a girl of the limberlost-第57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！



has　to　say　there。　　Here　are　the　remains　of　Freckles's　room。　

The　time　the　Angel　came　here　he　sang　to　her；　and　I　listened。　

I　never　heard　music　like　that。　　No　wonder　she　loved　him。　

Every　one　who　knew　him　did；　and　they　do　yet。　　Try　that

log；　it　makes　a　fairly　good　seat。　　This　old　store　box

was　his　treasure　house；　just　as　it's　now　mine。　　I　will

show　you　my　dearest　possession。　　I　do　not　dare　take

it　home　because　mother　can't　overcome　her　dislike　for　it。　

It　was　my　father's；　and　in　some　ways　I　am　like　him。　

This　is　the　strongest。〃



Elnora　lifted　the　violin　and　began　to　play。　　She　wore

a　school　dress　of　green　gingham；　with　the　sleeves　rolled　to

the　elbows。　　She　seemed　a　part　of　the　setting　all　around　her。　

Her　head　shone　like　a　small　dark　sun；　and　her　face　never

had　seemed　so　rose…flushed　and　fair。　　From　the　instant

she　drew　the　bow；　her　lips　parted　and　her　eyes　turned

toward　something　far　away　in　the　swamp；　and　never　did

she　give　more　of　that　impression　of　feeling　for　her　notes

and　repeating　something　audible　only　to　her。　　Philip　was

too　close　to　get　the　best　effect。　　He　arose　and　stepped　back

several　yards；　leaning　against　a　large　tree；　looking　and

listening　intently。



As　he　changed　positions　he　saw　that　Mrs。　Comstock　had

followed　them；　and　was　standing　on　the　trail；　where　she

could　not　have　helped　hearing　everything　Elnora　had　said。



So　to　Philip　before　her　and　the　mother　watching　on　the

trail；　Elnora　played　the　Song　of　the　Limberlost。　　It　seemed

as　if　the　swamp　hushed　all　its　other　voices　and　spoke

only　through　her　dancing　bow。　　The　mother　out　on　the

trail　had　heard　it　all；　once　before　from　the　girl；　many

times　from　her　father。　　To　the　man　it　was　a　revelation。　

He　stood　so　stunned　he　forgot　Mrs。　Comstock。　　He　tried

to　realize　what　a　city　audience　would　say　to　that　music；

from　such　a　player；　with　a　similar　background；　and　he

could　not　imagine。



He　was　wondering　what　he　dared　say；　how　much　he　might

express；　when　the　last　note　fell　and　the　girl　laid　the

violin　in　the　case；　closed　the　door；　locked　it　and　hid　the

key　in　the　rotting　wood　at　the　end　of　a　log。　　Then　she　came

to　him。　　Philip　stood　looking　at　her　curiously。



〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　〃what　people　would　say　to　that？〃



〃I　played　that　in　public　once；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　think

