the red acorn-第29部分

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It　was　a　primitive　way；　and　so　wasteful　of　wood　that　it　required　a　tree　to　furnish　fuel　enough　to　prepare　breakfast；　but　under　the　hands　of　a　skillful　woman　those　ovens　and　skillets　turned　out　viands　with　a　flavor　that　no　modern　appliance　can　equal。

The　joists　of　the　house　were　thickly　hung　with　the　small　delicious　hams　of　the　countryhams　made　from　young　and　tender　hogs；　which　had　lived　and　fattened　upon　the　acorns；　fragrant　hickory…nuts　and　dainty　beechnuts　of　the　abundant　〃mast〃　of　the　forest；　until　the　were　saturated　with　their　delicate；　nutty　flavor。　　This　was　farther　enriched　by　a　piquancy　gained　from　the　smoke　of　the　burning　hickory　and　oak；　with　which　they　were　cured；　and　the　absorption　of　odors　from　the　scented　herbs　in　the　rooms　where　they　were　drying。　　Many　have　sung　the　praises　of　Kentucky's　horses；　whisy　and　women；　but　no　poet　has　tuned　his　lyre　to　the　more　fruitful　theme　of　Kentucky's　mast…fed；　smoke…cured；　herb…scented　hams。　　For　such　a　man　waits　a　crown　of　enduring　bays。

Slices　of　this　savory　ham；　fried　in　a　skilletthe　truth　of　history　forces　the　reluctant　confession　that　the　march　of　progress　had　not　yet　brought　the　grid…iron　and　its　virtues　to　the　mountainsa　hot　pone　of　golden…yellow　meal；　whose　steaming　sweetness　had　not　been　allowed　to　distill　off；　but　had　been　forced　back　into　the　loaf　by　the　hot　oven…lid；　coffee　as　black　and　strong　as　the　virile　infusions　which　cheer　the　hearts　of　the　true　believers　in　the　tents　of　the　Turk；　and　cream　from　cows　that　cropped　the　odorous　and　juicy　grasses　of　mountain　meadows；　made　a　breakfast　that　could　not　have　been　more　appetizing　if　composed　by　a　French　CHEF；　and　garnished　by　a　polyglot　bill…of…fare。

Moved　thereto　by　the　hospitable　urgings　of　Aunt　Debby；　and　his　own　appetite；　Harry　ate　heartily。　　Under　the　influence　of　the　comfortable　meal；　the　cheerful　sunshine；　and　the　rousing　of　the　energies　that　follow　a　change　from　a　recumbent　to　an　erect　posture；　his　spirits　rose　to　a　manlier　pitch。　　As　he　could　not　walk　without　pain　he　took　his　seat　in　a　slat…bottomed　chair　by　the　side　of　the　hearth；　and　Aunt　Debby；　knitting　in　hand；　occupied　a　low　rocker　nearly　opposite。

〃Where's　Mr。　Fortner？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Jim　got　up；　arly；　an'　arter　eatin'　a　snac　said　he'd　go　out　an'　take　a　look　aroundmebbe　he　mout　go　ez　fur　ez　the　Ford。〃

As　if　to　accompany　Harry's　instinctie　tremor　over　the　possibilities　attending　the　resumption　of　Fortner's　prowling　around　the　flanks　of　Zollicoffer's　army；　the　fire　shot　off　a　whole　volley　of　sharp　little　explosions。

Harry　sprang　two　or　three　inches　above　his　chair；　then　reddened　violently；　and　essayed　to　conceal　his　confusion　by　assiduous　attention　with　the　poker　to　the　wants　of　the　fire。

Aunt　Debby　regarded　him　with　gentle　compassion。

〃Yer　all　shuck　up　by　the　happenin's　yesterday；〃　she　said　with　such　tactful　sympathy　that　his　sensitive　mettle　was　not　offended。　　〃'Tis　nateral　ye　should　be。　　Hit's　allers　so。　　Folks　kin　say　what　they　please；　but　fouten's　terrible　tryin'　to　the　narves；　no　matter　who　does　hit。　　My　husband　wuz　in　the　Mexican　War；　an'　he's　offen　tole　me　thet　fur　weeks　arter　the　battle　o'　Buner　Visty　he　couldn't　heah　a　twig　snap　withouten　his　heart　poppin'　right　up　inter　his　mouth；　an'　hit　wuz　so　with　everybody　else；　much　ez　they　tried　ter　play　off　unconsarned　like。〃

〃Ah；　really？〃　said　Henry；　deeply　interested　in　all　the　concerned　this　woman；　whose　remarkable　qualities　were　impressing　themselves　upon　his　recognition。　　〃What　part　of　the　army　did　your　husband　belong　to？〃

〃He　wuz　in　the　Kentucky　rigimint　commanded　by　Kunnel　Henry　Clay；　son　o'　the　great　Henry　Clay；　who　wuz　killed　thar。　　My　husband　was　promoted　to　a　Leftenant　fur　his　brav'ry　in　the　battle。〃

