a girl of the limberlost-第85章

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〃What　have　you　thought　of　that　you　wanted　yet；　Edith？〃

he　asked　lightly　as　he　stretched　himself　at　her　feet。



〃You！〃



Henderson　lay　tense　and　very　still。



〃Well；　I　am　here！〃



〃Thank　Heaven　for　that！〃



Henderson　sat　up　suddenly；　leaning　toward　her　with

questioning　eyes。　　Not　knowing　what　he　dared　say；

afraid　of　the　hope　which　found　birth　in　his　heart；　he　tried

to　shield　her　and　at　the　same　time　to　feel　his　way。



〃I　am　more　thankful　than　I　can　express　that　you　feel

so；〃　he　said。　　〃I　would　be　of　use；　of　comfort；　to　you　if　I

knew　how；　Edith。〃



〃You　are　my　only　comfort；〃　she　said。　　〃I　tried　to　send

you　away。　　I　thought　I　didn't　want　you。　　I　thought　I

couldn't　bear　the　sight　of　you；　because　of　what　you　have

seen　me　suffer。　　But　I　went　to　the　root　of　this　thing　last

night；　Hart；　and　with　self　in　mind；　as　usual；　I　found　that

I　could　not　live　without　you。〃



Henderson　began　breathing　lightly。　　He　was　afraid　to

speak　or　move。



〃I　faced　the　fact　that　all　this　is　my　own　fault；〃

continued　Edith；　〃and　came　through　my　own　selfishness。　

Then　I　went　farther　back　and　realized　that　I　am　as　I

was　reared。　　I　don't　want　to　blame　my　parents；　but　I

was　carefully　trained　into　what　I　am。　　If　Elnora　Comstock　had

been　like　me；　Phil　would　have　come　back　to　me。　　I　can　see

how　selfish　I　seem　to　him；　and　how　I　appear　to　you；　if　you

would　admit　it。〃



〃Edith；〃　said　Henderson　desperately；　〃there　is　no　use

to　try　to　deceive　you。　　You　have　known　from　the　first

that　I　found　you　wrong　in　this。　　But　it's　the　first　time　in

your　life　I　ever　thought　you　wrong　about　anythingand

it's　the　only　time　I　ever　shall。　　Understand；　I　think　you

the　bravest；　most　beautiful　woman　on　earth；　the　one　most

worth　loving。〃



〃I'm　not　to　be　considered　in　the　same　class　with　her。〃



〃I　don't　grant　that；　but　if　I　did；　you；　must　remember

how　I　compare　with　Phil。　　He's　my　superior　at　every　point。　

There's　no　use　in　discussing　that。　　You　wanted　to　see　me；　Edith。　

What　did　you　want？〃



〃I　wanted　you　to　not　go　away。〃



〃Not　at　all？〃



〃Not　at　all！　　Not　ever！　　Not　unless　you　take　me　with

you；　Hart。〃



She　slightly　extended　one　hand　to　him。　　Henderson　took

that　hand；　kissing　it　again　and　again。



〃Anything　you　want；　Edith；〃　he　said　brokenly。　　〃Just　as

you　wish　it。　　Do　you　want　me　to　stay　here；　and　go　on　as

we　have　been？〃



〃Yes；　only　with　a　difference。〃



〃Can　you　tell　me；　Edith？〃



〃First；　I　want　you　to　know　that　you　are　the　dearest

thing　on　earth　to　me；　right　now。　　I　would　give　up

everything　else；　before　I　would　you。　　I　can't　honestly　say

that　I　love　you　with　the　love　you　deserve。　　My　heart　is

too　sore。　　It's　too　soon　to　know。　　But　I　love　you　some　way。　

You　are　necessary　to　me。　　You　are　my　comfort；　my　shield。　

If　you　want　me；　as　you　know　me　to　be；　Hart；　you　may　consider

me　yours。　　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　I　will　try　to　be

