winesburg,ohio-第15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！


r　caught　and　tied　so　tightly　that　it　looked　like　a　little　white　ball。　　When　they　drove　on　again　Jesse　let　David　hold　the　lamb　in　his　arms。　　〃I　saw　it　yesterday　and　it　put　me　in　mind　of　what　I　have　long　wanted　to　do；〃　he　said；　and　again　he　looked　away　over　the　head　of　the　boy　with　the　wavering；　uncertain　stare　in　his　eyes。

After　the　feeling　of　exaltation　that　had　come　to　the　farmer　as　a　result　of　his　successful　year；　another　mood　had　taken　possession　of　him。　　For　a　long　time　he　had　been　going　about　feeling　very　humble　and　prayerful。　　Again　he　walked　alone　at　night　thinking　of　God　and　as　he　walked　he　again　connected　his　own　figure　with　the　figures　of　old　days。　　Under　the　stars　he　knelt　on　the　wet　grass　and　raised　up　his　voice　in　prayer。　　Now　he　had　decided　that　like　the　men　whose　stories　filled　the　pages　of　the　Bible；　he　would　make　a　sacrifice　to　God。　　〃I　have　been　given　these　abundant　crops　and　God　has　also　sent　me　a　boy　who　is　called　David；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃Perhaps　I　should　have　done　this　thing　long　ago。〃　He　was　sorry　the　idea　had　not　come　into　his　mind　in　the　days　before　his　daughter　Louise　had　been　born　and　thought　that　surely　now　when　he　had　erected　a　pile　of　burning　sticks　in　some　lonely　place　in　the　woods　and　had　offered　the　body　of　a　lamb　as　a　burnt　offering；　God　would　appear　to　him　and　give　him　a　message。

More　and　more　as　he　thought　of　the　matter；　he　thought　also　of　David　and　his　passionate　self…love　was　partially　forgotten。　　〃It　is　time　for　the　boy　to　begin　thinking　of　going　out　into　the　world　and　the　message　will　be　one　concerning　him；〃　he　decided。　〃God　will　make　a　pathway　for　him。　　He　will　tell　me　what　place　David　is　to　take　in　life　and　when　he　shall　set　out　on　his　journey。　　It　is　right　that　the　boy　should　be　there。　　If　I　am　fortunate　and　an　angel　of　God　should　appear；　David　will　see　the　beauty　and　glory　of　God　made　manifest　to　man。　　It　will　make　a　true　man　of　God　of　him　also。〃

In　silence　Jesse　and　David　drove　along　the　road　until　they　came　to　that　place　where　Jesse　had　once　before　appealed　to　God　and　had　frightened　his　grandson。　　The　morning　had　been　bright　and　cheer…　ful；　but　a　cold　wind　now　began　to　blow　and　clouds　hid　the　sun。　　When　David　saw　the　place　to　which　they　had　come　he　began　to　tremble　with　fright；　and　when　they　stopped　by　the　bridge　where　the　creek　came　down　from　among　the　trees；　he　wanted　to　spring　out　of　the　phaeton　and　run　away。

A　dozen　plans　for　escape　ran　through　David's　head；　but　when　Jesse　stopped　the　horse　and　climbed　over　the　fence　into　the　wood；　he　followed。　　〃It　is　foolish　to　be　afraid。　　Nothing　will　happen；〃　he　told　himself　as　he　went　along　with　the　lamb　in　his　arms。　There　was　something　in　the　helplessness　of　the　little　animal　held　so　tightly　in　his　arms　that　gave　him　courage。　　He　could　feel　the　rapid　beating　of　the　beast's　heart　and　that　made　his　own　heart　beat　less　rapidly。　　As　he　walked　swiftly　along　behind　his　grandfather；　he　untied　the　string　with　which　the　four　legs　of　the　lamb　were　fastened　together。　　〃If　anything　happens　we　will　run　away　together；〃　he　thought。

