freckles-第14部分

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every　way　kin　to　the　Limberlost；　for　no　bird　of　its　branches　swung

with　easier　grace　than　this　dainty　young　thing　rocked　on　the　bit　of

morass　on　which　she　stood。　　A　sapling　beside　her　was　not　straighter

or　rounder　than　her　slender　form。　　Her　soft；　waving　hair　clung

around　her　face　from　the　heat；　and　curled　over　her　shoulders。　

It　was　all　of　one　piece　with　the　gold　of　the　sun　that　filtered

between　the　branches。　　Her　eyes　were　the　deepest　blue　of　the　iris；

her　lips　the　reddest　red　of　the　foxfire；　while　her　cheeks　were

exactly　of　the　same　satin　as　the　wild　rose　petals　caressing　them。　

She　was　smiling　at　Freckles　in　perfect　confidence；　and　she　cried：



〃Oh；　I'm　so　delighted　that　I've　found　you！〃



The　wildly　leaping　heart　of　Freckles　burst　from　his　body　and　fell

in　the　black　swamp…muck　at　her　feet　with　such　a　thud　that　he　did

not　understand　how　she　could　avoid　hearing。　　He　really　felt　that　if

she　looked　down　she　would　see。



Incredulous；　he　quavered：　　〃An'an'　was　you　looking　for　me？〃



〃I　hoped　I　might　find　you；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃You　see；　I　didn't　do

