a girl of the limberlost-第62部分

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incomparable　beauty　clinging　to　her　fingers　and　said　softly：　

〃If　you　had　known　about　wonders　like　these　in　the　days　of

your　youth；　Robert　Comstock；　could　you　ever　have　done　what

you　did？〃



Elnora　missed　her　mother；　and　turning　to　look　for　her；

saw　her　standing　beside　the　pool。　　Would　the　old

fascination　return？　　A　panic　of　fear　seized　the　girl。　

She　went　back　swiftly。



〃Are　you　afraid　she　is　going？〃　Elnora　asked。　　〃If　you　are；

cup　your　other　hand　over　her　for　shelter。　　Carrying　her

through　this　air　and　in　the　hot　sunshine　will　dry　her　wings

and　make　them　ready　for　flight　very　quickly。　　You　can't　trust

her　in　such　air　and　light　as　you　can　in　the　cool　dark　woods。〃



While　she　talked　she　took　hold　of　her　mother's　sleeve；

anxiously　smiling　a　pitiful　little　smile　that　Mrs。

Comstock　understood。　　Philip　set　his　load　at　the　back　door；

returning　to　hold　open　the　garden　gate　for　Elnora　and

Mrs。　Comstock。　　He　reached　it　in　time　to　see　them　standing

together　beside　the　pool。　　The　mother　bent　swiftly　and

kissed　the　girl　on　the　lips。　　Philip　turned　and　was　busily

hunting　moths　on　the　raspberry　bushes　when　they　reached

the　gate。　　And　so　excellent　are　the　rewards　of　attending

your　own　business；　that　he　found　a　Promethea　on　a　lilac

in　a　corner；　a　moth　of　such　rare　wine…coloured；　velvety

shades　that　it　almost　sent　Mrs。　Comstock　to　her　knees　again。　

But　this　one　was　fully　developed；　able　to　fly；　and　had　to

be　taken　into　the　cabin　hurriedly。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stood　in

the　middle　of　the　room　holding　up　her　Regalis。



〃Now　what　must　I　do？〃　she　asked。



Elnora　glanced　at　Philip　Ammon。　　Their　eyes　met　and

both　of　them　smiled；　he　with　amusement　at　the　tall；　spare

figure；　with　dark　eyes　and　white　crown；　asking　the　childish

question　so　confidingly；　and　Elnora　with　pride。　　She　was

beginning　to　appreciate　the　character　of　her　mother。



〃How　would　you　like　to　sit　and　see　her　finish　development？　

I'll　get　dinner；〃　proposed　the　girl。



After　they　had　dined；　Philip　and　Elnora　carried　the　dishes

to　the　kitchen；　brought　out　boxes；　sheets　of　cork；　pins；

ink；　paper　slips　and　everything　necessary　for　mounting　and

classifying　the　moths　they　had　taken。　　When　the　housework

was　finished　Mrs。　Comstock　with　her　ruffle　sat　near；

watching　and　listening。　　She　remembered　all　they　said

that　she　understood；　and　when　uncertain　she　asked　questions。　

Occasionally　she　laid　down　her　work　to　straighten　some

flower　which　needed　attention　or　to　search　the　garden　for

a　bug　for　the　grosbeak。　　In　one　of　these　absences　Elnora

said　to　Philip：　　〃These　replace　quite　a　number　of　the　moths　I

lost　for　the　man　of　India。　　With　a　week　of　such　luck；

I　could　almost　begin　to　talk　college　again。〃



〃There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　have　the　week

and　the　luck；〃　said　he。　　〃I　have　taken　moths　until　the

middle　of　August；　though　I　suspect　one　is　more　likely　to

find　late　ones　in　the　north　where　it　is　colder　than　here。　

The　next　week　is　hay…time；　but　we　can　count　on　a　few

double…brooders　and　strays；　and　by　working　the　exchange　method

for　all　it　is　worth；　I　think　we　can　complete　the　collection　again。〃



〃You　almost　make　me　hope；〃　said　Elnora；　〃but　I　must

not　allow　myself。　　I　don't　truly　think　I　can　replace　all　I

lost；　not　even　with　your　help。　　If　I　could；　I　scarcely　see　my

way　clear　to　leave　mother　this　winter。　　I　have　found　her

so　recently；　and　she　is　so　precious；　I　can't　risk　losing

her　again。　　I　am　going　to　take　the　nature　position　in　the

Onabasha　schools；　and　I　shall　be　most　happy　doing　the　work。　

Only；　these　are　a　temptation。〃



〃I　wish　you　might　go　to　college　this　fall　with　the　other

girls；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　feel　that　if　you　don't　you　never　will。　

