Idonotknowwithwhichofthetwoestimates——Mr。Taylor’sortheVirginian’s——youagreed。DidyouthinkthatMissMaryStarkWoodofBennington,Vermont,wasfortyyearsofage?Thatwouldhavebeenanerror。AtthetimeshewrotethelettertoMrs。
Balaam,ofwhichlettercertainportionshavebeenquotedinthesepages,shewasinhertwenty-firstyear;or,tobemoreprecise,shehadbeentwentysomeeightmonthsprevious。
Now,itisnotusualforyoungladiesoftwentytocontemplateajourneyofnearlytwothousandmilestoacountrywhereIndiansandwildanimalsliveunchained,unlesstheyaretomakesuchjourneyincompanywithaprotector,oraregoingtoaprotector’sarmsattheotherend。NorisschoolteachingonBearCreekausualambitionforsuchyoungladies。
ButMissMaryStarkWoodwasnotausualyoungladyfortworeasons。
First,therewasherdescent。Hadshesowished,shecouldhavebelongedtoanynumberofthosepatrioticsocietiesofwhichourAmericanearshavegrownaccustomedtohearsomuch。ShecouldhavebeenenrolledintheBostonTeaParty,theEthanAllenTiconderogas,theGreenMountainDaughters,theSaratogaSacredCircle,andtheConfederatedColonialChatelaines。Shetraceddirectdescentfromthehistoricladywhosenameshebore,thatMollyStarkwhowasnotawidowafterthebattlewhereherlord,herCaptainJohn,battledsobravelyastosendhisnamethrillingdownthroughthebloodofgenerationsofschoolboys。
ThisancestresswasherchiefclaimtobeamemberofthoseshiningsocietieswhichIhaveenumerated。Butshehadbeenwillingtojoinnoneofthem,althoughinvitationstodosowerebynomeanslacking。Icannottellyouherreason。Still,Icantellyouthis。Whenthesesocietiesweremuchspokenofinherpresence,herverysprightlycountenancebecamemoresprightly,andsheaddedherwordsofpraiseorrespecttothegeneralchorus。Butwhenshereceivedaninvitationtojoinoneofthesebodies,hercountenance,asshereadthemissive,wouldassumeanexpressionwhichwasknowntoherfriendsas“slickinghernoseintheair。“IdonotthinkthatMolly’sreasonforrefusingtojoincouldhavebeenatrulygoodone。Ishouldaddthathermostpreciouspossession——atreasurewhichaccompaniedherevenifshewentawayforonlyonenight’sabsence——wasanheirloom,alittleminiatureportraitoftheoldMollyStark,paintedwhenthatfar-offdamemusthavebeenscarcemorethantwenty。AndwheneachsummertheyoungMollywenttoDunbarton,NewHampshire,topayherestablishedfamilyvisittothelastsurvivorsofherconnectionwhoborethenameofStark,nowordthatsheheardintheDunbartonhousespleasedhersomuchaswhenacertaingreat-auntwouldtakeherbythehand,and,afterlookingwithfondintentnessather,pronounce:“Mydear,you’regettingmoreliketheGeneral’swifeeveryyearyoulive。“
“Isupposeyoumeanmynose,“Mollywouldthenreply。
“Nonsense,child。Youhavethefamilylengthofnose,andI’veneverheardthatithasdisgracedus。“
“ButIdon’tthinkI’mtallenoughforit。“
“Therenow,runtoyourroom,anddressfortea。TheStarkshavealwaysbeenpunctual。“
Andafterthisannualconversation,Mollywouldruntoherroom,andthereinitsprivacy,evenattheriskoffallingbelowthepunctualityoftheStarks,shewouldconsulttwoobjectsforquiteaminutebeforeshebegantodress。Theseobjects,asyouhavealreadycorrectlyguessed,weretheminiatureoftheGeneral’swifeandthelookingglass。
SomuchforMissMollyStarkWood’sdescent。
Thesecondreasonwhyshewasnotausualgirlwashercharacter。
Thischaracterwastheresultofprideandfamilypluckbattlingwithfamilyhardship。
Justoneyearbeforeshewastobepresentedtotheworld——notthegreatmetropolitanworld,butaworldthatwouldhavemadeherwelcomeanddoneherhomageatitslittledancesandlittledinnersinTroyandRutlandandBurlington——fortunehadturnedherbackupontheWoods。Theirpossessionshadneverbeengreatones;buttheyhadsufficed。Fromgenerationtogenerationthefamilyhadgonetoschoollikegentlefolk,dressedlikegentlefolk,usedthespeechandwaysofgentlefolk,andasgentlefolklivedanddied。Andnowthemillsfailed。
