the golden road-第28节

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　stately；　impassive。　　Her　voice　dropped　into　the　solemnity　of　the　all…　important　line；

〃'The　court　pronounces　the　defendant'〃

She　paused　for　a　breathless　moment；　the　better　to　bring　out　the　tragic　import　of　the　last　word。

〃DEAD；〃　piped　up　Sara　Ray　in　her　shrill；　plaintive　little　voice。

The　effect；　to　use　a　hackneyed　but　convenient　phrase；　can　better　be　imagined　than　described。　　Instead　of　the　sigh　of　relieved　tension　that　should　have　swept　over　the　audience　at　the　conclusion　of　the　line；　a　burst　of　laughter　greeted　it。　　The　Story　Girl's　performance　was　completely　spoiled。　　She　dealt　the　luckless　Sara　a　glance　that　would　have　slain　her　on　the　spot　could　glances　kill；　stumbled　lamely　and　impotently　through　the　few　remaining　lines　of　her　recitation；　and　fled　with　crimson　cheeks　to　hide　her　mortification　in　the　little　corner　that　had　been　curtained　off　for　a　dressing…room。　　Mr。　Perkins　looked　things　not　lawful　to　be　uttered；　and　the　audience　tittered　at　intervals　for　the　rest　of　the　performance。

Sara　Ray　alone　remained　serenely　satisfied　until　the　close　of　the　concert；　when　we　surrounded　her　with　a　whirlwind　of　reproaches。

〃Why；〃　she　stammered　aghast；　〃what　did　I　do？　　II　thought　she　was　stuck　and　that　I　ought　to　prompt　her　quick。〃

〃You　little　fool；　she　just　paused　for　effect；〃　cried　Felicity　angrily。　　Felicity　might　be　rather　jealous　of　the　Story　Girl's　gift；　but　she　was　furious　at　beholding　〃one　of　our　family〃　made　ridiculous　in　such　a　fashion。　　〃You　have　less　sense　than　anyone　I　ever　heard　of；　Sara　Ray。〃

Poor　Sara　dissolved　in　tears。

〃I　didn't　know。　　I　thought　she　was　stuck；〃　she　wailed　again。

She　cried　all　the　way　home；　but　we　did　not　try　to　comfort　her。　　We　felt　quite　out　of　patience　with　her。　　Even　Cecily　was　seriously　annoyed。　　This　second　blunder　of　Sara's　was　too　much　even　for　her　loyalty。　　We　saw　her　turn　in　at　her　own　gate　and　go　sobbing　up　her　lane　with　no　relenting。

The　Story　Girl　was　home　before　us；　having　fled　from　the　schoolhouse　as　soon　as　the　programme　was　over。　　We　tried　to　sympathize　with　her　but　she　would　not　be　sympathized　with。

〃Please　don't　ever　mention　it　to　me　again；〃　she　said；　with　compressed　lips。　　〃I　never　want　to　be　reminded　of　it。　　Oh；　that　little　IDIOT！〃

〃She　spoiled　Peter's　sermon　last　summer　and　now　she's　spoiled　your　recitation；〃　said　Felicity。　〃I　think　it's　time　we　gave　up　associating　with　Sara　Ray。〃

〃Oh；　don't　be　quite　so　hard　on　her；〃　pleaded　Cecily。　　〃Think　of　the　life　the　poor　child　has　to　live　at　home。　　I　know　she'll　cry　all　night。〃

〃Oh；　let's　go　to　bed；〃　growled　Dan。　　〃I'm　good　and　ready　for　it。　　I've　had　enough　of　school　concerts。〃



CHAPTER　XIX

BY　WAY　OF　THE　STARS


But　for　two　of　us　the　adventures　of　the　night　were　not　yet　over。　　Silence　settled　down　over　the　old　housethe　eerie；　whisperful；　creeping　silence　of　night。　　Felix　and　Dan　were　already　sound　asleep；　I　was　drifting　near　the　coast　o'　dreams　when　I　was　aroused　by　a　light　tap　on　the　door。

