The Witch of Blackbird Pond / Ведьма с пруда Черных Дроздов. 10-11 классы - Элизабет Джордж Спир

“She lives all alone,” replied Kit. “And she needs help, Uncle Matthew.”

“She is a heretic, and she doesn’t attend Meeting! If she wants help, let her repent her sin. You will never go to that place again, Katherine! I forbid it!”

Depressed, Kit followed the family into the house. “Don’t worry, Kit,” Mercy whispered. “Hannah will be fine if she has that young sailor to help her. I liked his looks.”

Chapter Thirteen

Judith was walking with Kit along the street to gather the last of the corn in the meadow. “I just feel,” she said, “that something wonderful is going to happen at the corn party tonight because this time I’m going to make sure that something happens.”

“Do you mean John Holbrook?”

“Of course! You know that he is too shy to say anything. He hasn’t got a house like William, or any money to support me yet. That’s why he doesn’t speak. But I know how he feels, and I know how I feel, so…”

Kit was thoughtful. She knew that William was only waiting for the right time to speak, too. She had already decided what her answer would be. As William’s wife she could do what she wanted. There would be no more hard work. Besides, William admired her. Then why was she worried?

On the way home Kit visited the little house by Blackbird Pond but only for a few minutes. Hannah told her that Prudence had come to her once, but couldn’t wait for a lesson. When Kit was walking back home, to her surprise, she saw a familiar black hat in the distance. It was John Holbrook! “Judith went back home, but I stopped to see Hannah Tupper,” Kit told him.

“The Widow Tupper? Does your family know about it, Kit? She is a Quaker. I’m not against the Quakers, but this woman has a bad reputation. They say she practices witchcraft.”

“That’s just gossip!” Kit cried. “John, this is silly! Hannah is a good friend of mine.”

“Probably, but you know, Kit, there are some people in town who still remember how you jumped into the river. And now you’re friends with a witch… And witchcraft isn’t silly, Kit.”

“I know,” Kit agreed, “but if only you knew Hannah…” They walked together, and Kit tried to make John Holbrook understand the lonely woman in the meadow.

Finally, they came to the point where John would turn and go his way. “Well,” he said, “it’s been five months since we came here on the Dolphin. It has turned out well for you, Kit: a fine big house and a good young man like William. I hope you will be very happy.”

Kit turned red and looked down. She did not want to talk about William. “And you, John?” she asked instead. “Are you going to the corn party tonight?”

“Well,” he answered. “We’ll see. I don’t know. Will Mercy be there?”

“Mercy? No, I don’t think so. It’s too far away.”

“Then I think I’ll spend the evening at your house instead. I seldom have a chance to talk to her.”

Slowly Kit began to understand what he had just said. “Why should you want to talk to Mercy?”

His smiled, “Why do you think I come so often? It has always been Mercy, from the very beginning. Didn’t you guess that? Do you think I have a chance, Kit?”

“Oh, John!” Kit cried. “A chance? I’m so happy for you two!”

“But I have nothing to give her, nothing at all.”

“You’ll have your own church some day. Only there are so many things that Mercy can’t do…”

“Then I will do them for her,” he said quietly. “I don’t want a wife to serve me. For Mercy I could never do enough.”

“Then tell her, tonight, John,” she said, remembering Mercy’s shining eyes.

“Well,” he answered again. “We’ll see.”

Walking home Kit could hardly keep from dancing. She wanted to shout and sing. Mercy and John Holbrook! How right! How unbelievably right! Suddenly, she stopped. How could she have forgotten about Judith? What has she been planning for tonight? Well, if John doesn’t go to the corn party – then nothing can happen. And what if he’s there with Mercy? Maybe Kit should warn Judith? Oh, dear, Judith is going to feel terrible! But Kit knew that John wasn’t really suitable for Judith.

That evening Judith looked lovely in her new blue dress. Kit was becoming impatient: they all had to leave quickly and leave Mercy sitting alone near the fireplace before John arrived.

But they were too late, as at that moment John Holbrook walked in through the door. Judith smiled at him.

“I’m so glad you’ve come,” she said. “Now we can all walk together.”

“I’m not going to the corn party,” John shook his head. “I think I’ll stay here with Mercy instead. There is something I want to speak to your father about.”

After his words Judith turned red. “Tonight? Really?” she whispered in joy and disbelief. “Oh, Father!” she cried. “You know what he wants to ask! Say yes, now, so we can go to the party together!”

Matthew Wood was shocked. “My daughter, what sort of talk is this?”

“Oh, Father, you must have guessed. John doesn’t need to tell you.”

Matthew Wood’s face softened, and when he turned to John he was smiling, “If you have agreed between you, then I can only give you my blessing. Perhaps you can teach this girl some manners.”

John stood silent, his face pale. He was so ashamed that he couldn’t say a word.

“Tell them! You’ve got to say something, John, right now!” Kit begged him silently.

