freckles-第44部分

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Freckles　lay　rigidly；　with　his　eyes　on　the　Angel's　face；　while　she

talked　rapidly　to　the　ceiling。



〃Then　the　old　woman　was　sick　about　that　poor　little　baby。　　She　was

afraid　to　tell　them　at　the　Home；　because　she　knew　she　never　should

have　left　it；　but　she　wrote　a　letter　and　sent　it　to　where　the

beautiful　woman；　when　she　was　ill；　had　said　her　husband's　people　lived。　

She　told　all　about　the　little　baby　that　she　could　remember：

when　it　was　born；　how　it　was　named　for　the　man's　elder　brother；

that　its　hand　had　been　cut　off　in　the　fire；　and　where　she　had　put

it　to　be　doctored　and　taken　care　of。　　She　told　them　that　its　mother

and　father　were　both　burned；　and　she　begged　and　implored　them　to

come　after　it。



〃You'd　think　that　would　have　melted　a　heart　of　ice；　but　that　old

man　hadn't　any　heart　to　melt；　for　he　got　that　letter　and　read　it。　

He　hid　it　away　among　his　papers　and　never　told　a　soul。　　A　few　months

ago　he　died。　　When　his　elder　son　went　to　settle　his　business；　he

found　the　letter　almost　the　first　thing。　　He　dropped　everything；　and

came；　with　his　wife；　to　hunt　that　baby；　because　he　always　had　loved

his　brother　dearly；　and　wanted　him　back。　　He　had　hunted　for　him　all

he　dared　all　these　years；　but　when　he　got　here　you　were　goneI

mean　the　baby　was　gone；　and　I　had　to　tell　you；　Freckles；　for　you

see；　it　might　have　happened　to　you　like　that　just　as　easy　as　to

that　other　lost　boy。〃



Freckles　reached　up　and　turned　the　Angel's　face　until　he　compelled

her　eyes　to　meet　his。



〃Angel；〃　he　asked　quietly；　〃why　don't　you　look　at　me　when　you　are

telling　about　that　lost　boy？〃



〃II　didn't　know　I　wasn't；〃　faltered　the　Angel。



〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Freckles；　his　breath　beginning　to　come　in

sharp　wheezes；　〃that　you　got　us　rather　mixed；　and　it　ain't　like　you

to　be　mixing　things　till　one　can't　be　knowing。　　If　they　were　telling

you　so　much；　did　they　say　which　hand　was　for　being　off　that　lost　boy？〃



The　Angel's　eyes　escaped　again。



〃Itit　was　the　same　as　yours；〃　she　ventured；　barely　breathing　in

her　fear。



Still　Freckles　lay　rigid　and　whiter　than　the　coverlet。



〃Would　that　boy　be　as　old　as　me？〃　he　asked。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Angel　faintly。



