dear enemy-第48章

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Weren't　you　surprised　when　you　woke　up　this　morning　and　remembered　the　truth？　　I　was！　　I　couldn't　think　for　about　two　minutes　what　made　me　so　happy。

It's　not　light　yet；　but　I'm　wide　awake　and　excited　and　having　to　write　to　you。　　I　shall　despatch　this　note　by　the　first　to…be…　trusted　little　orphan　who　appears；　and　it　will　go　up　on　your　breakfast　tray　along　with　your　oatmeal。

I　shall　follow　VERY　PROMPTLY　at　four　o'clock　this　afternoon。　　Do　you　think　Mrs。　McGurk　will　ever　countenance　the　scandal　if　I　stay　two　hours；　and　no　orphan　for　a　chaperon？

It　was　in　all　good　faith；　Sandy；　that　I　promised　not　to　kiss　your　hand　or　drip　tears　on　the　counterpane；　but　I'm　afraid　I　did　bothor　worse！　　Positively；　I　didn't　suspect　how　much　I　cared　for　you　till　I　crossed　the　threshold　and　saw　you　propped　up　against　the　pillows；　all　covered　with　bandages；　and　your　hair　singed　off。　　You　are　a　sight！　　If　I　love　you　now；　when　fully　one　third　of　you　is　plaster　of　Paris　and　surgical　dressing；　you　can　imagine　how　I'm　going　to　love　you　when　it's　all　you！

But　my　dear；　dear　Robin；　what　a　foolish　man　you　are！　　How　should　I　ever　have　dreamed　all　those　months　that　you　were　caring　for　me　when　you　acted　so　abominably　S　C　O　T　C　H？　　With　most　men；　behavior　like　yours　would　not　be　considered　a　mark　of　affection。　　I　wish　you　had　just　given　me　a　glimmering　of　an　idea　of　the　truth；　and　maybe　you　would　have　saved　us　both　a　few　heartaches。

But　we　mustn't　be　looking　back；　we　must　look　forward　and　be　grateful。　　The　two　happiest　things　in　life　are　going　to　be　ours；　a　FRIENDLY　marriage　and　work　that　we　love。

Yesterday；　after　leaving　you；　I　walked　back　to　the　asylum　sort　of　dazed。　　I　wanted　to　get　by　myself　and　THINK；　but　instead　of　being　by　myself；　I　had　to　have　Betsy　and　Percy　and　Mrs。　Livermore　for　dinner　（already　invited）　and　then　go　down　and　talk　to　the　children。　　Friday　night…social　evening。　　They　had　a　lot　of　new　records　for　the　victrola；　given　by　Mrs。　Livermore；　and　I　had　to　sit　politely　and　listen　to　them。　　And；　my　dearyou'll　think　this　funnythe　last　thing　they　played　was　〃John　Anderson；　my　jo　John；〃　and　suddenly　I　found　myself　crying！　　I　had　to　snatch　up　the　earnest　orphan　and　hug　her　hard；　with　my　head　buried　in　her　shoulder；　to　keep　them　all　from　seeing。

　　　　　　　　　　　John　Anderson；　my　jo　John；　　　　　　　　　　　　We　clamb　the　hill　thegither；　　　　　　　　　　　　And　monie　a　canty　day；　John；　　　　　　　　　　　　We've　had　wi'　ane　anither；　　　　　　　　　　　　Now　we　maun　totter　down；　John；　　　　　　　　　　　　But　hand　in　hand　we'll　go；　　　　　　　　　　　　And　sleep　thegither　at　the　foot；　　　　　　　　　　　　John　Anderson；　my　jo。

I　wonder；　when　we　are　old　and　bent　and　tottery；　can　you　and　I　look　back；　with　no　regrets；　on　monie　a　canty　day　we've　had　wi'　ane　anither？　　It's　nice　to　look　forward　to；　isn't　ita　life　of　work　and　play　and　little　daily　adventures　side　by　side　with　somebody　you　love？　　I'm　not　afraid　of　the　future　any　more。　　I　don't　mind　growing　old　with　you；　Sandy。　　〃Time　is　but　the　stream　I　go　a…fishing　in。〃

The　reason　I've　grown　to　love　these　orphans　is　because　they　need　me　so；　and　that's　the　reasonat　least　one　of　the　reasons　I've　grown　to　love　you。　　You're　a　pathetic　figure　of　a　man；　my　dear；　and　since　you　won't　make　yourself　comfortable；　you　must　be　MADE　comfortable。

We'll　build　a　house　on　the　hillside　just　beyond　the　asylum　how　does　a　yellow　Italian　villa　strike　you；　or　preferably　a　pink　one？　　Anyway；　it　won't　be　green。　　And　it　won't　have　a　mansard　roof。　　And　we'll　have　a　big　cheerful　living　room；　all　fireplace　and　windows　and　view；　and　no　McGURK。　　Poor　old　thing！　won't　she　be　in　a　temper　and　cook　you　a　dreadful　dinner　when　she　hears　the　news！　　But　we　won't　tell　her　for　a　long；　long　timeor　anybody　else。　　It's　too　scandalous　a　proceeding　right　on　top　of　my　own　broken　engagement。　　I　wrote　to　Judy　last　night；　and　with　unprecedented　self…control　I　never　let　fall　so　much　as　a　hint。　　I'm　growing　Scotch　mysel'！

Perhaps　I　didn't　tell　you　the　exact　truth；　Sandy；　when　I　said　I　hadn't　known　how　much　I　cared。　　I　think　it　came　to　me　the　night　the　John　Grier　burned。　　When　you　were　up　under　that　blazing　roof；　and　for　the　half　hour　that　followed；　when　we　didn't　know　whether　or　not　you　would　live；　I　can't　tell　you　what　agonies　I　went　through。　　It　seemed　to　me；　if　you　did　go；　that　I　would　never　get　over　it　all　my　life；　that　somehow　to　have　let　the　best　friend　I　ever　had　pass　away　with　a　dreadful　chasm　of　misunderstanding　between　uswellI　couldn't　wait　for　the　moment　when　I　should　be　allowed　to　see　you　and　talk　out　all　that　I　have　been　shutting　inside　me　for　five　months。　　And　thenyou　know　that　you　gave　strict　orders　to　keep　me　out；　and　it　hurt　me　dreadfully。　　How　should　I　suspect　that　you　really　wanted　to　see　me　more　than　any　of　the　others；　and　that　it　was　just　that　terrible　Scotch　moral　sense　that　was　holding　you　back？　　You　are　a　very　good　actor；　Sandy。　　But；　my　dear；　if　ever　in　our　lives　again　we　have　the　tiniest　little　cloud　of　a　misunderstanding；　let's　promise　not　to　shut　it　up　inside　ourselves；　but　to　TALK。

Last　night；　after　they　all　got　off；early；　I　am　pleased　to　say；　since　the　chicks　no　longer　live　at　home；I　came　upstairs　and　finished　my　letter　to　Judy；　and　then　I　looked　at　the　telephone　and　struggled　with　temptation。　　I　wanted　to　call　up　505　and　say　good　night　to　you。　　But　I　didn't　dare。　　I'm　still　quite　respectably　bashful！　　So；　as　the　next　best　thing　to　talking　with　you；　I　got　out　Burns　and　read　him　for　an　hour。　　I　dropped　asleep　with　all　those　Scotch　love　songs　running　in　my　head；　and　here　I　am　at　daybreak　writing　them　to　you。

Good…by；　Robin　lad；　I　lo'e　you　weel。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SALLIE。



The　End