English
ThenextmorningatbreakfastJothamPowellwasbetweenthem,andEthantriedtohidehisjoyunderanairofexaggeratedindifference,loungingbackinhischairtothrowscrapstothecat,growlingattheweather,andnotsomuchasofferingtohelpMattiewhensherosetoclearawaythedishes.
Hedidnotknowwhyhewassoirrationallyhappy,fornothingwaschangedinhislifeorhers.
Hehadnoteventouchedthetipofherfingersorlookedherfullintheeyes.
Buttheireveningtogetherhadgivenhimavisionofwhatlifeathersidemightbe,andhewasgladnowthathehaddonenothingtotroublethesweetnessofthepicture.
Hehadafancythatsheknewwhathadrestrainedhim…
Therewasalastloadoflumbertobehauledtothevillage,andJothamPowell-whodidnotworkregularlyforEthaninwinter-had“comeround”tohelpwiththejob.
Butawetsnow,meltingtosleet,hadfalleninthenightandturnedtheroadstoglass.
Therewasmorewetintheairanditseemedlikelytobothmenthattheweatherwould“milden”towardafternoonandmakethegoingsafer.
Ethanthereforeproposedtohisassistantthattheyshouldloadthesledgeatthewood-lot,astheyhaddoneonthepreviousmorning,andputoffthe“teaming”toStarkfieldtilllaterintheday.
ThisplanhadtheadvantageofenablinghimtosendJothamtotheFlatsafterdinnertomeetZenobia,whilehehimselftookthelumberdowntothevillage.
HetoldJothamtogooutandharnessupthegreys,andforamomentheandMattiehadthekitchentothemselves.
Shehadplungedthebreakfastdishesintoatindish-panandwasbendingaboveitwithherslimarmsbaredtotheelbow,thesteamfromthehotwaterbeadingherforeheadandtighteningherroughhairintolittlebrownringslikethetendrilsonthetraveller’sjoy.
Ethanstoodlookingather,hisheartinhisthroat.
Hewantedtosay:“Weshallneverbealoneagainlikethis.”
Instead,hereacheddownhistobacco-pouchfromashelfofthedresser,putitintohispocketandsaid:“IguessIcanmakeouttobehomefordinner.”
Sheanswered“Allright,Ethan,”andheheardhersingingoverthedishesashewent.
AssoonasthesledgewasloadedhemeanttosendJothambacktothefarmandhurryonfootintothevillagetobuytheglueforthepickle-dish.
Withordinaryluckheshouldhavehadtimetocarryoutthisplan;buteverythingwentwrongfromthestart.
Onthewayovertothewood-lotoneofthegreysslippedonaglareoficeandcuthisknee;andwhentheygothimupagainJothamhadtogobacktothebarnforastripofragtobindthecut.
Then,whentheloadingfinallybegan,asleetyrainwascomingdownoncemore,andthetreetrunksweresoslipperythatittooktwiceaslongasusualtoliftthemandgettheminplaceonthesledge.
ItwaswhatJothamcalledasourmorningforwork,andthehorses,shiveringandstampingundertheirwetblankets,seemedtolikeitaslittleasthemen.
Itwaslongpastthedinner-hourwhenthejobwasdone,andEthanhadtogiveupgoingtothevillagebecausehewantedtoleadtheinjuredhorsehomeandwashthecuthimself.
HethoughtthatbystartingoutagainwiththelumberassoonashehadfinishedhisdinnerhemightgetbacktothefarmwiththegluebeforeJothamandtheoldsorrelhadhadtimetofetchZenobiafromtheFlats;butheknewthechancewasaslightone.
ItturnedonthestateoftheroadsandonthepossiblelatenessoftheBettsbridgetrain.
Herememberedafterward,withagrimflashofself-derision,whatimportancehehadattachedtotheweighingoftheseprobabilities…
Assoonasdinnerwasoverhesetoutagainforthewood-lot,notdaringtolingertillJothamPowellleft.
Thehiredmanwasstilldryinghiswetfeetatthestove,andEthancouldonlygiveMattieaquicklookashesaidbeneathhisbreath:“I’llbebackearly.”
Hefanciedthatshenoddedhercomprehension;andwiththatscantsolacehehadtotrudgeoffthroughtherain.
Hehaddrivenhisloadhalf-waytothevillagewhenJothamPowellovertookhim,urgingthereluctantsorreltowardtheFlats.
“I’llhavetohurryuptodoit,”Ethanmused,asthesleighdroppeddownaheadofhimoverthedipoftheschool-househill.
Heworkedliketenattheunloading,andwhenitwasoverhastenedontoMichaelEady’sfortheglue.
Eadyandhisassistantwereboth“downstreet,”andyoungDenis,whoseldomdeignedtotaketheirplace,wasloungingbythestovewithaknotofthegoldenyouthofStarkfield.
