the red acorn- 第8部分

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Tabitha　Grimes；　with　a　premeditated　acerbity　apparent　even　in　the　threading　of　her　needle；　into　the　eye　of　which　she　thrust　the　thread　as　if　piercing　the　flesh　of　an　enemy　with　a　barb；　〃yes；〃　she　pulled　the　thread　through　with　a　motion　as　if　she　enjoyed　its　rasping　against　the　steel。　　〃Rachel　Bond　started　into　this　work　quite　as　brash　as　Harry　Glen　started　into　the　war。　　Her　enthusiasm　died　out　about　as　quickly　as　his　courage；　when　it　came　to　the　actual　business；　and　she　found　there　was　nobody　to　admire　her　industry；　or　the　way　she　got　herself　up；　except　a　parcel　of　married　women。〃

The　milk　of　human　kindness　had　begun　to　curdle　in　Mrs。　Grimes's　bosom；　at　an　early　and　now　rather　remote　age。　　Years　of　unavailing　struggle　to　convince　Mr。　Jason　Grimes　that　more　of　his　valuable　time　should　be　devoted　to　providing　for　the　wants　of　his　family；　and　less　to　leading　the　discussion　on　the　condition　of　the　country　in　the　free　parliament　that　met　around　the　stove　in　the　corner　grocery；　had　carried　forward　this　lacteal　fermentation　until　it　had　converted　the　milky　fluid　into　a　vinegarish　whey。

〃Well；　why　not？〃　asked　Elmira　Spelter；　the　main　grief　of　whose　life　was　time's　cruel　inflexibility　in　scoring　upon　her　face　unconcealable　tallies　of　every　one　of　his　yearly　flights　over　her　head；　〃why　shouldn't　she　enjoy　these　golden　days？　　Youth　is　passing；　to　her　and　to　all　of　us；　like　an　arrow　from　the　bow。　　It'd　be　absurd　for　her　to　waste　her　time　in　this　stuffy　old　place；　when　there　are　so　many　more　attractive　ones。　　It　ought　to　be　enough　that　those　of　us　who　have　only　a　few　remnants　of　beauty　left；　should　devote　them　to　this　work。〃

〃Well；〃　snapped　Mrs。　Grimes；　〃your　donation　of　good　looks　to　the　causeeven　if　you　give　all　you　gotwill　be　quite　modest；　something　on　the　widow's　mite　order。　　You　might　easily　obey　the　scriptural　injunction；　and　give　them　with　your　right　hand　without　your　left　knowing　what　was　being　done。〃

Elmira　winced　under　this　spiteful　bludgeoning；　but　she　rallied　and　came　back　at　her　antagonist。

〃Well；　my　dear；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃the　thought　often　occurs　to　me；　that　one　great　reason　why　we　both　have　been　able　to　keep　in　the　straight　and　narrow　path；　is　the　entire　lack　of　that　beauty　which　so　often　proves　a　snare　to　the　feet　of　even　the　best…intentioned　women。〃

It　was　Mrs。　Grimes's　turn　to　wince。

〃A　hit！　a　palpable　hit！〃　laughed　pretty　Anna　Bayne；　who　studied　and　quoted　Shakespeare。

〃The　mention　of　snares　reminds　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Grimes；　〃that　I；　at　least；　did　not　have　to　spread　any　to　catch　a　husband。〃

〃No；〃　returned　Elmira；　with　irritating　composure；　〃the　poorer　kinds　of　game　are　caught　without　taking　that　trouble。〃

〃Well〃Mrs。　Grimes's　temper　was　rising　so　rapidly　that　she　was　losing　her　usual　skill　in　this　verbal　fence〃Jason　Grimes；　no　doubt；　has　his　faults；　as　all　men　have；　but　he　is　certainly　better　than　no　husband　at　all。〃

〃That's　the　way　for　you　to　think；〃　said　Elmira；　composedly；　disregarding　the　thrust　at　her　own　celibacy。　　〃It's　very　nice　in　you　to　take　so　cheerful　a　view　of　it。　　SOMEBODY　had　to　marry　him；　doubtless；　and　it's　real　gratifying　to　see　one　accepting　the　visitations　of　Providence　in　so　commendable　a　spirit。〃

To　use　the　language　of　diplomacy；　the　relations　between　these　ladies　had　now　become　so　strained　that　a　rupture　seemed　unavoidable。

