按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
We'll hitch teams together； you and I； and we'll make things hum！〃
CHAPTER III。
Mrs。 Sellers returned； now； with her composure restored； and began to ask
after Hawkins's wife； and about his children； and the number of them； and
so on； and her examination of the witness resulted in a circumstantial
history of the family's ups and downs and driftings to and fro in the far
West during the previous fifteen years。 There was a message； now； from
out back； and Colonel Sellers went out there in answer to it。 Hawkins
took this opportunity to ask how the world had been using the Colonel
during the past half…generation。
〃Oh； it's been using him just the same； it couldn't change its way of
using him if it wanted to； for he wouldn't let it。〃
〃I can easily believe that； Mrs。 Sellers。〃
〃Yes； you see； he doesn't change； himselfnot the least little bit in
the worldhe's always Mulberry Sellers。〃
〃I can see that plain enough。〃
〃Just the same old scheming； generous； good…hearted； moonshiny； hopeful；
no…account failure he always was； and still everybody likes him just as
well as if he was the shiningest success。〃
〃They always did： and it was natural； because he was so obliging and
accommodating； and had something about him that made it kind of easy to
ask help of him； or favorsyou didn't feel shy； you know； or have that
wishyoudidn'thavetotry feeling that you have with other
people。〃
〃It's just so； yet； and a body wonders at it； too； because he's been
shamefully treated； many times； by people that had used him for a ladder
to climb up by； and then kicked him down when they didn't need him any
more。 For a time you can see he's hurt； his pride's wounded； because he
shrinks away from that thing and don't want to talk about itand so I
used to think now he's learned something and he'll be more careful
hereafterbut laws！ in a couple of weeks he's forgotten all about it；
and any selfish tramp out of nobody knows where can come and put up a
poor mouth and walk right into his heart with his boots on。〃
〃It must try your patience pretty sharply sometimes。〃
〃Oh； no； I'm used to it； and I'd rather have him so than the other way。
When I call him a failure； I mean to the world he's a failure； he isn't
to me。 I don't know as I want him different much different； anyway。
I have to scold him some； snarl at him； you might even call it； but I
reckon I'd do that just the same； if he was differentit's my make。
But I'm a good deal less snarly and more contented when he's a failure
than I am when he isn't。〃
〃Then he isn't always a failure；〃 said Hawking； brightening。
〃Him？ Oh； bless you； no。 He makes a strike； as he calls it； from time
to time。 Then's my time to fret and fuss。 For the money just flies
first come first served。 Straight off； he loads up the house with
cripples and idiots and stray cats and all the different kinds of poor
wrecks that other people don't want and he does； and then when the
poverty comes again I've got to clear the most of them out or we'd
starve； and that distresses him； and me the same； of course。
Here's old Dan'l and old Jinny； that the sheriff sold south one of the
times that we got bankrupted before the warthey came wandering back
after the peace； worn out and used up on the cotton plantations；
helpless； and not another lick of work left in their old hides for the
rest of this earthly pilgrimageand we so pinched； oh so pinched for the
very crumbs to keep life in us； and he just flung the door wide； and the
way he received them you'd have thought they had come straight down from
heaven in answer to prayer。 I took him one side and said； 'Mulberry we
can't have themwe've nothing for ourselveswe can't feed them。'
He looked at me kind of hurt； and said； 'Turn them out？and they've come
to me just as confident and trusting asaswhy Polly； I must have
bought that confidence sometime or other a long time ago； and given my
note； so to speakyou don't get such things as a giftand how am I
going to go back on a debt like that？ And you see； they're so poor；
and old； and friendless； and But I was ashamed by that time； and shut
him off； and somehow felt a new courage in me； and so I said； softly；
'We'll keep themthe Lord will provide。' He was glad； and started to
blurt out one of those over…confident speeches of his； but checked
himself in time； and said humbly； 'I will； anyway。' It was years and
years and years ago。 Well； you see those old wrecks are here yet。〃
〃But don't they do your housework？〃
〃Laws！ The idea。 They would if they could； poor old things； and perhaps
they think they do do some of it。 But it's a superstition。 Dan'l waits
on the front door； and sometimes goes on an errand； and sometimes you'll
see one or both of them letting on to dust around in herebut that's
because there's something they want to hear about and mix their gabble
into。 And they're always around at meals； for the same reason。 But the
fact is； we have to keep a young negro girl just to take care of them；
and a negro woman to do the housework and help take care of them。〃
〃Well； they ought to be tolerably happy； I should think。
〃It's no name for it。 They quarrel together pretty much all the time
most always about religion； because Dan'l's a Dunker Baptist and Jinny's
a shouting Methodist； and Jinny believes in special Providences and Dan'l
don't； because he thinks he's a kind of a free…thinkerand they play and
sing plantation hymns together； and talk and chatter just eternally and
forever； and are sincerely fond of each other and think the world of
Mulberry； and he puts up patiently with all their spoiled ways and
foolishness； and so…ah； well； they're happy enough if it comes to that。
And I don't mindI've got used to it。 I can get used to anything； with
Mulberry to help； and the fact is； I don't much care what happens； so
long as he's spared to me。〃
〃Well； here's to him； and hoping he'll make another strike soon。〃
〃And rake in the lame； the halt and the blind； and turn the house into a
hospital again？ It's what he would do。 I've seen aplenty of that and
more。 No； Washington； I want his strikes to be mighty moderate ones the
rest of the way down the vale。〃
〃Well； then； big strike or little strike； or no strike at all； here's
hoping he'll never lack for friendsand I don't reckon he ever will
while there's people around who know enough to〃
〃Him lack for friends！〃 and she tilted her head up with a frank pride
〃why； Washington； you can't name a man that's anybody that isn't fond of
him。 I'll tell you privately； that I've had Satan's own time to keep
them from appointing him to some office or other。 They knew he'd no
business with an office； just as well as I did； but he's the hardest man
to refuse anything to； a body ever saw。 Mulberry Sellers with an office！
laws goodness； you know what that would be like。 Why； they'd come from
the ends of the earth to see a circus like that。 I'd just as lieves be
married to Niagara Falls； and done with it。〃 After a reflective pause
she addedhaving wandered back； in the interval； to the remark that had
been her text： 〃Friends？ oh； indeed； no man ever had more； and suc