a girl of the limberlost-第64节

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Will　you　give　me　the　chance　to　prove　what　I　think　of　you？〃



〃You　speak　very　plainly；〃　said　Elnora。



〃This　is　the　time　to　speak　plainly；〃　said　Philip　Ammon。　

〃There　is　no　use　in　allowing　you　to　go　on　threshing　out

a　problem　which　does　not　exist。　　If　you　do　not　want

me　here；　say　so　and　I　will　go。　　Of　course；　I　warn　you

before　I　start；　that　I　will　come　back。　　I　won't　yield

without　the　stiffest　fight　it　is　in　me　to　make。　　But　drop

thinking　it　lies　in　your　power　to　send　me　back　to　Edith　Carr。　

If　she　were　the　last　woman　in　the　world；　and　I　the　last　man；

I'd　jump　off　the　planet　before　I　would　give　her　further

opportunity　to　exercise　her　temper　on　me。　　Narrow　this　to

us；　Elnora。　　Will　you　take　the　place　she　vacated？　

Will　you　take　the　heart　she　threw　away？　　I'd　give　my

right　hand　and　not　flinch；　if　I　could　offer　you　my

life；　free　from　any　contact　with　hers；　but　that　is

not　possible。　　I　can't　undo　things　which　are　done。　

I　can　only　profit　by　experience　and　build　better　in

the　future。〃



〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　be　sure　of　yourself；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　don't　see　how　I　could　be　sure　of　you。　　You　loved　her　first；

you　never　can　care　for　me　anything　like　that。　　Always　I'd

have　to　be　afraid　you　were　thinking　of　her　and　regretting。〃



〃Folly！〃　cried　Philip。　　〃Regretting　what？　　That　I

was　not　married　to　a　woman　who　was　liable　to　rave　at

me　any　time　or　place；　without　my　being　conscious　of

having　given　offence？　　A　man　does　relish　that！　　I　am

likely　to　pine　for　more！〃



〃You'd　be　thinking　she'd　learned　a　lesson。　　You　would

think　it　wouldn't　happen　again。〃



〃No；　I　wouldn't　be　‘thinking；'〃　said；　Philip。　　〃I'd　be

everlastingly　sure！　　I　wouldn't　risk　what　I　went

through　that　night　again；　not　to　save　my　life！　　Just　you

and　me；　Elnora。　　Decide　for　us。〃



〃I　can't！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃I　am　afraid！〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Philip。　　〃We　will　wait　until　you　feel

