freckles-第41部分

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job　that　few　men　would　have　taken　at　all？　　You　got　it　from　a　plucky

mother；　you　bravest　of　boys。　　You　attacked　single…handed　a　man

almost　twice　your　size；　and　fought　as　a　demon；　merely　at　the

suggestion　that　you　be　deceptive　and　dishonest。　　Could　your　mother

or　your　father　have　been　untruthful？　　Here　you　are；　so　hungry　and

starved　that　you　are　dying　for　love。　　Where　did　you　get　all　that

capacity　for　loving？　　You　didn't　inherit　it　from　hardened；　heartless

people；　who　would　disfigure　you　and　purposely　leave　you　to　die；

that's　one　sure　thing。　　You　once　told　me　of　saving　your　big　bullfrog

from　a　rattlesnake。　　You　knew　you　risked　a　horrible　death　when　you

did　it。　　Yet　you　will　spend　miserable　years　torturing　yourself　with

the　idea　that　your　own　mother　might　have　cut　off　that　hand。　　Shame　on

you；　Freckles！　　Your　mother　would　have　done　this〃



The　Angel　deliberately　turned　back　the　cover；　slipped　up　the

sleeve；　and　laid　her　lips　on　the　scars。



〃Freckles！　　Wake　up！〃　she　cried；　almost　shaking　him。　　〃Come　to

your　senses！　　Be　a　thinking；　reasoning　man！　　You　have　brooded　too　much；

and　been　all　your　life　too　much　alone。　　It's　all　as　plain　as　plain

can　be　to　me。　　You　must　see　it！　　Like　breeds　like　in　this　world！　

You　must　be　some　sort　of　a　reproduction　of　your　parents；　and　I　am　not

afraid　to　vouch　for　them；　not　for　a　minute！



〃And　then；　too；　if　more　proof　is　needed；　here　it　is：　　Mr。　McLean

says　that　you　never　once　have　failed　in　tact　and　courtesy。　　He　says

that　you　are　the　most　perfect　gentleman　he　ever　knew；　and　he　has

traveled　the　world　over。　　How　does　it　happen；　Freckles？　　No　one　at

that　Home　taught　you。　　Hundreds　of　men　couldn't　be　taught；　even　in

a　school　of　etiquette；　so　it　must　be　instinctive　with　you。　　If　it

is；　why；　that　means　that　it　is　born　in　you；　and　a　direct

inheritance　from　a　race　of　men　that　have　been　gentlemen　for　ages；

and　couldn't　be　anything　else。



〃Then　there's　your　singing。　　I　don't　believe　there　ever　was　a　mortal

with　a　sweeter　voice　than　yours；　and　while　that　doesn't　prove

anything；　there　is　a　point　that　does。　　The　little　training　you　had

from　that　choirmaster　won't　account　for　the　wonderful　accent　and

ease　with　which　you　sing。　　Somewhere　in　your　close　blood　is　a

marvelously　trained　vocalist；　we　every　one　of　us　believe　that；　Freckles。



〃Why　does　my　father　refer　to　you　constantly　as　being　of　fine

perceptions　and　honor？　　Because　you　are；　Freckles。　　Why　does　the　Bird

Woman　leave　her　precious　work　and　come　here　to　help　look　after　you？

I　never　heard　of　her　losing　any　time　over　anyone　else。　　It's　because

she　loves　you。　　And　why　does　Mr。　McLean　turn　all　of　his　valuable

business　over　to　hired　men　and　watch　you　personally？　　And　why　is　he

hunting　excuses　every　day　to　spend　money　on　you？　　My　father　says

McLean　is　full　Scotch…close　with　a　dollar。　　He　is　a　hard…headed

business　man；　Freckles；　and　he　is　doing　it　because　he　finds　you

worthy　of　it。　　Worthy　of　all　we　all　can　do　and　more　than　we　know　how

