the golden road-第18部分

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We　sat　on　the　ferny　bank　of　the　pool　and　ate　of　the　generous　basket　Aunt　Janet　had　provided；　with　appetites　sharpened　by　the　keen　spring　air　and　our　wilderness　rovings。　　Felicity　had　made　some　very　nice　sandwiches　of　ham　which　we　all　appreciated　except　Dan；　who　declared　he　didn't　like　things　minced　up　and　dug　out　of　the　basket　a　chunk　of　boiled　pork　which　he　proceeded　to　saw　up　with　a　jack…knife　and　devour　with　gusto。

〃I　told　ma　to　put　this　in　for　me。　　There's　some　CHEW　to　it；〃　he　said。

〃You　are　not　a　bit　refined；〃　commented　Felicity。

〃Not　a　morsel；　my　love；〃　grinned　Dan。

〃You　make　me　think　of　a　story　I　heard　Uncle　Roger　telling　about　Cousin　Annetta　King；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Great…uncle　Jeremiah　King　used　to　live　where　Uncle　Roger　lives　now；　when　Grandfather　King　was　alive　and　Uncle　Roger　was　a　boy。　　In　those　days　it　was　thought　rather　coarse　for　a　young　lady　to　have　too　hearty　an　appetite；　and　she　was　more　admired　if　she　was　delicate　about　what　she　ate。　　Cousin　Annetta　set　out　to　be　very　refined　indeed。　　She　pretended　to　have　no　appetite　at　all。　　One　afternoon　she　was　invited　to　tea　at　Grandfather　King's　when　they　had　some　special　companypeople　from　Charlottetown。　　Cousin　Annetta　said　she　could　hardly　eat　anything。　　'You　know；　Uncle　Abraham；'　she　said；　in　a　very　affected；　fine…young…lady　voice；　'I　really　hardly　eat　enough　to　keep　a　bird　alive。　　Mother　says　she　wonders　how　I　continue　to　exist。'　And　she　picked　and　pecked　until　Grandfather　King　declared　he　would　like　to　throw　something　at　her。　　After　tea　Cousin　Annetta　went　home；　and　just　about　dark　Grandfather　King　went　over　to　Uncle　Jeremiah's　on　an　errand。　　As　he　passed　the　open；　lighted　pantry　window　he　happened　to　glance　in；　and　what　do　you　think　he　saw？　Delicate　Cousin　Annetta　standing　at　the　dresser；　with　a　big　loaf　of　bread　beside　her　and　a　big　platterful　of　cold；　boiled　pork　in　front　of　her；　and　Annetta　was　hacking　off　great　chunks；　like　Dan　there；　and　gobbling　them　down　as　if　she　was　starving。　　Grandfather　King　couldn't　resist　the　temptation。　　He　stepped　up　to　the　window　and　said；　'I'm　glad　your　appetite　has　come　back　to　you；　Annetta。　　Your　mother　needn't　worry　about　your　continuing　to　exist　as　long　as　you　can　tuck　away　fat；　salt　pork　in　that　fashion。'

〃Cousin　Annetta　never　forgave　him；　but　she　never　pretended　to　be　delicate　again。〃

〃The　Jews　don't　believe　in　eating　pork；〃　said　Peter。

〃I'm　glad　I'm　not　a　Jew　and　I　guess　Cousin　Annetta　was　too；〃　said　Dan。

〃I　like　bacon；　but　I　can　never　look　at　a　pig　without　wondering　if　they　were　ever　intended　to　be　eaten；〃　remarked　Cecily　naively。

When　we　finished　our　lunch　the　barrens　were　already　wrapping　themselves　in　a　dim；　blue　dusk　and　falling　upon　rest　in　dell　and　dingle。　　But　out　in　the　open　there　was　still　much　light　of　a　fine　emerald…golden　sort　and　the　robins　whistled　us　home　in　it。　　〃Horns　of　Elfland〃　never　sounded　more　sweetly　around　hoary　castle　and　ruined　fane　than　those　vesper　calls　of　the　robins　from　the　twilight　spruce　woods　and　across　green　pastures　lying　under　the　pale　radiance　of　a　young　moon。

When　we　reached　home　we　found　that　Miss　Reade　had　been　up　to　the　hill　farm　on　an　errand　and　was　just　leaving。　　The　Story　Girl　went　for　a　walk　with　her　and　came　back　with　an　important　expression　on　her　face。

〃You　look　as　if　you　had　a　story　to　tell；〃　said　Felix。

〃One　is　growing。　　It　isn't　a　whole　story　yet；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl　mysteriously。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Cecily。

