English
Theyfinishedsupper,andwhileMattieclearedthetableEthanwenttolookatthecowsandthentookalastturnaboutthehouse.
Theearthlaydarkunderamuffledskyandtheairwassostillthatnowandthenheheardalumpofsnowcomethumpingdownfromatreefaroffontheedgeofthewood-lot.
WhenhereturnedtothekitchenMattiehadpusheduphischairtothestoveandseatedherselfnearthelampwithabitofsewing.
Thescenewasjustashehaddreamedofitthatmorning.
Hesatdown,drewhispipefromhispocketandstretchedhisfeettotheglow.
Hishardday’sworkinthekeenairmadehimfeelatoncelazyandlightofmood,andhehadaconfusedsenseofbeinginanotherworld,whereallwaswarmthandharmonyandtimecouldbringnochange.
Theonlydrawbacktohiscompletewell-beingwasthefactthathecouldnotseeMattiefromwherehesat;buthewastooindolenttomoveandafteramomenthesaid:“Comeoverhereandsitbythestove.”
Zeena’semptyrocking-chairstoodfacinghim.
Mattieroseobediently,andseatedherselfinit.
Asheryoungbrownheaddetacheditselfagainstthepatch-workcushionthathabituallyframedhiswife’sgauntcountenance,Ethanhadamomentaryshock.
Itwasalmostasiftheotherface,thefaceofthesupersededwoman,hadobliteratedthatoftheintruder.
AfteramomentMattieseemedtobeaffectedbythesamesenseofconstraint.
Shechangedherposition,leaningforwardtobendherheadaboveherwork,sothathesawonlytheforeshortenedtipofhernoseandthestreakofredinherhair;thensheslippedtoherfeet,saying“Ican’tseetosew,”andwentbacktoherchairbythelamp.
Ethanmadeapretextofgettinguptoreplenishthestove,andwhenhereturnedtohisseathepusheditsidewaysthathemightgetaviewofherprofileandofthelamplightfallingonherhands.
Thecat,whohadbeenapuzzledobserveroftheseunusualmovements,jumpedupintoZeena’schair,rolleditselfintoaball,andlaywatchingthemwithnarrowedeyes.
Deepquietsankontheroom.Theclocktickedabovethedresser,apieceofcharredwoodfellnowandtheninthestove,andthefaintsharpscentofthegeraniumsmingledwiththeodourofEthan’ssmoke,whichbegantothrowabluehazeaboutthelampandtohangitsgreyishcobwebsintheshadowycornersoftheroom.
Allconstrainthadvanishedbetweenthetwo,andtheybegantotalkeasilyandsimply.
Theyspokeofevery-daythings,oftheprospectofsnow,ofthenextchurchsociable,ofthelovesandquarrelsofStarkfield.
ThecommonplacenatureofwhattheysaidproducedinEthananillusionoflong-establishedintimacywhichnooutburstofemotioncouldhavegiven,andhesethisimaginationadriftonthefictionthattheyhadalwaysspenttheireveningsthusandwouldalwaysgoondoingso…
“Thisisthenightweweretohavegonecoasting.Matt,”hesaidatlength,withtherichsense,ashespoke,thattheycouldgoonanyothernighttheychose,sincetheyhadalltimebeforethem.
Shesmiledbackathim.“Iguessyouforgot!”
“No,Ididn’tforget;butit’sasdarkasEgyptoutdoors.Wemightgoto-morrowifthere’samoon.”
Shelaughedwithpleasure,herheadtiltedback,thelamplightsparklingonherlipsandteeth.“Thatwouldbelovely,Ethan!”
Hekepthiseyesfixedonher,marvellingatthewayherfacechangedwitheachturnoftheirtalk,likeawheat-fieldunderasummerbreeze.
Itwasintoxicatingtofindsuchmagicinhisclumsywords,andhelongedtotrynewwaysofusingit.
