a girl of the limberlost-第28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！



you　can　lead　your　class；　as　you　have　done　for　four　years。　

Go　to　my　room　and　take　off　that　gingham；　quickly。　　Anna；　drop

everything；　and　come　help　me。〃



The　Bird　Woman　ran　to　the　telephone　and　called　Ellen　Brownlee。



〃Elnora　has　had　an　accident。　　She　will　be　a　little　late；〃

she　said。　　〃You　have　got　to　make　them　wait。　　Have　them

play　extra　music　before　the　march。〃



Then　she　turned　to　the　maid。　　〃Tell　Benson　to　have　the

carriage　at　the　gate；　just　as　soon　as　he　can　get　it　there。　

Then　come　to　my　room。　　Bring　the　thread　box　from　the

sewing…room；　that　roll　of　wide　white　ribbon　on　the　cutting

table；　and　gather　all　the　white　pins　from　every　dresser　in

the　house。　　But　first　come　with　me　a　minute。〃



〃I　want　that　trunk　with　the　Swamp　Angel's　stuff　in　it；

from　the　cedar　closet；〃　she　panted　as　they　reached　the　top

of　the　stairs。　



They　hurried　down　the　hall　together　and　dragged　the

big　trunk　to　the　Bird　Woman's　room。　　She　opened　it　and

began　tossing　out　white　stuff。



〃How　lucky　that　she　left　these　things！〃　she　cried。　

〃Here　are　white　shoes；　gloves；　stockings；　fans；　everything！〃



〃I　am　all　ready　but　a　dress；〃　said　Elnora。



The　Bird　Woman　began　opening　closets　and　pulling　out

drawers　and　boxes。



〃I　think　I　can　make　it　this　way；〃　she　said。



She　snatched　up　a　creamy　lace　yoke　with　long　sleeves

that　recently　had　been　made　for　her　and　held　it　out。　

Elnora　slipped　into　it；　and　the　Bird　Woman　began　smoothing

out　wrinkles　and　sewing　in　pins。　　It　fitted　very　well

with　a　little　lapping　in　the　back。　　Next；　from　among　the

Angel's　clothing　she　caught　up　a　white　silk　waist　with　low

neck　and　elbow　sleeves；　and　Elnora　put　it　on。　　It　was

large　enough；　but　distressingly　short　in　the　waist；　for　the

Angel　had　worn　it　at　a　party　when　she　was　sixteen。　　The　Bird

Woman　loosened　the　sleeves　and　pushed　them　to　a　puff　on

the　shoulders；　catching　them　in　places　with　pins。　

She　began　on　the　wide　draping　of　the　yoke；　fastening　it

front；　back　and　at　each　shoulder。　　She　pulled　down　the

waist　and　pinned　it。　　Next　came　a　soft　white　dress　skirt

of　her　own。　　By　pinning　her　waist　band　quite　four　inches

above　Elnora's；　the　Bird　Woman　could　secure　a　perfect

Empire　sweep；　with　the　clinging　silk。　　Then　she　began

with　the　wide　white　ribbon　that　was　to　trim　a　new　frock　for

herself；　bound　it　three　times　around　the　high　waist　effect

she　had　managed；　tied　the　ends　in　a　knot　and　let　them　fall

to　the　floor　in　a　beautiful　sash。



〃I　want　four　white　roses；　each　with　two　or　three

leaves；〃　she　cried。



Anna　ran　to　bring　them；　while　the　Bird　Woman　added　pins。



〃Elnora；〃　she　said；　〃forgive　me；　but　tell　me　truly。　　Is　your

mother　so　poor　as　to　make　this　necessary？〃



〃No；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Next　year　I　am　heir　to　my　share

