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a mortal antipathy-第15章

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the invitation showed that he did not wish for attentions or

courtesies。  There was nothing further to be done to bring him out of

his shell; and seemingly nothing more to be learned about him at

present。



In this state of things it was natural that all which had been

previously gathered by the few who had seen or known anything of him

should be worked over again。  When there is no new ore to be dug; the

old refuse heaps are looked over for what may still be found in them。

The landlord of the Anchor Tavern; now the head of the boarding…

house; talked about Maurice; as everybody in the village did at one

time or another。  He had not much to say; but he added a fact or two。



The young gentleman was good pay;so they all said。  Sometimes he

paid in gold; sometimes in fresh bills; just out of the bank。  He

trusted his man; Mr。 Paul; with the money to pay his bills。  He knew

something about horses; he showed that by the way he handled that

colt;the one that threw the hostler and broke his collar…bone。

〃Mr。 Paul come down to the stable。  'Let me see that cult you all

'fraid of;' says he。  'My master; he ride any hoss;' says Paul。  'You

saddle him;' says be; and so they did; and Paul; he led that colt

the kickinest and ugliest young beast you ever see in your lifeup

to the place where his master; as he calls him; and he lives。  What

does that Kirkwood do but clap on a couple of long spurs and jump on

to that colt's back; and off the beast goes; tail up; heels flying;

standing up on end; trying all sorts of capers; and at last going it

full run for a couple of miles; till he'd got about enough of it。

That colt went off as ferce as a wild…cat; and come back as quiet as

a cosset lamb。  A man that pays his bills reg'lar; in good money; and

knows how to handle a hoss is three quarters of a gentleman; if he is

n't a whole one;and most likely he is a whole one。〃



So spake the patriarch of the Anchor Tavern。  His wife had already

given her favorable opinion of her former guest。  She now added

something to her description as a sequel to her husband's remarks。



〃I call him;〃 she said; 〃about as likely a young gentleman as ever I

clapped my eyes on。  He is rather slighter than I like to see a young

man of his age; if he was my sun; I should like to see him a little

more fleshy。  I don't believe he weighs more than a hundred and

thirty or forty pounds。  Did y' ever look at those eyes of his;

M'randy?  Just as blue as succory flowers。  I do like those light…

complected young fellows; with their fresh cheeks and their curly

hair; somehow; curly hair doos set off anybody's face。  He is n't any

foreigner; for all that he talks Italian with that Mr。 Paul that's

his help。  He looks just like our kind of folks; the college kind;

that's brought up among books; and is handling 'em; and reading of

'em; and making of 'em; as like as not; all their lives。  All that

you say about his riding the mad colt is just what I should think he

was up to; for he's as spry as a squirrel; you ought to see him go

over that fence; as I did once。  I don't believe there's any harm in

that young gentleman;I don't care what people say。  I suppose he

likes this place just as other people like it; and cares more for

walking in the woods and paddling about in the water than he doos for

company; and if he doos; whose business is it; I should like to

know?〃



The third of the speakers was Miranda; who had her own way of judging

people。



〃I never see him but two or three times;〃 Miranda said。  〃I should

like to have waited on him; and got a chance to look stiddy at him

when he was eatin' his vittles。  That 's the time to watch folks;

when their jaws get a…goin' and their eyes are on what's afore 'em。

Do you remember that chap the sheriff come and took away when we kep'

tahvern?  Eleven year ago it was; come nex' Thanksgivin' time。  A

mighty grand gentleman from the City he set up for。  I watched him;

and I watched him。  Says I; I don't believe you're no gentleman;

