第7部分(第4/7 頁)

nd　abruptly　leveled　off　on　to　a　gravel　path；　he　nearlyknocked　down　an　old　white　man　with　a　white　beard；　who　was　walking　very　slowly　and　leaning　onhis　cane。　They　both　stopped；　astonished；　and　looked　at　one　another。　John　struggled　to　catch　hisbreath　and　apologize；　but　old　man　smiled。　John　smiled　back。　It　was　as　though　he　and　the　old　manhad　between　them　a　great　secret；　and　the　old　man　moved　on。　The　snow　glittered　in　patches　all　overthe　park。　Ice；　under　the　pale；　strong　sun；　melted　slowly　on　the　branches　and　trunks　of　trees。

He　came　out　of　the　park　at　Fifth　Avenue　where；　as　always；　the　old…fashioned　horse…carriages　were　lined　along　the　kerb；　their　drivers　sitting　on　the　high　seats　with　rugs　around　theirknees；　or　standing　in　twos　and　threes　near　the　horses；　stamping　their　feet　and　smoking　pipes　andtalking。　I　summer　he　had　seen　people　riding　in　these　carriages；　looking　like　people　out　of　books；　orout　of　movies　in　which　everyone　wore　old…fashioned　clothes　and　rushed　at　nightfall　over　frozenroad；　hotly　pursued　by　their　enemies　who　wanted　to　carry　them　back　to　death。　‘Look　back；　lookback；’　had　cried　a　beautiful　woman　with　long　blonde　curls；　‘and　see　if　we　are　pursued！—and　shehad　e；　as　John　remembered；　to　a　terrible　end。　Now　he　stared　at　the　horses；　enormous　andbrown　and　patient；　stamping　every　now　and　again　a　polished　hoof；　and　he　thought　of　what　it　wouldbe　like　to　have　one　day　a　horse　of　his　own。　He　would　call　it　Rider；　and　mount　it　at　morning　whenthe　grass　was　wet；　and　from　the　horse’s　back　look　out　over　great；　sun…filled　fields；　his　own。　Behindhim　stood　his　house；　great　and　rambling　and　very　new；　and　in　the　kitchen　his　wife；　a　beautifulwoman；　made　breakfast；　and　the　smoke　rose　out　of　the　chimney；　melting　into　the　morning　air。

They　had　children；　who　called　him　Pa