of　over　three　hundred　acres　of　land　covered　with　almost

as　valuable　timber　as　was　in　the　Limberlost。　　We　adjoin　it。　

There　could　be　thirty　oil　wells　drilled　that　would　yield

to　us　the　thousands　our　neighbours　are　draining　from　under

us；　and　the　bare　land　is　worth　over　one　hundred　dollars　an

acre　for　farming。　　She　is　not　poor；　she　isI　don't　know

what　she　is。　　A　great　trouble　soured　and　warped　her。　

It　made　her　peculiar。　　She　does　not　in　the　least　understand；

but　it　is　because　she　doesn't　care　to；　instead　of　ignorance。　

She　does　not〃



Elnora　stopped。



〃She　isis　different；〃　finished　the　girl。



Anna　came　with　the　roses。　　The　Bird　Woman　set　one

on　the　front　of　the　draped　yoke；　one　on　each　shoulder　and

the　last　among　the　bright　masses　of　brown　hair。　　Then　she

turned　the　girl　facing　the　tall　mirror。



〃Oh！〃　panted　Elnora。　　〃You　are　a　genius！　　Why；　I

will　look　as　well　as　any　of　them。〃



〃Thank　goodness　for　that！〃　cried　the　Bird　Woman。　

〃If　it　wouldn't　do；　I　should　have　been　ill。　　You　are　lovely；

altogether　lovely！　　Ordinarily　I　shouldn't　say　that；　but

when　I　think　of　how　you　are　carpentered；　I'm　admiring

the　result。〃



The　organ　began　rolling　out　the　march　as　they　came　in　sight。　

Elnora　took　her　place　at　the　head　of　the　procession；

while　every　one　wondered。　　Secretly　they　had　hoped　that

she　would　be　dressed　well　enough；　that　she　would　not

appear　poor　and　neglected。　　What　this　radiant　young

creature；　gowned　in　the　most　recent　style；　her　smooth　skin

flushed　with　excitement；　and　a　rose…set　coronet　of　red　gold

on　her　head；　had　to　do　with　the　girl　they　knew　was　difficult

to　decide。　　The　signal　was　given　and　Elnora　began　the

slow　march　across　the　vestry　and　down　the　aisle。　　The　music

welled　softly；　and　Margaret　began　to　sob　without　knowing　why。



Mrs。　Comstock　gripped　her　hands　together　and　shut

her　eyes。　　It　seemed　an　eternity　to　the　suffering　woman

before　Margaret　caught　her　arm　and　whispered；　〃Oh；　Kate！　

For　any　sake　look　at　her！　　Here！　　The　aisle　across！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　opened　her　eyes　and　directing　them

where　she　was　told；　gazed　intently；　and　slid　down　in

her　seat　close　to　collapse。　　She　was　saved　by　Margaret's

tense　clasp　and　her　command：　　〃Here！　　Idiot！　　Stop　that！〃



In　the　blaze　of　light　Elnora　climbed　the　steps　to　the

palm…embowered　platform；　crossed　it　and　took　her　place。　

Sixty　young　men　and　women；　each　of　them　dressed　the

best　possible；　followed　her。　　There　were　manly；　fine…

looking　men　in　that　class　which　Elnora　led。　　There　were

girls　of　beauty　and　grace；　but　not　one　of　them　was　handsomer

or　clothed　in　better　taste　than　she。



Billy　thought　the　time　never　would　come　when　Elnora

would　see　him；　but　at　last　she　met　his　eye；　then　Margaret

and　Wesley　had　faint　signs　of　recognition　in　turn；

but　there　was　no　softening　of　the　girl's　face　and　no　hint

of　a　smile　when　she　saw　her　mother。



Heartsick；　Katharine　Comstock　tried　to　prove　to　herself

that　she　was　justified　in　what　she　had　done；　but　she

could　not。　　She　tried　to　blame　Elnora　for　not　saying　that

she　was　to　lead　a　procession　and　sit　on　a　platform　in　the

sight　of　hundreds　of　people；　but　that　was　impossible；　for

she　realized　that　she　would　have　scoffed　and　not　understood

if　she　had　been　told。　　Her　heart　pained　until　she　suffered

with　every　breath。



When　at　last　the　exercises　were　over　she　climbed　into

the　carriage　and　rode　home　without　a　word。　　She　did

not　hear　what　Margaret　and　Billy　were　saying。　　She　scarcely

heard　Wesley；　who　drove　behind；　when　he　told　her　that

Elnora　would　not　be　home　until　Wednesday。　　Early　the　next

morning　Mrs。　Comstock　was　on　her　way　to　Onabasha。　

She　was　waiting　when　the　Brownlee　store　opened。　

She　examined　ready…made　white　dresses；　but　they　had

only　one　of　the　right　size；　and　it　was　marked　forty　dollars。　

Mrs。　Comstock　did　not　hesitate　over　the　price；　but　whether

the　dress　would　be　suitable。　　She　would　have　to　ask　Elnora。　

She　inquired　her　way　to　the　home　of　the　Bird　Woman　and　knocked。



〃Is　Elnora　Comstock　here？〃　she　asked　the　maid。



〃Yes；　but　she　is　still　in　bed。　　I　was　told　to　let　her

sleep　as　long　as　she　would。〃



〃Maybe　I　could　sit　here　and　wait；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　want　to　see　about　getting　her　a　dress　for　to…morrow。　

I　am　her　mother。〃



〃Then　you　don't　need　wait　or　worry；〃　said　the　girl　cheerfully。　

〃There　are　two　women　up　in　the　sewing…room　at　work　on　a

dress　for　her　right　now。　　It　will　be　done　in　time；　and　it　will

be　a　beauty。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　turned　and　trudged　back　to　the　Limberlost。　

