a girl of the limberlost-第37节

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did　not　know　how　they　originated。　　She　had　thought　all

of　them　came　from　cases　spun　on　trees　or　against　walls

or　boards。　　She　had　seen　only　enough　to　know　that　there

were　such　things；　as　a　flash　of　white　told　her　that　an　ermine

was　on　her　premises；　or　a　sharp　〃buzzzzz〃　warned　her

of　a　rattler。



So　it　was　from　creatures　like　that　Elnora　had　secured

her　school　money。　　In　one　sickening　sweep　there　rushed

into　the　heart　of　the　woman　a　full　realization　of　the

width　of　the　gulf　that　separated　her　from　her　child。　

Lately　many　things　had　pointed　toward　it；　none　more　plainly

than　when　Elnora；　like　a　reincarnation　of　her　father；　had

stood　fearlessly　before　a　large　city　audience　and　played

with　even　greater　skill　than　he；　on　what　Mrs。　Comstock

felt　very　certain　was　his　violin。　　But　that　little　crawling

creature　of　earth；　crushed　by　her　before　its　splendid　yellow

and　lavender　wings　could　spread　and　carry　it　into　the

mystery　of　night；　had　performed　a　miracle。



〃We　are　nearer　strangers　to　each　other　than　we　are　with

any　of　the　neighbours；〃　she　muttered。



So　one　of　the　Almighty's　most　delicate　and　beautiful

creations　was　sacrificed　without　fulfilling　the　law；　yet

none　of　its　species　ever　served　so　glorious　a　cause；　for

at　last　Mrs。　Comstock's　inner　vision　had　cleared。　　She　went

through　the　cabin　mechanically。　　Every　few　minutes

she　glanced　toward　the　back　walk　to　see　if　Elnora

were　coming。　　She　knew　arrangements　had　been　made　with

Margaret　to　go　to　the　city　some　time　that　day；　so　she

grew　more　nervous　and　uneasy　every　moment。　　She　was

haunted　by　the　fear　that　the　blow　might　discolour

Elnora's　cheek；　that　she　would　tell　Margaret。　　She　went

down　the　back　walk；　looking　intently　in　all　directions；

left　the　garden　and　followed　the　swamp　path。　　Her　step

was　noiseless　on　the　soft；　black　earth；　and　soon　she

came　close　enough　to　see　Elnora。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stood

looking　at　the　girl　in　troubled　uncertainty。　　Not　knowing

what　to　say；　at　last　she　turned　and　went　back　to　the　cabin。



Noon　came　and　she　prepared　dinner；　calling；　as　she

always　did；　when　Elnora　was　in　the　garden；　but　she　got

no　response；　and　the　girl　did　not　come。　　A　little　after

one　o'clock　Margaret　stopped　at　the　gate。



〃Elnora　has　changed　her　mind。　　She　is　not　going；〃

called　Mrs。　Comstock。



She　felt　that　she　hated　Margaret　as　she　hitched　her

horse　and　came　up　the　walk　instead　of　driving　on。



〃You　must　be　mistaken；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　was

going　on　purpose　for　her。　　She　asked　me　to　take　her。　

I　had　no　errand。　　Where　is　she？〃



〃I　will　call　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



She　followed　the　path　again；　and　this　time　found　Elnora

sitting　on　the　log。　　Her　face　was　swollen　and　discoloured；

and　her　eyes　red　with　crying。　　She　paid　no　attention

to　her　mother。



〃Mag　Sinton　is　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　harshly。　

〃I　told　her　you　had　changed　your　mind；　but　she　said

you　asked　her　to　go　with　you；　and　she　had　nothing　to

go　for　herself。〃



Elnora　arose；　recklessly　waded　through　the　deep　swamp

grasses　and　so　reached　the　path　ahead　of　her　mother。　

Mrs。　Comstock　followed　as　far　as　the　garden；　but　she

could　not　enter　the　cabin。　　She　busied　herself　among

the　vegetables；　barely　looking　up　when　the　back…door

screen　slammed　noisily。　　Margaret　Sinton　approached

colourless；　her　eyes　so　angry　that　Mrs。　Comstock　shrank　back。



〃What's　the　matter　with　Elnora's　face？〃　demanded　Margaret。



Mrs。　Comstock　made　no　reply。



〃You　struck　her；　did　you？〃



〃I　thought　you　wasn't　blind！〃



〃I　have　been；　for　twenty　long　years　now；　Kate　Comstock；〃

said　Margaret　Sinton；　〃but　my　eyes　are　open　at　last。　

What　I　see　is　that　I've　done　you　no　good　and　Elnora　a

big　wrong。　　I　had　an　idea　that　it　would　kill　you　to　know；

but　I　guess　you　are　tough　enough　to　stand　anything。　

Kill　or　cure；　you　get　it　now！〃



〃What　are　you　frothing　about？〃　coolly　asked　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃You！〃　cried　Margaret。　　〃You！　　The　woman　who　doesn't

pretend　to　love　her　only　child。　　Who　lets　her　grow　to

a　woman；　as　you　have　let　Elnora；　and　can't　be　satisfied

with　every　sort　of　neglect；　but　must　add　abuse　yet；

and　all　for　a　fool　idea　about　a　man　who　wasn't　worth

his　salt！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　a　hoe。



〃Go　right　on！〃　she　said。　　〃Empty　yourself。　　It's　the

last　thing　you'll　ever　do！〃



〃Then　I'll　make　a　tidy　job　of　it；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃You'll　not　touch　me。　　You'll　stand　there　and　hear

