the golden road-第10节

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e　bread；　Sara；　and　it's　a　good　idea　about　the　rusks。　　I'll　make　a　panful。〃

〃Let　me　make　them；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　eagerly。　　〃I　can　make　real　good　rusks　now。〃

〃No；　it　wouldn't　do　to　trust　you；〃　said　Felicity　mercilessly。　　〃You　might　make　some　queer　mistake　and　Aunt　Eliza　would　tell　it　all　over　the　country。　　She's　a　fearful　old　gossip。　　I'll　make　the　rusks　myself。　　She　hates　cats；　so　we　mustn't　let　Paddy　be　seen。　　And　she's　a　Methodist；　so　mind　nobody　says　anything　against　Methodists　to　her。〃

〃Who's　going　to　say　anything；　anyhow？〃　asked　Peter　belligerently。

〃I　wonder　if　I　might　ask　her　for　her　name　for　my　quilt　square？〃　speculated　Cecily。　　〃I　believe　I　will。　　She　looks　so　much　friendlier　than　I　expected。　　Of　course　she'll　choose　the　five…cent　section。　　She's　an　estimable　old　lady；　but　very　economical。〃

〃Why　don't　you　say　she's　so　mean　she'd　skin　a　flea　for　its　hide　and　tallow？〃　said　Dan。　　〃That's　the　plain　truth。〃

〃Well；　I'm　going　to　see　about　getting　tea；〃　said　Felicity；　〃so　the　rest　of　you　will　have　to　entertain　her。　　You　better　go　in　and　show　her　the　photographs　in　the　album。　　Dan；　you　do　it。〃

〃Thank　you；　that's　a　girl's　job；〃　said　Dan。　　〃I'd　look　nice　sitting　up　to　Aunt　Eliza　and　yelling　out　that　this　was　Uncle　Jim　and　'tother　Cousin　Sarah's　twins；　wouldn't　I？　　Cecily　or　the　Story　Girl　can　do　it。〃

〃I　don't　know　all　the　pictures　in　your　album；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　hastily。

〃I　s'pose　I'll　have　to　do　it；　though　I　don't　like　to；〃　sighed　Cecily。　　〃But　we　ought　to　go　in。　　We've　left　her　alone　too　long　now。　　She'll　think　we　have　no　manners。〃

Accordingly　we　all　filed　in　rather　reluctantly。　　Great…aunt　Eliza　was　toasting　her　toesclad；　as　we　noted；　in　very　smart　and　shapely　shoesat　the　stove　and　looking　quite　at　her　ease。　　Cecily；　determined　to　do　her　duty　even　in　the　face　of　such　fearful　odds　as　Great…aunt　Eliza's　deafness；　dragged　a　ponderous；　plush…　covered　album　from　its　corner　and　proceeded　to　display　and　explain　the　family　photographs。　　She　did　her　brave　best　but　she　could　not　shout　like　Felicity；　and　half　the　time；　as　she　confided　to　me　later　on；　she　felt　that　Great…aunt　Eliza　did　not　hear　one　word　she　said；　because　she　didn't　seem　to　take　in　who　the　people　were；　though；　just　like　all　deaf　folks；　she　wouldn't　let　on。　　Great…aunt　Eliza　certainly　didn't　talk　much；　she　looked　at　the　photographs　in　silence；　but　she　smiled　now　and　then。　　That　smile　bothered　me。　　It　was　so　twinkly　and　so　very　un…great…aunt…Elizaish。　　But　I　felt　indignant　with　her。　　I　thought　she　might　have　shown　a　little　more　appreciation　of　Cecily's　gallant　efforts　to　entertain。

It　was　very　dull　for　the　rest　of　us。　　The　Story　Girl　sat　rather　sulkily　in　her　corner；　she　was　angry　because　Felicity　would　not　let　her　make　the　rusks；　and　also；　perhaps；　a　little　vexed　because　she　could　not　charm　Great…aunt　Eliza　with　her　golden　voice　and　story…telling　gift。　　Felix　and　I　looked　at　each　other　and　wished　ourselves　out　in　the　hill　field；　careering　gloriously　adown　its　gleaming　crust。

