a girl of the limberlost-第42章

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pretend　to　love　her　only　child。　　Who　lets　her　grow　to

a　woman；　as　you　have　let　Elnora；　and　can't　be　satisfied

with　every　sort　of　neglect；　but　must　add　abuse　yet；

and　all　for　a　fool　idea　about　a　man　who　wasn't　worth

his　salt！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　a　hoe。



〃Go　right　on！〃　she　said。　　〃Empty　yourself。　　It's　the

last　thing　you'll　ever　do！〃



〃Then　I'll　make　a　tidy　job　of　it；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃You'll　not　touch　me。　　You'll　stand　there　and　hear

the　truth　at　last；　and　because　I　dare　face　you　and　tell

it；　you　will　know　in　your　soul　it　is　truth。　　When　Robert

Comstock　shaved　that　quagmire　out　there　so　close　he

went　in；　he　wanted　to　keep　you　from　knowing　where　he

was　coming　from。　　He'd　been　to　see　Elvira　Carney。　

They　had　plans　to　go　to　a　dance　that　night〃



〃Close　your　lips！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　in　a　voice　of

deadly　quiet。



〃You　know　I　wouldn't　dare　open　them　if　I　wasn't

telling　you　the　truth。　　I　can　prove　what　I　say。　　I　was

coming　from　Reeds。　　It　was　hot　in　the　woods　and　I

stopped　at　Carney's　as　I　passed　for　a　drink。　

Elvira's　bedridden　old　mother　heard　me；　and　she　was　so

crazy　for　some　one　to　talk　with；　I　stepped　in　a　minute。　

I　saw　Robert　come　down　the　path。　　Elvira　saw　him；　too；　so

she　ran　out　of　the　house　to　head　him　off。　　It　looked　funny；

and　I　just　deliberately　moved　where　I　could　see　and　hear。

He　brought　her　his　violin；　and　told　her　to　get　ready　and

meet　him　in　the　woods　with　it　that　night；　and　they　would

go　to　a　dance。　　She　took　it　and　hid　it　in　the　loft　to　the

well…house　and　promised　she'd　go。〃



〃Are　you　done？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃No。　　I　am　going　to　tell　you　the　whole　story。　　You　don't

spare　Elnora　anything。　　I　shan't　spare　you。　　I　hadn't

been　here　that　day；　but　I　can　tell　you　just　how　he　was

dressed；　which　way　he　went　and　every　word　they　said；

though　they　thought　I　was　busy　with　her　mother

and　wouldn't　notice　them。　　Put　down　your　hoe；　Kate。　

I　went　to　Elvira；　told　her　what　I　knew　and　made　her　give

me　Comstock's　violin　for　Elnora　over　three　years　ago。　

She's　been　playing　it　ever　since。　　I　won't　see　her

slighted　and　abused　another　day　on　account　of　a　man

who　would　have　broken　your　heart　if　he　had　lived。　

Six　months　more　would　have　showed　you　what　everybody

else　knew。　　He　was　one　of　those　men　who　couldn't　trust

himself；　and　so　no　woman　was　safe　with　him。　　Now；　will

you　drop　grieving　over　him；　and　do　Elnora　justice？〃



Mrs。　Comstock　grasped　the　hoe　tighter　and　turning　she

went　down　the　walk；　and　started　across　the　woods　to　the

home　of　Elvira　Carney。　　With　averted　head　she　passed

the　pool；　steadily　pursuing　her　way。　　Elvira　Carney；

hanging　towels　across　the　back　fence；　saw　her　coming

and　went　toward　the　gate　to　meet　her。　　Twenty　years

she　had　dreaded　that　visit。　　Since　Margaret　Sinton

had　compelled　her　to　produce　the　violin　she　had　hidden

so　long；　because　she　was　afraid　to　destroy　it；　she　had

come　closer　expectation　than　dread。　　The　wages　of　sin

are　the　hardest　debts　on　earth　to　pay；　and　they　are　always

collected　at　inconvenient　times　and　unexpected　places。

Mrs。　Comstock's　face　and　hair　were　so　white；　that　her

dark　eyes　seemed　burned　into　their　setting。　　Silently　she

stared　at　the　woman　before　her　a　long　time。



〃I　might　have　saved　myself　the　trouble　of　coming；〃

she　said　at　last；　〃I　see　you　are　guilty　as　sin！〃



〃What　has　Mag　Sinton　been　telling　you？〃　panted　the

miserable　woman；　gripping　the　fence。



〃The　truth！〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock　succinctly。　

〃Guilt　is　in　every　line　of　your　face；　in　your　eyes；　all　over

your　wretched　body。　　If　I'd　taken　a　good　look　at　you

any　time　in　all　these　past　years；　no　doubt　I　could　have

seen　it　just　as　plain　as　I　can　now。　　No　woman　or　man

can　do　what　you've　done；　and　not　get　a　mark　set　on　them

for　every　one　to　read。〃



〃Mercy！〃　gasped　weak　little　Elvira　Carney。　　〃Have　mercy！〃



〃Mercy？〃　scoffed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Mercy！　　That's　a

nice　word　from　you！　　How　much　mercy　did　you　have

on　me？　　Where's　the　mercy　that　sent　Comstock　to　the

slime　of　the　bottomless　quagmire；　and　left　me　to　see　it；

and　then　struggle　on　in　agony　all　these　years？　

How　about　the　mercy　of　letting　me　neglect　my　baby　all

the　days　of　her　life？　　Mercy！　　Do　you　really　dare　use

the　word　to　me？〃



〃If　you　　knew　what　I've　suffered！〃



〃Suffered？〃　jeered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃That's　interesting。　

