samantha at saratoga-第26章

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　palest　lavender；　and　pinky　grey；　and　pearly　white；　and　every　soft　and　delicate　color　that　water　could　be　crystalized　into。　　And　over　all　lay　the　glowin'；　tender　sunset　skies　　it　wuz　a　fair　seen。　　And　even　as　I　looked　on　in　a　almost　rapped　way；　the　sun　come　out　from　behind　a　soft　cloud；　and　lay　on　the　water　like　a　pillow　of　fire　jest　as　I　dream　that　pillow　did；　that　went　ahead　of　my　old　4　fathers。　The　rest　on　'em　seemed　to　be　more　intent　on　the　lemonade　with　2　straws　in　'em。　　I　didn't　make　no　fuss。　　They　are　nice；　clean　folks；　I　make　no　doubt。　　I　wouldn't　make　no　fuss　and　tell　on　the　hired　man　　women　of　the　house　have　enough　to　worry　'em　anyway。　But　he　had　dropped　some　straws　into　our　tumblers；　every　one　on　'em；　I　dare　presume　to　say　they　had　been　a　fillin'　straw　ticks。　　I　jest　took　mine　out　in　a　quiet　way；　and　throwed　'em　to　one　side。　The　rest　on　'em；　I　see；　and　it　wuz　real　good　in　'em；　drinked　through　'em；　as　we　used　to　at　school。　　It　wuz　real　good　in　Druzilla；　and　Ezra；　and　also　in　the　Deacon。　　It　kinder　ondeared　the　hull　on　'em　to　me。　　I　hope　this　won't　be　told　of；　it　orto　be　kep　　for　he　wuz　a　goodnatured　lookin'　hired　man；　black；　but　not　to　blame　for　that　　and　good　land！　what　is　a　straw？　　anyway　they　wuz　clean。　There　wuz　some　tents　sot　up　there　in　the　back　yard；　lookin'　some　as　I　s'pose　our　old　4　fathers　tents　did；　in　the　pleasant　summer　times　of　old。　　And　I　asked　a　bystander　a　standin'　by；　whose　tents　they　wuz；　and　he　said　they　wuz　Free　Thinkers　havin'　a　convention。　And　I　says；　〃How　free？〃　And　he　said　〃they　wuz　great　cases　to　doubt　everything；　they　doubted　whether　they　wuz　or　not；　and　if　they　wuz　or　when；　and　if　so；　why？〃　And　he　says；　〃won't　you　stay　to…night　over　and　attend　the　meetin'？〃　And　I　says；　〃What　are　they　goin'　to　teach　tonight？〃　And　he　says；　〃The　Whyness　of　the　What〃　I　says；　〃I　guess　that　is　too　deep　a　subject　for　me　to　tackle；〃　and　says　I；　〃Don't　they　believe　anything　easier　than　that？〃　And　he　says；　〃They　don't　believe　anything。　　That　is　their　belief　　to　believe　nothin'。〃　〃Nothin'！〃　says　I。　〃Yes；〃　says　he；　〃Nothin'。〃　　And；　says　he；　〃to…morrer　they　are　goin'　to　prove　beyond　any　question；　that　there　haint　any　God；　nor　anything；　and　never　wuz　anything。〃　〃Be　they？〃　sez　I。　〃Yes；〃　says　he；　〃and　won't　you　come　and　be　convinced？〃　I　looked　off　onto　the　peaceful　waters；　onto　the　hills　that　lay　as　the　mountains　did　about　Jerusalem；　onto　the　pillow　of　fire　that　seemed　to　hold　in　it　the　flames　of　that　light　that　had　lighted　the　old　world　onto　the　mornin'　of　the　new　day；　　and　one　star　had　come　out；　and　stood　tremblin'　over　the　brow　of　the　mountain　and　I　thought　of　that　star　that　had　riz　so　long　time　ago；　and　had　guided　the　three　wise　men；　guided　'em　jest　alike　from　their　three　different　homes；　entirely　unbeknown　to　each　other；　guidin'　'em　to　the　cradle　where　lay　the　infant　Redeemer　of　the　world；　so　long　foretold　by　bard　and　prophet。　　I　looked　out　onto　the　heavenly　glory　of　the　day；　and　then　inside　into　my　heart；　that　held　a　faith　jest　as　bright　and　undyin'　as　the　light　of　that　star　　and　I　says；　〃No；　I　guess　I　won't　go　and　be　convinced。〃　Wall；　we　riz　up　to　go　most　immediately　afterwerds；　and　the　Deacon　（he　is　very　smart）　observed：　〃How　highly　tickled　and　even　highlarious　the　man　seemed　in　talkin'　about　there　not　bein'　any　future。〃　　And　he　says；　〃It　wuz　a　good　deal　like　a　man　laughin'　and　clappin'　his　hands　to　see　his　house　burn　down〃　And　I　sez；　〃it　wuz　far　wurse；　for　his　home　wouldn't　stand　more'n　a　100　years　or　so；　and　this　home　he　wuz　a　tryin'　to　destroy；　wuz　one　that　would　last　through　eternity。