an episode of fiddletown-第9章

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trashiest　novels　during　recess。　　The　result　of　which　was　an

aggregation　of　quite　healthy；　quite　human；　and　very　charming　young

creatures　that　reflected　infinite　credit　on　the　Institute。　　Even

Mistress　Phillips；　to　whom　they　owed　vast　sums；　exhilarated　by　the

exuberant　spirits　and　youthful　freshness　of　her　guests；　declared

that　the　sight　of　〃them　young　things〃　did　her　good；　and　had　even

been　known　to　shield　them　by　shameless　equivocation。



〃Four　o'clock；　girls！　and；　if　we're　not　back　to　prayers　by　five；

we'll　be　missed；〃　said　the　tallest　of　these　foolish　virgins；　with

an　aquiline　nose；　and　certain　quiet　elan　that　bespoke　the　leader；

as　she　rose　from　her　seat。　　〃Have　you　got　the　books；　Addy？〃　　Addy

displayed　three　dissipated…looking　novels　under　her　waterproof。

〃And　the　provisions；　Carry？〃　　Carry　showed　a　suspicious　parcel

filling　the　pocket　of　her　sack。　　〃All　right；　then。　　Come；　girls；

trudgeCharge　it；〃　she　added；　nodding　to　her　host　as　they　passed

toward　the　door。　　〃I'll　pay　you　when　my　quarter's　allowance　comes。〃



〃No；　Kate；〃　interposed　Carry；　producing　her　purse；　〃let　me　pay；

it's　my　turn。〃



〃Never！〃　said　Kate；　arching　her　black　brows　loftily；　〃even　if　you

do　have　rich　relatives；　and　regular　remittances　from　California。

Never！　　Come；　girls；　forward；　march！〃



As　they　opened　the　door；　a　gust　of　wind　nearly　took　them　off　their

feet。　　Kindhearted　Mrs。　Phillips　was　alarmed。　　〃Sakes　alive；　galls！

ye　mussn't　go　out　in　sich　weather。　　Better　let　me　send　word　to　the

Institoot；　and　make　ye　up　a　nice　bed　tonight　in　my　parlor。〃　　But

the　last　sentence　was　lost　in　a　chorus　of　half…suppressed　shrieks

as　the　girls；　hand　in　hand；　ran　down　the　steps　into　the　storm；　and

were　at　once　whirled　away。



The　short　December　day；　unlit　by　any　sunset　glow；　was　failing　fast。

It　was　quite　dark　already；　and　the　air　was　thick　with　driving　snow。

For　some　distance　their　high　spirits；　youth；　and　even　inexperience

kept　them　bravely　up；　but；　in　ambitiously　attempting　a　short　cut

from　the　highroad　across　an　open　field；　their　strength　gave　out；

the　laugh　grew　less　frequent；　and　tears　began　to　stand　in　Carry's

brown　eyes。　　When　they　reached　the　road　again；　they　were　utterly

exhausted。　　〃Let　us　go　back；〃　said　Carry。



〃We'd　never　get　across　that　field　again；〃　said　Addy。



〃Let's　stop　at　the　first　house；　then；〃　said　Carry。



〃The　first　house；〃　said　Addy；　peering　through　the　gathering

darkness；　〃is　Squire　Robinson's。〃　　She　darted　a　mischievous　glance

at　Carry　that；　even　in　her　discomfort　and　fear；　brought　the　quick

blood　to　her　cheek。



〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Kate　with　gloomy　irony；　〃certainly；　stop　at　the

