the golden road-第21节

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　weddingand　I　am　to　be　bridesmaid。〃

〃I　shouldn't　think　you　were　old　enough　to　be　a　bridesmaid；〃　said　Felicity　sharply。

〃I'm　nearly　fifteen。　　Anyway；　Aunt　Olivia　says　I　have　to　be。〃

〃Who's　she　going　to　marry？〃　asked　Cecily；　gathering　herself　together　after　the　shock；　and　finding　that　the　world　was　going　on　just　the　same。

〃His　name　is　Dr。　Seton　and　he　is　a　Halifax　man。　　She　met　him　when　she　was　at　Uncle　Edward's　last　summer。　　They've　been　engaged　ever　since。　　The　wedding　is　to　be　the　third　week　in　June。〃

〃And　our　school　concert　comes　off　the　next　week；〃　complained　Felicity。　　〃Why　do　things　always　come　together　like　that？　　And　what　are　you　going　to　do　if　Aunt　Olivia　is　going　away？〃

〃I'm　coming　to　live　at　your　house；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl　rather　timidly。　　She　did　not　know　how　Felicity　might　like　that。　　But　Felicity　took　it　rather　well。

〃You've　been　here　most　of　the　time　anyhow；　so　it'll　just　be　that　you'll　sleep　and　eat　here；　too。　　But　what's　to　become　of　Uncle　Roger？〃

〃Aunt　Olivia　says　he'll　have　to　get　married；　too。　　But　Uncle　Roger　says　he'd　rather　hire　a　housekeeper　than　marry　one；　because　in　the　first　case　he　could　turn　her　off　if　he　didn't　like　her；　but　in　the　second　case　he　couldn't。〃

〃There'll　be　a　lot　of　cooking　to　do　for　the　wedding；〃　reflected　Felicity　in　a　tone　of　satisfaction。

〃I　s'pose　Aunt　Olivia　will　want　some　rusks　made。　　I　hope　she　has　plenty　of　tooth…powder　laid　in；〃　said　Dan。

〃It's　a　pity　you　don't　use　some　of　that　tooth…powder　you're　so　fond　of　talking　about　yourself；〃　retorted　Felicity。　　〃When　anyone　　has　a　mouth　the　size　of　yours　the　teeth　show　so　plain。〃

〃I　brush　my　teeth　every　Sunday；〃　asseverated　Dan。

〃Every　Sunday！　　You　ought　to　brush　them　every　DAY。〃

〃Did　anyone　ever　hear　such　nonsense？〃　demanded　Dan　sincerely。

〃Well；　you　know；　it　really　does　say　so　in　the　Family　Guide；〃　said　Cecily　quietly。

〃Then　the　Family　Guide　people　must　have　lots　more　spare　time　than　I　have；〃　retorted　Dan　contemptuously。

〃Just　think；　the　Story　Girl　will　have　her　name　in　the　papers　if　she's　bridesmaid；〃　marvelled　Sara　Ray。

〃In　the　Halifax　papers；　too；〃　added　Felix；　〃since　Dr。　Seton　is　a　Halifax　man。　　What　is　his　first　name？〃

〃Robert。〃

〃And　will　we　have　to　call　him　Uncle　Robert？〃

〃Not　until　he's　married　to　her。　　Then　we　will；　of　course。〃

〃I　hope　your　Aunt　Olivia　won't　disappear　before　the　ceremony；〃　remarked　Sara　Ray；　who　was　surreptitiously　reading　〃The　Vanquished　Bride；〃　by　Valeria　H。　Montague　in　the　Family　Guide。

〃I　hope　Dr。　Seton　won't　fail　to　show　up；　like　your　cousin　Rachel　Ward's　beau；〃　said　Peter。

