painted windows-第6章

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I　said。　〃Don't　you？〃

She　shook　her　head　in　wistful　denial。

〃Us　Madigans；〃　she　said；　〃keeps　to
ourselves。〃　She　said　it　so　haughtily
that　for　a　moment　I　was　almost　per…
suaded　into　thinking　that　they　lived
their　solitary　lives　from　choice。　But；
glancing　up　at　her；　I　saw　a　blush　that
covered　her　face；　and　there　were　tears
in　her　eyes。

〃Well；　anyway；〃　said　I　quickly；　〃we
know　each　other。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　cried；　〃we　do　that！〃

She　got　up；　then；　and　ran　to　a　great
tree　from　which　a　stout　grape…vine　was
swinging；　and　pulling　at　it　with　her
strong　arms；　she　soon　had　it　made　into
a　practical　swing。

〃Come！〃　she　called　　〃come；　let's
swing　together！〃

She　helped　me　to　balance　myself　on
the　rope…like　vine；　and；　placing　her　feet
outside　of　mine；　showed　me　how　to
〃work　up〃　till　we　were　sweeping　with
a　fine　momentum　through　the　air。　We
shrieked　with　excitement；　and　urged
each　other　on　to　more　and　more　frantic
exertions。　We　were　like　two　birds；　but
to　birds　flying　is　no　novelty。　With　us
it　was；　which　made　us　happier　than
birds。　But　I；　for　my　part；　was　no　more
delighted　with　my　swift　flights　through
the　air　than　I　was　with　the　shining　eyes
and　flashing　teeth　of　the　girl　opposite
me。　I　liked　her　strength；　and　the　way
in　which　her　body　bent　and　swayed。
Once　more；　she　seemed　like　a　wood…
child　　a　wild；　mad；　gay　creature　from
the　tree。　I　felt　as　if　I　had　drawn　a　play…
mate　from　elf…land；　and　I　liked　her　a
thousand　times　better　than　those
proper　little　girls　who　came　to　see　me
of　a　Saturday　afternoon。

Well；　there　we　were；　rocking　and
screaming；　and　telling　each　other　that
we　were　hawks；　and　that　we　were　fly…
ing　high　over　the　world；　when　the　anx…
ious　and　austere　voice　of　my　mother
broke　upon　our　ears。　We　tried　to　stop；
but　that　was　not　such　an　easy　matter
to　do；　and　as　we　twisted　and　writhed；
to　bring　our　grape…vine　swing　to　a
standstill；　there　was　a　slow　rending　and
breaking　which　struck　terror　to　our
souls。

〃Jump！〃　　commanded　　Norah　
〃jump！　the　vine's　breaking！〃　We
leaped　at　the　same　moment；　she　safely。
My　foot　caught　in　a　stout　tendril；　and
I　fell　headlong；　scraping　my　forehead
on　the　ground　and　tearing　a　triangular
rent　in　the　pretty；　new　frock。　Mother
came　running　forward；　and　the　expres…
sion　on　her　face　was　far　from　being
the　one　I　liked　to　see。

〃What　have　you　been　doing？〃　she
demanded。　〃I　thought　you　were　get…
ting　old　enough　and　sensible　enough　to
take　care　of　yourself！〃

I　must　have　been　a　depressing　sight；
viewed　with　the　eyes　of　a　careful
mother。　Blood　and　mould　mingled　on
my　face；　my　dress　needed　a　laundress
as　badly　as　a　dress　could；　and　my　shoes
were　scratched　and　muddy。

〃And　who　is　this　girl？〃　asked
mother。　I　had　become　conscious　that
Norah　was　at　my　feet；　wiping　off　my
shoes　with　her　queer　little　brown　frock。

〃It's　a　new　friend　of　mine；〃　gasped
I；　beginning　to　see　that　I　must　lose　her；
and　hoping　the　lump　in　my　throat
wouldn't　get　any　bigger　than　it　was。

〃What　is　her　name？〃　asked　mother。
I　had　no　time　to　answer。　The　girl　did
that。

〃I'm　Norah　Madigan；〃　she　said。
Her　tone　was　respectful；　and；　maybe；
sad。　At　any　rate；　it　had　a　curious
sound。

〃Norah　Mad…i…gan？〃　asked　mother
doubtfully；　stringing　out　the　word。

〃Yessum；〃　said　a　low　voice。　〃Good…
bye；　mum。〃

〃Oh；　Norah！〃　cried　I；　a　strange　pain
stabbing　my　heart。　〃Come　to　see
me　〃

But　my　mother's　voice　broke　in；　firm
and　kind。

〃Good…bye；　Norah；〃　said　she。

I　saw　Norah　turn　and　run　up　among
the　trees；　almost　as　swiftly　and　silently
as　a　hare。　Once；　she　turned　to　look
back。　I　was　watching；　and　caught　the
chance　to　wave　my　hand　to　her。

〃Come！〃　commanded　mother；　and
we　went　back　to　where　father　was　sit…
ting。

〃What　do　you　think！〃　said　mother。
〃I　found　the　child　playing　with　one　of
the　Bad　Madigans。　Isn't　she　a　sight！〃

The　lump　in　my　throat　swelled　to　a
terrible　size；　something　buzzed　in　my
ears；　and　I　heard　some　one　weeping。
For　a　second　or　two　I　didn't　realise　that
it　was　myself。

