Upon whatever fundamental scheme we perseveringly1 concentrate our powers, upon whatever main road of occupation we take life's journey,--art, politics, commerce, science,--if only we will take its upper fork as often as the road divides, then will that road itself, and not necessarily any cross-road, lead us to the noblest, truest plane of convictions, affections, aspirations2. Such a frame of mind may be quite without religiosity, as unconscious as health; but the proof of its religious reality will be that, as if it were a lighthouse light and we its keeper, everybody else, or at any rate everybody out on the deep, will see it plainer than we. Such is the gist3 of what this young man was saying to me, when our speculations4 were brought to an end by our overtaking a man well mounted, and a woman whose rough-gaited was followed by a colt.
The pair took our pace, the man plying5 me with questions, and his wife, in front, telling Lieutenant6 Durand all the rumors7 of the day. Her scant8 hair was of a scorched9 red tone, she was freckled10 down into her collar, her elbows waggled to the mare's jog, and her voice was as flat as a duck's. Her nag11 had trouble to keep up, and her tiny faded bonnet12 had even more to keep on. Yet the day was near when the touch of those freckled hands was to seem to me kinder than the breath of flowers, as they bathed my foul-smelling wounds, and she would say, in the words of the old song, "Let me kiss him for his mother," and I should be helpless to prevent her. By and by the man raised his voice:--
"Why, yo' name is Smith, to be sho'! I thought you was jest a-tryin' to chaw me. Why, Major Harper alludened to you not mo'n a half-ow ago. Why, Miz Wall! oh, Miz Wall!"
But the wife was absorbed. "Yayse, seh," she was saying to the lieutenant, "and he told us about they comin' in on the freight-kyahs f'om Hazlehurst black with dust and sut and a-smuttyin' him all oveh with they kisses and goin's-on. He tol' me he ain't neveh so enjoyed havin' his face dirty sence he was a boy. He would a-been plumb13 happy, ef on'y he could a-got his haynds on that clerk o' his'n. And when he tol' us what a gay two-hoss turn-out he'd sekyo'ed for the ladies to travel in, s' I, Majo', that's all right! You jest go on whicheveh way you got to go! Husband and me, we'll ride into Brookhaven and bring 'em out to ow place and jest take ca'e of 'em untel yo' clerk is found."
"Miz Wall!" cried the husband--"She's busy talkin'.--Miz Wall!--she don't hyuh me. I hate to interrupt heh.--Oh, Miz Wall! hyuh's Majo' Harper's clerk, right now!"
"Law, you hain't!" cried Mrs. Wall, smiling back as she jounced. "If you air, the Majo's sisteh's got written awdehs fo' you."
I shot forward, but had hardly more than sent back my good-bye when around a bend of the road, in a wagon14 larger than Charlotte Oliver's, with the curtains rolled up, came the four Miss Harpers, unsooted and radiant. The aunt drove. We turned, all four, and rode with them, and while the seven chatted gaily15 I read to myself the Major's note. It bade me take these four ladies into my most jealous care and conduct them to a point about thirty miles west of where we then were. A dandy's task in a soldier's hour! I ground my teeth, but as I lifted my glance I found Camille's eyes resting on me and read anxiety in them before she could put on a smile of unemotional friendliness16 that faded rapidly into abstraction. She was as pretty as the bough17 of wild azaleas in her hand, yet moving forward I told her aunt the order's purport18 and that it implied the greatest despatch19 compatible with mortal endurance. The whole four seemed only delighted.
But Mrs. Wall protested. No, no, her hospitality first, and a basket of refreshments20 to be stowed in the vehicle, besides. "Why, that'll sa-ave ti-ime. You-all goin' to be supprised to find how hungry y'all ah, befo' you come to yo' journey's en', to-night, and them col' victuals21 goin' taste pow'ful fi-ine!"
Our acceptance was unanimous. I even decided22 not to inform Lieutenant Durand until after the repast, that ladies under my escort did not pick acquaintanceship with soldiers on the public highway. But before the brief meal was over I was wishing him hanged. Hang the heaven-high theories that had so lately put me in love with him! Hang his melodious23 voice, his modest composure, his gold-barred collar, his easy command of topics! Hang the women! they feasted on his every word and look! Ah, ladies! if I were mean enough to tell it--that man doesn't believe in hell! He has a down-dragging hunger for every base indulgence; he has told me so!
How fast acquaintance grew! When he addressed himself to Cécile, the cousin of the other two, her black eyes leapt with delight; for as calmly as if that were the only way, he spoke24 to her in French--asked her a question. She gave answer in happiest affirmation, and explained to her aunt that her Durand schoolmates of a year or two back were cousins to the Lieutenant. When the throng25 came out to the carry-all I was there and mounted. Squire26 Wall took me a few rods to point out where a fork of his private road led into the highway. Then the carry-all came merrily after, and with a regret that surprised me I answered our Lieutenant's farewell wave, forgave him all his charms, and saw him face westward27 and disappear by a bridle-path.
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1
perseveringly
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| 坚定地 | |
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2
aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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gist
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| n.要旨；梗概 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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5
plying
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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7
rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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8
scant
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| adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略 | |
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scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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10
freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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plumb
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| adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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15
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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purport
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| n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是... | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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victuals
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| n.食物；食品 | |
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22
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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23
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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24
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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25
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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26
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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27
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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