the golden road-第35部分

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rosy　from　slumber；　stopped　still　and　stared　at　me。

〃Uncle　who？〃　exclaimed　Aunt　Janet。

〃Uncle　Blairthe　Story　Girl's　father；　you　know。　　He's　here。〃

〃WHERE？〃

〃Down　in　the　orchard。　　He　was　asleep　in　the　hammock。　　We　found　him　there。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　Aunt　Janet；　sitting　down　helplessly。　　〃If　that　isn't　like　Blair！　　Of　course　he　couldn't　come　like　anybody　else。　　I　wonder；〃　she　added　in　a　tone　unheard　by　anyone　else　save　myself；　〃I　wonder　if　he　has　come　to　take　the　child　away。〃

My　elation　went　out　like　a　snuffed　candle。　　I　had　never　thought　of　this。　　If　Uncle　Blair　took　the　Story　Girl　away　would　not　life　become　rather　savourless　on　the　hill　farm？　　I　turned　and　followed　Felicity　and　Cecily　out　in　a　very　subdued　mood。

Uncle　Blair　and　the　Story　Girl　were　just　coming　out　of　the　orchard。　　His　arm　was　about　her　and　hers　was　on　his　shoulder。　　Laughter　and　tears　were　contending　in　her　eyes。　　Only　once　before　when　Peter　had　come　back　from　the　Valley　of　the　Shadowhad　I　seen　the　Story　Girl　cry。　　Emotion　had　to　go　very　deep　with　her　ere　it　touched　the　source　of　tears。　　I　had　always　known　that　she　loved　her　father　passionately；　though　she　rarely　talked　of　him；　understanding　that　her　uncles　and　aunts　were　not　whole…heartedly　his　friends。

But　Aunt　Janet's　welcome　was　cordial　enough；　though　a　trifle　flustered。　　Whatever　thrifty；　hard…working　farmer　folk　might　think　of　gay；　Bohemian　Blair　Stanley　in　his　absence；　in　his　presence　even　they　liked　him；　by　the　grace　of　some　winsome；　lovable　quality　in　the　soul　of　him。　　He　had　〃a　way　with　him〃revealed　even　in　the　manner　with　which　he　caught　staid　Aunt　Janet　in　his　arms；　swung　her　matronly　form　around　as　though　she　had　been　a　slim　schoolgirl；　and　kissed　her　rosy　cheek。

〃Sister　o'　mine；　are　you　never　going　to　grow　old？〃　he　said。　　〃Here　you　are　at　forty…five　with　the　roses　of　sixteenand　not　a　gray　hair；　I'll　wager。〃

〃Blair；　Blair；　it　is　you　who　are　always　young；〃　laughed　Aunt　Janet；　not　ill　pleased。　　〃Where　in　the　world　did　you　come　from？　And　what　is　this　I　hear　of　your　sleeping　all　night　in　the　hammock？〃

〃I've　been　painting　in　the　Lake　District　all　summer；　as　you　know；〃　answered　Uncle　Blair；　〃and　one　day　I　just　got　homesick　to　see　my　little　girl。　　So　I　sailed　for　Montreal　without　further　delay。　　I　got　here　at　eleven　last　nightthe　station…master's　son　drove　me　down。　　Nice　boy。　　The　old　house　was　in　darkness　and　I　thought　it　would　be　a　shame　to　rouse　you　all　out　of　bed　after　a　hard　day's　work。　　So　I　decided　that　I　would　spend　the　night　in　the　orchard。　　It　was　moonlight；　you　know；　and　moonlight　in　an　old　orchard　is　one　of　the　few　things　left　over　from　the　Golden　Age。〃

〃It　was　very　foolish　of　you；〃　said　practical　Aunt　Janet。　　〃These　September　nights　are　real　chilly。　　You　might　have　caught　your　death　of　coldor　a　bad　dose　of　rheumatism。〃

〃So　I　might。　　No　doubt　it　was　foolish　of　me；〃　agreed　Uncle　Blair　gaily。　　〃It　must　have　been　the　fault；　of　the　moonlight。　　Moonlight；　you　know；　Sister　Janet；　has　an　intoxicating　quality。　　It　is　a　fine；　airy；　silver　wine；　such　as　fairies　may　drink　at　their　revels；　unharmed　of　it；　but　when　a　mere　mortal　sips　of　it；　it　mounts　straightway　to　his　brain；　to　the　undoing　of　his　daylight　common　sense。　　However；　I　have　got　neither　cold　nor　rheumatism；　as　a　sensible　person　would　have　done　had　he　ever　been　lured　into　doing　such　a　non…sensible　thing；　there　is　a　special　Providence　for　us　foolish　folk。　　I　enjoyed　my　night　in　the　orchard；　for　a　time　I　was　companioned　by　sweet　old　memories；　and　then　I　fell　asleep　listening　to　the　murmurs　of　the　wind　in　those　old　trees　yonder。　　And　I　had　a　beautiful　dream；　Janet。　　I　dreamed　that　the　old　orchard　blossomed　again；　as　it　did　that　spring　eighteen　years　ago。　　I　dreamed　that　its　sunshine　was　the　sunshine　of　spring；　not　autumn。　　There　was　newness　of　life　in　my　dream；　Janet；　and　the　sweetness　of　forgotten　words。〃