But　presently　a　little　amusement　came　our　way。　　Dan；　who　was　sitting　behind　Great…aunt　Eliza；　and　consequently　out　of　her　view；　began　making　comments　on　Cecily's　explanation　of　this　one　and　that　one　among　the　photographs。　　In　vain　Cecily　implored　him　to　stop。　　It　was　too　good　fun　to　give　up。　　For　the　next　half…hour　the　dialogue　ran　after　this　fashion；　while　Peter　and　Felix　and　I；　and　even　the　Story　Girl；　suffered　agonies　trying　to　smother　our　bursts　of　laughterfor　Great…aunt　Eliza　could　see　if　she　couldn't　hear：

CECILY；　SHOUTING：〃That　is　Mr。　Joseph　Elliott　of　Markdale；　a　second　cousin　of　mother's。〃

DAN：〃Don't　brag　of　it；　Sis。　　He's　the　man　who　was　asked　if　somebody　else　said　something　in　sincerity　and　old　Joe　said　'No；　he　said　it　in　my　cellar。'〃

CECILY：〃This　isn't　anybody　in　our　family。　　It's　little　Xavy　Gautier　who　used　to　be　hired　with　Uncle　Roger。〃

DAN：〃Uncle　Roger　sent　him　to　fix　a　gate　one　day　and　scolded　him　because　he　didn't　do　it　right；　and　Xavy　was　mad　as　hops　and　said　'How　you　'spect　me　to　fix　dat　gate？　　I　never　learned　jogerfy。'〃

CECILY；　WITH　AN　ANGUISHED　GLANCE　AT　DAN：〃This　is　Great…uncle　Robert　King。〃

DAN：〃He's　been　married　four　times。　　Don't　you　think　that's　often　enough；　dear　great…aunty？〃

CECILY：〃（Dan！！）　This　is　a　nephew　of　Mr。　Ambrose　Marr's。　　He　lives　out　west　and　teaches　school。〃

DAN：〃Yes；　and　Uncle　Roger　says　he　doesn't　know　enough　not　to　sleep　in　a　field　with　the　gate　open。〃

CECILY：〃This　is　Miss　Julia　Stanley；　who　used　to　teach　in　Carlisle　a　few　years　ago。〃

DAN：〃When　she　resigned　the　trustees　had　a　meeting　to　see　if　they'd　ask　her　to　stay　and　raise　her　supplement。　　Old　Highland　Sandy　was　alive　then　and　he　got　up　and　said；　'If　she　for　go　let　her　for　went。　　Perhaps　she　for　marry。'〃

CECILY；　WITH　THE　AIR　OF　A　MARTYR：〃This　is　Mr。　Layton；　who　used　to　travel　around　selling　Bibles　and　hymn　books　and　Talmage's　sermons。〃

DAN：〃He　was　so　thin　Uncle　Roger　used　to　say　he　always　mistook　him　for　a　crack　in　the　atmosphere。　　One　time　he　stayed　here　all　night　and　went　to　prayer　meeting　and　Mr。　Marwood　asked　him　to　lead　in　prayer。　　It　had　been　raining　'most　every　day　for　three　weeks；　and　it　was　just　in　haymaking　time；　and　everybody　thought　the　hay　was　going　to　be　ruined；　and　old　Layton　got　up　and　prayed　that　God　would　send　gentle　showers　on　the　growing　crops；　and　I　heard　Uncle　Roger　whisper　to　a　fellow　behind　me；　'If　somebody　don't　choke　him　off　we　won't　get　the　hay　made　this　summer。'〃

CECILY；　IN　EXASPERATION：〃（Dan；　shame　on　you　for　telling　such　irreverent　stories。）　This　is　Mrs。　Alexander　Scott　of　Markdale。　　She　has　been　very　sick　for　a　long　time。〃

DAN：〃Uncle　Roger　says　all　that　keeps　her　alive　is　that　she's　scared　her　husband　will　marry　again。〃

CECILY：〃This　is　old　Mr。　James　MacPherson　who　used　to　live　behind　the　graveyard。〃

DAN：〃He's　the　man　who　told　mother　once　that　he　always　made　his　own　iodine　out　of　strong　tea　and　baking　soda。〃

CECILY：〃This　is　Cousin　Ebenezer　MacPherson　on　the　Markdale　road。〃

DAN：〃Great　temperance　man！　　He　never　tasted　rum　in　his　life。　　He　took　the　measles　when　he　was　forty…five　and　was　crazy　as　a　loon　with　them；　and　the　doctor　ordered　them　to　give　him　a　dose　of　brandy。　　When　he　swallowed　it　he　looked　up　and　says；　solemn　as　an　owl；　'Give　it　to　me　oftener　and　more　at　a　time。'〃