〃That　makes　me　think　of　another　story　I　read　the　other　day　about　Great…uncle　Andrew　King　and　Aunt　Georgina；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。　　〃It　happened　eighty　years　ago。　　It　was　a　very　stormy　winter　and　the　roads　were　bad。　　Uncle　Andrew　lived　in　Carlisle；　and　Aunt　Georginashe　was　Miss　Georgina　Matheson　thenlived　away　up　west；　so　he　couldn't　get　to　see　her　very　often。　　They　agreed　to　be　married　that　winter；　but　Georgina　couldn't　set　the　day　exactly　because　her　brother；　who　lived　in　Ontario；　was　coming　home　for　a　visit；　and　she　wanted　to　be　married　while　he　was　home。　　So　it　was　arranged　that　she　was　to　write　Uncle　Andrew　and　tell　him　what　day　to　come。　　She　did；　and　she　told　him　to　come　on　a　Tuesday。　　But　her　writing　wasn't　very　good　and　poor　Uncle　Andrew　thought　she　wrote　Thursday。　　So　on　Thursday　he　drove　all　the　way　to　Georgina's　home　to　be　married。　　It　was　forty　miles　and　a　bitter　cold　day。　　But　it　wasn't　any　colder　than　the　reception　he　got　from　Georgina。　　She　was　out　in　the　porch；　with　her　head　tied　up　in　a　towel；　picking　geese。　　She　had　been　all　ready　Tuesday；　and　her　friends　and　the　minister　were　there；　and　the　wedding　supper　prepared。　　But　there　was　no　bridegroom　and　Georgina　was　furious。　　Nothing　Uncle　Andrew　could　say　would　appease　her。　　She　wouldn't　listen　to　a　word　of　explanation；　but　told　him　to　go；　and　never　show　his　nose　there　again。　　So　poor　Uncle　Andrew　had　to　go　ruefully　home；　hoping　that　she　would　relent　later　on；　because　he　was　really　very　much　in　love　with　her。〃

〃And　did　she？〃　queried　Felicity。

〃She　did。　　Thirteen　years　exactly　from　that　day　they　were　married。　　It　took　her　just　that　long　to　forgive　him。〃

〃It　took　her　just　that　long　to　find　out　she　couldn't　get　anybody　else；〃　said　Dan；　cynically。



CHAPTER　XIV

A　PRODIGAL　RETURNS


Aunt　Olivia　and　the　Story　Girl　lived　in　a　whirlwind　of　dressmaking　after　that；　and　enjoyed　it　hugely。　　Cecily　and　Felicity　also　had　to　have　new　dresses　for　the　great　event；　and　they　talked　of　little　else　for　a　fortnight。　　Cecily　declared　that　she　hated　to　go　to　sleep　because　she　was　sure　to　dream　that　she　was　at　Aunt　Olivia's　wedding　in　her　old　faded　gingham　dress　and　a　ragged　apron。

〃And　no　shoes　or　stockings；〃　she　added；　〃and　I　can't　move；　and　everyone　walks　past　and　looks　at　my　feet。〃

〃That's　only　in　a　dream；〃　mourned　Sara　Ray；　〃but　I　may　have　to　wear　my　last　summer's　white　dress　to　the　wedding。　　It's　too　short；　but　ma　says　it's　plenty　good　for　this　summer。　　I'll　be　so　mortified　if　I　have　to　wear　it。〃

〃I'd　rather　not　go　at　all　than　wear　a　dress　that　wasn't　nice；〃　said　Felicity　pleasantly。

〃I'd　go　to　the　wedding　if　I　had　to　go　in　my　school　dress；〃　cried　Sara　Ray。　　〃I've　never　been　to　anything。　　I　wouldn't　miss　it　for　the　world。〃

〃My　Aunt　Jane　always　said　that　if　you　were　neat　and　tidy　it　didn't　matter　whether　you　were　dressed　fine　or　not；〃　said　Peter。

〃I'm　sick　and　tired　of　hearing　about　your　Aunt　Jane；〃　said　Felicity　crossly。

Peter　looked　grieved　but　held　his　peace。　　Felicity　was　very　hard　on　him　that　spring；　but　his　loyalty　never　wavered。　　Everything　she　said　or　did　was　right　in　Peter's　eyes。

〃It's　all　very　well　to　be　neat　and　tidy；〃　said　Sara　Ray；　〃but　I　like　a　little　style　too。〃

〃I　think　you'll　find　your　mother　will　get　you　a　new　dress　after　all；〃　comforted　Cecily。　　〃Anyway；　nobody　will　notice　you　because　everyone　will　be　looking　at　the　bride。　　Aunt　Olivia　will　make　a　lovely　bride。　　Just　think　how　sweet　she'll　look　in　a　white　silk　dress　and　a　floating　veil。〃