squire's　by　all　means；　and　be　invited　to　tea；　and　be　driven　home

after　by　your　dear　friend　Mr。　Harry；　with　a　formal　apology　from

Mrs。　Robinson；　and　hopes　that　the　young　ladies　may　be　excused　this

time。　　No！〃　continued　Kate　with　sudden　energy。　　〃That　may　suit　YOU；

but　I'm　going　back　as　I　cameby　the　window；　or　not　at　all〃　　Then

she　pounced　suddenly；　like　a　hawk；　on　Carry；　who　was　betraying　a

tendency　to　sit　down　on　a　snowbank　and　whimper；　and　shook　her

briskly。　　〃You'll　be　going　to　sleep　next。　　Stay；　hold　your　tongues；

all　of　youwhat's　that？〃



It　was　the　sound　of　sleigh　bells。　　Coming　down　toward　them　out　of

the　darkness　was　a　sleigh　with　a　single　occupant。　　〃Hold　down　your

heads；　girls：　if　it's　anybody　that　knows　us；　we're　lost。〃　　But　it

was　not；　for　a　voice　strange　to　their　ears；　but　withal　very　kindly

and　pleasant；　asked　if　its　owner　could　be　of　any　help　to　them。　　As

they　turned　toward　him；　they　saw　it　was　a　man　wrapped　in　a　handsome

sealskin　cloak；　wearing　a　sealskin　cap；　his　face；　half…concealed　by

a　muffler　of　the　same　material；　disclosing　only　a　pair　of　long

mustaches；　and　two　keen　dark　eyes。　　〃It's　a　son　of　old　Santa

Claus！〃　whispered　Addy。　　The　girls　tittered　audibly　as　they　tumbled

into　the　sleigh；　they　had　regained　their　former　spirits。　　〃Where

shall　I　take　you？〃　said　the　stranger　quietly。　　There　was　a　hurried

whispering；　and　then　Kate　said　boldly；　〃To　the　Institute。〃　　They

drove　silently　up　the　hill；　until　the　long；　ascetic　building　loomed

up　before　them。　　The　stranger　reined　up　suddenly。　　〃You　know　the

way　better　than　I；〃　he　said。　　〃Where　do　you　go　in？〃　　〃Through　the

back　window；〃　said　Kate　with　sudden　and　appalling　frankness。　　〃I

see！〃　responded　their　strange　driver　quietly　and；　alighting

quickly；　removed　the　bells　from　the　horses。　　〃We　can　drive　as　near

as　you　please　now；〃　he　added　by　way　of　explanation。　　〃He　certainly

is　a　son　of　Santa　Claus；〃　whispered　Addy。　　〃Hadn't　we　better　ask

after　his　father？〃　　〃Hush！〃　said　Kate　decidedly。　　〃He　is　an　angel；

I　dare　say。〃　　She　added　with　a　delicious　irrelevance；　which　was；

however；　perfectly　understood　by　her　feminine　auditors；　〃We　are

looking　like　three　frights。〃



Cautiously　skirting　the　fences；　they　at　last　pulled　up　a　few　feet

from　a　dark　wall。　　The　stranger　proceeded　to　assist　them　to　alight。

There　was　still　some　light　from　the　reflected　snow；　and　as　he

handed　his　fair　companions　to　the　ground；　each　was　conscious　of

undergoing　an　intense　though　respectful　scrutiny。　　He　assisted　them

gravely　to　open　the　window；　and　then　discreetly　retired　to　the

sleigh　until　the　difficult　and　somewhat　discomposing　ingress　was

made。　　He　then　walked　to　the　window。　　〃Thank　you　and　good　night！〃

whispered　three　voices。　　A　single　figure　still　lingered。　　The

stranger　leaned　over　the　window　sill。　　〃Will　you　permit　me　to　light

my　cigar　here？　　It　might　attract　attention　if　I　struck　a　match

outside。〃　　By　the　upspringing　light　he　saw　the　figure　of　Kate　very

charmingly　framed　in　by　the　window。　　The　match　burnt　slowly　out　in

his　fingers。　　Kate　smiled　mischievously。　　The　astute　young　woman

had　detected　the　pitiable　subterfuge。　　For　what　else　did　she　stand

at　the　head　of　her　class；　and　had　doting　parents　paid　three　years'

tuition？



The　storm　had　passed；　and　the　sun　was　shining　quite　cheerily　in　the

eastern　recitation　room　the　next　morning　when　Miss　Kate；　whose　seat

was　nearest　the　window；　placing　her　hand　pathetically　upon　her

heart；　affected　to　fall　in　bashful　and　extreme　agitation　upon　the

shoulder　of　Carry；　her　neighbor。　　〃HE　has　come；〃　she　gasped　in　a

thrilling　whisper。　　〃Who？〃　asked　Carry　sympathetically；　who　never

clearly　understood　when　Kate　was　in　earnest。　　〃Who？Why；　the　man

who　rescued　us　last　night！　　I　saw　him　drive　to　the　door　this

moment。　　Don't　speak；　I　shall　be　better　in　a　momentthere！〃　she

said；　and　the　shameless　hypocrite　passed　her　hand　pathetically

across　her　forehead　with　a　tragic　air。



〃What　can　he　want？〃　asked　Carry；　whose　curiosity　was　excited。　　〃I

don't　know；〃　said　Kate；　suddenly　relapsing　into　gloomy　cynicism。

〃Possibly　to　put　his　five　daughters　to　school；　perhaps　to　finish

his　young　wife；　and　warn　her　against　us。〃



〃He　didn't　look　old；　and　he　didn't　seem　like　a　married　man；〃

rejoined　Addy　thoughtfully。



〃That　was　his　art；　you　poor　creature！〃　returned　Kate　scornfully。

〃You　can　never　tell　anything　of　these　men；　they　are　so　deceitful。

Besides；　it's　just　my　fate！〃



〃Why；　Kate；〃　began　Carry；　in　serious　concern。



〃Hush！　　Miss　Walker　is　saying　something；〃　said　Kate；　laughing。



〃The　young　ladies　will　please　give　attention；〃　said　a　slow；

perfunctory　voice。　　〃Miss　Carry　Tretherick　is　wanted　in　the

parlor。〃



Meantime　Mr。　Jack　Prince；　the　name　given　on　the　card；　and　various

letters　and　credentials　submitted　to　the　Rev。　Mr。　Crammer；　paced

the　somewhat　severe　apartment　known　publicly　as　the　〃reception

parlor〃　and　privately　to　the　pupils　as　〃purgatory。〃　　His　keen　eyes

had　taken　in　the　various　rigid　details；　from　the　flat　steam

〃radiator；〃　like　an　enormous　japanned　soda　cracker；　that　heated　one

end　of　the　room　to　the　monumental　bust　of　Dr。　Crammer　that

hopelessly　chilled　the　other；　from　the　Lord's　Prayer；　executed　by　a

former　writing　master　in　such　gratuitous　variety　of　elegant

calligraphic　trifling　as　to　abate　consider