〃　　〃But；〃　says　I；　〃it　hain't　built　by　hands；　and　I　guess　their　hands　hain't　strong　enough　to　tear　it　down；　nor　high　enough　to　set　fire　to　it。〃　And　the　Deacon　says；　〃Jest　so；　Miss　Allen；　you　spoke　truthfully；　and　eloquent。〃　　（The　Deacon　is　very　smart。）　When　we　got　into　the　buggy　to　start；　the　Deacon　says；　〃I　would　like　to　resoom　the　conversation　with　you；　Josiah　Allen's　wife；　a　goin'　back。〃　And　Druzilla　spoke　right　out　and　says；　〃I　will　set　on　the　front　seat　by　Ezra。〃　　I　says；　〃Oh　no；　Druzilla；　I　can　hear　the　Deacon　from　where　I　sot　before。〃　But　the　Deacon　says；　Talkin'　loud　towards　night　always　offected　his　voice　onpleasantly；　mebby　Druzilla　and　he　had　better　change　seats。　Again　I　demurred。　　And　then　Druzilla　said　she　must　set　by　Ezra；　she　wanted　to　tell　him　sumthin'　in　confidence。　And　so　it　wuz　arraigned；　for　I　felt　that　I　wuz　not　the　one　to　come　between　pardners；　no　indeed。　　The　road　laid　peacefuller　and　beautifuller　than　ever；　or　so　it　seemed　under　the　sunset　glory　that　sort　o'　hung　round　it。　　Jest　about　half　way　through　the　woods　we　met　the　English　girl；　a　stridin'　along　alone；　each　step　more'n　3　feet　long；　or　so　it　seemed　to　me。　　There　wuz　a　look　of　health；　and　happy　determination　on　her　forwerd　as　she　strided　rapidly　by。　I　would　have　fain　questioned　her　concernin'　my　pardner；　as　she　strode　by；　but　before　I　could　call　out；　or　begon　to　her　she　wuz　far　in　the　rearwerd；　and　goin'　in　a　full　pressure　and　in　a　knot　of　several　miles　an　hour。　Wall；　from　that　minute　I　felt　strange　and　curious。　　And　though　Druzilla　and　Ezra　was　agreeable　and　the　Deacon　edifyin'；　I　didn't　seem　to　feel　edified；　and　the　most　warm…hearted　looks　didn't　seem　to　warm　my　heart　none；　it　wuz　oppressed　with　gloomy　forebodings　of；　Where　wuz　my　pardner？　　They　had　laid　out　to　set　out　together。　Had　they　sot？　　This　question　was　a　goverin'　me；　and　the　follerin'　one：　If　they　had　sot　out　together；　where　wuz　my　pardner；　Josiah　Allen；　now？　　As　I　thought　these　feerful　thoughts；　instinctively　I　turned　around　to　see　if　I　could　see　a　trace　of　his　companion　in　the　distance。　　Yes；　I　could　ketch　a　faint　glimpse　of　her　as　she　wuz　mountin'　a　diclivity；　and　stood　for　an　instant　in　sight；　but　long　before　even；　she　disopeered　agin；　for　her　gait　wuz　tremendous；　and　at　a　rate　of　a　good　many　knots　she　wuz　a　goin'；　that　I　knew。　　And　the　fearful　thought　would　rise；　Josiah　Allen　could　not　go　more　than　half　a　knot；　if　he　could　that。　　He　wuz　a　slow　predestinatur　any　way；　and　then　his　corns　was　feerful；　and　never　could　be　told　　and　his　boots　had　in　'em　the　elements　of　feerful　sufferin'。　　It　wuz　all　he　could　do　when　he　had　'em　on　to　hobble　down　to　the　spring；　and　post…office。　　Where？　where　wuz　he？　And　she　a　goin'　at　the　rate　of　so　many　knots。　Oh！　the　agony　of　them　several　minutes；　while　these　thoughts　wuz　rampagin　through　my　destracted　brain。　Oh！　if　pardners　only　knew　the　agony　they　bring　onto　their　devoted　companions；　by　their　onguarded　and　thoughtless　acts；　and　attentions　to　other　females；　gin　without　proper　reseerch　and　precautions；　it　would　draw　their　liniments　down　into　expressions　of　shame　and　remorse。　　Josiah　wouldn't　have　gone　with　her　if　he　had　known　the　number　of　knots　she　wuz　a　goin'；　no；　not　one　step　　then　why　couldn't　he　have　found　out　the　number　of　them　knots　　why　couldn't　he？　　Why　can't　pardners　look　ahead　and　see　to　where　their　gay　attentions；　their　flirtations　that　they　call　mild　and　innercent；　will　lead　'em　to？　　Why　can't　they　realize　that　it　haint　only　themselves　they　are　injurin'；　but　them　that　are　bound　to　'em　by　the　most　sacred　ties　that　folks　can　be　twisted　up　in？　　Why　can't　they　realize　that　a　end　must　come　to　it；　and　it　may　be　a　fearful　and　a　shameful　one；　and　if　it　is　a　ha