〃She　says　she　is　going　to　have　the　ceremony　performed　out　here　in　the　orchard　under　her　own　tree；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Won't　that　be　romantic？　　It　almost　makes　me　feel　like　getting　married　myself。〃

〃What　a　way　to　talk；〃　rebuked　Felicity；　〃and　you　only　fifteen。〃

〃Lots　of　people　have　been　married　at　fifteen；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Lady　Jane　Gray　was。〃

〃But　you　are　always　saying　that　Valeria　H。　　Montague's　stories　are　silly　and　not　true　to　life；　so　that　is　no　argument；〃　retorted　Felicity；　who　knew　more　about　cooking　than　about　history；　and　evidently　imagined　that　the　Lady　Jane　Gray　was　one　of　Valeria's　titled　heroines。

The　wedding　was　a　perennial　source　of　conversation　among　us　in　those　days；　but　presently　its　interest　palled　for　a　time　in　the　light　of　another　quite　tremendous　happening。　　One　Saturday　night　Peter's　mother　called　to　take　him　home　with　her　for　Sunday。　　She　had　been　working　at　Mr。　James　Frewen's；　and　Mr。　Frewen　was　driving　her　home。　　We　had　never　seen　Peter's　mother　before；　and　we　looked　at　her　with　discreet　curiosity。　　She　was　a　plump；　black…eyed　little　woman；　neat　as　a　pin；　but　with　a　rather　tired　and　care…worn　face　that　looked　as　if　it　should　have　been　rosy　and　jolly。　　Life　had　been　a　hard　battle　for　her；　and　I　rather　think　that　her　curly…　headed　little　lad　was　all　that　had　kept　heart　and　spirit　in　her。　　Peter　went　home　with　her　and　returned　Sunday　evening。　　We　were　in　the　orchard　sitting　around　the　Pulpit　Stone；　where　we　had；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　households　of　King；　been　learning　our　golden　texts　and　memory　verses　for　the　next　Sunday　School　lesson。　　Paddy；　grown　sleek　and　handsome　again；　was　sitting　on　the　stone　itself；　washing　his　jowls。

Peter　joined　us　with　a　very　queer　expression　on　his　face。　　He　seemed　bursting　with　some　news　which　he　wanted　to　tell　and　yet　hardly　liked　to。

〃Why　are　you　looking　so　mysterious；　Peter？〃　demanded　the　Story　Girl。

〃What　do　you　think　has　happened？〃　asked　Peter　solemnly。

〃What　has？〃

〃My　father　has　come　home；〃　answered　Peter。

The　announcement　produced　all　the　sensation　he　could　have　wished。　　We　crowded　around　him　in　excitement。

〃Peter！　　When　did　he　come　back？〃

〃Saturday　night。　　He　was　there　when　ma　and　I　got　home。　　It　give　her　an　awful　turn。　　I　didn't　know　him　at　first；　of　course。〃

〃Peter　Craig；　I　believe　you　are　glad　your　father　has　come　back；〃　cried　the　Story　Girl。

〃'Course　I'm　glad；〃　retorted　Peter。

〃And　after　you　saying　you　didn't　want　ever　to　see　him　again；〃　said　Felicity。

〃You　just　wait。　　You　haven't　heard　my　story　yet。　　I　wouldn't　have　been　glad　to　see　father　if　he'd　come　back　the　same　as　he　went　away。　　But　he　is　a　changed　man。　　He　happened　to　go　into　a　revival　meeting　one　night　this　spring　and　he　got　converted。　　And　he's　come　home　to　stay；　and　he　says　he's　never　going　to　drink　another　drop；　but　he's　going　to　look　after　his　family。　　Ma　isn't　to　do　any　more　washing　for　nobody　but　him　and　me；　and　I'm　not　to　be　a　hired　boy　any　longer。　　He　says　I　can　stay　with　your　Uncle　Roger　till　the　fall　'cause　I　promised　I　would；　but　after　that　I'm　to　stay　home　and　go　to　school　right　along　and　learn　to　be　whatever　I'd　like　t