the golden road-第36节

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　report　of　its　condition　was　always　the　same〃neat　as　wax。〃　To　be　sure；　there　was　one　room　that　was　always　locked　against　her；　the　west　gable；　looking　out　on　the　garden　and　the　hill　of　pines　beyond。　　But　Mrs。　Griggs　knew　that　in　the　lifetime　of　Jasper　Dale's　mother　it　had　been　unfurnished。　　She　supposed　it　still　remained　so；　and　felt　no　especial　curiosity　concerning　it；　though　she　always　tried　the　door。

Jasper　Dale　had　a　good　farm；　well　cultivated；　he　had　a　large　garden　where　he　worked　most　of　his　spare　time　in　summer；　it　was　supposed　that　he　read　a　great　deal；　since　the　postmistress　declared　that　he　was　always　getting　books　and　magazines　by　mail。　　He　seemed　well　contented　with　his　existence　and　people　let　him　alone；　since　that　was　the　greatest　kindness　they　could　do　him。　　It　was　unsupposable　that　he　would　ever　marry；　nobody　ever　had　supposed　it。

〃Jasper　Dale　never　so　much　as　THOUGHT　about　a　woman；〃　Carlisle　oracles　declared。　　Oracles；　however；　are　not　always　to　be　trusted。

One　day　Mrs。　Griggs　went　away　from　the　Dale　place　with　a　very　curious　story；　which　she　diligently　spread　far　and　wide。　　It　made　a　good　deal　of　talk；　but　people；　although　they　listened　eagerly；　and　wondered　and　questioned；　were　rather　incredulous　about　it。　　They　thought　Mrs。　Griggs　must　be　drawing　considerably　upon　her　imagination；　there　were　not　lacking　those　who　declared　that　she　had　invented　the　whole　account；　since　her　reputation　for　strict　veracity　was　not　wholly　unquestioned。

Mrs。　Griggs's　story　was　as　follows：

One　day　she　found　the　door　of　the　west　gable　unlocked。　　She　went　in；　expecting　to　see　bare　walls　and　a　collection　of　odds　and　ends。　　Instead　she　found　herself　in　a　finely　furnished　room。　　Delicate　lace　curtains　hung　before　the　small；　square；　broad…silled　windows。　　The　walls　were　adorned　with　pictures　in　much　finer　taste　than　Mrs。　Griggs　could　appreciate。　　There　was　a　bookcase　between　the　windows　filled　with　choicely　bound　books。　　Beside　it　stood　a　little　table　with　a　very　dainty　work…basket　on　it。　　By　the　basket　Mrs。　Griggs　saw　a　pair　of　tiny　scissors　and　a　silver　thimble。　　A　wicker　rocker；　comfortable　with　silk　cushions；　was　near　it。　　Above　the　bookcase　a　woman's　picture　hunga　water…colour；　if　Mrs。　Griggs　had　but　known　itrepresenting　a　pale；　very　sweet　face；　with　large；　dark　eyes　and　a　wistful　expression　under　loose　masses　of　black；　lustrous　hair。　　Just　beneath　the　picture；　on　the　top　shelf　of　the　bookcase；　was　a　vaseful　of　flowers。　　Another　vaseful　stood　on　the　table　beside　the　basket。

All　this　was　astonishing　enough。　　But　what　puzzled　Mrs。　Griggs　completely　was　the　fact　that　a　woman's　dress　was　hanging　over　a　chair　before　the　mirrora　pale　blue；　silken　affair。　　And　on　the　floor　beside　it　were　two　little　blue　satin　slippers！

