the golden road-第16章

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〃Well；　I've　got　so　sunburned　I'm　afraid　folks　might　take　me　for　an　Injun；〃　explained　Peg；　quite　seriously。　　〃Besides；　your　minister　makes　such　awful　long　prayers。　　Why　does　he　do　it？〃

〃I　suppose　he　finds　it　easier　to　talk　to　God　than　to　people；〃　suggested　Peter　reflectively。

〃Well；　anyway；　I　belong　to　the　round　church；〃　said　Peg　comfortably；　〃and　so　the　devil　can't　catch　ME　at　the　corners。　　I　haven't　been　to　Carlisle　church　for　over　three　years。　　I　thought　I'd　a…died　laughing　the　last　time　I　was　there。　　Old　Elder　Marr　took　up　the　collection　that　day。　　He'd　on　a　pair　of　new　boots　and　they　squeaked　all　the　way　up　and　down　the　aisles。　　And　every　time　the　boots　squeaked　the　elder　made　a　face；　like　he　had　toothache。　　It　was　awful　funny。　　How's　your　missionary　quilt　coming　on；　Cecily？〃

Was　there　anything　Peg　didn't　know？

〃Very　well；〃　said　Cecily。

〃You　can　put　my　name　on　it；　if　you　want　to。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you。　　Which　sectionthe　five…cent　one　or　the　ten…cent　one？〃　asked　Cecily　timidly。

〃The　ten…cent　one；　of　course。　　The　best　is　none　too　good　for　me。　　I'll　give　you　the　ten　cents　another　time。　　I'm　short　of　change　just　nownot　being　as　rich　as　Queen　Victory。　　There's　her　picture　up　therethe　one　with　the　blue　sash　and　diamint　crown　and　the　lace　curting　on　her　head。　　Can　any　of　yez　tell　me　thisis　Queen　Victory　a　married　woman？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　but　her　husband　is　dead；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl。

〃Well；　I　s'pose　they　couldn't　have　called　her　an　old　maid；　seeing　she　was　a　queen；　even　if　she'd　never　got　married。　　Sometimes　I　sez　to　myself；　'Peg；　would　you　like　to　be　Queen　Victory？'　But　I　never　know　what　to　answer。　　In　summer；　when　I　can　roam　anywhere　in　the　woods　and　the　sunshineI　wouldn't　be　Queen　Victory　for　anything。　　But　when　it's　winter　and　cold　and　I　can't　git　nowheresI　feel　as　if　I　wouldn't　mind　changing　places　with　her。〃

Peg　put　her　pipe　back　in　her　mouth　and　began　to　smoke　fiercely。　　The　candle　wick　burned　long；　and　was　topped　by　a　little　cap　of　fiery　red　that　seemed　to　wink　at　us　like　an　impish　gnome。　　The　most　grotesque　shadow　of　Peg　flickered　over　the　wall　behind　her。　　The　one…eyed　cat　remitted　his　grim　watch　and　went　to　sleep。　　Outside　the　wind　screamed　like　a　ravening　beast　at　the　window。　　Suddenly　Peg　removed　her　pipe　from　her　mouth；　bent　forward；　gripped　my　wrist　with　her　sinewy　fingers　until　I　almost　cried　out　with　pain；　and　gazed　straight　into　my　face。　　I　felt　horribly　frightened　of　her。　　She　seemed　an　entirely　different　creature。　　A　wild　light　was　in　her　eyes；　a　furtive；　animal…like　expression　was　on　her　face。　　When　she　spoke　it　was　in　a　different　voice　and　in　different　language。

〃Do　you　hear　the　wind？〃　she　asked　in　a　thrilling　whisper。　　〃What　IS　the　wind？　　What　IS　the　wind？〃

〃IIdon't　know；〃　I　stammered。

〃No　more　do　I；〃　said　Peg；　〃and　nobody　knows。　　Nobody　knows　what　the　wind　is。　　I　wish　I　could　find　out。　　I　mightn't　be　so　afraid　of　the　wind　if　I　knew　what　it　was。　　I　am　afraid　of　it。　　When　the　blasts　come　like　that　I　want　to　crouch　down　and　hide　me。　　But　I　can　tell　you　one　thing　about　the　windit's　the　only　free　thing　in　the　worldTHEONLYFREETHING。　　Everything　else　is　subject　to　some　law；　but　the　wind　is　FREE。　　It　bloweth　where　it　listeth　and　no　man　can　tame　it。　　It's　freethat's　why　I　love　it；　though　I'm　afraid　of　it。　　It's　a　grand　thing　to　be　freefree　freefree！〃

Peg's　voice　rose　almost　to　a　shriek。　　We　were　dreadfully　frightened；　for　we　knew　there　were　times　when　she　was　quite　crazy　and　we　feared　one　of　her　〃spells〃　was　coming　on　her。　　But　with　a　swift　movement　she　turned　the　man's　coat　she　wore　up　over　her　shoulders　and　head　like　a　hood；　completely　hiding　her　face。　　Then　she　crouched　forward；　elbows　on　knees；　and　relapsed　into　silence。　　None　of　us　dared　speak　or　move。　　We　sat　thus　for　half　an　hour。　　Then　Peg　jumped　up　and　said　briskly　in　her　usual　tone；

〃Well；　I　guess　yez　are　all　sleepy　and　ready　for　bed。　　You　girls　can　sleep　in　my　bed　over　there；　and　I'll　take　the　sofy。　　Yez　can　put　the　cat　off　if　yez　like；　though　he　won't　hurt　yez。　　You　boys　can　go　downstairs。　　There's　a　big　pile　of　straw　there　that'll　do　yez　for　a　bed；　if　yez　put　your　coats　on。　　I'll　light　yez　down；　but　I　ain't　going　to　leave　yez　a　light　for　fear　yez'd　set　fire　to　the　place。〃

