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o the level of the beasts。 He had sold his birthright for a requital； which had sickened him even in the moment of fulfilment。
To do him justice； now that the time had come for an acknowledgment he felt no temptation to evade the judgment of his own mind； nor to cheat himself with the belief that the boy was marked for ruin before he saw himthat Will had worked out； in vicious weakness； his own end。 It was not the weakness； after all； that he had played uponit was rather the excitable passion and the whimpering fears of the hereditary drunkard。 He remembered now the long days that he had given to his revenge； the nights when he had tossed sleepless while he planned a widening of the breach with Fletcher。 That； at least was his work； and his alonethe bitter hatred； more cruel than death； with which the two now stood apart and snarled。 It was a human life that he had taken in his handhe saw that now in his first moment of awakeninga life that he had destroyed as deliberately as if he had struck it dead before him。 Day by day； step by step； silent； unswerving； devilish； he had kept about his purpose； and now at the last he had only to sit still and watch his triumph。
With a sob； he bowed his head in his clasped hands； and so shut out the light。
CHAPTER X。 By the Poplar Spring
The next day he watched for her anxiously until she appeared over the low brow of the hill； her arms filled with books； and Agag trotting at her side。 As she descended slowly into the broad ravine where he awaited her under six great poplars that surrounded the little spring； he saw that she wore a dress of some soft； creamy stuff and a large white hat that shaded her brow and eyes。 She looked younger； he noticed； than she had done in her black gown； and he recalled while she neared him the afternoon more than six years before when she had come suddenly upon him while he worked in his tobacco。
〃So you are present at the roll…call？〃 she said； laughing； as she sat down on the bench beside him and spread out the books that she had brought。
〃Why； I've been sitting here for half an hour；〃 he answered。
〃What a shamethat's a whole furrow unploughed； isn't it？〃
〃Several of them； but I'm not counting furrows now。 I'm getting ready to appall you by my ignorance。〃 He spoke with a determined； reckless gaiety that lent a peculiar animation to his face。
〃If you are waiting for that； you are going to be disappointed；〃 she replied； smiling； 〃for I've put my heart into the work； and I was born and patterned for a teacher； I always knew it。 We're going to do English literature and a first book in Latin。〃
〃Are we？〃 He picked up the Latin grammar and ran his fingers lightly through the pages。 〃I went a little way in this once；〃 he said。 〃I got as far as 'omnia vincit amor' and stopped。 Tobacco conquered me instead。〃
She caught up his gay laugh。 〃Well； we'll try it over again；〃 she returned； and held out the book。
An hour later； when the first lesson was over and he had gone back to his work； he carried with him a wonderful exhilarationa feeling as if he had with a sudden effort burst the bonds that had held him to the earth。 By the next day the elation vanished and a great heaviness came in its place； but for a single afternoon he had known what it was to thrill in every fiber with a powerful and pure emotionan emotion beside which all the cheap sensations of his life showed stale and colourless。 While the strangeness of this mood was still upon him he chanced upon Lila and Jim Weatherby standing together by the gate in the gray dusk； and when presently the girl came back alone across the yard he laid his hand upon her arm and drew her over to Tucker's bench beside the rose…bush。
〃Lila； I've changed my mind about it all；〃 he said。
〃About what； dear？〃
〃About Jim and you。 We were all wrongall of us except Uncle Tuckerwrong from the very start。 You musn't mind mother； you musn't mind anybody。 Marry Jim and be happy； if he can make you so。〃
〃Oh； Christopher！〃 gasped Lila； with a long breath； lifting her lovely； pensive face。 〃Oh； Christopher！〃
〃Don't wait； don't put it off； don't listen to any of us；〃 he urged impatiently。 〃Good God！ If you love him as you say you do； why have you let all these years slip away？〃
〃But you thought it was best； Christopher。 You told me so。〃
〃Best！ There's nothing best except to be happy if you get the chance。〃
〃He wants me to marry him now；〃 said Lila； lowering her voice。 〃Mother will never know； he thinks； her mind grows so feeble； he wants me to marry him without any getting readyafter church one Sunday morning。〃
Putting his arm about her； Christopher held her for a moment against his side。 〃Then do it；〃 he said gravely； as he stooped and kissed her。
And several weeks later； on a bright first Sunday in May； Lila was married； after morning services； in the little country church； and Christopher watched her almost eagerly as she walked home across the broad meadows powdered white with daisies。 To the reproachful countenance which Cynthia presented to him upon his return to the house he gave back a careless and defiant smile。
〃So it's all over；〃 he announced gaily； 〃and Lila's married at last。〃
〃Then you're satisfied； I hope；〃 rejoined Cynthia grimly； 〃now that you've dragged us down to the level of the Weatherbys and the Fletchers？ There's nothing more to be said about it； I suppose； and you may as well come in to dinner。〃
She held herself stiffly aloof from the subject； with her head flung back and her chin expressing an indignant protest。 There was a kind of rebellious scorn in the way in which she carved the shoulder of bacon and poured the coffee。
〃Good Lord！ It's such a little thing to make a fuss about；〃 said Tucker； 〃when you remember； my dear； that our levels aren't any bigger than chalk lines in the eyes of God Almighty。〃
Cynthia regarded him with squinting displeasure。
〃Oh； of course； you have no family pride；〃 she returned； 〃but I had thought there was a little left in Christopher。〃
Christopher shook his head； smiling indifferently。 〃Not enough to want blood sacrifices；〃 he responded； and fell into a detached and thoughtful silence。 The vision of Lila in her radiant happiness remained with him like a picture that one has beheld by some rare chance in a vivid and lovely light； and it was still before him when he left the house presently and strolled slowly down to meet Maria by the poplar spring。
The bloom of the meadows filled his nostrils with a delicate fragrance； and from the bough of an old apple…tree in the orchard he heard the low afternoon murmurs of a solitary thrush。 May was on the earth； and it had entered into him as into the piping birds and the spreading trees。 It was at last good to be alive to breathe the warm； sweet air； and to watch the sunshine slanting on the low； green hill。 So closely akin were his moods to those of the changing seasons that； at the instant； he seemed to feel the current of his being flow from the earth beneath his feetas if his physical nature drew strength and nourishment from that genial and abundant source。
When he reached the spring he saw Maria appear on the brow of the hill； and with a quick； joyous bound