John opened his mouth to say something to correct the mistake. Then, he looked at Judith. She seemed so happy that John stopped himself. Everyone in the room started congratulating him. Even Mercy came up slowly. “I am so glad for you both,” she said warmly. Only Kit could say nothing. Maybe she dreamed it all, she thought, watching Mercy. But she knew she had not dreamed the love in Mercy’s eyes that summer evening.

When the four of them went out together into the twilight, Judith took John’s arm. “You’ll never know,” she whispered. “You saved me, John. I had a plan…”

Kit was walking behind them, thinking. Now what? He can’t do this! But she knew that he could. John understood Mercy very well. He knew that never in her life could she take anything that Judith might want. If John hurt Judith now, Mercy would never forgive either him or herself.

Kit’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by William who stopped her on the way. “Wait a moment, Kit,” he said. “Let them go ahead. I want to talk to you.” His quiet voice and the look in his eyes warned her of what was coming. Oh, no! Not after all that has happened! She wanted to run away and hide. William’s question was not unexpected at all. Kit had thought that her answer was ready, but now she realized that it wasn’t. “Not tonight, please,” Kit whispered in panic.

“I didn’t plan to speak tonight,” William explained. “But just look at those two – they are so happy! Let me speak to your uncle.”

“Please, William,” Kit whispered. “Don’t speak to him yet.”

William looked at her, puzzled. “Why not? Don’t you want to marry me, Kit?”

She paused. “I hadn’t thought of getting married so soon.”

William was silent for a moment. “I won’t hurry you, Kit,” he said calmly. “The house won’t be finished before spring, anyway. I’ll wait for your answer.” Obviously, he was sure of her positive answer. As they walked on to the party, he held her hand.

Chapter Fourteen

In October the sun still filled the world with mild warmth, and a miracle for which Kit wasn’t prepared happened. The maple trees turned red, and the oaks along the road became yellow and bronze. Everywhere Kit walked there were beautiful new colors. No one had ever told her about autumn in New England. Every morning now she woke with excitement and a feeling that in October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible!

On one of such days Kit noticed her uncle standing not far from the house, looking thoughtfully toward the river. He did not notice her. He simply stood there, staring at the golden fields. Kit saw how her uncle bent down and took a handful of soil with reverence. At that moment he looked lonely and defiant.

Judith’s voice interrupted Kit’s thoughts. “Hurry up, Kit,” she called. “They say there’s a ship coming up the river! If we go now, we can watch it come in!”

“What ship?” Kit asked.

“Does that matter? It’s fun to see any ship come in, and there won’t be many more this autumn.”

But the moment the two girls reached the river, Kit recognized the Dolphin. How beautiful that ship was! How Kit would love to sail on the Dolphin again! She remembered the endless shining water and the salty wind that tangled her hair. She would give anything just to stand on the deck of the Dolphin, sailing into the open sea and toward Barbados!

Some time soon Kit saw Nat Eaton on the deck. He saw her too and just raised one hand to greet her. That wasn’t strange because Kit knew how busy Nat usually was, so she decided to wait.

“Come on, Kit, let’s go home,” said Judith after a while. “There’s nothing more to see.”

Kit was about to turn away and go home, but then she heard Nat’s voice: “Mistress Tyler! Wait a moment!” Nat came toward her with a big package under his arm. “Good day to you, Mistress Wood,” he greeted Judith. Then he turned to Kit again. “Would you be kind to deliver this package for me?” The words were too formal and his tone was strangely indifferent. “This is some wool I got for Hannah,” he explained, giving her the package.

Kit took it reluctantly. “She’ll be waiting for you to come yourself.”

“I know, but my father wants us to leave now to catch the wind. Hannah might need this. If only you can spend some time away from your fashionable friends…”

Puzzled, Kit’s wanted to say something, but before she did, Nat went on and now there was mockery in his voice. “An interesting cargo we had on this trip. One item especially. Sixteen fine windows ordered from England by one William Ashby. They say he’s building a house for his bride. A posh young lady from Barbados, I hear, who wants only the best things. You should have mentioned it, Kit,” he added quietly.

“There’s nothing definite to mention yet,” Kit began.

“That order looks definite enough. May I congratulate you?” said Nat. Then, with a quick bow to Judith, he was gone.

“What? What was he talking about?” asked Judith. “Really, Kit, you know the strangest people. How did you even meet this sailor?”

“I told you he was the captain’s son,” Kit answered, trying to hide her angry tears.

“Well, anyway, I didn’t like his manners,” added Judith.

Another trouble awaited them at home. Aunt Rachel was standing in the doorway looking anxiously at the road. “There is no peace for the poor man,” she said sadly. “Matthew has gone to a meeting just now. They say someone came from Hartford with news this morning, and there’s a gathering in the town. I think it is something to do with that Governor Andros of Massachusetts, who wants to take the charter away. Oh dear, Matthew will be so upset!”

“Then let’s make him a good dinner,” suggested Judith. “Don’t worry, Mother. The men will take care of the government.”

Matthew Wood did not come home for the good meal they had made. Late in the afternoon he walked slowly into the kitchen looking ill.