TheyhailedEthanwithironiccomplimentandoffersofconviviality;butnooneknewwheretofindtheglue.
Ethan,consumedwiththelongingforalastmomentalonewithMattie,hungaboutimpatientlywhileDenismadeanineffectualsearchintheobscurercornersofthestore.
“Looksasifwewereallsoldout.Butifyou’llwaitaroundtilltheoldmancomesalongmaybehecanputhishandonit.”
“I’mobligedtoyou,butI’lltryifIcangetitdownatMrs.Homan’s,”Ethananswered,burningtobegone.
Denis’scommercialinstinctcompelledhimtoaveronoaththatwhatEady’sstorecouldnotproducewouldneverbefoundatthewidowHoman’s;butEthan,heedlessofthisboast,hadalreadyclimbedtothesledgeandwasdrivingontotherivalestablishment.
Here,afterconsiderablesearch,andsympatheticquestionsastowhathewanteditfor,andwhetherordinaryflourpastewouldn’tdoaswellifshecouldn’tfindit,thewidowHomanfinallyhunteddownhersolitarybottleofgluetoitshiding-placeinamedleyofcough-lozengesandcorset-laces.
“IhopeZeenaain’tbrokenanythingshesetsstoreby,”shecalledafterhimasheturnedthegreystowardhome.
Thefitfulburstsofsleethadchangedintoasteadyrainandthehorseshadheavyworkevenwithoutaloadbehindthem.
Onceortwice,hearingsleigh-bells,Ethanturnedhishead,fancyingthatZeenaandJothammightovertakehim;buttheoldsorrelwasnotinsight,andhesethisfaceagainsttherainandurgedonhisponderouspair.
Thebarnwasemptywhenthehorsesturnedintoitand,aftergivingthemthemostperfunctoryministrationstheyhadeverreceivedfromhim,hestrodeuptothehouseandpushedopenthekitchendoor.
Mattiewastherealone,ashehadpicturedher.Shewasbendingoverapanonthestove;butatthesoundofhisstepsheturnedwithastartandsprangtohim.
“See,here,Matt,I’vegotsomestufftomendthedishwith!Letmegetatitquick,”hecried,wavingthebottleinonehandwhileheputherlightlyaside;butshedidnotseemtohearhim.
“Oh,Ethan-Zeena’scome,”shesaidinawhisper,clutchinghissleeve.
Theystoodandstaredateachother,paleasculprits.
“Butthesorrel’snotinthebarn!”Ethanstammered.
“JothamPowellbroughtsomegoodsoverfromtheFlatsforhiswife,andhedroverightonhomewiththem,”sheexplained.
Hegazedblanklyaboutthekitchen,whichlookedcoldandsqualidintherainywintertwilight.
“Howisshe?”heasked,droppinghisvoicetoMattie’swhisper.
Shelookedawayfromhimuncertainly.“Idon’tknow.Shewentrightuptoherroom.”
“Shedidn’tsayanything?”
“No.”
Ethanletouthisdoubtsinalowwhistleandthrustthebottlebackintohispocket.
“Don’tfret;I’llcomedownandmenditinthenight,”hesaid.
Hepulledonhiswetcoatagainandwentbacktothebarntofeedthegreys.
WhilehewasthereJothamPowelldroveupwiththesleigh,andwhenthehorseshadbeenattendedtoEthansaidtohim:“Youmightaswellcomebackupforabite.”
HewasnotsorrytoassurehimselfofJotham’sneutralisingpresenceatthesuppertable,forZeenawasalways“nervous”afterajourney.
Butthehiredman,thoughseldomlothtoacceptamealnotincludedinhiswages,openedhisstiffjawstoanswerslowly:“I’mobligedtoyou,butIguessI’llgoalongback.”
Ethanlookedathiminsurprise.“Bettercomeupanddryoff.Looksasifthere’dbesomethinghotforsupper.”
Jotham’sfacialmuscleswereunmovedbythisappealand,hisvocabularybeinglimited,hemerelyrepeated:“IguessI’llgoalongback.”
ToEthantherewassomethingvaguelyominousinthisstolidrejectionoffreefoodandwarmth,andhewonderedwhathadhappenedonthedrivetonerveJothamtosuchstoicism.
PerhapsZeenahadfailedtoseethenewdoctororhadnotlikedhiscounsels:Ethanknewthatinsuchcasesthefirstpersonshemetwaslikelytobeheldresponsibleforhergrievance.
Whenhere-enteredthekitchenthelamplitupthesamesceneofshiningcomfortasonthepreviousevening.
Thetablehadbeenascarefullylaid,aclearfireglowedinthestove,thecatdozedinitswarmth,andMattiecameforwardcarryingaplateofdoughnuts.
SheandEthanlookedateachotherinsilence;thenshesaid,asshehadsaidthenightbefore:“Iguessit’sabouttimeforsupper.”
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