a girl of the limberlost-第21部分

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〃Where　can　he　sleep？〃　he　asked　Margaret。



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。



〃Oh；　I　can　sleep　ist　any　place；〃　said　Billy。　　〃On　the

floor　or　anywhere。　　Home；　I　sleep　on　pa's　coat　on　a　store…

box；　and　Jimmy　and　Belle　they　sleep　on　the　storebox；　too。　

〃I　sleep　between　them；　so's　I　don't　roll　off　and　crack

my　head。　　Ain't　you　got　a　storebox　and　a　old　coat？〃



Wesley　arose　and　opened　a　folding　lounge。　　Then　he

brought　an　armload　of　clean　horse　blankets　from　a　closet。



〃These　don't　look　like　the　nice　white　bed　a　little　boy

should　have；　Billy；〃　he　said；　〃but　we'll　make　them　do。　

This　will　beat　a　storebox　all　hollow。〃



Billy　took　a　long　leap　for　the　lounge。　　When　he　found

it　bounced；　he　proceeded　to　bounce；　until　he　was　tired。　

By　that　time　the　blankets　had　to　be　refolded。　　Wesley　had

Billy　take　one　end　and　help；　while　both　of　them　seemed　to

enjoy　the　job。　　Then　Billy　lay　down　and　curled　up　in　his

clothes　like　a　small　dog。　　But　sleep　would　not　come。



Finally　he　sat　up。　　He　stared　around　restlessly。　　Then　he

arose；　went　to　Wesley；　and　leaned　against　his　knee。　　He　picked

up　the　boy　and　folded　his　arms　around　him。　　Billy　sighed

in　rapturous　content。



〃That　bed　feels　so　lost　like；〃　he　said。　　〃Jimmy　always

jabbed　me　on　one　side；　and　Belle　on　the　other；　and　so　I

knew　I　was　there。　　Do　you　know　where　they　are？〃



〃They　are　with　kind　people　who　gave　them　a　fine　supper；

a　clean　bed；　and　will　always　take　good　care　of　them。〃



〃I　wisht　I　was〃　　Billy　hesitated　and　looked　earnestly

at　Wesley。　　〃I　mean　I　wish　they　was　here。〃



〃You　are　about　all　I　can　manage；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　sat　up。　　〃Can't　she　manage　anything？〃　he　asked；

waving　toward　Margaret。



〃Indeed；　yes；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃She　has　managed　me

for　twenty　years。〃



〃My；　but　she　made　you　nice！〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　just　love　you。　

I　wisht　she'd　take　Jimmy　and　Belle　and　make　them　nice　as　you。〃



〃She　isn't　strong　enough　to　do　that；　Billy。　　They　will

grow　into　a　good　boy　and　girl　where　they　are。〃



Billy　slid　from　Wesley's　arms　and　walked　toward

Margaret　until　he　reached　the　middle　of　the　room。　　Then　he

stopped；　and　at　last　sat　on　the　floor。　　Finally　he　lay

down　and　closed　his　eyes。　　〃This　feels　more　like　my　bed；

if　only　Jimmy　and　Belle　was　here　to　crowd　up　a　little；　so　it

wasn't　so　alone　like。〃



〃Won't　I　do；　Billy？〃　asked　Wesley　in　a　husky　voice。



Billy　moved　restlessly。　　〃Seems　likeseems　like

toward　night　as　if　a　body　got　kind　o'　lonesome　for　a

woman　personlike　her。〃



Billy　indicated　Margaret　and　then　closed　his　eyes　so

tight　his　small　face　wrinkled。



Soon　he　was　up　again。　　〃Wisht　I　had　Snap；〃　he　said。　

〃Oh；　I　ist　wisht　I　had　Snap！〃



〃I　thought　you　laid　a　board　on　Snap　and　jumped　on

it；〃　said　Wesley。



〃We　did！〃　cried　Billy〃oh；　you　ought　to　heard　him

squeal！〃　Billy　laughed　loudly；　then　his　face　clouded。



〃But　I　want　Snap　to　lay　beside　me　so　bad　nowthat　if　he

was　here　I'd　give　him　a　piece　of　my　chicken；　'for；　I　ate　any。　

Do　you　like　dogs？〃



〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　was　up　instantly。　　〃Would　you　like　Snap？〃



