a girl of the limberlost- 第51部分

I　thought　my　arms　would　drop。　　When　I　paid　the　bill　for

her　work；　the　time　I'd　taken；　the　pins；　and　combs　she'd

used；　I　nearly　had　heart　failure；　but　I　didn't　turn　a　hair

before　her。　　I　just　smiled　at　her　sweetly　and　said；　‘How

reasonable　you　are！'　Come　to　think　of　it；　she　was！　　She　might

have　charged　me　ten　dollars　for　what　she　did　quite　as　well

as　nine　seventy…five。　　I　couldn't　have　helped　myself。　

I　had　made　no　bargain　to　begin　on。〃



Then　Elnora　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　shouted；　in　a

gust　of　hearty　laughter；　so　a　little　of　the　ache　ceased

in　her　breast。　　There　was　no　time　to　think；　the　remainder

of　that　evening；　she　was　so　tired　she　had　to　sleep；　while

her　mother　did　not　awaken　her　until　she　barely　had　time

to　dress；　breakfast　and　reach　school。　　There　was　nothing

in　the　new　life　to　remind　her　of　the　old。　　It　seemed　as

if　there　never　came　a　minute　for　retrospection；　but　her

mother　appeared　on　the　scene　with　more　work；　or　some

entertaining　thing　to　do。



Mrs。　Comstock　invited　Elnora's　friends　to　visit　her；

and　proved　herself　a　bright　and　interesting　hostess。　

She　digested　a　subject　before　she　spoke；　and　when　she

advanced　a　view；　her　point　was　sure　to　be　original　and

tersely　expressed。　　Before　three　months　people　waited

to　hear　what　she　had　to　say。　　She　kept　her　appearance　so

in　mind　that　she　made　a　handsome　and　a　distinguished　figure。



Elnora　never　mentioned　Philip　Ammon；　neither　did

Mrs。　Comstock。　　Early　in　December　came　a　note　and　a

big　box　from　him。　　It　contained　several　books　on　nature

subjects　which　would　be　of　much　help　in　school　work；

a　number　of　conveniences　Elnora　could　not　afford；　and　a

pair　of　glass…covered　plaster　casts；　for　each　large　moth

she　had。　　In　these　the　upper　and　underwings　of　male　and

female　showed。　　He　explained　that　she　would　break　her

specimens　easily；　carrying　them　around　in　boxes。　　He　had

seen　these　and　thought　they　would　be　of　use。　　Elnora　was

delighted　with　them；　and　at　once　began　the　tedious　process

of　softening　the　mounted　moths　and　fitting　them　to　the

casts　moulded　to　receive　them。　　Her　time　was　so　taken　in

school；　she　progressed　slowly；　so　her　mother　undertook

this　work。　　After　trying　one　or　two　very　common　ones　she

learned　to　handle　the　most　delicate　with　ease。　　She　took

keen　pride　in　relaxing　the　tense　moths；　fitting　them　to　the

cases；　polishing　the　glass　covers　to　the　last　degree　and

sealing　them。　　The　results　were　beautiful　to　behold。



Soon　after　Elnora　wrote　to　Philip：



DEAR　FRIEND：



I　am　writing　to　thank　you　for　the　books；　and　the　box　of　conveniences

sent　me　for　my　work。　　I　can　use　everything　with　fine　results。　

Hope　I　am　giving　good　satisfaction　in　my　position。　　You　will　be

interested　to　learn　that　when　the　summer's　work　was　classified　and

pinned；　I　again　had　my　complete　collection　for　the　man　of　India；

save　a　Yellow　Emperor。　　I　have　tried　everywhere　I　know；　so　has　the

Bird　Woman。　　We　cannot　find　a　pair　for　sale。　　Fate　is　against　me；

at　least　this　season。　　I　shall　have　to　wait　until　next　year　and　try　again。



Thank　you　very　much　for　helping　me　with　my　collection　and　for　the

books　and　cases。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sincerely　yours；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ELNORA　COMSTOCK。