says I。  He eat with his knife; and that ain't the way city folks

eats。  Every time I handed him anything I looked closeter and

closeter。  Them whiskers never grooved on them cheeks; says I to

myself。  Them 's paper collars; says I。  That dimun in your shirt…

front hain't got no life to it; says I。  I don't believe it's

nothiri' more 'n a bit o' winderglass。  So says I to Pushee; 'You

jes' step out and get the sheriff to come in and take a look at that

chap。' I knowed he was after a fellah。  He come right in; an' he goes

up to the chap。  'Why; Bill;' says he; 'I'm mighty glad to see yer。

We've had the hole in the wall you got out of mended; and I want your

company to come and look at the old place;' says he; and he pulls out

a couple of handcuffs and has 'em on his wrists in less than no time;

an' off they goes together!  I know one thing about that young

gentleman; anyhow;there ain't no better judge of what's good eatin'

than he is。  I cooked him some maccaroni myself one day; and he sends

word to me by that Mr。 Paul; 'Tell Miss Miranda;' says he; I that the

Pope o' Rome don't have no better cooked maccaroni than what she sent

up to me yesterday;' says he。  I don' know much about the Pope o'

Rome except that he's a Roman Catholic; and I don' know who cooks for

him; whether it's a man or a woman; but when it comes to a dish o'

maccaroni; I ain't afeard of their shefs; as they call 'em;them he…

cooks that can't serve up a cold potater without callin' it by some

name nobody can say after 'em。  But this gentleman knows good

cookin'; and that's as good a sign of a gentleman as I want to tell

'em by。〃









VI



STILL AT FAULT。



The house in which Maurice Kirkwood had taken up his abode was not a

very inviting one。  It was old; and had been left in a somewhat

dilapidated and disorderly condition by the tenants who had lived in

the part which Maurice now occupied。  They had piled their packing…

boxes in the cellar; with broken chairs; broken china; and other

household wrecks。  A cracked mirror lay on an old straw mattress; the

contents of which were airing themselves through wide rips and rents。

A lame clothes…horse was saddled with an old rug fringed with a

ragged border; out of which all the colors had been completely

trodden。  No woman would have gone into a house in such a condition。

But the young man did not trouble himself much about such matters;

and was satisfied when the rooms which were to be occupied by himself

and his servant were made decent and tolerably comfortable。  During

the fine season all this was not of much consequence; and if Maurice

made up his mind to stay through the winter he would have his choice

among many more eligible places。



The summer vacation of the Corinna Institute had now arrived; and the

young ladies had scattered to their homes。  Among the graduates of

the year were Miss Euthymia Tower and Miss Lurida Vincent; who had

now returned to their homes in Arrowhead Village。  They were both

glad to rest after the long final examinations and the exercises of

the closing day; in which each of them had borne a conspicuous part。

It was a pleasant life they led in the village; which was lively

enough at this season。  Walking; riding; driving; boating; visits to

the Library; meetings of the Pansophian Society; hops; and picnics

made the time pass very cheerfully; and soon showed their restoring

influences。  The Terror's large eyes did not wear the dull; glazed

look by which they had too often betrayed the after effects of over…

excitement of the strong and active brain behind them。  The Wonder

gained a fresher bloom; and looked full enough of life to radiate

vitality into a statue of ice。  They had a boat of their own; in

which they passed many delightful hours on the lake; rowing;

drifting; reading; telling of what had been; dreaming of what might

be。



The Library was one of the chief centres of the fixed population; and

visited often by strangers。  The old Librarian was a peculiar

character; as these officials are apt to be。  They have a curious

kind of knowledge; sometimes immense in its way。  They know the backs

of books; their title…pages; their popularity or want of it; the

class of readers who call for particular works; the value of

different editions; and a good deal besides。  Their minds catch up

hints from all manner of works on all kinds of subjects。  They will

give a visitor a fact and a reference which they are surprised to

find they remember and which the visitor might have hunted for a

year。  Every good librarian; every private book…owner; who has grown

into his library; finds he has a bunch of nerves going to every

bookcase; a branch to every shelf; and a twig to every book。  These

nerves get very sensitive in old librarians; sometimes; and they do

not like to have a volume meddled with any more than they would like

to have their naked eyes handled。  They
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