a girl of the limberlost-第7部分

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The　professor　was　silent　also。　　At　last　Eleanor　arose；

hugging　those　books　to　her　heart　as　a　mother　clasps　a　baby。



〃One　thing　more；〃　said　the　professor。　　〃You　may　pay

your　tuition　quarterly。　　You　need　not　bother　about　the

first　instalment　this　month。　　Any　time　in　October　will　do。〃



It　seemed　as　if　Elnora's　gasp　of　relief　must　have　reached

the　soles　of　her　brogans。



〃Did　any　one　ever　tell　you　how　beautiful　you　are！〃　she　cried。



As　the　professor　was　lank；　tow…haired　and　so　near…

sighted；　that　he　peered　at　his　pupils　through　spectacles；

no　one　ever　had。



〃No；〃　said　Professor　Henley；　〃I've　waited　some　time

for　that；　for　which　reason　I　shall　appreciate　it　all　the　more。　

Come　now；　or　we　shall　be　late　for　opening　exercises。〃



So　Elnora　entered　the　auditorium　a　second　time。　　Her　face　was

like　the　brightest　dawn　that　ever　broke　over　the　Limberlost。　

No　matter　about　the　lumbering　shoes　and　skimpy　dress。　

No　matter　about　anything；　she　had　the　books。　　She　could

take　them　home。　　In　her　garret　she　could　commit　them　to

memory；　if　need　be。　　She　could　prove　that　clothes　were

not　all。　　If　the　Bird　Woman　did　not　want　any　of　the　many

different　kinds　of　specimens　she　had　collected；　she　was

quite　sure　now　she　could　sell　ferns；　nuts；　and　a　great

many　things。　　Then；　too；　a　girl　made　a　place　for　her

that　morning；　and　several　smiled　and　bowed。　　Elnora　forgot

everything　save　her　books；　and　that　she　was　where　she

could　use　them　intelligentlyeverything　except　one

little　thing　away　back　in　her　head。　　Her　mother　had

known　about　the　books　and　the　tuition；　and　had　not　told

her　when　she　agreed　to　her　coming。



At　noon　Elnora　took　her　little　parcel　of　lunch　and　started

to　the　home　of　the　Bird　Woman。　　She　must　know　about

the　specimens　first　and　then　she　would　walk　to　the　suburbs

somewhere　and　eat　a　few　bites。　　She　dropped　the　heavy

iron　knocker　on　the　door　of　a　big　red　log　cabin；　and

her　heart　thumped　at　the　resounding　stroke。



〃Is　the　Bird　Woman　at　home？〃　she　asked　of　the　maid。



〃She　is　at　lunch；〃　was　the　answer。



〃Please　ask　her　if　she　will　see　a　girl　from　the　Limberlost

about　some　moths？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃I　never　need　ask；　if　it's　moths；〃　laughed　the　girl。　

〃Orders　are　to　bring　any　one　with　specimens　right　in。　

Come　this　way。〃



Elnora　followed　down　the　hall　and　entered　a　long　room　with

high　panelled　wainscoting；　old　English　fireplace　with　an

overmantel　and　closets　of　peculiar　china　filling　the　corners。　

At　a　bare　table　of　oak；　yellow　as　gold；　sat　a　woman　Elnora

often　had　watched　and　followed　covertly　around　the　Limberlost。　

The　Bird　Woman　was　holding　out　a　hand　of　welcome。



I　heard！〃　she　laughed。　　〃A　little　pasteboard　box；　or

just　the　mere　word　‘specimen；'　passes　you　at　my　door。　

If　it　is　moths　I　hope　you　have　hundreds。　　I've　been　very

busy　all　summer　and　unable　to　collect；　and　I　need　so　many。　

Sit　down　and　lunch　with　me；　while　we　talk　it　over。　

From　the　Limberlost；　did　you　say？〃



〃I　live　near　the　swamp；〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃Since　it's

so　cleared　I　dare　go　around　the　edge　in　daytime；　though

we　are　all　afraid　at　night。〃



〃What　have　you　collected？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman；

as　she　helped　Elnora　to　sandwiches　unlike　any　she　ever

before　had　tasted；　salad　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　many