Philip　was　disappointed　over　that　note　and　instead　of

keeping　it　he　tore　it　into　bits　and　dropped　them　into　the

waste　basket。



That　was　precisely　what　Elnora　had　intended　he　should　do。　

Christmas　brought　beautiful　cards　of　greeting　to

Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora；　Easter　others；　and　the　year

ran　rapidly　toward　spring。　　Elnora's　position　had　been

intensely　absorbing；　while　she　had　worked　with　all　her　power。　

She　had　made　a　wonderful　success　and　won　new　friends。　

Mrs。　Comstock　had　helped　in　every　way　she　could；　so　she　was

very　popular　also。



Throughout　the　winter　they　had　enjoyed　the　city　thoroughly；

and　the　change　of　life　it　afforded；　but　signs　of　spring

did　wonderful　things　to　the　hearts　of　the　country…bred　women。　

A　restlessness　began　on　bright　February　days；　calmed　during

March　storms　and　attacked　full　force　in　April。　　When　neither

could　bear　it　any　longer　they　were　forced　to　discuss　the　matter

and　admit　they　were　growing　ill　with　pure　homesickness。　

They　decided　to　keep　the　city　house　during　the　summer；

but　to　return　to　the　farm　to　live　as　soon　as　school　closed。



So　Mrs。　Comstock　would　prepare　breakfast　and　lunch

and　then　slip　away　to　the　farm　to　make　up　beds　in　her

ploughed　garden；　plant　seeds；　trim　and　tend　her　flowers；

and　prepare　the　cabin　for　occupancy。　　Then　she　would　go

home　and　make　the　evening　as　cheerful　as　possible　for

Elnora；　in　these　days　she　lived　only　for　the　girl。



Both　of　them　were　glad　when　the　last　of　May　came　and　the

schools　closed。　　They　packed　the　books　and　clothing　they

wished　to　take　into　a　wagon　and　walked　across　the　fields

to　the　old　cabin。　　As　they　approached　it；　Mrs。　Comstock

said　to　Elnora：　　〃You　are　sure　you　won't　be　lonely　here？〃



Elnora　knew　what　she　really　meant。



〃Quite　sure；〃　she　said。　　〃For　a　time　last　fall　I　was

glad　to　be　away；　but　that　all　wore　out　with　the　winter。　

Spring　made　me　homesick　as　I　could　be。　　I　can　scarcely　wait

until　we　get　back　again。〃



So　they　began　that　summer　as　they　had　begun　all　others

with　work。　　But　both　of　them　took　a　new　joy　in　everything；

and　the　violin　sang　by　the　hour　in　the　twilight。









CHAPTER　XIX





WHEREIN　PHILIP　AMMON　GIVES　A　BALL　IN　HONOUR　OF　EDITH　CARR；

AND　HART　HENDERSON　APPEARS　ON　THE　SCENE





Edith　Carr　stood　in　a　vine…enclosed　side　veranda

of　the　Lake　Shore　Club　House　waiting　while　Philip

Ammon　gave　some　important　orders。　　In　a　few　days

she　would　sail　for　Paris　to　select　a　wonderful　trousseau

she　had　planned　for　her　marriage　in　October。　　To…night

Philip　was　giving　a　club　dance　in　her　honour。　　He　had

spent　days　in　devising　new　and　exquisite　effects　in

decorations；　entertainment；　and　supper。　　Weeks　before　the

favoured　guests　had　been　notified。　　Days　before　they　had

received　the　invitations　asking　them　to　participate　in　this

entertainment　by　Philip　Ammon　in　honour　of　Miss　Carr。　

They　spoke　of　it　as　〃Phil's　dance　for　Edith！〃



She　could　hear　the　rumble　of　carriages　and　the　panting

of　automobiles　as　in　a　steady　stream　they　rolled　to　the

front　entrance。　　She　could　catch　glimpses　of　floating

draperies　of　gauze　and　lace；　the　flash　of　jewels；　and　the

passing　of　exquisite　colour。　　Every　one　was　newly　arrayed

in　her　honour　in　the　loveliest　clothing；　and　the　most

expensive　jewels　they　could　command。　　As　she　thought　of　it

