a girl of the limberlost-第31章

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I　went　to　Elvira；　told　her　what　I　knew　and　made　her　give

me　Comstock's　violin　for　Elnora　over　three　years　ago。　

She's　been　playing　it　ever　since。　　I　won't　see　her

slighted　and　abused　another　day　on　account　of　a　man

who　would　have　broken　your　heart　if　he　had　lived。　

Six　months　more　would　have　showed　you　what　everybody

else　knew。　　He　was　one　of　those　men　who　couldn't　trust

himself；　and　so　no　woman　was　safe　with　him。　　Now；　will

you　drop　grieving　over　him；　and　do　Elnora　justice？〃



Mrs。　Comstock　grasped　the　hoe　tighter　and　turning　she

went　down　the　walk；　and　started　across　the　woods　to　the

home　of　Elvira　Carney。　　With　averted　head　she　passed

the　pool；　steadily　pursuing　her　way。　　Elvira　Carney；

hanging　towels　across　the　back　fence；　saw　her　coming

and　went　toward　the　gate　to　meet　her。　　Twenty　years

she　had　dreaded　that　visit。　　Since　Margaret　Sinton

had　compelled　her　to　produce　the　violin　she　had　hidden

so　long；　because　she　was　afraid　to　destroy　it；　she　had

come　closer　expectation　than　dread。　　The　wages　of　sin

are　the　hardest　debts　on　earth　to　pay；　and　they　are　always

collected　at　inconvenient　times　and　unexpected　places。

Mrs。　Comstock's　face　and　hair　were　so　white；　that　her

dark　eyes　seemed　burned　into　their　setting。　　Silently　she

stared　at　the　woman　before　her　a　long　time。



〃I　might　have　saved　myself　the　trouble　of　coming；〃

she　said　at　last；　〃I　see　you　are　guilty　as　sin！〃



〃What　has　Mag　Sinton　been　telling　you？〃　panted　the

miserable　woman；　gripping　the　fence。



〃The　truth！〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock　succinctly。　

〃Guilt　is　in　every　line　of　your　face；　in　your　eyes；　all　over

your　wretched　body。　　If　I'd　taken　a　good　look　at　you

any　time　in　all　these　past　years；　no　doubt　I　could　have

seen　it　just　as　plain　as　I　can　now。　　No　woman　or　man

can　do　what　you've　done；　and　not　get　a　mark　set　on　them

for　every　one　to　read。〃



〃Mercy！〃　gasped　weak　little　Elvira　Carney。　　〃Have　mercy！〃



〃Mercy？〃　scoffed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Mercy！　　That's　a

nice　word　from　you！　　How　much　mercy　did　you　have

on　me？　　Where's　the　mercy　that　sent　Comstock　to　the

slime　of　the　bottomless　quagmire；　and　left　me　to　see　it；

and　then　struggle　on　in　agony　all　these　years？　

How　about　the　mercy　of　letting　me　neglect　my　baby　all

the　days　of　her　life？　　Mercy！　　Do　you　really　dare　use

the　word　to　me？〃



〃If　you　　knew　what　I've　suffered！〃



〃Suffered？〃　jeered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃That's　interesting。　

And　pray；　what　have　you　suffered？〃



〃All　the　neighbours　have　suspected　and　been　down

on　me。　　I　ain't　had　a　friend。　　I've　always　felt　guilty

of　his　death！　　I've　seen　him　go　down　a　thousand　times；

plain　as　ever　you　did。　　Many's　the　night　I've　stood　on　the

other　bank　of　that　pool　and　listened　to　you；　and　I　tried

to　throw　myself　in　to　keep　from　hearing　you；　but　I

didn't　dare。　　I　knew　God　would　send　me　to　burn　forever；

but　I'd　better　done　it；　for　now；　He　has　set　the　burning

on　my　body；　and　every　hour　it　is　slowly　eating　the　life

out　of　me。　The　doctor　says　it's　a　cancer〃



Mrs。　Comstock　exhaled　a　long　breath。　　Her　grip　on　the

hoe　relaxed　and　her　stature　lifted　to　towering　height。



〃I　didn't　know；　or　care；　when　I　came　here；　just　what　I

did；〃　she　said。　　〃But　my　way　is　beginning　to　clear。　　If　the

guilt　of　your　soul　has　come　to　a　head；　in　a　cancer　on

your　body；　it　looks　as　if　the　Almighty　didn't　need　any　of

my　help　in　meting　out　His　punishments。　　I　really　couldn't

fix　up　anything　to　come　anywhere　near　that。　　If　you　are

going　to　burn　until　your　life　goes　out　with　that　sort　of　fire；

you　don't　owe　me　anything！〃



〃Oh；　Katharine　Comstock！〃　groaned　Elvira　Carney；

clinging　to　the　fence　for　support。



〃Looks　as　if　the　Bible　is　right　when　it　says；　‘The　wages

of　sin　is　death；'　doesn't　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Instead　of　doing　a　woman's　work　in　life；　you　chose　the

