an episode of fiddletown-第11节

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Carry　in　the　corner〃to　be　taken　at　once。〃



〃Then　Mrs。　Tretherick　has　given　her　permission？〃



〃Not　much；　if　I　know　the　sentiments　of　that　lady；〃　replied　Kate

saucily。



〃Then　how　did　you　get　away？〃　asked　Prince　gravely。



〃BY　THE　WINDOW。〃



When　Mr。　Prince　had　left　Carry　in　the　arms　of　her　stepmother；　he

returned　to　the　parlor。



〃Well？〃　demanded　Kate。



〃She　will　stayYOU　will；　I　hope；　alsotonight。〃



〃As　I　shall　not　be　eighteen；　and　my　own　mistress　on　the　twentieth；

and　as　I　haven't　a　sick　stepmother；　I　won't。〃



〃Then　you　will　give　me　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　safely　through

the　window　again？〃



When　Mr。　Prince　returned　an　hour　later；　he　found　Carry　sitting　on　a

low　stool　at　Mrs。　Starbottle's　feet。　　Her　head　was　in　her

stepmother's　lap；　and　she　had　sobbed　herself　to　sleep。　　Mrs。

Starbottle　put　her　finger　to　her　lip。　　〃I　told　you　she　would　come。

God　bless　you；　Jack！　and　good　night。〃



The　next　morning　Mrs。　Tretherick；　indignant；　the　Rev。　Asa　Crammer；

principal；　injured；　and　Mr。　Joel　Robinson；　Sr。；　complacently

respectable；　called　upon　Mr。　Prince。　　There　was　a　stormy　meeting；

ending　in　a　demand　for　Carry。　　〃We　certainly　cannot　admit　of　this

interference；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　a　fashionably　dressed；

