a girl of the limberlost- 第52部分

One　glimpse　is　worth　the　whole　journey。〃



〃You　like　my　dress？〃　　She　moved　toward　him　and　turned；

lifting　her　arms。　　〃Do　you　know　what　it　is　intended

to　represent？〃



〃Yes；　Polly　Ammon　told　me。　　I　knew　when　I　heard

about　it　how　you　would　look；　so　I　started　a　sleuth　hunt；

to　get　the　first　peep。　　Edith；　I　can　become　intoxicated

merely　with　looking　at　you　to…night。〃



He　half…closed　his　eyes　and　smilingly　stared　straight　at　her。　

He　was　taller　than　she；　a　lean　man；　with　close…cropped　light

hair；　steel…gray　eyes；　a　square　chin　and　〃man　of　the　world〃

written　all　over　him。



Edith　Carr　flushed。　　〃I　thought　you　realized　when　you

went　away　that　you　were　to　stop　that；　Hart　Henderson；〃

she　cried。



〃I　did；　but　this　letter　of　which　I　tell　you　called　me　back

to　start　it　all　over　again。〃



She　came　a　step　closer。　　〃Who　wrote　that　letter；　and

what　did　it　contain　concerning　me？〃　she　demanded。



〃One　of　your　most　intimate　chums　wrote　it。　　It　contained

the　hazard　that　possibly　I　had　given　up　too　soon。　　It　said

that　in　a　fit　of　petulance　you　had　broken　your　engagement

with　Ammon　twice　this　winter；　and　he　had　come　back　because

he　knew　you　did　not　really　mean　it。　　I　thought　deeply　there

on　the　dock　when　I　read　that；　and　my　boat　sailed　without　me。　

I　argued　that　anything　so　weak　as　an　engagement　twice　broken

and　patched　up　again　was　a　mighty　frail　affair　indeed；　and

likely　to　smash　completely　at　any　time；　so　I　came　on　the　run。　

I　said　once　I　would　not　see　you　marry　any　other　man。　

Because　I　could　not　bear　it；　I　planned　to　go　into　exile　of

any　sort　to　escape　that。　　I　have　changed　my　mind。　　I　have

come　back　to　haunt　you　until　the　ceremony　is　over。　　Then　I　go；

not　before。　　I　was　insane！〃



The　girl　laughed　merrily。　　〃Not　half　so　insane　as　you

are　now；　Hart！〃　she　cried　gaily。　　〃You　know　that　Philip

Ammon　has　been　devoted　to　me　all　my　life。　　Now　I'll　tell

you　something　else；　because　this　looks　serious　for　you。　

I　love　him　with　all　my　heart。　　Not　while　he　lives　shall　he

know　it；　and　I　will　laugh　at　him　if　you　tell　him；　but　the

fact　remains：　　I　intend　to　marry　him；　but　no　doubt　I　shall

tease　him　constantly。　　It's　good　for　a　man　to　be　uncertain。　

If　you　could　see　Philip's　face　at　the　quarterly　return　of　his

ring；　you　would　understand　the　fun　of　it。　　You　had　better

have　taken　your　boat。〃



〃Possibly；〃　said　Henderson　calmly。　　〃But　you　are　the

only　woman　in　the　world　for　me；　and　while　you　are　free；　as

I　now　see　my　light；　I　remain　near　you。　　You　know　the　old　adage。〃



〃But　I'm　not　‘free！'〃　cried　Edith　Carr。　　〃I'm　telling

you　I　am　not。　　This　night　is　my　public　acknowledgment

that　Phil　and　I　are　promised；　as　our　world　has　surmised

since　we　were　children。　　That　promise　is　an　actual　fact；

because　of　what　I　just　have　told　you。　　My　little　fits　of

temper　don't　count　with　Phil。　　He's　been　reared　on　them。　

In　fact；　I　often　invent　one　in　a　perfect　calm　to　see　him

perform。　　He　is　the　most　amusing　spectacle。　　But；　please；

please；　do　understand　that　I　love　him；　and　always　shall；

and　that　we　shall　be　married。〃



〃Just　the　same；　I'll　wait　and　see　it　an　accomplished

fact；〃　said　Henderson。　　〃And　Edith；　because　I　love　you；

with　the　sort　of　love　it　is　worth　a　woman's　while　　to

inspire；　I　want　your　happiness　before　my　own。　　So　　I

am　going　to　say　this　to　you；　for　I　never　dreamed　you

