a girl of the limberlost-第53章

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There　might　be　a　rare　moth。〃



The　sun　was　topping　the　Limberlost　when　they　started。　

As　they　neared　the　place　Philip　stopped。



〃Now　we　must　use　great　caution；〃　he　said。　　〃The　lights

and　the　odours　always　attract　numbers　that　don't　settle

on　the　baited　trees。　　Every　bush；　shrub；　and　limb　may

hide　a　specimen　we　want。〃



So　they　approached　with　much　care。



〃There　is　something；　anyway！〃　cried　Philip。



〃There　are　moths！　　I　can　see　them！〃　exulted　Elnora。



〃Those　you　see　are　fast　enough。　　It's　the　ones　for

which　you　must　search　that　will　escape。　　The　grasses

are　dripping；　and　I　have　boots；　so　you　look　beside　the

path　while　I　take　the　outside；〃　suggested　Ammon。



Mrs。　Comstock　wanted　to　hunt　moths；　but　she　was

timid　about　making　a　wrong　movement；　so　she　wisely

sat　on　a　log　and　watched　Philip　and　Elnora　to　learn　how

they　proceeded。　　Back　in　the　deep　woods　a　hermit　thrush

was　singing　his　chant　to　the　rising　sun。　　Orioles　were

sowing　the　pure；　sweet　air　with　notes　of　gold；　poured　out

while　on　wing。　　The　robins　were　only　chirping　now；　for

their　morning　songs　had　awakened　all　the　other　birds　an

hour　ago。　　Scolding　red…wings　tilted　on　half　the　bushes。　

Excepting　late　species　of　haws；　tree　bloom　was　almost

gone；　but　wild　flowers　made　the　path　border　and　all　the

wood　floor　a　riot　of　colour。　　Elnora；　born　among　such

scenes；　worked　eagerly；　but　to　the　city　man；　recently　from

a　hospital；　they　seemed　too　good　to　miss。　　He　frequently

stooped　to　examine　a　flower　face；　paused　to　listen

intently　to　the　thrush　or　lifted　his　head　to　see　the

gold　flash　which　accompanied　the　oriole's　trailing　notes。　

So　Elnora　uttered　the　first　cry；　as　she　softly　lifted

branches　and　peered　among　the　grasses。



〃My　find！〃　she　called。　　〃Bring　the　box；　mother！〃



Philip　came　hurrying　also。　　When　they　reached　her

she　stood　on　the　path　holding　a　pair　of　moths。　　Her　eyes

were　wide　with　excitement；　her　cheeks　pink；　her　red

lips　parted；　and　on　the　hand　she　held　out　to　them

clung　a　pair　of　delicate　blue…green　moths；　with　white

bodies；　and　touches　of　lavender　and　straw　colour。　

All　around　her　lay　flower…brocaded　grasses；　behind　the

deep　green　background　of　the　forest；　while　the　sun　slowly

sifted　gold　from　heaven　to　burnish　her　hair。　　Mrs。　Comstock

heard　a　sharp　breath　behind　her。



〃Oh；　what　a　picture！〃　exulted　Philip　at　her　shoulder。　

〃She　is　absolutely　and　altogether　lovely！　　I'd　give　a

small　fortune　for　that　faithfully　set　on　canvas！〃



He　picked　the　box　from　Mrs。　Comstock's　fingers　and

slowly　advanced　with　it。　　Elnora　held　down　her　hand

and　transferred　the　moths。　　Philip　closed　the　box

carefully；　but　the　watching　mother　saw　that　his　eyes　were

following　the　girl's　face。　　He　was　not　making　the　slightest

attempt　to　conceal　his　admiration。



〃I　wonder　if　a　woman　ever　did　anything　lovelier　than

to　find　a　pair　of　Luna　moths　on　a　forest　path；　early　on

a　perfect　June　morning；〃　he　said　to　Mrs。　Comstock；

when　he　returned　the　box。



She　glanced　at　Elnora　who　was　intently　searching　the　bushes。



〃Look　here；　young　man；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　seem

to　find　that　girl　of　mine　about　right。〃



〃I　could　suggest　no　improvement；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　never

saw　a　more　attractive　girl　anywhere。　　She　seems　absolutely

perfect　to　me。〃



〃Then　suppose　you　don't　start　any　scheme　calculated

to　spoil　her！〃　proposed　Mrs。　Comstock　dryly。　　〃I　don't

think　you　can；　or　that　any　man　could；　but　I'm　not　taking

any　risks。　　You　asked　to　come　here　to　help　in　this　work。　

We　are　both　glad　to　have　you；　if　you　confine　yourself　to　work；

but　it's　the　least　you　can　do　to　leave　us　as　you　find　us。〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　intended　no　offence。　

