freckles-第21部分

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I　wonder　if　I　couldn't　bring　my　banjo　and　some　of　the　songs　I

like　best。　　I'll　play　and　you　sing；　and　we'll　put　the　birds　out

of　commission。〃



Freckles　stood　on　the　curb　with　drooped　eyes；　for　he　felt　that　if

he　lifted　them　the　tumult　of　tender　adoration　in　them　would　show

and　frighten　her。



〃I　was　afraid　your　ixperience　the　other　day　would　scare　you　so　that

you'd　never　be　coming　again；〃　he　found　himself　saying。



The　Angel　laughed　gaily。



〃Did　I　seem　scared？〃　she　questioned。



〃No；〃　said　Freckles；　〃you　did　not。〃



〃Oh；　I　just　enjoyed　that；〃　she　cried。　　〃Those　hateful；　stealing

old　things！　　I　had　a　big　notion　to　pink　one　of　them；　but　I　thought

maybe　someway　it　would　be　best　for　you　that　I　shouldn't。　　They　needed　it。

That　didn't　scare　me；　and　as　for　the　Bird　Woman；　she's　accustomed

to　finding　snakes；　tramps；　cross　dogs；　sheep；　cattle；　and　goodness

knows　what！　　You　can't　frighten　her　when　she's　after　a　picture。　

Did　they　come　back？〃



〃No；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃The　gang　got　there　a　little　after　noon　and

took　out　the　tree；　but　I　must　tell　you；　and　you　must　tell　the　Bird

Woman；　that　there's　no　doubt　but　they　will　be　coming　back；　and　they

will　have　to　make　it　before　long　now；　for　it's　soon　the　gang　will

be　there　to　work　on　the　swamp。〃



〃Oh；　what　a　shame！〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃They'll　clear　out　roads；　cut

down　the　beautiful　trees；　and　tear　up　everything。　　They'll　drive

away　the　birds　and　spoil　the　cathedral。　　When　they　have　done　their

worst；　then　all　these　mills　close　here　will　follow　in　and　take　out

the　cheap　timber。　　Then　the　landowners　will　dig　a　few　ditches；　build

some　fires；　and　in　two　summers　more　the　Limberlost　will　be　in　corn

and　potatoes。〃



They　looked　at　each　other；　and　groaned　despairingly　in　unison。



〃You　like　it；　too；〃　said　Freckles。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Angel；　〃I　love　it。　　Your　room　is　a　little　piece

right　out　of　the　heart　of　fairyland；　and　the　cathedral　is　God's

work；　not　yours。　　You　only　found　it　and　opened　the　door　after　He　had

it　completed。　　The　birds；　flowers；　and　vines　are　all　so　lovely。　

The　Bird　Woman　says　it　is　really　a　fact　that　the　mallows；　foxfire；

iris；　and　lilies　are　larger　and　of　richer　coloring　there　than　in

the　remainder　of　the　country。　　She　says　it's　because　of　the　rich

loam　and　muck。　　I　hate　seeing　the　swamp　torn　up；　and　to　you　it　will

be　like　losing　your　best　friend；　won't　it？〃



〃Something　like；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃Still；　I've　the　Limberlost　in　me

heart　so　that　all　of　it　will　be　real　to　me　while　I　live；　no　matter

what　they　do　to　it。　　I'm　glad　past　telling　if　you　will　be　coming　a

few　more　times；　at　least　until　the　gang　arrives。　　Past　that　time　I

don't　allow　mesilf　to　be　thinking。〃



〃Come；　have　a　cool　drink　before　you　start　back；〃　said　the　Angel。



〃I　couldn't　possibly；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　left　Mrs。　Duncan　on　the

