a girl of the limberlost-第47章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



know　that　instead　of　helping　me；　she　has　ruined　my　collection。　

Everything　is　goneunless　the　love　lasts。　　That　actually

seemed　true。　　I　believe　I　will　go　see。〃



The　love　remained。　　Indeed；　in　the　overflow　of　the　long…

hardened；　pent…up　heart；　the　girl　was　almost　suffocated

with　tempestuous　caresses　and　generous　offerings。　　Before　the

day　was　over；　Elnora　realized　that　she　never　had　known

her　mother。　　The　woman　who　now　busily　went　through　the

cabin；　her　eyes　bright；　eager；　alert；　constantly　planning；

was　a　stranger。　　Her　very　face　was　different；　while　it　did

not　seem　possible　that　during　one　night　the　acid　of　twenty

years　could　disappear　from　a　voice　and　leave　it　sweet　and　pleasant。



For　the　next　few　days　Elnora　worked　at　mounting　the

moths　her　mother　had　taken。　　She　had　to　go　to　the　Bird

Woman　and　tell　about　the　disaster；　but　Mrs。　Comstock

was　allowed　to　think　that　Elnora　delivered　the　moths

when　she　made　the　trip。　　If　she　had　told　her　what　actually

happened；　the　chances　were　that　Mrs。　Comstock　again

would　have　taken　possession　of　the　Limberlost；　hunting

there　until　she　replaced　all　the　moths　that　had　been　destroyed。　

But　Elnora　knew　from　experience　what　it　meant　to　collect

such　a　list　in　pairs。　　It　would　require　steady　work　for　at

least　two　summers　to　replace　the　lost　moths。　　When　she　left

the　Bird　Woman　she　went　to　the　president　of　the　Onabasha

schools　and　asked　him　to　do　all　in　his　power　to　secure　her

a　room　in　one　of　the　ward　buildings。



The　next　morning　the　last　moth　was　mounted；　and　the

housework　finished。　　Elnora　said　to　her　mother；　〃If　you

don't　mind；　I　believe　I　will　go　into　the　woods　pasture

beside　Sleepy　Snake　Creek　and　see　if　I　can　catch　some

dragonflies　or　moths。〃



〃Wait　until　I　get　a　knife　and　a　pail　and　I　will　go　along；〃

answered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃The　dandelions　are　plenty

tender　for　greens　among　the　deep　grasses；　and　I　might　just

happen　to　see　something　myself。　　My　eyes　are　pretty　sharp。〃



〃I　wish　you　could　realize　how　young　you　are；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　know　women　in　Onabasha　who　are　ten　years　older　than　you；

yet　they　look　twenty　years　younger。　　So　could　you；　if　you

would　dress　your　hair　becomingly；　and　wear　appropriate　clothes。〃



〃I　think　my　hair　puts　me　in　the　old　woman　class　permanently；〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Well；　it　doesn't！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃There　is　a　woman

of　twenty…eight　who　has　hair　as　white　as　yours　from　sick

headaches；　but　her　face　is　young　and　beautiful。　　If　your

face　would　grow　a　little　fuller　and　those　lines　would　go

away；　you'd　be　lovely！〃



〃You　little　pig！〃　laughed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Any　one

would　think　you　would　be　satisfied　with　having　a　splinter

new　mother；　without　setting　up　a　kick　on　her　looks；

first　thing。　　Greedy！〃



〃That　is　a　good　word；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　admit　the　charge。　

I　am　greedy　over　every　wasted　year。　　I　want　you　young；

lovely；　suitably　dressed　and　enjoying　life　like　the

other　girls'　mothers。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　laughed　softly　as　she　pushed　back　her

