a girl of the limberlost-第76节

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



Henderson　kissed　her　hand　passionately。　　〃Don't；　Edith；〃

he　begged。　　〃Don't　say　those　things。　　I　can't　bear　it。　

I　understand。　　Everything　will　come　right　in　time。　

Love　like　mine　must　bring　a　reward。　　You　will　love　me

some　day。　　I　can　wait。　　I　am　the　most　patient　fellow。〃



〃But　I　must　say　it；〃　cried　Edith。　　〃II　think；　Hart；

that　I　have　been　on　the　wrong　road　to　find　happiness。　

I　planned　to　finish　life　as　I　started　it　with　Phil；　and　you

see　how　glad　he　was　to　change。　　He　wanted　the　other　sort　of

girl　far　more　than　he　ever　wanted　me。　　And　you；　Hart；

honest；　nowI'll　know　if　you　don't　tell　me　the　truth！　

Would　you　rather　have　a　wife　as　I　planned　to　live　life　with

Phil；　or　would　you　rather　have　her　as　Elnora　Comstock　intends

to　live　with　him？〃



〃Edith！〃　cried　the　man；　〃Edith！〃



〃Of　course；　you　can't　say　it　in　plain　English；〃　said　the　girl。　

〃You　are　far　too　chivalrous　for　that。　　You　needn't

say　anything。　　I　am　answered。　　If　you　could　have　your

choice　you　wouldn't　have　a　society　wife；　either。　　In　your

heart　you'd　like　the　smaller　home　of　comfort；　the　furtherance

of　your　ambitions；　the　palatable　meals　regularly　served；

and　little　children　around　you。　　I　am　sick　of　all　we

have　grown　up　to；　Hart。　　When　your　hour　of　trouble

comes；　there　is　no　comfort　for　you。　　I　am　tired　to　death。　

You　find　out　what　you　want　to　do；　and　be；　that　is　a　man's

work　in　the　world；　and　I　will　plan　our　home；　with　no

thought　save　your　comfort。　　I'll　be　the　other　kind　of　a　girl；

as　fast　as　I　can　learn。　　I　can't　correct　all　my　faults　in　one

day；　but　I'll　change　as　rapidly　as　I　can。〃



〃God　knows；　I　will　be　different；　too；　Edith。　　You　shall

not　be　the　only　generous　one。　　I　will　make　all　the　rest　of

life　worthy　of　you。　　I　will　change；　too！〃



〃Don't　you　dare！〃　said　Edith　Carr；　taking　his　head　between

her　hands　and　holding　it　against　her　knees；　while　the

tears　slid　down　her　cheeks。　　〃Don't　you　dare　change；　you

big…hearted；　splendid　lover！　　I　am　little　and　selfish。　

You　are　the　very　finest；　just　as　you　are！〃



Henderson　was　not　talking　then；　so　they　sat　through　a

long　silence。　　At　last　he　heard　Edith　draw　a　quick

breath；　and　lifting　his　head　he　looked　where　she　pointed。　

Up　a　fern　stalk　climbed　a　curious　looking　object。　

They　watched　breathlessly。　　By　lavender　feet　clung　a　big；

pursy；　lavender…splotched；　yellow　body。　　Yellow　and　lavender

wings　began　to　expand　and　take　on　colour。　　Every　instant

great　beauty　became　more　apparent。　　It　was　one　of　those

double…brooded　freaks；　which　do　occur　on　rare　occasions；

or　merely　an　Eacles　Imperialis　moth　that　in　the　cool　damp

northern　forest　had　failed　to　emerge　in　June。　　Edith　Carr

drew　back　with　a　long；　shivering　breath。　　Henderson　caught

her　hands　and　gripped　them　firmly。　　Steadily　she

looked　the　thought　of　her　heart　into　his　eyes。



〃By　all　the　powers；　you　shall　not！〃　swore　the　man。　

〃You　have　done　enough。　　I　will　smash　that　thing！〃



〃Oh　no　you　won't！〃　cried　the　girl；　clinging　to　his　hands。　

〃I　am　not　big　enough　yet；　Hart；　but　before　I　leave　this

forest　I　shall　have　grown　to　breadth　and　strength　to　carry

that　to　her。　　She　needs　two　of　each　kind。　　Phil　only　sent

her　one！〃



〃Edith　I　can't　bear　it！　　That's　not　demanded！　　Let　me

take　it！〃



〃You　may　go　with　me。　　I　know　where　the　O'More　cottage　is。　

I　have　been　there　often。〃



〃I'll　say　you　sent　it！〃



〃You　may　watch　me　deliver　it！〃



〃Phil　may　be　there　by　now。〃



〃I　hope　he　is！　　I　should　like　him　to　see　me　do　one　decent

thing　by　which　to　remember　me。〃



〃I　tell　you　that　is　not　necessary！〃



〃‘Not　necessary！'〃　cried　the　girl；　her　big　eyes　shining。　

〃Not　necessary？　　Then　what　on　earth　is　the　thing　doing

here？　　I　just　have　boasted　that　I　would　change；　that　I

would　be　like　her；　that　I　would　grow　bigger　and　broader。　

As　the　words　are　spoken　God　gives　me　the　opportunity　to

prove　whether　I　am　sincere。　　This　is　my　test；　Hart！　　Don't

you　see　it？　　If　I　am　big　enough　to　carry　that　to　her；　you