smile　of　invitation；　and　the　dress　of　unearned　cloth。　

Now　you　tell　me　you　are　marked　to　burn　to　death　with　the

unquenchable　fire。　　And　him！　　It　was　shorter　with　him；　but

let　me　tell　you　he　got　his　share！　　He　left　me　with　an

untruth　on　his　lips；　for　he　told　me　he　was　going　to　take

his　violin　to　Onabasha　for　a　new　key；　when　he　carried　it

to　you。　　Every　vow　of　love　and　constancy　he　ever　made　me

was　a　lie；　after　he　touched　your　lips；　so　when　he　tried

the　wrong　side　of　the　quagmire；　to　hide　from　me　the

direction　in　which　he　was　coming；　it　reached　out　for　him；

and　it　got　him。　　It　didn't　hurry；　either！　　It　sucked　him

down；　slow　and　deliberate。〃



〃Mercy！〃　groaned　Elvira　Carney。　　〃Mercy！〃



〃I　don't　know　the　word；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　took

all　that　out　of　me　long　ago。　　The　past　twenty　years

haven't　been　of　the　sort　that　taught　mercy。　　I've　never

had　any　on　myself　and　none　on　my　child。　　Why　in　the

name　of　justice；　should　I　have　mercy　on　you；　or　on　him？　

You　were　both　older　than　I；　both　strong；　sane　people；　you

deliberately　chose　your　course　when　you　lured　him；　and　he；

when　he　was　unfaithful　to　me。　　When　a　Loose　Man　and　a

Light　Woman　face　the　end　the　Almighty　ordained　for

them；　why　should　they　shout　at　me　for　mercy？　　What　did

I　have　to　do　with　it？〃



Elvira　Carney　sobbed　in　panting　gasps。



〃You've　got　tears；　have　you？〃　marvelled　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Mine　all　dried　long　ago。　　I've　none　left　to　shed

over　my　wasted　life；　my　disfigured　face　and　hair；　my　years

of　struggle　with　a　man's　work；　my　wreck　of　land　among　the

tilled　fields　of　my　neighbours；　or　the　final　knowledge　that

the　man　I　so　gladly　would　have　died　to　save；　wasn't　worth

the　sacrifice　of　a　rattlesnake。　　If　anything　yet　could　wring

a　tear　from　me；　it　would　be　the　thought　of　the　awful

injustice　I　always　have　done　my　girl。　　If　I'd　lay　hand　on

you　for　anything；　it　would　be　for　that。〃



〃Kill　me　if　you　want　to；〃　sobbed　Elvira　Carney。　　〃I　know

that　I　deserve　it；　and　I　don't　care。〃



〃You　are　getting　your　killing　fast　enough　to　suit　me；〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　wouldn't　touch　you；　any　more

than　I　would　him；　if　I　could。　　Once　is　all　any　man　or

woman　deceives　me　about　the　holiest　things　of　life。　

I　wouldn't　touch　you　any　more　than　I　would　the

black　plague。　　I　am　going　back　to　my　girl。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　turned　and　started　swiftly　through　the　woods；

but　she　had　gone　only　a　few　rods　when　she　stopped；　and

leaning　on　the　hoe；　she　stood　thinking　deeply。　　Then　she

turned　back。　　Elvira　still　clung　to　the　fence；　sobbing　bitterly。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃but　I　left　a

