下载辰思小说免费APP
ThestagerumbledalongthemainstreetofGranville,anddrewupinfrontoftheonlyhotelofwhichthevillagecouldboast.Thedriverdescendedfromhisthrone,andcomingroundtothesideopenedthedoorandaddressedtheonlypassengerremainingwithin.
"Wheredoyouwanttogo,miss?"Agirl\'sfacelookedoutinquiringly."Isthisthehotel?"sheasked."Yes,miss."
"I
willgetouthere,"shesaidquietly.
Therewereafewloungersonthepiazza,whichextendedalongthewholefrontofthebuilding.Asshedescendedwithalightandspringystep,disregardingtheprofferedaidofthedriver,theyeyedhercuriously.
"Whoisshe,Abner?"askedTimothyVarnumofthedriver,asthestrangerenteredthehouse.
"I
reckonshe\'sthenewschoolteacher,"saidAbner;"IheardSquireHadleysayshewasexpectedtoday."
"Wheredoesshecomefrom?"
"YorkState,somewhere.Idon\'tjustlyknowwhere."
"Lookslikeacitygal."
"Mebbe,thoughIdon\'tthinkitwouldpayacitygaltocometoGranvilletoteach."
Unconsciousofthecuriositywhichherappearancehadexcited,thegirlenteredtheopenentryandpaused.Amiddleagedwoman,evidentlythelandladyoftheinn,speedilymadeherappearance."Goodafternoon,miss,"shesaid.
"ShallIshowyoutoaroom?"
"Thankyou,"saidthestranger,gratefully."Ishallbeverygladifyouwill.Theridehasbeenwarmanddusty.Mytrunksareonthestage——"
"Allright,miss,I\'llhavethemsentup.Ifyou\'llfollowmeupstairs,I\'llgiveyouaroom."
Sheledthewayintoafrontroom,veryplainlyfurnished,butwithapleasantviewofthevillagefromthewindows."Ithinkyouwillfindeverythingyourequire,"shesaid,preparingtogo."Supperwillbereadyinhalfanhour,butyoucanhaveitlaterifyouwish."
"I
shallbeready,thankyou."
Leftalone,thestrangersankintoawoodenrockingchair,andgazedthoughtfullyfromthewindow.
"Well,Ihavetakenthedecisivestep,"shesaidtoherself."Itmaybeamadfreak,butImustnotdrawbacknow.InsteadofgoingtoNewportortoEurope,Ihavedeliberatelyagreedtoteachthegrammarschoolinthisoutofthewaycountryplace.Iamwhollyunknownhere,anditishardlylikelythatanyofmyfriendswillfindmeout.ForthefirsttimeinmylifeIshallmakemyselfuseful——perhaps.Orwillmyexperimentendinfailure?Thatisaquestionwhichtimealonecansolve."
Sherose,andremovinghertravelingwraps,preparedforthetable.
Thenewcomer\'stwotrunkswerebeingremovedfromthestagewhenMrs.Slocumpassed,onherwaytothestore.Beingnaturallyofawatchfulandobservantturnofmind,thisworthyoldladymadeitherbusinesstofindoutallthatwasgoingoninthevillage.
"Whosetrunksarethem,Abner?sheasked,inavoicehighpitchedeventoshrillness.
"Theybelongtotheyoungladythat\'sstoppin\'inthehotel.Shecameinonthestage."
"Who\'sshe?"
"I
don\'tknowanymore\'nyoudo,"saidAbner,whoknewMrs.Slocum\'sfailing,andwasnotanxioustogratifyit.
"There\'shernameonacard,"saidtheoldladytriumphantly,pointingtooneofthetrunks."Ihain\'tgotmyglasseswithme.Justreaditoff,willyou?"
ProbablyAbnerhadalittlecuriosityofhisown.Atalleventshecompliedwiththeoldlady\'srequest,andreadaloud:
"MISSMABELFROST,Granville,N.H."
"Youdon\'tsay!"ejaculatedMrs.Slocum,inatoneofinterest.
"Why,it\'sthenewschoolteacher!Whatsortofalookingwomanisshe?"
"I
didn\'tnoticeher,partic\'lar.Shelookedquitelikealady."
"Areboththemtrunkshern?"
"Yes,ma\'am."
"Whatonairthdoesshewantwithtwotrunks?saidMrs.Slocum,disapprovingly.Mustbefondofdress.Ihopesheain\'tgoin\'tolarnourgalstoputonfinery."
