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The Deliverance； A Romance of the Virginia Tobacco Fields
by Ellen Glasgow
CONTENTS
BOOK I。 The Inheritance
CHAPTER
I。 The Man in the Field
II。 The Owner of Blake Hall
III。 Showing That a Little Culture Entails Great Care
IV。 Of Human Nature in the Raw State
V。 The Wreck of the Blakes
VI。 Carraway Plays Courtier
VII。 In Which a Stand Is Made
VIII。 Treats of a Passion That Is Not Love
IX。 Cynthia X。 Sentimental and Otherwise
BOOK II。 The Temptation
I。 The Romance That Might Have Been
II。 The Romance That Was
III。 Fletcher's Move and Christopher's Counterstroke
IV。 A Gallant Deed That Leads to Evil
V。 The Glimpse of a Bride
VI。 Shows Fletcher in a New Light
VII。 In Which Hero and Villain Appear as One
VIII。 Between the Devil and the Deep Sea
IX。 As the Twig Is Bent
X。 Powers of Darkness
BOOK III。 The Revenge
I。 In Which Tobacco Is Hero
II。 Between Christopher and Will
III。 Mrs。 Blake Speaks Her Mind on Several Matters
IV。 In Which Christopher Hesitates
V。 The Happiness of Tucker
VI。 The Wages of Folly
VII。 The Toss of a Coin
VIII。 In Which Christopher Triumphs
BOOK IV。 The Awakening
I。 The Unforeseen
II。 Maria Returns to the Hall
III。 The Day Afterward
IV。 The Meeting in the Night
V。 Maria Stands on Christopher's Ground
VI。 The Growing Light
VII。 In which Carraway Speaks the Truth to Maria
VIII。 Between Maria and Christopher
IX。 Christopher Faces Himself
X。 By the Poplar Spring
BOOK V。 The Ancient Law
I。 Christopher Seeks an Escape
II。 The Measure of Maria
III。 Will's Ruin
IV。 In Which Mrs。 Blake's Eyes are Opened
V。 Christopher Plants by Moonlight
VI。 Treats of the Tragedy Which Wears a Comic Mask
VII。 Will Faces Desperation and Stands at Bay
VIII。 How Christopher Comes into His Revenge
IX。 The Fulfilling of the Law
X。 The Wheel of Life
LIST OF CHARACTERS
CHRISTOPHER BLAKE； a tobacco…grower
MRS。 BLAKE； his mother
TUCKER CORBIN； an old soldier
CYNTHIA and LILA BLAKE； sisters of Christopher
CARRAWAY； a lawyer
BILL FLETCHER； a wealthy farmer
MARIA FLETCHER； his granddaughter
WILL FLETCHER； his grandson
〃MISS SAIDIE；〃 sister of Fletcher
JACOB WEATHERBY； a tobacco…grower
JIM WEATHERBY； his son
SOL PETERKIN； another tobacco…grower
MOLLY PETERKIN； daughter of Sol
Tom SPADE； a country storekeeper
SUSAN； his wife
UNCLE BOAZ； a Negro
Book I
THE INHERITANCE
CHAPTER I。 The Man in the Field
When the Susquehanna stage came to the daily halt beneath the blasted pine at the cross…roads； an elderly man； wearing a flapping frock coat and a soft slouch hat； stepped gingerly over one of the muddy wheels； and threw a doubtful glance across the level tobacco fields； where the young plants were drooping in the June sunshine。
〃So this is my way； is it？〃 he asked； with a jerk of his thumb toward a cloud of blue…and…yellow butterflies drifting over a shining puddle〃five miles as the crow flies； and through a bog？〃
For a moment he hung suspended above the encrusted axle； peering with blinking pale…gray eyes over a pair of gold…rimmed spectacles。 In his appearance there was the hint of a scholarly intention unfulfilled； and his dress； despite its general carelessness； bespoke a different standard of taste from that of the isolated dwellers in the surrounding fields。 A casual observer might have classified him as one of the Virginian landowners impoverished by the war； in reality； he was a successful lawyer in a neighbouring town； who； amid the overthrow of the slaveholding gentry some twenty years before； had risen into a provincial prominence。
His humour met with a slow response from the driver； who sat playfully flicking at a horsefly on the flank of a tall； raw…boned sorrel。 〃Wall； thar's been a sight of rain lately；〃 he observed； with goodnatured acquiescence； 〃but I don't reckon the mud's more'n waist deep； an' if you do happen to git clean down； thar's Sol Peterkin along to pull you out。 Whar're you hidin'； Sol？ Why； bless my boots； if he ain't gone fast asleep！〃
At this a lean and high…featured matron； encased in the rigidity of her Sunday bombazine； gave a prim poke with her umbrella in the ribs of a sparrow…like little man； with a discoloured； scraggy beard； who nodded in one corner of the long seat。
〃I'd wake up if I was you；〃 she remarked in the voice her sex assumes when virtue lapses into severity。
Starting from his doze； the little man straightened his wiry； sunburned neck and mechanically raised his hand to wipe away a thin stream of tobacco juice which trickled from his half…open mouth。
〃Hi！we ain't got here a'ready！〃 he exclaimed； as he spat energetically into the mud。 〃I d'clar if it don't beat allone minute we're thar an' the next we're here。 It's a movin' world we live in； ain't that so； mum？〃 Then； as the severe matron still stared unbendingly before her； he descended between the wheels； and stood nervously scraping his feet in the long grass by the roadside。
〃This here's Sol Peterkin； Mr。 Carraway；〃 said the driver； bowing his introduction as he leaned forward to disentangle the reins from the sorrel's tail； 〃an' I reckon he kin pint out Blake Hall to you as well as another； seem' as he was under…overseer thar for eighteen years befo' the war。 Now you'd better climb in agin； folks； it's time we were off。〃
He gave an insinuating cluck to the horses； while several passengers； who had alighted to gather blackberries from the ditch； scrambled hurriedly into their places。 With a single clanking wrench the stage toiled on； plodding clumsily over the miry road。
As the spattering mud…drops fell round him； Carraway lifted his head and sniffed the air like a pointer that has been just turned afield。 For the moment his professional errand escaped him as his chest expanded in the light wind which blew over the radiant stillness of the Virginian June。 From the cloudless sky to its pure reflection in the rain…washed roads there was barely a descending shade； and the tufts of dandelion blooming against the rotting rail fence seemed but patches of the clearer sunshine。
〃Bless my soul； it's like a day out of Scripture！〃 he exclaimed in a tone that was half…apologetic； then raising his walking…stick he leisurely swept it into space。 〃There's hardly another crop； I reckon； between here and the Hall？〃
Sol Peterkin was busily cutting a fresh quid of tobacco from the plug he carried in his pocket； and there was a brief pause before he answered。 Then； as he carefully wiped the blade of his knife on the leg of his blue jean overalls； he looked up with a curious facial contortion。
〃Oh； you'll find a corn field or two somewhar along；〃 he replied； 〃but it's a lanky； slipshod kind of crop at best； for tobaccy's king down here； an' no mistake。 We've a sayin' that the man that ain't partial to the weed can't sleep sound even in the churchyard； an' thar's some as 'ill swar to this day that Willie Moreen never rested in his grave because he didn't chaw； an' the soil smelt jest like a plug。 Oh； it's a great plant； I tell you； suh。 Look over thar at them fields； they've all been set o