〃Heavens；　will　this　quarrel　ne'er　be　mended？〃　quoted　Anna　Bayne；　not　all　sorry　that　these　veteran　word…swordsmen；　dreaded　by　everybody；　were　for　once　turning　their　weapons　on　each　other。

Peace…making　was　one　of　the　prerogatives　assumed　by　Mrs。　Tufis；　as　belonging　to　the　social　leadership　to　which　she　had　elected　herself。　She　now　hastened　to　check　the　rapidly…opening　breach。

〃Ladies；〃　she　said　blandly；　〃the　discussion　has　wandered。　　Our　first　remarks　were；　I　believe　about　Miss　Bond；　and　there　was　a　surmise　as　to　her　reasons　for　discontinuing　attendance　upon　our　meetings。〃

The　diversion　had　the　anticipated　effect。　　The　two　disputants　gladly　quit　each　other；　to　turn　upon　and　rend　the　object　flung　in　between　them。

〃Why　Rachel　Bond　don't　come　here　any　more？〃　said　Mrs。　Grimes；　with　a　sniff　that　was　one　of　the　keenest…edged　weapons　in　her　controversial　armory。　　〃When　you　know　how　little　likely　she　is　to　do　anything　that's　not　going　to　be　for　her　benefit　in　some　way。　　She's　mighty　particular　in　everything；　but　more　particular　in　that　than　in　anything　else。〃

〃I'll　admit　that　there　is　reason　to　suspect　a　strain　of　selfishness　in　Rachel's　nature；〃　said　Anna　Bayne；　〃but　it's　the　only　blemish　among　her　many　good　qualities。　　Still；　I　think　you　do　her　an　injustice　in　attributing　her　absence　from　our　meetings　to　purely　selfish　motives。〃

〃Of　course；　we　all　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Elmira。　　〃She　set　her　cap　for　Harry　Glen；　and　played　her　cards　so　openly　and　boldly〃

〃I　should　say　'shamelessly；'〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Grimes。

〃Shamelessly；　my　dear？〃　　This　from　Mrs。　Tufis；　as　if　in　mild　expostulation。

〃Shamelessly；〃　repeated　Mrs。　Grimes；　firmly。

〃Well；　so　shamelessly；　if　you　choose；〃　continued　Elmira；　〃as　to　incur　the　ill…will　of　all　the　rest　of　the　girls〃

〃Whom　she　beat　at　a　game　in　which　they　all　played　their　best；〃　interrupted　Anna。

〃That's　an　unworthy　insinuation；〃　said　Elmira；　getting　very　red。　〃At　least；　no　one　can　say　I　played　any　cards　for　that　stake。〃

〃Wasn't　it　because　all　your　trumps　and　suit　had　been　played　out　in　previous　games？〃　　This　from　Mrs。　Grimes；　whose　smarting　wounds　still　called　for　vengeance。

For　an　instant　a　resumption　of　hostilities　was　threatened。　　Mrs。　Tufis　hastened　to　interpose：

〃There's　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　the　poor；　dear　girl　really　took　very　deeply　to　heart　the　stories　that　have　been　circulated　about　Harry　Glen's　conduct；　though　there　are　people　ready　to　say　that　she　was　quite　willing　to　play　the　role　of　the　stricken　one。　　It　really　makes　her　look　very　interesting。　　Mourning　and　the　plain　style　of　wearing　her　hair　suit　her　very；　VERY　well。　　I　do　not　think　I　ever　saw　her　looking　so　lovely　as　she　has　lately；　and　I　have　heard　quite　a　number　of　GENTLEMEN　say　the　same　thing。

〃If　she'd　had　real　spirit；〃　said　Mrs。　Grimes；　〃she'd　have　dropped　Harry　Glen　without　all　this　heroine…of…a…yellow…covered…novel　demonstration；　and　showed　her　contempt　of　the　fellow　by　going　ahead　just　as　usual；　pretending　that　his　conduct　was　nothing　to　her；　but　she's　a　deep　one。　　I'll　venture　anything　she's　got　a　well…laid　scheme；　that　none　of　us　dream　of。〃

