lavender and old lace-第3章

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a　glimpse　of　an　old…fashioned　gentlewoman；　reserved　and　yet　gracious。

She　folded　her　napkin；　saying：　〃You　make　the　best　biscuits　I　ever　tasted；　Hepsey。〃　The　girl　smiled；　but　made　no　reply。

〃What　makes　you　think　Miss　Ainslie　has　anything　to　do　with　the　light？〃　she　inquired　after　a　little。

〃'Cause　there　wasn't　no　light　in　that　winder　when　I　first　comeleastways；　not　as　I　know　ofand　after　I'd　been　here　a　week　or　so；　Miss　Hathaway；　she　come　back　from　there　one　day　looking　kinder　strange。　She　didn't　say　much；　but　the　next　mornin'　she　goes　down　to　town　and　buys　that　lamp；　and　she　saws　off　them　table　legs　herself。　Every　night　since；　that　light's　been　a…goin'；　and　she　puts　it　out　herself　every　mornin'　before　she　comes　downstairs。〃

〃Perhaps　she　and　Miss　Ainslie　had　been　talking　of　shipwreck；　and　she　thought　she　would　have　a　little　lighthouse　of　her　own；〃　Miss　Thorne　suggested；　when　the　silence　became　oppressive。

〃P'raps　so；〃　rejoined　Hepsey。　She　had　become　stolid　again。

Ruth　pushed　her　chair　back　and　stood　at　the　dining…room　window　a　moment；　looking　out　into　the　yard。　The　valley　was　in　shadow；　but　the　last　light　still　lingered　on　the　hill。　〃What's　that；　Hepsey？〃　she　asked。

〃What's　what？〃

〃Thatwhere　the　evergreen　is　coming　up　out　of　the　ground；　in　the　shape　of　a　square。〃

〃That's　the　cat's　grave；　mum。　She　died　jest　afore　Miss　Hathaway　went　away；　and　she　planted　the　evergreen。〃

〃I　thought　something　was　lacking；〃　said　Ruth；　half　to　herself。

〃Do　you　want　a　kitten；　Miss　Thorne？〃　inquired　Hepsey；　eagerly。　〃I　reckon　I　can　get　you　oneMaltese　or　white；　just　as　you　like。〃

〃No；　thank　you；　Hepsey；　I　don't　believe　I'll　import　any　pets。〃

〃Jest　as　you　say；　mum。　It's　sorter　lonesome；　though；　with　no　cat；　and　Miss　Hathaway　said　she　didn't　want　no　more。〃

Speculating　upon　the　departed　cat's　superior　charms；　that　made　substitution　seem　like　sacrilege　to　Miss　Hathaway；　Ruth　sat　down　for　a　time　in　the　old…fashioned　parlour；　where　the　shabby　haircloth　furniture　was　ornamented　with　〃tidies〃　to　the　last　degree。　There　was　a　marble…topped　centre　table　in　the　room；　and　a　basket　of　wax　flowers　under　a　glass　case；　Mrs。　Hemans's　poems；　another　book；　called　The　Lady's　Garland；　and　the　family　Bible　were　carefully　arranged　upon　it。

A　hair　wreath；　also　sheltered　by　glass；　hung　on　the　wall　near　another　collection　of　wax　flowers　suitably　framed。　There　were　various　portraits　of　people　whom　Miss　Thorne　did　not　know；　though　she　was　a　near　relative　of　their　owner；　and　two　tall；　white　china　vases；　decorated　with　gilt；　flanked　the　mantel…shelf。　The　carpet；　which　was　once　of　the　speaking　variety；　had　faded　to　the　listening　point。　Coarse　lace　curtains　hung　from　brass　rings　on　wooden　poles；　and　red　cotton　lambrequins　were　festooned　at　the　top。

Hepsey　came　in　to　light　the　lamp　that　hung　by　chains　over　the　table；　but　Miss　Thorne　rose；　saying：　〃You　needn't　mind；　Hepsey；　as　I　am　going　upstairs。〃

〃Want　me　to　help　you　unpack？　she　asked；　doubtless　wishing　for　a　view　of　〃city　clothes。〃

〃No；　thank　you。〃

〃I　put　a　pitcher　of　water　in　your　room；　Miss　Thorne。　Is　there　anything　else　you　would　like？〃

〃Nothing　more；　thank　you。〃

She　still　lingered；　irresolute；　shifting　from　one　foot　to　the　other。　〃Miss　Thorne〃　she　began　hesitatingly。

〃Yes？〃

〃Be　yoube　you　a　lady　detective？〃　Ruth's　clear　laughter　rang　out　on　the　evening　air。　〃Why；　no；　you　foolish　girl；　I'm　a　newspaper　woman；　and　I've　earned　a　restthat's　all。　You　mustn't　read　books　with　yellow　covers。〃

Hepsey　withdrew；　muttering　vague　apologies；　and　Ruth　found　her　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　when　she　went　up　to　her　room。　〃How　long　have　you　been　with　Miss　Hathaway？〃　she　asked。

〃Five　years　come　next　June。〃

〃Good　night；　Hepsey。〃

〃Good　night；　Miss　Thorne。〃

From　sheer　force　of　habit；　Ruth　locked　her　door。　Her　trunk　was　not　a　large　one；　and　it　did　not　take　her　long　to　put　her　simple　wardrobe　into　the　capacious　closet　and　the　dresser　drawers。　As　she　moved　the　empty　trunk　into　the　closet；　she　remembered　the　box　of　money　that　she　had　left　in　the　attic；　and　went　up　to　get　it。　When　she　returned　she　heard　Hepsey's　door　close　softly。

