sally dows-第3部分

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！


me　by　joining　in　a　social　glass　at　the　hotel　across　the　way；　I'll
introduce　you　to　Captain　Prendergast；　who　left　a　leg　at　Fair　Oaks。〃
Drummond　would　have　declined；　but　a　significant　pressure　on　his　arm
from　Courtland　changed　his　determination。　　He　followed　them　to　the
hotel　and　into　the　presence　of　the　one…legged　warrior　（who　turned
out　to　be　the　landlord　and　barkeeper）；　to　whom　Courtland　was
hilariously　introduced　by　Major　Reed　as　〃the　man；　sir；　who　had
pounded　my　division　for　three　hours　at　Stony　Creek！〃

Major　Reed's　house　was　but　a　few　minutes'　walk　down　the　dusty　lane；
and　was　presently　heralded　by　the　baying　of　three　or　four　foxhounds
and　foreshadowed　by　a　dilapidated　condition　of　picket…fence　and
stuccoed　gate　front。　　Beyond　it　stretched　the　wooden　Doric　columns
of　the　usual　Southern　mansion；　dimly　seen　through　the　broad　leaves
of　the　horse…chestnut…trees　that　shaded　it。　　There　were　the　usual
listless　black　shadows　haunting　the　veranda　and　outer　offices
former　slaves　and　still　attached　house…servants；　arrested　like
lizards　in　breathless　attitudes　at　the　approach　of　strange
footsteps；　and　still　holding　the　brush；　broom；　duster；　or　home
implement　they　had　been　lazily　using；　in　their　fixed　hands。　　From
the　doorway　of　the　detached　kitchen；　connected　by　a　gallery　to　the
wing　of　the　mansion；　〃Aunt　Martha；〃　the　cook；　gazed　also；　with　a
saucepan　clasped　to　her　bosom；　and　her　revolving　hand　with　the
scrubbing　cloth　in　it　apparently　stopped　on　a　dead　centre。

Drummond；　whose　gorge　had　risen　at　these　evidences　of　hopeless
incapacity　and　utter　shiftlessness；　was　not　relieved　by　the
presence　of　Mrs。　Reeda　soured；　disappointed　woman　of　forty；　who
still　carried　in　her　small　dark　eyes　and　thin　handsome　lips
something　of　the　bitterness　and　antagonism　of　the　typical　〃Southern
rights〃　woman；　nor　of　her　two　daughters；　Octavia　and　Augusta；　whose
languid　atrabiliousness　seemed　a　part　of　the　mourning　they　still
wore。　　The　optimistic　gallantry　and　good　fellowship　of　the　major
appeared　the　more　remarkable　by　contrast　with　his　cypress…shadowed
family　and　their　venomous　possibilities。　　Perhaps　there　might　have
been　a　light　vein　of　Southern　insincerity　in　his　good　humor。
〃Paw；〃　said　Miss　Octavia；　with　gloomy　confidence　to　Courtland；　but
with　a　pretty　curl　of　the　hereditary　lip；　〃is　about　the　only
'reconstructed'　one　of　the　entire　family。　　We　don't　make　'em　much
about　yer。　　But　I'd　advise　yo'　friend；　Mr。　Drummond；　if　he's　coming
here　carpet…bagging；　not　to　trust　too　much　to　paw's　'reconstruction。'
It　won't　wash。〃　　But　when　Courtland　hastened　to　assure　her　that
Drummond　was　not　a　〃carpet…bagger；〃　was　not　only　free　from　any　of
the　political　intrigue　implied　under　that　baleful　title；　but　was　a
wealthy　Northern　capitalist　simply　seeking　investment；　the　young
lady　was　scarcely　more　hopeful。　　〃I　suppose　he　reckons　to　pay　paw
for　those　niggers　yo'　stole？〃　she　suggested　with　gloomy　sarcasm。

〃No；〃　said　Courtland；　smiling；　〃but　what　if　he　reckoned　to　pay
those　niggers　for　working　for　your　father　and　him？〃