“WouldyoubescaredtogodowntheCorburyroadwithmeonanightlikethis?”heasked.
Hercheeksburnedredder.“Iain’tanymorescaredthanyouare!”
“Well,I’dbescared,then;Iwouldn’tdoit.
That’sanuglycornerdownbythebigelm.
Ifafellowdidn’tkeephiseyesopenhe’dgoplumbintoit.”
Heluxuriatedinthesenseofprotectionandauthoritywhichhiswordsconveyed.
Toprolongandintensifythefeelingheadded:“Iguesswe’rewellenoughhere.”
Sheletherlidssinkslowly,inthewayheloved.“Yes,we’rewellenoughhere,”shesighed.
Hertonewassosweetthathetookthepipefromhismouthanddrewhischairuptothetable.
Leaningforward,hetouchedthefartherendofthestripofbrownstuffthatshewashemming.
“Say,Matt,”hebeganwithasmile,“whatdoyouthinkIsawundertheVarnumspruces,comingalonghomejustnow?
Isawafriendofyoursgettingkissed.”
Thewordshadbeenonhistonguealltheevening,butnowthathehadspokenthemtheystruckhimasinexpressiblyvulgarandoutofplace.
Mattieblushedtotherootsofherhairandpulledherneedlerapidlytwiceorthricethroughherwork,insensiblydrawingtheendofitawayfromhim.
“IsupposeitwasRuthandNed,”shesaidinalowvoice,asthoughhehadsuddenlytouchedonsomethinggrave.
Ethanhadimaginedthathisallusionmightopenthewaytotheacceptedpleasantries,andtheseperhapsinturntoaharmlesscaress,ifonlyameretouchonherhand.
Butnowhefeltasifherblushhadsetaflamingguardabouther.
Hesupposeditwashisnaturalawkwardnessthatmadehimfeelso.
Heknewthatmostyoungmenmadenothingatallofgivingaprettygirlakiss,andherememberedthatthenightbefore,whenhehadputhisarmaboutMattie,shehadnotresisted.
Butthathadbeenout-of-doors,undertheopenirresponsiblenight.
Now,inthewarmlamplitroom,withallitsancientimplicationsofconformityandorder,sheseemedinfinitelyfartherawayfromhimandmoreunapproachable.
Toeasehisconstrainthesaid:“Isupposethey’llbesettingadatebeforelong.”
“Yes.Ishouldn’twonderiftheygotmarriedsometimealonginthesummer.”
Shepronouncedthewordmarriedasifhervoicecaressedit.
Itseemedarustlingcovertleadingtoenchantedglades.
ApangshotthroughEthan,andhesaid,twistingawayfromherinhischair:“It’llbeyourturnnext,Iwouldn’twonder.”
Shelaughedalittleuncertainly.“Whydoyoukeeponsayingthat?”
Heechoedherlaugh.“IguessIdoittogetusedtotheidea.”
Hedrewuptothetableagainandshesewedoninsilence,withdroppedlashes,whilehesatinfascinatedcontemplationofthewayinwhichherhandswentupanddownabovethestripofstuff,justashehadseenapairofbirdsmakeshortperpendicularflightsoveranesttheywerebuilding.
Atlength,withoutturningherheadorliftingherlids,shesaidinalowtone:“It’snotbecauseyouthinkZeena’sgotanythingagainstme,isit?”
Hisformerdreadstartedupfull-armedatthesuggestion.“Why,whatdoyoumean?”hestammered.
Sheraiseddistressedeyestohis,herworkdroppingonthetablebetweenthem.“Idon’tknow.Ithoughtlastnightsheseemedtohave.”
“I’dliketoknowwhat,”hegrowled.
“NobodycantellwithZeena.”ItwasthefirsttimetheyhadeverspokensoopenlyofherattitudetowardMattie,andtherepetitionofthenameseemedtocarryittothefarthercornersoftheroomandsenditbacktotheminlongrepercussionsofsound.
