按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Cressy
by Bret Harte
CHAPTER I。
As the master of the Indian Spring school emerged from the pine
woods into the little clearing before the schoolhouse； he stopped
whistling； put his hat less jauntily on his head； threw away some
wild flowers he had gathered on his way； and otherwise assumed the
severe demeanor of his profession and his mature agewhich was at
least twenty。 Not that he usually felt this an assumption； it was
a firm conviction of his serious nature that he impressed others；
as he did himself； with the blended austerity and ennui of deep and
exhausted experience。
The building which was assigned to him and his flock by the Board
of Education of Tuolumne County； California； had been originally a
church。 It still bore a faded odor of sanctity； mingled； however；
with a later and slightly alcoholic breath of political discussion；
the result of its weekly occupation under the authority of the
Board as a Tribune for the enunciation of party principles and
devotion to the Liberties of the People。 There were a few dog…
eared hymn…books on the teacher's desk； and the blackboard but
imperfectly hid an impassioned appeal to the citizens of Indian
Spring to 〃Rally〃 for Stebbins as Supervisor。 The master had been
struck with the size of the black type in which this placard was
printed； and with a shrewd perception of its value to the round
wandering eyes of his smaller pupils； allowed it to remain as a
pleasing example of orthography。 Unfortunately； although
subdivided and spelt by them in its separate letters with painful
and perfect accuracy； it was collectively known as 〃Wally；〃 and its
general import productive of vague hilarity。
Taking a large key from his pocket； the master unlocked the door
and threw it open； stepping back with a certain precaution begotten
of his experience in once finding a small but sociable rattlesnake
coiled up near the threshold。 A slight disturbance which followed
his intrusion showed the value of that precaution； and the fact
that the room had been already used for various private and
peaceful gatherings of animated nature。 An irregular attendance of
yellow…birds and squirrels dismissed themselves hurriedly through
the broken floor and windows； but a golden lizard； stiffened
suddenly into stony fright on the edge of an open arithmetic；
touched the heart of the master so strongly by its resemblance to
some kept…in and forgotten scholar who had succumbed over the task
he could not accomplish； that he was seized with compunction。
Recovering himself； and re…establishing； as it were； the decorous
discipline of the room by clapping his hands and saying 〃Sho！〃 he
passed up the narrow aisle of benches； replacing the forgotten
arithmetic； and picking up from the desks here and there certain
fragmentary pieces of plaster and crumbling wood that had fallen
from the ceiling； as if this grove of Academus had been shedding
its leaves overnight。 When he reached his own desk he lifted the
lid and remained for some moments motionless； gazing into it。 His
apparent meditation however was simply the combined reflection of
his own features in a small pocket…mirror in its recesses and a
perplexing doubt in his mind whether the sacrifice of his budding
moustache was not essential to the professional austerity of his
countenance。 But he was presently aware of the sound of small
voices； light cries； and brief laughter scattered at vague and
remote distances from the schoolhousenot unlike the birds and
squirrels he had just dispossessed。 He recognized by these signs
that it was nine o'clock； and his scholars were assembling。
They came in their usual desultory fashionthe fashion of country
school…children the world overirregularly； spasmodically； and
always as if accidentally； a few hand…in…hand； others driven ahead
of or dropped behind their elders； some in straggling groups more
or less coherent and at times only connected by far…off intermediate
voices scattered on a space of half a mile； but never quite alone；
always preoccupied by something else than the actual business on
hand； appearing suddenly from ditches； behind trunks； and between
fence…rails； cropping up in unexpected places along the road after
vague and purposeless detoursseemingly going anywhere and
everywhere but to school！ So unlooked…for； in fact； was their final
arrival that the master； who had a few moments before failed to