〃If　paw　is　going　into　trading　business　with　him；　if　Major　Reeda
So'th'n　gentlemanis　going　to　keep　shop；　he　ain't　such　a　fool　as
to　believe　niggers　will　work　when　they　ain't　obliged　to。　　THAT'S
been　tried　over　at　Mirandy　Dows's；　not　five　miles　from　here；　and
the　niggers　are　half　the　time　hangin'　round　here　takin'　holiday。
She　put　up　new　quarters　for　'em；　and　tried　to　make　'em　eat　together
at　a　long　table　like　those　low…down　folks　up　North；　and　did　away
with　their　cabins　and　their　melon　patches；　and　allowed　it　would　get
'em　out　of　lying　round　too　much；　and　wanted　'em　to　work　over…time
and　get　mo'　pay。　　And　the　result　was　that　she　and　her　niece；　and　a
lot　of　poor　whites；　Irish　and　Scotch；　that　she　had　to　pick　up
''long　the　river；'　do　all　the　work。　　And　her　niece　Sally　was　mo'
than　half　Union　woman　during　the　wah；　and　up　to　all　No'th'n　tricks
and　dodges；　and　swearin'　by　them；　and　yet；　for　all　thatthe　thing
won't　work。〃

〃But　isn't　that　partly　the　reason？　　Isn't　her　failure　a　great　deal
due　to　this　lack　of　sympathy　from　her　neighbors？　　Discontent　is
easily　sown；　and　the　negro　is　still　weighted　down　by　superstition；
the　Fifteenth　Amendment　did　not　quite　knock　off　ALL　his　chains。〃

〃Yes；　but　that　is　nothing　to　HER。　　For　if　there　ever　was　a　person
in　this　world　who　reckoned　she　was　just　born　to　manage　everything
and　everybody；　it　is　Sally　Dows！〃

〃Sally　Dows！〃　repeated　Courtland；　with　a　slight　start。

〃Yes；　Sally　Dows；　of　Pineville。〃

〃You　say　she　was　half　Union；　but　did　she　have　any　relations　or
orfriendsin　the　waron　your　side？　　Anywhowere　killed　in
battle？〃

〃They　were　all　killed；　I　reckon；〃　returned　Miss　Reed　darkly。
〃There　was　her　cousin；　Jule　Jeffcourt；　shot　in　the　cemetery　with
her　beau；　who；　they　say；　was　Sally's　too；　there　were　Chet　Brooks
and　Joyce　Masterton；　who　were　both　gone　on　her　and　both　killed　too；
and　there　was　old　Captain　Dows　himself；　who　never　lifted　his　head
again　after　Richmond　was　taken；　and　drank　himself　to　death。　　It
wasn't　considered　healthy　to　be　Miss　Sally's　relations　in　those
times；　or　to　be　even　wantin'　to　be　one。〃

Colonel　Courtland　did　not　reply。　　The　face　of　the　dead　young
officer　coming　towards　him　out　of　the　blue　smoke　rose　as　vividly　as
on　that　memorable　day。　　The　picture　and　letter　he　had　taken　from
the　dead　man's　breast；　which　he　had　retained　ever　since；　the
romantic　and　fruitless　quest　he　had　made　for　the　fair　original　in
after　days；　and　the　strange　and　fateful　interest　in　her　which　had
grown　up　in　his　heart　since　then；　he　now　knew　had　only　been　lulled
to　sleep　in　the　busy　preoccupation　of　the　last　six　months；　for　it
all　came　back　to　him　with　redoubled　force。　　His　present　mission　and
its　practical　object；　his　honest　zeal　in　its　pursuit；　and　the
cautious　skill　and　experience　he　had　brought　to　it；　all　seemed　to
be　suddenly　displaced　by　this　romantic　and　unreal　fantasy。　　Oddly
enough　it　appeared　now　to　be　the　only　reality　in　his　life；　the　rest
was　an　incoherent；　purposeless　dream。

〃IsisMiss　Sally　married？〃　he　asked；　collecting　himself　with　an
effort。

〃Married？　　Yes；　to　that　farm　of　her　aunt's！　　I　reckon　that's　the
only　thing　she　cares　for。〃

Courtland　looked　up；　recovering　his　usual　cheerful　calm。　　〃Well；　I
think　that　after　luncheon　I'll　pay　my　respects　to　her　family。　　From
what　you　have　just　told　me　the　farm　is　certainly　an　experiment
worth　seeing。　　I　suppose　your　father　will　have　no　objection　to　give
me　a　letter　to　Miss　Dows？〃


