第70章

I took a walk in the long twilight of that evening. As it began to grow dark I passed the Fuller house and looked up at its windows.

Standing under a tree on the opposite side of the avenue I saw a man come out of the door and walk away hurriedly with long strides. I met him at the next corner.

'Good-evening!'he said.

I recognised then the voice and figure ofJohn Trumbull. 'Been to Fuller s,'said he.

'How is Hope?'I asked.

'Better,'said he. 'Walk with me?

'With pleasure,'said I, and then he quickened his pace.

We walked awhile in silence, going so fast! had hardly time to speak, and the darkness deepened into night. We hurried along through streets and alleys that were but dimly lighted, coming out at length on a wide avenue passing through open fields in the upper part of the city. Lights in cabin windows glowed on the hills around us. I made some remark about them but he did not hear me.

He slackened pace in a moment and began whispering to himself' I could not hear what he said. I thought of bidding him good-night and returning but where were we and how could I find my way?

We heard a horse coming presently at a gallop. At the first loud whack of the hoofs he turned suddenly and laying hold of my arm began to run. I followed him into the darkness of the open field. It gave me a spell of rare excitement for I thought at once of highwaymen - having read so much of them in the Tribune. He stopped suddenly and stooped low his hands touching the grass and neither spoke until the horse had gone well beyond us. Then he rose, stealthily, and looked about him in silence, even turning his face to the dark sky where only a few stars were visible.

Well!'said he with a sort of grunt. 'Beats the devil! I thought it was A wonderful thing was happening in the sky. A great double moon seemed to be flying over the city hooded in purple haze. A little spray of silver light broke out of it, as we looked, and shot backward and then floated after the two shining disks that were falling eastward in a long curve. They seemed to be so near I thought they were coming down upon the city. It occurred to me they must have some connection with the odd experience I had gone through. In a moment they had passed out of sight. We were not aware that we had witnessed a spectacle the like of which had not been seen in centuries, if ever, since God made the heavens' the great meteor of i86o.

'Let's go back,'said Trumbull. 'We came too far. I forgot myself.'

'Dangerous here?'I enquired.

'Not at all,'said he, 'but a long way out of town - tired?

'Rather,'I said, grateful for his evident desire to quiet my alarm.

'Come!'said he as we came back to the pavement, his hand upon my shoulder. 'Talk to me. Tell me - what are you going to do?

We walked slowly down the deserted avenue, I, meanwhile, talking of my pians.

'You love. Hope,'he said presently. 'You will marry her?

'If she will have me,'said I.

'You must wait,'he said, 'time enough!

He quickened his pace again as we came in sight of the scattering shops and houses of the upper city and no other word was spoken.

On the corners we saw men looking into the sky and talking of the fallen moon. It was late bedtime when we turned into Gramercy Park.

'Come in,'said he as he opened an iron gate.