the golden road-第25节

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　and　violets。　　And　an　old　man　was　sitting　on　ita　bent　old　man　with　long；　snow…white　hair　and　beautiful　sad　blue　eyes。　　He　seemed　very　lonely　and　sorrowful　and　I　wondered　that　Miss　Reade　didn't　speak　to　him。　　But　she　never　let　on　she　saw　him　and　took　me　away　to　another　part　of　the　garden。　　After　awhile　he　got　up　and　went　away　and　then　Miss　Reade　said；　'Come　over　to　Aunt　Una's　seat　and　I　will　tell　you　about　her　and　her　loverthat　man　who　has　just　gone　out。'

〃'Oh；　isn't　he　too　old　for　a　lover？'　I　said。

〃Beautiful　Alice　laughed　and　said　it　was　forty　years　since　he　had　been　her　Aunt　Una's　lover。　　He　had　been　a　tall；　handsome　young　man　then；　and　her　Aunt　Una　was　a　beautiful　girl　of　nineteen。

〃We　went　over　and　sat　down　and　Miss　Reade　told　me　all　about　her。　　She　said　that　when　she　was　a　child　she　had　heard　much　of　her　Aunt　Unathat　she　seemed　to　have　been　one　of　those　people　who　are　not　soon　forgotten；　whose　personality　seems　to　linger　about　the　scenes　of　their　lives　long　after　they　have　passed　away。〃

〃What　is　a　personality？　　Is　it　another　word　for　ghost？〃　asked　Peter。

〃No；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　shortly。　　〃I　can't　stop　in　a　story　to　explain　words。〃

〃I　don't　believe　you　know　what　it　is　yourself；〃　said　Felicity。

The　Story　Girl　picked　up　her　hat；　which　she　had　thrown　down　on　the　grass；　and　placed　it　defiantly　on　her　brown　curls。

〃I'm　going　in；〃　she　announced。　　〃I　have　to　help　Aunt　Olivia　ice　a　cake　tonight；　and　you　all　seem　more　interested　in　dictionaries　than　stories。〃

〃That's　not　fair；〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃Dan　and　Felix　and　Sara　Ray　and　Cecily　and　I　have　never　said　a　word。　　It's　mean　to　punish　us　for　what　Peter　and　Felicity　did。　　We　want　to　hear　the　rest　of　the　story。　　Never　mind　what　a　personality　is　but　go　onand；　Peter；　you　young　ass；　keep　still。〃

〃I　only　wanted　to　know；〃　muttered　Peter　sulkily。

〃I　DO　know　what　personality　is；　but　it's　hard　to　explain；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　relenting。　　〃It's　what　makes　you　different　from　Dan；　Peter；　and　me　different　from　Felicity　or　Cecily。　　Miss　Reade's　Aunt　Una　had　a　personality　that　was　very　uncommon。　　And　she　was　beautiful；　too；　with　white　skin　and　night…black　eyes　and　haira　'moonlight　beauty；'　Miss　Reade　called　it。　　She　used　to　keep　a　kind　of　a　diary；　and　Miss　Reade's　mother　used　to　read　parts　of　it　to　her。　　She　wrote　verses　in　it　and　they　were　lovely；　and　she　wrote　descriptions　of　the　old　garden　which　she　loved　very　much。　　Miss　Reade　said　that　everything　in　the　garden；　plot　or　shrub　or　tree；　recalled　to　her　mind　some　phrase　or　verse　of　her　Aunt　Una's；　so　that　the　whole　place　seemed　full　of　her；　and　her　memory　haunted　the　walks　like　a　faint；　sweet　perfume。