Insteadofthinkingaboutherfirsteveningdress,Mollyfoundpupilstowhomshecouldgivemusiclessons。Shefoundhandkerchiefsthatshecouldembroiderwithinitials。Andshefoundfruitthatshecouldmakeintopreserves。Thatmachinecalledthetypewriterwastheninexistence,butthedayofwomentypewritershadasyetscarcelybeguntodawn,elseIthinkMollywouldhavepreferredthisoccupationtothehandkerchiefsandthepreserves。
TherewerepeopleinBenningtonwho“wonderedhowMissWoodcouldgoaboutfromhousetohouseteachingthepiano,andshealady。“
Therealwayshavebeensuchpeople,Isuppose,becausetheworldmustalwayshavearubbishheap。ButweneednotdwelluponthemfurtherthantomentiononeotherremarkoftheirsregardingMolly。TheyallwithonevoicedeclaredthatSamBannettwasgoodenoughforanybodywhodidfancyembroideryatfivecentsaletter。
“Idaresayhehadagreat-grandmotherquiteasgoodashers,“
remarkedMrs。Flynt,thewifeoftheBaptistminister。
“That’sentirelypossible,“returnedtheEpiscopalrectorofHoosic,“onlywedon’thappentoknowwhoshewas。“TherectorwasafriendofMolly’s。Afterthislittleobservation,Mrs。
Flyntsaidnomore,butcontinuedherpurchasesinthestorewheresheandtherectorhadhappenedtofindthemselvestogether。LatershestatedtoafriendthatshehadalwaysthoughttheEpiscopalChurchasnobbishone,andnowsheknewit。
SopublicopinionwentonbeingindignantoverMolly’sconduct。
Shecouldstooptoworkformoney,andyetshepretendedtoholdherselfabovethemostrisingyoungmaninHoosicFalls,andalljustbecausetherewasadifferenceintheirgrandmothers!
Wasthisthereasonatthebottomofit?Theverybottom?I
cannotbecertain,becauseIhaveneverbeenagirlmyself。
Perhapsshethoughtthatworkisnotastooping,andthatmarriagemaybe。Perhaps——ButallIreallyknowisthatMollyWoodcontinuedcheerfullytoembroiderthehandkerchiefs,makethepreserves,teachthepupils——andfirmlytorejectSamBannett。
Thusitwentonuntilshewastwenty。TherecertainmembersofherfamilybegantotellherhowrichSamwasgoingtobe——was,indeed,already。ItwasatthistimethatshewroteMrs。BalaamherdoubtsandherdesiresastomigratingtoBearCreek。Itwasatthistimealsothatherfacegrewalittlepaler,andherfriendsthoughtthatshewasoverworked,andMrs。Flyntfearedshewaslosingherlooks。Itwasatthistime,too,thatshegrewveryintimatewiththatgreat-auntoveratDunbarton,andfromherreceivedmuchcomfortandstrengthening。
“Never!“saidtheoldlady,“especiallyifyoucan’tlovehim。“
“Idolikehim,“saidMolly;“andheisverykind。“
“Never!“saidtheoldladyagain。“WhenIdie,you’llhavesomething——andthatwillnotbelongnow。“
Mollyflungherarmsaroundheraunt,andstoppedherwordswithakiss。Andthenonewinterafternoon,twoyearslater,camethelaststraw。
Thefrontdooroftheoldhousehadshut。Outofithadsteppedthepersistentsuitor。Mrs。Flyntwatchedhimdriveawayinhissmartsleigh。
“Thatgirlisafool!“shesaidfuriously;andshecameawayfromherbedroomwindowwhereshehadpostedherselfforobservation。
Insidetheoldhouseadoorhadalsoshut。ThiswasthedoorofMolly’sownroom。Andthereshesat,infloodsoftears。Forshecouldnotbeartohurtamanwholovedherwithallthepoweroflovethatwasinhim。
Itwasabouttwilightwhenherdooropened,andanelderlyladycamesoftlyin。
“Mydear,“sheventured,“andyouwerenotable——“
“Oh,mother!“criedthegirl,“haveyoucometosaythattoo?“
ThenextdayMissWoodhadbecomeveryhard。InthreeweeksshehadacceptedthepositiononBearCreek。Intwomonthsshestarted,heart-heavy,butwithaspiritcravingtheunknown。
IX。THESPINSTERMEETSTHEUNKNOWN
OnaMondaynoonasmallcompanyofhorsemenstrungoutalongthetrailfromSunkCreektogathercattleovertheirallottedsweepofrange。Springwasbackward,andthey,astheyrodegallopingandgatheringuponthecoldweek’swork,cursedcheerilyandoccasionallysang。TheVirginianwasgraveinbearingandofinfrequentspeech;buthekeptasonggoing——amatterofsomeseventy-nineverses。Seventy-eightwerequiteunprintable,andrejoicedhisbrothercowpunchersmonstrously。They,knowinghimtobeasingularman,foreboreevertopresshim,andawaitedhisownhumor,lestheshouldwearyofthelyric;andwhenafteradayofsilenceapparentlysaturnine,hewouldlifthisgentlevoiceandbegin:
“IfyougotomonkeywithmyLooloogirl,I’lltellyouwhatI’lldo:
