The thing that decided1 it was the fact that she knew Colonel LouisWashington and had been to Bellair. She promised to introduce him.
To make sure of Brown's quixotic instructions about the sword andpistols he must make the trip. The drive in the snug2 little buggy alongthe river bank was a red letter experience in the young Westerner'slife.
Seated beside the modest slip of a Southern girl chatting with vivacityand a happiness she couldn't conceal3, the man forgot that he was aconspirator in a plot to deluge4 a nation in blood. He forgot the longnights of hiding in woods and ravines. He forgot dark deeds of sackingand robbery. He was just a boy again. The sun was shining in the gloryof a sweet spring morning in the mountains. The flowers were blooming inthe hedges. He smelled the wild cherry, blackberry and dewberry bushes.
Birds were singing. The new green of the leaves was dazzling in itssplendor. The air was pure and sweet and sent the blood bounding to thetips of his fingers.
He glanced at the soft red cheeks of the girl beside him and a greatyearning for a home and babies and peace overwhelmed him. His lipstrembled and his eyes filled with tears. He rebelled against the task towhich he had put his hand.
"Why so pensive5?" she asked with a laugh.
"Am I?""You haven't spoken for a mile.""I'm just so happy, I reckon," he answered seriously.
He remembered his grim task and threw off the spell. He must keep acool head and a strong hand. He remembered the strange old man to whose"Constitution" he had sworn allegiance in Canada and began to talk incommonplaces.
To the girl's romantic ears they had meaning. Every tone of his voicefascinated her. The mystery about him held her imagination. She was sureit was full of thrilling adventure. He would tell her some day. Shewondered why he had waited so long. He had been on the point of tellinghis love again and again and always stopped with an ugly frown. Shewondered sometimes if his life had been spoiled by some tragedy. Athousand times she asked herself the question whether he might bemarried and separated from a wife. He had lived in the North. He hadtold her many places he had seen. People were divorced sometimes in theNorth. She dismissed the thought as absurd and resigned herself again tothe charms of his companionship.
Colonel Washington was delighted to see again the daughter of an oldfriend. Her father had been his companion on many a hunting and fishingtrip.
Virginia introduced her companion.
"My friend, Mr. John Cook, Colonel Washington."The colonel extended his hand cordially.
"Glad to meet you, young man. A friend of Virginia's is a friend ofmine, sir.""Thank you.""Walk right in, children, sit down and make yourselves at home. I'llfind that damned old lazy butler of mine and get you some refreshments7.""Let's sit outside," Virginia whispered.
"No," Cook protested. "I want to see the inside of a Washington home."The Colonel waved his arm toward the house.
"With you in a minute, children. Walk right in.""Of course, if you wish it," the girl said softly.
They entered the fine old house, and sat down in the hall. Cook smiledat the easy fulfillment of his task. Directly in front of the door, setin a deep panel, was the portrait of the first President. On the rightin a smaller panel hung the sword which Frederick the Great had givenhim. On the other side, the pistols from the hands of Lafayette. A tiny,gold plate, delicately engraved8, marked each treasure.
Virginia showed him these souvenirs of her country's history. She spokeof them with breathless awe9. She laughed with girlish pride.
"Aren't they just grand?"Cook nodded.
He felt guilty of treachery. A betrayal of Southern hospitality inthis sweet girl's presence! He ground his teeth at the thought of hisweakness the next moment.
Colonel Washington appeared through the door from the dining room. Hewas followed by his ancient butler, bearing a tray filled with drinks.
The Colonel served them with his own hand. The negro grinned his welcometo the guests. At the sight of a slave, Cook was himself again. His jawclosed and his eye flashed. He was once more the disciple10 of the Man ofthe Blood-Feud.
Washington handed a tall glass to Virginia.
"Your lemonade, young lady. I know your taste and approve."He bowed low and gave her the drink.
He took two glasses of mint juleps, one in each hand.
"Mr. Cook, the favorite drink of these mountains, sir, as pure as itsdews, as refreshing11 as its air--the favorite drink of old Virginia. Toyour good health, sir!"Cook's head barely moved and he drank in silence.
He held his mood of reserve on the drive home. In vain the girl smiledand coaxed12 his dreary13 spirits. He refused to respond. They passed thesame wonderful views, the same birds were singing, the same watersfoaming and laughing over the rocks below. The man heard nothing, sawnothing, save a vision inside his raging soul. He saw men riding throughthe night to that house. He saw black hands grip iron pikes and knock atthe door of its great hall.