Mattiewaited,asiftogivetheechotimetodrop,andthenwenton:“Shehasn’tsaidanythingtoyou?”
Heshookhishead.“No,notaword.”
Shetossedthehairbackfromherforeheadwithalaugh.“IguessI’mjustnervous,then.I’mnotgoingtothinkaboutitanymore.”
“Oh,no-don’tlet’sthinkaboutit,Matt!”
Thesuddenheatofhistonemadehercolourmountagain,notwitharush,butgradually,delicately,likethereflectionofathoughtstealingslowlyacrossherheart.
Shesatsilent,herhandsclaspedonherwork,anditseemedtohimthatawarmcurrentflowedtowardhimalongthestripofstuffthatstilllayunrolledbetweenthem.
Cautiouslyheslidhishandpalm-downwardalongthetabletillhisfinger-tipstouchedtheendofthestuff.
Afaintvibrationofherlashesseemedtoshowthatshewasawareofhisgesture,andthatithadsentacounter-currentbacktoher;andsheletherhandsliemotionlessontheotherendofthestrip.
Astheysatthusheheardasoundbehindhimandturnedhishead.
ThecathadjumpedfromZeena’schairtodartatamouseinthewainscot,andasaresultofthesuddenmovementtheemptychairhadsetupaspectralrocking.
“She’llberockinginitherselfthistimeto-morrow,”Ethanthought.
“I’vebeeninadream,andthisistheonlyeveningwe’lleverhavetogether.”
Thereturntorealitywasaspainfulasthereturntoconsciousnessaftertakingananaesthetic.
Hisbodyandbrainachedwithindescribableweariness,andhecouldthinkofnothingtosayortodothatshouldarrestthemadflightofthemoments.
HisalterationofmoodseemedtohavecommunicateditselftoMattie.
Shelookedupathimlanguidly,asthoughherlidswereweightedwithsleepanditcostheranefforttoraisethem.
Herglancefellonhishand,whichnowcompletelycoveredtheendofherworkandgraspeditasifitwereapartofherself.
Hesawascarcelyperceptibletremorcrossherface,andwithoutknowingwhathedidhestoopedhisheadandkissedthebitofstuffinhishold.
Ashislipsrestedonithefeltitglideslowlyfrombeneaththem,andsawthatMattiehadrisenandwassilentlyrollingupherwork.
Shefasteneditwithapin,andthen,findingherthimbleandscissors,putthemwiththerollofstuffintotheboxcoveredwithfancypaperwhichhehadoncebroughttoherfromBettsbridge.
Hestoodupalso,lookingvaguelyabouttheroom.Theclockabovethedresserstruckeleven.
“Isthefireallright?”sheaskedinalowvoice.
Heopenedthedoorofthestoveandpokedaimlesslyattheembers.
Whenheraisedhimselfagainhesawthatshewasdraggingtowardthestovetheoldsoap-boxlinedwithcarpetinwhichthecatmadeitsbed.
Thensherecrossedthefloorandliftedtwoofthegeraniumpotsinherarms,movingthemawayfromthecoldwindow.
Hefollowedherandbroughttheothergeraniums,thehyacinthbulbsinacrackedcustardbowlandtheGermanivytrainedoveranoldcroquethoop.
Whenthesenightlydutieswereperformedtherewasnothinglefttodobuttobringinthetincandlestickfromthepassage,lightthecandleandblowoutthelamp.
EthanputthecandlestickinMattie’shandandshewentoutofthekitchenaheadofhim,thelightthatshecarriedbeforehermakingherdarkhairlooklikeadriftofmistonthemoon.
“Goodnight,Matt,”hesaidassheputherfootonthefirststepofthestairs.
Sheturnedandlookedathimamoment.“Goodnight,Ethan,”sheanswered,andwentup.
Whenthedoorofherroomhadclosedonherherememberedthathehadnoteventouchedherhand.
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