I　admire　her　as　I　admire　any　perfect　creation。〃



〃And　nothing　in　all　this　world　spoils　the　average　girl

so　quickly　and　so　surely；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　She　raised

her　voice。　　〃Elnora；　fasten　up　that　tag　of　hair　over　your

left　ear。　　These　bushes　muss　you　so　you　remind　me　of　a

sheep　poking　its　nose　through　a　hedge　fence。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　started　down　the　path　toward　the　log

again；　when　she　reached　it　she　called　sharply：　　〃Elnora；

come　here！　　I　believe　I　have　found　something　myself。〃



The　〃something〃　was　a　Citheronia　Regalis　which　had

emerged　from　its　case　on　the　soft　earth　under　the　log。　

It　climbed　up　the　wood；　its　stout　legs　dragging　a　big

pursy　body；　while　it　wildly　flapped　tiny　wings　the　size

of　a　man's　thumb…nail。　　Elnora　gave　one　look　and　a　cry

which　brought　Philip。



〃That's　the　rarest　moth　in　America！〃　he　announced。　

〃Mrs。　Comstock；　you've　gone　up　head。　　You　can　put

that　in　a　box　with　a　screen　cover　to…night；　and　attract

half　a　dozen；　possibly。〃



〃Is　it　rare；　Elnora？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Comstock；　as　if　no

one　else　knew。



〃It　surely　is；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃If　we　can　find

it　a　mate　to…night；　it　will　lay　from　two　hundred　and　fifty

to　three　hundred　eggs　to…morrow。　　With　any　luck　at

all　I　can　raise　two　hundred　caterpillars　from　them。　

I　did　once　before。　　And　they　are　worth　a　dollar　apiece。〃



〃Was　the　one　I　killed　like　that？〃



〃No。　　That　was　a　different　moth；　but　its　life　processes

were　the　same　as　this。　　The　Bird　Woman　calls　this　the

King　of　the　Poets。〃



〃Why　does　she？〃



〃Because　it　is　named　for　Citheron　who　was　a　poet；　and

regalis　refers　to　a　king。　　You　mustn't　touch　it　or　you

may　stunt　wing　development。　　You　watch　and　don't　let

that　moth　out　of　sight；　or　anything　touch　it。　　When　the

wings　are　expanded　and　hardened　we　will　put　it　in　a　box。〃



〃I　am　afraid　it　will　race　itself　to　death；〃　objected

Mrs。　Comstock。



〃That's　a　part　of　the　game；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It　is　starting

circulation　now。　　When　the　right　moment　comes；　it　will

stop　and　expand　its　wings。　　If　you　watch　closely　you　can

see　them　expand。〃



Presently　the　moth　found　a　rough　projection　of　bark

and　clung　with　its　feet；　back　down；　its　wings　hanging。　

The　body　was　an　unusual　orange　red；　the　tiny　wings　were

gray；　striped　with　the　red　and　splotched　here　and　there

with　markings　of　canary　yellow。　　Mrs。　Comstock　watched

breathlessly。　　Presently　she　slipped　from　the　log　and

knelt　to　secure　a　better　view。



〃Are　its　wings　developing？〃　called　Elnora。



〃They　are　growing　larger　and　the　markings　coming

stronger　every　minute。〃



〃Let's　watch；　too；〃　said　Elnora　to　Philip。



They　came　and　looked　over　Mrs。　Comstock's　shoulder。　

Lower　drooped　the　gay　wings；　wider　they　spread；　brighter

grew　the　markings　as　if　laid　off　in　geometrical　patterns。　

They　could　hear　Mrs。　Comstock's　tense　breath　and　see

her　absorbed　expression。



〃Young　people；〃　she　said　solemnly；　〃if　your　studying

science　and　the　elements　has　ever　led　you　to　feel　that

things　just　happen；　kind　of　evolve　by　chance；　as　it　were；

this　sight　will　be　good　for　you。　　Maybe　earth　and　air

accumulate；　but　it　takes　the　wisdom　of　the　Almighty　God

to　devise　the　wing　of　a　moth。　　If　there　ever　was　a　miracle；

this　whole　process　is　one。　　Now；　as　I　understand　it；　this

creature　is　going　to　keep　on　spreading　those　wings；　until

they　grow　to　size　and　harden　to　strength　sufficient　to

bear　its　body。　　Then　it　flies　away；　mates　with　its　kind；

lays　its　eggs　on　the　leaves　of　a　certain　tree；　and　the　eggs

hatch　tiny　caterpillars　which　eat　just　that　kind　of　leaves；

and　the　worms　grow　and　grow；　and　take　on　different

forms　and　colours　until　at　last　they　are　big　caterpillars

six　inches　long；　with　large　horns。　　Then　they　burrow　into

the　earth；　build　a　water…proof　house　around　themselves

from　material　which　is　inside　them；　and　lie　through　rain

and　freezing　cold　for　months。　　A　year　from　egg　laying　they

come　out　like　this；　and　begin　the　process　all　over　again。　

They　don't　eat；　they　don't　see　distinctly；　they　live　but

a　few　days；　and　fly　only　at　night；　then　they　drop　off　easy；

but　the　process　goes　on。〃



A　shivering　movement　went　over　the　moth。　　The　wings

drooped　and　spread　wider。　　Mrs。　Comstock　s