wrong　impression　with　you。　　I　don't　want　you　to　think

that　I　believe　the　Almighty　set　a　cancer　to　burning　you　as

a　punishment　for　your　sins。　　I　don't！　　I　think　a　lot

more　of　the　Almighty。　　With　a　whole　sky…full　of　worlds　on

His　hands　to　manage；　I'm　not　believing　that　He　has　time

to　look　down　on　ours；　and　pick　you　out　of　all　the　millions

of　us　sinners；　and　set　a　special　kind　of　torture　to　eating　you。　

It　wouldn't　be　a　gentlemanly　thing　to　do；　and　first

of　all；　the　Almighty　is　bound　to　be　a　gentleman。　　I　think

likely　a　bruise　and　bad　blood　is　what　caused　your　trouble。　

Anyway；　I've　got　to　tell　you　that　the　cleanest　housekeeper

I　ever　knew；　and　one　of　the　noblest　Christian　women；　was

slowly　eaten　up　by　a　cancer。　　She　got　hers　from　the　careless

work　of　a　poor　doctor。　　The　Almighty　is　to　forgive　sin

and　heal　disease；　not　to　invent　and　spread　it。〃



She　had　gone　only　a　few　steps　when　she　again　turned　back。



〃If　you　will　gather　a　lot　of　red　clover　bloom；　make　a　tea

strong　as　lye　of　it；　and　drink　quarts；　I　think　likely　it　will

help　you；　if　you　are　not　too　far　gone。　　Anyway；　it　will　cool

your　blood　and　make　the　burning　easier　to　bear。〃



Then　she　swiftly　went　home。　　Enter　the　lonely　cabin

she　could　not；　neither　could　she　sit　outside　and　think。　

She　attacked　a　bed　of　beets　and　hoed　until　the　perspiration

ran　from　her　face　and　body；　then　she　began　on　the　potatoes。　

When　she　was　too　tired　to　take　another　stroke　she

bathed　and　put　on　dry　clothing。　　In　securing　her　dress　she

noticed　her　husband's　carefully　preserved　clothing　lining

one　wall。　　She　gathered　it　in　an　armload　and　carried　it　to

the　swamp。　　Piece　by　piece　she　pitched　into　the　green

maw　of　the　quagmire　all　those　articles　she　had　dusted

carefully　and　fought　moths　from　for　years；　and　stood

watching　as　it　slowly　sucked　them　down。　　She　went　back

to　her　room　and　gathered　every　scrap　that　had　in　any　way

belonged　to　Robert　Comstock；　excepting　his　gun　and　revolver；

and　threw　it　into　the　swamp。　　Then　for　the　first　time　she

set　her　door　wide　open。



She　was　too　weary　now　to　do　more；　but　an　urging　unrest

drove　her。　　She　wanted　Elnora。　　It　seemed　to　her　she

never　could　wait　until　the　girl　came　and　delivered

her　judgment。　　At　last　in　an　effort　to　get　nearer　to

her；　Mrs。　Comstock　climbed　the　stairs　and　stood　looking

around　Elnora's　room。　　It　was　very　unfamiliar。　　The　pictures

were　strange　to　her。　　Commencement　had　filled　it　with

packages　and　bundles。　　The　walls　were　covered　with

cocoons；　moths　and　dragonflies　were　pinned　everywhere。　

Under　the　bed　she　could　see　half　a　dozen　large　white　boxes。　

She　pulled　out　one　and　lifted　the　lid。　　The　bottom　was

covered　with　a　sheet　of　thin　cork；　and　on　long　pins　sticking

in　it　were　large；　velvet…winged　moths。　　Each　one　was

labelled；　always　there　were　two　of　a　kind；　in　many　cases

four；　showing　under　and　upper　wings　of　both　male　and　female。　

They　were　of　every　colour　and　shape。



Mrs。　Comstock　caught　her　breath　sharply。　　When　and

where　had　Elnora　found　them？　　They　were　the　most

exquisite　sight　the　woman　ever　had　seen；　so　she　opened　all

the　boxes　to　feast　on　their　beautiful　contents。　　As　she　did

so　there　came　more　fully　a　sense　of　the　distance　between

her　and　her　child。　　She　could　not　understand　how　Elnora

had　gone　to　school；　and　performed　so　much　work　secretly。　

When　it　was　finished；　to　the　last　moth；　she；　the　mother

who　should　have　been　the　first　confidant　and　helper；　had

been　the　one　to　bring　disappointment。　　Small　wonder　Elnora

had　come　to　hate　her。



Mrs。　Comstock　carefully　closed　and　replaced　the　boxes；

and　again　stood　looking　around　the　room。　　This　time　her

eyes　rested　on　some　books　she　did　not　remember　having

seen　before；　so　she　picked　up　one　and　found　that　it　was　a

moth　book。　　She　glanced　over　the　first　pages　and　was　soon

eagerly　reading。　　When　the　text　reached　the　classification

of　species；　she　laid　it　down；　took　up　another　and　read　the

introductory　chapters。　　By　that　time　her　brain　was　in　a

confused　jumble　of　ideas　about　capturing　moths　with

differing　baits　and　bright　lights。



She　went　down　stairs　thinking　deeply。　　Being　unable　to

sit　still　and　having　nothing　else　to　do　she　glanced　at　the

clock　and　began　preparing　supper。　　The　work　dragged。　

A　chicken　was　snatched　up　and　dressed　hurriedly。　　A　spice

cake　sprang　into　being。　　Strawberries　that　had　been

intended　for　preserves　went　into　shortcake。　　Delicious　odours

crept　from　the　cabin。　　She　put　ma