freckles-第24部分

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father　is　Irish；　and　if　you　want　to　see　him　get　up　and　strut　give

him　a　teeny　opening　to　enlarge　on　his　race。　　He　says　that　if　the

Irish　had　decent　territory　they'd　lead　the　world。　　He　says　they've

always　been　handicapped　by　lack　of　space　and　of　fertile　soil。　

He　says　if　Ireland　had　been　as　big　and　fertile　as　Indiana；　why；

England　wouldn't　ever　have　had　the　upper　hand。　　She'd　only　be　an

appendage。　　Fancy　England　an　appendage！　　He　says　Ireland　has　the

finest　orators　and　the　keenest　statesmen　in　Europe　today；　and　when

England　wants　to　fight；　with　whom　does　she　fill　her　trenches？

Irishmen；　of　course！　　Ireland　has　the　greenest　grass　and　trees；　the

finest　stones　and　lakes；　and　they've　jaunting…cars。　　I　don't　know

just　exactly　what　they　are；　but　Ireland　has　all　there　are；　anyway。

They've　a　lot　of　great　actors；　and　a　few　singers；　and　there　never

was　a　sweeter　poet　than　one　of　theirs。　　You　should　hear　my　father

recite　‘Dear　Harp　of　My　Country。'　He　does　it　this　way。〃



The　Angel　arose；　made　an　elaborate　old…time　bow；　and　holding　up　the

banjo；　recited　in　clipping　feet　and　meter；　with　rhythmic　swing　and

a　touch　of　brogue　that　was　simply　irresistible：



〃Dear　harp　of　my　country〃　＇The　Angel　ardently　clasped　the　banjo＇；



〃In　darkness　I　found　thee〃　＇She　held　it　to　the　light＇；



〃The　cold　chain　of　silence　had　hung　o'er　thee　long〃　＇She　muted　the

strings　with　her　rosy　palm＇；



〃Then　proudly；　my　own　Irish　harp；　I　unbound　thee〃　＇She　threw　up　her

head　and　swept　a　ringing　harmony＇；



〃And　gave　all　thy　chords　to　light；　freedom；　and　song〃　＇She　crashed

into　the　notes　of　the　accompaniment　she　had　been　playing　for　Freckles＇。



〃That's　what　you　want　to　be　thinking　of！〃　she　cried。　　〃Not　darkness；

and　lonesomeness；　and　sadness；　but　‘light；　freedom；　and　song。'　

I　can't　begin　to　think　offhand　of　all　the　big；　splendid　things　an

Irishman　has　to　be　proud　of；　but　whatever　they　are；　they　are　all

yours；　and　you　are　a　part　of　them。　　I　just　despise　that　‘saddest…

when…I…sing'　business。　　You　can　sing！　　Now　you　go　over　there

and　do　it！　　Ireland　has　had　her　statesmen；　warriors；　actors；　and

poets；　now　you　be　her　voice！　　You　stand　right　out　there　before　the

cathedral　door；　and　I'm　going　to　come　down　the　aisle　playing　that

accompaniment；　and　when　I　stop　in　front　of　youyou　sing！〃



The　Angel's　face　wore　an　unusual　flush。　　Her　eyes　were　flashing　and

she　was　palpitating　with　earnestness。



She　parted　the　bushes　and　disappeared。　　Freckles；　straight　and

tense；　stood　waiting。　　Presently；　before　he　saw　she　was　there；　she

was　coming　down　the　aisle　toward　him；　playing　compellingly；　and

rifts　of　light　were　touching　her　with　golden　glory。　　Freckles　stood

as　if　transfixed。



The　cathedral　was　majestically　beautiful；　from　arched　dome　of

frescoed　gold；　green；　and　blue　in　never…ending　shades　and

harmonies；　to　the　mosaic　aisle　she　trod；　richly　inlaid　in　choicest

colors；　and　gigantic　pillars　that　were　God's　handiwork　fashioned

and　perfected　through　ages　of　sunshine　and　rain。　　But　the　fair　young

face　and　divinely　molded　form　of　the　Angel　were　His　most　perfect

work　of　all。　　Never　had　she　appeared　so　surpassingly　beautiful。　

She　was　smiling　encouragingly　now；　and　as　she　came　toward　him；　she

struck　the　chords　full　and　strong。



The　heart　of　poor　Freckles　almost　burst　with　dull　pain　and　his

great　love　for　her。　　In　his　desire　to　fulfill　her　expectations　he

forgot　everything　else；　and　when　she　reached　his　initial　chord　he

was　ready。　　He　literally　burst　forth：





　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Three　little　leaves　of　Irish　green；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　United　on　one　stem；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Love；　truth；　and　valor　do　they　mean；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　They　form　a　magic　gem。〃