Good　Mrs。　Griggs　did　not　leave　the　room　until　she　had　thoroughly　explored　it；　even　to　shaking　out　the　blue　dress　and　discovering　it　to　be　a　tea…gownwrapper；　she　called　it。　　But　she　found　nothing　to　throw　any　light　on　the　mystery。　　The　fact　that　the　simple　name　〃Alice〃　was　written　on　the　fly…leaves　of　all　the　books　only　deepened　it；　for　it　was　a　name　unknown　in　the　Dale　family。　　In　this　puzzled　state　she　was　obliged　to　depart；　nor　did　she　ever　find　the　door　unlocked　again；　and；　discovering　that　people　thought　she　was　romancing　when　she　talked　about　the　mysterious　west　gable　at　Golden　Milestone；　she　indignantly　held　her　peace　concerning　the　whole　affair。

But　Mrs。　Griggs　had　told　no　more　than　the　simple　truth。　　Jasper　Dale；　under　all　his　shyness　and　aloofness；　possessed　a　nature　full　of　delicate　romance　and　poesy；　which；　denied　expression　in　the　common　ways　of　life；　bloomed　out　in　the　realm　of　fancy　and　imagination。　　Left　alone；　just　when　the　boy's　nature　was　deepening　into　the　man's；　he　turned　to　this　ideal　kingdom　for　all　he　believed　the　real　world　could　never　give　him。　　Lovea　strange；　almost　mystical　loveplayed　its　part　here　for　him。　　He　shadowed　forth　to　himself　the　vision　of　a　woman；　loving　and　beloved；　he　cherished　it　until　it　became　almost　as　real　to　him　as　his　own　personality　and　he　gave　this　dream　woman　the　name　he　liked　best　Alice。　In　fancy　he　walked　and　talked　with　her；　spoke　words　of　love　to　her；　and　heard　words　of　love　in　return。　　When　he　came　from　work　at　the　close　of　day　she　met　him　at　his　threshold　in　the　twilight　a　strange；　fair；　starry　shape；　as　elusive　and　spiritual　as　a　blossom　reflected　in　a　pool　by　moonlightwith　welcome　on　her　lips　and　in　her　eyes。

One　day；　when　he　was　in　Charlottetown　on　business；　he　had　been　struck　by　a　picture　in　the　window　of　a　store。　　It　was　strangely　like　the　woman　of　his　dream　love。　　He　went　in；　awkward　and　embarrassed；　and　bought　it。　　When　he　took　it　home　he　did　not　know　where　to　put　it。　　It　was　out　of　place　among　the　dim　old　engravings　of　bewigged　portraits　and　conventional　landscapes　on　the　walls　of　Golden　Milestone。　　As　he　pondered　the　matter　in　his　garden　that　evening　he　had　an　inspiration。　　The　sunset；　flaming　on　the　windows　of　the　west　gable；　kindled　them　into　burning　rose。　　Amid　the　splendour　he　fancied　Alice's　fair　face　peeping　archly　down　at　him　from　the　room。　　The　inspiration　came　then。　　It　should　be　her　room；　he　would　fit　it　up　for　her；　and　her　picture　should　hang　there。

He　was　all　summer　carrying　out　his　plan。　　Nobody　must　know　or　suspect；　so　he　must　go　slowly　and　secretly。　　One　by　one　the　furnishings　were　purchased　and　brought　home　under　cover　of　darkness。　　He　arranged　them　with　his　own　hands。　　He　bought　the　books　he　thought　she　would　like　best　and　wrote　her　name　in　them；　he　got　the　little　feminine　knick…knacks　of　basket　and　thimble。　　Finally　he　saw　in　a　store　a　pale　blue　tea…gown　and　the　satin　slippers。　　He　had　always　fancied　her　as　dressed　in　blue。　　He　bought　them　and　took　them　home　to　her　room。　　Thereafter　it　was　sacred　to　her；　he　always　knocked　on　its　door　before　he　entered；　he　kept　it　sweet　with　fresh　flowers；　he　sat　there　in　the　purple　summer　evenings　and　talked　aloud　to　her　or　read　his　favourite　books　to　her。　　In　his　fancy　she　sat　opposite　to　him　in　her　rocker；　clad　in　the　trailing　blue　gown；　with　her　head　leaning　on　one　slender　hand；　as　white　as　a　twilight　star。

