a girl of the limberlost-第75节

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said　Billy。　　〃Anyway；　we　need　washing。〃



〃You　do　indeed；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　will　head　this

procession　to　the　garage；　and　there　we　will　remove　the

first　coat。〃　For　the　remainder　of　Billy's　visit　the　nurse；

chauffeur；　and　every　servant　of　the　O'More　household　had

something　of　importance　on　their　minds；　and　Billy's　every

step　was　shadowed。



〃I　have　Billy's　consent；〃　said　Philip　to　Elnora；　〃and　all

the　other　consent　you　have　stipulated。　　Before　you　think

of　something　more；　give　me　your　left　hand；　please。〃



Elnora　gave　it　gladly；　and　the　emerald　slipped　on　her　finger。　

Then　they　went　together　into　the　forest　to　tell　each　other

all　about　it；　and　talk　it　over。



〃Have　you　seen　Edith？〃　asked　Philip。



〃No；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃But　she　must　be　here；　or　she

may　have　seen　me　when　we　went　to　Petoskey　a　few　days　ago。　

Her　people　have　a　cottage　over　on　the　bluff；　but　the

Angel　never　told　me　until　to…day。　　I　didn't　want　to　make

that　trip；　but　the　folks　were　so　anxious　to　entertain　me；

and　it　was　only　a　few　days　until　I　intended　to　let　you　know

myself　where　I　was。〃



〃And　I　was　going　to　wait　just　that　long；　and　if　I　didn't

hear　then　I　was　getting　ready　to　turn　over　the　country。　

I　can　scarcely　realize　yet　that　Edith　sent　me　that　telegram。〃



〃No　wonder！　　It's　a　difficult　thing　to　believe。　　I　can't

express　how　I　feel　for　her。〃



〃Let　us　never　speak　of　it　again；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　came

nearer　feeling　sorry　for　her　last　night　than　I　have　yet。　

I　couldn't　sleep　on　that　boat　coming　over；　and　I　couldn't

put　away　the　thought　of　what　sending　that　message　cost　her。　

I　never　would　have　believed　it　possible　that　she　would　do　it。　

But　it　is　done。　　We　will　forget　it。〃



〃I　scarcely　think　I　shall；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃It　is　something