"Mebbeshe\'sgotherbooksinoneof\'em,"suggestedAbner.
"A
wholetrunkfulofbooks!Landsakes!Youmustbecrazy.Nobodybutaministerwouldwantsomanybooksasthat.An\'it\'saclearwastefortheparsontobuysomanyashedoes.Ifhedidn\'tspendsomuchmoneythatway,hiswifecoulddressalittlemoredecent.Why,theman\'sgotatleasttwoorthreehundredbooksalready,andyethe\'salwayswantin\'tobuymore."
"I
guesshiswifewouldn\'twantthetrunksforherclothes,"suggestedAbner.
"Youareright,"saidMrs.Slocum,nodding."IdeclareI\'msickandtiredofthatoldbombazineshe\'sworntochurchthelastthreeyears.A
strangermightthinkwestintedtheminister."
"Precisely,Mrs.Slocum,"saidavoicebehindher.That\'smyopinion."
"Oh,Dr.Titus,isthatyou?"saidtheoldlady,turning.
"Whatisleftofme.I\'vebeenmakingcallsalltheafternoon,andI\'musedup.Soyouthinkwearestintingtheminister?"
"No,Idon\'t,"saidMrs.Slocum,indignantly."Ithinkwepayhimhandsome.Fivehundreddollarsayearandadonationpartyismore\'nsomeofusget."
"Delivermefromthedonationparty!"saidthedoctorhastily.
"Ilookuponthatasoneoftheminister\'strials."
"I
s\'poseyouwillhaveyourjoke,doctor,"saidMrs.Slocum,notverywellpleased."Itellyouadonationpartyisagreathelpwherethere\'safamily."
"Perhapsitis;butIamgladitisn\'tthefashiontohelpdoctorsinthatway."
Dr.
Tituswasafreespokenman,andalwayshadbeen.Hispracticewasonlymoderatelylucrativebutitwaswellknownthathepossessedacompetency,andcouldlivecomfortablyifallhispatientsdesertedhim;sonoonetookoffensewhenheexpressedhereticalnotions.HehadaheartysympathyforMr.Wilson,theCongregationalminister,whooffendedsomeofhisparishionersbyanoutwardaspectofpovertyinspiteofhismunificentsalaryoffivehundreddollarsayear.
"Thedoctor\'sgotqueernotions,"mutteredMrs.Slocum."Ifhetalksthatway,mebbetheministerwillgetdiscontented.ButasIsaytoDeaconSlocum,there\'smoretobehad,andyoungermen,too.Isometimesthinktheminister\'soutlivedhisusefulnesshere.Ayoungmanmightkinderstirupthepeoplemore,andmake\'emfeelmoreconvictedofsin.ButImustgoandtellthefolksaboutthenewschoolteacher.I\'dliketoseewhatsortsheis."
Mrs.
Slocum\'scuriositywasgratified.OnherwaybackfromthestoreshesawMissFrostsittingattheopenwindowofherchamberinthehotel.
"Looksasifshemightbeproud,"mutteredtheoldlady."Fondofdress,too.Idon\'tbelieveshe\'lldoforGranville."
AlthoughMrs.SlocumwasinahurrytogethomeshecouldnotresistthetemptationtocallatSquireHadley\'sandlethimknowthattheschoolteacherhadarrived.SquireBenjaminHadleywasthechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee.
EitherofthetwoGranvilleministerswouldhavebeenbetterfittedfortheoffice,buttheMethodistswereunwillingtoelecttheCongregationalminister,andtheMethodistministerwasopposedbymembersoftheotherparish.SoSquireHadleywasappointedasthecompromisecandidate,althoughhewasamanwhowouldprobablyhavefounditextremelydifficulttopassthemostlenientexaminationhimself.Hehadleftschoolattwelveyearsofage,andcircumstanceshadpreventedhisrepairingthedefectsofearlyinstruction.
Thereweretimeswhenhewastroubledbyasecretsenseofincompetence——
notablywhenhewascalledupontoexamineteachers.Hehadmanagedtomeetthisemergencyrathercleverly,ashethought,havingpersuadedMr.Wilsontodrawupforhimaseriesofquestionsinthedifferentbranches,togetherwiththecorrectanswers.Withthisassistancehewasabletoacquithimselfcreditably.
"Can\'tstayaminute,Squire,"saidMrs.Slocum,standingonthebroad,flatdoorstone."IthoughtI\'djeststopan\'tellyetheschoolteacherhascome."
"Whereisshe?"askedtheSquire,inatoneofinterest.