The　bitterness　in　her　soul　became　a　physical　actuality；

which　water　would　not　wash　from　her　lips。　　She　was

too　late！　　She　was　not　needed。　　Another　woman　was

mothering　her　girl。　　Another　woman　would　prepare　a

beautiful　dress　such　as　Elnora　had　worn　the　previous　night。　

The　girl's　love　and　gratitude　would　go　to　her。　　Mrs。　Comstock

tried　the　old　process　of　blaming　some　one　else；　but　she　felt

no　better。　　She　nursed　her　grief　as　closely　as　ever　in

the　long　days　of　the　girl's　absence。　　She　brooded

over　Elnora's　possession　of　the　forbidden　violin　and　her

ability　to　play　it　until　the　performance　could　not　have

been　told　from　her　father's。　　She　tried　every　refuge　her

mind　could　conjure；　to　quiet　her　heart　and　remove　the　fear

that　the　girl　never　would　come　home　again；　but　it　persisted。　

Mrs。　Comstock　could　neither　eat　nor　sleep。　　She　wandered

around　the　cabin　and　garden。　　She　kept　far　from　the　pool

where　Robert　Comstock　had　sunk　from　sight　for　she　felt

that　it　would　entomb　her　also　if　Elnora　did　not　come　home

Wednesday　morning。　　The　mother　told　herself　that　she　would

wait；　but　the　waiting　was　as　bitter　as　anything　she　ever　had　known。



When　Elnora　awoke　Monday　another　dress　was　in　the　hands

of　a　seamstress　and　was　soon　fitted。　　It　had　belonged

to　the　Angel；　and　was　a　soft　white　thing　that　with　a

little　alteration　would　serve　admirably　for　Commencement

and　the　ball。　　All　that　day　Elnora　worked；　helping　prepare

the　auditorium　for　the　exercises；　rehearsing　the　march

and　the　speech　she　was　to　make　in　behalf　of　the　class。　

The　following　day　was　even　busier。　　But　her　mind　was　at

rest；　for　the　dress　was　a　soft　delicate　lace　easy　to

change；　and　the　marks　of　alteration　impossible　to　detect。



The　Bird　Woman　had　telephoned　to　Grand　Rapids；　explained

the　situation　and　asked　the　Angel　if　she　might　use　it。　

The　reply　had　been　to　give　the　girl　the　contents　of　the　chest。　

When　the　Bird　Woman　told　Elnora；　tears　filled　her　eyes。



〃I　will　write　at　once　and　thank　her；〃　she　said。　　〃With　all

her　beautiful　gowns　she　does　not　need　them；　and　I　do。　

They　will　serve　for　me　often；　and　be　much　finer　than　anything

I　could　afford。　　It　is　lovely　of　her　to　give　me　the　dress

and　of　you　to　have　it　altered　for　me；　as　I　never　could。〃



The　Bird　Woman　laughed。　　〃I　feel　religious　to…day；〃

she　said。　　〃You　know　the　first　and　greatest　rock　of　my

salvation　is　‘Do　unto　others。'　　I'm　only　doing　to　you

what　there　was　no　one　to　do　for　me　when　I　was　a　girl

very　like　you。　　Anna　tells　me　your　mother　was　here　early

this　morning　and　that　she　came　to　see　about　getting　you

a　dress。〃



〃She　is　too　late！〃　said　Elnora　coldly。　　〃She　had　over

a　month　to　prepare　my　dresses；　and　I　was　to　pay　for　them；

so　there　is　no　excuse。〃



〃Nevertheless；　she　is　your　mother；〃　said　the　Bird

Woman；　softly。　　〃I　think　almost　any　kind　of　a　mother

must　be　better　than　none　at　all；　and　you　say　she　has　had

great　trouble。〃



〃She　loved　my　father　and　he　died；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃The　same

thing；　in　quite　as　tragic　a　manner；　has　happened　to

thousands　of　other　women；　and　they　have　gone　on　with

calm　faces　and　found　happiness　in　life　by　loving　others。　

There　was　something　else　I　am　afraid　I　never　shall　forget；

this　I　know　I　shall　not；　but　talking　does　not　help。　　I　must

deliver　my　presents　and　photographs　to　the　crowd。　　I　have

a　picture　and　I　made　a　present　for　you；　too；　if　you　would

care　for　them。〃



〃I　shall　love　anything　you　give　me；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　

〃I　know　you　well　enough　to　know　that　whatever　you　do　will

be　beautiful。〃



Elnora　w