〃I　am　sure　I　would；〃　said　Wesley。



〃Would　she？〃　Billy　indicated　Margaret。　　And　then

he　answered　his　own　question。　　〃But　of　course；　she

wouldn't；　cos　she　likes　cats；　and　dogs　chases　cats。　

Oh；　dear；　I　thought　for　a　minute　maybe　Snap　could

come　here。〃　　Billy　lay　down　and　closed　his　eyes　resolutely。



Suddenly　they　flew　open。　　〃Does　it　hurt　to　be　dead？〃

he　demanded。



〃Nothing　hurts　you　after　you　are　dead；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。



〃Yes；　but　I　mean　does　it　hurt　getting　to　be　dead？〃



〃Sometimes　it　does。　　It　did　not　hurt　your　father；　Billy。　

It　came　softly　while　he　was　asleep。〃



〃It　ist　came　softly？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　kind　o'　wisht　he　wasn't　dead！〃　said　Billy。　　〃'Course　I

like　to　stay　with　you；　and　the　fried　chicken；　and　the　nice

soft　bed；　andand　everything；　and　I　like　to　be　clean；　but

he　took　us　to　the　show；　and　he　got　us　gum；　and　he　never

hurt　us　when　he　wasn't　drunk。〃



Billy　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　tightly　closed　his　eyes。　

But　very　soon　they　opened。　　Then　he　sat　up。　　He　looked

at　Wesley　pitifully；　and　then　he　glanced　at　Margaret。　

〃You　don't　like　boys；　do　you？〃　he　questioned。



〃I　like　good　boys；〃　said　Margaret。



Billy　was　at　her　knee　instantly。　　〃Well　say；　I'm　a　good

boy！〃　he　announced　joyously。



〃I　do　not　think　boys　who　hurt　helpless　kittens　and　pull

out　turkeys'　tails　are　good　boys。〃



〃Yes；　but　I　didn't　hurt　the　kittens；〃　explained　Billy。　

〃They　got　mad　'bout　ist　a　little　fun　and　scratched　each　other。　

I　didn't　s'pose　they'd　act　like　that。　　And　I　didn't　pull

the　turkey's　tail。　　I　ist　held　on　to　the　first　thing　I

grabbed；　and　the　turkey　pulled。　　Honest；　it　was　the

turkey　pulled。〃　　He　turned　to　Wesley。　　〃You　tell　her！　

Didn't　the　turkey　pull？　　I　didn't　know　its　tail　was　loose；

did　I？〃



〃I　don't　think　you　did；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　stared　into　Margaret's　cold　face。　　〃Sometimes　at　night；

Belle　sits　on　the　floor；　and　I　lay　my　head　in　her　lap。　

I　could　pull　up　a　chair　and　lay　my　head　in　your　lap。　

Like　this；　I　mean。〃　　Billy　pulled　up　a　chair；　climbed

on　it　and　laid　his　head　on　Margaret's　lap。　　Then　he　shut

his　eyes　again。　　Margaret　could　have　looked　little　more

repulsed　if　he　had　been　a　snake。　　Billy　was　soon　up。



〃My；　but　your　lap　is　hard；〃　he　said。　　〃And　you　are

a　good　deal　fatter　'an　Belle；　too！〃　　He　slid　from　the

chair　and　came　back　to　the　middle　of　the　room。



〃Oh　but　I　wisht　he　wasn't　dead！〃　he　cried。　　The　flood

broke　and　Billy　screamed　in　desperation。



Out　of　the　night　a　soft；　warm　young　figure　flashed

through　the　door　and　with　a　swoop　caught　him　in　her　arms。　

She　dropped　into　a　chair；　nestled　him　closely；　drooped

her　fragrant　brown　head　over　his　little　bullet…eyed

red　one；　and　rocked　softly　while　she　crooned　over　him





　　　　　〃Billy；　boy；　where　have　you　been？

　　　　　　Oh；　I　have　been　to　seek　a　wife；

　　　　　　She's　the　joy　of　my　life；

　　　　　　But　then　she's　a　young　thing　and　she　can't　leave　her　mammy！〃





Billy　clung　to　her　frantically。　　Elnora　wiped　his　eyes；

kissed　his　face；　swayed　and　sang。



〃Why　aren't　you　asleep？〃　she　asked　at　last。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　tried。　　I　tried　awful

hard　cos　I　thought　he　wanted　me　to；　but　it　ist　wouldn't　come。　

Please　tell　her　I　tried。〃　　He　appealed　to　Margaret。



〃He　did　try　to　go　to　sleep；〃　admitted　Margaret。



〃Maybe　he　can't　sleep　in　his　clothes；〃　suggested　Elnora。　

〃Haven't　you　an　old　dressing　sacque？　　I　could　roll

the　sleeves。〃



Margaret　got　an　old　sacque；　and　Elnora　put　it　on　Billy。　

Then　she　brought　a　basin　of　water　and　bathed　his　face

and　head。　　She　gathered　him　up　and　began　to　rock　again。



〃Have　you　got　a　pa？〃　asked　Billy。



〃No；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Is　he　dead　like　mine？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Did　it　hurt　him　to　die？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