indistinctive…looking　woman。　　〃It　is　several　days　before　the

expiration　of　our　agreement；　and　we　do　not　feel；　under　the

circumstances；　justified　in　releasing　Mrs。　Starbottle　from　its

conditions。〃　　〃Until　the　expiration　of　the　school　term；　we　must

consider　Miss　Tretherick　as　complying　entirely　with　its　rules　and

discipline；〃　imposed　Dr。　Crammer。　　〃The　whole　proceeding　is

calculated　to　injure　the　prospects；　and　compromise　the　position；　of

Miss　Tretherick　in　society；〃　suggested　Mr。　Robinson。



In　vain　Mr。　Prince　urged　the　failing　condition　of　Mrs。　Starbottle；

her　absolute　freedom　from　complicity　with　Carry's　flight；　the

pardonable　and　natural　instincts　of　the　girl；　and　his　own　assurance

that　they　were　willing　to　abide　by　her　decision。　　And　then；　with　a

rising　color　in　his　cheek；　a　dangerous　look　in　his　eye；　but　a

singular　calmness　in　his　speech；　he　added：



〃One　word　more。　　It　becomes　my　duty　to　inform　you　of　a　circumstance

which　would　certainly　justify　me；　as　an　executor　of　the　late　Mr。

Tretherick；　in　fully　resisting　your　demands。　　A　few　months　after

Mr。　Tretherick's　death；　through　the　agency　of　a　Chinaman　in　his

employment；　it　was　discovered　that　he　had　made　a　will；　which　was

subsequently　found　among　his　papers。　　The　insignificant　value　of

his　bequestmostly　land；　then　quite　valuelessprevented　his

executors　from　carrying　out　his　wishes；　or　from　even　proving　the

will；　or　making　it　otherwise　publicly　known；　until　within　the　last

two　or　three　years；　when　the　property　had　enormously　increased　in

value。　　The　provisions　of　that　bequest　are　simple；　but

unmistakable。　　The　property　is　divided　between　Carry　and　her

stepmother；　with　the　explicit　condition　that　Mrs。　Starbottle　shall

become　her　legal　guardian；　provide　for　her　education；　and　in　all

details　stand　to　her　IN　LOCO　PARENTIS。〃



〃What　is　the　value　of　this　bequest？〃　asked　Mr。　Robinson。　　〃I　cannot

tell　exactly；　but　not　far　from　half　a　million；　I　should　say；〃

returned　Prince。　　〃Certainly；　with　this　knowledge；　as　a　friend　of

Miss　Tretherick　I　must　say　that　her　conduct　is　as　judicious　as　it

is　honorable　to　her；〃　responded　Mr。　Robinson。　　〃I　shall　not　presume

to　question　the　wishes；　or　throw　any　obstacles　in　the　way　of

carrying　out　the　intentions；　of　my　dead　husband；〃　added　Mrs。

Tretherick；　and　the　interview　was　closed。



When　its　result　was　made　known　to　Mrs。　Starbottle；　she　raised

Jack's　hand　to　her　feverish　lips。　　〃It　cannot　add　to　MY　happiness

now；　Jack；　but　tell　me；　why　did　you　keep　it　from　her？〃　　Jack

smiled；　but　did　not　reply。



Within　the　next　week　the　necessary　legal　formalities　were

concluded；　and　Carry　was　restored　to　her　stepmother。　　At　Mrs。

Starbottle's　request；　a　small　house　in　the　outskirts　of　the　town

was　procured；　and　thither　they　removed　to　wait　the　spring；　and　Mrs。

Starbottle's　convalescence。　　Both　came　tardily　that　year。



Yet　she　was　happy　and　patient。　　She　was　fond　of　watching　the

budding　of　the　trees　beyond　her　windowa　novel　sight　to　her

Californian　experienceand　of　asking　Carry　their　names　and

seasons。　　Even　at　this　time　she　projected　for　that　summer；　which

seemed　to　her　so　mysteriously　withheld；　long　walks　with　Carry

through　the　leafy　woods；　whose　gray；　misty　ranks　she　could　see

along　the　hilltop。　　She　even　thought　she　could　write　poetry　about

them；　and　recalled　the　fact　as　evidence　of　her　gaining　strength；

and　there　is；　I　believe；　still　treasured　by　one　of　the　members　of

this　little　household　a　little　carol　so　joyous；　so　simple；　and　so

innocent　that　it　might　have　been　an　echo　of　the　robin　that　called

to　her　from　the　window；　as　perhaps　it　was。



And　then；　without　warning；　there　dropped　from　Heaven　a　day　so

tender；　so　mystically　soft；　so　dreamily　beautiful；　so　throbbing　and

alive　with　the　fluttering　of　invisible　wings；　so　replete　and

bounteously　overflowing　with　an　awakening　and　joyous　resurrection

not　taught　by　man　or　limited　by　creed；　that　they　thought　it　fit　to

bring　her　out　and　lay　her　in　that　glorious　sunshine　that　sprinkled

like　the　droppings　of　a　bridal　torch　the　happy　lintels　and　doors。

And　there　she　lay　beatified　and　calm。



Wearied　by　watching；　Carry　had　fallen　asleep　by　her　side；　and　Mrs。

Starbottle's　thin　fingers　lay　like　a　benediction　on　her　head。

Presently　she　called　Jack　to　her　side。



〃Who　was　that；〃　she　whispered；　〃who　just　came　in？〃



〃Miss　Van　Corlear；〃　said　Jack；　answering　the　look　in　her　great

hollow　eyes。



〃Jack；〃　she　said；　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃sit　by　me　a　moment；

dear　Jack：　I've　something　I　must　say。　　If　I　ever　seemed　hard；　or

cold；　or　coquettish　to　you　in　the　old　days；　it　was　because　I　loved

you；　Jack；　too　well　to　mar　your　future　by　linking　it　with　my　own。

I　always　loved　you；　dear　Jack；　even　when　I　seemed　least　worthy　of

you。　　That　is　gone　now。　　But　I　had　a　dream　lately；　Jack；　a　foolish

woman's　dreamthat　you　might　find　what　I　lacked　in　HER；〃　and　she

glanced　lovingly　at　the　sleeping　girl　at　her　side；　〃that　you　might

love　her　as　you　have　loved　me。　　But　even　that　is　not　to　be；　Jack；

is　it？〃　and　she　glanced　wistfully　in　his　face。　　Jack　pressed　her

hand；　but　did　not　speak。　　After　a　few　moments'　silence；　she　again

said：　〃Perhaps　you　are　right　in　your　choice。　　She　is　a　goodhearted

girl；　Jackbut　a　little　bold。〃



And　with　this　last　flicker　of　foolish；　weak　humanity　in　her

struggling　spirit；　she　spoke　no　more。　　When　they　came　to　her　a

moment　later；　a　tiny　bird　that　had　lit　upon　her　breast　flew　away；

and　the　hand　that　they　lifted　from　Carry's　head　fell　lifeless　at

her　side。