the golden road-第43节

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e　mewa　long　quiverand　Paddy's　friendly　soul　had　fared　forth　to　wherever　it　is　that　good　cats　go。

〃Well；　he's　gone；〃　said　Dan；　turning　his　back　abruptly　to　us。

〃It　doesn't　seem　as　if　it　can　be　true；〃　sobbed　Cecily。　　〃This　time　yesterday　morning　he　was　full　of　life。〃

〃He　drank　two　full　saucers　of　cream；〃　moaned　Felicity；　〃and　I　saw　him　catch　a　mouse　in　the　evening。　　Maybe　it　was　the　last　one　he　ever　caught。〃

〃He　did　for　many　a　mouse　in　his　day；〃　said　Peter；　anxious　to　pay　his　tribute　to　the　departed。

〃'He　was　a　cattake　him　for　all　in　all。　　We　shall　not　look　upon　his　like　again；'〃　quoted　Uncle　Blair。

Felicity　and　Cecily　and　Sara　Ray　cried　so　much　that　Aunt　Janet　lost　patience　completely　and　told　them　sharply　that　they　would　have　something　to　cry　for　some　daywhich　did　not　seem　to　comfort　them　much。　　The　Story　Girl　shed　no　tears；　though　the　look　in　her　eyes　hurt　more　than　weeping。

〃After　all；　perhaps　it's　for　the　best；〃　she　said　drearily。　　〃I've　been　feeling　so　badly　over　having　to　go　away　and　leave　Paddy。　　No　matter　how　kind　you'd　all　be　to　him　I　know　he'd　miss　me　terribly。　　He　wasn't　like　most　cats　who　don't　care　who　comes　and　goes　as　long　as　they　get　plenty　to　eat。　　Paddy　wouldn't　have　been　contented　without　me。〃

〃Oh；　no…o…o；　oh；　no…o…o；〃　wailed　Sara　Ray　lugubriously。

Felix　shot　a　disgusted　glance　at　her。

〃I　don't　see　what　YOU　are　making　such　a　fuss　about；〃　he　said　unfeelingly。　　〃He　wasn't　your　cat。〃

〃But　I　l…l…oved　him；〃　sobbed　Sara；　〃and　I　always　feel　bad　when　my　friends　d…do。〃

〃I　wish　we　could　believe　that　cats　went　to　heaven；　like　people；〃　sighed　Cecily。　　〃Do　you　really　think　it　isn't　possible？〃

Uncle　Blair　shook　his　head。

〃I'm　afraid　not。　　I'd　like　to　think　cats　have　a　chance　for　heaven；　but　I　can't。　　There's　nothing　heavenly　about　cats；　delightful　creatures　though　they　are。〃

〃Blair；　I'm　really　surprised　to　hear　the　things　you　say　to　the　children；〃　said　Aunt　Janet　severely。

〃Surely　you　wouldn't　prefer　me　to　tell　them　that　cats　DO　go　to　heaven；〃　protested　Uncle　Blair。

〃I　think　it's　wicked　to　carry　on　about　an　animal　as　those　children　do；〃　answered　Aunt　Janet　decidedly；　〃and　you　shouldn't　encourage　them。　　Here　now；　children；　stop　making　a　fuss。　　Bury　that　cat　and　get　off　to　your　apple　picking。〃

We　had　to　go　to　our　work；　but　Paddy　was　not　to　be　buried　in　any　such　off…hand　fashion　as　that。　　It　was　agreed　that　we　should　bury　him　in　the　orchard　at　sunset　that　evening；　and　Sara　Ray；　who　had　to　go　home；　declared　she　would　be　back　for　it；　and　implored　us　to　wait　for　her　if　she　didn't　come　exactly　on　time。

〃I　mayn't　be　able　to　get　away　till　after　milking；〃　she　sniffed；　〃but　I　don't　want　to　miss　it。　　Even　a　cat's　funeral　is　better　than　none　at　all。〃

〃Horrid　thing！〃　said　Felicity；　barely　waiting　until　Sara　was　out　of　earshot。

We　worked　with　heavy　hearts　that　day；　the　girls　cried　bitterly　most　of　the　time　and　we　boys　whistled　defiantly。　　But　as　evening　drew　on　we　began　to　feel　a　sneaking　interest　in　the　details　of　the　funeral。　　As　Dan　said；　the　thing　should　be　done　properly；　since　Paddy　was　no　common　cat。　　The　Story　Girl　selected　the　spot　for　the　grave；　in　a　little　corner　behind　the　cherry　copse；　where　early　violets　enskied　the　grass　in　spring；　and　we　boys　dug　the　grave；　making　it　〃soft　and　narrow；〃　as　the　heroine　of　the　old　ballad　wanted　hers　made。　　Sara　Ray；　who　managed　to　come　in　time　after　all；　and　Felicity　stood　and　watched　us；　but　Cecily　and　the　Story　Girl　kept　far　aloof。

〃This　time　last　night　you　never　thought　you'd　be　digging　Pat's　grave　to…night；〃　sighed　Felicity。

〃We　little　k…know　what　a　day　will　bring　forth；〃　sobbed　Sara。　　〃I've　heard　the　minister　say　that　and　it　is　true。〃

〃Of　course　it's　true。　　It's　in　the　Bible；　but　I　don't　think　you　should　repeat　it　in　connection　with　a　cat；〃　said　Felicity　dubiously。

When　all　was　in　readiness　the　Story　Girl　brought　her　pet　through　the　orchard　where　he　had　so　often　frisked　and　prowled。　　No　useless　coffin　enclosed　his　breast　but　he　reposed　in　a　neat　cardboard　box。

〃I　wonder　if　it　would　be　right　to　say　'ashes　to　ashes　and　dust　to　dust；'〃　said　Peter。

〃No；　it　wouldn't；〃　averred　Felicity。　　〃It　would　be　real　wicked。〃

〃I　think　we　ought　to　sing　a　hymn；　anyway；〃　asseverated　Sara　Ray。

〃Well；　we　might　do　that；　if　it　isn't　a　very　religious　one；〃　conceded　Felicity。

〃How　would　'Pull　for　the　shore；　sailor；　pull　for　the　shore；'　do？〃　asked　Cecily。　　〃That　never　seemed　to　me　a　very　religious　hymn。〃

〃But　it　doesn't　seem　very　appropriate　to　a　funeral　occasion　either；〃　said　Felicity。

〃I　think　'Lead；　kindly　light；'　would　be　ever　so　much　more　suitable；〃　suggested　Sara　Ray；　〃and　it　is　kind　of　soothing　and　melancholy　too。〃

〃We　are　not　going　to　sing　anything；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　coldly。　　〃Do　you　want　to　make　the　affair　ridiculous？　　We　will　just　fill　up　the　grave　quietly　and　put　a　flat　stone　over　the　top。〃

〃It　isn't　much　like　my　idea　of　a　funeral；〃　muttered　Sara　Ray　discontentedly。

〃Never　mind；　we're　going　to　have　a　real　obituary　about　him　in　Our　Magazine；〃　whispered　Cecily　consolingly。

〃And　Peter　is　going　to　cut　his　name　on　top　of　the　stone；〃　added　Felicity。　　〃Only　we　mustn't　let　on　to　the　grown…ups　until　it　is　done；　because　they　might　say　it　wasn't　right。〃

We　left　the　orchard；　a　sober　little　band；　with　the　wind　of　the　gray　twilight　blowing　round　us。　　Uncle　Roger　passed　us　at　the　gate。

〃So　the　last　sad　obsequies　are　over？〃　he　remarked　with　a　grin。

And　we　hated　Uncle　Roger。　　But　we　loved　Uncle　Blair　because　he　said　quietly；

〃And　so　you've　buried　your　little　comrade？〃

So　much　may　depend　on　the　way　a　thing　is　said。　　But　not　even　Uncle　Blair's　sympathy　could　take　the　sting　out　of　the　fact　that　there　was　no　Paddy　to　get　the　froth　that　night　at　milking　time。　　Felicity　cried　bitterly　all　the　time　she　was　straining　the　milk。　　Many　human　beings　have　gone　to　their　graves　unattended　by　as　much　real　regret　as　followed　that　one　gray　pussy　cat　to　his。



CHAPTER　XXX

PROPHECIES


〃Here's　a　letter　for　you　from　father；〃　said　Felix；　tossing　it　to　me　as　he　came　through　the　orchard　gate。　　We　had　been　picking　apples　all　day；　but　were　taking　a　mid…afternoon　rest　around　the　well；　with　a　cup　of　its　sparkling　cold　water　to　refresh　us。

I　opened　the　letter　rather　indifferently；　for　father；　with　all　his　excellent　and　lovable　traits；　was　but　a　poor　correspondent；　his　letters　were　usually　very　brief　and　very　unimportant。

This　letter　was　brief　enough；　but　it　was　freighted　with　a　message　of　weighty　import。　　I　sat　gazing　stupidly　at　the　sheet　after　I　had　read　it　until　Felix　exclaimed；

〃Bev；　what's　the　matter　with　you？　　What's　in　that　letter？〃

〃Father　is　coming　home；〃　I　said　dazedly。　　〃He　is　to　leave　South　America　in　a　fortnight　and　will　be　here　in　November　to　take　us　back　to　Toronto。〃

Everybody　gasped。　　Sara　Ray；　of　course；　began　to　cry；　which　aggravated　me　unreasonably。

〃Well；〃　said　Felix；　when　he　got　his　second　wind；　〃I'll　be　awful　glad　to　see　father　again；　but　I　tell　you　I　don't　like　the　thought　of　leaving　here。〃

I　felt　exactly　the　same　but；　in　view　of　Sara　Ray's　tears；　admit　it　I　would　not；　so　I　sat　in　grum　silence　while　the　other　tongues　wagged。

〃If　I　were　not　going　away　myself　I'd　feel　just　terrible；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Even　as　it　is　I'm　real　sorry。　　I'd　like　to　be　able　to　think　of　you　as　all　here　together　when　I'm　gone；　having　good　times　and　writing　me　about　them。〃

〃It'll　be　awfully　dull　when　you　fellows　go；〃　muttered　Dan。

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　what　we're　ever　going　to　do　here　this　winter；〃　said　Felicity；　with　the　calmness　of　despair。

〃Thank　goodness　there　are　no　more　fathers　to　come　back；〃　breathed　Cecily　with　a　vicious　earnestness　that　made　us　all　laugh；　even　in　the　midst　of　our　dismay。

We　worked　very　half…heartedly　the　rest　of　the　day；　and　it　was　not　until　we　assembled　in　the　orchard　in　the　evening　that　our　spirits　recovered　something　like　their　wonted　level。　　It　was　clear　and　slightly　frosty；　the　sun　had　declined　behind　a　birch　on　a　distant　hill　and　it　seemed　a　tree　with　a　blazing　heart　of　fire。　　The　great　golden　willow　at　the　lane　gate　was　laughter…shaken　in　the　wind　of　evening。　　Even　amid　all　the　changes　of　our　shifting　world　we　could　not　be　hopelessly　low…spiritedexcept　Sara　Ray；　who　was　often　so；　and　Peter；　who　was　rarely　so。　　But　Peter　had　been　sorely　vexed　in　spirit　for　several　days。　　The　time　was　approaching　for　the　October　issue　of　Our　Magazine　and　he　had　no　genuine　fiction　ready　for　it。　　He　had　taken　so　much　to　heart　Felicity's　taunt　that　his　stories　were　all　true　that　he　had　determined　to　have　a　really…truly　false　one　in　the　next　number。　　But　the　difficulty　was　to　get　anyone　to　write　it。　　He　had　asked　the　Story　Girl　to　do　it；　but　she　refused；　then　he　appealed　to　me　and　I　shirked。　　Finally　Peter　determined　to　write　a　story　himself。

〃It　oughtn't　to　be　any　harder　than　writing　a　poem　and　I　managed　that；〃　he　said　dolefully。

He　worked　at　it　in　the　evenings　in　the　granary　loft；　and　the　rest　of　us　forebore　to　question　him　concerning　it；　because　he　evidently　disliked　talking　about　his　literary　efforts。　　But　this　evening　I　had　to　ask　him　if　he　would　soon　have　it　ready；　as　I　wanted　to　make　up　the　paper。

〃It's　done；〃　said　Peter；　with　an　air　of　gloomy　triumph。　　〃It　don't　a