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Text C A White Heron Excerpt（第1页）

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SarahOr

ThewoodswerealreadyfilledwithshadowsoneJuneevening，justbefhto’clock，thhtsuillglimmeredfaintlyamorurees。Alittlegirlwasdrivinghomehercolodding，dilatcreatureinherbehavior，butavaluedpanionforallthat。Theyweregoingawayfromwhateverlighttherewas，andstrikihewoods，buttheirfeetwerefamiliarwiththepath，anditwashertheireyescouldseeitornot。

。。。

&hislittlewoods-girlishorror-stritohearaclearwhistlenotveryfaraway。Notabird’souldhaveasortoffrieaboy’swhistle，determined，aaggressive。Sylvialeftthecowtowhateversadfatemightawaither，andsteppeddiscreetlyasideintothebushes，butshewasjusttoolate。Theenemyhaddiscoveredher，ainaverycheerfulandpersuasivetone，“Halloa，littlegirl，howfarisittotheroad?”andtremblingSylviaainaudibly，“Agood>

&daretolookboldlyatthetallyoungman，whunoverhisshoulder，butshecameoutofherbushandagaihecoalkedalongside。

“Ihavebeenhuntingforsomebirds，”thestrangersaidkindly，“amyway，andneedafriendverymu’tbeafraid，”headdedgallantly。“Speakupayournameis，ahinkIdthenightatyourhouse，andgooutguhem。”

Sylviawasmorealarmedthanbefore。Wouldnrandmothersiderhermue?Butwhocouldhaveforeseensuatasthis?Itdidobeherfault，andshehungherheadasifthestemofitwerebroken，butmaoanswer“Sylvy，”withmucheffortwhenherpanionagainaskedhername。

Mrs。Tilleywasstandinginthedoorwaywheriotoview。Thecowgavealoudmoobylanation。

“Yes，you’dbetterspeakupforyourself，youoldtrial!Where’dshetuckedherselfawaythistime，Sylvy?”ButSylviakeptanawedsilenewbyinstinctthathergrapreheyofthesituatiobemistakirangerforohefarmer-ladsion。

Theyoungmanstoodhisguhedoor，anddroppedalumpygame-bagbesideit;theilleygood-eveniedhiswayfarer’sstory，andaskedifhecouldhaveanight’slodging。

“Putmeanywhereyoulike，”hesaid。“Imustbeoffearlyinthem，beforeday;butIamveryhungry，indeed。Yougivemesomemilkata’splain。”

“Dearsakes，yes，”respoess，whoselongslumberinghospitalityseemedtobeeasilyawakened。“Youmightfarebetterifyouwentouttothemainroadamileorso，butyou’reweletowhatwe’vegot。I’llmilkrightoff，andyoumakeyourselfathome。Yousleeponhusksorfeathers，”sheprraciously。“Iraisedthemallmyself。There’sgeesejustbelowheretowardsthema’sh。Nowsteprouefentleman，Sylvy!”AndSylviapromptlystepped。Shewasgladtohavesomethingtodo，andshewashungryherself。

ItrisetofindsodfortablealittledwellinginthisNewEnglaheyoungmanhadknownthehorrorsofitsmostprimitivehousekeeping，andthedrearysqualorofthatlevelofsocietywhiotrebelatthepanionshipofhens。Thiswasthebestthriftofanold-fashioead，thoughonsuchasmallscalethatitseemedlikeahermitage。Helisteheoldwoman’squainttalk，hewatchedSylvia’spalefadshinihevergrowihusiasm，ahiswasthebestsupperhehadeatenforamonth，ahenew-madefriendssatdowninthedetherwhilethemooncameup。

。。。

“SoSylvyknowsallaboutbirds，doesshe?”heexclaimed，ashelookedroulegirlwhosat，verydemurebutinglysleepy，inthemoonlight。“Iammakiionofbirdsmyself。IhavebeenatiteversinceIwasaboy。”（Mrs。Tilleysmiled。）“TherearetwoorthreeveryrareonesIhavebeenhuntingforthesefiveyears。Imeahemonmyowngroundiftheybefound。”

“Doyoucage’emup?”askedMrs。Tilleydoubtfully，ihisenthusiastient。

“Ohuffedandpreserved，dozensahem，”saidtheist，“aorsnaredeveryonemyself。IcaughtaglimpseofawhiteheronafewmilesfromhereonSaturday，andIhavefolloweditinthisdire。Theyhaveneverbeenfoundinthisdistrictatall。Thelittlewhiteheron，itis，”aurolookatSylviawiththehopeofdisgthattherarebirdwasoneofheraces。

ButSylviawas-toadinthenarro>

“Youwouldknowtheheronifyousawit，”thestrainuedeagerly。“Aqueertallwhitebirdwithsoftfeathersandlongthinlegs。Anditwouldhaveaperhapsiopofahightree，madeofstiethinglikeahawk’s。”

Sylvia’sheartgaveawildbeat;shekraebird，andhadolyoodigreensgrass，awayoverattheothersideofthewoods。Therelacewherethesunshinealwaysseemedstrangelyyellowandhot，wheretall，nrew，andhergrandmotherhadwarshemightsibladerhandneverbeheardofmore。Notfarbeyomarshesjustthissidetheseaitself，whichSylviawonderedanddreamedmuchabout，butneverhadseevoietimesbeheardabovethehewoodshts。

“IkofanythingIshouldlikesomuchastofindthatheroheharangerwassaying。“Iwouldgivetendollarstoanybodywhoe，”headdeddesperately，“aospendmywholevatingforitifneedbe。Perhapsitwas，orhadbeeofitsionbysomebirdofprey。”

Mrs。Tilleygaveamazedattentiontoallthis，butSylviastillwatchedthetoad，notdivinihavedoime，thatthecreaturewishedtogettoitsholeuep，andwasmuderedbytheuorsatthathouroftheevening。Noamountofthought，thatnight，coulddeareasuresthetendhtlyspokenof，wouldbuy。