But　Carlisle　people　knew　nothing　of　thiswould　have　thought　him　tinged　with　mild　lunacy　if　they　had　known。　　To　them；　he　was　just　the　shy；　simple　farmer　he　appeared。　　They　never　knew　or　guessed　at　the　real　Jasper　Dale。

One　spring　Alice　Reade　came　to　teach　music　in　Carlisle。　　Her　pupils　worshipped　her；　but　the　grown　people　thought　she　was　rather　too　distant　and　reserved。　　They　had　been　used　to　merry；　jolly　girls　who　joined　eagerly　in　the　social　life　of　the　place。　　Alice　Reade　held　herself　aloof　from　itnot　disdainfully；　but　as　one　to　whom　these　things　were　of　small　importance。　　She　was　very　fond　of　books　and　solitary　rambles；　she　was　not　at　all　shy　but　she　was　as　sensitive　as　a　flower；　and　after　a　time　Carlisle　people　were　content　to　let　her　live　her　own　life　and　no　longer　resented　her　unlikeness　to　themselves。

She　boarded　with　the　Armstrongs；　who　lived　beyond　Golden　Milestone　around　the　hill　of　pines。　　Until　the　snow　disappeared　she　went　out　to　the　main　road　by　the　long　Armstrong　lane；　but　when　spring　came　she　was　wont　to　take　a　shorter　way；　down　the　pine　hill；　across　the　brook；　past　Jasper　Dale's　garden；　and　out　through　his　lane。　　And　one　day；　as　she　went　by；　Jasper　Dale　was　working　in　his　garden。

He　was　on　his　knees　in　a　corner；　setting　out　a　bunch　of　rootsan　unsightly　little　tangle　of　rainbow　possibilities。　　It　was　a　still　spring　morning；　the　world　was　green　with　young　leaves；　a　little　wind　blew　down　from　the　pines　and　lost　itself　willingly　among　the　budding　delights　of　the　garden。　　The　grass　opened　eyes　of　blue　violets。　　The　sky　was　high　and　cloudless；　turquoise…blue；　shading　off　into　milkiness　on　the　far　horizons。　　Birds　were　singing　along　the　brook　valley。　　Rollicking　robins　were　whistling　joyously　in　the　pines。　　Jasper　Dale's　heart　was　filled　to　over…flowing　with　a　realization　of　all　the　virgin　loveliness　around　him；　the　feeling　in　his　soul　had　the　sacredness　of　a　prayer。　　At　this　moment　he　looked　up　and　saw　Alice　Reade。

She　was　standing　outside　the　garden　fence；　in　the　shadow　of　a　great　pine　tree；　looking　not　at　him；　for　she　was　unaware　of　his　presence；　but　at　the　virginal　bloom　of　the　plum　trees　in　a　far　corner；　with　all　her　delight　in　it　outblossoming　freely　in　her　face。　　For　a　moment　Jasper　Dale　believed　that　his　dream　love　had　taken　visible　form　before　him。　　She　was　likeso　like；　not　in　feature；　perhaps；　but　in　grace　and　colouringthe　grace　of　a　slender；　lissome　form　and　the　colouring　of　cloudy　hair　and　wistful；　dark　gray　eyes；　and　curving　red　mouth；　and　more　than　all；　she　was　like　her　in　expressionin　the　subtle　revelation　of　personality　exhaling　from　her　like　perfume　from　a　flower。　　It　was　as　if　his　own　had　come　to　him　at　last　and　his　whole　soul　suddenly　leaped　out　to　meet　and　welcome　her。

Then　her　eyes　fell　upon　him　and　the　spell　was　broken。　　Jasper　remained　kneeling　mutely　there；　shy　man　once　more；　crimson　with　blushes；　a　strange；　almost　pitiful　creature　in　his　abject　confusion。　　A　little　smile　flickered　about　the　delicate　corners　of　her　mouth；　but　she　turned　and　walked　swiftly　away　down　the　lane。

Jasper　looked　after　her　with　a　new；　painful　sense　of　loss