a girl of the limberlost-第93部分

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old　opera：





　　　　　〃Hearts　do　not　break；　they　sting　and　ache；

　　　　　　For　old　love's　sake；　but　do　not　die；

　　　　　　As　witnesseth　the　living　I。〃





That　evening　they　were　sailing　down　the　Straits　before

a　stiff　breeze　and　Henderson　was　busy　with　the　tiller　when

she　said　to　him：　　〃Hart；　I　want　you　to　do　something　more

for　me。〃



〃You　have　only　to　tell　me；〃　he　said。



〃Have　I　only　to　tell　you；　Hart？〃　she　asked　softly。



〃Haven't　you　learned　that　yet；　Edith？〃



〃I　want　you　to　go　away。〃



〃Very　well；〃　he　said　quietly；　but　his　face　whitened　visibly。



〃You　say　that　as　if　you　had　been　expecting　it。〃



〃I　have。　　I　knew　from　the　beginning　that　when　this

was　over　you　would　dislike　me　for　having　seen　you　suffer。　

I　have　grown　my　Gethsemane　in　a　full　realization　of　what

was　coming；　but　I　could　not　leave　you；　Edith；　so　long　as　it

seemed　to　me　that　I　was　serving　you。　　Does　it　make　any

difference　to　you　where　I　go？〃



〃I　want　you　where　you　will　be　loved；　and　good　care

taken　of　you。〃



〃Thank　you！〃　said　Henderson；　smiling　grimly。　　〃Have　you

any　idea　where　such　a　spot　might　be　found？〃



〃It　should　be　with　your　sister　at　Los　Angeles。　　She　always

has　seemed　very　fond　of　you。〃



〃That　is　quite　true；〃　said　Henderson；　his　eyes　brightening

a　little。　　〃I　will　go　to　her。　　When　shall　I　start？〃



〃At　once。〃



Henderson　began　to　tack　for　the　landing；　but　his　hands

shook　until　he　scarcely　could　manage　the　boat。　　Edith　Carr

sat　watching　him　indifferently；　but　her　heart　was

throbbing　painfully。　　〃Why　is　there　so　much　suffering　in

the　world？〃　she　kept　whispering　to　herself。　　Inside　her

door　Henderson　took　her　by　the　shoulders　almost　roughly。



〃For　how　long　is　this；　Edith；　and　how　are　you　going　to

say　good…bye　to　me？〃



She　raised　tired；　pain…filled　eyes　to　his。



〃I　don't　know　for　how　long　it　is；〃　she　said。　　〃It　seems

now　as　if　it　had　been　a　slow　eternity。　　I　wish　to　my　soul

that　God　would　be　merciful　to　me　and　make　something

‘snap'　in　my　heart；　as　there　did　in　Phil's；　that　would　give

me　rest。　　I　don't　know　for　how　long；　but　I'm　perfectly

shameless　with　you；　Hart。　　If　peace　ever　comes　and　I　want

you；　I　won't　wait　for　you　to　find　it　out　yourself；　I'll　cable；

Marconigraph；　anything。　　As　for　how　I　say　good…bye；　any

way　you　please；　I　don't　care　in　the　least　what　happens　to　me。〃



Henderson　studied　her　intently。



〃In　that　case；　we　will　shake　hands；〃　he　said。　　〃Good…bye；　Edith。　

Don't　forget　that　every　hour　I　am　thinking　of　you　and　hoping

all　good　things　will　come　to　you　soon。〃









CHAPTER　XXV





WHEREIN　PHILIP　FINDS　ELNORA；

AND　EDITH　CARR　OFFERS　A　YELLOW　EMPEROR





Oh；　I　need　my　own　violin；〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃This　one

may　be　a　thousand　times　more　expensive；　and　much　older

than　mine；　but　it　wasn't　inspired　and　taught　to　sing

by　a　man　who　knew　how。　　It　doesn't　know　‘beans；'　as

mother　would　say；　about　the　Limberlost。〃



The　guests　in　the　O'More　music…room　laughed　appreciatively。



〃Why　don't　you　write　your　mother　to　come　for　a　visit

and　bring　yours？〃　suggested　Freckles。



〃I　did　that　three　days　ago；〃　acknowledged　Elnora。　

〃I　am　half　expecting　her　on　the　noon　boat。　　That　is

one　reason　why　this　violin　grows　worse　every　minute。　

There　is　nothing　at　all　the　matter　with　me。〃



〃Splendid！〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃I've　begged　and　begged