CECILY；　IMPLORINGLY：〃（Dan；　do　stop。　　You　make　me　so　nervous　I　don't　know　what　I'm　doing。）　This　is　Mr。　Lemuel　Goodridge。　　He　is　a　minister。〃

DAN：〃You　ought　to　see　his　mouth。　　Uncle　Roger　says　the　drawing　string　has　fell　out　of　it。　　It　just　hangs　looseso　fashion。〃

Dan；　whose　own　mouth　was　far　from　being　beautiful；　here　gave　an　imitation　of　the　Rev。　Lemuel's；　to　the　utter　undoing　of　Peter；　Felix；　and　myself。　　Our　wild　guffaws　of　laughter　penetrated　even　Great…aunt　Eliza's　deafness；　and　she　glanced　up　with　a　startled　face。　　What　we　would　have　done　I　do　not　know　had　not　Felicity　at　that　moment　appeared　in　the　doorway　with　panic…stricken　eyes　and　exclaimed；

〃Cecily；　come　here　for　a　moment。〃

Cecily；　glad　of　even　a　temporary　respite；　fled　to　the　kitchen　and　we　heard　her　demanding　what　was　the　matter。

〃Matter！〃　exclaimed　Felicity；　tragically。　　〃Matter　enough！　　Some　of　you　left　a　soup　plate　with　molasses　in　it　on　the　pantry　table　and　Pat　got　into　it　and　what　do　you　think？　　He　went　into　the　spare　room　and　walked　all　over　Aunt　Eliza's　things　on　the　bed。　　You　can　see　his　tracks　plain　as　plain。　　What　in　the　world　can　we　do？　　She'll　be　simply　furious。〃

I　looked　apprehensively　at　Great…aunt　Eliza；　but　she　was　gazing　intently　at　a　picture　of　Aunt　Janet's　sister's　twins；　a　most　stolid；　uninteresting　pair；　but　evidently　Great…aunt　Eliza　found　them　amusing　for　she　was　smiling　widely　over　them。

〃Let　us　take　a　little　clean　water　and　a　soft　bit　of　cotton；〃　came　Cecily's　clear　voice　from　the　kitchen；　〃and　see　if　we　can't　clean　the　molasses　off。　　The　coat　and　hat　are　both　cloth；　and　molasses　isn't　like　grease。〃

〃Well；　we　can　try；　but　I　wish　the　Story　Girl　would　keep　her　cat　home；〃　grumbled　Felicity。

The　Story　Girl　here　flew　out　to　defend　her　pet；　and　we　four　boys　sat　on；　miserably　conscious　of　Great…aunt　Eliza；　who　never　said　a　word　to　us；　despite　her　previously　expressed　desire　to　become　acquainted　with　us。　　She　kept　on　looking　at　the　photographs　and　seemed　quite　oblivious　of　our　presence。

Presently　the　girls　returned；　having；　as　transpired　later；　been　so　successful　in　removing　the　traces　of　Paddy's　mischief　that　it　was　not　deemed　necessary　to　worry　Great…aunt　Eliza　with　any　account　of　it。　　Felicity　announced　tea　and；　while　Cecily　conveyed　Great…aunt　Eliza　out　to　the　dining…room；　lingered　behind　to　consult　with　us　for　a　moment。

〃Ought　we　to　ask　her　to　say　grace？〃　she　wanted　to　know。

〃I　know　a　story；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　〃about　Uncle　Roger　when　he　was　just　a　young　man。　　He　went　to　the　house　of　a　very　deaf　old　lady　and　when　they　sat　down　to　the　table　she　asked　him　to　say　grace。　　Uncle　Roger　had　never　done　such　a　thing　in　his　life　and　he　turned　as　red　as　a　beet　and　looked　down　and　muttered；　'E…r…r；　please　excuse　meII'm　not　accustomed　to　doing　that。'　Then　he　looked　up　and　the　old　lady　said　'Amen；'　loudly　and　cheerfully。　　She　thought　Uncle　Roger　was　saying　grace　all　the　time。〃

〃I　don't　think　it's　right　to　tell