to　do；　dear　heart！　　Freckles；　are　you　listening　to　me？　　Oh！　　won't　you

see　it？　　Won't　you　believe　it？〃



〃Oh；　Angel！〃　chattered　the　bewildered　Freckles；　〃are　you　truly

maning　it？　　Could　it　be？〃



〃Of　course　it　could；〃　flashed　the　Angel；　〃because　it　just　is！〃



〃But　you　can't　prove　it；〃　wailed　Freckles。　　〃It　ain't　giving　me　a

name；　or　me　honor！〃



〃Freckles；〃　said　the　Angel　sternly；　〃you　are　unreasonable！　　Why；　I

did　prove　every　word　I　said！　　Everything　proves　it！　　You　look　here！

If　you　knew　for　sure　that　I　could　give　you　a　name　and　your　honor；

and　prove　to　you　that　your　mother　did　love　you；　why；　then；　would

you　just　go　to　breathing　like　perpetual　motion　and　hang　on　for　dear

life　and　get　well？〃



A　bright　light　shone　in　Freckles'　eyes。



〃If　I　knew　that；　Angel；〃　he　said　solemnly；　〃you　couldn't　be　killing

me　if　you　felled　the　biggest　tree　in　the　Limberlost　smash　on　me！〃



〃Then　you　go　right　to　work；〃　said　the　Angel；　〃and　before　night　I'll

prove　one　thing　to　you：　　I　can　show　you　easily　enough　how　much　your

mother　loved　you。　　That　will　be　the　first　step；　and　then　the

remainder　will　all　come。　　If　my　father　and　Mr。　McLean　are　so　anxious

to　spend　some　money；　I'll　give　them　a　chance。　　I　don't　see　why　we

haven't　comprehended　how　you　felt　and　so　have　been　at　work　weeks　ago。　

We've　been　awfully　selfish。　　We've　all　been　so　comfortable；　we　never

stopped　to　think　what　other　people　were　suffering　before　our　eyes。　

None　of　us　has　understood。　　I'll　hire　the　finest　detective　in

Chicago；　and　we'll　go　to　work　together。　　This　is　nothing　compared

with　things　people　do　find　out。　　We'll　go　at　it；　beak　and　claw；　and

we'll　show　you　a　thing　or　two。〃



Freckles　caught　her　sleeve。



〃Me　mother；　Angel！　　Me　mother！〃　he　marveled　hoarsely。　　〃Did　you　say

you　could　be　finding　out　today　if　me　mother　loved　me？　　How？　　Oh；　Angel！　

Nothing　matters；　IF　ONLY　ME　MOTHER　DIDN'T　DO　IT！〃



〃Then　you　rest　easy；〃　said　the　Angel；　with　large　confidence。　

〃Your　mother　didn't　do　it！　　Mothers　of　sons　such　as　you　don't　do　things

like　that。　　I'll　go　to　work　at　once　and　prove　it　to　you。　　The　first

thing　to　do　is　to　go　to　that　Home　where　you　were　and　get　the

clothes　you　wore　the　night　you　were　left　there。　　I　know　that　they

are　required　to　save　those　things　carefully。　　We　can　find　out　almost

all　there　is　to　know　about　your　mother　from　them。　　Did　you　ever　see　them？〃



〃Yis；〃　he　replied。



〃Freckles！　　Were　they　white？〃　she　cried。



〃Maybe　they　were　once。　　They're　all　yellow　with　laying；　and　brown

with　blood…stains　now〃　said　Freckles；　the　old　note　of　bitterness

creeping　in。　　〃You　can't　be　telling　anything　at　all　by　them；　Angel！〃



〃Well；　but　I　just　can！〃　said　the　Angel　positively。　　〃I　can　see　from

the　quality　what　kind　of　goods　your　mother　could　afford　to　buy。　

I　can　see　from　the　cut　whether　she　had　good　taste。　　I　can　see　from

the　care　she　took　in　making　them　how　much　she　loved　and　wanted　you。〃



〃But　how？　　Angel；　tell　me　how！〃　implored　Freckles　with　trembling　eagerness。



〃Why；　easily　enough；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃I　thought　you'd　understand。

