part 1-第6部分
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。 。 。 SCHON！ The chords； quick！〃
The pupil did not open her mouth until they began the
second movement of the Clementi sonata； when she remon…
strated in low tones about the way he had marked the
fingering of a passage。
〃It makes no matter what you think；〃 replied her
teacher coldly。 〃There is only one right way。 The thumb
there。 EIN； ZWEI； DREI； VIER；〃 etc。 Then for an hour there
was no further interruption。
At the end of the lesson Thea turned on her stool and
leaned her arm on the keyboard。 They usually had a little
talk after the lesson。
Herr Wunsch grinned。 〃How soon is it you are free from
school？ Then we make ahead faster； eh？〃
〃First week in June。 Then will you give me the ‘Invi…
tation to the Dance'？〃
He shrugged his shoulders。 〃It makes no matter。 If
you want him； you play him out of lesson hours。〃
〃All right。〃 Thea fumbled in her pocket and brought
out a crumpled slip of paper。 〃What does this mean； please？
I guess it's Latin。〃
Wunsch blinked at the line penciled on the paper。
〃Wherefrom you get this？〃 he asked gruffly。
〃Out of a book Dr。 Archie gave me to read。 It's all Eng…
lish but that。 Did you ever see it before？〃 she asked；
watching his face。
〃Yes。 A long time ago；〃 he muttered； scowling。
〃Ovidius！〃 He took a stub of lead pencil from his vest
pocket； steadied his hand by a visible effort； and under
the words
〃LENTE CURRITE； LENTE CURRITE； NOCTIS EQUI；〃
he wrote in a clear； elegant Gothic hand；
〃GO SLOWLY； GO SLOWLY； YE STEEDS OF THE NIGHT。〃
He put the pencil back in his pocket and continued to stare
at the Latin。 It recalled the poem； which he had read as a
student； and thought very fine。 There were treasures of
memory which no lodging…house keeper could attach。 One
carried things about in one's head； long after one's linen
could be smuggled out in a tuning…bag。 He handed the
paper back to Thea。 〃There is the English； quite elegant；〃
he said； rising。
Mrs。 Kohler stuck her head in at the door； and Thea slid
off the stool。 〃Come in； Mrs。 Kohler；〃 she called； 〃and
show me the piece…picture。〃
The old woman laughed； pulled off her big gardening…
gloves； and pushed Thea to the lounge before the object of
her delight。 The 〃piece…picture；〃 which hung on the wall
and nearly covered one whole end of the room； was the
handiwork of Fritz Kohler。 He had learned his trade under
an old…fashioned tailor in Magdeburg who required from
each of his apprentices a thesis： that is； before they left his
shop； each apprentice had to copy in cloth some well…
known German painting； stitching bits of colored stuff
together on a linen background； a kind of mosaic。 The
pupil was allowed to select his subject； and Fritz Kohler
had chosen a popular painting of Napoleon's retreat from
Moscow。 The gloomy Emperor and his staff were repre…
sented as crossing a stone bridge； and behind them was the
blazing city； the walls and fortresses done in gray cloth
with orange tongues of flame darting about the domes and
minarets。 Napoleon rode his white horse； Murat； in Ori…
ental dress； a bay charger。 Thea was never tired of exam…
ining this work； of hearing how long it had taken Fritz to
make it； how much it had been admired； and what narrow
escapes it had had from moths and fire。 Silk； Mrs。 Kohler
explained； would have been much easier to manage than
woolen cloth； in which it was often hard to get the right
shades。 The reins of the horses； the wheels of the spurs；
the brooding eyebrows of the Emperor； Murat's fierce
mustaches； the great shakos of the Guard； were all worked
out with the minutest fidelity。 Thea's admiration for this
picture had endeared her to Mrs。 Kohler。 It was now many
years since she used to point out its wonders to her own
little boys。 As Mrs。 Kohler did not go to church； she never
heard any singing； except the songs that floated over from
Mexican Town； and Thea often sang for her after the lesson
was over。 This morning Wunsch pointed to the piano。
〃On Sunday； when I go by the church； I hear you sing
something。〃
Thea obediently sat down on the stool again and began；
〃COME； YE DISCONSOLATE。〃 Wunsch listened thoughtfully；
his hands on his knees。 Such a beautiful child's voice！
Old Mrs。 Kohler's face relaxed in a smile of happiness；
she half closed her eyes。 A big fly was darting in and out
