a summer in a canyon-第32章

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full　of　wicked　pride；　and　oh；　it　seems　as　if　I　could　never；　never　get
over　wanting　to　live　in　a　pretty　house；　and　wear　pretty　dresses；　and
have　my　mother　live　like　Bell's　and　Margery's。　　And　oh；　if　Thou　canst
only　forgive　me　for　hating　boarders　so　dreadfully；　and　being　ashamed
of　them　every　minute；　I　will　try　and　like　them　better　and　tell
everybody　that　we　take　themI　will　indeed；　and　if　I　can　only　once
make　Aunt　Truth　love　and　trust　me　again；　I　will　make　the　boarders'
beds　and　dust　their　rooms　for　ever　without　grumbling。　　Please；　dear
Father　in　heaven；　remember　that　I　haven't　any　father　to　love　me　or　to
teach　me　to　be　good；　and　though　mamma　does　her　best；　please　help　her
to　make　something　out　of　me　if　it　can　be　done。　　Amen。'

'Truth；'　said　Mrs。　Howard；　when　all　was　quiet　about　the　camp；　'Elsie
wants　to　see　you　a　moment　before　she　goes　to　sleep。　　Will　you　go　to
her　tent；　while　I　play　a　game　of　cribbage　with　Dr。　Paul？'

Elsie　looked　like　a　blossom　in　all　the　beautiful　greenness　of　her
tent；　with　her　yellow　head　coming　out　from　above　the　greens　and
browns　of　the　cretonne　bed…cover　for　all　the　world　like　a　daffodil
pushing　its　way　up　through　the　mould　towards　the　spring　sunshine。

'Aunt　Truth；'　she　said　softly；　as　Mrs。　Winship　sat　down　beside　her；
'you　remember　that　Dr。　Paul　hung　my　hammock　in　a　new　place　to…day；
just　behind　the　girls'　sleeping…tent。　　Now　I　know　that　Polly　is　in
trouble；　and　that　you　are　displeased　with　her。　　What　I　want　to　ask；
if　I　may；　is；　how　much　you　know；　for　I　overheard　a　great　deal　myself…
…enough　to　feel　that　Polly　deserves　a　hearing。'

'I　overheard　nothing；'　replied　Mrs。　Winship。　　'All　that　I　know　Polly
herself　confessed　in　Laura's　presence。　　Polly　told　Laura；　just　as　she
was　going　away；　that　everybody　would　be　glad　to　see　the　last　of　her；
and　that　she　had　made　everybody　miserable　from　the　beginning　of　her
visit。　　It　was　quite　inexcusable；　you　know；　dear；　for　one　of　my
guests　to　waylay　another；　just　as　she　was　leaving；　and　make　such　a
cruel　speech。　　I　would　rather　anything　else　had　happened。　　I　know　how
impetuous　Polly　is；　and　I　can　forgive　the　child　almost　anything；　her
heart　is　so　full　of　love　and　generosity；　but　I　cannot　overlook　such　a
breach　of　propriety　as　that。　　Of　course　I　have　seen　that　Laura　is　not
a　favourite　with　any　of　you。　　I　confess　she　is　not　a　very　lovable
person；　and　I　think　she　has　led　a　very　unwholesome　life　lately　and　is
sadly　spoiled　by　it；　still　that　is　no　excuse　for　Polly's　conduct。'

'No；　of　course　it　isn't；'　sighed　Elsie；　with　a　little　quiver　of　the
lip。　　'I　thought　I　could　plead　a　better　case　for　Polly；　but　I　see
exactly　how　thoughtless　and　impolite　she　was；　yet；　if　you　knew
everything；　auntie；　dear；　you　would　feel　a　little　different。　　Do　you
think　it　was　nice　of　Laura　to　repeat　what　Polly　said　right　before
her；　and　just　as　she　was　going　away；　when　she　knew　it　would　make　you
uncomfortable　and　that　you　were　not　to　blame　for　it？'

'No；　hardly。　　It　didn't　show　much　tact；　but　girls　of　fifteen　or
sixteen　are　not　always　remarkable　for　social　tact。　　I　excused　her
partly　because　she　was　half…sick　and　nervous。'

'Well；'　Elsie　went　on；　'I　didn't　hear　the　whole　quarrel；　so　that　I　do
not　know　how　long　it　lasted　nor　who　began　it。　　I　can't　help　thinking
it　was　Laura；　though；　for　she's　been　trying　her　best　to　provoke　Polly
for　the　last　fortnight；　and　until　to…day　she　has　never　really
succeeded。　　I　was　half　asleep；　and　heard　at　first　only　the　faint
murmur　of　voices；　but　when　I　was　fully　awake；　Laura　was　telling　Polly
that　she　doted　on　you　simply　because　you　had　money　and　position；
while　she　had　not；　that　you　were　all　so　partial　to　her　that　she　had
lost　sight　of　her　own　deficiencies。　　Then　she　called　her　bold　and
affected；　and　I　don't　know　what　else；　and　finally　wound　up　by　saying
that　nobody　but　the　Winships　would　be　likely　to　make　a　pet　of　the
daughter　of　a　boarding…house　keeper。'

'Elsie！'　ejaculated　Mrs。　Winship；　'this　grows　worse　and　worse！　　Is　it
possible　that　Laura　Burton　could　be　guilty　of　such　a　thought？'