〃Angel；〃　said　Freckles　at　last；　catching　her　wrist；　〃are　you　trying

to　tell　me　that　there　is　somebody　hunting　a　boy　that　you're

thinking　might　be　me？　　Are　you　belavin'　you've　found　me　relations？〃



Then　the　Angel's　eyes　came　home。　　The　time　had　come。　　She　pinioned

Freckles'　arms　to　his　sides　and　bent　above　him。



〃How　strong　are　you；　dear　heart？〃　she　breathed。　　〃How　brave　are　you？

Can　you　bear　it？　　Dare　I　tell　you　that？〃



〃No！〃　gasped　Freckles。　　〃Not　if　you're　sure！　　I　can't　bear　it！　

I'll　die　if　you　do！〃



The　day　had　been　one　unremitting　strain　with　the　Angel。　

Nerve　tension　was　drawn　to　the　finest　thread。　　It　snapped　suddenly。



〃Die！〃　she　flamed。　　〃Die；　if　I　tell　you　that！　　You　said　this　morning

that　you　would　die　if　you　DIDN'T　know　your　name；　and　if　your　people

were　honorable。　　Now　I've　gone　and　found　you　a　name　that　stands　for

ages　of　honor；　a　mother　who　loved　you　enough　to　go　into　the　fire

and　die　for　you；　and　the　nicest　kind　of　relatives；　and　you　turn

round　and　say　you'll　die　over　that！　　YOU　JUST　TRY　DYING　AND　YOU'LL

GET　A　GOOD　SLAP！〃



The　Angel　stood　glaring　at　him。　　One　second　Freckles　lay　paralyzed

and　dumb　with　astonishment。　　The　next　the　Irish　in　his　soul　arose

above　everything。　　A　laugh　burst　from　him。　　The　terrified　Angel

caught　him　in　her　arms　and　tried　to　stifle　the　sound。　　She　implored

and　commanded。　　When　he　was　too　worn　to　utter　another　sound；　his

eyes　laughed　silently。



After　a　long　time；　when　he　was　quiet　and　rested；　the　Angel

commenced　talking　to　him　gently；　and　this　time　her　big　eyes；　humid

with　tenderness　and　mellow　with　happiness；　seemed　as　if　they　could

not　leave　his　face。



〃Dear　Freckles；〃　she　was　saying；　〃across　your　knees　there　is　the

face　of　the　mother　who　went　into　the　fire　for　you；　and　I　know　the

nameold　and　full　of　honorto　which　you　were　born。　　Dear　heart；

which　will　you　have　first？〃



Freckles　was　very　tired；　the　big　drops　of　perspiration　ran　together

on　his　temples；　but　the　watching　Angel　caught　the　words　his　lips

formed；　〃Me　mother！〃



She　lifted　the　lovely　pictured　face　and　set　it　in　the　nook　of　his　arm。　

Freckles　caught　her　hand　and　drew　her　beside　him；　and　together

they　gazed　at　the　picture　while　the　tears　slid　over　their　cheeks。



〃Me　mother！　　Oh；　me　mother！　　Can　you　ever　be　forgiving　me？　　Oh；　me

beautiful　little　mother！〃　chanted　Freckles　over　and　over　in　exalted

wonder；　until　he　was　so　completely　exhausted　that　his　lips　refused

to　form　the　question　in　his　weary　eyes。



〃Wait！〃　cried　the　Angel　with　inborn　refinement；　for　she　could　no

more　answer　that　question　than　he　could　ask。　　〃Wait；　I　will　write　it！〃



She　hurried　to　the　table；　caught　up　the　nurse's　pencil；　and　on　the

back　of　a　prescription　tablet　scrawled　it：　　〃Terence　Maxwell　O'More；

Dunderry　House；　County　Clare；　Ireland。〃



Before　she　had　finished　came　Freckles'　voice：　　〃Angel；　are　you　hurrying？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Angel；　〃I　am。　　But　there　is　a　good　deal　of　it。　　I　have

to　put　in　your　house　and　country；　so　that　you　will　feel　located。〃



〃Me　house？〃　marveled　Freckles。



〃Of　course；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃Your　uncle　says　your　grandmother　left

your　father　her　dower　house　and　estate；　because　she　knew　his　father

would　cut　him　off。　　You　get　that；　and　all　your　share　of　your

grandfather's　property　besides。　　It　is　all　set　off　for　you　and

waiting。　　Lord　O'More　told　me　so。　　I　suspect　you　are　richer　than

McLean；　Freckles。〃



She　closed　his　fingers　over　the　slip　and　straightened　his　hair。



〃Now　you　are　all　right；　dear　Limberlost　guard；〃　she　said。　　〃You　go

to　sleep　and　don't　think　of　a　thing　but　just　pure　joy；　joy；　joy！

I'll　keep　your　people　until　you　wake　up。　　You　are　too　tired　to　see

anyone　else　just　now！〃



Freckles　caught　her　skirt　as　she　turned　from　him。



〃I'll　go　to　sleep　in　five　minutes；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　be　doing

just　one　thing　more　for　me。　　Send　for　your　father！　　Oh；　Angel；　send

for　him　quick！　　How　will　I　ever　be　waiting　until　he　comes？〃



One　instant　the　Angel　stood　looking　at　him。　　The　next　a　crimson　wave

darkly　stained　her　lovely　face。　　Her　chin　began　a　spasmodic

quivering　and　the　tears　sprang　into　her　eyes。　　Her　hands　caught　at

her　chest　as　if　she　were　stifling。　　Freckles'　grasp　on　her　tightened

until　he　drew　her　beside　him。　　He　slipped　his　arm　around　her　and

drew　her　face　to　his　pillow。



〃Don't；　Angel；　for　the　love　of　mercy　don't　be　doing　that；〃

he　implored。　　〃I　can't　be　bearing　it。　　Tell　me。　　You　must　tell　me。〃



The　Angel　shook　her　head。



〃That　ain't　fair；　Angel；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃You　made　me　tell　you

