painted windows-第11章

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〃What　do　you　think　Aunt　Ellen　sent
me　last　week？〃　he　inquired。

We　seemed　to　be　old　acquaintances；
and　in　my　second　of　perplexity　I　de…
cided　that　it　was　mere　forgetfulness
that　made　me　unable　to　recall　just
whom　he　was　talking　about。　So　I　only
said　politely：　〃I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；
sir。〃

〃Why；　yes；　you　do！〃　he　laughed。
〃Couldn't　you　guess？　What　should
Aunt　Ellen　send　but　some　of　that　white
maple　sugar　of　hers；　better　than　ever；
too。　I've　a　pound　of　it　along　with　me；
and　I'd　be　glad　to　pry　off　a　few　pieces
if　you'd　like　to　eat　it。　You　always
were　so　fond　of　Aunt　Ellen's　maple
sugar；　you　know。〃

The　tone　carried　conviction。　　Of
course　I　must　have　been　fond　of　it；
indeed；　upon　reflection；　I　felt　that　I　had
been。　By　the　time　the　man　was　back
with　a　parallelogram　of　the　maple
sugar　in　his　hand；　I　was　convinced　that
he　had　spoken　the　truth。

〃Aunt　Ellen　certainly　is　a　dear；〃　he
went　on。　〃I　run　down　to　see　her　every
time　I　get　a　chance。　Same　old　rain…
barrel！　Same　old　beehives！　Same　old
well…sweep！　Wouldn't　trade　them　for
any　others　in　the　world。　I　like　every…
thing　about　the　place　　like　the　'Old
Man'　that　grows　by　the　gate；　and　the
tomato　trellis　　nobody　else　treats　to…
matoes　like　flowers；　and　the　herb　gar…
den；　and　the　cupboard　with　the　little
wood…carvings　in　it　that　Uncle　Ben
made。　You　remember　Uncle　Ben？
Been　a　sailor　　broke　both　legs　　had
'em　cut　off　　and　sat　around　and　carved
while　Aunt　Ellen　taught　school。　Happy
they　were　　no　one　happier。　Brought
me　up；　you　know。　Didn't　have　a　father
or　mother　　just　gathered　me　in。　Good
sort；　those。　Uncle　Ben's　gone；　but
Aunt　Ellen's　a　mother　to　me　yet。
Thinks　of　me；　travelling；　travelling；
never　putting　my　head　down　in　the　same
bed　two　nights　running；　and　here　and
there　and　everywhere　she　overtakes　me
with　little　scraps　out　of　home。　That's
Aunt　Ellen　for　you！〃

As　the　delicious　sugar　melted　on　my
tongue；　the　sorrows　melted　in　my　soul；
and　I　was　just　about　to　make　some　in…
quiries　about　Aunt　Ellen；　whose　per…
sonal　qualities　seemed　to　be　growing
clearer　and　clearer　in　my　mind；　when
my　conductor　came　striding　down　the
aisle。

〃Where's　my　little　girl？〃　he　de…
manded　heartily。　〃Ah；　there　she　is；
just　where　I　left　her；　in　good　company
and　eating　maple　sugar；　as　I　live。〃

〃Well；　she　hain't　bin　there　all　the
time　now；　I　ken　tell　ye　that！〃　cried　the
old　woman　with　a　face　like　a　hen。

〃Indeed；　she　ain't！〃　the　other
women　joined　in。　〃She's　a　mischief…
makin'　child；　that's　what　she　is！〃　said
the　mother。　The　little　girl　was　look…
ing　over　her　grandmother's　shoulder；
and　she　ran　out　a　very　red；　serpent…
like　tongue　at　me。

〃She's　a　good　girl；　and　almost　as
fond　of　Aunt　Ellen　as　I　am；〃　said　the
large　man；　finding　my　pocket；　and　put…
ting　a　huge　piece　of　maple　sugar　in　it。

The　conductor；　meantime；　was　gath…
ering　my　things；　and　with　a　〃Come
along；　now！　　　This　is　where　you
change；〃　he　led　me　from　the　car。　I
glanced　back　once；　and　the　hen…faced
woman　shook　her　withered　brown　fist
at　me；　and　the　large　man　waved　and
smiled。　The　conductor　and　I　ran　as
hard　as　we　could；　he　carrying　my　light
luggage；　to　a　stage　that　seemed　to　be
waiting　for　us。　He　shouted　some　di…
rections　to　the　driver；　deposited　me
within；　and　ran　back　to　his　train。　And
I；　alone　again；　looked　about　me。

We　were　in　the　heart　of　a　little　town；
and　a　number　of　men　were　standing
around　while　the　horses　took　their　fill
at　the　watering…trough。　This　accom…
plished；　the　driver　checked　up　the
horses；　mounted　to　his　high　seat；　was
joined　by　a　heavy　young　man；　two　gen…
tlemen　entered　the　inside　of　the　coach；
and　we　were　off。

One　of　these　gentlemen　was　very　old。
His　silver　hair　hung　on　his　shoulders；
he　had　a　beautiful　flowing　heard　which
gleamed　in　the　light；　the　kindest　of
faces；　lit　with　laughing　blue　eyes；　and
he　leaned　forward　on　his　heavy　stick
and　seemed　to　mind　the　plunging　of
our　vehicle。　The　other　man　was　mid…
dle…aged；　dark；　silent…looking；　and；　I
decided；　rather　like　a　king。　We　all
rode　in　silence　for　a　while；　but　by　and
by　the　old　man　said　kindly：