trail；　and　she's　terribly　afraid　of　a　lot　of　things。　　If　she　even

sees　a　big　snake；　I　don't　know　what　she'll　do。〃



〃It　won't　take　but　a　minute；　and　you　can　ride　fast　enough　to　make

up　for　it。　　Please。　　I　want　to　think　of　something　fine　for　you；　to

make　up　a　little　for　what　you　did　for　me　that　first　day。〃



Freckles　looked　in　sheer　wonderment　into　the　beautiful　face　of

the　Angel。　　Did　she　truly　mean　it？　　Would　she　walk　down　that　street

with　him；　crippled；　homely；　in　mean　clothing；　with　the　tools　of　his

occupation　on　him；　and　share　with　him　the　treat　she　was　offering？

He　could　not　believe　it；　even　of　the　Angel。　　Still；　in　justice　to

the　candor　of　her　pure；　sweet　face；　he　would　not　think　that　she

would　make　the　offer　and　not　mean　it。　　She　really　did　mean　just　what

she　said；　but　when　it　came　to　carrying　out　her　offer　and　he　saw　the

stares　of　her　friends；　the　sneers　of　her　enemiesif　such　as　she

could　have　enemiesand　heard　the　whispered　jeers　of　the　curious；

then　she　would　see　her　mistake　and　be　sorry。　　It　would　be　only　a

manly　thing　for　him　to　think　this　out；　and　save　her　from　the

results　of　her　own　blessed　bigness　of　heart。



〃I　railly　must　be　off；〃　said　Freckles　earnestly；　〃but　I'm　thanking

you　more　than　you'll　ever　know　for　your　kindness。　　I'll　just　be

drinking　bowls　of　icy　things　all　me　way　home　in　the　thoughts　of　it。〃



Down　came　the　Angel's　foot。　　Her　eyes　flashed　indignantly。　　〃There's

no　sense　in　that；〃　she　said。　　〃How　do　you　think　you　would　have　felt

when　you　knew　I　was　warm　and　thirsty　and　you　went　and　brought　me　a

drink　and　I　wouldn't　take　it　becausebecause　goodness　knows　why！

You　can　ride　faster　to　make　up　for　the　time。　　I've　just　thought　out

what　I　want　to　fix　for　you。〃



She　stepped　to　his　side　and　deliberately　slipped　her　hand　under　his

armthat　right　arm　that　ended　in　an　empty　sleeve。



〃You　are　coming；〃　she　said　firmly。　　〃I　won't　have　it。〃



Freckles　could　not　have　told　how　he　felt；　neither　could　anyone　else。　

His　blood　rioted　and　his　head　swam；　but　he　kept　his　wits。　　He　bent

over　her。



〃Please　don't；　Angel；〃　he　said　softly。　　〃You　don't　understand。〃



How　Freckles　came　to　understand　was　a　problem。



〃It's　this；〃　he　persisted。　　〃If　your　father　met　me　on　the　street；　in

my　station　and　dress；　with　you　on　me　arm；　he'd　have　every　right　to

be　caning　me　before　the　people；　and　not　a　finger　would　I　lift　to

stay　him。〃



The　Angel's　eyes　snapped。　　〃If　you　think　my　father　cares　about　my

doing　anything　that　is　right　and　kind；　and　that　makes　me　happy　to

dowhy；　then　you　completely　failed　in　reading　my　father；　and　I'll

ask　him　and　just　show　you。〃



She　dropped　Freckles'　arm　and　turned　toward　the　entrance　to

the　building。　　〃Why；　look　there！〃　she　exclaimed。



Her　father　stood　in　a　big　window　fronting　the　street；　a　bundle　of

papers　in　his　hand；　interestedly　watching　the　little　scene；　with

eyes　that　comprehended　quite　as　thoroughly　as　if　he　had　heard

every　word。　　The　Angel　caught　his　glance　and　made　a　despairing　little

gesture　toward　Freckles。　　The　Man　of　Affairs　answered　her　with　a

look　of　infinite　tenderness。　　He　nodded　his　head　and　waved　the

papers　in　the　direction　she　had　indicated；　and　the　veriest　dolt

could　have　read　the　words　his　lips　formed：　　〃Take　him　along！〃



A　sudden　trembling　seized　Freckles。　　At　sight　of　the　Angel's　father

he　had　stepped　back　as　far　from　her　as　he　could；　leaned　the　wheel

against　him；　and　snatched　off　his　hat。



The　Angel　turned　on　him　with　triumphing　eyes。



She　was　highly　strung　and　not　accustomed　to　being　thwarted。　

〃Did　You　see　that？〃　she　demanded。　　〃Now　are　you　satisfied？　

Will　you　come；　or　must　I　call　a　policeman　to　bring　you？〃



Freckles　went。　　There　was　nothing　else　to　do。　　Guiding　his　wheel；　he

walked　down　the　street　beside　her。　　On　every　hand　she　was　kept　busy

giving　and　receiving　the　cheeriest　greetings。　　She　walked　into　the

parlors　exactly　as　if　she　owned　them。　　A　clerk　came　hurrying　to　meet　her。



〃There's　a　table　vacant　beside　a　window　where　it　is　cool。　　I'll　save

it　for　you；〃　and　he　started　back。



〃Please　not；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃I've　taken　this　man　unawares；　when