will　believe　that　there　is　some　good　in　me。　　You　will　not

be　loving　me　in　vain。　　This　is　an　especial　Providence；　man！　

Be　my　strength！　　Help　me；　as　you　always　have　done！〃



Henderson　arose　and　shook　the　leaves　from　his　clothing。　

He　drew　Edith　Carr　to　her　feet　and　carefully　picked　the

mosses　from　her　skirts。　　He　went　to　the　water　and

moistened　his　handkerchief　to　bathe　her　face。



〃Now　a　dust　of　powder；〃　he　said　when　the　tears　were

washed　away。



From　a　tiny　book　Edith　tore　leaves　that　she　passed　over

her　face。



〃All　gone！〃　cried　Henderson；　critically　studying　her。　

〃You　look　almost　half　as　lovely　as　you　really　are！〃



Edith　Carr　drew　a　wavering　breath。　　She　stretched　one

hand　to　him。



〃Hold　tight；　Hart！〃　she　said。　　〃I　know　they　handle

these　things；　but　I　would　quite　as　soon　touch　a　snake。〃



Henderson　clenched　his　teeth　and　held　steadily。　　The　moth

had　emerged　too　recently　to　be　troublesome。　　It　climbed

on　her　fingers　quietly　and　obligingly　clung　there

without　moving。　　So　hand　in　hand　they　went　down　the

dark　forest　path。　　When　they　came　to　the　avenue；　the　first

person　they　met　paused　with　an　ejaculation　of　wonder。　

The　next　stopped　also；　and　every　one　following。　　They　could

make　little　progress　on　account　of　marvelling；

interested　people。　　A　strange　excitement　took　possession

of　Edith。　　She　began　to　feel　proud　of　the　moth。



〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said　to　Henderson；〃　this　is　growing

easier　every　step。　　Its　clinging　is　not　disagreeable　as　I

thought　it　would　be。　　I　feel　as　if　I　were　saving　it；

protecting　it。　I　am　proud　that　we　are　taking　it　to　be　put

into　a　collection　or　a　book。　　It　seems　like　doing　a　thing

worth　while。　　Oh；　Hart；　I　wish　we　could　work　together　at

something　for　which　people　would　care　as　they　seem　to

for　this。　　Hear　what　they　say！　　See　them　lift　their

little　children　to　look　at　it！〃



〃Edith；　if　you　don't　stop；〃　said　Henderson；　〃I　will　take

you　in　my　arms　here　on　the　avenue。　　You　are　adorable！〃



〃Don't　you　dare！〃　laughed　Edith　Carr。　　The　colour

rushed　to　her　cheeks　and　a　new　light　leaped　in　her　eyes



〃Oh；　Hart！〃　she　cried。　　〃Let's　work！　　Let's　do　something！　

That's　the　way　she　makes　people　love　her　so。　　There's　the

place；　and　thank　goodness；　there　is　a　crowd。〃



〃You　darling！〃　whispered　Henderson　as　they　passed　up

the　walk。　　Her　face　was　rose…flushed　with　excitement　and

her　eyes　shone。



〃Hello；　every；　one！〃　she　cried　as　she　came　on　the　wide　veranda。　

〃Only　see　what　we　found　up　in　the　forest！　　We　thought　you

might　like　to　have　it　for　some　of　your　collections。〃



She　held　out　the　moth　as　she　walked　straight　to　Elnora；

who　arose　to　meet　her；　crying：　　〃How　perfectly　splendid！

I　don't　even　know　how　to　begin　to　thank　you。〃



Elnora　took　the　moth。　　Edith　shook　hands　with　all　of

them　and　asked　Philip　if　he　were　improving。　　She　said　a　few

polite　words　to　Freckles　and　the　Angel；　declined　to　remain

on　account　of　an　engagement；　and　went　away；　gracefully。



〃Well　bully　for　her！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃She's　a

little　thoroughbred　after　all！〃



〃That　was　a　mighty　big　thing　for　her　to　be　doing；〃

said　Freckles　in　a　hushed　voice。



〃If　you　knew　her　as　well　as　I　do；〃　said　Philip　Ammon；

〃you　would　have　a　better　conception　of　what　that　cost。〃



〃It　was　a　terror！〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃I　never　could　have　done　it。〃



〃‘Never　could　have　done　it！'〃　echoed　Freckles。　　〃Why；　Angel；

dear；　that　is　the　one　thing　of　all　the　world　you　would　have　done！〃



〃I　have　to　take　care　of　this；〃　faltered　Elnora；　hurrying

toward　the　door　to　hide　the　tears　which　were　rolling　down

her　cheeks。



〃I　must　help；〃　said　Philip；　disappearing　also。　　〃Elnora；〃

he　called；　catching　up　with　her；　〃take　me　where　I　may　cry；　too。　

Wasn't　she　great？〃



〃Superb！〃　exclaimed　Elnora。　　〃I　have　no　words。　　I　feel　so　humbled！〃



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　think　a　brave　deed　like　that

always　makes　one　feel　so。　　Now　are　you　happy？〃



〃Unspeakably　happy！〃　answered　Elnora。









The　End