The　Angel's　eyes　widened　curiously　and　her　lips　parted。　　A　deep

color　swept　into　her　cheeks。　　She　had　intended　to　arouse　him。　

She　had　more　than　succeeded。　　She　was　too　young　to　know　that　in　the

effort　to　rouse　a　man；　women　frequently　kindle　fires　that　they

neither　can　quench　nor　control。　　Freckles　was　looking　over　her　head

now　and　singing　that　song；　as　it　never　had　been　sung　before；　for

her　alone；　and　instead　of　her　helping　him；　as　she　had　intended；　he

was　carrying　her　with　him　on　the　waves　of　his　voice；　away；　away

into　another　world。　　When　he　struck　into　the　chorus；　wide…eyed　and

panting；　she　was　swaying　toward　him　and　playing　with　all　her　might。





　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Oh；　do　you　love？　　Oh；　say　you　love

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　You　love　the　shamrock　green！〃





At　the　last　note；　Freckles'　voice　ceased　and　he　looked　at　the　Angel。　

He　had　given　his　best　and　his　all。　　He　fell　on　his　knees　and

folded　his　arms　across　his　breast。　　The　Angel；　as　if　magnetized；

walked　straight　down　the　aisle　to　him；　and　running　her　fingers　into

the　crisp　masses　of　his　red　hair；　tilted　his　head　back　and　laid　her

lips　on　his　forehead。



Then　she　stepped　back　and　faced　him。　　〃Good　boy！〃　she　said；　in　a

voice　that　wavered　from　the　throbbing　of　her　shaken　heart。　

〃Dear　boy！　　I　knew　you　could　do　it！　　I　knew　it　was　in　you！　

Freckles；　when　you　go　into　the　world；　if　you　can　face　a　big

audience　and　sing　like　that；　just　once；　you　will　be　immortal；

and　anything　you　want　will　be　yours。〃



〃Anything！〃　gasped　Freckles。



〃Anything；〃　said　the　Angel。



Freckles　arose；　muttered　something；　and　catching　up　his　old　bucket；

plunged　into　the　swamp　blindly　on　a　pretence　of　bringing　water。　

The　Angel　walked　slowly　across　the　study；　sat　on　the　rustic　bench；

and；　through　narrowed　lids；　intently　studied　the　tip　of　her　shoe。



On　the　trail　the　Bird　Woman　wheeled　to　McLean　with　a　dumbfounded　look。



〃God！〃　muttered　he。



At　last　the　Bird　Woman　spoke。



〃Do　you　think　the　Angel　knew　she　did　that？〃　she　asked　softly。



〃No；〃　said　McLean；　〃I　do　not。　　But　the　poor　boy　knew　it。　　Heaven　help　him！〃



The　Bird　Woman　stared　across　the　gently　waving　swale。　　〃I　don't　see

how　I　am　going　to　blame　her；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃It's　so　exactly

what　I　would　have　done　myself。〃



〃Say　the　remainder；〃　demanded　McLean　hoarsely。　　〃Do　him　justice。〃



〃He　was　born　a　gentleman；〃　conceded　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃He　took

no　advantage。　　He　never　even　offered　to　touch　her。　　Whatever　that

kiss　meant　to　him；　he　recognized　that　it　was　the　loving　impulse　of　a

child　under　stress　of　strong　emotion。　　He　was　fine　and　manly　as　any

man　ever　could　have　been。〃



McLean　lifted　his　hat。　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　simply；　and　parted　the

