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a girl of the limberlost-第67部分
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impetus they danced until they dropped panting on the
arbour bench。
Billy scarcely knew when he reached the road。 His light
feet barely touched the soft way; so swiftly he flew。
He vaulted the fence and burst into the house。
〃Aunt Margaret! Uncle Wesley!〃 he screamed。 〃Listen!
Listen! She's playing it! Elnora's playing her violin
at home! And Aunt Kate is dancing like anything
before the arbour! I saw her in the moonlight! I ran down!
Oh; Aunt Margaret!〃
Billy fled sobbing to Margaret's breast。
〃Why Billy!〃 she chided。 〃Don't cry; you little dunce!
That's what we've all prayed for these many years; but
you must be mistaken about Kate。 I can't believe it。〃
Billy lifted his head。 〃Well; you just have to!〃 he said。
〃When I say I saw anything; Uncle Wesley knows I did。
The city man was dancing with her。 They danced together
and Elnora laughed。 But it didn't look funny to me;
I was scared。〃
〃Who was it said ‘wonders never cease;'〃 asked Wesley。
〃You mark my word; once you get Kate Comstock started;
you can't stop her。 There's a wagon load of penned…up
force in her。 Dancing in the moonlight! Well; I'll
be hanged!〃
Billy was at his side instantly。 〃Whoever does it will
have to hang me; too;〃 he cried。
Sinton threw his arm around Billy and drew him closely。
〃Tell us all about it; son;〃 he said。 Billy told。 〃And when
Elnora just stopped a breath; ‘Can't you play some
of the old things I knew when I was a girl?' said her ma。
Then Elnora began to do a thing that made you want to
whirl round and round; and quicker 'an scat there was her
ma a…whirling。 The city man; he ups and grabs her and
whirls; too; and back in the woods I was going just like
they did。 Elnora begins to laugh; and I ran to tell you;
cos I knew you'd like to know。 Now; all the world is
right; ain't it?〃 ended Billy in supreme satisfaction。
〃You just bet it is!〃 said Wesley。
Billy looked steadily at Margaret。 〃Is it; Aunt Margaret?〃
Margaret Sinton smiled at him bravely。
An hour later when Billy was ready to climb the stairs
to his room; he went to Margaret to say good night。
He leaned against her an instant; then brought his lips
to her ear。 〃Wish I could get your little girls back
for you!〃 he whispered and dashed toward the stairs。
Down at the Comstock cabin the violin played on until
Elnora was so tired she scarcely could lift the bow。
Then Philip went home。 The women walked to the gate
with him; and stood watching him from sight。
〃That's what I call one decent young man!〃 said
Mrs。 Comstock。 〃To see him fit in with us; you'd think
he'd been brought up in a cabin; but it's likely he's
always had the very cream o' the pot。〃
〃Yes; I think so;〃 laughed Elnora; 〃but it hasn't
hurt him。 I've never seen anything I could criticise。
He's teaching me so much; unconsciously。 You know
he graduated from Harvard; and has several degrees in law。
He's coming in the morning; and we are going to put in a
big day on Catocalae。〃
〃Which is?〃
〃Those gray moths with wings that fold back like big
flies; and they appear as if they had been carved from
old wood。 Then; when they fly; the lower wings flash
out and they are red and black; or gold and black; or
pink and black; or dozens of bright; beautiful colours
combined with black。 No one ever has classified all
of them and written their complete history; unless the
Bird Woman is doing it now。 She wants everything
she can get about them。〃
〃I remember;〃 said Mrs。 Comstock。 〃They are mighty
pretty things。 I've started up slews of them from the
vines covering the logs; all my life。 I must be cautious
and catch them after this; but they seem powerful spry。
I might get hold of something rare。〃 She thought
intently and added; 〃And wouldn't know it if I did。
It would just be my luck。 I've had the rarest thing on
earth in reach this many a day and only had the wit to
cinch it just as it was going。 I'll bet I don't let
anything else escape me。〃
Next morning Philip came early; and he and Elnora
went at once to the fields and woods。 Mrs。 Comstock
had come to believe so implicitly in him that she now
stayed at home to complete the work before she joined
them; and when she did she often sat sewing; leaving
them wandering hours at a time。 It was noon before
she finished; and then she packed a basket of lunch。
She found Elnora and Philip near the violet patch; which
was still in its prime。 They all lunched together in the
shade of a wild crab thicket; with flowers spread at their
feet; and the gold orioles streaking the air with flashes
of light and trailing ecstasy behind them; while the red…
wings; as always; asked the most impertinent questions。
Then Mrs。 Comstock carried the basket back to the cabin;
and Philip and Elnora sat on a log; resting a few minutes。
They had unexpected luck; and both were eager to continue
the search。
〃Do you remember your promise about these violets?〃
asked he。 〃To…morrow is Edith's birthday; and if I'd
put them special delivery on the morning train; she'd
get them in the late afternoon。 They ought to keep
that long。 She leaves for the North next day。〃
〃Of course; you may have them;〃 said Elnora。 〃We will
quit long enough before supper to gather a large bunch。
They can be packed so they will carry all right。
They should be perfectly fresh; especially if we gather
them this evening and let them drink all night。〃
Then they went back to hunt Catocalae。 It was a
long and a happy search。 It led them into new;
unexplored nooks of the woods; past a red…poll nest;
and where goldfinches prospected for thistledown for
the cradles they would line a little later。 It led
them into real forest; where deep; dark pools lay;
where the hermit thrush and the wood robin extracted
the essence from all other bird melody; and poured it
out in their pure bell…tone notes。 It seemed as if
every old gray tree…trunk; slab of loose bark; and
prostrate log yielded the flashing gray treasures;
while of all others they seemed to take alarm most
easily; and be most difficult to capture。
Philip came to Elnora at dusk; daintily holding one
by the body; its dark wings showing and its long slender
legs trying to clasp his fingers and creep from his hold。
〃Oh for mercy's sake!〃 cried Elnora; staring at him。
〃I half believe it!〃 exulted Ammon。
〃Did you ever see one?〃
〃Only in collections; and very seldom there。〃
Elnora studied the black wings intently。 〃I surely
believe that's Sappho;〃 she marvelled。 〃The Bird Woman
will be overjoyed。〃
〃We must get the cyanide jar quickly;〃 said Philip。
〃I wouldn't lose her for anything。 Such a chase as she
led me!〃
Elnora brought the jar and began gathering up paraphernalia。
〃When you make a find like that;〃 she said; 〃it's the
right time to
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