"Sheputupatthehotel.Iwastherejestnow,andsawhertwotrunks.Ratherhightonedforaschoolteacher,Ithink.Wedon\'tneedtwotrunksforourclothes,Mrs.Hadley."
"Youngpeopleareterribleextravagantnowadays,"saidMrs.Hadley,atallwoman,withathin,hatchet-likeface,andasharpnose.Itwasn\'tsowhenIwasyoung."
"That\'sagoodwhileago,Lucretia,"saidtheSquire,jokingly.
"You\'reolderthanIam,"saidtheladytartly."Itdon\'tbecomeyoutosneeratmyage."
"I
didn\'tmeananything,Lucretia,"saidherhusbandinanapologetictone.
"Didyouseethewoman,Mrs.Slocum?"askedMrs.Hadley,condescendingtoletthematterdrop.
"I
jestsawherlookingoutofthewindow,"saidMrs.Slocum."Lookslikeavain,conceitedsort."
"Verylikelysheis.Mr.Hadleyengagedherwithoutknowin\'anythin\'abouther."
"Youknow,Lucretia,shewashighlyrecommendedbyMaryBridgmanintheletterIreceivedfromher,"theSquiremildlyprotested.
"MaryBridgman,indeed!"hiswiferetortedwithscorn."Whatdoessheknowofwho\'sfittoteachschool?"
"Well,wemustgiveherafairshow.I\'llcallroundtothehotelaftertea,andseeher."
"It\'sherplacetocallhere,Ishouldsay,"saidtheSquire\'swife,influencedbyadesiretoseeandjudgethestrangerforherself.
"I
willtellhertocallheretomorrowmorningtobeexamined,"saidtheSquire.
"Whathourdoyouthinkyou\'llapp\'int?"askedMrs.Slocum,withavagueideaofbeingpresentonthatoccasion.
TheSquirefathomedherdesign,andanswereddiplomatically,"Ishallhavetofindoutwhenit\'llbemostconvenientforMissFrost."
"Herconvenience,indeed!"ejaculatedhiswife."IshouldsaythattheSchoolCommittee\'sconveniencewasmoreimportantthanhers.Likeasnotsheknowsmoreaboutdressthanshedoesaboutwhatyou\'veengagedhertoteach."
"Whereisshegoingtoboard?"askedMrs.Slocum,withunabatedinterestintheimportanttopicofdiscussion.
"I
can\'ttellyet."
"I
s\'poseshe\'dliketoliveinstyleatthehotel,soshecanshowoffherdresses."
"Itwouldtakeallherwagestopayforboardthere,"saidtheSquire.
"MebbeImighttakeher,"saidMrs.Slocum."Icouldgiveherthebackroomovertheshed."
"I
willmentionittoher,Mrs.Slocum,"saidtheSquirediplomatically,andMrs.Slocumhurriedhome.
"Youdon\'treallyintendtorecommendMrs.Slocum\'sasaboardingplace,Benjamin?"interrogatedhiswife."Idon\'tthinkmuchoftheteacheryou\'vehired,butshe\'droasttodeathinthatstivedupbackroom.Besides,Mrs.Slocumistheworstcookintown.Herbreadisabominable,andIdon\'twonderherfolksarealwaysailing."
"Don\'tbeuneasyaboutthat,Lucretia,"saidtheSquire."IfMissFrostgoestoMrs.Slocum\'stoboard,it\'llhavetobeonsomebodyelse\'srecommendation."
Thenewschoolteacherwassittingatthewindowinherroom,supperbeingover,whenthelandladycameuptoinformherthatSquireHadleyhadcalledtoseeher.
"HeisthechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee,isn\'the?"askedthestranger.
"Yes,miss."
"ThenwillyoubekindenoughtotellhimthatIwillbedowndirectly?"
SquireHadleywassittinginarockingchairinthestiffhotelparlor,whenMissFrostentered,andsaidcomposedly,"Mr.Hadley,Ibelieve?"
Sheexhibitedmoreselfpossessionthanmighthavebeenexpectedofoneinherposition,inthepresenceofofficialimportance.Therewasnottheslightesttraceofnervousnessinhermanner,thoughshewasawarethattheportlypersonbeforeherwastoexamineintoherqualificationsforthepostshesought.
"I
apprehend,"saidSquireHadley,inatoneofdignitywhichhealwaysputonwhenheaddressedteachers,"IapprehendthatyouareMissMabelFrost."