People　that　can　afford　anything　at　all；　always　buy　white　for　little

new　babieslinen　and　lace；　and　the　very　finest　things　to　be　had。

There's　a　young　woman　living　near　us　who　cut　up　her　wedding　clothes

to　have　fine　things　for　her　baby。　　Mothers　who　love　and　want　their

babies　don't　buy　little　rough；　ready…made　things；　and　they　don't

run　up　what　they　make　on　an　old　sewing　machine。　　They　make　fine

seams；　and　tucks；　and　put　on　lace　and　trimming　by　hand。　　They　sit　and

stitch；　and　stitchlittle；　even　stitches；　every　one　just　as　careful。　

Their　eyes　shine　and　their　faces　glow。　　When　they　have　to　quit　to

do　something　else；　they　look　sorry；　and　fold　up　their　work

so　particularly。　　There　isn't　much　worth　knowing　about　your　mother

that　those　little　clothes　won't　tell。　　I　can　see　her　putting　the

little　stitches　into　them　and　smiling　with　shining　eyes　over

your　coming。　　Freckles；　I'll　wager　you　a　dollar　those　little　clothes

of　yours　are　just　alive　with　the　dearest；　tiny　handmade　stitches。〃



A　new　light　dawned　in　Freckles'　eyes。　　A　tinge　of　warm　color　swept

into　his　face。　　Renewed　strength　was　noticeable　in　his　grip　of　her　hands。



〃Oh　Angel！　　Will　you　go　now？　　Will　you　be　hurrying？〃　he　cried。



〃Right　away；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃I　won't　stop　for　a　thing；　and　I'll

hurry　with　all　my　might。〃



She　smoothed　his　pillow；　straightened　the　cover；　gave　him　one

steady　look　in　the　eyes；　and　went　quietly　from　the　room。



Outside　the　door；　McLean　and　the　surgeon　anxiously　awaited　her。

McLean　caught　her　shoulders。



〃Angel；　what　have　you　done？〃　he　demanded。



The　Angel　smiled　defiance　into　his　eyes。



〃‘What　have　I　done？'〃　she　repeated。　　〃I've　tried　to　save　Freckles。〃



〃What　will　your　father　say？〃　groaned　McLean。



〃It　strikes　me；〃　said　the　Angel；　〃that　what　Freckles　said　would　be

to　the　point。〃



〃Freckles！〃　exclaimed　McLean。　　〃What　could　he　say？〃



〃He　seemed　to　be　able　to　say　several　things；〃　answered　the

Angel　sweetly。　　〃I　fancy　the　one　that　concerns　you　most　at　present

was；　that　if　my　father　should　offer　me　to　him　he　would　not　have　me。〃



〃And　no　one　knows　why　better　than　I　do；〃　cried　McLean。　　〃Every　day

he　must　astonish　me　with　some　new　fineness。〃



He　turned　to　the　surgeon。　　〃Save　him！〃　he　commanded。　　〃Save　him！〃

he　implored。　　〃He　is　too　fine　to　be　sacrificed。〃



〃His　salvation　lies　here；〃　said　the　surgeon；　stroking　the　Angel's

sunshiny　hair；　〃and　I　can　read　in　the　face　of　her　that　she　knows

how　she　is　going　to　work　it　out。　　Don't　trouble　for　the　boy。　

She　will　save　him！〃



The　Angel　laughingly　sped　down　the　hall；　and　into　the　street；　just

as　she　was。



〃I　have　come；〃　she　said　to　the　matron　of　the　Home；　〃to　ask　if　you

will　allow　me　to　examine；　or；　better　yet；　to　take　with　me；　the

little　clothes　that　a　boy　you　called　Freckles；　discharged　last

fall；　wore　the　night　he　was　left　here。〃



The　woman　looked　at　her　in　greater　astonishment　than　the　occasion　demanded。



〃Well；　I'd　be　glad　to　let　you　see　them；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃but　the

fact　is　we　haven't　them。　　I　do　hope　we　haven't　made　some　mistake。　

I　was　thoroughly　convinced；　and　so　was　the　superintendent。　　We　let　his

people　take　those　things　away　yesterday。　　Who　are　you；　and　what　do

you　want　with　them？〃



The　Angel　stood　dazed　and　speechless；　staring　at　the　matron。



〃There　couldn't　have　been　a　mistake；〃　continued　the　matron；　seeing

the　Angel's　distress。　　〃Freckles　was　here　when　I　took　charge；　ten

years　ago。　　These　people　had　it　all　proved　that　he　belonged　to　them。

They　had　him　traced　to　where　he　ran　away　in　Illinois　last　fall；　and

there　they　completely　lost　track　of　him。　　I'm　sorry　you　seem　so

disappointed；　but　it　is　all　right。　　The　man　is　his　uncle；　and　as

like　the　boy　as　he　possibly　could　be。　　He　is　almost　killed　to　go

back　without　him。　　If　you　know　where　Freckles　is；　they'd　give　big

money　to　find