CHAPTER　II。


Nevertheless；　as　Colonel　Courtland　rode　deliberately　towards　Dows'
Folly；　as　the　new　experiment　was　locally　called；　although　he　had
not　abated　his　romantic　enthusiasm　in　the　least；　he　was　not　sorry
that　he　was　able　to　visit　it　under　a　practical　pretext。　　It　was
rather　late　now　to　seek　out　Miss　Sally　Dows　with　the　avowed　intent
of　bringing　her　a　letter　from　an　admirer　who　had　been　dead　three
years；　and　whose　memory　she　had　probably　buried。　　Neither　was　it
tactful　to　recall　a　sentiment　which　might　have　been　a　weakness　of
which　she　was　ashamed。　　Yet；　clear…headed　and　logical　as　Courtland
was　in　his　ordinary　affairs；　he　was　nevertheless　not　entirely　free
from　that　peculiar　superstition　which　surrounds　every　man's
romance。　　He　believed　there　was　something　more　than　a　mere
coincidence　in　his　unexpectedly　finding　himself　in　such　favorable
conditions　for　making　her　acquaintance。　　For　the　restif　there　was
any　resthe　would　simply　trust　to　fate。　　And　so；　believing　himself
a　cool；　sagacious　reasoner；　but　being　actually；　as　far　as　Miss　Dows
was　concerned；　as　blind；　fatuous；　and　unreasoning　as　any　of　her
previous　admirers；　he　rode　complacently　forward　until　he　reached
the　lane　that　led　to　the　Dows　plantation。

Here　a　better　kept　roadway　and　fence；　whose　careful　repair　would
have　delighted　Drummond；　seemed　to　augur　well　for　the　new
enterprise。　　Presently；　even　the　old…fashioned　local　form　of　the
fence；　a　slanting　zigzag；　gave　way　to　the　more　direct　line　of　post
and　rail　in　the　Northern　fashion。　　Beyond　it　presently　appeared　a
long　low　frontage　of　modern　buildings　which；　to　Courtland's
surprise；　were　entirely　new　in　structure　and　design。　　There　was　no
reminiscence　of　the　usual　Southern　porticoed　gable　or　columned
veranda。　　Yet　it　was　not　Northern　either。　　The　factory…like　outline
of　facade　was　partly　hidden　in　Cherokee　rose　and　jessamine。

A　long　roofed　gallery　connected　the　buildings　and　became　a　veranda
to　one。　　A　broad；　well…rolled　gravel　drive　led　from　the　open　gate
to　the　newest　building；　which　seemed　to　be　the　office；　a　smaller
path　diverged　from　it　to　the　corner　house；　which；　despite　its
severe　simplicity；　had　a　more　residential　appearance。　　Unlike
Reed's　house；　there　were　no　lounging　servants　or　field　hands　to　be
seen；　they　were　evidently　attending　to　their　respective　duties。
Dismounting；　Courtland　tied　his　horse　to　a　post　at　the　office　door
and　took　the　smaller　path　to　the　corner　house。

The　door　was　open　to　the　fragrant　afternoon　breeze　wafted　through
the　rose　and　jessamine。　　So　also　was　a　side　door　opening　from　the
hall　into　a　long　parlor　or　sitting…room　that　ran　the　whole　width　of
the　house。　　Courtland　entered　it。　　It　was　prettily　furnished；　but
everything　had　the　air　of　freshness　and　of　being　uncharacteristically
new。　　It　was　empty；　but　a　faint　hammering　was　audible　on　the　rear
wall　of　the　house；　through　the　two　open　French　windows　at　the　back；
curtained　with　trailing　vines；　which　gave　upon　a　sunlit　courtyard。
Courtland　walked　to　the　window。　　Just　before　it；　on　the　ground；
stood　a　small　light　ladder；　which　he　gently　put　aside　to　gain　a
better　view　of　the　courtyard　as　he　put　on　his　hat；　and　stepped　out
of　the　open　window。

In　this　attitude　he　suddenly　felt　his　hat　tipped　from　his　head；
followed　almost　instantaneously　by　a　falling　slipper；　and　the
distinct　impression　of　a　very　small　foot　on　the　crown　of　his　head。
An　indescribable　sensation　passed　over　him。　　He　hurriedly　stepped
back　into　the　room；　just　as　a　small　striped…stockinged　foot　was　as
hastily　drawn　up　above　the　top　of　the　window　with　the　feminine
exclamation；　〃Good　gracious　me！〃

Lingering　for　an　instant；　only　to　assure　himself　that　the　fair
speaker　had　secured　he