her　to　do　it。　　I　know　how　anxious　these　mothers　become。　

When　did　you　send？　　What　made　you？　　Why　didn't　you

tell　me？〃



〃‘When？'　Three　days　ago。　　‘What　made　me？'　　You。　‘Why　didn't

I　tell　you？'　　Because　I　can't　be　sure　in　the　least　that　she

will　come。　　Mother　is　the　most　individual　person。　　She　never

does　what　every　one　expects　she　will。



She　may　not　come；　and　I　didn't　want　you　to　be　disappointed。〃



〃How　did　I　make　you？〃　asked　the　Angel。



〃Loving　Alice。　　It　made　me　realize　that　if　you　cared　for

your　girl　like　that；　with　Mr。　O'More　and　three　other

children；　possibly　my　mother；　with　no　one；　might　like　to

see　me。　　I　know　I　want　to　see　her；　and　you　had　told　me　to

so　often；　I　just　sent　for　her。　　Oh；　I　do　hope　she　comes！　

I　want　her　to　see　this　lovely　place。〃



〃I　have　been　wondering　what　you　thought　of　Mackinac；〃

said　Freckles。



〃Oh；　it　is　a　perfect　picture；　all　of　it！　　I　should　like　to

hang　it　on　the　wall；　so　I　could　see　it　whenever　I　wanted　to；

but　it　isn't　real；　of　course；　it's　nothing　but　a　picture。〃



〃These　people　won't　agree　with　you；〃　smiled　Freckles。



〃That　isn't　necessary；〃　retorted　Elnora。　　〃They　know

this；　and　they　love　it；　but　you　and　I　are　acquainted　with

something　different。　　The　Limberlost　is　life。　　Here　it　is

a　carefully　kept　park。　　You　motor；　sail；　and　golf；　all　so

secure　and　fine。　　But　what　I　like　is　the　excitement　of

choosing　a　path　carefully；　in　the　fear　that　the　quagmire

may　reach　out　and　suck　me　down；　to　go　into　the　swamp

naked…handed　and　wrest　from　it　treasures　that　bring　me

books　and　clothing；　and　I　like　enough　of　a　fight　for　things

that　I　always　remember　how　I　got　them。　　I　even　enjoy

seeing　a　canny　old　vulture　eyeing　me　as　if　it　were　saying：　

‘Ware　the　sting　of　the　rattler；　lest　I　pick　your　bones　as　I

did　old　Limber's。'　I　like　sufficient　danger　to　put　an　edge

on　life。　　This　is　so　tame。　　I　should　have　loved　it　when　all

the　homes　were　cabins；　and　watchers　for　the　stealthy

Indian　canoes　patrolled　the　shores。　　You　wait　until

mother　comes；　and　if　my　violin　isn't　angry　with　me　for

leaving　it；　to…night　we　shall　sing　you　the　Song　of

the　Limberlost。　　You　shall　hear　the　big　gold　bees　over　the

red；　yellow；　and　purple　flowers；　bird　song；　wind　talk；　and

the　whispers　of　Sleepy　Snake　Creek；　as　it　goes　past　you。　

You　will　know！〃　　Elnora　turned　to　Freckles。



He　nodded。　　〃Who　better？〃　he　asked。　　〃This　is　secure

while　the　children　are　so　small；　but　when　they　grow　larger；

we　are　going　farther　north；　into　real　forest；　where　they　can

learn　self…reliance　and　develop　backbone。〃



Elnora　laid　away　the　violin。　　〃Come　along；　children；〃

she　said。　　〃We　must　get　at　that　backbone　business　at　once。　

Let's　race　to　the　playhouse。〃



With　the　brood　at　her　heels　Elnora　ran；　and　for　an　hour

lively　sounds　stole　from　the　remaining　spot　of　forest　on　the

Island；　which　lay　beside　the　O'More　cottage。　　Then　Terry

went　to　the　playroom　to　bring　Alice　her　doll。　　He　came

racing　back；　dragging　it　by　one　leg；　and　crying：　

〃There's　company！　　Someone　has　come　that　mamma　and　papa

are　just　tearing　down　the　house　over。　　I　saw　through

the　window。〃



〃It　could　not　be　my　mother；　yet；〃　mused　Elnora。　　〃Her　boat

is　not　due　until　twelve。　　Terry；　give　Alice　that　doll〃



〃It's　a　man…person；　and　I　don't　know　him；　but　my

father　is　shaking　his　hand　right　straight　along；　and　my

mother　is　running　for　a　hot　drink　and　a　cushion。　　It's　a

kind　of　a　sick　person；　but　they　are　going　to　make　him　well

right　away；　any　one　can　see　that。　　This　is　the　best　place。



I'll　go　tell　him　to　come　lie　on　the　pine　needles　in