Fully convinced at last that he had been dreaming, the Harvester picked
up his knives and candlestick and entered the cabin. He placed them on a
shelf and turned away, but after a second's hesitation he closed the
box and arranged the sticks neatly. Then he set the room in order and
carefully swept the floor. As he replaced the broom he thought for an
instant, then opened the door and whistled softly. Belshazzar came at a
rush. The Harvester pushed the plate of food toward the hungry dog and
he ate greedily. The man returned to the front room and closed the door.
He stood a long time before his shelf of books, at last selected a
volume of “Medicinal Plants” and settled to study. His supper finished,
Belshazzar came scratching and whining at the door. Several times the
man lifted his head and glanced in that direction, but he only returned
to his book and read again. Tired and sleepy, at last, he placed the
volume on the shelf, went to a closet for a pair of bath towels, and
hung them across a chair. Then he undressed, opened the door, and ran
for the lake. He plunged with a splash and swam vigorously for a few
minutes, his white body growing pink under the sting of the chilled
water. Over and over he scanned the golden bridge to the moon, and stood
an instant dripping on the gravel of the landing to make sure that no
dream woman was crossing the wavering floor! He rubbed to a glow and
turned back the covers of his bed. The door and window stood wide.
Before he lay down, the Harvester paused in arrested motion a second,
then stepped to the kitchen door and lifted the latch.
As the man drew the covers over him, the dog's nose began making
an opening, and a little later he quietly walked into the room. The
Harvester rested, facing the lake. The dog sniffed at his shoulder, but
the man was rigid. Then the click of nails could be heard on the floor
as Belshazzar went to the opposite side. At his accustomed place he
paused and set one foot on the bed. There was not a sound, so he lifted
the other. Then one at a time he drew up his hind feet and crouched
as he had on the gravel. The man lay watching the bright bridge. The
moonlight entered the window and flooded the room. The strong lines on
the weather-beaten face of the Harvester were mellowed in the light, and
he appeared young and good to see. His lithe figure stretched the length
of the bed, his hair appeared almost white, and his face, touched by the
glorifying light of the moon, was a study.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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