were　capable　of　the　feeling　you　have　displayed　for　Phil。　

If　you　do　love　him；　and　have　loved　him　always；　a

disappointment　would　cut　you　deeper　than　you　know。　

Go　careful　from　now　on！　　Don't　strain　that　patched

engagement　of　yours　any　further。　　I've　known　Philip　all

my　life。　　I've　known　him　through　boyhood；　in　college；

and　since。　　All　men　respect　him。　　Where　the　rest　of　us

confess　our　sins；　he　stands　clean。　　You　can　go　to　his　arms

with　nothing　to　forgive。　　Mark　this　thing！　　I　have　heard

him　say；　‘Edith　is　my　slogan；'　and　I　have　seen　him　march

home　strong　in　the　strength　of　his　love　for　you；　in　the　face

of　temptations　before　which　every　other　man　of　us　fell。　

Before　the　gods！　that　ought　to　be　worth　something　to　a

girl；　if　she　really　is　the　delicate；　sensitive；　refined

thing　she　would　have　man　believe。　　It　would　take　a　woman

with　the　organism　of　an　ostrich　to　endure　some　of　the

men　here　to…night；　if　she　knew　them　as　I　do；　but　Phil

is　sound　to　the　core。　　So　this　is　what　I　would　say

to　you：　first；　your　instincts　are　right　in　loving　him；

why　not　let　him　feel　it　in　the　ways　a　woman　knows？　

Second；　don't　break　your　engagement　again。　　As　men

know　the　man；　any　of　us　would　be　afraid　to　the　soul。　

He　loves　you；　yes！　　He　is　long…suffering　for　you；　yes！　

But　men　know　he　has　a　limit。　　When　the　limit　is

reached；　he　will　stand　fast；　and　all　the　powers　can't

move　him。　　You　don't　seem　to　think　it；　but　you　can　go

too　far！〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　laughed　Edith　Carr　sarcastically。



〃No；　there　is　one　thing　more；〃　said　Henderson。　　〃Here　or

here…after；　now　and　so　long　as　I　breathe；　I　am　your　slave。　

You　can　do　anything　you　choose　and　know　that　I　will

kneel　before　you　again。　　So　carry　this　in　the　depths　of

your　heart；　now　or　at　any　time；　in　any　place　or　condition；

merely　lift　your　hand；　and　I　will　come。　　Anything　you

want　of　me；　that　thing　will　I　do。　　I　am　going　to　wait；　if

you　need　me；　it　is　not　necessary　to　speak；　only　give　me

the　faintest　sign。　　All　your　life　I　will　be　somewhere　near

you　waiting　for　it。〃



〃Idjit！　　You　rave！〃　laughed　Edith　Carr。　　〃How　you

would　frighten　me！　　What　a　bugbear　you　would　raise！　

Be　sensible　and　go　find　what　keeps　Phil。　　I　was　waiting

patiently；　but　my　patience　is　going。　　I　won't　look　nearly

so　well　as　I　do　now　when　it　is　gone。〃



At　that　instant　Philip　Ammon　entered。　　He　was　in

full　evening　dress　and　exceptionally　handsome。　

〃Everything　is　ready；〃　he　said；　〃they　are　waiting　for

us　to　lead　the　march。　　It　is　formed。〃



Edith　Carr　smiled　entrancingly。　　〃Do　you　think　I　am　ready？〃



Philip　looked　what　he　thought；　and　offered　his　arm。　

Edith　Carr　nodded　carelessly　to　Hart　Henderson；　and

moved　away。　　Attendants　parted　the　curtains　and　the

Yellow　Empress　bowing　right　and　left；　swept　the　length

of　the　ballroom　and　took　her　place　at　the　head　of　the

formed　procession。　　The　large　open　dancing　pavilion　was

draped　with　yellow　silk　caught　up　with　lilac　flowers。　

Every　corner　was　filled　with　bloom　of　those　colours。　

The　music　was　played　by　harpers　dressed　in　yellow　and

violet；　so　the　ball　opened。



The　midnight　supper　was　served　with　the　same　colours

and　the　last　half　of　the　programme　was　being　danced。　

Never　had　girl　been　more　complimented　and　petted　in

the　same　length　of　time　than　Edith　Carr。　　Every　minute

she　seemed　to　grow　more　worthy　of　praise。　　A　partners'

