a girl of the limberlost-第48节

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to　devise　the　wing　of　a　moth。　　If　there　ever　was　a　miracle；

this　whole　process　is　one。　　Now；　as　I　understand　it；　this

creature　is　going　to　keep　on　spreading　those　wings；　until

they　grow　to　size　and　harden　to　strength　sufficient　to

bear　its　body。　　Then　it　flies　away；　mates　with　its　kind；

lays　its　eggs　on　the　leaves　of　a　certain　tree；　and　the　eggs

hatch　tiny　caterpillars　which　eat　just　that　kind　of　leaves；

and　the　worms　grow　and　grow；　and　take　on　different

forms　and　colours　until　at　last　they　are　big　caterpillars

six　inches　long；　with　large　horns。　　Then　they　burrow　into

the　earth；　build　a　water…proof　house　around　themselves

from　material　which　is　inside　them；　and　lie　through　rain

and　freezing　cold　for　months。　　A　year　from　egg　laying　they

come　out　like　this；　and　begin　the　process　all　over　again。　

They　don't　eat；　they　don't　see　distinctly；　they　live　but

a　few　days；　and　fly　only　at　night；　then　they　drop　off　easy；

but　the　process　goes　on。〃



A　shivering　movement　went　over　the　moth。　　The　wings

drooped　and　spread　wider。　　Mrs。　Comstock　sank　into

soft　awed　tones。



〃There　never　was　a　moment　in　my　life；〃　she　said；

〃when　I　felt　so　in　the　Presence；　as　I　do　now。　　I　feel　as

if　the　Almighty　were　so　real；　and　so　near；　that　I　could

reach　out　and　touch　Him；　as　I　could　this　wonderful　work

of　His；　if　I　dared。　　I　feel　like　saying　to　Him：　　‘To　the

extent　of　my　brain　power　I　realize　Your　presence；　and　all

it　is　in　me　to　comprehend　of　Your　power。　　Help　me　to　learn；

even　this　late；　the　lessons　of　Your　wonderful　creations。　

Help　me　to　unshackle　and　expand　my　soul　to　the　fullest

realization　of　Your　wonders。　　Almighty　God；　make　me　bigger；

make　me　broader！'〃



The　moth　climbed　to　the　end　of　the　projection；　up　it

a　little　way；　then　suddenly　reversed　its　wings；　turned

the　hidden　sides　out　and　dropped　them　beside　its　abdomen；

like　a　large　fly。　　The　upper　side　of　the　wings；　thus

exposed；　was　far　richer　colour；　more　exquisite　texture　than

the　under；　and　they　slowly　half　lifted　and　drooped　again。　

Mrs。　Comstock　turned　her　face　to　Philip。



〃Am　I　an　old　fool；　or　do　you　feel　it；　too？〃　she　half　whispered。



〃You　are　wiser　than　you　ever　have　been　before；〃

answered　he。　　〃I　feel　it；　also。〃



〃And　I；〃　breathed　Elnora。



The　moth　spread　its　wings；　shivered　them　tremulously；

opening　and　closing　them　rapidly。　　Philip　handed　the　box

to　Elnora。



She　shook　her　head。



〃I　can't　take　that　one；〃　she　said。　　〃Give　her　freedom。〃



〃But；　Elnora；〃　protested　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃I　don't　want　to

let　her　go。　　She's　mine。　　She's　the　first　one　I　ever　found

this　way。　　Can't　you　put　her　in　a　big　box；　and　let　her　live；

without　hurting　her？　　I　can't　bear　to　let　her　go。　　I　want

to　learn　all　about　her。〃



〃Then　watch　while　we　gather　these　on　the　trees；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃We　will　take　her　home　until　night　and　then　decide　what　to　do。　

She　won't　fly　for　a　long　time　yet。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　settled　on　the　ground；　gazing　at　the　moth。　

Elnora　and　Philip　went　to　the　baited　trees；　placing

several　large　moths　and　a　number　of　smaller　ones　in　the

cyanide　jar；　and　searching　the　bushes　beyond　where　they

found　several　paired　specimens　of　differing　families。　

When　they　returned　Elnora　showed　her　mother　how　to

hold　her　hand　before　the　moth　so　that　it　would　climb　upon

her　fingers。　　Then　they　started　back　to　the　cabin；　Elnora

and　Philip　leading　the　way；　Mrs。　Comstock　followed

slowly；　stepping　with　great　care　lest　she　stumble　and

injure　the　moth。　　Her　face　wore　a　look　of　comprehension；

in　her　eyes　was　an　exalted　light。　　On　she　came　to　the　blue…

bordered　pool　lying　beside　her　path。



A　turtle　scrambled　from　a　log　and　splashed　into　the

water；　while　a　red…wing　shouted；　〃O…ka…lee！〃　to　her。　

Mrs。　Comstock　paused　and　looked　intently　at　the　slime…

covered　quagmire；　framed　in　a　flower　riot　and　homed　over

by　sweet…voiced　birds。　　Then　she　gazed　at　the　thing　of

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　scho