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a girl of the limberlost-第53部分
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her mother's voice。 Then she decided some one had been
ill and sent for her; so she took courage; and stepping
swiftly across the kitchen she unbarred the door and drew
back from sight beside the table。
Mrs。 Comstock entered dragging her heavy feet。 Her dress
skirt was gone; her petticoat wet and drabbled; and
the waist of her dress was almost torn from her body。
Her hair hung in damp strings; her eyes were red with crying。
In one hand she held the lantern; and in the other stiffly
extended before her; on a wad of calico reposed a
magnificent pair of Yellow Emperors。 Elnora stared; her
lips parted。
〃Shall I put these others in the kitchen?〃 inquired a
man's voice。
The girl shrank back to the shadows。
〃Yes; anywhere inside the door;〃 replied Mrs。 Comstock
as she moved a few steps to make way for him。
Pete's head appeared。 He set down the moths and was gone。
〃Thank you; Pete; more than ever woman thanked you before!〃
said Mrs。 Comstock。
She placed the lantern on the table and barred the door。
As she turned Elnora came into view。 Mrs。 Comstock
leaned toward her; and held out the moths。 In a voice
vibrant with tones never before heard she said: 〃Elnora;
my girl; mother's found you another moth!〃
CHAPTER XIII
WHEREIN MOTHER LOVE IS BESTOWED ON ELNORA;
AND SHE FINDS AN ASSISTANT IN MOTH HUNTING
Elnora awoke at dawn and lay gazing around the
unfamiliar room。 She noticed that every vestige
of masculine attire and belongings was gone; and
knew; without any explanation; what that meant。
For some reason every tangible evidence of her father
was banished; and she was at last to be allowed to
take his place。 She turned to look at her mother。
Mrs。 Comstock's face was white and haggard; but on it
rested an expression of profound peace Elnora never
before had seen。 As she studied the features on the
pillow beside her; the heart of the girl throbbed in tenderness。
She realized as fully as any one else could what her mother
had suffered。 Thoughts of the night brought shuddering fear。
She softly slipped from the bed; went to her room; dressed and
entered the kitchen to attend the Emperors and prepare breakfast。
The pair had been left clinging to the piece of calico。
The calico was there and a few pieces of beautiful wing。
A mouse had eaten the moths!
〃Well; of all the horrible luck!〃 gasped Elnora。
With the first thought of her mother; she caught up the
remnants of the moths; burying them in the ashes of the stove。
She took the bag to her room; hurriedly releasing its
contents; but there was not another yellow one。 Her mother
had said some had been confined in the case in the Limberlost。
There was still a hope that an Emperor might be among them。
She peeped at her mother; who still slept soundly。
Elnora took a large piece of mosquito netting; and ran
to the swamp。 Throwing it over the top of the case; she
unlocked the door。 She reeled; faint with distress。
The living moths that had been confined there in their
fluttering to escape to night and the mates they sought
not only had wrecked the other specimens of the case;
but torn themselves to fringes on the pins。 A third of the
rarest moths of the collection for the man of India were
antennaless; legless; wingless; and often headless。
Elnora sobbed aloud。
〃This is overwhelming;〃 she said at last。 〃It is making
a fatalist of me。 I am beginning to think things
happen as they are ordained from the beginning; this
plainly indicating that there is to be no college; at least;
this year; for me。 My life is all mountain…top or canon。
I wish some one would lead me into a few days of ‘green pastures。'
Last night I went to sleep on mother's arm; the moths all
secured; love and college; certainties。 This morning I wake
to find all my hopes wrecked。 I simply don't dare let mother
know that instead of helping me; she has ruined my collection。
Everything is goneunless the love lasts。 That actually
seemed true。 I believe I will go see。〃
The love remained。 Indeed; in the overflow of the long…
hardened; pent…up heart; the girl was almost suffocated
with tempestuous caresses and generous offerings。 Before the
day was over; Elnora realized that she never had known
her mother。 The woman who now busily went through the
cabin; her eyes bright; eager; alert; constantly planning;
was a stranger。 Her very face was different; while it did
not seem possible that during one night the acid of twenty
years could disappear from a voice and leave it sweet and pleasant。
For the next few days Elnora worked at mounting the
moths her mother had taken。 She had to go to the Bird
Woman and tell about the disaster; but Mrs。 Comstock
was allowed to think that Elnora delivered the moths
when she made the trip。 If she had told her what actually
happened; the chances were that Mrs。 Comstock again
would have taken possession of the Limberlost; hunting
there until she replaced all the moths that had been destroyed。
But Elnora knew from experience what it meant to collect
such a list in pairs。 It would require steady work for at
least two summers to replace the lost moths。 When she left
the Bird Woman she went to the president of the Onabasha
schools and asked him to do all in his power to secure her
a room in one of the ward buildings。
The next morning the last moth was mounted; and the
housework finished。 Elnora said to her mother; 〃If you
don't mind; I believe I will go into the woods pasture
beside Sleepy Snake Creek and see if I can catch some
dragonflies or moths。〃
〃Wait until I get a knife and a pail and I will go along;〃
answered Mrs。 Comstock。 〃The dandelions are plenty
tender for greens among the deep grasses; and I might just
happen to see something myself。 My eyes are pretty sharp。〃
〃I wish you could realize how young you are;〃 said Elnora。
〃I know women in Onabasha who are ten years older than you;
yet they look twenty years younger。 So could you; if you
would dress your hair becomingly; and wear appropriate clothes。〃
〃I think my hair puts me in the old woman class permanently;〃
said Mrs。 Comstock。
〃Well; it doesn't!〃 cried Elnora。 〃There is a woman
of twenty…eight who has hair as white as yours from sick
headaches; but her face is young and beautiful。 If your
face would grow a little fuller and those lines would go
away; you'd be lovely!〃
〃You little pig!〃 laughed Mrs。 Comstock。 〃Any one
would think you would be satisfied with having a splinter
new mother; without setting up a kick on her looks;
first thing。 Greedy!〃
〃That is a good word;〃 said Elnora。 〃I admit the charge。
I am greedy over every wasted year。 I want you young;
lovely; suitably dressed and enjoying life like the
other girls' mothers。〃
Mrs。 Comstock laughed softly as she pushed back her
sunbonnet so that shrubs and bush
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