the golden road-第12节

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〃Yes；　I　did；〃　faltered　Felicity；　beginning　to　look　scared。　　〃Why；　ma；　what　was　the　matter　with　it？〃

〃Matter！　　That　stuff　was　TOOTH…POWDER；　that's　what　it　was。　　Your　Cousin　Myra　broke　the　bottle　her　tooth…powder　was　in　when　she　was　here　last　winter　and　I　gave　her　that　old　can　to　keep　it　in。　　She　forgot　to　take　it　when　she　went　away　and　I　put　it　on　that　top　shelf。　　I　declare　you　must　all　have　been　bewitched　yesterday。〃

Poor；　poor　Felicity！　　If　she　had　not　always　been　so　horribly　vain　over　her　cooking　and　so　scornfully　contemptuous　of　other　people's　aspirations　and　mistakes　along　that　line；　I　could　have　found　it　in　my　heart　to　pity　her。

The　Story　Girl　would　have　been　more　than　human　if　she　had　not　betrayed　a　little　triumphant　amusement；　but　Peter　stood　up　for　his　lady　manfully。

〃The　rusks　were　splendid；　anyhow；　so　what　difference　does　it　make　what　they　were　raised　with？〃

Dan；　however；　began　to　taunt　Felicity　with　her　tooth…powder　rusks；　and　kept　it　up　for　the　rest　of　his　natural　life。

〃Don't　forget　to　send　the　Governor's　wife　the　recipe　for　them；〃　he　said。

Felicity；　with　eyes　tearful　and　cheeks　crimson　from　mortification；　rushed　from　the　room；　but　never；　never　did　the　Governor's　wife　get　the　recipe　for　those　rusks。



CHAPTER　VII

WE　VISIT　COUSIN　MATTIE'S


One　Saturday　in　March　we　walked　over　to　Baywater；　for　a　long…　talked…of　visit　to　Cousin　Mattie　Dilke。　　By　the　road；　Baywater　was　six　miles　away；　but　there　was　a　short　cut　across　hills　and　fields　and　woods　which　was　scantly　three。　　We　did　not　look　forward　to　our　visit　with　any　particular　delight；　for　there　was　nobody　at　Cousin　Mattie's　except　grown…ups　who　had　been　grown　up　so　long　that　it　was　rather　hard　for　them　to　remember　they　had　ever　been　children。　　But；　as　Felicity　told　us；　it　was　necessary　to　visit　Cousin　Mattie　at　least　once　a　year；　or　else　she　would　be　〃huffed；〃　so　we　concluded　we　might　as　well　go　and　have　it　over。

〃Anyhow；　we'll　get　a　splendiferous　dinner；〃　said　Dan。　　〃Cousin　Mattie's　a　great　cook　and　there's　nothing　stingy　about　her。〃

〃You　are　always　thinking　of　your　stomach；〃　said　Felicity　pleasantly。

〃Well；　you　know　I　couldn't　get　along　very　well　without　it；　darling；〃　responded　Dan　who；　since　New　Year's；　had　adopted　a　new　method　of　dealing　with　Felicitywhether　by　way　of　keeping　his　resolution　or　because　he　had　discovered　that　it　annoyed　Felicity　far　more　than　angry　retorts；　deponent　sayeth　not。　　He　invariably　met　her　criticisms　with　a　good…natured　grin　and　a　flippant　remark　with　some　tender　epithet　tagged　on　to　it。　　Poor　Felicity　used　to　get　hopelessly　furious　over　it。

Uncle　Alec　was　dubious　about　our　going　that　day。　　He　looked　abroad　on　the　general　dourness　of　gray　earth　and　gray　air　and　gray　sky；　and　said　a　storm　was　brewing。　　But　Cousin　Mattie　had　been　sent　word　that　we　were　coming；　and　she　did　not　like　to　be　disappointed；　so　he　let　us　go；　warning　us　to　stay　with　Cousin　Mattie　all　night　if　the　storm　came　on　while　we　were　there。