"Youarequiteright,sir.Iapprehend,"sheadded,withaslightsmile,"thatyouarethechairmanoftheSchoolCommittee."
"Youapprehendcorrectly,MissFrost.ItaffordsmegreatpleasuretowelcomeyoutoGranville."
"Youareverykind,"saidMabelFrostdemurely.
"Itisaresponsible,office——ahem!——thatofinstructorofyouth,"saidtheSquire,withlaboredgravity.
"I
hopeIappreciateit."
"Haveyouever——ahem!——taughtbefore?
"Thiswillbemyfirstschool."
"This——ahem!——isagainstyou,butItrustyoumaysucceed."
"I
trustso,sir,"
"Youwillhavetopassanexaminationinthestudiesyouaretoteach——
beforeME,"saidtheSquire.
"I
hopeyoumayfindmecompetent,"saidMabelmodestly,"I
hopeso,MissFrost;myexaminationwillbesearching.Ifeelitmydutytothetowntobeverystrict."
"Wouldyouliketoexaminemenow,Mr.Hadley?"
"No,"saidtheSquirehastily,"no,no——Ihaven\'tmypaperswithme.Iwilltroubleyoutocometomyhousetomorrowmorning,atnineo\'clock,ifconvenient."
"Certainly,sir.MayIaskwhereyourhouseis?"
"Myboyshallcallforyouinthemorning."
"Thankyou."
Mabelspokeasifthisterminatedthecolloquy,butSquireHadleyhadsomethingmoretosay.
"I
thinkwehavesaidnothingaboutyourwages,MissFrost,"heremarked.
"Youcanpaymewhateverisusual,"saidMabel,withapparentindifference.
"Wehaveusuallypaidsevendollarsaweek."
"Thatwillbequitesatisfactory,sir."
SoonafterSquireHadleyhadleftthehotelMabelFrostwentslowlyuptoherroom.
"SoIamtoearnsevendollarsaweek,"shesaidtoherself.
"Thisiswealthindeed!"Chapter2
Itistimetoexplainthatthenewschoolteacher\'snamewasnotMabelFrost,butMabelFrostFairfax,andthatshehadsoughtasituationatGranvillenotfromnecessitybutfromchoice——indeedfromsomethingverymuchlikeawhim.Herswasadecidedlycuriouscase.Shehadalltheadvantagesofwealth.Shehadyouth,beauty,andrefinement.Shehadtheentreetothemagicinnercircleofmetropolitansociety.Andyettherewasinheraneverpresentsenseofsomethinglacking.
Shehadgrownwearyoftheslaveryoffashion.Youngasshewas,shehadbeguntoknowitshollowness,itsutterinsufficiencyastheobjectofexistence.Shesoughtsometruerinterestinlife.Shehadfailedtosecurehappiness,shereasoned,becausethusfarshehadlivedonlyforherself.Whyshouldshenotlive,inpartatleast,forothers?Whynottakehershareoftheworld\'swork?
Shewasanorphan,andhadalmostnofamilyties.Theexperimentthatshecontemplatedmightbeanoriginalandunconventionalone,butshedeterminedtotryit.
Butwhatcouldshedo?
Itwasnatural,perhaps,thatsheshouldthinkofteaching.Shehadbeenfortunateenoughtograduateataschoolwheretheusefulaswellastheornamentalreceiveditsshareofattention,andhernaturalgifts,aswellasstudioushabits,hadgivenherthefirstplaceamongherschoolmates.
ThesuggestionthattheopportunityshesoughtmightbefoundinGranvillecamefromtheMaryBridgmantowhomSquireHadleyreferred.Marywasadressmaker,bornandrearedinGranville,whohadcometoNewYorktoestablishherselfthereinherlineofbusiness.MabelFairfaxhadforyearsbeenoneofhercustomers,and——assometimeshappenswithsocietygirlsandtheirdressmakers——hadmadeheraconfidante.AndsoithappenedthatMarywasthefirstpersontowhomMissFairfaxtoldherresolutiontodosomethinguseful.
"Buttellme,"sheadded,"whatshallIdo?Youarepractical.
Youknowmewell.WhatamIfitfor?"
"I
hardlyknowwhattosay,MissFairfax,"saidthedressmaker."Yourtrainingwouldinterferewithmanythingsyouarecapableofdoing.Icandobutonething."
"Andthatyoudowell."
"I
thinkIdo,"saidMary,withnofalsemodesty."Ihavefoundmypathinlife.Itwouldbetoohumbleforyou."