as　I　was　told；　and　I'm　lost。　　The　Bird　Woman　said　I　should　wait　in

the　carriage　until　she　came　back。　　She's　been　gone　hours。　　It's　a

perfect　Turkish　bath　in　there；　and　I'm　all　lumpy　with　mosquito　bites。　

Just　when　I　thought　that　I　couldn't　bear　it　another　minute；

along　came　the　biggest　Papilio　Ajax　you　ever　saw。　　I　knew　how

pleased　she'd　be；　so　I　ran　after　it。　　It　flew　so　slow　and　so　low

that　I　thought　a　dozen　times　I　had　it。　　Then　all　at　once　it　went

from　sight　above　the　trees；　and　I　couldn't　find　my　way　back　to　save　me。　

I　think　I've　walked　more　than　an　hour。　　I　have　been　mired　to　my　knees。　

A　thorn　raked　my　arm　until　it　is　bleeding；　and　I'm　so　tired　and　warm。〃



She　parted　the　bushes　farther。　　Freckles　saw　that　her　blue　cotton

frock　clung　to　her；　limp　with　perspiration。　　It　was　torn　across

the　breast。　　One　sleeve　hung　open　from　shoulder　to　elbow。　　A　thorn

had　torn　her　arm　until　it　was　covered　with　blood；　and　the　gnats　and

mosquitoes　were　clustering　around　it。　　Her　feet　were　in　lace　hose

and　low　shoes。　　Freckles　gasped。　　In　the　Limberlost　in　low　shoes！　

He　caught　an　armful　of　moss　from　his　carpet　and　buried　it　in　the

ooze　in　front　of　her　for　a　footing。



〃Come　out　here　so　I　can　see　where　you　are　stepping。　　Quick；　for　the

life　of　you！〃　he　ordered。



She　smiled　on　him　indulgently。



〃Why？〃　she　inquired。



〃Did　anybody　let　you　come　here　and　not　be　telling　you　of　the

snakes？〃　urged　Freckles。



〃We　met　Mr。　McLean　on　the　corduroy；　and　he　did　say　something　about

snakes；　I　believe。　　The　Bird　Woman　put　on　leather　leggings；　and　a

nice；　parboiled　time　she　must　be　having！　　Worst　dose　I　ever　endured；

and　I'd　nothing　to　do　but　swelter。〃



〃Will　you　be　coming　out　of　there？〃　groaned　Freckles。



She　laughed　as　if　it　were　a　fine　joke。



〃Maybe　if　I'd　be　telling　you　I　killed　a　rattler　curled　upon　that

same　place　you're　standing；　as　long　as　me　body　and　the　thickness

of　me　arm；　you'd　be　moving　where　I　can　see　your　footing；〃

he　urged　insistently。



〃What　a　perfectly　delightful　little　brogue　you　speak；〃　she　said。　

〃My　father　is　Irish；　and　half　should　be　enough　to　entitle　me　to

that　much。　　‘Maybeif　I'dbe　telling　you；'〃　she　imitated；　rounding

and　accenting　each　word　carefully。



Freckles　was　beginning　to　feel　a　wildness　in　his　head。　　He　had

derided　Wessner　at　that　same　hour　yesterday。　　Now　his　own　eyes　were

filling　with　tears。



〃If　you　were　understanding　the　danger！〃　he　continued　desperately。



〃Oh；　I　don't　think　there　is　much！〃



She　tilted　on　the　morass。



〃If　you　killed　one　snake　here；　it's　probably　all　there　is　near；　and

anyway；　the　Bird　Woman　says　a　rattlesnake　is　a　gentleman　and　always

gives　warning　before　he　strikes。　　I　don't　hear　any　rattling。　　Do　you？〃



〃Would　you　be　knowing　it　if　you　did？〃　asked　Freckles；　almost　impatiently。



How　the　laugh　of　the　young　thing　rippled！



〃‘Would　I　be　knowing　it？'〃　she　mocked。　　〃You　should　see　the　swamps

of　Michigan　where　they　dump　rattlers　from　the　marl…dredgers　three

and　four　at　a　time！〃



Freckles　stood　astounded。　　She　did　know。　　She　was　not　in　the

least　afraid。　　She　was　depending　on　a　rattlesnake　to　live　up　to

his　share　of　the　contract　and　rattle　in　time　for　her　to　move。　

The　one　characteristic　an　Irishman　admires　in　a　woman；　above　all

others；　is　courage。　　Freckles　worshiped　anew。　　He　changed　his　tactics。



〃I'd　be　pleased　to　be　receiving　you　at　me　front　door；〃　he　said；

〃but　as　you　have　arrived　at　the　back；　will　you　come　in　and　be　seated？〃



He　waved　toward　a　bench。　　The　Angel　came　instantly。



〃Oh；　how　lovely　and　cool！〃　she　cried。



As　she　moved　across　his　room；　Freckles　had　difficult　work　to　keep

from　falling　on　his　knees；　for　they　were　very　weak；　while　he　was

hard　driven　by　an　impulse　to　worship。



〃Did　you　arrange　this？〃　she　asked。



〃Yis；〃　said　Freckles　simply。



〃Someone　must　come　with　a　big　canvas　and　copy　each　side　of　it；〃　she

said。　　〃I　never　saw　anything　so　beautiful！　　How　I　wish　I　might　remain

here　with　you！　　I　will；　some　day；　if　you　will　let　me；　but　now；　if

you　can　spare　the　time；　will　you　help　me　find　the　carriage？　　If　the

Bird　Woman　comes　back　and　I　am　gone；　she　will　be　almost　distracted。〃



〃Did　you　come　on　the　west　road？〃　asked　Freckles。



〃I　think　so；〃　she　said。　　〃The　man　who　told　the　Bird　Woman　said　that

was　the　only　place　the　wires　were　down。　　We　drove　away　in；　and　it

was　dreadfulover　stumps　and　logs；　and　we　mired　to　the　hubs。　　I