familiar　things；　and　a　cup　of　hot　chocolate　that　would　have

delighted　any　hungry　schoolgirl。



〃I　am　afraid　I　am　bothering　you　for　nothing；　and　imposing

on　you；〃　she　said。　　〃That　'collected'　frightens　me。　

I've　only　gathered。　　I　always　loved　everything　outdoors；

so　I　made　friends　and　playmates　of　them。　　When　I　learned

that　the　moths　die　so　soon；　I　saved　them　especially；

because　there　seemed　no　wickedness　in　it。〃



〃I　have　thought　the　same　thing；〃　said　the　Bird

Woman　encouragingly。　　Then　because　the　girl　could

not　eat　until　she　learned　about　the　moths；　the　Bird

Woman　asked　Elnora　if　she　knew　what　kinds　she　had。



〃Not　all　of　them；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Before　Mr。

Duncan　moved　away　he　often　saw　me　near　the　edge　of

the　swamp　and　he　showed　me　the　box　he　had　fixed　for

Freckles；　and　gave　me　the　key。　　There　were　some　books

and　things；　so　from　that　time　on　I　studied　and　tried　to

take　moths　right；　but　I　am　afraid　they　are　not　what　you　want。〃



〃Are　they　the　big　ones　that　fly　mostly　in　June　nights？〃

asked　the　Bird　Woman。



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Big　gray　ones　with　reddish

markings；　pale　blue…green；　yellow　with　lavender；　and　red

and　yellow。〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　‘red　and　yellow？'〃　asked　the

Bird　Woman　so　quickly　that　the　girl　almost　jumped



〃Not　exactly　red；〃　explained　Elnora；　with　tremulous　voice。　

〃A　reddish；　yellowish　brown；　with　canary…coloured　spots

and　gray　lines　on　their　wings。〃



〃How　many　of　them？〃　　It　was　the　same　quick　question。



〃I　had　over　two　hundred　eggs；〃　said　Elnora；　〃but

some　of　them　didn't　hatch；　and　some　of　the　caterpillars

died；　but　there　must　be　at　least　a　hundred　perfect　ones。〃



〃Perfect！　　How　perfect？〃　cried　the　Bird　Woman。



〃I　mean　whole　wings；　no　down　gone；　and　all　their　legs

and　antennae；〃　faltered　Elnora。



〃Young　woman；　that's　the　rarest　moth　in　America；〃

said　the　Bird　Woman　solemnly。　　〃If　you　have　a　hundred

of　them；　they　are　worth　a　hundred　dollars　according　to

my　list。　　I　can　use　all　that　are　not　damaged。〃



〃What　if　they　are　not　pinned　right；〃　quavered　Elnora。



〃If　they　are　perfect；　that　does　not　make　the

slightest　difference。　　I　know　how　to　soften　them　so

that　I　can　put　them　into　any　shape　I　choose。　

Where　are　they？　　When　may　I　see　them？〃



〃They　are　in　Freckles's　old　case　in　the　Limberlost；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　couldn't　carry　many　for　fear　of　breaking

them；　but　I　could　bring　a　few　after　school。〃



〃You　come　here　at　four；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman；　〃and

we　will　drive　out　with　some　specimen　boxes；　and　a　price

list；　and　see　what　you　have　to　sell。　　Are　they　your　very　own？　

Are　you　free　to　part　with　them？〃



〃They　are　mine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃No　one　but　God

knows　I　have　them。　　Mr。　Duncan　gave　me　the　books

and　the　box。　　He　told　Freckles　about　me；　and　Freckles

told　him　to　give　me　all　he　left。　　He　said　for　me　to　stick

to　the　swamp　and　be　brave；　and　my　hour　would　come；　and

it　has！　　I　know　most　of　them　are　all　right；　and　oh；　I

do　need　the　money！〃



〃Could　you　tell　me？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman　softly。



