the dwelling place of ligh-第99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！


had　been　cut　by　their　sharp　teeth？〃

At　moments　she　conversed　rapidly　with　Delphin　in　the　same　patois　Janet
had　heard　on　the　streets　of　Hampton。　　How　long　ago　that　seemed！

On　two　occasions；　when　the　falls　were　sheer；　they　had　to　disembark　and
walk　along　little　portages　through　the　green　raspberry　bushes。　　The
prints　of　great　hooves　in　the　black　silt　betrayed　where　wild　animals　had
paused　to　drink。　　They　stopped　for　lunch　on　a　warm　rock　beside　a　singing
waterfall；　and　at　last　they　turned　an　elbow　in　the　stream　and　with
suddenly　widened　vision　beheld　the　lake's　sapphire　expanse　and　the
distant　circle　of　hills。　　〃Les　montagnes；〃　Herve　called　them　as　he　flung
out　his　pipe；　and　this　Janet　could　translate　for　herself。　　Eastward　they
lay　lucent　in　the　afternoon　light；　westward；　behind　the　generous　log　camp
standing　on　a　natural　terrace　above　the　landing；　they　were　in　shadow。
Here　indeed　seemed　peace；　if　remoteness；　if　nature　herself　might　bestow
it。

Janet　little　suspected　that　special　preparations　had　been　made　for　her
comfort。　　Early　in　April；　while　the　wilderness　was　still　in　the　grip　of
winter；　Delphin　had　been　summoned　from　a　far…away　lumber　camp　to　Saint
Hubert；　where　several　packing…cases　and　two　rolls　of　lead　pipe　from
Montreal　lay　in　a　shed　beside　the　railroad　siding。　　He　had　superintended
the　transportation　of　these；　on　dog　sledges；　up　the　frozen　decharge；
accompanied　on　his　last　trip　by　a　plumber　of　sorts　from　Beaupre；　thirty
miles　down　the　line；　and　between　them　they　had　improvised　a　bathroom；　and
attached　a　boiler　to　the　range！　　Only　a　week　before　the　arrival　of　Madame
the　spring　on　the　hillside　above　the　camp　had　been　tapped；　and　the　pipe
laid　securely　underground。　　Besides　this　unheard…of　luxury　for　the　Lac　du
Sablier　there　were　iron　beds　and　mattresses　and　little　wood　stoves　to　go
in　the　four　bedrooms；　which　were　more　securely　chinked　with　moss。　　The
traditions　of　that　camp　had　been　hospitable。　　In　Professor　Wishart's　day
many　guests　had　come　and　gone；　or　pitched　their　tents　nearby；　and　Augusta
Maturin；　until　this　summer；　had　rarely　been　here　alone；　although　she　had
no　fears　of　the　wilderness；　and　Delphin　brought　his　daughter　Delphine　to
do　the　housework　and　cooking。　　The　land　for　miles　round　about　was　owned
by　a　Toronto　capitalist　who　had　been　a　friend　of　her　father；　and　who
could　afford　as　a　hobby　the　sparing　of　the　forest。　　By　his　permission　a
few　sportsmen　came　to　fish　or　shoot；　and　occasionally　their　campfires
could　be　seen　across　the　water；　starlike　glows　in　the　darkness　of　the
night；　at　morning　and　evening　little　blue　threads　of　smoke　that　rose
against　the　forest；　〃bocane；〃　Delphin　called　it；　and　Janet　found　a　sweet；
strange　magic　in　these　words　of　the　pioneer。

The　lake　was　a　large　one；　shaped　like　an　hourglass；　as　its　name　implied；
and　Augusta　Maturin　sometimes　paddled　Janet　through　the　wide；　shallow
channel　to　the　northern　end；　even　as　she　had　once　paddled　Gifford。　　Her
genius　was　for　the　helpless。　　One　day；　when　the　waters　were　high；　and　the
portages　could　be　dispensed　with；　they　made　an　excursion　through　the
Riviere　des　Peres　to　the　lake　of　that　name；　the　next　in　the　chain　above。
For　luncheon　they　ate　the　trout　Augusta　caught；　and　in　the　afternoon；
when　they　returned　to　the　mouth　of　the　outlet；　Herve；　softly　checking　the
canoe　with　his　paddle；　whispered　the　word　〃Arignal！〃　Thigh　deep　in　the
lush　grasses　of　the　swamp　was　an　animal　with　a　huge　grey　head；　like　a
donkey's；　staring　foolishly　in　their　directiona　cow　moose。　　With　a
tremendous　commotion　that　awoke　echoes　in　the　forest　she　tore　herself
from　the　mud　and　disappeared；　followed　by　her　panic…stricken　offspring；　a
caricature　of　herself。。。。