sunbonnet　so　that　shrubs　and　bushes　beside　the　way　could

be　scanned　closely。　　Elnora　walked　ahead　with　a　case　over

her　shoulder；　a　net　in　her　hand。　　Her　head　was　bare；　the

rolling　collar　of　her　lavender　gingham　dress　was　cut　in　a　V

at　the　throat；　the　sleeves　only　reached　the　elbows。　　Every　few

steps　she　paused　and　examined　the　shrubbery　carefully；

while　Mrs。　Comstock　was　watching　until　her　eyes　ached；

but　there　were　no　dandelions　in　the　pail　she　carried。



Early　June　was　rioting　in　fresh　grasses；　bright　flowers；

bird　songs；　and　gay…winged　creatures　of　air。　　Down　the

footpath　the　two　went　through　the　perfect　morning；　the

love　of　God　and　all　nature　in　their　hearts。　　At　last　they

reached　the　creek；　following　it　toward　the　bridge。　　Here　Mrs。

Comstock　found　a　large　bed　of　tender　dandelions　and　stopped

to　fill　her　pail。　　Then　she　sat　on　the　bank；　picking　over　the

greens；　while　she　listened　to　the　creek　softly　singing　its　June　song。



Elnora　remained　within　calling　distance；　and　was　having

good　success。　　At　last　she　crossed　the　creek；　following

it　up　to　a　bridge。　　There　she　began　a　careful　examination

of　the　under　sides　of　the　sleepers　and　flooring　for　cocoons。　

Mrs。　Comstock　could　see　her　and　the　creek　for　several

rods　above。　　The　mother　sat　beating　the　long　green　leaves

across　her　hand；　carefully　picking　out　the　white　buds；

because　Elnora　liked　them；　when　a　splash　up　the　creek

attracted　her　attention。



Around　the　bend　came　a　man。　　He　was　bareheaded；

dressed　in　a　white　sweater；　and　waders　which　reached

his　waist。　　He　walked　on　the　bank；　only　entering　the

water　when　forced。　　He　had　a　queer　basket　strapped　on

his　hip；　and　with　a　small　rod　he　sent　a　long　line　spinning

before　him　down　the　creek；　deftly　manipulating　with

it　a　little　floating　object。　　He　was　closer　Elnora　than

her　mother；　but　Mrs。　Comstock　thought　possibly　by

hurrying　she　could　remain　unseen　and　yet　warn　the　girl

that　a　stranger　was　coming。　　As　she　approached　the

bridge；　she　caught　a　sapling　and　leaned　over　the　water　to

call　Elnora。　　With　her　lips　parted　to　speak　she　hesitated

a　second　to　watch　a　sort　of　insect　that　flashed　past　on　the

water；　when　a　splash　from　the　man　attracted　the　girl。



She　was　under　the　bridge；　one　knee　planted　in　the

embankment　and　a　foot　braced　to　support　her。　　Her　hair

was　tousled　by　wind　and　bushes；　her　face　flushed；

and　she　lifted　her　arms　above　her　head；　working　to　loosen

a　cocoon　she　had　found。　　The　call　Mrs。　Comstock　had

intended　to　utter　never　found　voice；　for　as　Elnora　looked

down　at　the　sound；　〃Possibly　I　could　get　that　for　you；〃

suggested　the　man。



Mrs。　Comstock　drew　back。　　He　was　a　young　man　with　a

wonderfully　attractive　face；　although　it　was　too

white　for　robust　health；　broad　shoulders；　and　slender；

upright　frame。



〃Oh；　I　do　hope　you　can！〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃It's　quite

a　find！　　It's　one　of　those　lovely　pale　red　cocoons

described　in　the　books。　　I　suspect　it　comes　from　having

been　in　a　dark　place　and　screened　from　the　weather。〃



〃Is　that　so？〃　cried　the　man。　　〃Wait　a　minute。　　I've　never

seen　one。　　I　suppose　it's　a　Cecropia；　from　the　location。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃It's　so　cool　here　the　moth

hasn't　emerged。　　The　cocoon　is　a　big；　baggy　one；　and　it

is　as　red　as　fox　tail。〃



〃What　luck！〃　he　cried。　　〃Are　you　making　a　collection？〃



He　reeled　in　his　line；　laid　his　rod　across　a　bush　and

climbed　the　embankment　to　Elnora's　side；　produced　a

knife　and　began　the　work　of　whittling　a　deep　groove

around　the　cocoon。



〃Yes。　　I　paid　my　way　through　the　high　school　in

Onabasha　with　them。　　Now　I　am　starting　a　collection

which　means　college。〃



〃Onabasha！〃　said　the　man。　　〃That　is　where　I　am　visiting。　

Possibly　you　know　my　peopleDr。　Ammon's？　　The　doctor　is

my　uncle。　　My　home　is　in　Chicago。　　I've　been　having　typhoid

fever；　something　fierce。　　In　the　hospital　six　weeks。　

Didn't　gain　strength　right；　so　Uncle　Doc　sent　for　me。　

I　am　to　live　out　of　doors　all　summer；　and　exercise　until

I　get　in　condition　again。　　Do　you　know　my　uncle？〃



〃Yes。　　He　is　Aunt　Margaret's　doctor；　and　he　would

be　ours；　only　we　are　never　ill。〃



〃Well；　you　look　it！〃　said　the　man；　appraising　Elnora

at　a　glance。



〃Strangers　always　mention　it；〃　sighed　Elnora。　　〃I　wonder

how　it　would　seem　to　be　a　pale；　languid　lady　and　ride

in　a　carriage。〃



〃Ask　me！〃　laughed　the　man。　　〃It　feels　like　thedickens！　

I'm　so　proud　of　my　feet。　　It's　quite　a　trick　to　stand

on　them　now。　　I　have　to　keep　out　of　the　water　all　I　can

and　stop　to　baby　every　half…mile。　　But　with　interesting

outdoor　work　I'll　be　myself　in　a　week。〃



〃Do　you　call　that　work？〃　　Elnora　indicated　the　creek。



〃I　do；　indeed！　　Nearly　three　miles；　banks　too　soft　to　brag

on　and　never　a　strike。　　Wouldn't　you　call　that　hard　labour？〃



〃Yes；〃　laughed　Elnora。　　〃Work　at　which　you　might

kill　yourself　and　never　get　a　fish。　　Did　any　one　tell　you

there　were　trout　in　Sleepy　S