of the window； the sunlight made a golden pool on the
rag carpet and bathed the faded cretonne pillows on the
lounge； under the piece…picture。 〃EARTH HAS NO SORROW
THAT HEAVEN CANNOT HEAL；〃 the song died away。
〃That is a good thing to remember；〃 Wunsch shook him…
self。 〃You believe that？〃 looking quizzically at Thea。
She became confused and pecked nervously at a black
key with her middle finger。 〃I don't know。 I guess so；〃
she murmured。
Her teacher rose abruptly。 〃Remember； for next time；
thirds。 You ought to get up earlier。〃
That night the air was so warm that Fritz and Herr
Wunsch had their after…supper pipe in the grape arbor；
smoking in silence while the sound of fiddles and guitars
came across the ravine from Mexican Town。 Long after
Fritz and his old Paulina had gone to bed； Wunsch sat
motionless in the arbor； looking up through the woolly
vine leaves at the glittering machinery of heaven。
〃LENTE CURRITE； NOCTIS EQUI。〃
That line awoke many memories。 He was thinking of
youth； of his own； so long gone by； and of his pupil's； just
beginning。 He would even have cherished hopes for her；
except that he had become superstitious。 He believed that
whatever he hoped for was destined not to be； that his
affection brought ill…fortune； especially to the young； that
if he held anything in his thoughts； he harmed it。 He had
taught in music schools in St。 Louis and Kansas City； where
the shallowness and complacency of the young misses had
maddened him。 He had encountered bad manners and bad
faith； had been the victim of sharpers of all kinds； was
dogged by bad luck。 He had played in orchestras that were
never paid and wandering opera troupes which disbanded
penniless。 And there was always the old enemy； more
relentless than the others。 It was long since he had wished
anything or desired anything beyond the necessities of the
body。 Now that he was tempted to hope for another； he
felt alarmed and shook his head。
It was his pupil's power of application； her rugged will；
that interested him。 He had lived for so long among people
whose sole ambition was to get something for nothing that
he had learned not to look for seriousness in anything。 Now
that he by chance encountered it； it recalled standards； am…
bitions； a society long forgot。 What was it she reminded
him of？ A yellow flower； full of sunlight； perhaps。 No； a
thin glass full of sweet…smelling； sparkling Moselle wine。 He
seemed to see such a glass before him in the arbor； to watch
the bubbles rising and breaking； like the silent discharge
of energy in the nerves and brain； the rapid florescence in
young bloodWunsch felt ashamed and dragged his slip…
pers along the path to the kitchen； his eyes on the ground。
V
The children in the primary grades were sometimes
required to make relief maps of Moonstone in sand。
Had they used colored sands； as the Navajo medicine men
do in their sand mosaics； they could easily have indicated
the social classifications of Moonstone； since these con…
formed to certain topographical boundaries； and every
child understood them perfectly。
The main business street ran； of course； through the
center of the town。 To the west of this street lived all the
people who were； as Tillie Kronborg said； 〃in society。〃
Sylvester Street； the third parallel with Main Street on the
west； was the longest in town； and the best dwellings were
built along it。 Far out at the north end； nearly a mile from
the court…house and its cottonwood grove； was Dr。 Archie's
house； its big yard and garden surrounded by a white paling
fence。 The Methodist Church was in the center of the
town； facing the court…house square。 The Kronborgs lived
half a mile south of the church； on the long street that
stretched out like an arm to the depot settlement。 This
was the first street west of Main； and was built up only on
one side。 The preacher's house faced the backs of the brick
and frame store buildings and a draw full of sunflowers
and scraps of old iron。 The sidewalk which ran in front
of the Kronborgs' house was the one continuous sidewalk
to the depot； and all the train men and roundhouse em…
ployees passed the front gate every time they came up…
town。 Thea and Mrs。 Kronborg had many friends among
the railroad men； who often paused to chat across the fence；
and of one of these we shall have more to say。
In the part of Moon