And　pray；　what　have　you　suffered？〃



〃All　the　neighbours　have　suspected　and　been　down

on　me。　　I　ain't　had　a　friend。　　I've　always　felt　guilty

of　his　death！　　I've　seen　him　go　down　a　thousand　times；

plain　as　ever　you　did。　　Many's　the　night　I've　stood　on　the

other　bank　of　that　pool　and　listened　to　you；　and　I　tried

to　throw　myself　in　to　keep　from　hearing　you；　but　I

didn't　dare。　　I　knew　God　would　send　me　to　burn　forever；

but　I'd　better　done　it；　for　now；　He　has　set　the　burning

on　my　body；　and　every　hour　it　is　slowly　eating　the　life

out　of　me。　The　doctor　says　it's　a　cancer〃



Mrs。　Comstock　exhaled　a　long　breath。　　Her　grip　on　the

hoe　relaxed　and　her　stature　lifted　to　towering　height。



〃I　didn't　know；　or　care；　when　I　came　here；　just　what　I

did；〃　she　said。　　〃But　my　way　is　beginning　to　clear。　　If　the

guilt　of　your　soul　has　come　to　a　head；　in　a　cancer　on

your　body；　it　looks　as　if　the　Almighty　didn't　need　any　of

my　help　in　meting　out　His　punishments。　　I　really　couldn't

fix　up　anything　to　come　anywhere　near　that。　　If　you　are

going　to　burn　until　your　life　goes　out　with　that　sort　of　fire；

you　don't　owe　me　anything！〃



〃Oh；　Katharine　Comstock！〃　groaned　Elvira　Carney；

clinging　to　the　fence　for　support。



〃Looks　as　if　the　Bible　is　right　when　it　says；　‘The　wages

of　sin　is　death；'　doesn't　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Instead　of　doing　a　woman's　work　in　life；　you　chose　the

smile　of　invitation；　and　the　dress　of　unearned　cloth。　

Now　you　tell　me　you　are　marked　to　burn　to　death　with　the

unquenchable　fire。　　And　him！　　It　was　shorter　with　him；　but

let　me　tell　you　he　got　his　share！　　He　left　me　with　an

untruth　on　his　lips；　for　he　told　me　he　was　going　to　take

his　violin　to　Onabasha　for　a　new　key；　when　he　carried　it

to　you。　　Every　vow　of　love　and　constancy　he　ever　made　me

was　a　lie；　after　he　touched　your　lips；　so　when　he　tried

the　wrong　side　of　the　quagmire；　to　hide　from　me　the

direction　in　which　he　was　coming；　it　reached　out　for　him；

and　it　got　him。　　It　didn't　hurry；　either！　　It　sucked　him

down；　slow　and　deliberate。〃



〃Mercy！〃　groaned　Elvira　Carney。　　〃Mercy！〃



〃I　don't　know　the　word；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　took

all　that　out　of　me　long　ago。　　The　past　twenty　years

haven't　been　of　the　sort　that　taught　mercy。　　I've　never

had　any　on　myself　and　none　on　my　child。　　Why　in　the

name　of　justice；　should　I　have　mercy　on　you；　or　on　him？　

You　were　both　older　than　I；　both　strong；　sane　people；　you

deliberately　chose　your　course　when　you　lured　him；　and　he；

when　he　was　unfaithful　to　me。　　When　a　Loose　Man　and　a

Light　Woman　face　the　end　the　Almighty　ordained　for

them；　why　should　they　shout　at　me　for　mercy？　　What　did

I　have　to　do　with　it？〃



Elvira　Carney　sobbed　in　panting　gasps。



〃You've　got　tears；　have　you？〃　marvelled　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Mine　all　dried　long　ago。　　I've　none　left　to　shed

over　my　wasted　life；　my　disfigured　face　and　hair；　my　years

of　struggle　with　a　man's　work；　my　wreck　of　land　among　the

tilled　fields　of　my　neighbours；　or　the　final　knowledge　that

the　man　I　so　gladly　would　have　died　to　save；　wasn't　worth

the　sacrifice　of　a　rattlesnake。　　If　anything　yet　could　wring

a　tear　from　me；　it　would　be　the　thought　of　the　awful

injustice　I　always　have　done　my　girl。　　If　I'd　lay　hand　on

you　for　anything；　it　would　be　for　that。〃



〃Kill　me　if　you　want　to；〃　sobbed　Elvira　Carney。　　〃I　know

that　I　deserve　it；　and　I　don't　care。〃



〃You　are　getting　your　killing　fast　enough　to　suit　me；〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　wouldn't　touch　you；　any　more

than　I　would　him；　if　I　could。　　Once　is　all　any　man　or

woman　deceives　me　about　the　hol