〃Well；　never　mind；　dear；〃　said
mother's　voice　soothingly。　〃The　frock
will　wash；　and　the　tear　will　mend；　and
the　shoes　will　black。　Yes；　and　the
scratches　will　heal。〃

〃It　isn't　that；〃　I　sobbed。　〃Oh；　oh；
it　isn't　that！〃

〃What　is　it；　then；　for　goodness
sake？〃　asked　mother。

But　I　would　not　tell。　I　could　not
tell。　How　could　I　say　that　the　daughter
of　the　Bad　Madigans　was　the　first　real
and　satisfying　playmate　I　had　ever
had？



IV

FAME

AS　I　remember　the　boys　and　girls
who　grew　up　with　me；　I　think　of
them　as　artists；　or　actors；　or　travellers；
or　rich　merchants。　Each　of　us；　by　the
time　we　were　half　through　grammar
school；　had　selected　a　career。　So　far
as　I　recollect；　this　career　had　very　lit…
tle　to　do　with　our　abilities。　We　merely
chose　something　that　suited　us。　Our
energy　and　our　vanity　crystallised　into
particular　shapes。　There　was　a　sort　of
religion　abroad　in　the　West　at　that　time
that　a　person　could　do　almost　anything
he　set　out　to　do。　The　older　people；　as
well　as　the　children；　had　an　idea　that
the　world　was　theirs　　they　all　were
Monte　Cristos　in　that　respect。

As　for　me；　I　had　decided　to　be　an
orator。

At　the　time　of　making　this　decision；
I　was　nine　years　of　age；　decidedly　thin
and　long　drawn　out；　with　two　brown
braids　down　my　back；　and　a　terrific
shyness　which　I　occasionally　overcame
with　such　a　magnificent　splurge　that
those　who　were　not　acquainted　with　my
peculiarities　probably　thought　me　a
shamefully　assertive　child。

I　based　my　oratorical　aspirations
upon　my　having　taken　the　prize　a　num…
ber　of　times　in　Sunday…school　for　learn…
ing　the　most　New　Testament　verses；
and　upon　the　fact　that　I　always　could
make　myself　heard　to　the　farthest　cor…
ner　of　the　room。　I　also　felt　that　I　had
a　great　message　to　deliver　to　the　world
when　I　got　around　it；　though　in　this；　I
was　in　no　way　different　from　several
of　my　friends。　I　had　noticed　a　number
of　things　in　the　world　that　were　not
quite　right；　and　which　I　thought　needed
attention；　and　I　believed　that　if　I　were
quite　good　and　studied　elocution；　in　a
little　while　I　should　be　able　to　set　my
part　of　the　world　right；　and　perhaps
even　extend　my　influence　to　adjoining
districts。

Meantime　I　practised　terrible　vocal
exercises；　chiefly　consisting　of　a　rau…
cous　〃caw〃　something　like　a　crow's
favourite　remark；　and　advocated　by　my
teacher　in　elocution　for　no　reason　that
I　can　now　remember；　and　I　stood　be…
fore　the　glass　for　hours　at　a　time　mak…
ing　grimaces　so　as　to　acquire　the　〃ac…
tor's　face；〃　till　my　frightened　little　sis…
ters　implored　me　to　turn　back　into　my…
self　again。

It　was　a　great　day　for　me　when　I
was　asked　to　participate　in　the　Harvest
Home　Festival　at　our　church　on
Thanksgiving　Day。　I　looked　upon　it　as
the　beginning　of　my　career；　and　bought
crimping　papers　so　that　my　hair　could
be　properly　fluted。　Of　course；　I　wanted
a　new　dress　for　the　occasion；　and　I
spent　several　days　in　planning　the　kind
of　a　one　I　thought　best　suited　to　such　a
memorable　event。　I　even　picked　out　the
particular　lace　pattern　I　wanted　for　the
ruffles。　This　was　before　I　submitted　the
proposition　to　Mother；　however。　When
I　told　her　about　it　she　said　she　could
see　no　use　in　getting　a　new　dress　and
going　to　all　the　trouble　of　making　it
when　my　white　one　with　the　green
harps　was　perfectly　good。

This　was　such　an　unusual　dress　and
had　gone　through　so　many　vicissitudes；
that　I　really　was　devotedly　attached　to
it。　It　had；　in　the　beginning；　belonged
to　my　Aunt　Bess；　and　in　the　days　of
its　first　glory　had　been　a　sheer　Irish
linen　lawn；　with　tiny　green　harps　on　it
at　agreeable　intervals。　　But　in　the
course　of　time；　it　had　to　be　sent　to　the
wash…tub；　and　then；　behold；　all　the　lit…
tle　lovely　harps　followed　the　example
of　the　harp　that　〃once　through　Tara's
hall　the　soul　of　music　shed；〃　and　dis…
appeared！　Only　vague；　dirty；　yellow
reminders　of　their　beauty　remained；
not　to　decorate；　but　to　disfigure　the
fine　fabric。

Aunt　Bess；　naturally　enough；　felt　ir…
ritated；　and　she　gave　the　goods　to
mother；　saying　that　she　might　be　able
to　boil　the　yellow　stains　out　of　it　and
make　me　a　dress。　I　had　gone　about
many　a　time；　like　love　amid　the　ruins；
in　the