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！
sezee：
〃‘Look a…here； w'at made you come an' stop at my place widout tellin'
me you wuz a black man？ Befo' you come th'ough dis town I had a fus'…
class business。 But w'en folks found out dat a nigger had put up here；
business drapped right off； an' I've had ter shet up my hotel。 You oughter
be'shamed er yo'se'f fer ruinin' a po' man w'at had n' never done no harm
ter you。 You've done a mean； low…lived thing； an' a jes' God'll punish you
fer it。'
〃De po' man acshully bust inter tears；〃 continued Mr。 Wain
142
… Page 143…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
magnanimously； 〃an' I felt so sorry fer 'imhe wuz a po' white man tryin'
ter git up in de worl'dat I hauled out my purse an' gin 'im ten dollars； an'
he 'peared monst'ous glad ter git it。〃
〃 How good…hearted！ How kin'！〃 murmured the ladies。 〃It done
credit to yo' feelin's。〃
〃 Don't b'lieve a word er dem lies；〃 muttered one young man to
another sarcastically。 〃He could n' pass fer white； 'less'n it wuz a mighty
dark night。〃
Upon this glorious evening of his life； Mr。 Jefferson Wain had one
distinctly hostile critic； of whose presence he was blissfully unconscious。
Frank Fowler had not been invited to the party； his family did not go
with Mary B。's set。 Rena had suggested to her mother that he be invited；
but Mis' Molly had demurred on the ground that it was not her party； and
that she had no right to issue invitations。 It is quite likely that she would
have sought an invitation for Frank from Mary B。； but Frank was black；
and would not harmonize with the rest of the company； who would not
have Mis' Molly's reasons for treating him well。 She had compromised
the matter by stepping across the way in the afternoon and suggesting that
Frank might come over and sit on the back porch and look at the dancing
and share in the supper。
Frank was not without a certain honest pride。 He was sensitive
enough； too； not to care to go where he was not wanted。 He would have
curtly refused any such maimed invitation to any other place。 But would
he not see Rena in her best attire； and might she not perhaps； in passing；
speak a word to him？
〃Thank y'； Mis' Molly；〃 he replied； 〃I'll prob'ly come over。〃
〃You're a big fool； boy；〃 observed his father after Mis' Molly had gone
back across the street； 〃ter be stickin' roun' dem yaller niggers 'cross de
street； an' slobb'rin' an' slav'rin' over 'em； an' hangin' roun' deir back do'
wuss 'n ef dey wuz w'ite folks。 I'd see 'em dead fus'！〃
Frank himself resisted the temptation for half an hour after the music
began； but at length he made his way across the street and stationed
himself at the window opening upon the back piazza。 When Rena was in
the room； he had eyes for her only； but when she was absent； he fixed his
143
… Page 144…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
attention mainly upon Wain。 With jealous clairvoyance he observed that
Wain's eyes followed Rena when she left the room； and lit up when she
returned。 Frank had heard that Rena was going away with this man； and
he watched Wain closely； liking him less the longer he looked at him。 To
his fancy； Wain's style and skill were affectation； his good…nature mere
hypocrisy； and his glance at Rena the eye of the hawk upon his quarry。
He had heard that Wain was unmarried； and he could not see how； this
being so； he could help wishing Rena for a wife。 Frank would have been
content to see her marry a white man； who would have raised her to a
plane worthy of her merits。 In this man's shifty eye he read the liarhis
wealth and standing were probably as false as his seeming good…humor。
〃Is that you； Frank？〃 said a soft voice near at hand。
He looked up with a joyful thrill。 Rena was peering intently at him；
as if trying to distinguish his features in the darkness。 It was a bright
moonlight night； but Frank stood in the shadow of the piazza。
〃Yas 'm； it's me； Miss Rena。 Yo' mammy said I could come over an'
see you…all dance。 You ain' be'n out on de flo' at all； ter…night。〃
〃 No； Frank； I don't care for dancing。 I shall not dance to…night。〃
This answer was pleasing to Frank。 If he could not hope to dance
with her； at least the men inside at least this snake in the grass from
down the countryshould not have that privilege。
〃But you must have some supper； Frank；〃 said Rena。 〃I'll bring it
myself。〃
〃No； Miss Rena； I don' keer fer nothin'I did n' come over ter eat
r'al'y I didn't。〃
〃Nonsense； Frank； there's plenty of it。 I have no appetite； and you
shall have my portion。〃
She brought him a slice of cake and a glass of eggnog。 When Mis'
Molly； a minute later； came out upon the piazza； Frank left the yard and
walked down the street toward the old canal。 Rena had spoken softly to
him； she had fed him with her own dainty hands。 He might never hope
that she would see in him anything but a friend； but he loved her； and he
would watch over her and protect her； wherever she might be。 He did not
believe that she would ever marry the grinning hypocrite masquerading
144
… Page 145…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
back there in Mis' Molly's parlor； but the man would bear watching。
Mis' Molly had come to call her daughter into the house。 〃Rena；〃 she
said； 〃Mr。 Wain wants ter know if you won't dance just one dance with
him。〃
〃Yas； Rena；〃 pleaded Mary B。； who followed Miss Molly out to the
piazza； 〃jes' one dance。 I don't think you're treatin' my comp'ny jes' right；
Cousin Rena。〃
〃You're goin' down there with 'im；〃 added her mother； 〃an' it 'd be just
as well to be on friendly terms with 'im。〃
Wain himself had followed the women。 〃Sho'ly； Miss Rena； you're
gwine ter honah me wid one dance？ I'd go 'way f'm dis pa'ty sad at hea't
ef I had n' stood up oncet wid de young lady er de house。〃
As Rena； weakly persuaded； placed her hand on Wain's arm and
entered the house； a buggy； coming up Front Street； paused a moment at
the corner； and then turning slowly； drove quietly up the nameless by…
street； concealed by the intervening cedars； until it reached a point from
which the occupant could view； through the open front window； the
interior of the parlor。
145
… Page 146…
THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
XXIV
SWING YOUR PARTNERS
Moved by tenderness and thoughts of self…sacrifice； which had
occupied his mind to the momentary exclusion of all else； Tryon had
scarcely noticed； as be approached the house behind the cedars； a strain of
lively music； to which was added； as he drew still nearer； the
accompaniment of other festive sounds。 He suddenly awoke； however； to
the fact that these signs of merriment came from the house at which he had
intended to stop； he had not meant that Rena should pass another
sleepless night of sorrow； or that he should himself endure another
needless hour of suspense。
He drew rein at the corner。 Shocked surprise； a nascent anger； a
vague alarm； an insistent curiosity； urged him nearer。 Turning the mare
into the side street and keeping close to the fence； he drove ahead in the
shadow of the cedars until he reached a gap through which he could see
into the open door and windows of the brightly lighted hall。
There was evidently a ball in progr