〃Una　had；　as　I've　told　you；　a　lover；　and　they　were　to　have　been　married　on　her　twentieth　birthday。　　Her　wedding　dress　was　to　have　been　a　gown　of　white　brocade　with　purple　violets　in　it。　　But　a　little　while　before　it　she　took　ill　with　fever　and　died；　and　she　was　buried　on　her　birthday　instead　of　being　married。　　It　was　just　in　the　time　of　opening　roses。　　Her　lover　has　been　faithful　to　her　ever　since；　he　has　never　married；　and　every　June；　on　her　birthday；　he　makes　a　pilgrimage　to　the　old　garden　and　sits　for　a　long　time　in　silence　on　the　bench　where　he　used　to　woo　her　on　crimson　eves　and　moonlight　nights　of　long　ago。　　Miss　Reade　says　she　always　loves　to　see　him　sitting　there　because　it　gives　her　such　a　deep　and　lasting　sense　of　the　beauty　and　strength　of　love　which　can　thus　outlive　time　and　death。　　And　sometimes；　she　says；　it　gives　her　a　little　eerie　feeling；　too；　as　if　her　Aunt　Una　were　really　sitting　there　beside　him；　keeping　tryst；　although　she　has　been　in　her　grave　for　forty　years。〃

〃It　would　be　real　romantic　to　die　young　and　have　your　lover　make　a　pilgrimage　to　your　garden　every　year；〃　reflected　Sara　Ray。

〃It　would　be　more　comfortable　to　go　on　living　and　get　married　to　him；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃Mother　says　all　those　sentimental　ideas　are　bosh　and　I　expect　they　are。　　It's　a　wonder　Beautiful　Alice　hasn't　a　beau　herself。　　She　is　so　pretty　and　lady…like。〃

〃The　Carlisle　fellows　all　say　she　is　too　stuck　up；〃　said　Dan。

〃There's　nobody　in　Carlisle　half　good　enough　for　her；〃　cried　the　Story　Girl；　〃exceptex…cept〃

〃Except　who？〃　asked　Felix。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　mysteriously。



CHAPTER　XVII

AUNT　OLIVIA'S　WEDDING


What　a　delightful；　old…fashioned；　wholesome　excitement　there　was　about　Aunt　Olivia's　wedding！　　The　Monday　and　Tuesday　preceding　it　we　did　not　go　to　school　at　all；　but　were　all　kept　home　to　do　chores　and　run　errands。　　The　cooking　and　decorating　and　arranging　that　went　on　those　two　days　was　amazing；　and　Felicity　was　so　happy　over　it　all　that　she　did　not　even　quarrel　with　Danthough　she　narrowly　escaped　it　when　he　told　her　that　the　Governor's　wife　was　coming　to　the　wedding。

〃Mind　you　have　some　of　her　favourite　rusks　for　her；〃　he　said。

〃I　guess；〃　said　Felicity　with　dignity；　〃that　Aunt　Olivia's　wedding　supper　will　be　good　enough　for　even　a　Governor's　wife。〃

〃I　s'pose　none　of　us　except　the　Story　Girl　will　get　to　the　first　table；〃　said　Felix；　rather　gloomily。

〃Never　mind；〃　comforted　Felicity。　　〃There's　a　whole　turkey　to　be　kept　for　us；　and　a　freezerful　of　ice　cream。　　Cecily　and　I　are　going　to　wait　on　the　tables；　and　we'll　put　away　a　little　of　everything　that's　extra　nice　for　our　suppers。〃

〃I　do　so　want　to　have　my　supper　with　you；〃　sighed　Sara　Ray；　〃but　I　s'pose　ma　will　drag　me　with　her　wherever　she　goes。　　She　won't　trust　me　out　of　her　sight　a　minute　the　whole　eveningI　know　she　won't。〃

〃I'll　get　Aunt　Olivia　to　ask　her　to　let　you　have　your　supper　with　us；〃　said　Cecily。　　〃She　can't　refuse　the　bride's　request。〃

〃You　don't　know　all　ma　can　do；〃　returned　Sara　darkly。　　〃No；　I　feel　that　I'll　have　to　eat　my　supper　with　her。　　But　I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　very　thankful　I'm　to　get　to　the　wedding　at　all；　and　that　ma　did　get　me　a　new　white　dress　for　it。　　Even　yet　I'm　so　scared　something　will　happen　to　prevent　me　from　getting　to　it。〃

