CHAPTER XII. EXPLANATIONS.

Thegoldenarrowsofthesettingsunwereshootinghitherandthitherthroughthepinewoods,glorifyingwhatevertheytouchedwithalifenotitsown.Achorusofbirdswerepouringoutaneveningmelody,whenalittlecompanystoodaroundanopengrave.Withinstinctivecareforthefeelingofthescene,Ninahadarrayedherselfinablacksilkdress,andplainstrawbonnetwithblackribbon—amarkofrespecttothedeceasedrememberedandnarratedbyTiffformanyayearafter. Crippsstoodbytheheadofthegrave,withthathopeless,imbecileexpressionwithwhichanaturewhollygrossandanimaloftencontemplatesthesymbolsofthecloseofmortalexistence.Tiffstoodbythesideofthegrave,hiswhitehatconspicuouslydrapedwithblackcrape,andadeepweedofblackuponhisarm.Thebaby,wrappedinanoldblackshawl,wascloselyfondledinhisbosom,whilethetwochildrenstoodweepingbitterlyathisside.TheothersideofthegravestoodMr.CarsonandMr.Clayton,whileMilly,Harry,andseveralplantationslaves,wereinagroupbehind. Thecoffinhadbeenopened,thatallmighttakethatlastlook,socoveted,yetsohopeless,whichthehumanheartwillclaimontheveryvergeofthegrave.Itwasbutamomentsincethecoffinhadbeenclosedandtheburstofgriefwhichshookthechildrenwascausedbythatlastfarewell.AsClayton,inamusicalvoice,pronouncedthewords,"Iamtheresurrectionandthelife,"Ninaweptandsobbedasifthegriefhadbeenherownnordidsheceasetoweepduringthewholetouchingservice.Itwasthesameimpulsivenaturewhichmadehersogayinotherscenesthatmadehersosympathetichere.Whenthewholewasover,shekissedthechildren,and,shakinghandswitholdTiff,promisedtocomeandseethemonthemorrow.Afterwhich,Claytonledhertothecarriage,intowhichheandCarsonfollowedher. "Uponmyword,"saidCarson,briskly,"thishasbeenquitesolemn!Really,averyinterestingfuneral,indeed!Iwasdelightedwiththeeffectofourchurchserviceinsucharomanticplace,too!'Twasreallyveryinteresting.Itpleasesme,also,toseeyoungladiesinyourstation,Nina,interestthemselvesinthehumbleconcernsofthepoor.Ifyoungladiesknewhowmuchmoreattractiveitmadethemtoshowacharitablespirit,theywouldcultivateitmore.Singular-lookingperson,thatoldnegro!Seemstobeagoodcreature.Interestingchildren,too!Ishouldthinkthewomanmusthavebeenprettywhenshewasyoung.Seenagreatdealoftrouble,nodoubt,poorthing!It'sacomforttohopesheisbetteroffnow." Ninawasfilledwithindignationatthismonologuenotconsideringthatthemanwasgivingtheverybesthehadinhim,andlaboringassiduouslyatwhatheconsideredhisvocation,thepreventionofhalfanhourofsilenceinanyspotofearthwherehecouldpossiblymakehimselfheard.ThesameexcitementwhichmadeNinacrymadehimtalk.Buthewasnotcontentwithtalking,butinsisteduponaskingNina,everymoment,ifshedidn'tthinkitaninterestingoccasion,andifshehadnotbeenmuchimpressed. "Idon'tfeelliketalking,Mr.Carson,"saidNina. "Oh—ah—yes,indeed!You'vebeensodeeplyaffected—yes.Naturallydoesinclineonetosilence.Understandyourfeelingsperfectly.Verygratifyingtometoseeyoutakesuchadeepinterestinyourfellow-creatures." Ninacouldhavepushedhimoutofthecarriage. "Formypart,"continuedCarson,"Ithinkwedon'treflectenoughaboutthiskindofthing—Ipositivelydon't.Itreallyisusefulsometimestohaveone'sthoughtsturnedinthisdirection.Itdoesusgood." ThusgliblydidCarsonproceedtotalkawaytheimpressionofthewholescenetheyhadwitnessed.Longbeforethecarriagereachedhome,Ninahadforgottenallhersympathyinatumultofvexation.ShediscoveredanincreasingdifficultyinmakingCarsonunderstand,byanydegreeofcoolness,thathewasnotacceptableandsawnothingbeforeherbutexplanationsintheveryplainestterms,mortifyingandhumiliatingasthatmightbe.Hisperfectself-complacentease,andtheairwithwhichheconstantlyseemedtoappropriateherassomethingwhichofrightbelongedtohimself,filledherwithvexation.Butyetherconsciencetoldherthatshehadbroughtituponherself. "Iwon'tbearthisanotherhour!"shesaidtoherself,assheascendedthestepstowardtheparlor."AllthisbeforeClaytontoo!Whatmusthethinkofme?"ButtheyfoundteauponthetableandAuntNesbitwaiting. "It'sapity,madam,youwerenotwithus.Suchaninterestingtime!"saidMr.Carson,launching,withgreatvolubility,intothetideofdiscourse. "Itwouldn'thavedoneformeatall,"saidMrs.Nesbit."Beingoutwhenthedewfalls,alwaysbringsonhoarseness.Ihavebeentroubledinthatwaythesetwoorthreeyears.NowIhavetobeverycareful.ThenI'mtimidaboutridinginacarriagewithJohn'sdriving." "Iwasamusedenough,"saidNina,"withOldHundred'sindignationathavingtogetoutthecarriageandhorsestogoovertowhathecalleda'crackerfuneral.'Ireallybelieve,ifhecouldhaveupsetuswithouthurtinghimself,hewouldhavedoneit." "Formypart,"saidAuntNesbit,"Ihopethatfamilywillmoveoffbeforelong.It'sverydisagreeablehavingsuchpeopleround." "Thechildrenlookveryprettyandbright,"saidNina. "Oh,there'snohopeforthem!They'llgrowupandbejustliketheirparents.I'veseenthatsortofpeopleallthroughandthrough.Idon'twishthemanyevilonlyIdon'twanttohaveanythingtodowiththem!" "Formypart,"saidNina,"I'msorryforthem.Iwonderwhythelegislature,orsomebody,don'thaveschools,astheydoupinNewYorkState?Thereisn'tanywheretherewherechildrencan'tgotoschool,iftheywishto.Besides,aunt,thesechildrenreallycamefromanoldfamilyinVirginia.Theiroldservant-mansaysthattheirmotherwasaPeyton." "Idon'tbelieveawordofit!They'lllie—allofthem.Theyalwaysdo." "Well,"saidNina,"Ishalldosomethingforthesechildren,atanyrate." "Iquiteagreewithyou,Nina.Itshowsaveryexcellentspiritinyou,"saidMr.Carson."You'llalwaysfindmereadytoencourageeverythingofthatsort." Ninafrowned,andlookedindignant.Buttonopurpose.Mr.Carsonwentonremorselesslywithhisreallygood-heartedrattle,tillNina,atlast,couldbearitnolonger. "Howdreadfullywarmthisroomis!"saidshe,springingup."Come,let'sgobackintotheparlor." Ninawas