the golden road-第32部分

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〃Well；　there　are　funerals　going　on　all　the　time；〃　said　Dan。

〃But　it　means　the　funeral　of　somebody　you　know。　　I　don't　believe　in　itMUCHbut　Judy　says　she's　seen　it　come　true　time　and　again。　　I　hope　if　it　does　it　won't　be　anybody　we　know　very　well。　　But　I　hope　it'll　be　somebody　I　know　a　LITTLE；　because　then　I　might　get　to　the　funeral。　　I'd　just　love　to　go　to　a　funeral。〃

〃That's　a　dreadful　thing　to　say；〃　commented　Felicity　in　a　shocked　tone。

Sara　Ray　looked　bewildered。

〃I　don't　see　what　is　dreadful　in　it；〃　she　protested。

〃People　don't　go　to　funerals　for　the　fun　of　it；〃　said　Felicity　severely。　　〃And　you　just　as　good　as　said　you　hoped　somebody　you　knew　would　die　so　you'd　get　to　the　funeral。〃

〃No；　no；　I　didn't。　　I　didn't　mean　that　AT　ALL；　Felicity。　　I　don't　want　anybody　to　die；　but　what　I　meant　was；　if　anybody　I　knew　HAD　to　die　there　might　be　a　chance　to　go　to　the　funeral。　　I've　never　been　to　a　single　funeral　yet；　and　it　must　be　so　interesting。〃

〃Well；　don't　mix　up　talk　about　funerals　with　talk　about　weddings；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃It　isn't　lucky。　　I　think　Miss　Reade　is　simply　throwing　herself　away；　but　I　hope　she'll　be　happy。　　And　I　hope　the　Awkward　Man　will　manage　to　get　married　without　making　some　awful　blunder；　but　it's　more　than　I　expect。〃

〃The　ceremony　is　to　be　very　private；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。

〃I'd　like　to　see　them　the　day　they　appear　out　in　church；〃　chuckled　Dan。　　〃How'll　he　ever　manage　to　bring　her　in　and　show　her　into　the　pew？　　I'll　bet　he'll　go　in　firstor　tramp　on　her　dressor　fall　over　his　feet。〃

〃Maybe　he　won't　go　to　church　at　all　the　first　Sunday　and　she'll　have　to　go　alone；〃　said　Peter。　　〃That　happened　in　Markdale。　　A　man　was　too　bashful　to　go　to　church　the　first　time　after　getting　married；　and　his　wife　went　alone　till　he　got　used　to　the　idea。〃

〃They　may　do　things　like　that　in　Markdale　but　that　is　not　the　way　people　behave　in　Carlisle；〃　said　Felicity　loftily。

Seeing　the　Story　Girl　slipping　away　with　a　disapproving　face　I　joined　her。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Sara？〃　I　asked。

〃I　hate　to　hear　them　talking　like　that　about　Miss　Reade　and　Mr。　Dale；〃　she　answered　vehemently。　　〃It's　really　all　so　beautiful　but　they　make　it　seem　silly　and　absurd；　somehow。〃

〃You　might　tell　me　all　about　it；　Sara；〃　I　insinuated。　　〃I　wouldn't　telland　I'd　understand。〃

〃Yes；　I　think　you　would；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃But　I　can't　tell　it　even　to　you　because　I　can't　tell　it　well　enough　yet。　　I've　a　feeling　that　there's　only　one　way　to　tell　itand　I　don't　know　the　way　yet。　　Some　day　I'll　know　itand　then　I'll　tell　you；　Bev。〃

Long；　long　after　she　kept　her　word。　　Forty　years　later　I　wrote　to　her；　across　the　leagues　of　land　and　sea　that　divided　us；　and　told　her　that　Jasper　Dale　was　dead；　and　I　reminded　her　of　her　old　promise　and　asked　its　fulfilment。　　In　reply　she　sent　me　the　written　love　story　of　Jasper　Dale　and　Alice　Reade。　　Now；　when　Alice　sleeps　under　the　whispering　elms　of　the　old　Carlisle　churchyard；　beside　the　husband　of　her　youth；　that　story　may　be　given；　in　all　its　old…time　sweetness；　to　the　world。



