winesburg,ohio- 第24部分

The　woman　in　the　streets　did　not　remember　the　words　of　the　doctor　and　would　not　have　turned　back　had　she　remembered。　　She　was　very　cold　but　after　walking　for　five　minutes　no　longer　minded　the　cold。　First　she　went　to　the　end　of　her　own　street　and　then　across　a　pair　of　hay　scales　set　in　the　ground　before　a　feed　barn　and　into　Trunion　Pike。　　Along　Trunion　Pike　she　went　to　Ned　Winters'　barn　and　turning　east　followed　a　street　of　low　frame　houses　that　led　over　Gospel　Hill　and　into　Sucker　Road　that　ran　down　a　shallow　valley　past　Ike　Smead's　chicken　farm　to　Waterworks　Pond。　　As　she　went　along；　the　bold；　ex…　cited　mood　that　had　driven　her　out　of　doors　passed　and　then　returned　again。

There　was　something　biting　and　forbidding　in　the　character　of　Kate　Swift。　　Everyone　felt　it。　　In　the　schoolroom　she　was　silent；　cold；　and　stern；　and　yet　in　an　odd　way　very　close　to　her　pupils。　　Once　in　a　long　while　something　seemed　to　have　come　over　her　and　she　was　happy。　　All　of　the　children　in　the　schoolroom　felt　the　effect　of　her　happiness。　　For　a　time　they　did　not　work　but　sat　back　in　their　chairs　and　looked　at　her。

With　hands　clasped　behind　her　back　the　school　teacher　walked　up　and　down　in　the　schoolroom　and　talked　very　rapidly。　　It　did　not　seem　to　matter　what　subject　came　into　her　mind。　　Once　she　talked　to　the　children　of　Charles　Lamb　and　made　up　strange；　inti…　mate　little　stories　concerning　the　life　of　the　dead　writer。　　The　stories　were　told　with　the　air　of　one　who　had　lived　in　a　house　with　Charles　Lamb　and　knew　all　the　secrets　of　his　private　life。　　The　children　were　somewhat　confused；　thinking　Charles　Lamb　must　be　someone　who　had　once　lived　in　Winesburg。

On　another　occasion　the　teacher　talked　to　the　chil…　dren　of　Benvenuto　Cellini。　　That　time　they　laughed。　What　a　bragging；　blustering；　brave；　lovable　fellow　she　made　of　the　old　artist！　Concerning　him　also　she　invented　anecdotes。　　There　was　one　of　a　German　music　teacher　who　had　a　room　above　Cellini's　lodg…　ings　in　the　city　of　Milan　that　made　the　boys　guffaw。　Sugars　McNutts；　a　fat　boy　with　red　cheeks；　laughed　so　hard　that　he　became　dizzy　and　fell　off　his　seat　and　Kate　Swift　laughed　with　him。　　Then　suddenly　she　became　again　cold　and　stern。

On　the　winter　night　when　she　walked　through　the　deserted　snow…covered　streets；　a　crisis　had　come　into　the　life　of　the　school　teacher。　　Although　no　one　in　Winesburg　would　have　suspected　it；　her　life　had　been　very　adventurous。　　It　was　still　adventurous。　Day　by　day　as　she　worked　in　the　schoolroom　or　walked　in　the　streets；　grief；　hope；　and　desire　fought　within　her。　　Behind　a　cold　exterior　the　most　extraor…　dinary　events　transpired　in　her　mind。　　The　people　of　the　town　thought　of　her　as　a　confirmed　old　maid　and　because　she　spoke　sharply　and　went　her　own　way　thought　her　lacking　in　all　the　human　feeling　that　did　so　much　to　make　and　mar　their　own　lives。　In　reality　she　was　the　most　eagerly　passionate　soul　among　them；　and　more　than　once；　in　the　five　years　since　she　had　come　back　from　her　travels　to　settle　in　Winesburg　and　become　a　school　teacher；　had　been　compelled　to　go　out　of　the　house　and　walk　half　through　the　night　fighting　out　some　battle　raging　within。　　Once　on　a　night　when　it　rained　she　had　stayed　out　six　hours　and　when　she　came　home　had　a　quarrel　with　Aunt　Elizabeth　Swift。　　〃I　am　glad　you're　not　a　man；〃　said　the　mother　sharply。　　〃More　than　once　I've　waited　for　your　father　to　come　home；　not　knowing　what　new　mess　he　had　got　into。　　I've　had　my　share　of　uncertainty　and　you　cannot　blame　me　if　I　do　not　want　to　see　the　worst　side　of　him　reproduced　in　you。〃