as　you　would　have　me；　just　as　soon　as　I　can。〃



Henderson　kissed　her　hand　passionately。　　〃Don't；　Edith；〃

he　begged。　　〃Don't　say　those　things。　　I　can't　bear　it。　

I　understand。　　Everything　will　come　right　in　time。　

Love　like　mine　must　bring　a　reward。　　You　will　love　me

some　day。　　I　can　wait。　　I　am　the　most　patient　fellow。〃



〃But　I　must　say　it；〃　cried　Edith。　　〃II　think；　Hart；

that　I　have　been　on　the　wrong　road　to　find　happiness。　

I　planned　to　finish　life　as　I　started　it　with　Phil；　and　you

see　how　glad　he　was　to　change。　　He　wanted　the　other　sort　of

girl　far　more　than　he　ever　wanted　me。　　And　you；　Hart；

honest；　nowI'll　know　if　you　don't　tell　me　the　truth！　

Would　you　rather　have　a　wife　as　I　planned　to　live　life　with

Phil；　or　would　you　rather　have　her　as　Elnora　Comstock　intends

to　live　with　him？〃



〃Edith！〃　cried　the　man；　〃Edith！〃



〃Of　course；　you　can't　say　it　in　plain　English；〃　said　the　girl。　

〃You　are　far　too　chivalrous　for　that。　　You　needn't

say　anything。　　I　am　answered。　　If　you　could　have　your

choice　you　wouldn't　have　a　society　wife；　either。　　In　your

heart　you'd　like　the　smaller　home　of　comfort；　the　furtherance

of　your　ambitions；　the　palatable　meals　regularly　served；

and　little　children　around　you。　　I　am　sick　of　all　we

have　grown　up　to；　Hart。　　When　your　hour　of　trouble

comes；　there　is　no　comfort　for　you。　　I　am　tired　to　death。　

You　find　out　what　you　want　to　do；　and　be；　that　is　a　man's

work　in　the　world；　and　I　will　plan　our　home；　with　no

thought　save　your　comfort。　　I'll　be　the　other　kind　of　a　girl；

as　fast　as　I　can　learn。　　I　can't　correct　all　my　faults　in　one

day；　but　I'll　change　as　rapidly　as　I　can。〃



〃God　knows；　I　will　be　different；　too；　Edith。　　You　shall

not　be　the　only　generous　one。　　I　will　make　all　the　rest　of

life　worthy　of　you。　　I　will　change；　too！〃



〃Don't　you　dare！〃　said　Edith　Carr；　taking　his　head　between

her　hands　and　holding　it　against　her　knees；　while　the

tears　slid　down　her　cheeks。　　〃Don't　you　dare　change；　you

big…hearted；　splendid　lover！　　I　am　little　and　selfish。　

You　are　the　very　finest；　just　as　you　are！〃



Henderson　was　not　talking　then；　so　they　sat　through　a

long　silence。　　At　last　he　heard　Edith　draw　a　quick

breath；　and　lifting　his　head　he　looked　where　she　pointed。　

Up　a　fern　stalk　climbed　a　curious　looking　object。　

They　watched　breathlessly。　　By　lavender　feet　clung　a　big；

pursy；　lavender…splotched；　yellow　body。　　Yellow　and　lavender

wings　began　to　expand　and　take　on　colour。　　Every　instant

great　beauty　became　more　apparent。　　It　was　one　of　those

double…brooded　freaks；　which　do　occur　on　rare　occasions；

or　merely　an　Eacles　Imperialis　moth　that　in　the　cool　damp

northern　forest　had　failed　to　emerge　in　June。　　Edith　Carr

drew　back　with　a　long；　shivering　breath。　　Henderson　caught

her　hands　and　gripped　them　firmly。　　Steadily　she

looked　the　thought　of　her　heart　into　his　eyes。



〃By　all　the　powers；　you　shall　not！〃　swore　the　man。　

〃You　have　done　enough。　　I　will　smash　that　thing！〃



〃Oh　no　you　won't！〃　cried　the　girl；　clinging　to　his　hands。　

〃I　am　not　big　enough　yet；　Hart；　but　before　I　leave　this

forest　I　shall　have　grown　to　breadth　and　strength　to　carry

that　to　her。　　She　needs　two　of　each　kind。　　Phil　only　sent

her　one！〃



〃Edith　I　can't　bear　it！　　That's　not　demanded！　　Let　me

take　it！〃



〃You　may　go　with　me。　　I　know　where　the　O'More　cottage　is。　

I　have　been　there　often。〃



〃I'll　say　you　sent　it！〃



〃You　may　watch　me　deliver　it！〃



〃Phil　may　be　there　by　now。〃



〃I　hope　he　is！　　I　should　like　him　to　see　me　do　one　decent

thing　by　which　to　remember　me。〃



〃I　tell　you　that　is　not　necessary！〃



〃‘Not　necessary！'〃　cried　the　girl；　her　big　eyes　shining。　

〃Not　necessary？　　Then　what　on　earth　is　the　thing　doing

here？　　I　just　have　boasted　that　I　would　change；　that　I

would　be　like　her；　that　I　would　grow　bigger　and　broader。　

As　the　words　are　spoken　God　gives　me　the　opportunity　to

prove　whether　I　am　sincere。　　This　is　my　test；　Hart！　　Don't

you　see　it？　　If　I　am　big　enough　to　carry　that　to　her；　you

will　believe　that　there　is　some　good　in　me。　　You　will　not

be　loving　me　in　vain。　　This　is　an　especial　Providence；　man！　

Be　my　strength！　　Help　me；　as　you　always　have　done！〃



Henderson　arose　and　shook　the　leaves　from　his　clothing。　

He　drew　Edith　Carr　to　her　feet　and　carefully　picked　the

mosses　from　her　skirts。　　He　went　to　the　water　and

moistened　his　handkerchief　to　bathe　her　face。



〃Now　a　dust　of　powder；〃　he　said　when　the　tears　were

washed　away。



From　a　tiny　book　Edith　tore　leaves　that　she　passed　over

her　face。



〃All　gone！〃　cried　Henderson；　critically　studying　her。　

〃You　look　almost　half　as　lovely　as　you　really　are！〃



Edith　Carr　drew　a　wavering　breath。　　She　stretched　one

hand　to　him。



〃Hold　tight；　Hart！〃　she　said。　　〃I　know　they　handle

these　things；　but　I　would　quite　as　soon　touch　a　snake。〃



Henderson　clenched　his　teeth　and　held　steadily。　　The　moth

had　emerged　too　recently　to　be　troublesome。　　It　climbed

on　her　fingers　quietly　and　obligingly　clung