We　enjoyed　our　walkeven　Felix　enjoyed　it；　although　he　had　been　appointed　to　write　up　the　visit　for　Our　Magazine　and　was　rather　weighed　down　by　the　responsibility　of　it。　　What　mattered　it　though　the　world　were　gray　and　wintry？　　We　walked　the　golden　road　and　carried　spring　time　in　our　hearts；　and　we　beguiled　our　way　with　laughter　and　jest；　and　the　tales　the　Story　Girl　told　usmyths　and　legends　of　elder　time。

The　walking　was　good；　for　there　had　lately　been　a　thaw　and　everything　was　frozen。　　We　went　over　fields；　crossed　by　spidery　trails　of　gray　fences；　where　the　withered　grasses　stuck　forlornly　up　through　the　snow；　we　lingered　for　a　time　in　a　group　of　hill　pines；　great；　majestic　tree…creatures；　friends　of　evening　stars；　and　finally　struck　into　the　belt　of　fir　and　maple　which　intervened　between　Carlisle　and　Baywater。　　It　was　in　this　locality　that　Peg　Bowen　lived；　and　our　way　lay　near　her　house　though　not　directly　in　sight　of　it。　　We　hoped　we　would　not　meet　her；　for　since　the　affair　of　the　bewitchment　of　Paddy　we　did　not　know　quite　what　to　think　of　Peg；　the　boldest　of　us　held　his　breath　as　we　passed　her　haunts；　and　drew　it　again　with　a　sigh　of　relief　when　they　were　safely　left　behind。

The　woods　were　full　of　the　brooding　stillness　that　often　precedes　a　storm；　and　the　wind　crept　along　their　white；　cone…sprinkled　floors　with　a　low；　wailing　cry。　　Around　us　were　solitudes　of　snow；　arcades　picked　out　in　pearl　and　silver；　long　avenues　of　untrodden　marble　whence　sprang　the　cathedral　columns　of　the　firs。　　We　were　all　sorry　when　we　were　through　the　woods　and　found　ourselves　looking　down　into　the　snug；　commonplace；　farmstead…dotted　settlement　of　Baywater。

〃There's　Cousin　Mattie's　housethat　big　white　one　at　the　turn　of　the　road；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃I　hope　she　has　that　dinner　ready；　Dan。　　I'm　hungry　as　a　wolf　after　our　walk。〃

〃I　wish　Cousin　Mattie's　husband　was　still　alive；〃　said　Dan。　　〃He　was　an　awful　nice　old　man。　　He　always　had　his　pockets　full　of　nuts　and　apples。　　I　used　to　like　going　there　better　when　he　was　alive。　　Too　many　old　women　don't　suit　me。〃

〃Oh；　Dan；　Cousin　Mattie　and　her　sisters…in…law　are　just　as　nice　and　kind　as　they　can　be；〃　reproached　Cecily。

〃Oh；　they're　kind　enough；　but　they　never　seem　to　see　that　a　fellow　gets　over　being　five　years　old　if　he　only　lives　long　enough；〃　retorted　Dan。

〃I　know　a　story　about　Cousin　Mattie's　husband；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃His　name　was　Ebenezer；　you　know〃

〃Is　it　any　wonder　he　was　thin　and　stunted　looking？〃　said　Dan。

〃Ebenezer　is　just　as　nice　a　name　as　Daniel；〃　said　Felicity。

〃Do　you　REALLY　think　so；　my　angel？〃　inquired　Dan；　in　honey…sweet　tones。

〃Go　on。　　Remember　your　second　resolution；〃　I　whispered　to　the　Story　Girl；　who　was　stalking　along　with　an　outraged　expression。