〃Wasn't　it　strange　about　MY　dream？〃　whispered　the　Story　Girl　to　me。

〃Well；　you'd　better　come　in　and　have　some　breakfast；〃　said　Aunt　Janet。　　〃These　are　my　little　girlsFelicity　and　Cecily。〃

〃I　remember　them　as　two　most　adorable　tots；〃　said　Uncle　Blair；

shaking　hands。　　〃They　haven't　changed　quite　so　much　as　my　own　baby…child。　　Why；　she's　a　woman；　Janetshe's　a　woman。〃

〃She's　child　enough　still；〃　said　Aunt　Janet　hastily。

The　Story　Girl　shook　her　long　brown　curls。

〃I'm　fifteen；〃　she　said。　　〃And　you　ought　to　see　me　in　my　long　dress；　father。〃

〃We　must　not　be　separated　any　longer；　dear　heart；〃　I　heard　Uncle　Blair　say　tenderly。　　I　hoped　that　he　meant　he　would　stay　in　Canadanot　that　he　would　take　the　Story　Girl　away。

Apart　from　this　we　had　a　gay　day　with　Uncle　Blair。　　He　evidently　liked　our　society　better　than　that　of　the　grown…ups；　for　he　was　a　child　himself　at　heart；　gay；　irresponsible；　always　acting　on　the　impulse　of　the　moment。　　We　all　found　him　a　delightful　companion。　　There　was　no　school　that　day；　as　Mr。　Perkins　was　absent；　attending　a　meeting　of　the　Teachers'　Convention；　so　we　spent　most　of　its　golden　hours　in　the　orchard　with　Uncle　Blair；　listening　to　his　fascinating　accounts　of　foreign　wanderings。　　He　also　drew　all　our　pictures　for　us；　and　this　was　especially　delightful；　for　the　day　of　the　camera　was　only　just　dawning　and　none　of　us　had　ever　had　even　our　photographs　taken。　　Sara　Ray's　pleasure　was；　as　usual；　quite　spoiled　by　wondering　what　her　mother　would　say　of　it；　for　Mrs。　Ray　had；　so　it　appeared；　some　very　peculiar　prejudices　against　the　taking　or　making　of　any　kind　of　picture　whatsoever；　owing　to　an　exceedingly　strict　interpretation　of　the　second　commandment。　　Dan　suggested　that　she　need　not　tell　her　mother　anything　about　it；　but　Sara　shook　her　head。

〃I'll　have　to　tell　her。　　I've　made　it　a　rule　to　tell　ma　everything　I　do　ever　since　the　Judgment　Day。〃

〃Besides；〃　added　Cecily　seriously；　〃the　Family　Guide　says　one　ought　to　tell　one's　mother　everything。〃

〃It's　pretty　hard　sometimes；　though；〃　sighed　Sara。　　〃Ma　scolds　so　much　when　I　do　tell　her　things；　that　it　sort　of　discourages　me。　　But　when　I　think　of　how　dreadful　I　felt　the　time　of　the　Judgment　Day　over　deceiving　her　in　some　things　it　nerves　me　up。　　I'd　do　almost　anything　rather　than　feel　like　that　the　next　time　the　Judgment　Day　comes。〃

〃Fe；　fi；　fo；　fum；　I　smell　a　story；〃　said　Uncle　Blair。　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　speaking　of　the　Judgment　Day　in　the　past　tense？〃

The　Story　Girl　told　him　the　tale　of　that　dreadful　Sunday　in　the　preceding　summer　and　we　all　laughed　with　him　at　ourselves。

〃All　the　same；〃　muttered　Peter；　〃I　don't　want　to　have　another　experience　like　that。　　I　hope　I'll　be　dead　the　next　time　the　Judgment　Day　comes。〃

〃But　you'll　be　raised　up　for　it；〃　said　Felix。

〃Oh；　that'll　be　all　right。　　I　won't　mind　that。　　I　won't　know　anything　about　it　till　it　really　happens。　　It's　the　expecting　it　that's　the　worst。〃