'I　can't　be　mistaken。　　I　was　too　excited　not　to　hear　very　clearly；
and　the　moment　the　words　were　spoken　I　knew　my　poor　dear's　fiery
temper　would　never　endure　that。　　And　it　didn't；　it　blazed　out　in　a
second；　but　it　didn't　last　long；　for　before　I　could　get　to　the　tent
she　had　stopped　herself　right　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence；　and　in
another　minute　I　heard　your　voice；　and　crept　back　to　the　hammock；
thinking　that　everything　would　be　settled　by　Laura's　going　away。　　I'd
no　idea　that　she　would　pounce　on　Polly　and　get　her　in　disgrace；　the
very　last　thing；　when　she　knew　that　she　was　responsible　for　the　whole
matter。　　You　see；　auntie；　that；　impolite　as　Polly　was；　she　only　told
Laura　that　we　girls　were　glad　she　was　going。　　She　didn't　bring　you
in；　after　all；　and　Laura　knew　perfectly　well　that　she　was　a　welcome
visitor；　and　we　all　treated　her　with　the　greatest　politeness；　though
it's　no　use　to　say　we　liked　her　much。'

'I　am　very　sorry　for　the　whole　affair；'　sighed　Mrs。　Winship；　'there
is　so　much　wrong　on　both　sides。　　Laura's　remark；　it　is　true；　would
have　angered　almost　anybody　who　was　not　old　and　wise　enough　to　see
that　it　deserved　only　contempt；　but　both　the　girls　should　have　had
too　much　respect　for　themselves　and　for　me　to　descend　to　such　an
unladylike　quarrel。　　However；　I　am　only　too　glad　to　hear　anything
which　makes　Polly's　fault　less；　for　I　love　her　too　dearly　not　to
suffer　when　I　have　to　be　severe　with　her。'

'She　wouldn't　ask　you　to　overlook　her　fault；'　continued　Elsie；　with
tears　in　her　eyes。　　'I　know　just　how　wretched　and　penitent　she　must
bePolly　is　always　so　fierce　against　her　own　faultsbut　what　must
be　making　her　suffer　most　is　the　thought　that　she　has　entirely　lost
your　confidence　and　good　opinion。　　Oh；　I　can't　help　thinking　that　God
feels　sorrier　this　very　minute　for　Polly；　who　fights　and　fights
against　her　temper；　like　a　dear　sunbeam　trying　to　shine　again　and
again　when　a　cloud　keeps　covering　it　up；　than　He　does　for　Laura；　who
has　everything　made　smooth　for　her；　and　who　is　unhappy　when　her
feathers　are　ruffled　the　least　bit。'

'You　are　right；　dear；　in　so　far　that　a　fiery　little　soul　like　Polly's
can；　if　it　finds　the　right　channels；　do　God's　work　in　the　world
better　than　a　character　like　Laura's；　which　is　not　courageous；　nor
strong；　nor　sweet　enough　for　great　service；　unless　it　grows　into
better　things　through　bitter　or　rich　experiences。　　Now；　good…night；
my　blessed　little　peacemaker；　sleep　sweetly；　for　I　am　going　into
Polly's　tent　to　have　a　good　talk　with　her。'

As　Mrs。　Winship　dropped　the　curtains　of　Elsie's　tent　behind　her；　and
made　her　way　quietly　through　the　trees；　the　tinkling　sound　of　a　banjo
fell　upon　the　still　night　air；　and　presently；　as　she　neared　Polly's
retreat；　this　facetious　serenade；　sung　by　Jack's　well…known　voice；
was　wafted　to　her　ears：


'Prithee；　Polly　Oliver；　why　bide　ye　so　still？
Pretty　Polly　Oliver；　we　fear　you　are　ill。
I'm　singing　'neath　thy　window；　when　night　dews　are　chill；
For；　pretty　Polly　Oliver；　we　hear　you　are　ill。'


She　was　about　to　despatch　Master　Jack　to　his　tent　with　a　round
scolding；　when　the　last　words　of　the　song　were　frozen　on　his　lips　by
the　sound　of　a　smothered　sob；　in　place　of　the　saucy　retort　he　hoped
to　provoke。　　The　unexpected　sob　frightened　him　more　than　any　fusilade
of　hot　words；　and　he　stole　away　in　the　darkness　more　crestfallen　than
he　had　been　for　many　a　year。

Mrs。　Winship；　more　troubled　than　ever；　pulled　apart　the　canvas
curtains；　and　stood　in　the　opening；　silently。　　The　sight　of　the
forlorn　little　figure；　huddled　together　on　the　straw　bed；　touched　her
heart；　and；　when　Polly　started　up　with　an　eloquent　cry　and　flew　into
her　extended　arms；　she　granted　willing　forgiveness；　and　the　history
of　the　afternoon　was　sobbed　out　upon　her　motherly　shoulder。

The　next　morning　Mrs。　Winship　announced　that　Polly　was　better；　sent
breakfast　to　her　tent；　and　by　skilful　generalship　drove　everybody
away　from　the　camp　but　Elsie；　who　brought　Polly　to　the　sitting…room；
made　her　comfortable　on　the　lounge；　and；　administering　much　good
advice　to　Margery　and　Bell　concerning　topics　to　be　avoided；　admitted
them　one　by　one