that　you　can。　　Wait　until　fear　vanishes。　　Just　decide

now　whether　you　would　rather　have　me　go　for　a　few

months；　or　remain　with　you。　　Which　shall　it　be；　Elnora？〃



〃You　can　never　love　me　as　you　did　her；〃　wailed　Elnora。



〃I　am　happy　to　say　I　cannot；〃　replied　he。　　〃I've　cut

my　matrimonial　teeth。　　I'm　cured　of　wanting　to　swell

in　society。　　I'm　over　being　proud　of　a　woman　for　her

looks　alone。　　I　have　no　further　use　for　lavishing　myself　on

a　beautiful；　elegantly　dressed　creature；　who　thinks　only

of　self。　　I　have　learned　that　I　am　a　common　man。　　I　admire

beauty　and　beautiful　clothing　quite　as　much　as　I　ever

did；　but；　first；　I　want　an　understanding；　deep　as　the　lowest

recess　of　my　soul；　with　the　woman　I　marry。　　I　want　to　work

for　you；　to　plan　for　you；　to　build　you　a　home　with　every

comfort；　to　give　you　all　good　things　I　can；　to　shield

you　from　every　evil。　　I　want　to　interpose　my　body　between

yours　and　fire；　flood；　or　famine。　　I　want　to　give

you　everything；　but　I　hate　the　idea　of　getting　nothing　at

all　on　which　I　can　depend　in　return。　　Edith　Carr　had

only　good　looks　to　offer；　and　when　anger　overtook　her；

beauty　went　out　like　a　snuffed　candle。



〃I　want　you　to　love　me。　　I　want　some　consideration。

I　even　crave　respect。　　I've　kept　myself　clean。　　So　far

as　I　know　how　to　be；　I　am　honest　and　scrupulous。　

It　wouldn't　hurt　me　to　feel　that　you　took　some　interest

in　these　things。　　Rather　fierce　temptations　strike　a　man；

every　few　days；　in　this　world。　　I　can　keep　decent；　for　a

woman　who　cares　for　decency；　but　when　I　do；　I'd　like

to　have　the　fact　recognized；　by　just　enough　of　a　show　of

appreciation　that　I　could　see　it。　　I　am　tired　of　this　one…

sided　business。　　After　this；　I　want　to　get　a　little　in　return

for　what　I　give。　　Elnora；　you　have　love；　tenderness；

and　honest　appreciation　of　the　finest　in　life。　　Take　what

I　offer；　and　give　what　I　ask。〃



〃You　do　not　ask　much；〃　said　Elnora。



〃As　for　not　loving　you　as　I　did　Edith；〃　continued

Philip；　〃as　I　said　before；　I　hope　not！　　I　have　a　newer

and　a　better　idea　of　loving。　　The　feeling　I　offer　you　was

inspired　by　you。　　It　is　a　Limberlost　product。　　It　is　as

much　bigger；　cleaner；　and　more　wholesome　than　any　feeling

I　ever　had　for　Edith　Carr；　as　you　are　bigger　than　she；

when　you　stand　before　your　classes　and　in　calm　dignity

explain　the　marvels　of　the　Almighty；　while　she　stands

on　a　ballroom　floor；　and　gives　way　to　uncontrolled　temper。　

Ye　gods；　Elnora；　if　you　could　look　into　my　soul；　you

would　see　it　leap　and　rejoice　over　my　escape！　　Perhaps　it

isn't　decent；　but　it's　human；　and　I'm　only　a　common

human　being。　　I'm　the　gladdest　man　alive　that　I'm　free！　

I　would　turn　somersaults　and　yell　if　I　dared。　　What　an　escape！　

Stop　straining　after　Edith　Carr's　viewpoint　and　take　a　look

from　mine。　　Put　yourself　in　my　place　and　try　to　study　out

how　I　feel。



〃I　am　so　happy　I　grow　religious　over　it。　　Fifty　times

a　day　I　catch　myself　whispering；　‘My　soul　is　escaped！'　

