lavender and old lace-第17章

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ind。〃

〃You're　brilliant　this　morning；〃　answered　Winfield；　gravely；　and　she　laughed　hysterically。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　he　asked。　〃You　don't　seem　like　yourself。〃

〃It　isn't　nice　of　you　to　say　that；〃　she　retorted；　〃considering　your　previous　remark。〃

There　was　a　rumble　and　a　snort　on　the　road　and；　welcoming　the　diversion；　he　went　up　to　reconnoitre。　〃Joe's　coming；　is　there　anything　you　want　in　the　village？〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　wearily；　〃there's　nothing　I　wantanywhere。〃

〃You're　an　exceptional　woman；〃　returned　Winfield；　promptly；　〃and　I'd　advise　you　to　sit　for　your　photograph。　The　papers　would　like　it'Picture　of　the　Only　Woman　Who　Doesn't　Want　Anything'why；　that　would　work　off　an　extra　in　about　ten　minutes！〃

Ruth　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　then　turned　her　eyes　away。　He　felt　vaguely　uncomfortable；　and　was　about　to　offer　atonement　when　Joe's　deep　bass　voice　called　out：

〃Hello！〃

〃Hello　yourself！〃　came　in　Hepsey's　highest　tones；　from　the　garden。

〃Want　anything　to…day？〃

〃Nope！〃

There　was　a　brief　pause；　and　then　Joe　shouted　again：　〃Hepsey！〃

〃Well？〃

〃I　should　think　they'd　break　their　vocal　cords；〃　said　Winfield。

〃I　wish　they　would；〃　rejoined　Ruth；　quickly。

〃Come　here！〃　yelled　Joe。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　yer。〃

〃Talk　from　there；〃　screamed　Hepsey。

〃Where's　yer　folks？〃

〃D'know。〃

〃Say；　be　they　courtin'？〃

Hepsey　left　her　work　in　the　garden　and　came　toward　the　front　of　the　house。　〃They　walk　out　some；〃　she　said；　when　she　was　halfway　to　the　gate；　〃and　they　set　up　a　good　deal；　and　Miss　Thorne　told　me　she　didn't　know　as　she'd　do　better；　but　you　can't　rightly　say　they're　courtin''cause　city　ways　ain't　like　our'n。〃

The　deep　colour　dyed　Ruth's　face　and　her　hands　twitched　nervously。　Winfield　very　much　desired　to　talk；　but　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。　The　situation　was　tense。

Joe　clucked　to　his　horses。　〃So　long；〃　he　said。　〃See　yer　later。〃

Ruth　held　her　breath　until　he　passed　them；　and　then　broke　down。　Her　self　control　was　quite　gone；　and　she　sobbed　bitterly；　in　grief　and　shame。　Winfield　tucked　his　handkerchief　into　her　cold　hands；　not　knowing　what　else　to　do。

〃Don't！〃　he　said；　as　if　he；　too；　had　been　hurt。　〃Ruth；　dear；　don't　cry！〃

A　new　tenderness　almost　unmanned　him；　but　he　sat　still　with　his　hands　clenched；　feeling　like　a　brute　because　of　her　tears。

The　next　few　minutes　seemed　like　an　hour；　then　Ruth　raised　her　head　and　tried　to　smile。　〃I　expect　you　think　I'm　silly；〃　she　said；　hiding　her　tear　stained　face　again。

〃No！〃　he　cried；　sharply；　then；　with　a　catch　in　his　throat；　he　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。

〃Don't！〃　she　sobbed；　turning　away　from　him；　〃whatwhat　they　saidwas　bad　enough！〃

The　last　words　ended　in　a　rush　of　tears；　and；　sorely　distressed；　he　began　to　walk　back　and　forth。　Then　a　bright　idea　came　to　him。

〃I'll　be　back　in　a　minute；〃　he　said。

When　he　returned；　he　had　a　tin　dipper；　freshly　filled　with　cold　water。　〃Don't　cry　any　more；〃　he　pleaded；　gently；　〃I'm　going　to　bathe　your　face。〃

Ruth　leaned　back　against　the　tree　and　he　knelt　beside　her。　〃Oh；　that　feels　so　good；〃　she　said；　gratefully；　as　she　felt　his　cool　fingers　upon　her　burning　eyes。　In　a　little　while　she　was　calm　again；　though　her　breast　still　heaved　with　every　fluttering　breath。

〃You　poor　little　woman；〃　he　said；　tenderly；　〃you're　just　as　nervous　as　you　can　be。　Don't　feel　so　about　it。　just　suppose　it　was　somebody　who　wasn't！〃

〃Who　wasn't　what？〃　asked　Ruth；　innocently。

Winfield　crimsoned　to　the　roots　of　his　hair　and　hurled　the　dipper　into　the　distance。

〃Whatwhatthey　said；〃　he　stammered；　sitting　down　awkwardly。　〃Oh；　darn　it！〃　He　kicked　savagely　at　a　root；　and　added；　in　bitterest　self　accusation；　〃I'm　a　chump；　I　am！〃

〃No　you're　not；〃　returned　Ruth；　with　sweet　shyness；　〃you're　nice。　Now　we'll　read　some　more　of　the　paper。〃

He　assumed　a　feverish　interest　in　the　market　reports；　but　his　thoughts　were　wandering。　Certainly；　nothing　could　have　been　worse。　He　felt　as　if　a　bud；　which　he　had　been　long　and　eagerly　watching；　was　suddenly　torn　open　by　a　vandal　hand。　When　he　first　touched　Ruth's　eyes　with　his　finger　tips；　he　had　trembled　like　a　schoolboy；　and　he　wondered　if　she　knew　it。