they　liked　it；　fairly　well。　　I　had　a　note　yesterday　offering

me　the　leadership　of　the　high　school　orchestra　in　Onabasha。　

I　can　take　it　as　well　as　not。　　None　of　my　talks　to　the

grades　come　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。　　I　can　play

a　few　minutes　in　the　orchestra　and　reach　the　rooms　in

plenty　of　time。　　It　will　be　more　work　that　I　love；　and　like

finding　the　money。　　I　would　gladly　play　for　nothing；

merely　to　be　able　to　express　myself。〃



〃With　some　people　it　makes　a　regular　battlefield　of　the

human　heartthis　struggle　for　self…expression；〃　said　Philip。　

〃You　are　going　to　do　beautiful　work　in　the　world；　and　do

it　well。　　When　I　realize　that　your　violin　belonged　to　your

father；　that　he　played　it　before　you　were　born；　and

it　no　doubt　affected　your　mother　strongly；　and　then　couple

with　that　the　years　you　have　roamed　these　fields　and

swamps　finding　in　nature　all　you　had　to　lavish　your　heart

upon；　I　can　see　how　you　evolved。　　I　understand　what　you

mean　by　self…expression。　　I　know　something　of　what　you

have　to　express。　　The　world　never　so　wanted　your　message

as　it　does　now。　　It　is　hungry　for　the　things　you　know。　

I　can　see　easily　how　your　position　came　to　you。　　What　you

have　to　give　is　taught　in　no　college；　and　I　am　not　sure　but

you　would　spoil　yourself　if　you　tried　to　run　your　mind

through　a　set　groove　with　hundreds　of　others。　　I　never

thought　I　should　say　such　a　thing　to　any　one；　but　I　do　say

to　you；　and　I　honestly　believe　it；　give　up　the　college　idea。　

Your　mind　does　not　need　that　sort　of　development。　　Stick　close

to　your　work　in　the　woods。　　You　are　becoming　so　infinitely

greater　on　it；　than　the　best　college　girl　I　ever　knew；

that　there　is　no　comparison。　　When　you　have　money　to

spend；　take　that　violin　and　go　to　one　of　the　world's　great

masters　and　let　the　Limberlost　sing　to　him；　if　he　thinks　he

can　improve　it；　very　well。　　I　have　my　doubts。〃



〃Do　you　really　mean　that　you　would　give　up　all　idea　of

going　to　college；　in　my　place？〃



〃I　really　mean　it；〃　said　Philip。　　〃If　I　now　held　the

money　in　my　hands　to　send　you；　and　could　give　it　to　you

in　some　way　you　would　accept　I　would　not。　　I　do　not

know　why　it　is　the　fate　of　the　world　always　to　want

something　different　from　what　life　gives　them。　　If　you

only　could　realize　it；　my　girl；　you　are　in　college；　and

have　been　always。　　You　are　in　the　school　of　experience；

and　it　has　taught　you　to　think；　and　given　you　a　heart。　

God　knows　I　envy　the　man　who　wins　it！　　You　have　been　in

the　college　of　the　Limberlost　all　your　life；　and　I　never

met　a　graduate　from　any　other　institution　who　could　begin

to　compare　with　you　in　sanity；　clarity；　and　interesting　knowledge。　

I　wouldn't　even　advise　you　to　read　too　many　books　on　your　lines。　

You　acquire　your　material　first　hand；　and　you　know　that

you　are　right。　　What　you　should　do　is　to　begin　early

to　practise　self…expression。　　Don't　wait　too　long　to　tell　us

about　the　woods　as　you　know　them。〃



〃Follow　the　course　of　the　Bird　Woman；　you　mean？〃

asked　Elnora。



〃In　your　own　way；　with　your　own　light。　　She　won't

live　forever。　　You　are　younger；　and　you　will　be　ready

to　begin　where　she　ends。　　The　swamp　has　given　you　all

you　need　so　far；　now　you　give　it　to　the　world　in　payment。　

College　be　confounded！　　Go　to　work　and　show　people

what　there　is　in　you！〃



Not　until　then　did　he　remember　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Should　we　go　out　to　the　trail　and　see　if　your　mother　is

coming？〃　he　asked。



〃Here　she　is　now；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Gracious；　it's　a　mercy

I　got　that　violin　put　away　in　time！　　I　didn't　expect　her

so　soon；〃　whispered　the　girl　as　she　turned　and　went

toward　her　mother。　　Mrs。　Comstock's　expression　was　peculiar

as　she　looked　at　Elnora。



〃I　forgot　that　you　were　making　sun…preserves　and　they

didn't　require　much　cooking；〃　she　said。　　〃We　should　have

waited　for　you。〃



〃Not　at　all！〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Have　you

found　anything　yet？〃



〃Nothing　that　I　can　show　you；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　am

almost　sure　I　have　found　an　idea　that　will　revolutionize

the　whole　course　of　my　work；　thought；　and　ambitions。〃



〃‘Ambitions！'　　My；　what　a　hefty　word！〃　laughed　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Now　who　would　suspect　a　little　red…haired　country　girl

of　harbouring　such　a　deadly　germ　in　her　body？　　Can　you　tell

mother　about　it？〃



〃Not　if　you　talk　to　me　that　way；　I　can't；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Well；　I　guess　we　better　let　ambition　lie。　　I've　always

heard　it　was　safest　asleep。　　If　you　ever　get　a　bona　fide

attack；　it　will　be　time　to　attend　it。　　Let's　hunt　specimens。　

It　is　June。　　Philip　and　I　are　in　the　grades。　　You　have　an

hour　to　put　an　idea　into　our　heads　that　will　stick　for　a　lifetime；

and　grow　for　good。　　That's　the　way　I　look　at　your　job。　　Now；　what

are　you　going　to　give　us？　　We　don't　want　any　old　silly　stuff

that　has　been　hashed　over　and　over；　we　want　a　big　new　idea

to　plant　in　our　hearts。　　Come　on；　Miss　Teacher；　what　is　the

boiled…down；　double…distilled　essence　of　June？　　Give　it　to

us　strong。　　We　are　large　enough　to　furnish　it　developing　ground。　

Hurry　up！　　Time　is　short　and　we　are　waiting。　　What　is　the

miracle　of　June？　　What　one　thing　epitomizes　the　whole　month；

and　makes　it　just　a　little　different　from　any　other？〃



〃The　birth　of　these　big　night　moths；〃　said　Elnora　promptly。



Philip　clapped　his　hands。　　The　tears　started　to　Mrs。

Comstock's　eyes。　　She　took　Elnora　in　her　arms；　and　kissed

her　forehead。



〃You'll　do！〃　she　said。　　〃June　is　June；　not　because　it

has　bloom；　bird；　fruit；　or　flower；　exclusive　to　it　alone。



It's　half　May　and　half　July　in　all　of　them。　　But　to　me；

it's　just　June；　when　it　comes　to　these　great；　velvet…winged

night　moths