I　like　to　remember。　　How　suffering　must　have　changed　her！　

I　would　give　anything　to　bring　her　peace。〃



〃Henderson　came　to　see　me　at　the　hospital　a　few　days　ago。　

He's　gone　a　rather　wild　pace；　but　if　he　had　been　held

from　youth　by　the　love　of　a　good　woman　he　might　have

lived　differently。　　There　are　things　about　him　one　cannot

help　admiring。〃



〃I　think　he　loves　her；〃　said　Elnora　softly。



〃He　does！　　He　always　has！　　He　never　made　any　secret

of　it。　　He　will　cut　in　now　and　do　his　level　best；

but　he　told　me　that　he　thought　she　would　send　him　away。　

He　understands　her　thoroughly。〃



Edith　Carr　did　not　understand　herself。　　She　went　to

her　room　after　her　good…bye　to　Henderson；　lay　on　her

bed　and　tried　to　think　why　she　was　suffering　as　she　was。



〃It　is　all　my　selfishness；　my　unrestrained　temper；　my

pride　in　my　looks；　my　ambition　to　be　first；〃　she　said。　

〃That　is　what　has　caused　this　trouble。〃



Then　she　went　deeper。



〃How　does　it　happen　that　I　am　so　selfish；　that　I　never

controlled　my　temper；　that　I　thought　beauty　and　social

position　the　vital　things　of　life？〃　she　muttered。　　〃I　think

that　goes　a　little　past　me。　　I　think　a　mother　who　allows　a

child　to　grow　up　as　I　did；　who　educates　it　only　for　the

frivolities　of　life；　has　a　share　in　that　child's　ending。　

I　think　my　mother　has　some　responsibility　in　this；〃　Edith

Carr　whispered　to　the　night。　　〃But　she　will　recognize　none。　

She　would　laugh　at　me　if　I　tried　to　tell　her　what　I　have

suffered　and　the　bitter；　bitter　lesson　I　have　learned。　

No　one　really　cares；　but　Hart。　　I've　sent　him　away；　so

there　is　no　one！　　No　one！〃



Edith　pressed　her　fingers　across　her　burning　eyes　and

lay　still。



〃He　is　gone！〃　she　whispered　at　last。　　　〃He　would　go　at　once。　

He　would　not　see　me　again。　　I　should　think　he　never　would

want　to　see　me　any　more。　　But　I　will　want　to　see　him！　

My　soul！　　I　want　him　now！　　I　want　him　every　minute！　

He　is　all　I　have。　　And　I've　sent　him　away。　　Oh；　these

dreadful　days　to　come；　alone！　　I　can't　bear　it。　　Hart！　

Hart！〃　she　cried　aloud。　　〃I　want　you！　　No　one　cares　but　you。　

No　one　understands　but　you。　　Oh；　I　want　you！〃



She　sprang　from　her　bed　and　felt　her　way　to　her　desk。　



〃Get　me　some　one　at　the　Henderson　cottage；〃　she　said

to　Central；　and　waited　shivering。



〃They　don't　answer。〃



〃They　are　there！　　You　must　get　them。　　Turn　on　the　buzzer。〃



After　a　time　the　sleepy　voice　of　Mrs。　Henderson　answered。



〃Has　Hart　gone？〃　panted　Edith　Carr。



〃No！　　He　came　in　late　and　began　to　talk　about　starting

to　California。　　He　hasn't　slept　in　weeks　to　amount

to　anything。　　I　put　him　to　bed。　　There　is　time　enough　to

start　to　California　when　he　awakens。　　Edith；　what　are　you

planning　to　do　next　with　that　boy　of　mine？〃



〃Will　you　tell　him　I　want　to　see　him　before　he　goes？〃



〃Yes；　but　I　won't　wake　him。〃



〃I　don't　want　you　to。　　Just　tell　him　in　the　morning。〃



〃Very　well。〃



〃You　will　be　sure？〃



〃Sure！〃



Hart　was　not　gone。　　Edith　fell　asleep。　　She　arose　at

noon　the　next　day；　took　a　cold　bath；　ate　her　breakfast；

dressed　carefully；　and　leaving　word　that　she　had　gone　to

the　forest；　she　walked　slowly　across　the　leaves。　　It　was

cool　and　quiet　there；　so　she　sat　where　she　could　see　him

coming；　and　waited。　　She　was　thinking　deep　and　fast。



Henderson　came　swiftly　down　the　path。　　A　long　sleep；

food；　and　Edith's　message　had　done　him　good。　　He　had

dressed　in　new　light　flannels　that　were　becoming。　

Edith　arose　and　went　to　meet　him。



〃Let　us　walk　in　the　forest；〃　she　said。



They　passed　the　old　Catholic　graveyard；　and　entered