〃Bev；　are　you　asleep？〃　came　in　the　Story　Girl's　whisper。

〃No；　what　is　it？〃

〃S…s…h。　　Get　up　and　dress　and　come　out。　　I　want　you。〃

With　a　good　deal　of　curiosity　and　some　misgiving　I　obeyed。　　What　was　in　the　wind　now？　　Outside　in　the　hall　I　found　the　Story　Girl；　with　a　candle　in　her　hand；　and　her　hat　and　jacket。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　I　whispered　in　amazement。

〃Hush。　　I've　got　to　go　to　the　school　and　you　must　come　with　me。　　I　left　my　coral　necklace　there。　　The　clasp　came　loose　and　I　was　so　afraid　I'd　lose　it　that　I　took　it　off　and　put　it　in　the　bookcase。　　I　was　feeling　so　upset　when　the　concert　was　over　that　I　forgot　all　about　it。〃

The　coral　necklace　was　a　very　handsome　one　which　had　belonged　to　the　Story　Girl's　mother。　　She　had　never　been　permitted　to　wear　it　before；　and　it　had　only　been　by　dint　of　much　coaxing　that　she　had　induced　Aunt　Janet　to　let　her　wear　it　to　the　concert。

〃But　there's　no　sense　in　going　for　it　in　the　dead　of　night；〃　I　objected。　　〃It　will　be　quite　safe。　　You　can　go　for　it　in　the　morning。〃

〃Lizzie　Paxton　and　her　daughter　are　going　to　clean　the　school　tomorrow；　and　I　heard　Lizzie　say　tonight　she　meant　to　be　at　it　by　five　o'clock　to　get　through　before　the　heat　of　the　day。　　You　know　perfectly　well　what　Liz　Paxton's　reputation　is。　　If　she　finds　that　necklace　I'll　never　see　it　again。　　Besides；　if　I　wait　till　the　morning；　Aunt　Janet　may　find　out　that　I　left　it　there　and　she'd　never　let　me　wear　it　again。　　No；　I'm　going　for　it　now。　　If　you're　afraid；〃　added　the　Story　Girl　with　delicate　scorn；　〃of　course　you　needn't　come。〃

Afraid！　　I'd　show　her！

〃Come　on；〃　I　said。

We　slipped　out　of　the　house　noiselessly　and　found　ourselves　in　the　unutterable　solemnity　and　strangeness　of　a　dark　night。　　It　was　a　new　experience；　and　our　hearts　thrilled　and　our　nerves　tingled　to　the　charm　of　it。　　Never　had　we　been　abroad　before　at　such　an　hour。　　The　world　around　us　was　not　the　world　of　daylight。　　'Twas　an　alien　place；　full　of　weird；　evasive　enchantment　and　magicry。

Only　in　the　country　can　one　become　truly　acquainted　with　the　night。　　There　it　has　the　solemn　calm　of　the　infinite。　　The　dim　wide　fields　lie　in　silence；　wrapped　in　the　holy　mystery　of　darkness。　　A　wind；　loosened　from　wild　places　far　away；　steals　out　to　blow　over　dewy；　star…lit；　immemorial　hills。　　The　air　in　the　pastures　is　sweet　with　the　hush　of　dreams；　and　one　may　rest　here　like　a　child　on　its　mother's　breast。

〃Isn't　it　wonderful？〃　breathed　the　Story　Girl　as　we　went　down　the　long　hill。　　〃Do　you　know；　I　can　forgive　Sara　Ray　now。　　I　thought　tonight　I　never　couldbut　now　it　doesn't　matter　any　more。　　I　can　even　see　how　funny　it　was。　　Oh；　wasn't　it　funny？　　'DEAD'　in　that　squeaky　little　voice　of　Sara's！　　I'll　just　behave　to　her　tomorrow　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　　It　seems　so　long　ago　now；　here　in　the　night。〃

Neither　of　us　ever　forgot　the　subtle　delight　of　that　stolen　walk。　　A　spell　of　glamour　was　over　us。　　The　breezes　whispered　strange　secrets　of　elf…haunted　glens；　and　the　hollows　where　the　ferns　grew　were　brimmed　with　mystery　and　romance。　　Ghostlike　scents　crept　out　of　the　meadows　to　meet　us；　and　the　fir　wood　before　we　came　to　the　church　was　a　living　sweetness　of　Junebells　growing　in　abundance。