〃I　can't　tell　you　till　it's　fully　grown；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃But　I'll　tell　you　a　pretty　little　story　the　Awkward　Man　told　us　told　metonight。　　He　was　walking　in　his　garden　as　we　went　by；　looking　at　his　tulip　beds。　　His　tulips　are　up　ever　so　much　higher　than　ours；　and　I　asked　him　how　he　managed　to　coax　them　along　so　early。　　And　he　said　HE　didn't　do　itit　was　all　the　work　of　the　pixies　who　lived　in　the　woods　across　the　brook。　　There　were　more　pixy　babies　than　usual　this　spring；　and　the　mothers　were　in　a　hurry　for　the　cradles。　　The　tulips　are　the　pixy　babies'　cradles；　it　seems。　　The　mother　pixies　come　out　of　the　woods　at　twilight　and　rock　their　tiny　little　brown　babies　to　sleep　in　the　tulip　cups。　　That　is　the　reason　why　tulip　blooms　last　so　much　longer　than　other　blossoms。　　The　pixy　babies　must　have　a　cradle　until　they　are　grown　up。　　They　grow　very　fast；　you　see；　and　the　Awkward　Man　says　on　a　spring　evening；　when　the　tulips　are　out；　you　can　hear　the　sweetest；　softest；　clearest；　fairy　music　in　his　garden；　and　it　is　the　pixy　folk　singing　as　they　rock　the　pixy　babies　to　sleep。〃

〃Then　the　Awkward　Man　says　what　isn't　true；〃　said　Felicity　severely。



CHAPTER　XIII

A　SURPRISING　ANNOUNCEMENT


〃Nothing　exciting　has　happened　for　ever　so　long；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　discontentedly；　one　late　May　evening；　as　we　lingered　under　the　wonderful　white　bloom　of　the　cherry　trees。　　There　was　a　long　row　of　them　in　the　orchard；　with　a　Lombardy　poplar　at　either　end；　and　a　hedge　of　lilacs　behind。　　When　the　wind　blew　over　them　all　the　spicy　breezes　of　Ceylon's　isle　were　never　sweeter。

It　was　a　time　of　wonder　and　marvel；　of　the　soft　touch　of　silver　rain　on　greening　fields；　of　the　incredible　delicacy　of　young　leaves；　of　blossom　in　field　and　garden　and　wood。　　The　whole　world　bloomed　in　a　flush　and　tremor　of　maiden　loveliness；　instinct　with　all　the　evasive；　fleeting　charm　of　spring　and　girlhood　and　young　morning。　　We　felt　and　enjoyed　it　all　without　understanding　or　analyzing　it。　　It　was　enough　to　be　glad　and　young　with　spring　on　the　golden　road。

〃I　don't　like　excitement　very　much；〃　said　Cecily。　　〃It　makes　one　so　tired。　　I'm　sure　it　was　exciting　enough　when　Paddy　was　missing；　but　we　didn't　find　that　very　pleasant。〃

〃No；　but　it　was　interesting；〃　returned　the　Story　Girl　thoughtfully。　　〃After　all；　I　believe　I'd　rather　be　miserable　than　dull。〃

〃I　wouldn't　then；〃　said　Felicity　decidedly。　　〃And　you　need　never　be　dull　when　you　have　work　to　do。　　'Satan　finds　some　mischief　still　for　idle　hands　to　do！'〃

〃Well；　mischief　is　interesting；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。　　〃And　I　thought　you　didn't　think　it　lady…like　to　speak　of　that　person；　Felicity？〃

〃It's　all　right　if　you　call　him　by　his　polite　name；〃　said　Felicity　stiffly。

〃Why　does　the　Lombardy　poplar　hold　its　branches　straight　up　in　the　air　like　that；　when　all　the　other　poplars　hold　theirs　out　or　hang　them　down？〃　interjected　Peter；　who　had　been　gazing　intently　at　the　slender　spire　showing　darkly　against　the　fine　blue　eastern　sky。

〃Because　it　grows　that　way；〃　said　Felicity。

〃Oh　I　know　a　story　about　that；〃　cried　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Once　upon　a　time　an　old　man　found　the　pot　of　gold　at　the　rainbow's　end。　　There　IS　a　pot　there；　it　is　said；　but　it　is　very　hard　to　find　because　you　can　never　get　to　the　rainbow's　end　before　it　vanishes　from　your　sight。　　But　this　old　man　found　it；　just　at　sunset；　when　Iris；　the　guardian　of　the　rainbow　gold；　happened　to　be　absent。　　As　he　was　a　long　way　from　home；　and　the　pot　was　very　big　and　heavy；　he　decided　to　hide　it　until　morning　and　then　get　one　of　his　sons　to　go　with　him　and　help　him　carry　it。　　So　he　hid　it　under　the　boughs　of　the　sleeping　poplar　tree。

