freckles-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



cross　it　on　foot　in　almost　any　directionif　one　had　an　idea　of

direction　and　did　not　become　completely　lost　in　its　rank　tangle　of

vegetation　and　bushes。　　The　brighter…hued　flowers　were　opening。　

The　trumpet…creepers　were　flaunting　their　gorgeous　horns　of　red

and　gold　sweetness　from　the　tops　of　lordly　oak　and　elm；　and　below

entire　pools　were　pink…sheeted　in　mallow　bloom。



The　heat　was　doing　one　other　thing　that　was　bound　to　make　Freckles；

as　a　good　Irishman；　shiver。　　As　the　swale　dried；　its　inhabitants

were　seeking　the　cooler　depths　of　the　swamp。　　They　liked　neither　the

heat　nor　leaving　the　field　mice；　moles；　and　young　rabbits　of　their

chosen　location。　　He　saw　them　crossing　the　trail　every　day　as　the

heat　grew　intense。　　The　rattlers　were　sadly　forgetting　their

manners；　for　they　struck　on　no　provocation　whatever；　and　did　not

even　remember　to　rattle　afterward。　　Daily　Freckles　was　compelled　to

drive　big　black　snakes　and　blue　racers　from　the　nests　of　his　chickens。　

Often　the　terrified　squalls　of　the　parent　birds　would　reach　him　far

down　the　line　and　he　would　run　to　rescue　the　babies。



He　saw　the　Angel　when　the　carriage　turned　from　the　corduroy　into

the　clearing。　　They　stopped　at　the　west　entrance　to　the　swamp；

waiting　for　him　to　precede　them　down　the　trail；　as　he　had　told　them

it　was　safest　for　the　horse　that　he　should　do。　　They　followed　the

east　line　to　a　point　opposite　the　big　chickens'　tree；　and　Freckles

carried　in　the　cameras　and　showed　the　Bird　Woman　a　path　he　had

cleared　to　the　log。　　He　explained　to　her　the　effect　the　heat　was

having　on　the　snakes；　and　creeping　back　to　Little　Chicken；　brought

him　to　the　light。　　As　she　worked　at　setting　up　her　camera；　he　told

her　of　the　birds　of　the　line；　while　she　stared　at　him；　wide…eyed

and　incredulous。



They　arranged　that　Freckles　should　drive　the　carriage　into　the　east

entrance　in　the　shade　and　then　take　the　horse　toward　the　north　to

a　better　place　he　knew。　　Then　he　was　to　entertain　the　Angel　at　his

study　or　on　the　line　until　the　Bird　Woman　finished　her　work　and

came　to　them。



〃This　will　take　only　a　little　time；〃　she　said。　　〃I　know　where　to　set

the　camera　now；　and　Little　Chicken　is　big　enough　to　be　good　and　too

small　to　run　away　or　to　act　very　ugly；　so　I　will　be　coming　soon　to

see　about　those　nests。　　I　have　ten　plates　along；　and　I　surely　won't

use　more　than　two　on　him；　so　perhaps　I　can　get　some　nests　or　young

birds　this　morning。〃



Freckles　almost　flew；　for　his　dream　had　come　true　so　soon。　　He　was

walking　the　timber…line　and　the　Angel　was　following　him。　　He　asked

to　be　excused　for　going　first；　because　he　wanted　to　be　sure　the

trail　was　safe　for　her。　　She　laughed　at　his　fears；　telling　him　that

it　was　the　polite　thing　for　him　to　do；　anyway。



〃Oh！〃　said　Freckles；　〃so　you　was　after　knowing　that？　　Well；　I　didn't

s'pose　you　did；　and　I　was　afraid　you'd　think　me　wanting　in　respect

to　be　preceding　you！〃



The　astonished　Angel　looked　at　him；　caught　the　irrepressible　gleam

of　Irish　fun　in　his　eyes；　so　they　stood　and　laughed　together。



Freckles　did　not　realize　how　he　was　talking　that　morning。　　He　showed

her　many　of　the　beautiful　nests　and　eggs　of　the　line。　　She　could

identify　a　number　of　them；　but　of　some　she　was　ignorant；　so　they