〃Silly　child；〃　she　said　to　herself。　I　might　just　as　well　ask　her　if　she　isn't　a'lady　detective。'　They'll　laugh　about　that　in　the　office　when　I　go　back。〃

She　sat　down；　rocking　contentedly；　for　it　was　April；　and　she　would　not　have　to　go　back　until　Aunt　Jane　came　home；　probably　about　the　first　of　October。　She　checked　off　the　free；　health…giving　months　on　her　tired　fingers；　that　would　know　the　blue　pencil　and　the　typewriter　no　more　until　Autumn；　when　she　would　be　strong　again　and　the　quivering　nerves　quite　steady。

She　blessed　the　legacy　which　had　fallen　into　Jane　Hathaway's　lap　and　led　her；　at　fifty…five；　to　join　a　〃personally　conducted〃　party　to　the　Old　World。　Ruth　had　always　had　a　dim　yearning　for　foreign　travel；　but　just　now　she　felt　no　latent　injustice；　such　as　had　often　rankled　in　her　soul　when　her　friends　went　and　she　remained　at　home。

Thinking　she　heard　Hepsey　in　the　hall；　and　not　caring　to　arouse　further　suspicion；　she　put　out　her　light　and　sat　by　the　window；　with　the　shutters　wide　open。

Far　down　the　hill；　where　the　road　became　level　again；　and　on　the　left　as　she　looked　toward　the　village；　was　the　white　house；　surrounded　by　a　garden　and　a　hedge；　which　she　supposed　was　Miss　Ainslie's。　A　timid　chirp　came　from　the　grass；　and　the　faint；　sweet　smell　of　growing　things　floated　in　through　the　open　window　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。

A　train　from　the　city　sounded　a　warning　whistle　as　it　approached　the　station；　and　then　a　light　shone　on　the　grass　in　front　of　Miss　Ainslie's　house。　It　was　a　little　gleam；　evidently　from　a　candle。

〃So　she's　keeping　a　lighthouse；　too；〃　thought　Ruth。　The　train　pulled　out　of　the　station　and　half　an　hour　afterward　the　light　disappeared。

She　meditated　upon　the　general　subject　of　illumination　while　she　got　ready　for　bed；　but　as　soon　as　her　head　touched　the　pillow　she　lost　consciousness　and　knew　no　more　until　the　morning　light　crept　into　her　room。



II。　The　Attic

The　maid　sat　in　the　kitchen；　wondering　why　Miss　Thorne　did　not　come　down。　It　was　almost　seven　o'clock；　and　Miss　Hathaway's　breakfast　hour　was　half　past　six。　Hepsey　did　not　frame　the　thought；　but　she　had　a　vague　impression　that　the　guest　was　lazy。

Yet　she　was　grateful　for　the　new　interest　which　had　come　into　her　monotonous　life。　Affairs　moved　like　clock　work　at　Miss　Hathaway'sbreakfast　at　half　past　six；　dinner　at　one；　and　supper　at　half　past　five。　Each　day　was　also　set　apart　by　its　regular　duties；　from　the　washing　on　Monday　to　the　baking　on　Saturday。

Now　it　was　possible　that　there　might　be　a　change。　Miss　Thorne　seemed　fully　capable　of　setting　the　house　topsy…turvyand　Miss　Hathaway's　last　injunction　had　been：　〃Now；　Hepsey；　you　mind　Miss　Thorne。　If　I　hear　that　you　don't；　you'll　lose　your　place。〃

The　young　woman　who　slumbered　peacefully　upstairs；　while　the　rest　of　the　world　was　awake；　had；　from　the　beginning；　aroused　admiration　in　Hepsey's　breast。　It　was　a　reluctant；　rebellious　feeling；　mingled　with　an　indefinite　fear；　but　it　was　admiration　none　the　less。

During　the　greater　part　of　a　wondering；　wakeful　night；　the　excited　Hepsey　had　seen　Miss　Thorne　as　plainly　as　when　she　first　entered　the　house。　The　tall；　straight；　graceful　figure　was　familiar　by　this　time；　and　the　subdued　silken　rustle　of　her　skirts　was　a　wonted　sound。　Ruth's　face；　naturally　mobile；　had　been　schooled　into　a　certain　reserve；　but　her　deep；　dark　eyes　were　eloquent；　and　always　would　be。　Hepsey　wondered　at　the　opaque　whiteness　of　her　skin　and　the　baffling　arrangement　of　her　hair。　The　young　women　of　the　village　had　rosy　cheeks；　but　Miss　Thorne's　face　was　colourless；　except　for　her　lips。

It　was　very　strange；　Hepsey　thought；　for　Miss　Hathaway　to　sail　before　her　niece　came；　if；　indeed；　Miss　Thorne　was　her　niece。　There　was　a　mystery　in　the　house　on　the　hilltop；　which　she　had　tried　in　vain　to　fathom。　Foreign　letters　came　frequently；　no　two　of　them　from　the　same　person；　and　the　lamp　in　the　attic　window　had　burned　steadily　every　night　for　five　years。　Otherwise；　everything　was　explainable　and　sane。

Still；　Miss　Thorne　did　not　seem　even　remotely　related　to　her　aunt；　and　Hepsey　had　her　doub