第27章

WearilyKeziahsetaboutpreparingbreakfast。Notthatsheexpectedthemealwouldbeeaten，butitgavehersomethingtodoandoccupiedhermind。Thesunhadrisenandthelightstreamedinattheparsonagewindows。Thebreezeblewfreshandcoolfromtheocean。Itwasamagnificentmorning。

Shecalledtohimthatbreakfastwasready，buthedidnotanswer。

Shecouldeatnothingherself，and，whenthetablewascleared，preparedtodotheweek’swashing，forMondayisalwayswashdayinTrumet。Nooncame，dinnertime，butstillhedidnotcomedown。

AtlastKeziahcouldstanditnolonger。Shedeterminedtogotohim。Sheclimbedthesteepstairsandrappedonthedoorofhisroom。

“Yes？“sheheardhimsay。

“It’sme，“wasthereply。“Mr。Ellery，canIcomein？Iknowyouwanttobealone，butIdon’tthinkyou’doughttobe，toomuch。

I’dliketotalkwithyouafewminutes；mayI？“

Amomentpassedbeforehetoldhertoenter。Hewassittinginachairbythewindow，dressedjustashehadbeenwhenshereturnedfromthetavern。Shelookedsharplyathisfaceasitwasturnedtowardher。Hiseyesweredryandinthemwasanexpressionsohopelessanddrearythatthetearsstartedtoherown。

“John，“shesaid，“Icouldn’tbeartothinkofyourfacin’italoneuphere。Ijusthadtocome。“

Hesmiled，andthesmilewasashopelessasthelookinhiseyes。

“Faceit？“herepeated。“Well，Mrs。Coffin，Imustfaceit，I

suppose。I’vebeenfacingiteversince——sinceIknew。AndIfinditnoeasier。“

“John，whatareyougoin’todo？“

Heshookhishead。“Idon’tknow，“hesaid。“Goawaysomewhere，firstofall，Iguess。Gosomewhereand——andtrytoliveitdown。

Ican’t，ofcourse，butImusttry。“

“Goaway？LeaveTrumetandyourchurchandyourcongregation？“

“DidyousupposeIcouldstayhere？“

“Ihopedyouwould。“

“Andseethesamepeopleandthesameplaces？Anddothesamethings？See——seeHER！Didyou“——hemovedimpatiently——“didyouexpectmetoattendthewedding？“

Sheputoutherhand。“Iknowit’llbehard，“shesaid，“stayin’

here，Imean。Butyourdutytoothers——“

“Don’tyouthinkwe’veheardenoughaboutdutytoothers？Howaboutmydutytomyself？“

“Iguessthat’sthelastthingweoughttothinkaboutintheworld，ifwedotrytobefairandsquare。Yourchurchthinksaheapofyou，John。Theybuildonyou。You’vedonemoreinthelittlewhileyou’vebeenherethanMr。Langleydidinhislastfifteenyears。We’vegrownandwe’redoin’good——doin’it，nottalkin’itinprayermeetin’。Theparishcommitteelikesyouandthepoorfolksinthesocietyloveyou。OldMrs。Princewastellin’me，onlyalittlespellago，thatshedidn’tknowhowshe’dhavepulledthroughthisdreadfultimeif’twa’n’tforyou。Andthere’slotsofothers。Areyougoin’toleavethem？Andwhatreasonwillyougiveforleavin’？“

Heshookhishead。“Idon’tknow，“heanswered。“Imaynotgiveany。ButIshallgo。“

“Idon’tbelieveyouwill。Idon’tbelieveyou’rethatkind。I’vewatchedyouprettysharpsinceyouandIhavebeenlivin’togetherandIhavemorefaithinyouthanthatcomesto。Youhaven’tactedtomelikeacowardandIdon’tthinkyou’llrunaway。“

“Mrs。Coffin，itissoeasyforyoutotalk。PerhapsifIwereinyourplaceIshouldbegivinggoodadviceaboutdutyandnotrunningawayandsoon。Butsupposeyouwereinmine。“

“Well，supposeIwas。“

“Suppose——Oh，butthere！it’spastsupposing。“

“Idon’tknow’s’tis。Mylifehasn’tbeenallsunshineandfairwinds，bynomeans。“

“That’strue。Ibegyourpardon。Youhavehadtroublesand，fromwhatIhear，you’vebornethembravely。Butyouhaven’thadtofaceanythinglikethis。“

“Haven’tI？Well，whatisityou’reaskedtoface？Disappointment？

I’vefacedthat。Sorrowandheartbreak？I’vefacedthem。“

“You’veneverbeenaskedtositquietlybyandseetheoneyoulovemorethanalltheworldmarrysomeoneelse。“

“HowdoyouknowIain’t？Howdoyou

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