made　notes　of　the　number　and　color　of　the　eggs；　material；　and

construction　of　nest；　color；　size；　and　shape　of　the　birds；　and　went

to　find　them　in　the　book。



At　his　room；　when　Freckles　had　lifted　the　overhanging　bushes　and

stepped　back　for　her　to　enter；　his　heart　was　all　out　of　time

and　place。　　The　study　was　vastly　more　beautiful　than　a　week　previous。　

The　Angel　drew　a　deep　breath　and　stood　gazing　first　at　one　side；

then　at　another；　then　far　down　the　cathedral　aisle。　　〃It's　just

fairyland！〃　she　cried　ecstatically。　　Then　she　turned　and　stared　at

Freckles　as　she　had　at　his　handiwork。



〃What　are　you　planning　to　be？〃　she　asked　wonderingly。



〃Whatever　Mr。　McLean　wants　me　to；〃　he　replied。



〃What　do　you　do　most？〃　she　asked。



〃Watch　me　lines。〃



〃I　don't　mean　work！〃



〃Oh；　in　me　spare　time　I　keep　me　room　and　study　in　me　books。〃



〃Do　you　work　on　the　room　or　the　books　most？〃



〃On　the　room　only　what　it　takes　to　keep　it　up；　and　the　rest　of　the

time　on　me　books。〃



The　Angel　studied　him　closely。　　〃Well；　maybe　you　are　going　to　be　a

great　scholar；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　don't　look　it。　　Your　face　isn't

right　for　that；　but　it's　got　something　big　in　itsomething　really　great。　

I　must　find　out　what　it　is　and　then　you　must　work　on　it。　Your　father

is　expecting　you　to　do　something。　　One　can　tell　by　the　way　he　talks。　

You　should　begin　right　away。　　You've　wasted　too　much　time　already。〃



Poor　Freckles　hung　his　head。　　He　never　had　wasted　an　hour　in　his　life。　

There　never　had　been　one　that　was　his　to　waste。



The　Angel；　studying　him　intently；　read　the　thought　in　his　face。

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　that！〃　she　cried；　with　the　frank　dismay　of

sixteen。　　〃Of　course；　you're　not　lazy！　　No　one　ever　would　think　that

from　your　appearance。　　It's　this　I　mean：　there　is　something　fine；

strong；　and　full　of　power　in　your　face。　　There　is　something　you　are

to　do　in　this　world；　and　no　matter　how　you　work　at　all　these　other

things；　or　how　successfully　you　do　them；　it　is　all　wasted　until　you

find　the　ONE　THING　that　you　can　do　best。　　If　you　hadn't　a　thing　in

the　world　to　keep　you；　and　could　go　anywhere　you　please　and　do

anything　you　want；　what　would　you　do？〃　persisted　the　Angel。



〃I'd　go　to　Chicago　and　sing　in　the　First　Episcopal　choir；〃　answered

Freckles　promptly。



The　Angel　dropped　on　a　seatthe　hat　she　had　removed　and　held　in

her　fingers　rolled　to　her　feet。　　〃There！〃　she　exclaimed　vehemently。

〃You　can　see　what　I'm　going　to　be。　　Nothing！　　Absolutely　nothing！　

You　can　sing？　　Of　course　you　can　sing！　　It　is　written　all　over　you。〃



〃Anyone　with　half　wit　could　have　seen　he　could　sing；　without　having

to　be　told；〃　she　thought。　　〃It's　in　the　slenderness　of　his　fingers

and　his　quick　nervous　touch。　　It　is　in　the　brightness　of　his　hair；

the　fire　of　his　eyes；　the　breadth　of　his　chest；　the　muscles　of　his

throat　and　neck；　and　above　all；　it's　in　every　tone　of　his　voice；

for　even　as　he　speak　it's　the　sweetest　sound　I　ever　heard　from　the

throat　of　a　mortal。〃



〃Will　you　do　something　for　me？〃　she　asked。



〃I'll　do　anything　in　the　world　you　want　me　to；〃　said　Freckles

largely；　〃and　if　I　can't　do　what　you　want；　I'll　go　to　work　at　once

and　I'll　try　‘til　I　can。〃



〃Good！　　That's　business！〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃You　go　over　there　and

