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a girl of the limberlost-第58部分
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father's law office three years。〃
〃Does he seem nice?〃 asked Margaret; and Wesley smiled。
〃Finest kind of a person;〃 said Elnora。 〃He can
teach me so much。 It is very interesting to hear
him talk。 He knows considerable about moths that will
be a help to me。 He had a fever and he has to stay
outdoors until he grows strong again。〃
〃Billy; I guess you better help me this afternoon;〃
said Margaret。 〃Maybe Elnora had rather not bother
with you。〃
〃There's no reason on earth why Billy should not
come!〃 cried Elnora; and Wesley smiled again。
〃I must hurry home or I won't be ready;〃 she added。
Hastening down the road she entered the cabin; her
face glowing。
〃I thought you never would come;〃 said Mrs。 Comstock。
〃If you don't hurry Mr。 Ammon will be here before you
are dressed。〃
〃I forgot about him until just now;〃 said Elnora。
〃I am not going to dress。 He's not coming to visit。
We are only going to the woods for more specimens。
I can't wear anything that requires care。 The limbs
take the most dreadful liberties with hair and clothing。〃
Mrs。 Comstock opened her lips; looked at Elnora and
closed them。 In her heart she was pleased that the
girl was so interested in her work that she had forgotten
Philip Ammon's coming。 But it did seem to her that
such a pleasant young man should have been greeted
by a girl in a fresh dress。 〃If she isn't disposed to primp
at the coming of a man; heaven forbid that I should be
the one to start her;〃 thought Mrs。 Comstock。
Philip came whistling down the walk between the
cinnamon pinks; pansies; and strawberries。 He carried
several packages; while his face flushed with more colour
than on the previous day。
〃Only see what has happened to me!〃 cried Elnora;
offering her letter。
〃I'll wager I know!〃 answered Philip。 〃Isn't it great!
Every one in Onabasha is talking about it。 At last there
is something new under the sun。 All of them are pleased。
They think you'll make a big success。 This will give an
incentive to work。 In a few days more I'll be myself
again; and we'll overturn the fields and woods around here。〃
He went on to congratulate Mrs。 Comstock。
〃Aren't you proud of her; though?〃 he asked。 〃You should
hear what folks are saying! They say she created the
necessity for the position; and every one seems to feel
that it is a necessity。 Now; if she succeeds; and she will;
all of the other city schools will have such departments;
and first thing you know she will have made the whole
world a little better。 Let me rest a few seconds; my feet
are acting up again。 Then we will cook the moth compound
and put it to cool。〃
He laughed as he sat breathing shortly。
〃It doesn't seem possible that a fellow could lose his
strength like this。 My knees are actually trembling;
but I'll be all right in a minute。 Uncle Doc said I
could come。 I told him how you took care of me; and he
said I would be safe here。〃
Then he began unwrapping packages and explaining
to Mrs。 Comstock how to cook the compound to attract
the moths。 He followed her into the kitchen; kindled
the fire; and stirred the preparation as he talked。
While the mixture cooled; he and Elnora walked through
the vegetable garden behind the cabin and strayed from
there into the woods。
〃What about college?〃 he asked。 〃Miss Brownlee said
you were going。〃
〃I had hoped to;〃 replied Elnora; 〃but I had a streak
of dreadful luck; so I'll have to wait until next year。
If you won't speak of it; I'll tell you。〃
Philip promised; so Elnora recited the history of the
Yellow Emperor。 She was so interested in doing the
Emperor justice she did not notice how many personalities
went into the story。 A few pertinent questions
told him the remainder。 He looked at the girl in wonder。
In face and form she was as lovely as any one of her age
and type he ever had seen。 Her school work far surpassed
that of most girls of her age he knew。 She differed in
other ways。 This vast store of learning she had gathered
from field and forest was a wealth of attraction no other
girl possessed。 Her frank; matter…of…fact manner was an
inheritance from her mother; but there was something more。
Once; as they talked he thought 〃sympathy〃 was the word
to describe it and again 〃comprehension。〃 She seemed to
possess a large sense of brotherhood for all human and
animate creatures。 She spoke to him as if she had known
him all her life。 She talked to the grosbeak in exactly
the same manner; as she laid strawberries and potato bugs
on the fence for his family。 She did not swerve an inch
from her way when a snake slid past her; while the squirrels
came down from the trees and took corn from her fingers。
She might as well have been a boy; so lacking was she in
any touch of feminine coquetry toward him。 He studied
her wonderingly。 As they went along the path they reached
a large slime…covered pool surrounded by decaying stumps
and logs thickly covered with water hyacinths and blue flags。
Philip stopped。
〃Is that the place?〃 he asked。
Elnora assented。 〃The doctor told you?〃
〃Yes。 It was tragic。 Is that pool really bottomless?〃
〃So far as we ever have been able to discover。〃
Philip stood looking at the water; while the long; sweet
grasses; thickly sprinkled with blue flag bloom; over which
wild bees clambered; swayed around his feet。 Then he
turned to the girl。 She had worked hard。 The same
lavender dress she had worn the previous day clung to her
in limp condition。 But she was as evenly coloured and of
as fine grain as a wild rose petal; her hair was really brown;
but never was such hair touched with a redder glory; while
her heavy arching brows added a look of strength to her
big gray…blue eyes。
〃And you were born here?〃
He had not intended to voice that thought。
〃Yes;〃 she said; looking into his eyes。 〃Just in time
to prevent my mother from saving the life of my father。
She came near never forgiving me。〃
〃Ah; cruel!〃 cried Philip。
〃I find much in life that is cruel; from our standpoints;〃
said Elnora。 〃It takes the large wisdom of the Unfathomable;
the philosophy of the Almighty; to endure some of it。
But there is always right somewhere; and at last it seems
to come。〃
〃Will it come to you?〃 asked Philip; who found himself
deeply affected。
〃It has come;〃 said the girl serenely。 〃It came a week ago。
It came in fullest measure when my mother ceased to regret
that I had been born。 Now; work that I love has comethat
should constitute happiness。 A little farther along is my
violet bed。 I want you to see it。〃
As Philip Ammon followed he definitely settled upon the
name of the unusual feature of Elnora's face。 It should be
called 〃experience。〃 She had known bitter experiences
early in life。 Suffering had been her familiar more than joy。
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