〃I　don't　think　you　ought　to　talk　of　such　things；〃　said　Felicity。

When　evening　came　we　all　went　to　Golden　Milestone。　　We　knew　the　Awkward　Man　and　his　bride　were　expected　home　at　sunset；　and　we　meant　to　scatter　flowers　on　the　path　by　which　she　must　enter　her　new　home。　　It　was　the　Story　Girl's　idea；　but　I　don't　think　Aunt　Janet　would　have　let　us　go　if　Uncle　Blair　had　not　pleaded　for　us。　　He　asked　to　be　taken　along；　too；　and　we　agreed；　if　he　would　stand　out　of　sight　when　the　newly　married　pair　came　home。

〃You　see；　father；　the　Awkward　Man　won't　mind　us；　because　we're　only　children　and　he　knows　us　well；〃　explained　the　Story　Girl；　〃but　if　he　sees　you；　a　stranger；　it　might　confuse　him　and　we　might　spoil　the　homecoming；　and　that　would　be　such　a　pity。〃

So　we　went　to　Golden　Milestone；　laden　with　all　the　flowery　spoil　we　could　plunder　from　both　gardens。　　It　was　a　clear　amber…tinted　September　evening　and　far　away；　over　Markdale　Harbour；　a　great　round　red　moon　was　rising　as　we　waited。　　Uncle　Blair　was　hidden　behind　the　wind…blown　tassels　of　the　pines　at　the　gate；　but　he　and　the　Story　Girl　kept　waving　their　hands　at　each　other　and　calling　out　gay；　mirthful　jests。

〃Do　you　really　feel　acquainted　with　your　father？〃　whispered　Sara　Ray　wonderingly。　　〃It's　long　since　you　saw　him。〃

〃If　I　hadn't　seen　him　for　a　hundred　years　it　wouldn't　make　any　difference　that　way；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。

〃S…s…h…s…s…hthey're　coming；〃　whispered　Felicity　excitedly。

And　then　they　cameBeautiful　Alice　blushing　and　lovely；　in　the　prettiest　of　pretty　blue　dresses；　and　the　Awkward　Man；　so　fervently　happy　that　he　quite　forgot　to　be　awkward。　　He　lifted　her　out　of　the　buggy　gallantly　and　led　her　forward　to　us；　smiling。　　We　retreated　before　them；　scattering　our　flowers　lavishly　on　the　path；　and　Alice　Dale　walked　to　the　very　doorstep　of　her　new　home　over　a　carpet　of　blossoms。　　On　the　step　they　both　paused　and　turned　towards　us；　and　we　shyly　did　the　proper　thing　in　the　way　of　congratulations　and　good　wishes。

〃It　was　so　sweet　of　you　to　do　this；〃　said　the　smiling　bride。

〃It　was　lovely　to　be　able　to　do　it　for　you；　dearest；〃　whispered　the　Story　Girl；　〃and　oh；　Miss　ReadeMrs。　Dale；　I　meanwe　all　hope　you'll　be　so；　so　happy　for　ever。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　shall；〃　said　Alice　Dale；　turning　to　her　husband。　　He　looked　down　into　her　eyesand　we　were　quite　forgotten　by　both　of　them。　　We　saw　it；　and　slipped　away；　while　Jasper　Dale　drew　his　wife　into　their　home　and　shut　the　world　out。

We　scampered　joyously　away　through　the　moonlit　dusk。　　Uncle　Blair　joined　us　at　the　gate　and　the　Story　Girl　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　the　bride。

〃When　she　dies　white　violets　will　grow　out　of　her　dust；〃　he　answered。

〃Uncle　Blair　says　even　queerer　things　than　the　Story　Girl；〃　Felicity　whispered　to　me。

And　so　that　beautiful　day　went　away　from　us；　slipping　through　our　fingers　as　we　tried　to　hold　it。　　It　hooded　itself　in　shadows　and　fared　forth　on　the　road　that　is　lighted　by　the　white　stars　of　evening。　　It　had　been　a　gift　of　Paradise。　　Its　hours　had　all　been　fair　and　beloved。　　From　dawn　flush　to　fall　of　night　there　had　been　naught　to　mar　it。　　It　took　with　it　its　smiles　and　laughter。　　But　it　left　the　boon　of　memory。



CHAPTER　XXVII

THE　OLD　ORDER　CHANGETH


〃I　am　going　away　with　father　when　he　goes。　　He　is　going　to　spend　the　winter　in　Paris；　and　I　am　to　go　to　school　there。〃

The　Story　Girl　told　us　this　one　day　in　the　orchard。　　There　was　a　little　elation　in　her　tone；