dance　was　called　and　the　floor　was　filled　with　couples

waiting　for　the　music。　　Philip　stood　whispering　delightful

things　to　Edith　facing　him。　　From　out　of　the　night；

in　at　the　wide　front　entrance　to　the　pavilion；　there

swept　in　slow　wavering　flight　a　large　yellow　moth　and

fluttered　toward　the　centre　cluster　of　glaring　electric　lights。　

Philip　Ammon　and　Edith　Carr　saw　it　at　the　same　instant。



〃Why；　isn't　that？〃　she　began　excitedly。



〃It's　a　Yellow　Emperor！　　This　is　fate！〃　cried　Philip。　

〃The　last　one　Elnora　needs　for　her　collection。　　I　must

have　it！　　Excuse　me！〃



He　ran　toward　the　light。　　〃Hats！　　Handkerchiefs！　　Fans！　

Anything！〃　he　panted。　　〃Every　one　hold　up　something　and

stop　that！　　It's　a　moth；　I've　got　to　catch　it！〃



〃It's　yellow！　　He　wants　it　for　Edith！〃　ran　in　a　murmur

around　the　hall。　　The　girl's　face　flushed；　while　she　bit　her

lips　in　vexation。



Instantly　every　one　began　holding　up　something　to

keep　the　moth　from　flying　back　into　the　night。　　One　fan

held　straight　before　it　served；　and　the　moth　gently　settled

on　it。



〃Hold　steady！〃　cried　Philip。　　〃Don't　move　for　your　life！〃　

He　rushed　toward　the　moth；　made　a　quick　sweep　and　held　it

up　between　his　fingers。　　〃All　right！〃　he　called。　　〃Thanks；

every　one！　　Excuse　me　a　minute。〃



He　ran　to　the　office。



〃An　ounce　of　gasolene；　quick！〃　he　ordered。　　〃A　cigar

box；　a　cork；　and　the　glue　bottle。〃



He　poured　some　glue　into　the　bottom　of　the　box；　set　the

cork　in　it　firmly；　dashed　the　gasolene　over　the　moth

repeatedly；　pinned　it　to　the　cork；　poured　the　remainder

of　the　liquid　over　it；　closed　the　box；　and　fastened　it。　

Then　he　laid　a　bill　on　the　counter。



〃Pack　that　box　with　cork　around　it；　in　one　twice　its

size；　tie　securely　and　express　to　this　address　at　once。〃



He　scribbled　on　a　sheet　of　paper　and　shoved　it　over。



〃On　your　honour；　will　you　do　that　faithfully　as　I　say？〃

he　asked　the　clerk。



〃Certainly；〃　was　the　reply。



〃Then　keep　the　change；〃　called　Philip　as　he　ran　back

to　the　pavilion。



Edith　Carr　stood　where　he　left　her；　thinking　rapidly。　

She　heard　the　murmur　that　arose　when　Philip　started

to　capture　the　exquisite　golden　creature　she

was　impersonating。　　She　saw　the　flash　of　surprise　that

went　over　unrestrained　faces　when　he　ran　from　the　room；

without　even　showing　it　to　her。　　〃The　last　one　Elnora

needs；〃　rang　in　her　ears。　　He　had　told　her　that　he

helped　collect　moths　the　previous　summer；　but　she　had

understood　that　the　Bird　Woman；　with　whose　work　Miss

Carr　was　familiar；　wanted　them　to　put　in　a　book。



He　had　spoken　of　a　country　girl　he　had　met　who　played

the　violin　wonderfully；　and　at　times；　he　had　shown　a

disposition　to　exalt　her　as　a　standard　of　womanhood。　

Miss　Carr　had　ignored　what　he　said；　and　talked　of

something　else。　　But　that　girl's　name　had　been　Elnora。　

It　was　she　who　was　collecting　moths！　　No　doubt　she　was

the　competent　judge　who　was　responsible　for　the　yellow

costume　Philip　had　devised。　　Had　Edith　Carr　been　in

her　room；　she　would　have　torn　off　the　dress　at　the　thought。



Being　in　a　circle　of　her　best　friends；　which　to　her　meant

her　keenest　rivals　and　harshest　critics；　she　grew　rigid