By　September　the　purple　fireweed　that　springs　up　beside　old　camps；　and　in
the　bois　brute；　had　bloomed　and　scattered　its　myriad；　impalpable
thistledowns　over　crystal　floors。　　Autumn　came　to　the　Laurentians。　　In
the　morning　the　lake　lay　like　a　quicksilver　pool　under　the　rising　mists；
through　which　the　sun　struck　blinding　flashes　of　light。　　A　little　later；
when　the　veil　had　lifted；　it　became　a　mirror　for　the　hills　and　crags；　the
blue　reaches　of　the　sky。　　The　stinging　air　was　spiced　with　balsam。
Revealed　was　the　incredible　brilliance　of　another　day；the　arsenic…green
of　the　spruce；　the　red　and　gold　of　the　maples；　the　yellow　of　the　alders
bathing　in　the　shallows；　of　the　birches；　whose　white　limbs　could　be　seen
gleaming　in　the　twilight　of　the　thickets。　　Early；　too　early；　the　sun　fell
down　behind　the　serrated　forest…edge　of　the　western　hill；　a　ball　of
orange　fire。。。。　　One　evening　Delphin　and　Herve；　followed　by　two　other
canoes；　paddled　up　to　the　landing。　　New　visitors　had　arrived；　Dr。　McLeod；
who　had　long　been　an　intimate　of　the　Wishart　family；　and　with　him　a
buxom；　fresh…complexioned　Canadian　woman；　a　trained　nurse　whom　he　had
brought　from　Toronto。

There；　in　nature's　wilderness；　Janet　knew　the　supreme　experience　of
women；　the　agony；　the　renewal　and　joy　symbolic　of　nature　herself。　　When
the　child　was　bathed　and　dressed　in　the　clothes　Augusta　Maturin　herself
had　made　for　it；　she　brought　it　into　the　room　to　the　mother。

〃It's　a　daughter；〃　she　announced。

Janet　regarded　the　child　wistfully。　　〃I　hoped　it　would　be　a　boy；〃　she
said。　　〃He　would　have　hada　better　chance。〃　　But　she　raised　her　arms；
and　the　child　was　laid　in　the　bed　beside　her。

〃We'll　see　that　she　has　a　chance；　my　dear；〃　Augusta　Maturin　replied；　as
she　kissed　her。

Ten　days　went　by；　Dr。　McLeod　lingered　at　Lac　du　Sablier；　and　Janet　was
still　in　bed。　　Even　in　this　life…giving　air　she　did　not　seem　to　grow
stronger。　　Sometimes；　when　the　child　was　sleeping　in　its　basket　on　the
sunny　porch；　Mrs。　Maturin　read　to　her；　but　often　when　she　was　supposed　to
rest；　she　lay　gazing　out　of　the　open　window　into　silver　space　listening
to　the　mocking　laughter　of　the　loons；　watching　the　ducks　flying　across
the　sky；　or；　as　evening　drew　on；　marking　in　the　waters　a　steely　angle
that　grew　and　grewthe　wake　of　a　beaver　swimming　homeward　in　the
twilight。　　In　the　cold　nights　the　timbers　cracked　to　the　frost；　she　heard
the　owls　calling　to　one　another　from　the　fastnesses　of　the　forest；　and
thought　of　life's　inscrutable　mystery。　　Then　the　child　would　be　brought
to　her。　　It　was　a　strange；　unimagined　happiness　she　knew　when　she　felt　it
clutching　at　her　breasts；　at　her　heart；　a　happiness　not　unmixed　with
yearning；　with　sadness　as　she　pressed　it　to　her。　　Why　could　it　not　remain
there　always；　to　comfort　her；　to　be　nearer　her　than　any　living　thing？
Reluctantly　she　gave　it　back　to　the　nurse；　wistfully　her　eyes　followed
it。。。。

Twice　a　week；　now；　Delphin　and　Herve　made　the　journey　to　Saint　Hubert；
and　one　evening；　after　Janet　had　watched　them　paddling　across　the　little
bay　that　separated　the　camp　from　the　outlet's　mouth；　Mrs。　Maturin
appeared；　with　an　envelope　in　her　hand。

〃I've　got　a　letter　from　Brooks　Insall；　Janet；〃　she　said；　with　a　well…
disguised　effort　to　speak　naturally。　　〃It's　not　the　first　one　he's　sent
me；　but　I　haven't　mentioned　the　others。　　He's　in　Sillistonand　I　wrote
him　about　the　daughter。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Janet。

〃Wellhe　wants　to　come　up　here；　to　see　you；　before　we　go　away。　　He　asks
me　to　telegraph　your　permission。〃

〃Oh　no；　he　mustn't；　Mrs。　Maturin！〃

〃You　don't　care　to　see　him？〃

〃It　isn't　that。　　I'd　like　to　see　him　if　things　had　been　different。　　But
now　that　I've　disappointed　himhurt　him；　I　couldn't　stand　it。　　I　know
it's　only　his　kindness。〃

After　a　moment　Augusta　Maturin　handed　Janet　a　sealed　envelope　she　held　in
her　hand。

〃He　asked　me　to　give　you　this；〃　she　said；　and　left　the　room。　　Janet　read
it；　and　let　it　fall　on　the　bedspread；　where　it　was　still　lying　when　her
friend　returned　and　began　tidying　the　room。　　From　the　direction　of　the
guide's　cabin；　on　the　point；　came　the　sounds　of　talk　and　laughter；　broken
by　snatches　of　habitant　songs。　　Augusta　Maturin　smiled。　　She　pretended
not　to　notice　the　tears　in　Janet's　eyes；　and　strove　to　keep　back　her　own。

〃Delphin　and　Herve　saw　a　moose　in　the　decharge；〃　she　explained。　　〃Of
course　it　was　a　big　one；　it　always　is！　　They're　telling　the　doctor　about
it。〃

〃Mrs。　Maturin；〃　said　Janet；　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　you。　　I