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O'Bannon sent his horse forward in the slowest walk: it was unshod; the stroke of its hoofs was muffled by the dust; and he had approached quite close, remaining himself unobserved, before he recognized the school-master. He was reclining against the trunk, his hat off, his eyes closed; in the heavy shadows he looked white and sick and weak and troubled.
His father, Neocles, was a farmer in those parts; but as the farm, I suppose, was not sufficient to maintain him, he turned school-master; yet Epicurus treats this Platonic philosopher with wonderful contempt, so fearful was he that it should be thought he had ever had any instruction.
I didn't suggest a service in the church, as I thought that might perhaps be a difficulty for the school-master. Two days before the fête I had a visit from the curé of Montigny, who looked embarrassed and awkward; had evidently something on his mind, and finally blurted out that he was very sorry he couldn't be present at the Christmas tree, as he was obliged to go to Reims that day.
"If he is blamed," said the school-master, "I'll never forgive myself. I'll never forgive myself anyhow." A paternal, or rather maternal, expression came over Bolles's face, and he removed his large, serious glasses. He did not sleep very well. The boy did. "I'm feeling like a bird," said he, as they crossed through the mountains next morning on a short cut to the Owybee.
And they danced to the music of a fiddle, played by Lame George, who lived up in the mountain. Then the Dominie told a number of amusing stories, and the school-master sang them several of his best songs, and cider and ale was drank. And while the pleasantry was at its highest, a loud knock was heard at the door. The revelry ceased for a moment.
He had a mouth of much sensibility, and clear blue eyes, whose light was rarely shed upon any one within reach except his daughter they were so constantly bent downwards, either on the road as he walked, or on his book as he sat. He had been educated for the church, but had never risen above the position of a parish school-master.
"I should like to go to the seminary." "And then become a school-master?" "No." "You do not think that is great enough?" Oyvind made no reply. Again they walked on for some distance. "When you have been through the seminary, what will you do?" "I have not fairly considered that." "If you had money, I dare say you would like to buy yourself a gard?" "Yes, but keep the mills."
That dreadful one eye always seemed to be going to shoot. His voice had not a chord of tenderness in it, but was in every way harsh and hard. It was said that he had been a school-master once. I pity the scholars. Widow Martin lived if you could call it living in a tumble-down-looking house, that would not have stood many earthquakes.
To all his protests, Drake had but the single word: "This is not your fight, old man. You've done your share with Baby Bunting." Thus was the school-master in sorrow compelled to see them start back to Indian Creek and the Malheur without him. With him Uncle Pasco would have joyfully exchanged. He was taken along with the avengers.
"You would call that an advance in invention, eh?" asked the School-Master. "Why not?" queried the Idiot. "Do you consider the invention which would enable man to debase nature to the level of an advertising medium an advance?" "I should not consider the use of the moon for the dissemination of good news a debasement.
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