I’llcyarveyourheartwithmyrazor,AND
I’llshootyouwithmypistol,too——“
thentheywouldstridentlytakeupeachlastline,andkeepitgoingthree,four,tentimes,andkickholesinthegroundtotheswingofit。
BythelevelsofBearCreekthatreachlikeinletsamongthepromontoriesofthelonelyhills,theycameupontheschoolhouse,roofedandreadyforthefirstnativeWyomingcrop。Itsymbolizedthedawnofaneighborhood,anditbroughtachangeintothewildernessair。Thefeelofitstruckcolduponthefreespiritsofthecow-punchers,andtheytoldeachotherthat,whatwithwomenandchildrenandwirefences,thiscountrywouldnotlongbeacountryformen。Theystoppedforamealatanoldcomrade’s。Theylookedoverhisgate,andtherehewaspatteringamonggardenfurrows。
“Pickin’nosegays?“inquiredtheVirginianandtheoldcomradeaskediftheycouldnotrecognizepotatoesexceptinthedish。
Buthegrinnedsheepishlyatthem,too,becausetheyknewthathehadnotalwayslivedinagarden。Thenhetookthemintohishouse,wheretheysawanobjectcrawlingonthefloorwithahandfulofsulphurmatches。Hebegantoremovethematches,butstoppedinalarmatthevociferousresult;andhiswifelookedinfromthekitchentocautionhimabouthumoringlittleChristopher。
WhenshebeheldthematchesshewasaghastbutwhenshesawherbabygrowquietinthearmsoftheVirginian,shesmiledatthatcowpuncherandreturnedtoherkitchen。
ThentheVirginianslowlyspokeagain:“Howmanylittlestrangershaveyu’got,James?
“Onlytwo。“
“My!Ain’titmostthreeyearssinceyu’maried?Yu’mustn’tlettimecreepahaido’yu’,James。
Thefatheroncemoregrinnedathisguests,whothemselvesturnedsheepishandpolite;forMrs。Westfallcamein,briskandhearty,andsetthemeatuponthetable。Afterthat,itwasshewhotalked。Theguestsatescrupulously,muttering,“Yes,ma’am,“and“No,ma’am,“intheirplates,whiletheirhostesstoldthemofincreasingfamiliesuponBearCreek,andtheexpectedschool-teacher,andlittleAlfred’searlyteething,andhowitwastimeforallofthemtobecomehusbandslikeJames。Thebachelorsofthesaddlelistened,alwaysdiffident,buteatingheartilytotheend;andsoonaftertheyrodeawayinathoughtfulclump。ThewivesofBearCreekwerefewasyet,andthehomesscattered;theschoolhousewasonlyasprigonthevastfaceofaworldofelkandbearanduncertainIndians;butthatnight,whentheearthnearthefirewaslitteredwiththecow-punchers’beds,theVirginianwashearddrawlingtohimself:
“AlfredandChristopher。Oh,sugar!“
Theyfoundpleasureinthedelicatelychosenshadeofthisoath。
HealsorecitedtothemanewverseabouthowhetookhisLooloogirltotheschoolhousefortolearnherABC;andasitwasquiteoriginalandunprintable,thecamplaughedandsworejoyfully,androlledinitsblanketstosleepunderthestars。
UponaMondaynoonlikewiseforthingswillhappensosometearfulpeopleinpetticoatswavedhandkerchiefsatatrainthatwasjustleavingBennington,Vermont。Agirl’sfacesmiledbackatthemonce,andwithdrewquickly,fortheymustnotseethesmiledieaway。
Shehadwithheralittlemoney,afewclothes,andinhermindarigiddeterminationneithertobeaburdentohermothernortogiveintothatmother’sdesires。Absencealonewouldenablehertocarryoutthisdetermination。Beyondthesethings,shepossessednotmuchexceptspelling-books,acolonialminiature,andthatcravingfortheunknownwhichhasbeenmentioned。Iftheancestorsthatwecarryshutupinsideustaketurnsindictatingtousouractionsandourstateofmind,undoubtedlyGrandmotherStarkwasempressofMolly’sspirituponthisMonday。
AtHoosicJunction,whichcamesoon,shepassedtheup-trainboundbacktoherhome,andseeingtheengineerandtheconductor,——facesthatsheknewwell,——hercouragenearlyfailedher,andsheshuthereyesagainstthisglimpseofthefamiliarthingsthatshewasleaving。Tokeepherselfsteadyshegrippedtightlyalittlebunchofflowersinherhand。
Butsomethingcausedhereyestoopen;andtherebeforeherstoodSamBannett,askingifhemightaccompanyhersofarasRotterdamJunction“No!“shetoldhimwithaseveritybornfromthestruggleshewasmakingwithhergrief。“Notamilewithme。NottoEagleBridge。
Good-by。“
第11章