〃Mrs。　Tufis；〃it　was　the　calm；　even　tones　of　Rachel　Bond's　voice　that　fell　upon　the　startled　ears　of　the　little　coterie　of　gossipers。　She　had　glided　in　unobserved　by　them　in　the　earnestness　of　their　debate。　　〃How　long　has　she　been　here　and　what　has　she　heard？〃　was　the　thrilling　question　that　each　addressed　to　herself。　　When　they　summoned　courage　to　look　up　at　her；　they　saw　her　standing　with　perfectly　composed　mien；　her　pale　face　bearing　the　pensive　expression　it　had　worn　for　weeks。　　With　subdued　and　kindly　manner　she　returned　the　affectionate　greetings　that　each　bestowed　on　her；　in　imitation　of　Mrs。　Tufis；　who　was　the　first　to　recover　her　wits　and　then　continued：

〃Mrs。　Tufis；　I　come　to　you；　as　president　of　this　society；　to　apologize　for　my　absence　from　so　many　of　your　meetings；　and　to　excuse　myself　on　the　ground　of　indisposition。〃　　（Mrs。　Grimes　darted　a　significant　look　at　Elmira。）　　〃I　also　want　to　announce　that；　as　I　have　determined　to　join　the　corps　of　nurses　for　the　field　hospitals；　which　Miss　Dix；　of　New　York；　is　organizing；　and　as　I　will　start　for　the　front　soon；　I　shall　have　to　ask　you　to　excuse　me　from　any　farther　attendance　upon　your　meetings；　and　drop　my　name　from　your　roll。〃

She　replied　pleasantly　to　a　flood　of　questions　and　expostulations；　which　the　crowd　that　gathered　around　poured　upon　her；　and　turning；　walked　quietly　away　to　her　home。





Chapter　VI。　　The　Awakening。




The　nobler　nature　within　him　stirred　To　life；　at　that　woman's　deed　and　word。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Whittier。


Deeper　emotions　than　he　had　felt　before　in　all　his　life　of　shallow　aimlessness　stirred　Harry　Glen's　bosom　as　he　turned　away　from　the　door　which　Rachel　Bond　closed　behind　her　with　a　decisive　promptness　that　chorded　well　with　her　resolute　composure　during　the　interview。

This　blow　fell　much　more　heavily　than　any　that　had　preceded　it；　because　it　descended　from　the　towering　height　to　which　he　had　raised　his　expectations　of　an　ardent　greeting　from　a　loving　girl；　eagerly　watching　for　his　return。

As　was　to　be　expected　from　one　of　his　nature；　he　forgot　entirely　his　ruminations　upon　the　advisability　of　discarding　her；　and　the　difficulty　he　experienced　in　devising　a　plan　whereby　this　could　be　done　easily　and　gracefully。　　He　only　thought　of　himself　as　the　blameless　victim　of　a　woman's　fickleness。　　The　bitter　things　he　had　read　and　heard　of　the　sex's　inconstancy　rose　in　his　mind；　as　acrid　bile　sometimes　ascends　in　one's　throat。

〃Here；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃is　an　instance　of　feminine　perfidy　equal　to　anything　that　Byron　ever　sneered　at。　　This　girl；　who　was　so　proud　to　receive　my　attentions　a　little　while　ago；　and　who　so　gladly　accepted　me　for　her　promised　husband；　now　turns　away　at　the　slightest　cloud　of　disapproval　falling　upon　me。　　And　to　think；　too；　how　I　have　given　her　all　my　heart；　and　lavished　upon　her　a　love　as　deep　and　true　as　ever　a　man　gave　a　woman。〃

He　was　sure　that　he　had　been　so　badly　used　as　to　have　sufficient　grounds　for　turning　misanthrope　and　woman…hater。　　Thin　natures　are　like　light　wines　and　weak　syrups　in　the　readiness　with　which　they　sour。

The　moon　had　risen　as　it　did　on　that　eventful　betrothal…night。　Again　the　stars　had　sunk　from　sight　in　the　sea　of　silver　splendor　rolling　from　the　round；　full　orb。　　Again　the　roadway　down　the　hill　lay　like　a　web　of　fine　linen；　bleaching　upon　an　emerald　meadow。　Again　the　clear　waters　of　the　Miami　rippled　in　softly　merry　music　over　the　white　limestone　of　their　shallow　bed。　　Again　the　river；　winding　through　the　pleasant　valley；　framed　in　gently　rising　hill…sides；　appeared　as　　great　silver　ribbon；　decorating　a　mass　of　heavily…embroidered　green　velvet。　　Again　Sardis　lay　at　the　foot　of　the　hills；　its　coarse　and　common　place　outlines　softened　into　glorious　symmetry　by　the　moonlight's　wondr