stand　before　that　hedge　and　sing　something。　　Just　anything　you　think

of　first。〃



Freckles　faced　the　Angel　from　his　banked　wall　of　brown；　blue；　and

crimson；　with　its　background　of　solid　green；　and　lifting　his　face

to　the　sky；　he　sang　the　first　thing　that　came　into　his　mind。　　It　was

a　children's　song　that　he　had　led　for　the　little　folks　at　the　Home

many　times；　recalled　to　his　mind　by　the　Angel's　exclamation：



　　　　　　　　　　　　〃To　fairyland　we　go；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　With　a　song　of　joy；　heigh…o。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　dreams　we'll　stand　upon　that　shore

　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　all　the　realm　behold；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　We'll　see　the　sights　so　grand

　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　belong　to　fairyland；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Its　mysteries　we　will　explore；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　Its　beauties　will　unfold。



Oh；　tra；　la；　la；　oh；　ha；　ha；　ha！　　We're　happy　now　as　we　can　be；

Our　welcome　song　we　will　prolong；　and　greet　you　with　our　melody。

O　fairyland；　sweet　fairyland；　we　love　to　sing〃





No　song　could　have　given　the　intense　sweetness　and　rollicking

quality　of　Freckles'　voice　better　scope。　　He　forgot　everything　but

pride　in　his　work。　　He　was　singing　the　chorus；　and　the　Angel　was

shivering　in　ecstasy；　when　clip！　　clip！　　came　the　sharply　beating

feet　of　a　swiftly　ridden　horse　down　the　trail　from　the　north。　　They

both　sprang　toward　the　entrance。



〃Freckles！　　Freckles！〃　called　the　voice　of　the　Bird　Woman。



They　were　at　the　trail　on　the　instant。



〃Both　those　revolvers　loaded？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；〃　said　Freckles。



〃Is　there　a　way　you　can　cut　across　the　swamp　and　reach　the　chicken

tree　in　a　few　minutes；　and　with　little　noise？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Then　go　flying；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃Give　the　Angel　a　lift

behind　me；　and　we　will　ride　the　horse　back　where　you　left　him　and

wait　for　you。　　I　finished　Little　Chicken　in　no　time　and　put　him　back。　

His　mother　came　so　close；　I　felt　sure　she　would　enter　the　log。　

The　light　was　fine；　so　I　set　and　focused　the　camera　and　covered

it　with　branches；　attached　the　long　hose；　and　went　away　over　a

hundred　feet　and　hid　in　some　bushes　to　wait。　　A　short；　stout　man

and　a　tall；　dark　one　passed　me　so　closely　I　almost　could　have　reached

out　and　touched　them。　　They　carried　a　big　saw　on　their　shoulders。　

They　said　they　could　work　until　near　noon；　and　then　they　must　lay

off　until　you　passed　and　then　try　to　load　and　get　out　at　night。　

They　went　onnot　entirely　from　sightand　began　cutting　a　tree。　

Mr。　McLean　told　me　the　other　day　what　would　probably　happen　here；

and　if　they　fell　that　tree　he　loses　his　wager　on　you。　　Keep　to　the

east　and　north　and　hustle。　　We'll　meet　you　at　the　carriage。　　I　always

am　armed。　　Give　Angel　one　of　your　revolvers；　and　you　keep　the　other。　

We　will　separate　and　creep　toward　them　from　different　sides　and

give　them　a　fusillade　that　will　send　them　flying。　　You　hurry；　now！〃



She　lifted　the　reins　and　started　briskly　down　the　trail。　　The　Angel；

hatless　and　with　sparkling　eyes；　was　clinging　around　her　waist。



Freckles　wheeled　and　ran。　　He　worked　his　way　with　much　care；　dodging

limbs　and　bushes　with　noiseless　tread；　and　cutting　as　closely　where

he　thought　the　men　were　as　he　felt　that　he　dared　if　he　were　to

remain　unseen。　　As　he　ran　he　tried　to　think。　　It　was　Wessner；　burning

for　his　revenge；　aided　by　the　bully　of　the　locality；　that　he　was

going　to　meet。　　He　was　accustomed　to　that　thought　but　not　to　the

complication　of　ha