〃Where　are　you　going；　my　child？〃

I　told　him。

〃And　whose　daughter　are　you？〃　he
inquired。　I　told　him　that　with　pride。
〃I　know　people　all　through　the　state；〃
he　said；　〃but　I　don't　seem　to　remember
that　name。〃

〃Don't　you　remember　my　father；
sir？〃　I　cried；　anxiously；　edging　up
closer　to　him。　〃Not　that　great　and
good　man！　Why；　Abraham　Lincoln
and　my　father　are　the　greatest　men
that　ever　lived！〃

His　head　nodded　strangely；　as　he
lifted　it　and　looked　at　me　with　his
laughing　eye。

〃It's　a　pity　I　don't　know　him；　that
being　the　case；〃　he　said　gently。　〃But；
anyway；　you're　a　lucky　little　girl。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　sighed；　〃I　am；　indeed。〃

But　my　attention　was　taken　by　our
approach　to　what　I　recognised　as　an
〃estate。〃　A　great　gate　with　high
posts；　flat　on　top；　met　my　gaze；　and
through　this　gateway　I　could　see　a　drive
and　many　beautiful　trees。　A　little　boy
was　sitting　on　top　of　one　of　the　posts；
watching　us；　and　I　thought　I　never　had
seen　a　place　better　adapted　to　viewing
the　passing　procession。　I　longed　to　be
on　the　other　gatepost；　exchanging　confi…
dences　across　the　harmless　gulf　with
this　nice…looking　boy；　when；　most　unex…
pectedly；　the　horses　began　to　plunge。
The　next　second　the　air　was　filled　with
buzzing　black　objects。

〃Bees！〃　said　the　king。　It　was　the
first　word　he　had　spoken；　and　a　true
word　it　was。　Swarming　bees　had　set…
tled　in　the　road；　and　we　had　driven　un…
aware　into　the　midst　of　them。　The
horses　were　distracted；　and　made　blind…
ly　for　the　gate；　though　they　seemed
much　more　likely　to　run　into　the　posts
than　to　get　through　the　gate；　I　thought。
The　boy　seemed　to　think　this；　too；　for
he　shot　backward；　turned　a　somersault
in。　the　air；　and　disappeared　from　view。

〃God　bless　me！〃　said　the　king。

The　heavy　young　man　on　the　front
seat　jumped　from　his　place　and　began
beating　away　the　bees　and　holding　the
horses　by　the　bridles；　and　in　a　few　min…
utes　we　were　on　our　way。　The　horses
had　been　badly　stung；　and　the　heavy
young　man　looked　rather　bumpy。　As
for　us；　the　king　had　shut　the　stage　door
at　the　first　approach　of　trouble；　and
we　were　unharmed。

After　this；　we　all　felt　quite　well　ac…
quainted；　and　the　old　gentleman　told　me
some　wonderful　stories　about　going
about　among　the　Indians　and　about　the
men　in　the　lumber　camps　and　the　set…
tlers　on　the　lake　islands。　Afterward　I
learned　that　he　was　a　bishop；　and　a
brave　and　holy　man　whom　it　was　a
great　honour　to　meet；　but；　at　the　time；
I　only　thought　of　how　kind　he　was　to
pare　apples　for　me　and　to　tell　me　tales。
The　king　seldom　spoke　more　than　one
word　at　a　time；　but　he　was　kind；　too；　in
his　way。　Once　he　said；　〃Sleepy？〃　to
me。　And；　again；　〃Hungry？〃　　　He
didn't　look　out　at　the　landscape　at　all；
and　neither　did　the　bishop。　But　I　ran
from　one　side　to　the　other；　and　the　last
of　the　journey　I　was　taken　up　between
the　driver　and　the　heavy　man　on　the
high　seat。

Presently　we　were　in　a　little　town
with　cottages　almost　hidden　among　the
trees。　A　blue　stream　ran　through
green　fields；　and　the　water　dashed　over
a　dam。　I　could　hear　the　song　of　the
mill　and　the　ripping　of　the　boards。

〃We're　here！〃　said　the　driver。

The　heavy　man　lifted　me　down；　and
my　young　uncle　came　running　out　with
his　arms　open　to　receive　me。　〃What　a
traveller！〃　he　said；　kissing　me。

〃It's　been　a　tremendously　long　and
interesting　journey；〃　I　said。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　〃Ten　miles
by　rail　and　ten　by　stage。　I　suppose
you've　had　a　great　many　adventures！〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　I　cried；　and　ached　to　tell
them；　but　feared　this　was　not　the　place。
I　saw　my　uncle　respectfully　helping　the
bishop　to　alight；　and　heard　him　inquir…
ing　for　his　health；　and　the　bishop　an…
swering　in　his　kind；　deep　voice；　and
saying　I　was　indeed　a　good　traveller
and　saw　all　there　was　to　see　　and　a　lit…
tle　more。　The　king　shook　hands　with
me；　and　this　time　said　two　words：
〃Good　luck。〃　Uncle　had　no　idea　who
he　was　　no　one　had　seen　him　before。
Uncle　didn't　quite　like　his　looks。　But
I　did。　He　was　uncommon；　he　was　dif…
ferent。　I　thought　of　all　those　people　in
the　train　who　had　been　so　alike。　And
then　I　remembered　what