As　for　you；　take　all　the　time　you　want。　　If　you　prefer　to

be　alone；　I'll　take　the　next　train　and　stay　away　as　long　as

I　can　bear　it；　but　I'll　come　back。　　You　can　be　most　sure

of　that。　　Straight　as　your　pigeons　to　their　loft；　I'll　come

back　to　you；　Elnora。　　Shall　I　go？〃



〃Oh；　what's　the　use　to　be　extravagant？〃　murmured　Elnora。









CHAPTER　XXII





WHEREIN　PHILIP　AMMON　KNEELS　TO　ELNORA；

AND　STRANGERS　COME　TO　THE　LIMBERLOST





The　month　which　followed　was　a　reproduction　of

the　previous　June。　　There　were　long　moth　hunts；

days　of　specimen　gathering；　wonderful　hours　with

great　books；　big　dinners　all　of　them　helped　to　prepare；

and　perfect　nights　filled　with　music。　　Everything　was　as

it　had　been；　with　the　difference　that　Philip　was　now　an

avowed　suitor。　　He　missed　no　opportunity　to　advance

himself　in　Elnora's　graces。　　At　the　end　of　the　month

he　was　no　nearer　any　sort　of　understanding　with　her

than　he　had　been　at　the　beginning。　　He　revelled　in　the

privilege　of　loving　her；　but　he　got　no　response。　

Elnora　believed　in　his　love；　yet　she　hesitated　to

accept　him；　because　she　could　not　forget　Edith　Carr。



One　afternoon　early　in　July；　Philip　came　across　the

fields；　through　the　Comstock　woods；　and　entered　the　garden。　

He　inquired　for　Elnora　at　the　back　door　and　was　told　that

she　was　reading　under　the　willow。　　He　went　around　the

west　end　of　the　cabin　to　her。　　She　sat　on　a　rustic

bench　they　had　made　and　placed　beneath　a　drooping　branch。　

He　had　not　seen　her　before　in　the　dress　she　was　wearing。　

It　was　clinging　mull　of　pale　green；　trimmed　with　narrow

ruffles　and　touched　with　knots　of　black　velvet；　a　simple

dress；　but　vastly　becoming。　　Every　tint　of　her　bright　hair；

her　luminous　eyes；　her　red　lips；　and　her　rose…flushed

face；　neck；　and　arms　grew　a　little　more　vivid　with　the

delicate　green　setting。



He　stopped　short。　　She　was　so　near；　so　temptingly

sweet；　he　lost　control。　　He　went　to　her　with　a　half…

smothered　cry　after　that　first　long　look；　dropped　on　one

knee　beside　her　and　reached　an　arm　behind　her　to　the　bench

back；　so　that　he　was　very　near。　　He　caught　her　hands。



〃Elnora！〃　he　cried　tensely；　〃end　it　now！　　Say　this

strain　is　over。　　I　pledge　you　that　you　will　be　happy。　

You　don't　know！　　If　you　only　would　say　the　word；　you

would　awake　to　new　life　and　great　joy！　　Won't　you　promise

me　now；　Elnora？〃



The　girl　sat　staring　into　the　west　woods；　while　strong

in　her　eyes　was　her　father's　look　of　seeing　something

invisible　to　others。　　Philip's　arm　slipped　from　the　bench

around　her。　　His　fingers　closed　firmly　over　hers。　

Elnora；〃　he　pleaded；　〃you　know　me　well　enough。　

You　have　had　time　in　plenty。　　End　it　now。　　Say　you　will

be　mine！〃　　He　gathered　her　closer；　pressing　his　face　against

hers；　his　breath　on　her　cheek。　　〃Can't　you　quite　promise

yet；　my　girl　of　the　Limberlost？〃



Elnora　shook　her　head。　　Instantly　he　released　her。



〃Forgive　me；〃　he　begged。　　〃I　had　no　intention　of　thrusting

myself　upon　you；　but；　Elnora；　you　are　the　veriest　Queen

of　Love　this　afternoon。　　From　the　tips　of　your　toes　to

your　shining　crown；　I　worship　you。　　I　want　no　woman　save　you。　

You　are　so　wonderful　this　afternoon；　I　couldn't　help　urging。　

Forgive　me。　　Perhaps　it　was　something　that　came　this

morning　for　you。　　I　wrote　Polly　to　send　it。　　May　we　try

if　it　fits？　　Will　you　tell　me　if　you　like　it？〃



He　drew　a　little　white　velvet　box　from　his　pocket　and

showed　her　a　splendid　emerald　ring。



〃It　may　not　be　right；〃　he　said。　　〃The　inside　of　a　glove

finger　is　not　very　accurate　for　a　measure；　but　it　was　the

best　I　could　do。　　I　wrote　Polly　to　get　it；　because　she　and

mother　are　home　from　the　East　this　week；　but　next　they

will　go　on　to　our　cottage　in　the　north；　and　no　one　knows

what　is　right　quite　so　well　as　Polly。〃　　He　laid　the　ring

in　Elnora's　hand。　　〃Dearest；〃　he　said；　〃don't　slip　that

on　your　finger；　put　your　arms　around　my　neck　and　promise　me；

all　at　once　and　abruptly；　or　I'll　keel　over　and　die　of　sheer　joy。〃



Elnora　smiled。



〃I　won't！　　Not　all　those　v