epilogue-第1节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
EPILOGUE
MOONSTONE again； in the year 1909。 The Metho…
dists are giving an ice…cream sociable in the grove
about the new court…house。 It is a warm summer night of
full moon。 The paper lanterns which hang among the
trees are foolish toys； only dimming； in little lurid circles；
the great softness of the lunar light that floods the blue
heavens and the high plateau。 To the east the sand hills
shine white as of old； but the empire of the sand is grad…
ually diminishing。 The grass grows thicker over the dunes
than it used to； and the streets of the town are harder and
firmer than they were twenty…five years ago。 The old in…
habitants will tell you that sandstorms are infrequent
now； that the wind blows less persistently in the spring
and plays a milder tune。 Cultivation has modified the soil
and the climate； as it modifies human life。
The people seated about under the cottonwoods are
much smarter than the Methodists we used to know。 The
interior of the new Methodist Church looks like a theater；
with a sloping floor； and as the congregation proudly say；
〃opera chairs。〃 The matrons who attend to serving the
refreshments to…night look younger for their years than
did the women of Mrs。 Kronborg's time； and the children
all look like city children。 The little boys wear 〃Buster
Browns〃 and the little girls Russian blouses。 The coun…
try child； in made…overs and cut…downs； seems to have
vanished from the face of the earth。
At one of the tables； with her Dutch…cut twin boys；
sits a fair…haired； dimpled matron who was once Lily
Fisher。 Her husband is president of the new bank； and
she 〃goes East for her summers；〃 a practice which causes
envy and discontent among her neighbors。 The twins are
well…behaved children； biddable； meek； neat about their
clothes； and always mindful of the proprieties they have
learned at summer hotels。 While they are eating their ice…
cream and trying not to twist the spoon in their mouths；
a little shriek of laughter breaks from an adjacent table。
The twins look up。 There sits a spry little old spinster
whom they know well。 She has a long chin； a long nose；
and she is dressed like a young girl； with a pink sash and
a lace garden hat with pink rosebuds。 She is surrounded
by a crowd of boys；loose and lanky； short and thick；
who are joking with her roughly； but not unkindly。
〃Mamma；〃 one of the twins comes out in a shrill
treble； 〃why is Tillie Kronborg always talking about a
thousand dollars？〃
The boys； hearing this question； break into a roar of
laughter； the women titter behind their paper napkins；
and even from Tillie there is a little shriek of apprecia…
tion。 The observing child's remark had made every one
suddenly realize that Tillie never stopped talking about
that particular sum of money。 In the spring； when she
went to buy early strawberries； and was told that they
were thirty cents a box； she was sure to remind the grocer
that though her name was Kronborg she didn't get a
thousand dollars a night。 In the autumn； when she went
to buy her coal for the winter； she expressed amazement
at the price quoted her； and told the dealer he must
have got her mixed up with her niece to think she could
pay such a sum。 When she was making her Christmas
presents； she never failed to ask the women who came into
her shop what you COULD make for anybody who got a
thousand dollars a night。 When the Denver papers an…
nounced that Thea Kronborg had married Frederick Otten…
burg； the head of the Brewers' Trust； Moonstone people
expected that Tillie's vain…gloriousness would take an…
other form。 But Tillie had hoped that Thea would marry
a title； and she did not boast much about Ottenburg；
at least not until after her memorable trip to Kansas City
to hear Thea sing。
Tillie is the last Kronborg left in Moonstone。 She lives
alone in a little house with a green yard； and keeps a fancy…
work and millinery store。 Her business methods are in…
formal； and she would never come out even at the end
of the year； if she did not receive a draft for a good round
sum from her niece at Christmas time。 The arrival of this
draft always renews the discussion as to what Thea would
do for her aunt if she really did the right thing。 Most of
the Moonstone people think Thea ought to take Tillie
to New York and keep her as a companion。 While they
are feeling sorry for Tillie because she does not live at the
Plaza； Tillie is trying not to hurt their feelings by show…
ing too plainly how much she realizes the superiority of
her position。 She tries to be modest when she complains
to the postmaster that her New York paper is more than
three days late。 It means enough； surely； on the face of
it； that she is the only person in Moonstone who takes a
New York paper or who has any reason for taking one。 A
foolish young girl； Tillie lived in the splendid sorrows of
〃Wanda〃 and 〃Strathmore〃； a foolish old girl； she lives
in her niece's triumphs。 As she often says； she just missed
going on the stage herself。
That night after the sociable； as Tillie tripped home
with a crowd of noisy boys and girls； she was perhaps a
shade troubled。 The twin's question rather lingered in her
ears。 Did she； perhaps； insist too much on that thousand
dollars？ Surely； people didn't for a minute think it was
the money she cared about？ As for that； Tillie tossed her
head； she didn't care a rap。 They must understand that
this money was different。
When the laughing little group that brought her home
had gone weaving down the sidewalk through the leafy
shadows and had disappeared； Tillie brought out a rocking
chair and sat down on her porch。 On glorious； soft summer
nights like this； when the moon is opulent and full； the
day submerged and forgotten； she loves to sit there behind
her rose…vine and let her fancy wander where it will。 If
you chanced to be passing down that Moonstone street
and saw that alert white figure rocking there behind the
screen of roses and lingering late into the night； you might
feel sorry for her； and how mistaken you would be！ Tillie
lives in a little magic world； full of secret satisfactions。
Thea Kronborg has given much noble pleasure to a world
that needs all it can get； but to no individual has she
given more than to her queer old aunt in Moonstone。 The
legend of Kronborg； the artist； fills Tillie's life； she feels
rich and exalted in it。 What delightful things happen in
her mind as she sits there rocking！ She goes back to those
early days of sand and sun； when Thea was a child and
Tillie was herself； so it seems to her； 〃young。〃 When
she used to hurry to church to hear Mr。 Kronborg's won…
derful sermons； and when Thea used to stand up by the
organ of a bright Sunday morning and sing 〃Come； Ye
Disconsolate。〃 Or she thinks about that wonderful time
when the Metropolitan Opera Company sang a week's
engagement in Kansas City； and Thea sent for her and
had her stay with her at the Coates House and go to
every performance at Convention Hall。 Thea let Tillie
go through her costume trunks and try on her wigs and
jewels。 And the kindness of Mr。 Ottenburg！ When Thea
dined in her own room； he went down to dinner with
Tillie； and never looked bored or absent…minded when
she chattered。 He took her to the hall the first time
Thea sang there； and sat in the box with her and helped
her through 〃Lohengrin。〃 After the first act； when Tillie
turned tearful eyes to him and burst out； 〃I don't care；
she always seemed grand like that； even when she was a
girl。 I expect I'm crazy； but she just seems to me full of
all them old times！〃Ottenburg was so sympathetic
and patted her hand and said； 〃But that's just what she
is； full of the old times； and you are a wise woman to see
it。〃 Yes； he said that to her。 Tillie often wondered how
she had been able to bear it when Thea came down the
stairs in the wedding robe embroidered in silver； with a
train so long it took six women to carry it。
Tillie had lived fifty…odd years for that week； but she
got it； and no miracle was ever more