Billy　was　wide　awake　again。　　〃It　didn't　hurt　my　pa；〃

he　boasted；　〃he　ist　died　while　he　was　asleep。　　He　didn't

even　know　it　was　coming。〃



〃I　am　glad　of　that；〃　said　Elnora；　pressing　the　small

head　against　her　breast　again。



Billy　escaped　her　hand　and　sat　up。　　〃I　guess　I　won't　go

to　sleep；〃　he　said。　　〃It　might　‘come　softly'　and　get　me。〃



〃It　won't　get　you；　Billy；〃　said　Elnora；　rocking　and

singing　between　sentences。　　〃It　doesn't　get　little　boys。　

It　just　takes　big　people　who　are　sick。〃



〃Was　my　pa　sick？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃He　had　a　dreadful　sickness

inside　him　that　burned；　and　made　him　drink　things。　

That　was　why　he　would　forget　his　little　boys　and　girl。　

If　he　had　been　well；　he　would　have　gotten　you　good　things

to　eat；　clean　clothes；　and　had　the　most　fun　with　you。〃



Billy　leaned　against　her　and　closed　his　eyes；　and　Elnora

rocked　hopefully。



〃If　I　was　dead　would　you　cry？〃　he　was　up　again。



〃Yes；　I　would；〃　said　Elnora；　gripping　him　closer　until

Billy　almost　squealed　with　the　embrace。



〃Do　you　love　me　tight　as　that？〃　he　questioned　blissfully。



〃Yes；　bushels　and　bushels；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Better　than

any　little　boy　in　the　whole　world。〃



Billy　looked　at　Margaret。　　〃She　don't！〃　he　said。

〃She'd　be　glad　if　it　would　get　me　‘softly；'　right　now。　

She　don't　want　me　here　't　all。〃



Elnora　smothered　his　face　against　her　breast　and　rocked。　



〃You　love　me；　don't　you？〃



〃I　will；　if　you　will　go　to　sleep。〃



〃Every　single　day　you　will　give　me　your　dinner　for

the　bologna；　won't　you；〃　said　Billy。



〃Yes；　I　will；〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃But　you　will　have　as

good　lunch　as　I　do　after　this。　　You　will　have　milk；　eggs；

chicken；　all　kinds　of　good　things；　little　pies；　and　cakes；　maybe。〃



Billy　shook　his　head。　　〃I　am　going　back　home　soon　as

it　is　light；〃　he　said；　〃she　don't　want　me。　　She　thinks

I'm　a　bad　boy。　　She's　going　to　whip　meif　he　lets　her。　

She　said　so。　　I　heard　her。　　Oh；　I　wish　he　hadn't　died！　

I　want　to　go　home。〃　Billy　shrieked　again。



Mrs。　Comstock　had　started　to　walk　slowly　to　meet　Elnora。　

The　girl　had　been　so　late　that　her　mother　reached　the

Sinton　gate　and　followed　the　path　until　the　picture　inside

became　visible。　　Elnora　had　told　her　about　Wesley

taking　Billy　home。　　Mrs。　Comstock　had　some　curiosity

to　see　how　Margaret　bore　the　unexpected　addition　to

her　family。　　Billy's　voice；　raised　with　excitement；　was

plainly　audible。　　She　could　see　Elnora　holding　him；　and

hear　his　excited　wail。　　Wesley's　face　was　drawn　and　haggard；

and　Margaret's　set　and　defiant。　　A　very　imp　of　perversity

entered　the　breast　of　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Hoity；　toity！〃　she　said　as　she　suddenly　appeared

in　the　door。　　〃Blest　if　I　ever　heard　a　man　making　sounds

like　that　before！〃



Billy　ceased　suddenly。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was　tall；　angular；

and　her　hair　was　prematurely　white。　　She　was　only

thirty…six；　although　she　appeared　fifty。　　But　there

was　an　expression　on　her　usually　cold　face　that　was

attractive　just