a girl of the limberlost-第9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！





〃Not　all　of　them；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Before　Mr。

Duncan　moved　away　he　often　saw　me　near　the　edge　of

the　swamp　and　he　showed　me　the　box　he　had　fixed　for

Freckles；　and　gave　me　the　key。　　There　were　some　books

and　things；　so　from　that　time　on　I　studied　and　tried　to

take　moths　right；　but　I　am　afraid　they　are　not　what　you　want。〃



〃Are　they　the　big　ones　that　fly　mostly　in　June　nights？〃

asked　the　Bird　Woman。



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Big　gray　ones　with　reddish

markings；　pale　blue…green；　yellow　with　lavender；　and　red

and　yellow。〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　‘red　and　yellow？'〃　asked　the

Bird　Woman　so　quickly　that　the　girl　almost　jumped



〃Not　exactly　red；〃　explained　Elnora；　with　tremulous　voice。　

〃A　reddish；　yellowish　brown；　with　canary…coloured　spots

and　gray　lines　on　their　wings。〃



〃How　many　of　them？〃　　It　was　the　same　quick　question。



〃I　had　over　two　hundred　eggs；〃　said　Elnora；　〃but

some　of　them　didn't　hatch；　and　some　of　the　caterpillars

died；　but　there　must　be　at　least　a　hundred　perfect　ones。〃



〃Perfect！　　How　perfect？〃　cried　the　Bird　Woman。



〃I　mean　whole　wings；　no　down　gone；　and　all　their　legs

and　antennae；〃　faltered　Elnora。



〃Young　woman；　that's　the　rarest　moth　in　America；〃

said　the　Bird　Woman　solemnly。　　〃If　you　have　a　hundred

of　them；　they　are　worth　a　hundred　dollars　according　to

my　list。　　I　can　use　all　that　are　not　damaged。〃



〃What　if　they　are　not　pinned　right；〃　quavered　Elnora。



〃If　they　are　perfect；　that　does　not　make　the

slightest　difference。　　I　know　how　to　soften　them　so

that　I　can　put　them　into　any　shape　I　choose。　

Where　are　they？　　When　may　I　see　them？〃



〃They　are　in　Freckles's　old　case　in　the　Limberlost；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　couldn't　carry　many　for　fear　of　breaking

them；　but　I　could　bring　a　few　after　school。〃



〃You　come　here　at　four；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman；　〃and

we　will　drive　out　with　some　specimen　boxes；　and　a　price

list；　and　see　what　you　have　to　sell。　　Are　they　your　very　own？　

Are　you　free　to　part　with　them？〃



〃They　are　mine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃No　one　but　God

knows　I　have　them。　　Mr。　Duncan　gave　me　the　books

and　the　box。　　He　told　Freckles　about　me；　and　Freckles

told　him　to　give　me　all　he　left。　　He　said　for　me　to　stick

to　the　swamp　and　be　brave；　and　my　hour　would　come；　and

it　has！　　I　know　most　of　them　are　all　right；　and　oh；　I

do　need　the　money！〃



〃Could　you　tell　me？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman　softly。



〃You　see　the　swamp　and　all　the　fields　around　it　are　so

full；〃　explained　Elnora。　　〃Every　day　I　felt　smaller　and

smaller；　and　I　wanted　to　know　more　and　more；　and　pretty

soon　I　grew　desperate；　just　as　Freckles　did。　　But　I　am

better　off　than　he　was；　for　I　have　his　books；　and　I　have　a

mother；　even　if　she　doesn't　care　for　me　as　other　girls'

mothers　do　for　them；　it's　better　than　no　one。〃



The　Bird　Woman's　glance　fell；　for　the　girl　was　not

conscious　of　how　much　she　was　revealing。　　Her　eyes

were　fixed　on　a　black　pitcher　filled　with　goldenrod　in

the　centre　of　the　table　and　she　was　saying　what　she　thought。



〃As　long　as　I　could　go　to　the　Brushwood　school　I　was

happy；　but　I　couldn't　go　further　just　when　things　were

the　most　interesting；　so　I　was　determined　I'd　come　to

high　school　and　mother　wouldn't　consent。　　You　see

there's　plenty　of　land；　but　father　was　drowned　when　I

was　a　baby；　and　mother　and　I　can't　make　money　as　men　do。　

The　taxes　are　higher　every　year；　and　she　said　it　was

too　expensive。　　I　wouldn't　give　her　any　rest；　until　at

last　she　bought　me　this　dress；　and　these　shoes　and　I　came。　

It　was　awful！〃



〃Do　you　live　in　that　beautiful　cabin　at　the　northwest

end　of　the　swamp？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman。



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。



〃I　remember　the　place　and　a　story　about　it；　now。　

You　entered　the　high　school　yesterday？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃It　was　rather　bad？〃



