第7部分(第1/6 頁)

nsel　and　Gretel。　So　quiet　the　grove　was；　so　still　the　air；　that　even　the　aspen　leaves　hung　limp。　Blue　and　green　dragonflies；　poised　in　the　air；　added　to　the　enchantment。　Far　off；　I　could　hear　the　wich…wich…wich　of　a　yellow　warbler　and　a　locust’s　somnolent　buzz。　Otherwise　silence。

最後一座山（4）

I　went　up　on　the　porch　of　a　pinktrimmed　house　and　peered　through　the　single　window。　What　I　saw　was　prosaics　enough—a　room　with　a　couple　of　chairs；　a　table；　a　couch；　a　kerosene　lamp。　A　ladder　led　upstairs　to　a　sleeping　loft。　The　grove　was　a　mystery。　Why　were　those　little　houses　there？　Why　were　they　empty　and　yet　at　the　same　time　cared　for？　Who　owned　them？　It　was　eerie　to　see　these　miniatures　huddled　together　against　all　that　space。　I　half　expected　some　guardian　to　e　rushing　out　and　ask　me　what　I　was　doing　there。

I　suppose　my　enchanted　village　was　some　sort　of　camp　meeting　ground；　used　a　few　weeks　each　summer。　I　never　did　find　out。　On　that　afternoon　I　did　not　linger。　The　sun’s　rays　were　already　slanting；　the　shadows　longer；　and　my　hill　still　lay　ahead　of　me。　Again　I　plunged　into　the　underbrush。　（breaking　through　at　last　to　a　rutted　road　scored　with　puddles。）　But　at　the　first　turning　I　reached　the　foot　of　the　hill；　my　hill；　open　and　placed　in　the　lengthened　sunshine。　Its　thin　meadow　grass　had　turned　brown；　a　stone　wall　that　once　enclosed　the　pasture　had　fallen　apart；　and　velvety　mullein　leaves　were　thrusting　up　between　the　boulders。　Up　I　went；　over　a　granite　ledge　and　across　the　meadow；　trampling　down　hardhack　and　meadowsweet　in　my　hurry　to　get　to　the　top。

At　last；　under　the　sky’s　bowl；　I　stood　at　the　crest　breathless；　the　hill　solid；　tangible　under　my　feet。　So　often　I　had　seen　it　elusive　in　the　distance。　Now　I　was　there。　Yet　even　as　I　reached　my　goal；　it　b