Saying　good…night　to　the　girls；　who　looked　as　if　they　thought　their　last　hour　was　come；　we　went　to　the　lower　room。　　It　was　quite　empty；　save　for　a　pile　of　fire　wood　and　another　of　clean　straw。　　Casting　a　stealthy　glance　around；　ere　Peg　withdrew　the　light；　I　was　relieved　to　see　that　there　were　no　skulls　in　sight。　　We　four　boys　snuggled　down　in　the　straw。　　We　did　not　expect　to　sleep；　but　we　were　very　tired　and　before　we　knew　it　our　eyes　were　shut；　to　open　no　more　till　morning。　　The　poor　girls　were　not　so　fortunate。　　They　always　averred　they　never　closed　an　eye。　　Four　things　prevented　them　from　sleeping。　　In　the　first　place　Peg　snored　loudly；　in　the　second　place　the　fitful　gleams　of　firelight　kept　flickering　over　the　skull　for　half　the　night　and　making　gruesome　effects　on　it；　in　the　third　place　Peg's　pillows　and　bedclothes　smelled　rankly　of　tobacco　smoke；　and　in　the　fourth　place　they　were　afraid　the　rat　Peg　had　spoken　of　might　come　out　to　make　their　acquaintance。　　Indeed；　they　were　sure　they　heard　him　skirmishing　about　several　times。

When　we　wakened　in　the　morning　the　storm　was　over　and　a　young　morning　was　looking　through　rosy　eyelids　across　a　white　world。　　The　little　clearing　around　Peg's　cabin　was　heaped　with　dazzling　drifts；　and　we　boys　fell　to　and　shovelled　out　a　road　to　her　well。　　She　gave　us　breakfaststiff　oatmeal　porridge　without　milk；　and　a　boiled　egg　apiece。　　Cecily　could　NOT　eat　her　porridge；　she　declared　she　had　such　a　bad　cold　that　she　had　no　appetite；　a　cold　she　certainly　had；　the　rest　of　us　choked　our　messes　down　and　after　we　had　done　so　Peg　asked　us　if　we　had　noticed　a　soapy　taste。

〃The　soap　fell　into　the　porridge　while　I　was　making　it；〃　she　said。　　〃But；〃smacking　her　lips；〃I'm　going　to　make　yez　an　Irish　stew　for　dinner。　　It'll　be　fine。〃

An　Irish　stew　concocted　by　Peg！　　No　wonder　Dan　said　hastily；

〃You　are　very　kind　but　we'll　have　to　go　right　home。〃

〃Yez　can't　walk；〃　said　Peg。

〃Oh；　yes；　we　can。　　The　drifts　are　so　hard　they'll　carry；　and　the　snow　will　be　pretty　well　blown　off　the　middle　of　the　fields。　　It's　only　three…quarters　of　a　mile。　　We　boys　will　go　home　and　get　a　pung　and　come　back　for　you　girls。〃

But　the　girls　wouldn't　listen　to　this。　　They　must　go　with　us；　even　Cecily。

〃Seems　to　me　yez　weren't　in　such　a　hurry　to　leave　last　night；〃　observed　Peg　sarcastically。

〃Oh；　it's　only　because　they'll　be　so　anxious　about　us　at　home；　and　it's　Sunday　and　we　don't　want　to　miss　Sunday　School；〃　explained　Felicity。

〃Well；　I　hope　your　Sunday　School　will　do　yez　good；〃　said　Peg；　rather　grumpily。　　But　she　relented　again　at　the　last　and　gave　Cecily　a　wishbone。

〃Whatever　you　wish　on　that　will　come　true；〃　she　said。　　〃But　you　only　have　the　one　wish；　so　don't　waste　it。〃

〃We're　so　much　obliged　to　you　for　all　your　trouble；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　politely。

〃Never　mind　the　trouble。　　The　expense　is　the　thing；〃　retorted　Peg　grimly。

〃Oh！〃　Felicity　hesitated。　　〃If　you　would　let　us　pay　yougive　you　something〃

〃No；　thank　yez；〃　responded　Peg　loftily。　　〃There　is　people　who　take　money　for　their　hospitality；　I've　heerd；　but　I'm　thankful　to　say　I　don't　associate　with　that　class。　　Yez　are　welcome　to　all　yez　have　had　here；　if　yez　ARE　in　a　big　hurry　to　get　away。〃

She　shut　the　door　behind　us　with　something　of　a　slam；　and　her　black　cat　followed　us　so　far；　with　stealthy；　furtive　footsteps；　that　we　were　frightened　of　it。　　Eventually　it　turned　back；　then；　and　not　till　then；　did　we　feel　free　to　discuss　our　adventure。

〃Well；　I'm　thankful　we're　out　of　THAT；〃　said　Felicity；　drawing　a　long　breath。　　〃Hasn't　it　just　been　an　awful　experience？〃

〃We　might　all　have　been　found　frozen　stark　and　stiff　this　morning；〃　remarked　the　Story　Girl　with　apparent　relish。

〃I　tell　you；　it　was　a　lucky　thing　we　got　to　Peg　Bowen's；〃　said　Dan。

〃Miss　Marwood　says　there　is　no　such　thing　as　luck；〃　protested　Cecily。　　〃We　ought　to　say　it　was　Providence　instead。〃

〃Well；　Peg　and　Providence　don't　seem　to　go　together　very　well；　somehow；〃　retorted　Dan。　　〃If　Peg　is