freckles-第45部分

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honest　gray　eyes；　and　they　met　hers　unwaveringly；　but　the　pain　in

them　was　pitiful。



〃Do　you　mean；〃　she　demanded；　〃that　you　don't　remember　that　a

brazen；　forward　girl　told　you；　when　you　hadn't　asked　her；　that

she〃the　Angel　choked　on　it　a　second；　but　she　gave　a　gulp　and

brought　it　out　bravely〃that　she　loved　you？〃



〃No！〃　cried　Freckles。　　〃No！　　I　don't　remember　anything　of　the　kind！〃



But　all　the　songbirds　of　his　soul　burst　into　melody　over　that　one

little　clause：　　〃When　you　hadn't　asked　her。〃



〃But　you　will；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃You　may　live　to　be　an　old；　old

man；　and　then　you　will。〃



〃I　will　not！〃　cried　Freckles。　　〃How　can　you　think　it；　Angel？〃



〃You　won't　even　LOOK　as　if　you　remember？〃



〃I　will　not！〃　persisted　Freckles。　　〃I'll　be　swearing　to　it　if　you

want　me　to。　　If　you　wasn't　too　tired　to　think　this　thing　out

straight；　you'd　be　seeing　that　I　couldn'tthat　I　just　simply

couldn't！　　I'd　rather　give　it　all　up　now　and　go　into　eternity　alone；

without　ever　seeing　a　soul　of　me　same　blood；　or　me　home；　or　hearing

another　man　call　me　by　the　name　I　was　born　to；　than　to　remember

anything　that　would　be　hurting　you；　Angel。　　I　should　think　you'd　be

understanding　that　it　ain't　no　ways　possible　for　me　to　do　it。〃



The　Angel's　tear…stained　face　flashed　into　dazzling　beauty。　

A　half…hysterical　little　laugh　broke　from　her　heart　and　bubbled　over

her　lips。



〃Oh；　Freckles；　forgive　me！〃　she　cried。　　〃I've　been　through　so　much

that　I'm　scarcely　myself；　or　I　wouldn't　be　here　bothering　you　when　you

should　be　sleeping。　　Of　course　you　couldn't！　　I　knew　it　all　the　time！　

I　was　just　scared！　　I　was　forgetting　that　you　were　you！　　You're　too

good　a　knight　to　remember　a　thing　like　that。　　Of　course　you　are！　

And　when　you　don't　remember；　why；　then　it's　the　same　as　if　it

never　happened。　　I　was　almost　killed　because　I'd　gone　and　spoiled

everything；　but　now　it　will　be　all　right。　　Now　you　can　go　on　and　do

things　like　other　men；　and　I　can　have　some　flowers；　and　letters；

and　my　sweetheart　coming；　and　when　you　are　SURE；　why；　then　YOU　can　tell

ME　things；　can't　you？　　Oh；　Freckles；　I'm　so　glad！　　Oh；　I'm　so　happy！　

It's　dear　of　you　not　to　remember；　Freckles；　perfectly　dear！

It's　no　wonder　I　love　you　so。　　The　wonder　would　be　if　I　did　not。　

Oh；　I　should　like　to　know　how　I'm　ever　going　to　make　you　understand

how　much　I　love　you！〃



Pillow　and　all；　she　caught　him　to　her　breast　one　long　second；　then

she　was　gone。



Freckles　lay　dazed　with　astonishment。　　At　last　his　amazed　eyes

searched　the　room　for　something　approaching　the　human　to　which　he

could　appeal；　and　falling　on　his　mother's　portrait；　he　set　it

before　him。



〃For　the　love　of　life！　　Me　little　mother；〃　he　panted；　〃did　you

hear　that？　　Did　you　hear　it！　　Tell　me；　am　I　living；　or　am　I　dead　and

all　heaven　come　true　this　minute？　　Did　you　hear　it？〃



He　shook　the　frame　in　his　impatience　at　receiving　no　answer。



〃You　are　only　a　pictured　face；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃and　of　course　you

can't　talk；　but　the　soul　of　you　must　be　somewhere；　and　surely　in　this

hour　you　are　close　enough　to　be　hearing。　　Tell　me；　did　you　hear　that？　

I　can't　ever　be　telling　a　living　soul；　but　darling　little　mother；

who　gave　your　life　for　mine；　I　can　always　be　talking　of　it

to　you！　　Every　day　we'll　talk　it　over　and　try　to　understand　the

miracle　of　it。　　Tell　me；　are　all　women　like　that？　　Were　you　like　me

Swamp　Angel？　　If　you　were；　then　I'm　understanding　why　me　father

followed　across　the　ocean　and　went　into　the　fire。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XX



Wherein　Freckles　returns　to　the　Limberlost；　and　Lord　O'More　Sails

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　for　Ireland　Without　Him



Freckles'　voice　ceased；　his　eyes　closed；　and　his　head　rolled　back

from　exhaustion。　　Later　in　the　day　he　insisted　on　seeing　Lord　and

Lady　O'More；　but　he　fainted　before　the　resemblance　of　another　man

to　him；　and　gave　all　of　his　friends　a　terrible　fright。



The　next　morning；　the　Man　of　Affairs；　with　a　heart　filled　with

misgivings；　undertook　the　interview　on　which　Freckles　insisted。　

His　fears　were　without　cause。　　Freckles　was　the　soul　of　honor

and　simplicity。



〃Have　they　been　telling　you　what's　come　to　me？〃　he　asked　without

even　waiting　for　a　greeting。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Angel's　father。