Monday　evening　shrouded　itself　in　clouds；　and　all　night　long　the　voice　of　the　wind　answered　to　the　voice　of　the　rain。　　Tuesday　the　downpour　continued。　　We　were　quite　frantic　about　it。　　Suppose　it　kept　on　raining　over　Wednesday！　　Aunt　Olivia　couldn't　be　married　in　the　orchard　then。　　That　would　be　too　bad；　especially　when　the　late　apple　tree　had　most　obligingly　kept　its　store　of　blossom　until　after　all　the　other　trees　had　faded　and　then　burst　lavishly　into　bloom　for　Aunt　Olivia's　wedding。　　That　apple　tree　was　always　very　late　in　blooming；　and　this　year　it　was　a　week　later　than　usual。　　It　was　a　sight　to　seea　great　tree…pyramid　with　high；　far…　spreading　boughs；　over　which　a　wealth　of　rosy　snow　seemed　to　have　been　flung。　　Never　had　bride　a　more　magnificent　canopy。

To　our　rapture；　however；　it　cleared　up　beautifully　Tuesday　evening；　and　the　sun；　before　setting　in　purple　pomp；　poured　a　flood　of　wonderful　radiance　over　the　whole　great；　green；　diamond…　dripping　world；　promising　a　fair　morrow。　　Uncle　Alec　drove　off　to　the　station　through　it　to　bring　home　the　bridegroom　and　his　best　man。　　Dan　was　full　of　a　wild　idea　that　we　should　all　meet　them　at　the　gate；　armed　with　cowbells　and　tin…pans；　and　〃charivari〃　them　up　the　lane。　　Peter　sided　with　him；　but　the　rest　of　us　voted　down　the　suggestion。

〃Do　you　want　Dr。　Seton　to　think　we　are　a　pack　of　wild　Indians？〃　asked　Felicity　severely。　　〃A　nice　opinion　he'd　have　of　our　manners！〃

〃Well；　it's　the　only　chance　we'll　have　to　chivaree　them；〃　grumbled　Dan。　　〃Aunt　Olivia　wouldn't　mind。　　SHE　can　take　a　joke。〃

〃Ma　would　kill　you　if　you　did　such　a　thing；〃　warned　Felicity。　　〃Dr。　Seton　lives　in　Halifax　and　they　NEVER　chivaree　people　there。　　He　would　think　it　very　vulgar。〃

〃Then　he　should　have　stayed　in　Halifax　and　got　married　there；〃　retorted　Dan；　sulkily。

We　were　very　curious　to　see　our　uncle…elect。　　When　he　came　and　Uncle　Alec　took　him　into　the　parlour；　we　were　all　crowded　into　the　dark　corner　behind　the　stairs　to　peep　at　him。　　Then　we　fled　to　the　moonlight　world　outside　and　discussed　him　at　the　dairy。

〃He's　bald；〃　said　Cecily　disappointedly。

〃And　RATHER　short　and　stout；〃　said　Felicity。

〃He's　forty；　if　he's　a　day；〃　said　Dan。

〃Never　you　mind；〃　cried　the　Story　Girl　loyally；　〃Aunt　Olivia　loves　him　with　all　her　heart。〃

〃And　more　than　that；　he's　got　lots　of　money；〃　added　Felicity。

〃Well；　he　may　be　all　right；〃　said　Peter；　〃but　it's　my　opinion　that　your　Aunt　Olivia　could　have　done　just　as　well　on　the　Island。〃

〃YOUR　opinion　doesn't　matter　very　much　to　our　family；〃　said　Felicity　crushingly。

But　when　we　made　the　acquaintance　of　Dr。　Seton　next　morning　we　liked　him　enormously；　and　voted　him　a　jolly　good　fellow。　　Even　Peter　remarked　aside　to　me　that　he　guessed　Miss　Olivia　hadn't　made　much　of　a　mistake　after　all；　though　it　was　plain　he　thought　she　was　running　a　risk　in　not　sticking　to　the　Island。　　The　girls　had　not　much　time　to　discuss　him　with　us。　　They　were　all　exceedingly　busy　and　whisked　about　at　such　a　rate　that　they　seemed　to　possess　the　power　of　being　in　half　a　dozen　places　at　once。　　The　importance　of　Felicity　was　quite　terrible。　　But　after　dinner　came　a　lull。

〃Thank　goodness；　everything　is　ready　at　last；〃　breathed　Felicity　devoutly；　as　we　foregathered　for　a　brief　space　in　the　fir　wood。　　〃We've　nothing　m