〃You　see　the　swamp　and　all　the　fields　around　it　are　so

full；〃　explained　Elnora。　　〃Every　day　I　felt　smaller　and

smaller；　and　I　wanted　to　know　more　and　more；　and　pretty

soon　I　grew　desperate；　just　as　Freckles　did。　　But　I　am

better　off　than　he　was；　for　I　have　his　books；　and　I　have　a

mother；　even　if　she　doesn't　care　for　me　as　other　girls'

mothers　do　for　them；　it's　better　than　no　one。〃



The　Bird　Woman's　glance　fell；　for　the　girl　was　not

conscious　of　how　much　she　was　revealing。　　Her　eyes

were　fixed　on　a　black　pitcher　filled　with　goldenrod　in

the　centre　of　the　table　and　she　was　saying　what　she　thought。



〃As　long　as　I　could　go　to　the　Brushwood　school　I　was

happy；　but　I　couldn't　go　further　just　when　things　were

the　most　interesting；　so　I　was　determined　I'd　come　to

high　school　and　mother　wouldn't　consent。　　You　see

there's　plenty　of　land；　but　father　was　drowned　when　I

was　a　baby；　and　mother　and　I　can't　make　money　as　men　do。　

The　taxes　are　higher　every　year；　and　she　said　it　was

too　expensive。　　I　wouldn't　give　her　any　rest；　until　at

last　she　bought　me　this　dress；　and　these　shoes　and　I　came。　

It　was　awful！〃



〃Do　you　live　in　that　beautiful　cabin　at　the　northwest

end　of　the　swamp？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman。



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。



〃I　remember　the　place　and　a　story　about　it；　now。　

You　entered　the　high　school　yesterday？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃It　was　rather　bad？〃



〃Rather　bad！〃　echoed　Elnora。　



The　Bird　Woman　laughed。



〃You　can't　tell　me　anything　about　that；〃　she　said。　

〃I　once　entered　a　city　school　straight　from　the　country。　

My　dress　was　brown　calico；　and　my　shoes　were　heavy。〃



The　tears　began　to　roll　down　Elnora's　cheeks。　



〃Did　they？〃　she　faltered。



〃They　did！〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃All　of　it。　　I　am

sure　they　did　not　miss　one　least　little　thing。〃



Then　she　wiped　away　some　tears　that　began　coursing

her　cheeks；　and　laughed　at　the　same　time。



〃Where　are　they　now？〃　asked　Elnora　suddenly。



〃They　are　widely　scattered；　but　none　of　them　have

attained　heights　out　of　range。　　Some　of　the　rich　are

poor；　and　some　of　the　poor　are　rich。　　Some　of　the　brightest

died　insane；　and　some　of　the　dullest　worked　out　high

positions；　some　of　the　very　worst　to　bear　have　gone　out；

and　I　frequently　hear　from　others。　　Now　I　am　here；

able　to　remember　it；　and　mingle　laughter　with　what

used　to　be　all　tears；　for　every　day　I　have　my　beautiful

work；　and　almost　every　day　God　sends　some　one　like　you

to　help　me。　　What　is　your　name；　my　girl？〃



〃Elnora　Comstock；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Yesterday　on　the

board　it　changed　to　Cornstock；　and　for　a　minute　I

thought　I'd　die；　but　I　can　laugh　over　that　already。〃



The　Bird　Woman　arose　and　kissed　her。　　〃Finish　your

lunch；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　will　bring　my　price　lists；　and

make　a　memorandum　of　what　you　think　you　have；　so　I

will　know　how　many　boxes　to　prepare。　　And　remember　this：　

What　you　are　lies　with　you。　　If　you　are　lazy；　and

accept　your　lot；　you　may　live　in　it。　　If　you　are　willing

to　work；　you　can　write　your　name　anywhere　you　choose；

among　the　only　ones　who　live　beyond　the　grave　in　this

world；　the　people　who　write　books　that　help；　make　exquisite

music；　carve　statues；　paint　pictures；　and　work　for　others。　

Never　mind　the　calico　dress；　and　the　coarse　shoes。　

Work　at　your　books；　and　before　long　you　will　hear

yesterday's　tormentors　boasting　that　they　were　once

classmates　of　yours。　　‘I　could　a　tale　unfold'！〃



She　laughingly　left　the　room　and　Elnora　sat　thinking；

until　she　remembered　how　hungry　she　was；　so　she　ate　the

food；　drank　the　hot　chocolate　a