Junebells　have　another　and　more　scientific　name；　of　course。　　But　who　could　desire　a　better　name　than　Junebells？　　They　are　so　perfect　in　their　way　that　they　seem　to　epitomize　the　very　scent　and　charm　of　the　forest；　as　if　the　old　wood's　daintiest　thoughts　had　materialized　in　blossom；　and　not　all　the　roses　by　Bendameer's　stream　are　as　fragrant　as　a　shallow　sheet　of　Junebells　under　the　boughs　of　fir。

There　were　fireflies　abroad　that　night；　too；　increasing　the　gramarye　of　it。　　There　is　certainly　something　a　little　supernatural　about　fireflies。　　Nobody　pretends　to　understand　them。　　They　are　akin　to　the　tribes　of　fairy；　survivals　of　the　elder　time　when　the　woods　and　hills　swarmed　with　the　little　green　folk。　　It　is　still　very　easy　to　believe　in　fairies　when　you　see　those　goblin　lanterns　glimmering　among　the　fir　tassels。

〃Isn't　it　beautiful？〃　said　the　Story　Girl　in　rapture。　　〃I　wouldn't　have　missed　it　for　anything。　　I'm　glad　I　left　my　necklace。　　And　I　am　glad　you　are　with　me；　Bev。　　The　others　wouldn't　understand　so　well。　　I　like　you　because　I　don't　have　to　talk　to　you　all　the　time。　　It's　so　nice　to　walk　with　someone　you　don't　have　to　talk　to。　　Here　is　the　graveyard。　　Are　you　frightened　to　pass　it；　Bev？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　I'm　frightened；〃　I　answered　slowly；　〃but　I　have　a　queer　feeling。〃

〃So　have　I。　　But　it　isn't　fear。　　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　　I　feel　as　if　something　was　reaching　out　of　the　graveyard　to　hold　me　something　that　wanted　lifeI　don't　like　itlet's　hurry。　　But　isn't　it　strange　to　think　of　all　the　dead　people　in　there　who　were　once　alive　like　you　and　me。　　I　don't　feel　as　if　I　could　EVER　die。　　Do　you？〃

〃No；　but　everybody　must。　　Of　course　we　go　on　living　afterwards；　just　the　same。　　Don't　let's　talk　of　such　things　here；〃　I　said　hurriedly。

When　we　reached　the　school　I　contrived　to　open　a　window。　　We　scrambled　in；　lighted　a　lamp　and　found　the　missing　necklace。　　The　Story　Girl　stood　on　the　platform　and　gave　an　imitation　of　the　catastrophe　of　the　evening　that　made　me　shout　with　laughter。　　We　prowled　around　for　sheer　delight　over　being　there　at　an　unearthly　hour　when　everybody　supposed　we　were　sound　asleep　in　our　beds。　　It　was　with　regret　that　we　left；　and　we　walked　home　as　slowly　as　we　could　to　prolong　the　adventure。

〃Let's　never　tell　anyone；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　as　we　reached　home。　　〃Let's　just　have　it　as　a　secret　between　us　for　ever　and　eversomething　that　nobody　else　knows　a　thing　about　but　you　and　me。〃

〃We'd　better　keep　it　a　secret　from　Aunt　Janet　anyhow；〃　I　whispered；　laughing。　　〃She'd　think　we　were　both　crazy。〃

〃It's　real　jolly　to　be　crazy　once　in　a　while；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。



CHAPTER　XX

EXTRACTS　FROM　OUR　MAGAZINE


EDITORIAL

As　will　be　seen　there　is　no　Honour　Roll　in　this　number。　　Even　Felicity　has　thought　all　the　beautiful　thoughts　that　can　be　thought　and　cannot　think　any　more。　　Peter　has　never　got　drunk　but；　under　existing　circumstances；　that　is　not　greatly　to　his　credit。　　As　for　our　written　resolutions　they　have　silently　disappeared　from　our　chamber　walls　and　the　place　that　once