There was a far-away look in his keen eyes--eyes that could sight arifle with deadly aim.
The slender girl nestled closer in wonder at the veil that had suddenlydropped between them. The fires of youth and passion responded for amoment to this instinctive14 stir of his mate. Resistance was agony. Hisarm moved to encircle her waist. He turned in an impulse to kiss herlips and whisper the mad things his heart was saying.
He caught himself in time.
What had he to do with this eternal call of the human heart to love andbe loved? It meant home, it meant tenderness. It meant peace and goodwill15 to every living thing. He had come to kill, not to love; todestroy, not build homes.
Again he rebelled against his hideous16 task. And then he remembered JohnBrown and all for which he stood. His oath crashed through his memory.
He resolved to put every thought of tenderness, beauty, and love underhis feet and trample17 them. It was the only way to save himself and thisgirl.
It would be hard--but he would do it. For an entire week he did notspeak to her except in monosyllables. He made no effort to hide hisdecision. He wanted her to see and know the firm purpose within hisheart.
Her eyes followed him with a look of dumb anguish18. If she had spoken inreproaches he would have fought and withstood her. Her silence was morethan he could bear.
On the sixth day of his resolution he saw that she had been crying. Shesmiled and tried to hide it, but he knew. He would go for a walk to theHeights and cheer her up a bit. It wasn't necessary to be brutal19.
Her brown eyes began to smile again. They walked over the Heights anddown a steep pathway among the rocks to the river's edge and sat down ona boulder20 worn smooth by the waters of the spring floods.
The ripple21 of the current made soft music. They were silent for a longtime and then she turned toward him a tender, questioning gaze. In spiteof her effort to be strong a tear stole down the firm young cheek.
"What have I done to make you angry?""Nothing," he answered in a whisper.
"What's the matter, then?"He took her hand and held it in a cruel grip before he spoke6. His wordscame at last in passionate22 pleading.
"Oh, dear little girl, can't you see how I've been fighting this thingfor months--how I've tried to keep away from you and couldn't?""Why?"She breathed the question leaning so close that her lips framed a kiss.
"I can't tell you," he said.
"But you must! You must!" she pleaded.
Tears were in his eyes now. He looked away.
"A gulf23 separates us, child.""How can it?" she whispered tenderly.
"It's just there!""Can't you cross it?""No."She drew her slender body erect24 with an effort. She tried to speak twicebefore she succeeded.
"You--are--married--then?""Oh--no--no--not that--no!"She bent25 close again, a sweet smile breaking through her tears.
"Then you can tell me what it is.""I couldn't tell it, even to my wife."Her brow contracted in a puzzled look.
"It's nothing low or dishonorable?""No. And it belongs to the big things of life-and death.""And I cannot know this secret?""You cannot know. I have taken an oath.""And it separates us?""Yes.""But why--if--you--love--me--and I love--you--"She paused and blushed scarlet26. She had told a man her love before hehad spoken. But he _had_ spoken! His voice, his tears, his tones hadtold her.
He looked at her a moment, trembling. He spoke one word at a time as ifhe had no breath to finish the sentence.
"It's--sweet--to--hear--your--dear--lips--say--that--you--love--me--Godknows I love you--you-dear-little-angel-sent-from heaven! I'm not worthyto touch your hand and yet I'm crushing it--I can't help it--I can't-Ican't."She slipped into his arms and he crushed her to his heart.
"I love you," she whispered. "I can trust you. I'll never ask yoursecret until you wish to tell me. Just love me, forever. That's all Iask.""I can do that, and I will!" he answered solemnly.
They were married the next night in the parsonage of the MethodistChurch of which she was a member. And the foundation was laid for atragedy involving more lives than one.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
snug
|
|
| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
deluge
|
|
| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
pensive
|
|
| a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
refreshments
|
|
| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
engraved
|
|
| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
awe
|
|
| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
disciple
|
|
| n.信徒，门徒，追随者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
refreshing
|
|
| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
coaxed
|
|
| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
dreary
|
|
| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
instinctive
|
|
| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
goodwill
|
|
| n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
hideous
|
|
| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
trample
|
|
| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
anguish
|
|
| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
brutal
|
|
| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
boulder
|
|
| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
ripple
|
|
| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
passionate
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
gulf
|
|
| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
erect
|
|
| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
scarlet
|
|
| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |