lavender and old lace-第21节

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〃No；　guess　again。〃

〃Chocolates？〃

〃Who'd　think　you　were　so　stupid；〃　he　said；　putting　two　fingers　into　his　waistcoat　pocket。

〃Ohh！〃　gasped　Ruth；　in　delight。

〃You　funny　girl；　didn't　you　expect　an　engagement　ring？　Let's　see　if　it　fits。〃

He　slipped　the　gleaming　diamond　on　her　finger　and　it　fitted　exactly。　〃How　did　you　guess？〃　she　asked；　after　a　little。

〃It　wasn't　wholly　guess　work；　dearest。〃　From　another　pocket；　he　drew　a　glove；　of　grey　suede；　that　belonged　to　Ruth's　left　hand。

〃Where　did　you　get　that？〃

〃By　the　log　across　the　path；　that　first　day；　when　you　were　so　cross　to　me。〃

〃I　wasn't　cross！〃

〃Yes　you　wereyou　were　a　little　fiend。〃

〃Will　you　forgive　me？〃　she　pleaded；　lifting　her　face　to　his。

〃Rather！〃　He　forgave　her　half　a　dozen　times　before　she　got　away　from　him。　〃Now　let's　talk　sense；〃　she　said。

〃We　can'tI　never　expect　to　talk　sense　again。〃

〃Pretty　compliment；　isn't　it？〃　she　asked。　〃It's　like　your　telling　me　I　was　brilliant　and　then　saying　I　wasn't　at　all　like　myself。〃　〃Won't　you　forgive　me？〃　he　inquired　significantly。

〃Some　other　time；〃　she　said；　flushing；　〃now　what　are　we　going　to　do？〃

〃Well；〃　he　began；　〃I　saw　the　oculist；　and　he　says　that　my　eyes　are　almost　well　again；　but　that　I　mustn't　use　them　for　two　weeks　longer。　Then；　I　can　read　or　write　for　two　hours　every　day；　increasing　gradually　as　long　as　they　don't　hurt。　By　the　first　of　October；　he　thinks　I'll　be　ready　for　work　again。　Carlton　wants　me　to　report　on　the　morning　of　the　fifth；　and　he　offers　me　a　better　salary　than　I　had　on　The　Herald。〃

〃That's　good！〃

〃We'll　have　to　have　a　flat　in　the　city；　or　a　little　house　in　the　country；　near　enough　for　me　to　get　to　the　offce。〃

〃For　us　to　get　to　the　office；〃　supplemented　Ruth。

〃What　do　you　think　you're　going　to　do；　Miss　Thorne？〃

〃WhyI'm　going　to　keep　right　on　with　the　paper；〃　she　answered　in　surprise。

〃No　you're　not；　darling；〃　he　said；　putting　his　arm　around　her。　〃Do　you　suppose　I'm　going　to　have　Carlton　or　any　other　man　giving　my　wife　an　assignment？　You　can't　any　way；　because　I've　resigned　your　position　for　you；　and　your　place　is　already　filled。　Carlton　sent　his　congratulations　and　said　his　loss　was　my　gain；　or　something　like　that。　He　takes　all　the　credit　to　himself。〃

〃Whywhyyou　wretch！〃

〃I'm　not　a　wretchyou　said　yourself　I　was　nice。　Look　here；　Ruth；〃　he　went　on；　in　a　different　tone；　〃what　do　you　think　I　am？　Do　you　think　for　a　minute　that　I'd　marry　you　if　I　couldn't　take　care　of　you？〃

〃'T　isn't　that；〃　she　replied；　freeing　herself　from　his　encircling　arm；　〃but　I　like　my　work　and　I　don't　want　to　give　it　up。　Besides　besidesI　thought　you'd　like　to　have　me　near　you。〃

〃I　do　want　you　near　me；　sweetheart；　that　isn't　the　point。　You　have　the　same　right　that　I　have　to　any　work　that　is　your　natural　expression；　but；　in　spite　of　the　advanced　age　in　which　we　live；　I　can't　help　believing　that　home　is　the　place　for　a　woman。　I　may　be　old…fashioned；　but　I　don't　want　my　wife　working　down　townI've　got　too　much　pride　for　that。　You　have　your　typewriter；　and　you　can　turn　out　Sunday　specials　by　the　yard；　if　you　want　to。　Besides；　there　are　all　the　returned　manuscriptsif　you　have　the　time　and　aren't　hurried；　there's　no　reason　why　you　shouldn't　do　work　that　they　can't　afford　to　refuse。〃

Ruth　was　silent；　and　he　laid　his　hand　upon　hers。　〃You　understand　me；　don't　you；　dear？　God　knows　I'm　not　asking　you　to　let　your　soul　rust　out　in　idleness；　and　I　wouldn't　have　you　crave　expression　that　was　denied　you；　but　I　don't　want　you　to　have　to　work　when　you　don't　feel　like　it；　nor　be　at　anybody's　beck　and　call。　I　know　you　did　good　work　on　the　paperCarlton　spoke　of　it；　toobut　others　can　do　it　as　well。　I　want　you　to　do　something　that　is　so　thoroughly　you　that　no　one　else　can　do　it。　It's　a　hard　life；　Ruth；　you　know　that　as　well　as　I　do；　and　II　love　you。〃

His　last　argument　was　convincing。　〃I　won't　do　anything　you　don't　want　me　to　do；　dear；〃　she　said；　with　a　new　humility。

〃I　want　you　to　be　happy；　dearest；〃　he　answered；　quickly。　〃Just　try　my　way　for　a　yearthat's　all　I　ask。　I　know　your　independence　is　sweet　to　you；　but　the　privilege　of　working　for　you　with　hand　and　brain；　with　your　love　in　my　heart；　with　you　at　home；　to　be　proud　of　me　when　I　succeed　and　to　give　me　new　courage　when　I　fail；　why；　it's　the　sweetest　thing　I've　ever　known。〃

〃I'll　have　to　go　back　to　town　very　soon；　though；〃　she　said；　a　little　later；　〃I　am　interrupting　the　honeymoon。〃

〃We'll　have　one　of　our　own　very　soon　that　you　can't　interrupt；　and；　when　you　go　back；　I'm　going　with　you。　We'll　buy　things　for　the　house。〃

〃We　need　lots　of　things；　don't　we？〃　she　asked。

〃I　expect　we　do；　darling；　but　I　haven't　the　least　idea　what　they　are。　You'll　have　to　tell　me。〃

〃Oriental　rugs；　for　one　thing；〃　she　said；　〃and　a　mahogany　piano；　and　an　instrument　to　play　it　with；　because　I　haven't　any　parlour　tricks；　and　some　good　pictures；　and　a　waffle　iron　and　a　porcelain　rolling　pin。〃

〃What　do　you　know　about　rolling　pins　and　waffle　irons？〃　he　asked　fondly。

〃My　dear　boy；〃　she　replied；　patronisingly；　　〃you　forget　that　in　the　days　when　I　was　a　free　and　independent　woman；　I　was　on　a　newspaper。　I　know　lots　of　things　that　are　utterly　strange　to　you；　because；　in　all　probability；　you　never　ran　a　woman's　department。　If　you　want　soup；　you　must　boil　meat　slowly；　and　if　you　want　meat；　you　must　boil　it　rapidly；　and　if　dough　sticks　to　a　broom　straw　when　you　jab　it　into　a　cake；　it　isn't　done。〃

He　laughed　joyously。　〃How　about　the　porcelain　rolling　pin？〃

〃It's　germ　proof；〃　she　rejoined；　soberly。

〃Are　we　going　to　keep　house　on　the　antiseptic　plan？〃

〃We　areit's　better　than　the　installment　plan；　isn't　it？　Oh；　Carl！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I've　had　the　brightest　idea！〃

〃Spring　it！〃　he　demanded。

〃Why；　Aunt　Jane's　attic　is　full　of　old　furniture；　and　I　believe　she'll　give　it　to　us！〃

His　face　fell。　〃How　charming；〃　he　said；　without　emotion。

〃Oh；　you　stupid；〃　she　laughed；　〃it's　colonial　mahogany；　every　stick　of　it！　It　only　needs　to　be　done　over！〃

〃Ruth；　you're　a　genius。〃

〃Wait　till　I　get　it；　before　you　praise　me。　Just　stay　here　a　minute　and　I'll　run　up　to　see　what　frame　of　mind　she's　in。〃