Kate　Swift's　mind　was　ablaze　with　thoughts　of　George　Willard。　　In　something　he　had　written　as　a　school　boy　she　thought　she　had　recognized　the　spark　of　genius　and　wanted　to　blow　on　the　spark。　One　day　in　the　summer　she　had　gone　to　the　Eagle　office　and　finding　the　boy　unoccupied　had　taken　him　out　Main　Street　to　the　Fair　Ground；　where　the　two　sat　on　a　grassy　bank　and　talked。　　The　school　teacher　tried　to　bring　home　to　the　mind　of　the　boy　some　conception　of　the　difficulties　he　would　have　to　face　as　a　writer。　　〃You　will　have　to　know　life；〃　she　declared；　and　her　voice　trembled　with　earnestness。　She　took　hold　of　George　Willard's　shoulders　and　turned　him　about　so　that　she　could　look　into　his　eyes。　　A　passer…by　might　have　thought　them　about　to　embrace。　　〃If　you　are　to　become　a　writer　you'll　have　to　stop　fooling　with　words；〃　she　explained。　　〃It　would　be　better　to　give　up　the　notion　of　writing　until　you　are　better　prepared。　　Now　it's　time　to　be　living。　　I　don't　want　to　frighten　you；　but　I　would　like　to　make　you　understand　the　import　of　what　you　think　of　attempting。　　You　must　not　become　a　mere　peddler　of　words。　　The　thing　to　learn　is　to　know　what　people　are　thinking　about；　not　what　they　say。〃

On　the　evening　before　that　stormy　Thursday　night　when　the　Reverend　Curtis　Hartman　sat　in　the　bell　tower　of　the　church　waiting　to　look　at　her　body；　young　Willard　had　gone　to　visit　the　teacher　and　to　borrow　a　book。　　It　was　then　the　thing　happened　that　confused　and　puzzled　the　boy。　　He　had　the　book　under　his　arm　and　was　preparing　to　depart。　　Again　Kate　Swift　talked　with　great　earnestness。　　Night　was　coming　on　and　the　light　in　the　room　grew　dim。　　As　he　turned　to　go　she　spoke　his　name　softly　and　with　an　impulsive　movement　took　hold　of　his　hand。　　Be…　cause　the　reporter　was　rapidly　becoming　a　man　something　of　his　man's　appeal；　combined　with　the　winsomeness　of　the　boy；　stirred　the　heart　of　the　lonely　woman。　　A　passionate　desire　to　have　him　un…　derstand　the　import　of　life；　to　learn　to　interpret　it　truly　and　honestly；　swept　over　her。　　Leaning　for…　ward；　her　lips　brushed　his　cheek。　　At　the　same　mo…　ment　he　for　the　first　time　became　aware　of　the　marked　beauty　of　her　features。　　They　were　both　em…　barrassed；　and　to　relieve　her　feeling　she　became　harsh　and　domineering。　　〃What's　the　use？　It　will　be　ten　years　before　you　begin　to　understand　what　I　mean　when　I　talk　to　you；〃　she　cried　passionately。


On　the　night　of　the　storm　and　while　the　minister　sat　in　the　church　waiting　for　her；　Kate　Swift　went　to　the　office　of　the　Winesburg　Eagle；　intending　to　have　another　talk　with　the　boy。　　After　the　long　walk　in　the　snow　she　was　cold；　lonely；　and　tired。　　As　she　came　through　Main　Street　she　saw　the　fight　from　the　printshop　window　shining　on　the　snow　and　on　an　impulse　opened　the　door　and　went　in。　　For　an　hour　she　sat　by　the　stove　in　the　office　talking　of　life。　　She　talked　with　passionate　earnestness。　　The　impulse　that　had　driven　her　out　into　the　snow　poured　itself　out　into　talk。　　She　became　inspired　as　she　sometimes　did　in　the　presence　of　the　children　in　school。　　A　great　eagerness　to　open　the　door　of　life　to　the　boy；　who　had　been　her　pupil　and　who　she　thought　might　pos…　sess　a　talent　for　the　understanding　of　life；　had　pos…　session　of　her。　　So　strong　was　her　passion　that　it　became　something　physical。　　Again　her　hands　took　hold　of　his　shoulders　and　she　turned　him　about。　　In　the　dim　light　her　eyes　blazed。　　She　arose　and　laughed；　not　sharply　as　was　customary　with　her；　but　in　a　queer；　hesitating　way。　　〃I　must　be　going；〃　she　said。　　〃In　a　moment；　if　I　stay；　I'll　be　wanting　to　kiss　you。〃

