a wagner matinee-第3部分

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her　mouth。　　From　behind　it　she　murmured；　〃And　you　have　been



hearing　this　ever　since　you　left　me；　Clark？〃　　Her　question　was　the



gentlest　and　saddest　of　reproaches。







The　second　half　of　the　program　consisted　of　four　numbers　from　the



Ring；　and　closed　with　Siegfried's　funeral　march。　　My



aunt　wept　quietly；　but　almost　continuously；　as　a　shallow　vessel



overflows　in　a　rainstorm。　　From　time　to　time　her　dim　eyes　looked



up　at　the　lights　which　studded　the　ceiling；　burning　softly　under



their　dull　glass　globes；　doubtless　they　were　stars　in　truth　to



her。　　I　was　still　perplexed　as　to　what　measure　of　musical



comprehension　was　left　to　her；　she　who　had　heard　nothing　but　the



singing　of　gospel　hymns　at　Methodist　services　in　the　square　frame



schoolhouse　on　Section　Thirteen　for　so　many　years。　　I　was　wholly



unable　to　gauge　how　much　of　it　had　been　dissolved　in　soapsuds；　or



worked　into　bread；　or　milked　into　the　bottom　of　a　pail。







The　deluge　of　sound　poured　on　and　on；　I　never　knew　what　she



found　in　the　shining　current　of　it；　I　never　knew　how　far　it　bore



her；　or　past　what　happy　islands。　　From　the　trembling　of　her　face



I　could　well　believe　that　before　the　last　numbers　she　had　been



carried　out　where　the　myriad　graves　are；　into　the　gray；



nameless　burying　grounds　of　the　sea；　or　into　some　world　of　death



vaster　yet；　where；　from　the　beginning　of　the　world；　hope　has　lain



down　with　hope　and　dream　with　dream　and；　renouncing；　slept。







The　concert　was　over；　the　people　filed　out　of　the　hall



chattering　and　laughing；　glad　to　relax　and　find　the　living　level



again；　but　my　kinswoman　made　no　effort　to　rise。　　The　harpist



slipped　its　green　felt　cover　over　his　instrument；　the　flute



players　shook　the　water　from　their　mouthpieces；　the　men　of　the



orchestra　went　out　one　by　one；　leaving　the　stage　to　the　chairs



and　music　stands；　empty　as　a　winter　cornfield。







I　spoke　to　my　aunt。　　She　burst　into　tears　and　sobbed　pleadingly。　



〃I　don't　want　to　go；　Clark；　I　don't　want　to　go！〃







I　understood。　　For　her；　just　outside　the　door　of　the　concert



hall；　lay　the　black　pond　with　the　cattle…tracked　bluffs；　the



tall；　unpainted　house；　with　weather…curled　boards；　naked　as　a



tower；　the　crook…backed　ash　seedlings　where　the　dishcloths　hung



to　dry；　the　gaunt；　molting　turkeys　picking　up　refuse　about　the



kitchen　door。







End