the　deepest　wood　of　the　Island；　where　all　shadows　were

green；　all　voices　of　humanity　ceased；　and　there　was　no

sound　save　the　whispering　of　the　trees；　a　few　bird　notes　and

squirrel　rustle。　　There　Edith　seated　herself　on　a　mossy　old

log；　and　Henderson　studied　her。　　He　could　detect　a　change。　

She　was　still　pale　and　her　eyes　tired；　but　the　dull；　strained

look　was　gone。　　He　wanted　to　hope；　but　he　did　not　dare。　

Any　other　man　would　have　forced　her　to　speak。　　The　mighty

tenderness　in　Henderson's　heart　shielded　her　in　every　way。



〃What　have　you　thought　of　that　you　wanted　yet；　Edith？〃

he　asked　lightly　as　he　stretched　himself　at　her　feet。



〃You！〃



Henderson　lay　tense　and　very　still。



〃Well；　I　am　here！〃



〃Thank　Heaven　for　that！〃



Henderson　sat　up　suddenly；　leaning　toward　her　with

questioning　eyes。　　Not　knowing　what　he　dared　say；

afraid　of　the　hope　which　found　birth　in　his　heart；　he　tried

to　shield　her　and　at　the　same　time　to　feel　his　way。



〃I　am　more　thankful　than　I　can　express　that　you　feel

so；〃　he　said。　　〃I　would　be　of　use；　of　comfort；　to　you　if　I

knew　how；　Edith。〃



〃You　are　my　only　comfort；〃　she　said。　　〃I　tried　to　send

you　away。　　I　thought　I　didn't　want　you。　　I　thought　I

couldn't　bear　the　sight　of　you；　because　of　what　you　have

seen　me　suffer。　　But　I　went　to　the　root　of　this　thing　last

night；　Hart；　and　with　self　in　mind；　as　usual；　I　found　that

I　could　not　live　without　you。〃



Henderson　began　breathing　lightly。　　He　was　afraid　to

speak　or　move。



〃I　faced　the　fact　that　all　this　is　my　own　fault；〃

continued　Edith；　〃and　came　through　my　own　selfishness。　

Then　I　went　farther　back　and　realized　that　I　am　as　I

was　reared。　　I　don't　want　to　blame　my　parents；　but　I

was　carefully　trained　into　what　I　am。　　If　Elnora　Comstock　had

been　like　me；　Phil　would　have　come　back　to　me。　　I　can　see

how　selfish　I　seem　to　him；　and　how　I　appear　to　you；　if　you

would　admit　it。〃



〃Edith；〃　said　Henderson　desperately；　〃there　is　no　use

to　try　to　deceive　you。　　You　have　known　from　the　first

that　I　found　you　wrong　in　this。　　But　it's　the　first　time　in

your　life　I　ever　thought　you　wrong　about　anythingand

it's　the　only　time　I　ever　shall。　　Understand；　I　think　you

the　bravest；　most　beautiful　woman　on　earth；　the　one　most

worth　loving。〃



〃I'm　not　to　be　considered　in　the　same　class　with　her。〃



〃I　don't　grant　that；　but　if　I　did；　you；　must　remember

how　I　compare　with　Phil。　　He's　my　superior　at　every　point。　

There's　no　use　in　discussing　that。　　You　wanted　to　see　me；　Edith。　

What　did　you　want？〃



〃I　wanted　you　to　not　go　away。〃



〃Not　at　all？〃



〃Not　at　all！　　Not　ever！　　Not　unless　you　take　me　with

you；　Hart。〃



She　slightly　extended　one　hand　to　him。　　Henderson　took

that　hand；　kissing　it　again　and　again。



〃Anything　you　want；　Edith；〃　he　said　brokenly。　　〃Just　as

you　wish　it。　　Do　you　want　me　to　stay　here；　and　go　on　as

we　have　been？〃



〃Yes；　only　with　a　difference。〃



〃Can　you　tell　me；　Edith？〃



〃First；　I　want　you　to　know　that　you　are　the　dearest

thing　on　earth　to　me；　right　now。　　I　would　give　up

everything　else；　before　I　would　you。　　I　can't　honestly　say

that　I　love　you　with　the　love　you　deserve。　　My　heart　is

too　sore。　　It's　too　soon　to　know。　　But　I　love　you　some　way。　

You　are　necessary　to　me。　　You　are　my　comfort；　my　shield。　

If　you　want　me；　as　you　know　me　to　be；　Hart；　you　may　consider

me　yours。　　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　I　will　try　to　be

as　you　would　have　me；　just　as　soon　as　I　can。〃



Henderson　kissed　her　hand　passionately。　　〃Don't；