the way to peace-第8部分

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His　arms　did　not　close　about　her；but　his　hands　clinched　slightly。

Then　he　moved　back　a　step　or　two；　and　she　heard　him　sigh。

〃Don't；　sister；〃　he　said；　gently。



She　threw　up　her　hands　with　a　frantic　gesture。　　〃SISTER？　　My　God！〃

she　said；　and　left　him。



*　*　*





There　was　no　further　struggle　between　them。　　A　week　later　she　went　away。

As　he　told　her；　〃the　house　was　there〃and　to　that　she　went　until　she

should　go　to　find　some　whirl　of　life　that　would　make　her　deaf　to　voices

of　the　past。



As　for　Lewis；　he　did　not　see　that　miserable　departure　from　the

Family　House　in　the　shabby　old　carryall　that　had　been　the　Shakers'

one　vehicle　for　more　than　thirty　years。　　He　told　Nathan　he　wanted

to　mow　the　burial…ground　up　on　the　hill　that　morning。　　From　that　high

and　silent　spot　he　could　see　the　long　white　road　up　from　the　settlement

on　one　side　and　down　to　the　covered　bridge　on　the　other　side。

He　sat　under　the　pine…tree；　his　scythe　against　the　stone　wall

behind　him；　his　clinched　hands　between　his　knees。　　Sitting　thus；

he　watched　the　road　and　the　slow　crawl　of　the　shaky　old　carriage。

。　。　。　After　it　had　passed　the　burying…ground　and　was　out　of　sight；

he　hid　his　face　in　his　bent　elbow。





It　was　some　ten　years　afterward　that　word　came　to　Eldress　Hannah

that　Athalia　Hall　was　dying　and　wanted　to　see　her　husband；

would　he　come　to　her？



〃Will　you　go；　Brother　Lewis？〃　　Eldress　asked　him；　doubtfully。



〃Yee；　if　you　think　best；〃　he　said。



〃I　do　think　best；〃　the　old　woman　said。



He　went；　a　bent；　elderly　man　in　a　gray　coat；　threading　his

wavering　way　through　the　noisy　buffet　of　the　streets　of

the　city　where　Athalia　had　elected　to　dwell。　　He　found　her

in　a　gaudy　hotel；　full　of　the　glare　of　pushing；　hurrying　life。

He　sat　down　at　her　bedside；　a　little　breathless；　and　looked

at　her　with　mild；　remote　eyes。



〃Do　you　forgive　me；　Lewis？〃　she　said。



〃I　have　nothing　to　forgive；　sister；〃　he　told　her。



〃Don't　call　me　that！〃　she　cried；　with　feeble　passion。



He　looked　a　little　bewildered。　　〃Yee；〃　he　said；　〃I　forgive　you。〃



〃Oh；　Lewis！Lewis！Lewis！〃　she　mourned；　〃this　is　what　I　have　done！〃

She　wept　pitifully。　　His　face　grew　vaguely　troubled；　as　if　he　did

not　quite　understand。　。　。　。　Then；　abruptly；　the　veil　lifted：

his　eyes　dilated　with　pain；　he　passed　his　hand　over　his　forehead

once　or　twice　and　sighed。　　Then　he　looked　down　at　the　poor；

dying　face　that　once　he　had　loved。



〃Why；　'Thalia！〃　he　said；　in　a　surprised　and　anguished　voice；

suddenly　he　put　his　arm　under　the　restless　head。　　〃There；　there；

little　Tay；　don't　cry；〃　he　said；　and　smiled　at　her。



And　with　that　she　was　content　to　fall　asleep。











End