In　the　newspaper　office　a　confusion　arose。　　Kate　Swift　turned　and　walked　to　the　door。　　She　was　a　teacher　but　she　was　also　a　woman。　　As　she　looked　at　George　Willard；　the　passionate　desire　to　be　loved　by　a　man；　that　had　a　thousand　times　before　swept　like　a　storm　over　her　body；　took　possession　of　her。　In　the　lamplight　George　Willard　looked　no　longer　a　boy；　but　a　man　ready　to　play　the　part　of　a　man。

The　school　teacher　let　George　Willard　take　her　into　his　arms。　　In　the　warm　little　office　the　air　became　suddenly　heavy　and　the　strength　went　out　of　her　body。　　Leaning　against　a　low　counter　by　the　door　she　waited。　　When　he　came　and　put　a　hand　on　her　shoul…　der　she　turned　and　let　her　body　fall　heavily　against　him。　　For　George　Willard　the　confusion　was　immedi…　ately　increased。　　For　a　moment　he　held　the　body　of　the　woman　tightly　against　his　body　and　then　it　stiff…　ened。　　Two　sharp　little　fists　began　to　beat　on　his　face。　When　the　school　teacher　had　run　away　and　left　him　alone；　he　walked　up　and　down　the　office　swearing　furiously。

It　was　into　this　confusion　that　the　Reverend　Curtis　Hartman　protruded　himself。　　When　he　came　in　George　Willard　thought　the　town　had　gone　mad。　Shaking　a　bleeding　fist　in　the　air；　the　minister　pro…　claimed　the　woman　George　had　only　a　moment　be…　fore　held　in　his　arms　an　instrument　of　God　bearing　a　message　of　truth。


George　blew　out　the　lamp　by　the　window　and　locking　the　door　of　the　printshop　went　home。　Through　the　hotel　office；　past　Hop　Higgins　lost　in　his　dream　of　the　raising　of　ferrets；　he　went　and　up　into　his　own　room。　　The　fire　in　the　stove　had　gone　out　and　he　undressed　in　the　cold。　　When　he　got　into　bed　the　sheets　were　like　blankets　of　dry　snow。

George　Willard　rolled　about　in　the　bed　on　which　had　lain　in　the　afternoon　hugging　the　pillow　and　thinking　thoughts　of　Kate　Swift。　　The　words　of　the　minister；　who　he　thought　had　gone　suddenly　in…　sane；　rang　in　his　ears。　　His　eyes　stared　about　the　room。　　The　resentment；　natural　to　the　baffled　male；　passed　and　he　tried　to　understand　what　had　hap…　pened。　　He　could　not　make　it　out。　　Over　and　over　he　turned　the　matter　in　his　mind。　　Hours　passed　and　he　began　to　think　it　must　be　time　for　another　day　to　come。　　At　four　o'clock　he　pulled　the　covers　up　about　his　neck　and　tried　to　sleep。　　When　he　became　drowsy　and　closed　his　eyes；　he　raised　a　hand　and　with　it　groped　about　in　the　darkness。　　〃I　have　missed　some…　thing。　　I　have　missed　something　Kate　Swift　was　try…　ing　to　tell　me；〃　he　muttered　sleepily。　　Then　he　slept　and　in　all　Winesburg　he　was　the　last　soul　on　that　winter　night　to　go　to　sleep。




LONELINESS

HE　WAS　THE　son　of　Mrs。　Al　Robinson　who　once　owned　a　farm　on　a　side　road　leading　off　Trunion　Pike；　east　of　Winesburg　and　two　miles　beyond　the　town　limits。　　The　farmhouse　was　painted　brown　and　the　blinds　to　all　of　the　windows　facing　the　road　were　kept　closed。　　In　the　road　before　the　house　a　flock　of　chickens；　accompanied　by　two　guinea　hens；　lay　in　the　deep　dust。　　Enoch　lived　in　the　house　with　his　mother　in　those　days　and　when　he　was　a　young　boy　went　to　school　at　the　Winesburg　High　School。　　Old　citizens　remembered　him　as　a　quiet；　smili