CHAPTER　XXV

THE　LOVE　STORY　OF　THE　AWKWARD　MAN

（Written　by　the　Story　Girl）


Jasper　Dale　lived　alone　in　the　old　homestead　which　he　had　named　Golden　Milestone。　　In　Carlisle　this　giving　one's　farm　a　name　was　looked　upon　as　a　piece　of　affectation；　but　if　a　place　must　be　named　why　not　give　it　a　sensible　name　with　some　meaning　to　it？　　Why　Golden　Milestone；　when　Pinewood　or　Hillslope　or；　if　you　wanted　to　be　very　fanciful；　Ivy　Lodge；　might　be　had　for　the　taking？

He　had　lived　alone　at　Golden　Milestone　since　his　mother's　death；　he　had　been　twenty　then　and　he　was　close　upon　forty　now；　though　he　did　not　look　it。　　But　neither　could　it　be　said　that　he　looked　young；　he　had　never　at　any　time　looked　young　with　common　youth；　there　had　always　been　something　in　his　appearance　that　stamped　him　as　different　from　the　ordinary　run　of　men；　and；　apart　from　his　shyness；　built　up　an　intangible；　invisible　barrier　between　him　and　his　kind。　　He　had　lived　all　his　life　in　Carlisle；　and　all　the　Carlisle　people　knew　of　or　about　himalthough　they　thought　they　knew　everythingwas　that　he　was　painfully；　abnormally　shy。　　He　never　went　anywhere　except　to　church；　he　never　took　part　in　Carlisle's　simple　social　life；　even　with　most　men　he　was　distant　and　reserved；　as　for　women；　he　never　spoke　to　or　looked　at　them；　if　one　spoke　to　him；　even　if　she　were　a　matronly　old　mother　in　Israel；　he　was　at　once　in　an　agony　of　painful　blushes。　　He　had　no　friends　in　the　sense　of　companions；　to　all　outward　appearance　his　life　was　solitary　and　devoid　of　any　human　interest。

He　had　no　housekeeper；　but　his　old　house；　furnished　as　it　had　been　in　his　mother's　lifetime；　was　cleanly　and　daintily　kept。　　The　quaint　rooms　were　as　free　from　dust　and　disorder　as　a　woman　could　have　had　them。　　This　was　known；　because　Jasper　Dale　occasionally　had　his　hired　man's　wife；　Mrs。　Griggs；　in　to　scrub　for　him。　　On　the　morning　she　was　expected　he　betook　himself　to　woods　and　fields；　returning　only　at　night…fall。　　During　his　absence　Mrs。　Griggs　was　frankly　wont　to　explore　the　house　from　cellar　to　attic；　and　her　report　of　its　condition　was　always　the　same〃neat　as　wax。〃　To　be　sure；　there　was　one　room　that　was　always　locked　against　her；　the　west　gable；　looking　out　on　the　garden　and　the　hill　of　pines　beyond。　　But　Mrs。　Griggs　knew　that　in　the　lifetime　of　Jasper　Dale's　mother　it　had　been　unfurnished。　　She　supposed　it　still　remained　so；　and　felt　no　especial　curiosity　concerning　it；　though　she　always　tried　the　door。

Jasper　Dale　had　a　good　farm；　well　cultivated；　he　had　a　large　garden　where　he　worked　most　of　his　spare　time　in　summer；　it　was　supposed　that　he　read　a　great　deal；　since　the　postmistress　declared　that　he　was　always　getting　books　and　magazines　by　mail。　　He　seemed　well　contented　with　his　existence　and　people　let　him　alone；　since　that　was　the　greatest　kindness　they　could　do　him。　　It　was　unsupposable　that　he　would　ever　marry；　nobody　ever　had　supposed　it。

〃Jasper　Dale　never　so　much　as　THOUGHT　about　a　woman；〃　Carlisle　oracles　declared。　　Oracles；　however；　are　not　always　to　be　trusted。

One　day　Mrs。　Griggs　went　away　from　the　Dale　place　with　a　very　curious　story；　which　she　diligently　spread　far　and　wide。　　It　made　a　good　deal　of　talk；　but　people；　although　they　listened　eagerly；　and　wondered　and　questioned；　were　rather　incredulous　about　it。　　They　thought　Mrs。　Griggs　must　be　drawing　considerably　upon　her　imagination；　there　were　not　lacking　those　who　declared　that　she　had　invented　the　whole　account；　since　her　reputation　for　strict　veracity　was　not　wholly　unquestioned。

