painted windows-第5章

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way　to　school　at　eight…thirty；　was　not
for　〃the　likes　of　them！〃　Only　we；
slaves　of　respectability　and　of　an　inor…
dinate　appetite　for　order；　suffered　such
monotony　and　drabness　to　rule。　I　knew
the　Madigan　boys　could　go　fishing
whenever　they　pleased；　that　the　Madi…
gan　girls　picked　the　blackberries　before
any　one　else　could　get　out　to　them；　that
every　member　of　the　family　could　pack
up　and　go　picnicking　for　days　at　a
time；　and　that　any　stray　horse　was
likely　to　be　ridden　bareback；　within　an
inch　of　its　life；　by　the　younger　mem…
bers　of　the　family。

Only　once　however；　did　I　have　a
chance　to　meet　one　of　these　modern
Visigoths　face　to　face；　and　the　feelings
aroused　by　that　incident　remained　the
darling　secret　of　my　youth。　I　dared　tell
no　one；　and　I　longed；　yet　feared；　to　have
the　experience　repeated。　But　it　never
was！　It　happened　in　this　way：

On　a　certain　Sunday　afternoon　in
May；　my　father　and　mother　and　I　went
to　Emmons'　Woods。　　To　reach　Em…
mons'　Woods；　you　went　out　the　back
door；　past　the　pump　and　the　currant
bushes；　then　down　the　path　to　the
chicken…houses；　and　so　on；　by　way　of
the　woodpile；　to　the　south　gate。　After
that；　you　went　west　toward　the　clover
meadows；　past　the　house　where　the
Crazy　Lady　lived　　here；　if　you　were
alone；　you　ran　　and　then；　reaching　the
verge　of　the　woods；　you　took　your
choice　of　climbing　a　seven…rail　fence　or
of　walking　a　quarter　of　a　mile　till　you
came　to　the　bars。　The　latter　was　much
better　for　the　lace　on　a　Sunday　petti…
coat。

Once　in　Emmons'　Woods；　there　was
enchantment。　An　eagle　might　come　
or　a　blue　heron。　There　had　been　bears
in　Emmons'　Woods　　bears　with　roll…
ing　eyes　and　red　mouths　from　which
their　tongues　lolled。　There　was　one
place　for　pinky　trillium；　and　another
for　gentians；　one　for　tawny　adders'
tongues；　and　another　for　yellow　Dutch…
man's　breeches。　In　the　sap…starting
season；　the　maples　dripped　their　lus…
cious　sap　into　little　wooden　cups；　later；
partridges　nested　in　the　sun…burned
grass。　There　was　no　lake　or　river；　but
there　was　a　pond；　swarming　with　a
vivacious　population；　and　on　the　hard…
baked　clay　of　the　pond　beach　the　green
beetles　aired　their　splendid　changeable
silks　and　sandpipers　hopped　ridicu…
lously。

It　was；　curiously　enough；　easier　to
run　than　to　walk　in　Emmons'　Woods；
and　even　more　natural　to　dance　than　to
run。　　　One　became　acquainted　with
squirrels；　established　intimacies　with
chipmunks；　and　was　on　some　sort　of
civil　relation　with　blackbirds。　And；
oh；　the　tossing　green　of　the　young　wil…
lows；　where　the　lilac　distance　melted
into　the　pale　blue　of　the　sky！　And；　oh；
the　budding　of　the　maples　and　the　fring…
ing　of　the　oaks；　and；　oh；　the　blossom…
ing　of　the　tulip　trees　and　the　garner…
ing　of　the　chestnuts！　And　then；　the
wriggling　things　in　the　grass；　the　pro…
cession　of　ants；　the　coquetries　of　the
robins；　and　the　Beyond；　deepening；
deepening　into　the　forest　where　it　was
safe　only　for　the　woodsmen　to　go。

On　this　particular　Sunday　one　of　us
was　requested　not　to　squeal　and　run
about；　and　to　remember　that　we　wore
our　best　shoes　and　need　not　mess　them
unnecessarily。　It　was　hard　to　be　re…
minded　just　when　the　dance　was　getting
into　my　feet；　but　I　tried　to　have　Sun…
day　manners；　and　went　along　in　the　still
woods；　wondering　why　the　purple　col…
ours　disappeared　as　we　came　on　and
what　had　been　distance　became　near…
ness。　There　was　a　beautiful；　aching
vagueness　over　everything；　and　it　was
not　strange　that　father；　who　had
stretched　himself　on　the　moss；　and
mother；　who　was　reading　Godey's　La…
dies'　Book；　should　presently　both　of
them　be　nodding。　So；　that　being　a　well…
established　fact　　I　established　it　by
hanging　over　them　and　staring　at　their
eyelids　　it　seemed　a　good　time　for　me
to　let　the　dance　out　of　my　toes。　Still
careful　of　my　fresh　linen　frock；　and
remembering　about　the　best　shoes；　I
went　on；　demurely；　down　the　green　al…
leys　of　the　wood。　Now　I　stepped　on
patches　of　sunshine；　now　in　pools　of
shadow。　I　thought　of　how　naughty　I
was　to　run　away　like　this；　and　of　what
a　mistake　people　made　who　said　I　was
a　good；　quiet；　child。　I　knew　that　I
looked　sad　and　prim；　but　I　really　hated
my　sadness　and　primness　and　good…
ness；　and　longed　to　let　out　all　the　in…
teresting；　wild；　naughty　thoughts　there
were　in　me。　I　wanted　to　act　as　if　I　were
bewitched；　and　to　tear　up　vines　and
wind　them　about　me；　to　shriek　to　the
echoes；　and　to　scold　back　at　the　squir…
rels。　I　wanted　to　take　off　my　clothes
and　rush　into　the　pond；　and　swim　like
a　fish；　or　wriggle　like　a　pollywog。　I
wanted　to　climb　trees　and　drop　from
them；　and；　most　of　all　　oh；　with　what
longing　　did　I　wish　to　lift　myself　above
the　earth　and　fly　into　the　bland　blue
air！