bushes　for　her　to　enter　Freckles'　room。



It　was　her　first　visit。　　Before　she　left　she　sent　for　her　cameras

and　made　studies　of　each　side　of　it　and　of　the　cathedral。　　She　was

entranced　with　the　delicate　beauty　of　the　place；　while　her　eyes

kept　following　Freckles　as　if　she　could　not　believe　that　it　could

be　his　conception　and　work。



That　was　a　happy　day。　　The　Bird　Woman　had　brought　a　lunch；　and　they

spread　it；　with　Freckles'　dinner；　on　the　study　floor　and　sat；

resting　and　enjoying　themselves。　　But　the　Angel　put　her　banjo　into

its　case；　silently　gathered　her　music；　and　no　one　mentioned　the　concert。



The　Bird　Woman　left　McLean　and　the　Angel　to　clear　away　the　lunch；

and　with　Freckles　examined　the　walls　of　his　room　and　told　him　all

she　knew　about　his　shrubs　and　flowers。　　She　analyzed　a

cardinal…flower　and　showed　him　what　he　had　wanted　to　know　all

summerwhy　the　bees　buzzed　ineffectually　around　it　while　the

humming…birds　found　in　it　an　ever…ready　feast。　　Some　of　his

specimens　were　so　rare　that　she　was　unfamiliar　with　them；　and

with　the　flower　book　between　them　they　knelt；　studying　the

different　varieties。　　She　wandered　the　length　of　the　cathedral

aisle　with　him；　and　it　was　at　her　suggestion　that　he　lighted　his

altar　with　a　row　of　flaming　foxfire。



As　Freckles　came　to　the　cabin　from　his　long　day　at　the　swamp　he　saw

Mrs。　Chicken　sweeping　to　the　south　and　wondered　where　she　was　going。　

He　stepped　into　the　bright；　cosy　little　kitchen；　and　as　he　reached

down　the　wash…basin　he　asked　Mrs。　Duncan　a　question。



〃Mother　Duncan；　do　kisses　wash　off？〃



So　warm　a　wave　swept　her　heart　that　a　half…flush　mantled　her　face。

She　straightened　her　shoulders　and　glanced　at　her　hands　tenderly。



〃Lord；　na！　　Freckles；〃　she　cried。　　〃At　least；　the　anes　ye　get　from

people　ye　love　dinna。　　They　dinna　stay　on　the　outside。　　They　strike

in　until　they　find　the　center　of　your　heart　and　make　their

stopping…place　there；　and　naething　can　take　them　from　yeI　doubt

if　even　deathNa；　lad；　ye　can　be　reet　sure　kisses　dinna　wash　off！〃



Freckles　set　the　basin　down　and　muttered　as　he　plunged　his　hot；

tired　face　into　the　water；　〃I　needn't　be　afraid　to　be　washing；

then；　for　that　one　struck　in。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XI



Wherein　the　Butterflies　Go　on　a　Spree　and　Freckles　Informs　the　Bird　Woman



〃I　wish；〃　said　Freckles　at　breakfast　one　morning；　〃that　I　had　some

way　to　be　sending　a　message　to　the　Bird　Woman。　　I've　something　at

the　swamp　that　I'm　believing　never　happened　before；　and　surely

she'll　be　wanting　it。〃



〃What　now；　Freckles？〃　asked　Mrs。　Duncan。



〃Why；　the　oddest　thing　you　ever　heard　of；〃　said　Freckles；　〃the

whole　insect　tribe　gone　on　a　spree。　　I'm　supposing　it's　my　doings；

but　it　all　happened　by　accident；　like。　　You　see；　on　the　swale　side

of　the　line；　right　against　me　trail；　there's　one　of　these　scrub

wild　crabtrees。　　Where　the　grass　grows　thick　around　it；　is　the

finest　place　you　ever　conceived　of　for　snakes。　　Having　women　about

has　set　me　trying　to　clean　out　those　fellows　a　bit；　and　yesterday

I　noticed　that　tree　in　passing。　　It　struck　me　that　it　would　be　a

good　idea　to　be　taking　it　out。　　First　I　thought　I'd　take　me　hatchet

and　cut　it　down；　for　it　ain't　thicker　than　me　upper　arm。　　Then　I

remembered　how　it　was　blooming　in　the　spring　and　filling　all　the

air　with　sweetness。　　The　coloring　of　the　blossoms　is　beautiful；　and

I　hated　to　be　killing　it。　　I　just　cut　the　grass　short　all　around　it。

Then　I　started　at　the　ground；　trim