Mrs。　Griggs's　story　was　as　follows：

One　day　she　found　the　door　of　the　west　gable　unlocked。　　She　went　in；　expecting　to　see　bare　walls　and　a　collection　of　odds　and　ends。　　Instead　she　found　herself　in　a　finely　furnished　room。　　Delicate　lace　curtains　hung　before　the　small；　square；　broad…silled　windows。　　The　walls　were　adorned　with　pictures　in　much　finer　taste　than　Mrs。　Griggs　could　appreciate。　　There　was　a　bookcase　between　the　windows　filled　with　choicely　bound　books。　　Beside　it　stood　a　little　table　with　a　very　dainty　work…basket　on　it。　　By　the　basket　Mrs。　Griggs　saw　a　pair　of　tiny　scissors　and　a　silver　thimble。　　A　wicker　rocker；　comfortable　with　silk　cushions；　was　near　it。　　Above　the　bookcase　a　woman's　picture　hunga　water…colour；　if　Mrs。　Griggs　had　but　known　itrepresenting　a　pale；　very　sweet　face；　with　large；　dark　eyes　and　a　wistful　expression　under　loose　masses　of　black；　lustrous　hair。　　Just　beneath　the　picture；　on　the　top　shelf　of　the　bookcase；　was　a　vaseful　of　flowers。　　Another　vaseful　stood　on　the　table　beside　the　basket。

All　this　was　astonishing　enough。　　But　what　puzzled　Mrs。　Griggs　completely　was　the　fact　that　a　woman's　dress　was　hanging　over　a　chair　before　the　mirrora　pale　blue；　silken　affair。　　And　on　the　floor　beside　it　were　two　little　blue　satin　slippers！

Good　Mrs。　Griggs　did　not　leave　the　room　until　she　had　thoroughly　explored　it；　even　to　shaking　out　the　blue　dress　and　discovering　it　to　be　a　tea…gownwrapper；　she　called　it。　　But　she　found　nothing　to　throw　any　light　on　the　mystery。　　The　fact　that　the　simple　name　〃Alice〃　was　written　on　the　fly…leaves　of　all　the　books　only　deepened　it；　for　it　was　a　name　unknown　in　the　Dale　family。　　In　this　puzzled　state　she　was　obliged　to　depart；　nor　did　she　ever　find　the　door　unlocked　again；　and；　discovering　that　people　thought　she　was　romancing　when　she　talked　about　the　mysterious　west　gable　at　Golden　Milestone；　she　indignantly　held　her　peace　concerning　the　whole　affair。

But　Mrs。　Griggs　had　told　no　more　than　the　simple　truth。　　Jasper　Dale；　under　all　his　shyness　and　aloofness；　possessed　a　nature　full　of　delicate　romance　and　poesy；　which；　denied　expression　in　the　common　ways　of　life；　bloomed　out　in　the　realm　of　fancy　and　imagination。　　Left　alone；　just　when　the　boy's　nature　was　deepening　into　the　man's；　he　turned　to　this　ideal　kingdom　for　all　he　believed　the　real　world　could　never　give　him。　　Lovea　strange；　almost　mystical　loveplayed　its　part　here　for　him。　　He　shadowed　forth　to　himself　the　vision　of　a　woman；　loving　and　beloved；　he　cherished　it　until　it　became　almost　as　real　to　him　as　his　own　personality　and　he　gave　this　dream　woman　the　name　he　liked　best　Alice。　In　fancy　he　walked　and　talked　with　her；　spoke　words　of　love　to　her；　and　heard　words　of　love　in　return。　　When　he　came　from　work　at　the　close　of　day　she　met　him　at　his　threshold　in　the　twilight　a　strange；　fair；　starry　shape；　as　elusive　and　spiritual　as　a　blossom　reflected　in　a　pool　by　moonlightwith　welcome　on　her　lips　and　in　her　eyes。

One　day；　when　he　was　in　Charlottetown　on　business；　he　had　been　struck　by　a　picture　in　the　window　of　a　store。　　It　was　strangely　like　the　woman　of　his　dream　love。　　He　went　in；　awkward　and　embarrassed；　and　bought　it。　　When　he　took　it　home　he　did　not　know　where　to　put　it。　　It　was　out　of　place　among　the　dim　old　engravings　of　bewigged　portraits　and　conventional　landscapes　on　the　walls　of　Golden　Milestone。　　As　he　pondered　the　matter　in　his　garden　that　evening　he　had　an　inspiration。　　The　sunset；　flaming　on　the　windows　of　the　west　gable；　kindled　them　into　burning　rose。　　Amid　the　splendour　he　fancied　Alice's　fair　face　peeping　archly　down　at　him　from　the　room。　　The　inspiration　came　then。　　It　should　be　he