I　came　to　a　hollow　where　there　was
a　wonderful　greenness　over　everything；
and　I　said　to　myself　that　I　would　be
bewitched　at　last。　I　would　dance　and
whirl　and　call　till；　perhaps；　some　kind
of　a　creature　as　wild　and　wicked　and
wonderful　as　I；　would　come　out　of　the
woods　and　join　me。　So　I　forgot　about
the　fresh　linen　frock；　and　wreathed　my…
self　with　wild　grape…vine；　I　cared　noth…
ing　for　my　fresh　braids　and　wound
trillium　in　my　hair；　and　I　ceased　to　re…
member　my　new　shoes；　and　whirled
around　and　around　in　the　leafy　mould；
singing　and　shouting。

I　grew　madder　and　madder。　I　seemed
not　to　be　myself　at　all；　but　some　sort
of　a　wood　creature；　and　just　when　the
trees　were　looking　larger　than　ever　they
did　before；　and　the　sky　higher　up；　a
girl　came　running　down　from　a　sort　of
embankment　where　a　tornado　had　made
a　path　for　itself　and　had　hurled　some
great　chestnuts　and　oaks　in　a　tumbled
mass。　The　girl　came　leaping　down　the
steep　sides　of　this　place；　her　arms　out…
spread；　her　feet　bare；　her　dress　no　more
than　a　rag　the　colour　of　the　tree…trunks。
She　had　on　a　torn　green　jacket；　which
made　her　seem　more　than　ever　like
some　one　who　had　just　stepped　out　of
a　hollow　tree；　and；　to　my　unspeakable
happiness；　she　joined　me　in　my　dance。

I　shall　never　forget　how　beautiful　she
was；　with　her　wild　tangle　of　dark　hair；
and　her　deep　blue　eyes　and　ripe　lips。
Her　cheeks　were　flaming　red；　and　her
limbs　strong　and　brown。　She　did　not
merely　shout　and　sing；　she　whistled；
and　made　calls　like　the　birds；　and　cawed
like　a　crow；　and　chittered　like　a　squir…
rel；　and　around　and　around　the　two　of
us　danced；　crazy　as　dervishes　with　the
beauty　of　the　spring　and　the　joy　of　be…
ing　free。

By　and　by　we　were　so　tired　we　had
to　stop；　and　then　we　sat　down　panting
and　looked　at　each　other。　At　that　we
laughed；　long　and　foolishly；　but；　after
a　time；　it　occurred　to　us　that　we　had
many　questions　to　ask。

〃How　did　you　get　here？〃　I　asked　the
girl。

〃I　was　walking　my　lone；〃　she　said；
speaking　her　words　as　if　there　was　a
rich　thick　quality　to　them；　〃and　I
heard　you　screeling。〃

〃Won't　you　get　lost；　alone　like
that？〃

〃I　can't　get　lost；　〃she　sighed。　〃I　'd
like　to；　but　I　can't。〃

〃Where　do　you　live？〃

〃Beyant　the　fair…grounds。〃

〃You're　not　　not　Norah　Madigan？〃

She　leaned　back　and　clasped　her
hands　behind　her　head。　　Then　she
smiled　at　me　teasingly。

〃I　am　that；〃　she　said；　showing　her
perfect　teeth。

I　caught　my　breath　with　a　sharp
gasp。　Ought　I　to　turn　back　to　my　par…
ents？　Had　I　been　so　naughty　that　I
had　called　the　naughtiest　girl　in　the
whole　county　out　to　me？

But　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　leave
her。　She　was　leaning　forward　and
looking　at　me　now　with　mocking　eyes。

〃Are　you　afraid？〃　she　demanded。

〃Afraid　of　what？〃　I　asked；　knowing
quite　well　what　she　meant。

〃Of　me？〃　she　retorted。

At　that　second　an　agreeable　truth
overtook　me。　I　leaned　forward；　too；
and　put　my　hand　on　hers。

〃Why；　I　like　you！〃　I　cried。　She　be…
gan　laughing　again；　but　this　time　there
was　no　mockery　in　it。　She　ran　her　fin…
gers　over　the　embroidery　on　my　linen
frock；　she　examined　the　lace　on　my　pet…
ticoat；　looked　at　the　bows　on　my　shoes；
and　played　delicately　with　the　locket
dangling　from　the　slender　chain　around
my　neck。

〃Do　you　know　　other　girls？〃　she　al…
most　whispered。

I　nodded。　〃Lots　and　lots　of　'em；〃
I　said。　〃Don't　you？〃

She　shook　her　head　in　wistful　denial。

〃Us　Madigans；〃　she　said；　〃keeps　to
ourselves。〃　She　sa