〃Rather　bad！〃　echoed　Elnora。　



The　Bird　Woman　laughed。



〃You　can't　tell　me　anything　about　that；〃　she　said。　

〃I　once　entered　a　city　school　straight　from　the　country。　

My　dress　was　brown　calico；　and　my　shoes　were　heavy。〃



The　tears　began　to　roll　down　Elnora's　cheeks。　



〃Did　they？〃　she　faltered。



〃They　did！〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃All　of　it。　　I　am

sure　they　did　not　miss　one　least　little　thing。〃



Then　she　wiped　away　some　tears　that　began　coursing

her　cheeks；　and　laughed　at　the　same　time。



〃Where　are　they　now？〃　asked　Elnora　suddenly。



〃They　are　widely　scattered；　but　none　of　them　have

attained　heights　out　of　range。　　Some　of　the　rich　are

poor；　and　some　of　the　poor　are　rich。　　Some　of　the　brightest

died　insane；　and　some　of　the　dullest　worked　out　high

positions；　some　of　the　very　worst　to　bear　have　gone　out；

and　I　frequently　hear　from　others。　　Now　I　am　here；

able　to　remember　it；　and　mingle　laughter　with　what

used　to　be　all　tears；　for　every　day　I　have　my　beautiful

work；　and　almost　every　day　God　sends　some　one　like　you

to　help　me。　　What　is　your　name；　my　girl？〃



〃Elnora　Comstock；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Yesterday　on　the

board　it　changed　to　Cornstock；　and　for　a　minute　I

thought　I'd　die；　but　I　can　laugh　over　that　already。〃



The　Bird　Woman　arose　and　kissed　her。　　〃Finish　your

lunch；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　will　bring　my　price　lists；　and

make　a　memorandum　of　what　you　think　you　have；　so　I

will　know　how　many　boxes　to　prepare。　　And　remember　this：　

What　you　are　lies　with　you。　　If　you　are　lazy；　and

accept　your　lot；　you　may　live　in　it。　　If　you　are　willing

to　work；　you　can　write　your　name　anywhere　you　choose；

among　the　only　ones　who　live　beyond　the　grave　in　this

world；　the　people　who　write　books　that　help；　make　exquisite

music；　carve　statues；　paint　pictures；　and　work　for　others。　

Never　mind　the　calico　dress；　and　the　coarse　shoes。　

Work　at　your　books；　and　before　long　you　will　hear

yesterday's　tormentors　boasting　that　they　were　once

classmates　of　yours。　　‘I　could　a　tale　unfold'！〃



She　laughingly　left　the　room　and　Elnora　sat　thinking；

until　she　remembered　how　hungry　she　was；　so　she　ate　the

food；　drank　the　hot　chocolate　and　began　to　feel　better。



Then　the　Bird　Woman　came　back　and　showed　Elnora　a

long　printed　slip　giving　a　list　of　graduated　prices　for

moths；　butterflies；　and　dragonflies。



〃Oh；　do　you　want　them！〃　exulted　Elnora。　　〃I　have

a　few　and　I　can　get　more　by　the　thousand；　with　every

colour　in　the　world　on　their　wings。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman；　〃I　will　buy　them；　also　the

big　moth　caterpillars　that　are　creeping　everywhere　now；

and　the　cocoons　that　they　will　spin　just　about　this　time。　

I　have　a　sneaking　impression　that　the　mystery；　wonder；

and　the　urge　of　their　pure　beauty；　are　going　to　force　me

to　picture　and　paint　our　moths　and　put　them　into　a　book

for　all　the　world　to　see　and　know。　　We　Limberlost　people

must　not　be　selfish　with　the　wonders　God　has　given　to　us。　

We　must　share　with　those　poor　cooped…up　city　people　the

best　we　can。　　To　send　them　a　beautiful　book；　that　is　the

way；　is　it　not；　little　new　friend　of　mine？〃



〃Yes；　oh　yes！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃And　please　God　they

find　a　way　to　earn　the　money　to　buy　the　books；　as　I　have

those　I　need　so　badly。〃



〃I　will　pay　good　prices　for　all　the　moths　you　can　find；〃

said　the　Bird　Woman；　〃because　you　see　I　exchange　them

with　foreign　collectors。　　I　want　a　complete　series　of　the

moths　of　America　to　trade　with　a　German　scientist；

another　with　a　man　in　India；　and　another　in　Brazil。　

Others　I　can　exchange　with　home　collectors　for　those　of

California　and　Canada；　so　you　see　I　can　use　all　you　can

raise；　or　find。　　The　banker　will　buy　stone　axes；　arrow

points；　and　Indian　pipes。　　There　was　a　teacher　from　the

city　grade　schools　here　to…day　for　specimens。　　There　is

a　fund　to　supply　the　ward　buildings。　　I'll　help　you　get

in　touch　with　that。　　They　want　leaves　of　different　trees；

flowers；　grasses；　moths；　insects；　birds'　nests　and　anything

about　birds。〃



Elnora's　eyes　were　blazing。　　〃Had　I　better　go　back　to

school　or　open　a　bank　account　and　begin　being　a　millionaire？