the　truth　at　last；　and　because　I　dare　face　you　and　tell

it；　you　will　know　in　your　soul　it　is　truth。　　When　Robert

Comstock　shaved　that　quagmire　out　there　so　close　he

went　in；　he　wanted　to　keep　you　from　knowing　where　he

was　coming　from。　　He'd　been　to　see　Elvira　Carney。　

They　had　plans　to　go　to　a　dance　that　night〃



〃Close　your　lips！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　in　a　voice　of

deadly　quiet。



〃You　know　I　wouldn't　dare　open　them　if　I　wasn't

telling　you　the　truth。　　I　can　prove　what　I　say。　　I　was

coming　from　Reeds。　　It　was　hot　in　the　woods　and　I

stopped　at　Carney's　as　I　passed　for　a　drink。　

Elvira's　bedridden　old　mother　heard　me；　and　she　was　so

crazy　for　some　one　to　talk　with；　I　stepped　in　a　minute。　

I　saw　Robert　come　down　the　path。　　Elvira　saw　him；　too；　so

she　ran　out　of　the　house　to　head　him　off。　　It　looked　funny；

and　I　just　deliberately　moved　where　I　could　see　and　hear。

He　brought　her　his　violin；　and　told　her　to　get　ready　and

meet　him　in　the　woods　with　it　that　night；　and　they　would

go　to　a　dance。　　She　took　it　and　hid　it　in　the　loft　to　the

well…house　and　promised　she'd　go。〃



〃Are　you　done？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃No。　　I　am　going　to　tell　you　the　whole　story。　　You　don't

spare　Elnora　anything。　　I　shan't　spare　you。　　I　hadn't

been　here　that　day；　but　I　can　tell　you　just　how　he　was

dressed；　which　way　he　went　and　every　word　they　said；

though　they　thought　I　was　busy　with　her　mother

and　wouldn't　notice　them。　　Put　down　your　hoe；　Kate。　

I　went　to　Elvira；　told　her　what　I　knew　and　made　her　give

me　Comstock's　violin　for　Elnora　over　three　years　ago。　

She's　been　playing　it　ever　since。　　I　won't　see　her

slighted　and　abused　another　day　on　account　of　a　man

who　would　have　broken　your　heart　if　he　had　lived。　

Six　months　more　would　have　showed　you　what　everybody

else　knew。　　He　was　one　of　those　men　who　couldn't　trust

himself；　and　so　no　woman　was　safe　with　him。　　Now；　will

you　drop　grieving　over　him；　and　do　Elnora　justice？〃



Mrs。　Comstock　grasped　the　hoe　tighter　and　turning　she

went　down　the　walk；　and　started　across　the　woods　to　the

home　of　Elvira　Carney。　　With　averted　head　she　passed

the　pool；　steadily　pursuing　her　way。　　Elvira　Carney；

hanging　towels　across　the　back　fence；　saw　her　coming

and　went　toward　the　gate　to　meet　her。　　Twenty　years

she　had　dreaded　that　visit。　　Since　Margaret　Sinton

had　compelled　her　to　produce　the　violin　she　had　hidden

so　long；　because　she　was　afraid　to　destroy　it；　she　had

come　closer　expectation　than　dread。　　The　wages　of　sin

are　the　hardest　debts　on　earth　to　pay；　and　they　are　always

collected　at　inconvenient　times　and　unexpected　places。

Mrs。　Comstock's　face　and　hair　were　so　white；　that　her

dark　eyes　seemed　burned　into　their　setting。　　Silently　she

stared　at　the　woman　before　her　a　long　time。



〃I　might　have　saved　myself　the　trouble　of　coming；〃

she　said　at　last；　〃I　see　you　are　guilty　as　sin！〃



〃What　has　Mag　Sinton　been　telling　you？〃　panted　the

miserable　woman；　gripping　the　fence。



〃The　truth！〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock　succinctly。　

〃Guilt　is　in　every　line　of　your　face；　in　your　eyes；　all　over

your　wretched　body。　　If　I'd　taken　a　good　look　at　you

any　time　in　all　these　past　years；　no　doubt　I　could　have

seen　it　just　as　plain　as　I　can　now。　　No　woman　or　man

can　do　what　you've　done；　and　not　get　a　mark　set　on　them

for　every　one　to　read。〃



〃Mercy！〃　gasped　weak　little　Elvira　Carney。　　〃Have　mercy！〃



〃Mercy？〃　scoffed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Mercy！　　That's　a

nice　word　from　you！　　How　much　mercy　did　you　have

on　me？　　Where's　the　mercy　that　sent　Comstock　to　the

slime　of　the　bottomless　quagmire；　and　left　me　to　see　it；

and　then　struggle　on　in　agony　all　these　years？　

How　about　the　mercy　of　letting　me　neglect　my　baby　all

the　days　of　her　life？　　Mercy！　　Do　you　really　dare　use

the　word　to　me？〃



〃If　you　　knew　what　I've　suffered！〃



〃Suffered？〃　jeered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃That's　interesting。　

And　pray；　what　have　you　suffered？〃



〃All　the　neighbours　have　suspected　and　been　down

on　me。　　I　ain't　had　a　friend。　　I've　always　felt　guilty

of　his　death！　　I've　seen　him　go　down　a　thousand　times；

plain　as　ever　you　did。　　Many's　the　night　I've　stood　on　the

other　bank　of　that　pool　and　listened　to　you；　and　I　tried

to　throw　myself　in　to　keep　from　hearing　you；　but　I

didn't　dare。　　I　knew　God　would　send　me　to　burn　forever；

but　I'd　better　done　it；　for　now；　He　has　set　the　burning

on　my　body；　and　every　hour　it　is　slowly　eating　the　life

out　of　me。　The　doctor　says　it's　a　cancer〃



Mrs。　Comstock　exhaled