Isn't　there　some　way？〃



〃I　can't　see　it　if　there　is；　and　I　really　don't　want　to

leave　mother。〃



〃Well；　mother　is　mighty　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　Mrs。

Comstock；　entering　the　arbour。



Philip　noticed　that　her　face　was　pale；　her　lips　quivering；

her　voice　cold。



〃I　was　telling　your　daughter　that　she　should　go　to

college　this　winter；〃　he　explained；　〃but　she　says　she

doesn't　want　to　leave　you。〃



〃If　she　wants　to　go；　I　wish　she　could；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；

a　look　of　relief　spreading　over　her　face。



〃Oh；　all　girls　want　to　go　to　college；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It's　the

only　proper　place　to　learn　bridge　and　embroidery；　not　to

mention　midnight　lunches　of　mixed　pickles　and　fruit　cake；

and　all　the　delights　of　the　sororities。〃



〃I　have　thought　for　years　of　going　to　college；〃　said

Elnora；　〃but　I　never　thought　of　any　of　those　things。〃



〃That　is　because　your　education　in　fudge　and　bridge　has

been　sadly　neglected；〃　said　Philip。　　〃You　should　hear　my

sister　Polly！　　This　was　her　final　year！　　Lunches　and

sororities　were　all　I　heard　her　mention；　until　Tom　Levering

came　on　deck；　now　he　is　the　leading　subject。　　I　can't

see　from　her　daily　conversation　that　she　knows　half　as

much　really　worth　knowing　as　you　do；　but　she's　ahead　of

you　miles　on　fun。〃



〃Oh；　we　had　some　good　times　in　the　high　school；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃Life　hasn't　been　all　work　and　study。　　Is　Edith　Carr　a

college　girl？〃



〃No。　　She　is　the　very　selectest　kind　of　a　private　boarding…

school　girl。〃



〃Who　is　she？〃　asked　Mrs。　Comstock。



Philip　opened　his　lips。



〃She　is　a　girl　in　Chicago；　that　Mr。　Ammon　knows　very

well；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃She　is　beautiful　and　rich；　and　a

friend　of　his　sister's。　　Or；　didn't　you　say　that？〃



〃I　don't　remember；　but　she　is；〃　said　Philip。　　〃This　moth

needs　an　alcohol　bath　to　remove　the　dope。〃



〃Won't　the　down　come；　too？〃　asked　Elnora　anxiously。



〃No。　　You　watch　and　you　will　see　it　come　out；　as

Polly　would　say；　‘a　perfectly　good'　moth。〃



〃Is　your　sister　younger　than　you？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃Yes；〃　said　Philip；　〃but　she　is　three　years　older　than　you。　

She　is　the　dearest　sister　in　all　the　world。　　I'd　love

to　see　her　now。〃



〃Why　don't　you　send　for　her；〃　suggested　Elnora。　

〃Perhaps　she'd　like　to　help　us　catch　moths。〃



〃Yes；　I　think　Polly　in　a　Virot　hat；　Picot　embroidered

frock　and　three…inch　heels　would　take　more　moths　than

any　one　who　ever　tried　the　Limberlost；〃　laughed　Philip。



〃Well；　you　find　many　of　them；　and　you　are　her　brother。〃



〃Yes；　but　that　is　different。　　Father　was　reared　in

Onabasha；　and　he　loved　the　country。　　He　trained　me　his

way　and　mother　took　charge　of　Polly。　　I　don't　quite

understand　it。　　Mother　is　a　great　home　body　herself；

but　she　did　succeed　in　making　Polly　strictly　ornamental。〃



〃Does　Tom　Levering　need　a　‘strictly　ornamental'　girl？〃



〃You　are　too　matter　of　fact！　　Too　‘strictly'　material。　

He　needs　a　darling　girl　who　will　love　him　plenty；　and　Polly

is　that。〃



〃Well；　then；　does　the　Limberlost　need　a　‘strictly　ornamental'　girl？〃



〃No！〃　cried　Philip。　　〃You　are　ornament　enough　for

the　Limberlost。　　I　have　changed　my　mind。　　I　don't　want

Polly　here。　　She　would　not　enjoy　catching　moths；　or　anything

we　do。〃



〃She　might；〃　persi