suppose　you　know；　though。　　I　should　have　stayed　in　the　carriage；　but

I　was　so　tired。　　I　never　dreamed　of　getting　lost。　　I　suspect　I　will

be　scolded　finely。　　I　go　with　the　Bird　Woman　half　the　time　during

the　summer　vacations。　　My　father　says　I　learn　a　lot　more　than　I　do

at　school；　and　get　it　straight。　　I　never　came　within　a　smell　of

being　lost　before。　　I　thought；　at　first；　it　was　going　to　be　horrid；

but　since　I've　found　you；　maybe　it　will　be　good　fun　after　all。〃



Freckles　was　amazed　to　hear　himself　excusing：　　〃It　was　so　hot

in　there。　　You　couldn't　be　expected　to　bear　it　for　hours　and　not

be　moving。　　I　can　take　you　around　the　trail　almost　to　where　you　were。　

Then　you　can　sit　in　the　carriage；　and　I　will　go　find　the　Bird　Woman。〃



〃You'll　be　killed　if　you　do！　　When　she　stays　this　long；　it　means

that　she　has　a　focus　on　something。　　You　see；　when　she　has　a　focus；

and　lies　in　the　weeds　and　water　for　hours；　and　the　sun　bakes　her；

and　things　crawl　over　her；　and　then　someone　comes　along　and　scares

her　bird　away　just　as　she　has　it　coaxed　upwhy；　she　kills　them。　

If　I　melt；　you　won't　go　after　her。　　She's　probably　blistered　and

half　eaten　up；　but　she　never　will　quit　until　she　is　satisfied。〃



〃Then　it　will　be　safer　to　be　taking　care　of　you；〃　suggested　Freckles。



〃Now　you're　talking　sense！〃　said　the　Angel。



〃May　I　try　to　help　your　arm？〃　he　asked。



〃Have　you　any　idea　how　it　hurts？〃　she　parried。



〃A　little；〃　said　Freckles。



〃Well；　Mr。　McLean　said　We'd　probably　find　his　son　here〃



〃His　son！〃　cried　Freckles。



〃That's　what　he　said。　　And　that　you　would　do　anything　you　could　for

us；　and　that　we　could　trust　you　with　our　lives。　　But　I　would　have

trusted　you　anyway；　if　I　hadn't　known　a　thing　about　you。　　Say；　your

father　is　rampaging　proud　of　you；　isn't　he？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　the　dazed　Freckles。



〃Well；　call　on　me　if　you　want　reliable　information。　　He's　so　proud

of　you　he　is　all　swelled　up　like　the　toad　in　AEsop's　Fables。　　If　you

have　ever　had　an　arm　hurt　like　this；　and　can　do　anything；　why；　for

pity　sake；　do　it！〃



She　turned　back　her　sleeve；　holding　toward　Freckles　an　arm　of

palest　cameo；　shaped　so　exquisitely　that　no　sculptor　could　have

chiseled　it。



Freckles　unlocked　his　case；　and　taking　out　some　cotton　cloth；　he

tore　it　in　strips。　　Then　he　brought　a　bucket　of　the　cleanest　water

he　could　find。　　She　yielded　herself　to　his　touch　as　a　baby；　and

he　bathed　away　the　blood　and　bandaged　the　ugly；　ragged　wound。　

He　finished　his　surgery　by　lapping　the　torn　sleeve　over　the　cloth

and　binding　it　down　with　a　piece　of　twine；　with　the　Angel's　help

about　the　knots。



Freckles　worked　with　trembling　fingers　and　a　face　tense　with　earnestness。



〃Is　it　feeling　any　better？〃　he　asked。



〃Oh；　it's　well　now！〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃It　doesn't　hurt　at　all；　any　more。〃



〃I'm　mighty　glad；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃But　you　had　best　go　and　be

having　your　doctor　fix　it　right；　the　minute　you　get　home。〃



〃Oh；　bother！　　A　little　scratch　like　that！〃　jeered　the　Angel。　

〃My　blood　is　perfectly　pure。　　It　will　heal　in　three　days。〃



〃It's　cut　cruel　deep。　　It　might　be　making　a　scar；〃　faltered　Freckles；

his　eyes　on　the　ground。　　〃'Twould'twould　be　an　awful　pity。　

A　doctor　might　know　something　to　prevent　it。〃



〃Why；　I　never　thought　of　that！〃　exclaimed　the　Angel。



〃I　noticed　you　didn't；〃　said　Freckles　softly。　　〃I　don't　know　much

about　it；　but　it　seems　as　if　most　girls　would。〃



The　Angel　thought　intently；　while　Freckles　still　knelt　beside　her。

Suddenly　she　gave　herself　an　impatient　little　shake；　lifted　her

glorious　eyes　full　to　his；　and　the　smile　that　swept　her　sweet；

young　face　was　the　loveliest　thing　that　Freckles　ever　had　seen。



〃Don't　let's　bother　about　it；〃　she　proposed；　with　the　faintest　hint

of　a　confiding　gesture　toward　him。　　〃It　won't　make　a　scar。　　Why；　it

couldn't；　when　you　have　dressed　it　so　nicely。〃



The　velvety　touch　of　her　warm　arm　was　tingling　in　Freckles'　fingertips。　

Dainty　lace　and　fine　white　ribbon　peeped　through　her　torn　dress。　

There　were　beautiful　rings　on　her　fingers。　　Every　article　she　wore

was　of　the　finest　material　and　in　excellent　taste。　　There　was　the

trembling　Limberlost　guard　in　his　coarse　clothing；　with　his　cotton

rags　and　his　old　pail　of　swamp　water。　　Freckles　was　sufficiently

accustomed　to　contrasts　to　notice　them；　and　sufficiently　fine　to　be

hurt　by　them　always