〃When　Iris　came　back　she　missed　the　pot　of　gold　and　of　course　she　was　in　a　sad　way　about　it。　　She　sent　Mercury；　the　messenger　of　the　gods；　to　look　for　it；　for　she　didn't　dare　leave　the　rainbow　again；　lest　somebody　should　run　off　with　that　too。　　Mercury　asked　all　the　trees　if　they　had　seen　the　pot　of　gold；　and　the　elm；　oak　and　pine　pointed　to　the　poplar　and　said；

〃'The　poplar　can　tell　you　where　it　is。'

〃'How　can　I　tell　you　where　it　is？'　cried　the　poplar；　and　she　held　up　all　her　branches　in　surprise；　just　as　we　hold　up　our　handsand　down　tumbled　the　pot　of　gold。　　The　poplar　was　amazed　and　indignant；　for　she　was　a　very　honest　tree。　　She　stretched　her　boughs　high　above　her　head　and　declared　that　she　would　always　hold　them　like　that；　so　that　nobody　could　hide　stolen　gold　under　them　again。　　And　she　taught　all　the　little　poplars　she　knew　to　stand　the　same　way；　and　that　is　why　Lombardy　poplars　always　do。　　But　the　aspen　poplar　leaves　are　always　shaking；　even　on　the　very　calmest　day。　　And　do　you　know　why？〃

And　then　she　told　us　the　old　legend　that　the　cross　on　which　the　Saviour　of　the　world　suffered　was　made　of　aspen　poplar　wood　and　so　never　again　could　its　poor；　shaken；　shivering　leaves　know　rest　or　peace。　　There　was　an　aspen　in　the　orchard；　the　very　embodiment　of　youth　and　spring　in　its　litheness　and　symmetry。　　Its　little　leaves　were　hanging　tremulously；　not　yet　so　fully　blown　as　to　hide　its　development　of　bough　and　twig；　making　poetry　against　the　spiritual　tints　of　a　spring　sunset。

〃It　does　look　sad；〃　said　Peter；　〃but　it　is　a　pretty　tree；　and　it　wasn't　its　fault。〃

〃There's　a　heavy　dew　and　it's　time　we　stopped　talking　nonsense　and　went　in；〃　decreed　Felicity。　　〃If　we　don't　we'll　all　have　a　cold；　and　then　we'll　be　miserable　enough；　but　it　won't　be　very　exciting。〃

〃All　the　same；　I　wish　something　exciting　would　happen；〃　finished　the　Story　Girl；　as　we　walked　up　through　the　orchard；　peopled　with　its　nun…like　shadows。

〃There's　a　new　moon　tonight；　so　may　be　you'll　get　your　wish；〃　said　Peter。　　〃My　Aunt　Jane　didn't　believe　there　was　anything　in　the　moon　business；　but　you　never　can　tell。〃

The　Story　Girl　did　get　her　wish。　　Something　happened　the　very　next　day。　　She　joined　us　in　the　afternoon　with　a　quite　indescribable　expression　on　her　face；　compounded　of　triumph；　anticipation；　and　regret。　　Her　eyes　betrayed　that　she　had　been　crying；　but　in　them　shone　a　chastened　exultation。　　Whatever　the　Story　Girl　mourned　over　it　was　evident　she　was　not　without　hope。

〃I　have　some　news　to　tell　you；〃　she　said　importantly。　　〃Can　you　guess　what　it　is？〃

We　couldn't　and　wouldn't　try。

〃Tell　us　right　off；〃　implored　Felix。　　〃You　look　as　if　it　was　something　tremendous。〃

〃So　it　is。　　ListenAunt　Olivia　is　going　to　be　married。〃

We　stared　in　blank　amazement。　　Peg　Bowen's　hint　had　faded　from　our　minds　and　we　had　never　put　much　faith　in　it。

〃Aunt　Olivia！　　I　don't　believe　it；〃　cried　Felicity　flatly。　　〃Who　told　you？〃

〃Aunt　Olivia　herself。　　So　it　is　perfectly　true。　　I'm　awfully　sorry　in　one　waybut　oh；　won't　it　be　splendid　to　have　a　real　wedding　in　the　family？　　She's　going　to　have　a　big　weddingand　I　am　to　be　bridesmaid。〃