"Nottoohumble.Idon\'tthinkIhaveanyprideofthatkind;butInevercouldtoleratetheneedle.Ihaven\'tthepatience,Isuppose."
"Wouldyouliketeaching?"
"I
havethoughtofthat.ThatiswhatIam,perhaps,bestfittedfor;butIdon\'tknowhowtogoaboutit."
"Wouldyoubewillingtogointothecountry?"
"I
shouldpreferit.IwishtogosomewherewhereIamnotknown."
"Thenitmightdo,"saidMary,musingly.
"Whatmightdo?"
"Letmetellyou.IwasbornawayupinthenorthernpartofNewHampshire,inasmallcountrytown,withnoparticularattractionsexceptthatitliesnotfarfromthemountains.Ithasneverhadmorethanaveryfewsummervisitors.OnlyyesterdayIhadaletterfromGranville,andtheymentionedthatthecommitteewerelookingoutforateacherforthegrammarschool,whichwastobeginintwoweeks."
"Theverything,"saidMabelquickly."DoyouthinkIcouldobtaintheplace?"
"I
don\'tthinkanyonehasbeenengaged.Iwillwriteifyouwishmeto,andseewhatcanbedone."
"I
wishyouwould,"saidMabelpromptly.
"Doyouthink,MissFairfax,youcouldbecontenttopassthesummerinsuchaplace,workinghard,andperhapswithoutappreciation?"
"I
should,atallevents,beatwork;Ishouldfeel,forthefirsttimeinmylife,thatIwasofusetosomebody."
"Thereisnodoubtofthat.Youwouldfindagooddealtobedone;toomuch,perhaps."
"Bettertoomuchthantoolittle."
"IfthatisyourfeelingIwillwriteatonce.Haveyouanydirectionstogiveme?"
"Sayaslittleaspossibleaboutme.Iwishtobejudgedonmyownmerits."
"ShallIgiveyourname?"
"Onlyinpart.LetmebeMabelFrost."
ThuswasthewayopenedforMabel\'sappearanceinGranville.MaryBridgman\'srecommendationprovedeffectual."Shewaseducatedhere;sheknowswhatwewant,"saidSquireHadley;andheauthorizedtheengagement.
Whenthematterwasdecided,apracticaldifficultyarose.ThoughMabelhadanabundantwardrobe,shehadlittlethatwassuitedfortheschoolmistressofGranville.
"Ifyouweretowearyourlastseason\'sdresses——thoseyoutooktoNewport,"saidMaryBridgman,"youwouldfrighteneverybodyatGranville.Therewouldbenoendofgossip."
"Nodoubtyouareright,"saidMabel."Iputmyselfinyourhands.MakemehalfadozendressessuchasyouthinkIoughttohave.Thereisonlyaweek,butyoucanhireextrahelp."
Thedresseswerereadyintime.Theywereplainfortheheiress,buttherewasstillreasontothinkthatMissFrostwouldbebetterdressedthananyofherpredecessorsinoffice,partlybecausetheywerecutinthestyleoftheday,andpartlybecauseMabelhadagracefulfigure,whichallstylesbecame.ThoughMaryBridgman,whoknewGranvilleanditsinhabitants,hadsomemisgivings,itneveroccurredtoMabelthatshemightbeconsideredoverdressed,andthetwotrunks,whichledMrs.Slocumtopronouncehera"vain,conceitedsort,"reallyseemedtoherverymoderate.
AthalfpasteightinthemorningafterMissFrost\'sarrivalinGranvilleBenHadleycalledatthehotelandinquiredforthenewschoolteacher.
"I
guessyoumeanMissFrost,"saidthelandlord.
"I
don\'tknowwhathernameis,"saidBen."Dadwantshertocomeroundandbeexamined."
Benwasastoutboy,withlargecapacitiesformischief.Hewasbrightenough,ifhecouldonlymakeuphismindtostudy,butappearedtoconsidertimespentoverhisbooksaspracticallywasted.Physicallyandintemperamentheresembledhisfathermorethanhismother,andthiswasfortunate.Mrs.Hadleywasthinlippedandacid,withalargemeasureofselfishnessandmeanness.Herhusbandwaspompous,andoverestimatedhisownimportance,buthiswife\'sfaultswereforeigntohisnature.Hewaslikedbymostofhisneighbors;andBen,inhisturn,inspiteofhismischievoustendencies,wasapopularboy.Inonerespecthewasunlikehisfather.Hewasthoroughlydemocratic,andneverputonairs.