The　Story　Girl　swallowed　something　and　went　on。

〃Cousin　Ebenezer　had　a　horror　of　borrowing。　　He　thought　it　was　simply　a　dreadful　disgrace　to　borrow　ANYTHING。　　Well；　you　know　he　and　Cousin　Mattie　used　to　live　in　Carlisle；　where　the　Rays　now　live。　　This　was　when　Grandfather　King　was　alive。　　One　day　Cousin　Ebenezer　came　up　the　hill　and　into　the　kitchen　where　all　the　family　were。　　Uncle　Roger　said　he　looked　as　if　he　had　been　stealing　sheep。　　He　sat　for　a　whole　hour　in　the　kitchen　and　hardly　spoke　a　word；　but　just　looked　miserable。　　At　last　he　got　up　and　said　in　a　desperate　sort　of　way；　'Uncle　Abraham；　can　I　speak　with　you　in　private　for　a　minute？'　'Oh；　certainly；'　said　grandfather；　and　took　him　into　the　parlour。　　Cousin　Ebenezer　shut　the　door；　looked　all　around　him　and　then　said　imploringly；　'MORE　PRIVATE　STILL。'　So　grandfather　took　him　into　the　spare　room　and　shut　that　door。　　He　was　getting　frightened。　　He　thought　something　terrible　must　have　happened　Cousin　Ebenezer。　　Cousin　Ebenezer　came　right　up　to　grandfather；　took　hold　of　the　lapel　of　his　coat；　and　said　in　a　whisper；　'Uncle　Abraham；　CANYOULENDMEANAXE？'〃

〃He　needn't　have　made　such　a　mystery　about　it；〃　said　Cecily；　who　had　missed　the　point　entirely；　and　couldn't　see　why　the　rest　of　us　were　laughing。　　But　Cecily　was　such　a　darling　that　we　did　not　mind　her　lack　of　a　sense　of　humour。

〃It's　kind　of　mean　to　tell　stories　like　that　about　people　who　are　dead；〃　said　Felicity。

〃Sometimes　it's　safer　than　when　they're　alive　though；　sweetheart；〃　commented　Dan。

We　had　our　expected　good　dinner　at　Cousin　Mattie'smay　it　be　counted　unto　her　for　righteousness。　　She　and　her　sisters…in…law；　Miss　Louisa　Jane　and　Miss　Caroline；　were　very　kind　to　us。　　We　had　quite　a　nice　time；　although　I　understood　why　Dan　objected　to　them　when　they　patted　us　all　on　the　head　and　told　us　whom　we　resembled　and　gave　us　peppermint　lozenges。



CHAPTER　VIII

WE　VISIT　PEG　BOWEN


We　left　Cousin　Mattie's　early；　for　it　still　looked　like　a　storm；　though　no　more　so　than　it　had　in　the　morning。　　We　intended　to　go　home　by　a　different　pathone　leading　through　cleared　land　overgrown　with　scrub　maple；　which　had　the　advantage　of　being　farther　away　from　Peg　Bowen's　house。　　We　hoped　to　be　home　before　it　began　to　storm；　but　we　had　hardly　reached　the　hill　above　the　village　when　a　fine；　driving　snow　began　to　fall。　　It　would　have　been　wiser　to　have　turned　back　even　then；　but　we　had　already　come　a　mile　and　we　thought　we　would　have　ample　time　to　reach　home　before　it　became　really　bad。　　We　were　sadly　mistaken；　by　the　time　we　had　gone　another　half…mile　we　were　in　the　thick　of　a　bewildering；　blinding　snowstorm。　　But　it　was　by　now　just　as　far　back　to　Cousin　Mattie's　as　it　was　to　Uncle　Alec's；　so　we　struggled　on；　growing　more　frightened　at　every　step。　　We　could　hardly　face　the　stinging　snow；　and　we　could　not　see　ten　feet　ahead　of　us。　　It　had　turned　bitterly　cold　and　the　tempest　howled　all　around　us　in　white　desolation　under　the　fast…darkening　night。　　The　narrow　path　we　were　trying　to　follow　soon　became　entirely　obliterated　and　we　stumbled　blindly　on；　holding　to　each　other；　and　trying　to　peer　through　the　furious　whirl　that　filled　the　air。　　Our　plight　had　come　upon　us　so　suddenly　that　we　could　not　realize　it。　　Presently　Peter；　who　was　leading　the　van　because　he　was　supposed　to　know　the　path　best；　stopped。

〃I　can't　see　the　road　any　longer；〃　he　shouted。　　〃I　don't　know　where　we　are。〃

We　all　stopped　and　huddled　together　in　a　miserable　group。　　Fear　filled　our　hearts。