When　she　entered　the　kitchen；　the　bride　was　busily　engaged　in　getting　supper。　Uncle　James；　with　a　blue　gingham　apron　tied　under　his　arms；　was　awkwardly　peeling　potatoes。　〃Oh；　how　good　that　smells！〃　exclaimed　Ruth；　as　a　spicy　sheet　of　gingerbread　was　taken　out　of　the　oven。

Aunt　Jane　looked　at　her　kindly；　with　gratified　pride　beaming　from　every　feature。　〃I　wish　you'd　teach　me　to　cook；　Aunty；〃　she　continued；　following　up　her　advantage；　〃you　know　I'm　going　to　marry　Mr。　Winfield。〃

〃Why；　yes；　I'll　teach　youwhere　is　he？〃

〃He's　outsideI　just　came　in　to　speak　to　you　a　minute。〃

〃You　can　ask　him　to　supper　if　you　want　to。〃

〃Thank　you；　Aunty；　that's　lovely　of　you。　I　know　he'll　like　to　stay。〃

〃James；〃　said　Mrs。　Ball；　〃you're　peelin'　them　pertaters　with　thick　peelins'and　you'll　land　in　the　poorhouse。　I've　never　knowed　it　to　fail。〃

〃I　wanted　to　ask　you　something；　Aunty；〃　Ruth　went　on　quickly；　though　feeling　that　the　moment　was　not　auspicious；　〃you　know　all　that　old　furniture　up　in　the　attic？〃

〃Well；　what　of　it？〃

〃Whywhyyou　aren't　using　it；　you　know；　and　I　thought　perhaps　you'd　be　willing　to　give　it　to　us；　so　that　we　can　go　to　housekeeping　as　soon　as　we're　married。〃

〃It　was　your　grandmother's；〃　Aunt　Jane　replied　after　long　thought；　〃and；　as　you　say；　I　ain't　usin'　it。　I　don't　know　but　what　you　might　as　well　have　it　as　anybody　else。　I　lay　out　to　buy　me　a　new　haircloth　parlour　suit　with　that　two　hundred　dollars　of　James'she　give　the　minister　the　hull　four　dollars　over　and　above　thatandyes；　you　can　have　it；〃　she　concluded。

Ruth　kissed　her；with　real　feeling。　〃Thank　you　so　much；　Aunty。　It　will　be　lovely　to　have　something　tlhat　was　my　grandmother's。〃

When　she　went　back　to　Winfield；　he　was　absorbed　in　a　calculation　he　was　making　on　the　back　of　an　envelope。

〃You're　not　to　use　your　eyes；〃　she　said　warningly；　〃and；　oh　Carl！　It　was　my　grandmother's　and　she's　given　us　every　bit　of　it；　and　you're　to　stay　to　supper！〃

〃Must　be　in　a　fine　humour；〃　he　observed。　〃I'm　ever　so　glad。　Come　here；　darling；　you　don't　know　how　I've　missed　you。〃

〃I've　been　earning　furniture；〃　she　said；　settling　down　beside　him。　〃People　earn　what　they　get　from　AuntyI　won't　say　that；　though；　because　it's　mean。〃

〃Tell　me　about　this　remarkable　furniture。　What　is　it；　and　how　much　of　it　is　destined　to　glorify　our　humble　cottage？〃

〃It's　all　ours；〃　she　returned　serenely；　〃but　I　don't　know　just　how　much　there　is。　I　didn't　look　at　it　closely；　you　know；　because　I　never　expected　to　have　any　of　it。　Let's　seethere's　a　heavy　dresser；　and　a　large；　round　table；　with　claw　feetthat's　our　dining…table；　and　there's　a　bed；　just　like　those　in　the　windows　in　town；　when　it's　done　over；　and　there's　a　big　old…fashioned　sofa；　and　a　spinning…wheel〃

〃Are　you　going　to　spin？〃

〃Hush；　don't　interrupt。　There　are　five　chairsdining…room　chairs；　and　two　small　tables；　and　a　card　table　with　a　leaf　that　you　can　stand　up　against　the　wall；　and　two　lovely　rockers；　and　I　don't　know　what　else。〃

〃That's　a　fairly　complete　inventory；　considering　that　you　'didn't　look　at　it　closely。'　What　a　little　humbug　you　ar