〃Then　this　is　not　your　first　experience　with　war？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　said　she；　with　just　a　trace　of　pride　swelling　in　the　temple's　delicate　network　of　blue　veins。　　〃The　Fortners　an'　the　Brills　air　soljer　families；　an'　ther　young　men　hev　shouldered　ther　guns　whenever　the　country　needed　fouten…men。　　Great　gran'fathers　Brill　an'　Fortner　come　inter　the　State　along　with　Dan'l　boone　nigh　onter　a　hundred　years　ago；　and　sence　then　them　an'　ther　descendents　hev　fit　Injuns；　Brittishers　an'　Mexikins　evr'y　time　an　inimy　raised　a　sword　agin　the　country。〃

〃Many　of　them　lose　their　lives？〃

〃Yes；　ev'ry　war　hez　cost　the　families　some　member。　　Gran'fathes　Brill　an'　Fortner　war　both　on　'em　killed　at　the　Injun　ambush　at　Blue　Licks。　　I　wuz　on'y　a　baby　when　my　father　wuz　killed　at　the　massacre　of　Winchester's　men　at　the　River　Raisin。　　My　brother…〃

〃father　of　the　man　I　was　with　yesterday？〃

〃No；　HIS　father　wuz　my　oldest　brother。　　My　youngest　brotherthe　'baby'　o'　the　familywuz　mortally　wounded　by　a　copper　ball　in　the　charge　on　the　Bishop's　Palace　at　the　takin'　o'　Monterey。〃

〃And　your　husbandhe　went　through　the　war　safely；　did　he？〃

The　pleasant；　mobile　lines　upon　the　woman's　face　congealed　into　stony　hardness。　　At　the　moment　of　Harry's　question　she　was　beginning　to　count　the　stitches　in　her　work　for　some　feminine　mystery　of　〃narrowing〃　or　〃turning。〃　　She　stopped；　and　hands　and　knittng　dropped　into　her　lap。

〃My　husband；〃　she　said　slowly　and　bitterly；　〃wuz　spared　by　the　Mexikins　thet　he　fit；　but　not　by　his　own　countrymen　an'　neighbors；　amongst　whom　he　wuz　brung　up。　　His　blood　wuz　not　poured　out　on　the　soil　he　invaded；　but　wuz　drunk　by　the　land　his　forefathers　an'　kinsmen　hed　died　fur。　　The　godless　Greasers　on　the　River　Grande　war　kinder　ter　him　nor　the　CHRISTIAN　gentlemen　on　the　Rockassel。〃

The　intensity　and　bitterness　of　the　utterance　revealed　a　long　conning　of　the　expression　of　bitter　truths。

〃He　lost　his　life；　then；〃　said　Harry；　partially　comprehending；　〃in　some　of　the　troubles　around　here？〃

〃He　wuz　killed；　bekase　he　wouldn't　help　brek　down　what　hit　hed　cost　so　much　ter　build　up。　　He　wuz　killed；　bekase　he　thot　a　pore　man's　life　wuth　mo'en　a　rich　man's　nigger。　　He　wuz　killed；　bekase　he　b'lieved　this　whole　country　belonged　ter　the　men　who'd　fit　fur　hit　an'　made　hit　what　hit　is；　an'　thet　hit　wuzn't　a　plantation　fur　a　passel　o'　slave…drivers　ter　boss　an'　divide　up　jess　ez　hit　suited　'em。〃

〃Why；　I　thought　all　you　Kentuckians　were　strongly　in　favor　of　keeping　the　negores　in　slavery；〃　said　Harry　in　amazement。

〃Keepin　the　niggers　ez　slaves　ain't　the　question　at　all。　　We　folks　air　ez　fur　from　bein'　Abolitionists　ez　ennybody。　　Hit's　a　battle　now　with　a　lot　uv　'ristocrats　who'd　take　our　rights　away。〃

〃I　don't　quite　understand　your　position；〃　said　Harry。

〃Hit's　bekase　ye　don't　understand　the　country。　　The　people　down　heah　air　divided　into　three　classes。　　Fust　thar's　the　few　very　rich　fam'lies　that　hev　big　farms　over　in　the　Blue　Grass　with　lots　o'　niggers　ter　work　'em。　　Then　thar's　the　middle　classlike　the　Fortners　an'　the　Brillsthet　hev　small　farms　in　the　creek　vallies；　an'　wharever　thar's　good　land　on　the　mounting　sides；　who　hev　no　niggers；　an'　who　try　ter　lead　God…fearin'；　hard…workin'　lives；　an'　support　ther　fam'lies　decently。　　Lastly　thar's　the　pore　white　trash；　thet　lives　'way　up　in　the　hollers　an'　on　the　wuthless　lands　about　the　headwaters。　　They've　little　patches　o'　corn　ter　make　ther　breadstuff；　an'　depend　on　huntin'；　fishin'；　an'　stealin'　fur　the　rest　o'