圓臉男人 Moon-Face (第2/11頁)
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Wasthereeversuchanimossibleman！Hiswholeharvesthadgoneuinhishaystacksandbarn.Itwasuninsured,Iknew.Andyet,inthefaceoffamineandtherigorouswinter,hewentoutgaylyinquestofamessoftrout,forsooth,becausehe“doted”onthem！Hadgloombutrested,nomatterhowlightly,onhisbrow,orhadhisbovinecountenancegrownlongandseriousandlesslikethemoon,orhadheremovedthatsmilebutoncefromoffhisface,IamsureIcouldhaveforgivenhimforexisting.Butno,hegrewonlymorecheerfulundermisfortune.
Iinsultedhim.Helookedatmeinslowandsmilingsurrise.“Ifghtyou?Why?”heaskedslowly.Andthenhelaughed.“Youaresofunny！Ho!ho！Youllbethedeathofme！Hee!hee!hee！Oh！Ho!ho!ho！”
Whatwouldyou?Itwasastendurance.BythebloodofJudas,howIhatedhim！Thentherewasthatname-Claverhouse！Whataname！Wasntitabsurd?Claverhouse！Mercifulheaven,whyClaverhouse?AgainandagainIaskedmyselfthatquestion.IshouldnothavemindedSmith,orBrown,orJones-butClaverhouse！Ileaveittoyou.Reeatittoyourself-Claverhouse.Justlistentotheridiculoussoundofit-Claverhouse！Shouldamanlivewithsuchaname?Iaskofyou.“No，”yousay.And“No”saidI.
ButIbethoughtmeofhismortgage.Whatofhiscrosandbarndestroyed,Iknewhewouldbeunabletomeetit.SoIgotashrewd,close-mouthed,tight-fstedmoney-lendertogetthemortgagetransferredtohim.IdidnotaearbutthroughthisagentIforcedtheforeclosure,andbutfewdaysweregivenJohnClaverhousetoremovehisgoodsandchattelsfromtheremises.ThenIstrolleddowntoseehowhetookit,forhehadlivedthereuwardoftwentyyears.Buthemetmewithhissaucer-eyestwinkling,andthelightglowingandsreadinginhisfacetillitwasasafull-risenmoon.
“Ha!ha!ha！”helaughed.“Thefunniesttike,thatyoungsterofmine！Didyoueverhearthelike?Letmetellyou.Hewasdownlayingbytheedgeoftheriverwhenaieceofthebankcavedinandslashedhim.‘Oaa！’hecried；‘agreatbiguddlefewuandhitme.’”
Hestoedandwaitedformetojoinhiminhisinfernalglee.
“Idontseeanylaughinit，”Isaidshortly,andIknowmyfacewentsour.
Heregardedmewithwonderment,andthencamethedamnablelight,glowingandsreading,asIhavedescribedit,tillhisfaceshonesoftandwarm,likethesummermoon,andthenthelaugh-“Ha!ha！That‘sfunny！Youdon’tseeit,eh?Hee!hee！Ho!ho!ho！Hedoesntseeit！Why,lookhere.Youknowauddle.”
ButIturnedonmyheelandlefthim.Thatwasthelast.Icouldstanditnolonger.Thethingmustendrightthere,Ithought,cursehim！Theearthshouldbequitofhim.AndasIwentoverthehill,Icouldhearhismonstrouslaughreverberatingagainstthesky.
