a pleasant change for us both. As for Seth—”
There was a pause, and Annie nestled closer to Isabel, with a soft “Oh yes, about Seth.”
“As for Seth, it’s time he saw something of life besides grubbing here like a farm-hand. We will try and get along without him here. I’ve talked the matter over with a friend of mine, the proprietor60 of the Tecumseh Chronicle and he is willing to give him a start there, under the most favorable conditions. The salary will be small at first, of course, but I will supplement it with enough to give him a decent living, if he is frugal61. After that of course it all depends on himself.”
Seth stood up, as these last words were spoken, and replied, stammeringly62. “You needn’t be afraid of my not trying hard, Albert. I’m sure I’m very grateful to you. It’s more than I dared expect you would do for me.” He pushed his way past the women to shake hands with his brother, and say again “It’s so good of you.”
Albert received these expressions of gratitude63 benevolently64, adding some words of advice, and concluding with “You had better get ready to start as early next week as you can. One of the Chronicle men is going on a vacation, and its Workman’s idea that you would be handy in his absence. You could go, say, Wednesday, couldn’t you?”
“So far as getting ready is concerned, I don’t know that there is anything to do which couldn’t be done in a day. But—but—”
“Of course you will need some things. I’ll talk with you about that in the morning. We’ll drive down to Thessaly day after to-morrow together.” Albert rose with this to go out and see Milton, and the family interview was at an end.
Miss Sabrina hurried out to the kitchen, impatient to begin discussing with Alvira, as had been her wont65 for years, this new development in the affairs of the household.
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1
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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taverns
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| n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 ) | |
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3
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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6
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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farmhouses
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| n.农舍，农场的主要住房( farmhouse的名词复数 ) | |
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8
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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9
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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10
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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11
entity
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| n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物 | |
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12
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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13
shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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14
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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15
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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16
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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17
speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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18
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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19
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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21
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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22
belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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23
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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24
alders
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| n.桤木( alder的名词复数 ) | |
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25
obstructing
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| 阻塞( obstruct的现在分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
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26
wading
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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27
rifts
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| n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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29
knack
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| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
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30
eddies
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| （水、烟等的）漩涡，涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
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31
twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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32
lures
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| 吸引力，魅力（lure的复数形式） | |
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33
wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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34
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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35
locusts
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| n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树 | |
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36
croak
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| vi.嘎嘎叫，发牢骚 | |
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37
mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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38
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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39
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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40
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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41
vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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42
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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43
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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44
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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45
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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46
commiserated
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| v.怜悯，同情( commiserate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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48
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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49
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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50
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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51
deplored
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| v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
ridiculed
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| v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
plaintively
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| adv.悲哀地，哀怨地 | |
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54
yew
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| n.紫杉属树木 | |
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55
equitably
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| 公平地 | |
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56
machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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57
enumerating
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| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的现在分词 ) | |
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58
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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59
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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60
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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61
frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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62
stammeringly
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| adv.stammering（口吃的）的变形 | |
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63
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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64
benevolently
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| adv.仁慈地，行善地 | |
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65
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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