when　it　was　like　tearing　the　heart　raw　from　me　breast。　　And　you　was

for　making　everything　heavenjust　heaven　and　nothing　else　for　me。　

If　I'm　so　much　more　now　than　I　was　an　hour　ago；　maybe　I　can　be

thinking　of　some　way　to　fix　things。　　You　will　be　telling　me？〃　he

coaxed；　moving　his　cheek　against　her　hair。



The　Angel's　head　moved　in　negation。　　Freckles　did　a　moment　of

intent　thinking。



〃Maybe　I　can　be　guessing；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Will　you　be　giving　me

three　chances？〃



There　was　the　faintest　possible　assent。



〃You　didn't　want　me　to　be　knowing　me　name；〃　guessed　Freckles。



The　Angel's　head　sprang　from　the　pillow　and　her　tear…stained　face

flamed　with　outraged　indignation。



〃Why；　I　did　too！〃　she　cried　angrily。



〃One　gone；〃　said　Freckles　calmly。　　〃You　didn't　want　me　to　have

relatives；　a　home；　and　money。〃



〃I　did！〃　exclaimed　the　Angel。　　〃Didn't　I　go　myself；　all　alone；　into

the　city；　and　find　them　when　I　was　afraid　as　death？　　I　did　too！〃



〃Two　gone；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃You　didn't　want　the　beautifulest　girl

in　the　world　to　be　telling　me。〃



Down　went　the　Angel's　face　and　a　heavy　sob　shook　her。　　Freckles'

clasp　tightened　around　her　shoulders；　while　his　face；　in　its

conflicting　emotions；　was　a　study。　　He　was　so　stunned　and　bewildered

by　the　miracle　that　had　been　performed　in　bringing　to　light　his

name　and　relatives　that　he　had　no　strength　left　for　elaborate

mental　processes。　　Despite　all　it　meant　to　him　to　know　his　name　at

last；　and　that　he　was　of　honorable　birthknowledge　without　which

life　was　an　eternal　disgrace　and　burden　the　one　thing　that　was

hammering　in　Freckles'　heart　and　beating　in　his　brain；　past　any

attempted　expression；　was　the　fact　that；　while　nameless　and

possibly　born　in　shame；　the　Angel　had　told　him　that　she　loved　him。

He　could　find　no　word　with　which　to　begin　to　voice　the　rapture　of

his　heart　over　that。　　But　if　she　regretted　itif　it　had　been　a

thing　done　out　of　her　pity　for　his　condition；　or　her　feeling　of

responsibility；　if　it　killed　him　after　all；　there　was　only　one

thing　left　to　do。　　Not　for　McLean；　not　for　the　Bird　Woman；　not　for

the　Duncans　would　Freckles　have　done　itbut　for　the　Angelif　it

would　make　her　happyhe　would　do　anything。



〃Angel；〃　whispered　Freckles；　with　his　lips　against　her　hair；　〃you

haven't　learned　your　history　book　very　well；　or　else　you've　forgotten。〃



〃Forgotten　what？〃　sobbed　the　Angel。



〃Forgotten　about　the　real　knight；　Ladybird；〃　breathed　Freckles。

〃Don't　you　know　that；　if　anything　happened　that　made　his　lady

sorry；　a　real　knight　just　simply　couldn't　be　remembering　it？　　Angel；

darling　little　Swamp　Angel；　you　be　listening　to　me。　　There　was　one

night　on　the　trail；　one　solemn；　grand；　white　night；　that　there

wasn't　ever　any　other　like　before　or　since；　when　the　dear　Boss　put

his　arm　around　me　and　told　me　that　he　loved　me；　but　if　you　care；

Angel；　if　you　don't　want　it　that　way；　why；　I　ain't　remembering　that

anyone　else　ever　didnot　in　me　whole　life。〃



The　Angel　lifted　her　head　and　looked　into　the　depths　of　Freckles'

honest　gray　eyes；　and　they　met　hers　unwaveringly；　but　the　pain　in

them　was　pitiful。



〃