descry a single torn straw hat or ruined sun…bonnet above his
visible horizon； was always startled to find them suddenly under his
windows； as if； like the birds； they had alighted from the trees。
Nor was their moral attitude towards their duty any the more varied；
they always arrived as if tired and reluctant； with a doubting
sulkiness that perhaps afterwards beamed into a charming hypocrisy；
but invariably temporizing with their instincts until the last
moment； and only relinquishing possible truancy on the very
threshold。 Even after they were marshalled on their usual benches
they gazed at each other every morning with a perfectly fresh
astonishment and a daily recurring enjoyment of some hidden joke in
this tremendous rencontre。
It had been the habit of the master to utilize these preliminary
vagrancies of his little flock by inviting them on assembling to
recount any interesting incident of their journey hither； or
failing this； from their not infrequent shyness in expressing what
had secretly interested them； any event that had occurred within
their knowledge since they last met。 He had done this； partly to
give them time to recover themselves in that more formal atmosphere；
and partly； I fear； because； notwithstanding his conscientious
gravity； it greatly amused him。 It also diverted them from their
usual round…eyed； breathless contemplation of himselfa regular
morning inspection which generally embraced every detail of his
dress and appearance； and made every change or deviation the subject
of whispered comment or stony astonishment。 He knew that they knew
him more thoroughly than he did himself； and shrank from the
intuitive vision of these small clairvoyants。
〃Well？〃 said the master gravely。
There was the usual interval of bashful hesitation； verging on
nervous hilarity or hypocritical attention。 For the last six
months this question by the master had been invariably received
each morning as a veiled pleasantry which might lead to baleful
information or conceal some query out of the dreadful books before
him。 Yet this very element of danger had its fascinations。 Johnny
Filgee； a small boy； blushed violently； and； without getting up；
began hurriedly in a high key； 〃Tige ith got；〃 and then suddenly
subsided into a whisper。
〃Speak up； Johnny；〃 said the master encouragingly。
〃Please； sir； it ain't anythin' he's seednor any real news；〃 said
Rupert Filgee； his elder brother； rising with family concern and
frowning openly upon Johnny； 〃it's jest his foolishness； he oughter
be licked。〃 Finding himself unexpectedly on his feet； and
apparently at the end of a long speech； he colored also； and then
said hurriedly； 〃Jimmy SnyderHE seed suthin'。 Ask HIM！〃 and sat
downa recognized hero。
Every eye； including the master's； was turned on Jimmy Snyder。 But
that youthful observer； instantly diving his head and shoulders
into his desk； remained there gurgling as if under water。 Two or
three nearest him endeavored with some struggling to bring him to
an intelligible surface again。 The master waited patiently。
Johnny Filgee took advantage of the diversion to begin again in a
high key； 〃Tige ith got thix；〃 and subsided。
〃Come； Jimmy；〃 said the master； with a touch of peremptoriness。
Thus adjured； Jimmy Snyder came up glowingly； and bristling with
full stops and exclamation points。 〃Seed a black b'ar comin' outer
Daves' woods；〃 he said excitedly。 〃Nigh to me ez you be。 'N big
ez a hoss； 'n snarlin'！ 'n snappin'！like gosh！ Kem alongker
clump torords me。 Reckoned he'd skeer me！ Didn't skeer me worth a
cent。 I heaved a rock at himI did now！〃 （in defiance of murmurs
of derisive comment）〃'n he slid。 Ef he'd kem up furder I'd hev
up with my slate and swotted him over the snootbet your boots！〃
The master here thought fit to interfere； and gravely point out
that the habit of striking bears as large as a horse with a school…
slate was equally dangerous to the slate （which was also the
property of Tuolumne County） and to the striker； and that the verb
〃to swot〃 and the noun substantive 〃snoot〃 were likewise
indefensible； and not to be tolerated。 Thus admonished Jimmy
Snyder； albeit unshaken in his faith in his own courage； sat down。
A slight pause ensued。 The youthful Filgee； taking advantage of
it； opened in a higher key； 〃Tige ith〃but the master's attention
was here diverted by the searching eyes of Octavia Dean； a girl of
eleven； wh