In　the　woods；　after　they　had　gone　a　long　way　from　the　road；　Jesse　stopped　in　an　opening　among　the　trees　where　a　clearing；　overgrown　with　small　bushes；　ran　up　from　the　creek。　　He　was　still　silent　but　began　at　once　to　erect　a　heap　of　dry　sticks　which　he　presently　set　afire。　　The　boy　sat　on　the　ground　with　the　lamb　in　his　arms。　　His　imagination　began　to　invest　every　movement　of　the　old　man　with　signifi…　cance　and　he　became　every　moment　more　afraid。　　〃I　must　put　the　blood　of　the　lamb　on　the　head　of　the　boy；〃　Jesse　muttered　when　the　sticks　had　begun　to　blaze　greedily；　and　taking　a　long　knife　from　his　pocket　he　turned　and　walked　rapidly　across　the　clearing　toward　David。

Terror　seized　upon　the　soul　of　the　boy。　　He　was　sick　with　it。　　For　a　moment　he　sat　perfectly　still　and　then　his　body　stiffened　and　he　sprang　to　his　feet。　His　face　became　as　white　as　the　fleece　of　the　lamb　that；　now　finding　itself　suddenly　released；　ran　down　the　hill。　　David　ran　also。　　Fear　made　his　feet　fly。　　Over　the　low　bushes　and　logs　he　leaped　frantically。　　As　he　ran　he　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket　and　took　out　the　branched　stick　from　which　the　sling　for　shooting　squirrels　was　suspended。　　When　he　came　to　the　creek　that　was　shallow　and　splashed　down　over　the　stones；　he　dashed　into　the　water　and　turned　to　look　back；　and　when　he　saw　his　grandfather　still　running　toward　him　with　the　long　knife　held　tightly　in　his　hand　he　did　not　hesitate；　but　reaching　down；　se…　lected　a　stone　and　put　it　in　the　sling。　　With　all　his　strength　he　drew　back　the　heavy　rubber　bands　and　the　stone　whistled　through　the　air。　　It　hit　Jesse；　who　had　entirely　forgotten　the　boy　and　was　pursuing　the　lamb；　squarely　in　the　head。　　With　a　groan　he　pitched　forward　and　fell　almost　at　the　boy's　feet。　　When　David　saw　that　he　lay　still　and　that　he　was　appar…　ently　dead；　his　fright　increased　immeasurably。　　It　be…　came　an　insane　panic。

With　a　cry　he　turned　and　ran　off　through　the　woods　weeping　convulsively。　　〃I　don't　careI　killed　him；　but　I　don't　care；〃　he　sobbed。　　As　he　ran　on　and　on　he　decided　suddenly　that　he　would　never　go　back　again　to　the　Bentley　farms　or　to　the　town　of　Winesburg。　　〃I　have　killed　the　man　of　God　and　now　I　will　myself　be　a　man　and　go　into　the　world；〃　he　said　stoutly　as　he　stopped　running　and　walked　rap…　idly　down　a　road　that　followed　the　windings　of　Wine　Creek　as　it　ran　through　fields　and　forests　into　the　west。

On　the　ground　by　the　creek　Jesse　Bentley　moved　uneasily　about。　　He　groaned　and　opened　his　eyes。　For　a　long　time　he　lay　perfectly　still　and　looked　at　the　sky。　　When　at　last　he　got　to　his　feet；　his　mind　was　confused　and　he　was　not　surprised　by　the　boy's　disappearance。　　By　the　roadside　he　sat　down　on　a　log　and　began　to　talk　about　God。　　That　is　all　they　ever　got　out　of　him。　　Whenever　David's　name　was　mentioned　he　looked　vaguely　at　the　sky　and　said　that　a　messenger　from　God　had　taken　the　boy。　　〃It　happened　because　I　was　too　greedy　for　glory；〃　he　declared；　and　would　have　no　more　to　say　in　the　matter。