If　she　did；　she　made　no　sign。　Her　cheeks　were　flushed；　the　lids　of　her　downcast　eyes　were　pink；　and　her　voice　had　lost　its　crisp；　incisive　tones；　but　she　read　rapidly；　without　comment　or　pause；　until　the　supply　of　news　gave　out。　Then　she　began　on　the　advertisements；　dreading　the　end　of　her　task　and　vainly　wishing　for　more　papers；　though　in　her　heart　there　was　something　sweet；　which；　even　to　herself；　she　dared　not　name。

〃That'll　do；〃　he　said；　abruptly；　〃I'm　not　interested　in　the　'midsummer　glove　clearing。'　I　meant　to　tell　you　something　when　I　first　cameI've　got　to　go　away。〃

Ruth's　heart　throbbed　painfully；　as　if　some　cold　hand　held　it　fast。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　politely；　not　recognising　her　own　voice。

〃It's　only　for　a　weekI've　got　to　go　to　the　oculist　and　see　about　some　other　things。　I'll　be　back　before　long。〃

〃I　shall　miss　you；〃　she　said；　conventionally。　Then　she　saw　that　he　was　going　away　to　relieve　her　from　the　embarrassment　of　his　presence；　and　blessed　him　accordingly。

〃When　are　you　going？〃　she　asked。

〃This　afternoon。　I　don't　want　to　go；　but　it's　just　as　well　to　have　it　over　with。　Can　I　do　anything　for　you　in　the　city？〃

〃No；　thank　you。　My　wants　are　few　and；　at　present；　well　supplied。〃

〃Don't　you　want　me　to　match　something　for　you？　I　thought　women　always　had　pieces　of　stuff　that　had　to　be　matched　immediately。〃

〃They　made　you　edit　the　funny　column；　didn't　they？〃　she　asked；　irrelevantly。

〃They　did；　Miss　Thorne；　and；　moreover；　I　expect　I'll　have　to　do　it　again。〃

After　a　little；　they　were　back　on　the　old　footing；　yet　everything　was　different；　for　there　was　an　obtruding　self　consciousness　on　either　side。　〃What　time　do　you　go？〃　she　asked；　with　assumed　indifference。

〃Three…fifteen；　I　think；　and　it's　after　one　now。〃

He　walked　back　to　the　house　with　her；　and；　for　the　second　time　that　day；　Hepsey　came　out　to　sweep　the　piazza。

〃Good　bye；　Miss　Thorne；〃　he　said。

〃Good　bye；　Mr。　Winfield。〃

That　was　all；　but　Ruth　looked　up　with　an　unspoken　question　and　his　eyes　met　hers　clearly；　with　no　turning　aside。　She　knew　he　would　come　back　very　soon　and　she　understood　his　answerthat　he　had　the　right。

As　she　entered　the　house；　Hepsey　said；　pleasantly：　〃Has　he　gone　away；　Miss　Thorne？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　without　emotion。　She　was　about　to　say　that　she　did　not　care　for　luncheon；　then　decided　that　she　must　seem　to　care。

Still；　it　was　impossible　to　escape　that　keen…eyed　observer。　〃You　ain't　eatin'　much；〃　she　suggested。

〃I'm　not　very　hungry。〃

〃Be　you　sick；　Miss　Thorne？〃

〃Nonot　exactly。　I've　been　out　in　the　sun　and　my　head　aches；〃　she　replied；　clutching　at　the　straw。

〃Do　you　want　a　wet　rag？〃

Ruth　laughed；　remembering　an　earlier　suggestion　of　Winfield's。　〃No；　I　don't　want　any　wet　rag；　Hepsey；　but　I'll　go　up　to　my　room　for　a　little　while；　I　think。　Please　don't　disturb　me。〃

She　locked　her　door；　shutting　out　all　the　world　from　the　nameless　joy　that　surged　in　her　heart。　The　mirror　disclosed　flushed；　feverish　cheeks　and　dark　eyes　that　shone　like　stars。　〃Ruth　Thorne；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃I'm　ashamed　of　you！　First　you　act　like　a　fool　and　then　like　a　girl　of　sixteen！〃

Then　her　senses　became　confused　and　the　objects　in　the　room　circled　around　her　unsteadily。　〃I'm　tired；〃　she　murmured。　Her　head　sank　drowsily　into　the　lavender　scented　pillow　and　she　slept　too　soundly　to　take　note　of　the　three　o'clock　train　leaving　the　station。　It　was　almost　sunset　when　she　was　aroused　by　voices　under　her　window。

〃That　feller's　gone　home；〃　said　Joe。

〃Do　tell！〃　exclaimed　Hepsey。　〃Did　he　pay　his　board？〃

〃Yep；　every　cent。　He's　a…comin'　back。〃

〃When？〃

〃D'know。　Don't　she　know？〃　The　emphasis　indicated　Miss　Thorne。

〃I　guess　not；〃　answered　Hepsey。　〃They　said　good　bye　right　in　front　of　me；　and　there　wa'n't　nothin'　said　about　it。〃

〃They　ain't　courtin'；　then；〃　said　Joe；　after　a　few　moments　of　painful　thought；　and　Ruth；　in　her　chamber　above；　laughed　happily　to　herself。

〃Mebbe　not；〃　rejoined　Hepsey。　〃It　ain't　fer　sech　as　me　to　say　when　there's　courtin'　and　when　there　ain't；　after　havin'　g