he's　in　a　rush。　　I'm　afraid　if　we　sit　down　we'll　take　too　much　time

and　afterward　he　will　blame　me。〃



She　walked　to　the　fountain；　and　a　long　row　of　people　stared　with

all　the　varying　degrees　of　insolence　and　curiosity　that　Freckles

had　felt　they　would。　　He　glanced　at　the　Angel。　　NOW　would　she　see？



〃On　my　soul！〃　he　muttered　under　his　breath。　　〃They　don't　aven　touch　her！〃



She　laid　down　her　sunshade　and　gloves。　　She　walked　to　the　end　of　the

counter　and　turned　the　full　battery　of　her　eyes　on　the　attendant。



〃Please；〃　she　said。



The　white…aproned　individual　stepped　back　and　gave　delighted　assent。　

The　Angel　stepped　beside　him；　and　selecting　a　tall；　flaring　glass；

of　almost　paper　thinness；　she　stooped　and　rolled　it　in　a　tray　of

cracked　ice。



〃I　want　to　mix　a　drink　for　my　friend；〃　she　said。　　〃He　has　a　long；

hot　ride　before　him；　and　I　don't　want　him　started　off　with　one　of

those　old　palate…teasing　sweetnesses　that　you　mix　just　on　purpose

to　drive　a　man　back　in　ten　minutes。〃　　There　was　an　appreciative

laugh　from　the　line　at　the　counter。



〃I　want　a　clear；　cool；　sparkling　drink　that　has　a　tang　of　acid　in　it。　

Where's　the　cherry　phosphate？　　That；　not　at　all　sweet；　would　be　good；

don't　you　think？〃



The　attendant　did　think。　　He　pointed　out　the　different　taps；　and　the

Angel　compounded　the　drink；　while　Freckles；　standing　so　erect　he

almost　leaned　backward；　gazed　at　her　and　paid　no　attention　to

anyone　else。　　When　she　had　the　glass　brimming；　she　tilted　a　little

of　its　contents　into　a　second　glass　and　tasted　it。



〃That's　entirely　too　sweet　for　a　thirsty　man；〃　she　said。



She　poured　out　half　the　mixture；　and　refilling　the　glass；　tasted

it　a　second　time。　　She　submitted　that　result　to　the　attendant。　

〃Isn't　that　about　the　thing？〃　she　asked。



He　replied　enthusiastically。　　〃I'd　get　my　wages　raised　ten　a　month

if　I　could　learn　that　trick。〃



The　Angel　carried　the　brimming；　frosty　glass　to　Freckles。　　He　removed

his　hat；　and　lifting　the　icy　liquid　even　with　her　eyes　and　looking

straight　into　them；　he　said　in　the　mellowest　of　all　the　mellow

tones　of　his　voice：　　〃I'll　be　drinking　it　to　the　Swamp　Angel。〃



As　he　had　said　to　her　that　first　day；　she　now　cautioned　him：　

〃Be　drinking　slowly。〃



When　the　screen…door　swung　behind　them；　one　of　the　men　at　the

counter　asked　of　the　attendant：　　〃Now；　what　did　that　mean？〃



〃Exactly　what　you　saw；〃　replied　he；　rather　curtly。　　〃We're　accustomed

to　it　here。　　Hardly　a　day　passes；　this　hot　weather；　but　she's

picking　up　some　poor；　god…forsaken　mortal　and　bringing　him　in。　

Then　she　comes　behind　the　counter　herself　and　fixes　up　a　drink

to　suit　the　occasion。　　She's　all　sorts　of　fancies　about　what's　what

for　all　kinds　of　times　and　conditions；　and　you　bet　she　can　just　hit

the　spot！　　Ain't　a　clerk　here　can　put　up　a　drink　to　touch　her。　

She's　a　sort　of　knack　at　it。　　Every　once　in　a　while；　when　the　Boss

sees　her；　he　calls　out　to　her