she　lifted　her　head　a　trifle　higher　and　her　eyes　flashed　proudly。



She　was　robed　in　a　French　creation　suggested　and　designed

by　Philip。　　He　had　said　to　her：　　〃I　know　a　competent

judge　who　says　the　distinctive　feature　of　June　is　her

exquisite　big　night　moths。　　I　want　you　to　be　the　very

essence　of　June　that　night；　as　you　will　be　the　embodiment

of　love。　　Be　a　moth。　　The　most　beautiful　of　them　is　either

the　pale…green　Luna　or　the　Yellow　Imperialis。　　Be　my

moon　lady；　or　my　gold　Empress。〃



He　took　her　to　the　museum　and　showed　her　the　moths。　

She　instantly　decided　on　the　yellow。　　Because　she　knew

the　shades　would　make　her　more　startlingly　beautiful　than

any　other　colour。　　To　him　she　said：　　〃A　moon　lady　seems

so　far　away　and　cold。　　I　would　be　of　earth　and　very　near

on　that　night。　　I　choose　the　Empress。〃



So　she　matched　the　colours　exactly；　wrote　out　the　idea

and　forwarded　the　order　to　Paquin。　　To…night　when

Philip　Ammon　came　for　her；　he　stood　speechless　a　minute

and　then　silently　kissed　her　hands。



For　she　stood　tall；　lithe；　of　grace　inborn；　her　dark　waving

hair　high　piled　and　crossed　by　gold　bands　studded　with

amethyst　and　at　one　side　an　enamelled　lavender　orchid

rimmed　with　diamonds；　which　flashed　and　sparkled。　　The　soft

yellow　robe　of　lightest　weight　velvet　fitted　her　form

perfectly；　while　from　each　shoulder　fell　a　great　velvet　wing

lined　with　lavender；　and　flecked　with　embroidery　of　that

colour　in　imitation　of　the　moth。　　Around　her　throat　was　a

wonderful　necklace　and　on　her　arms　were　bracelets　of　gold

set　with　amethyst　and　rimmed　with　diamonds。　　Philip　had　said

that　her　gloves；　fan；　and　slippers　must　be　lavender；　because

the　feet　of　the　moth　were　that　colour。　　These　accessories

had　been　made　to　order　and　embroidered　with　gold。　　It　had

been　arranged　that　her　mother；　Philip's；　and　a　few　best

friends　should　receive　his　guests。　　She　was　to　appear　when

she　led　the　grand　march　with　Philip　Ammon。　　Miss　Carr　was

positive　that　she　would　be　the　most　beautiful；　and　most

exquisitely　gowned　woman　present。　　In　her　heart　she　thought

of　herself　as　〃Imperialis　Regalis；〃　as　the　Yellow　Empress。　

In　a　few　moments　she　would　stun　her　world　into　feeling　it　as

Philip　Ammon　had　done；　for　she　had　taken　pains　that　the

history　of　her　costume　should　be　whispered　to　a　few　who

would　give　it　circulation。　　She　lifted　her　head　proudly　and

waited；　for　was　not　Philip　planning　something　unusual　and

unsurpassed　in　her　honour？　　Then　she　smiled。



But　of　all　the　fragmentary　thoughts　crossing　her　brain　the

one　that　never　came　was　that　of　Philip　Ammon　as　the　Emperor。　

Philip　the　king　of　her　heart；　at　least　her　equal　in　all　things。　

She　was　the　Empressyes；　Philip　was　but　a　mere　man；　to

devise　entertainments；　to　provide　luxuries；　to　humour　whims；

to　kiss　hands！



〃Ah；　my　luck！〃　cried　a　voice　behind　her。



Edith　Carr　turned　and　smiled。



〃I　thought　you　were　on　the　ocean；〃　she　said。



〃I　only　reached　the　dock；〃　replied　the　man；　〃when　I　had

a　letter　that　recalled　me　by　the　first　limited。〃



〃Oh！　　Important　business？〃



〃The　only　business　of　any　importance　in　all　the　world

to　me。　　I'm　triumphant　that　I　came。　　Edith；　you　are　the

most　superb　woman　in　every　respect　that　I　have　ever　seen。　

One　glimpse　is　worth　the　whole　journey。〃



〃You　like　my　dres