A　MAN　OF　IDEAS

HE　LIVED　WITH　his　mother；　a　grey；　silent　woman　with　a　peculiar　ashy　complexion。　　The　house　in　which　they　lived　stood　in　a　little　grove　of　trees　be…　yond　where　the　main　street　of　Winesburg　crossed　Wine　Creek。　　His　name　was　Joe　Welling；　and　his　fa…　ther　had　been　a　man　of　some　dignity　in　the　commu…　nity；　a　lawyer；　and　a　member　of　the　state　legislature　at　Columbus。　　Joe　himself　was　small　of　body　and　in　his　character　unlike　anyone　else　in　town。　　He　was　like　a　tiny　little　volcano　that　lies　silent　for　days　and　then　suddenly　spouts　fire。　　No；　he　wasn't　like　that　he　was　like　a　man　who　is　subject　to　fits；　one　who　walks　among　his　fellow　men　inspiring　fear　because　a　fit　may　come　upon　him　suddenly　and　blow　him　away　into　a　strange　uncanny　physical　state　in　which　his　eyes　roll　and　his　legs　and　arms　jerk。　　He　was　like　that；　only　that　the　visitation　that　descended　upon　Joe　Welling　was　a　mental　and　not　a　physical　thing。　He　was　beset　by　ideas　and　in　the　throes　of　one　of　his　ideas　was　uncontrollable。　　Words　rolled　and　tumbled　from　his　mouth。　　A　peculiar　smile　came　upon　his　lips。　　The　edges　of　his　teeth　that　were　tipped　with　gold　glistened　in　the　light。　　Pouncing　upon　a　by…　stander　he　began　to　talk。　　For　the　bystander　there　was　no　escape。　　The　excited　man　breathed　into　his　face；　peered　into　his　eyes；　pounded　upon　his　chest　with　a　shaking　forefinger；　demanded；　compelled　attention。

In　those　days　the　Standard　Oil　Company　did　not　deliver　oil　to　the　consumer　in　big　wagons　and　motor　trucks　as　it　does　now；　but　delivered　instead　to　retail　grocers；　hardware　stores；　and　the　like。　　Joe　was　the　Standard　Oil　agent　in　Winesburg　and　in　several　towns　up　and　down　the　railroad　that　went　through　Winesburg。　　He　collected　bills；　booked　orders；　and　did　other　things。　　His　father；　the　legislator；　had　se…　cured　the　job　for　him。

In　and　out　of　the　stores　of　Winesburg　went　Joe　Wellingsilent；　excessively　polite；　intent　upon　his　business。　　Men　watched　him　with　eyes　in　which　lurked　amusement　tempered　by　alarm。　　They　were　waiting　for　him　to　break　forth；　preparing　to　flee。　Although　the　seizures　that　came　upon　him　were　harmless　enough；　they　could　not　be　laughed　away。　They　were　overwhelming。　　Astride　an　idea；　Joe　was　overmastering。　　His　personality　became　gigantic。　　It　overrode　the　man　to　whom　he　talked；　swept　him　away；　swept　all　away；　all　who　stood　within　sound　of　his　voice。

In　Sylvester　West's　Drug　Store　stood　four　men　who　were　talking　of　horse　racing。　　Wesley　Moyer's　stallion；　Tony　Tip；　was　to　race　at　the　June　meeting　at　Tiffin；　Ohio；　and　there　was　a　rumor　that　he　would　meet　the　stiffest　competition　of　his　career。　　It　was　said　that　Pop　Geers；　the　great　racing　driver；　would　himself　be　there。　　A　doubt　of　the　success　of　Tony　Tip　hung　heavy　in　the　air　of　Winesburg。

Into　the　drug　store　came　Joe　Welling；　brushing　the　screen　door　violently　aside。　　With　a　strange　ab…　sorbed　light　in　his　eyes　he　pounced　upon　Ed　Thomas；　he　who　knew　Pop　Geers　and　whose　opin…　ion　of　Tony　Tip's　chances　was　worth　considering。

〃The　water　is　up　in　Wine　Creek；〃　cried　Joe　Wel…　ling　with　the　air　of　Pheidippides　bringing　news　of　the　victory　of　the　Greeks　in　the　struggle　at　Mara…　thon。　　His　finger　beat　a　tattoo　upon　Ed