第 55 节
作者:冬恋      更新:2021-04-30 17:05      字数:4670
  mother      at  Patesville。    From      a  further   description     of  the   cart  Tryon
  recognized it as the one he had met the day before。                The woman could be
  no other than Rena。        He turned his mare and set out swiftly on the road to
  Patesville。
  If   anything   could   have   taken   more   complete   possession   of   George
  Tryon   at   twenty…three   than   love   successful   and   triumphant;   it   was   love
  thwarted      and   denied。    Never     in  the   few   brief  delirious    weeks    of  his
  courtship     had   he   felt  so  strongly    drawn    to  the  beautiful    sister  of  the
  popular lawyer; as he was now driven by an aching heart toward the same
  woman stripped of   every  adventitions advantage   and placed;  by  custom;
  beyond   the   pale   of   marriage   with   men   of   his   own   race。    Custom   was
  tyranny。     Love   was   the   only  law。     Would   God   have   made   hearts   to   so
  yearn for one another if He had meant them to stay forever apart?                    If this
  girl should die; it would be he who had killed her; by his cruelty; no less
  surely than if with his own hand he had struck her down。                  He had been so
  dazzled by his own superiority; so blinded by his own glory; that he had
  ruthlessly   spurned   and   spoiled   the   image   of   God   in   this   fair   creature;
  whom  he   might   have   had   for   his   own   treasure;   whom;  please   God;   he
  would yet   have; at   any  cost; to   love and   cherish   while they  both   should
  live。    There     were    difficultiesthey    had   seemed     insuperable;     but   love
  would surmount them。           Sacrifices must be made; but if the world without
  love   would   be   nothing;   then   why   not   give   up   the   world   for   love?  He
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  THE HOUSE BEHIND THE CEDARS
  would hasten to Patesville。         He would find her; he would tell her that he
  loved her; that she was all the world to him; that he had come to marry her;
  and take her away where they might be happy together。                   He pictured to
  himself the joy that would light up her face; he felt her soft arms around
  his   neck;   her   tremulous   kisses   upon   his   lips。 If   she   were   ill;   his   love
  would      woo    her   back   to   health;if   disappointment      and    sorrow    had
  contributed to her illness; joy and gladness should lead to her recovery。
  He urged the mare forward; if she would but keep up her present pace;
  he would reach Patesville by nightfall。
  Dr。 Green had just gone down the garden path to his buggy at the gate。
  Mis' Molly came out to the back piazza; where Frank; weary and haggard;
  sat on the steps with Homer Pettifoot and Billy Oxendine; who; hearing of
  Rena's return; had come around after their day's work。
  〃Rena wants to see you; Frank;〃 said Mis' Molly; with a sob。
  He walked in softly; reverently; and stood by her bedside。              She turned
  her gentle eyes upon him and put out her slender hand; which he took in
  his own broad palm。
  〃Frank;〃 she murmured; 〃my good friend my best friendyou loved
  me best of them all。〃
  The   tears   rolled   untouched   down   his   cheeks。    〃I'd   'a'   died;   fer   you;
  Miss Rena;〃 he said brokenly。
  Mary B。 threw open a window to make way for the passing spirit; and
  the red and golden glory of the setting sun; triumphantly ending his daily
  course; flooded the narrow room with light。
  Between sunset and dark a traveler; seated in a dusty buggy drawn by
  a   tired   horse;   crossed   the   long   river   bridge   and   drove   up   Front   Street。
  Just as the buggy reached the gate in front of the house behind the cedars;
  a   woman   was   tying   a   piece   of   crape   upon   the   door…knob。    Pale   with
  apprehension; Tryon sat as if petrified; until a tall; side…whiskered mulatto
  came down the garden walk to the front gate。
  〃Who's   dead?〃      demanded   Tryon      hoarsely;   scarcely   recognizing      his
  own voice。
  〃A young cullud 'oman; sah;〃 answered Homer Pettifoot; touching his
  hat; 〃Mis' Molly Walden's daughter Rena。〃
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