〃Do　you　think　you　have　the　very　worst　of　it　clear　to　your　understanding？〃



Under　Freckles'　earnest　eyes　the　Man　of　Affairs　answered　soberly：

〃I　think　I　have；　Mr。　O'More。〃



That　was　the　first　time　Freckles　heard　his　name　from　the　lips

of　another。　　One　second　he　lay　overcome；　the　next；　tears　filled　his

eyes；　and　he　reached　out　his　hand。　　Then　the　Angel's　father　understood；

and　he　clasped　that　hand　and　held　it　in　a　strong；　firm　grasp。



〃Terence；　my　boy；〃　he　said；　〃let　me　do　the　talking。　　I　came　here

with　the　understanding　that　you　wanted　to　ask　me　for　my　only　child。

I　should　like；　at　the　proper　time；　to　regard　her　marriage；　if　she

has　found　the　man　she　desires　to　marry；　not　as　losing　all　I　have；

but　as　gaining　a　man　on　whom　I　can　depend　to　love　as　a　son　and　to

take　charge　of　my　affairs　for　her　when　I　retire　from　business。　

Bend　all　of　your　energies　toward　rapid　recovery；　and　from　this　hour

understand　that　my　daughter　and　my　home　are　yours。〃



〃You're　not　forgetting　this？〃



Freckles　lifted　his　right　arm。



〃Terence；　I'm　sorrier　than　I　have　words　to　express　about　that；〃

said　the　Man　of　Affairs。　　〃It's　a　damnable　pity！　　But　if　it's　for　me

to　choose　whether　I　give　all　I　have　left　in　this　world　to　a　man

lacking　a　hand；　or　to　one　of　these　gambling；　tippling；　immoral

spendthrifts　of　today；　with　both　hands　and　feet　off　their　souls；

and　a　rotten　spot　in　the　core；　I　choose　you；　and　it　seems　that　my

daughter　does　the　same。　　Put　what　is　left　you　of　that　right　arm　to

the　best　uses　you　can　in　this　world；　and　never　again　mention　or

feel　that　it　is　defective　so　long　as　you　live。　　Good　day；　sir！〃



〃One　minute　more；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃Yesterday　the　Angel　was　telling

me　that　there　was　money　coming　to　me　from　two　sources。　　She　said

that　me　grandmother　had　left　me　father　all　of　her　fortune　and　her

house；　because　she　knew　that　his　father　would　be　cutting　him　off；

and　also　that　me　uncle　had　set　aside　for　me　what　would　be　me

father's　interest　in　his　father's　estate。



〃Whatever　the　sum　is　that　me　grandmother　left　me　father；　because

she　loved　him　and　wanted　him　to　be　having　it；　that　I'll　be　taking。

'Twas　hers　from　her　father；　and　she　had　the　right　to　be　giving　it

as　she　chose。　　Anything　from　the　man　that　knowingly　left　me　father

and　me　mother　to　go　cold　and　hungry；　and　into　the　fire　in　misery；

when　just　a　little　would　have　made　life　so　beautiful　to　them；　and

saved　me　this　crippled　bodymoney　that　he　willed　from　me　when　he

knew　I　was　living；　of　his　blood　and　on　charity　among　strangers；　I

don't　touch；　not　if　I　freeze；　starve；　and　burn　too！　　If　there　ain't

enough　besides　that；　and　I　can't　be　earning　enough　to　fix　things

for　the　Angel〃



〃We　are　not　discussing　money！〃　burst　in　the　Man　of　Affairs。　

〃We　don't　want　any　blood…money！　　We　have　all　we　need　without　it。　

If　you　don't　feel　right　and　easy　over　it；　don't　you　touch　a　cent

of　any　of　it。〃



〃It's　right　I　should　have　what　me　grandmother　intinded　for　me

father；　and　I　want　it；〃　said　Freckles；　〃but　I'd　die　before　I'd

touch　a　cent　of　me　grandfather's　money！〃





〃Now；〃　said　the　Angel；　〃we　are　all　going　home。　　We　have　done　all　we

can　for　Freckles。　　His　people　are　here。　　He　should　know　them。　　They　are

very　anxious　to　become　acquainted　with　him。　　We'll　resign　him　to　them。　

When　he　is　well；　why；　then　he　will　be　perfectly　free　to　go　to

Ireland　or　come　to　the　Limberlost；　just　as　he　chooses。　　We　will　go

at　once。〃



McLean　held　out　for　a　week；　and　then　he　could　endure　it　no　longer。

He　was　heart　hungry　for　Freckles。　　Communing　with　himself　in　the

long；　soundful　nights　of　the　swamp；　he　had　learned　to　his

astonishment　that　for　the　past　year　his　heart　had　been　circling　the

Limberlost　with　Freckles。　　He　began　to　wish　that　he　had　not　left　him。　

Perhaps　the　boyhis　boy　by　first　right；　after　allwas　being　neglected。　

If　the　Boss　had　been　a　nervous　old　woman；　he　scarcely　could　have

imagined　more　things　that　might　be　going　wrong。



He　started　for　Chicago；　loaded　with　a　big　box　of　goldenrod；　asters；

fringed　gentians；　and　crimson　leaves；　that　the　Angel　carefully　had

gathered　from　Freckles'　room；　and　a　little；　long　slender　package。

He　traveled　with　biting；　stinging　jealousy　in　his　heart。　　He　would

not　admit　it　even　to　himself；　but　he　was　unable　to　remain　longer

away　from　Freckles　and　leave　him　to　the　care　of　Lord　O'More。



In　a　few　minutes'　talk；　while　McLean　awaited　admission　to　Freckles'

room；　his　lordship　had　chatted　genially　of　Freckles'　rapid

recovery；　of　his　delight　that　he　was　unspotted　by　his　early

surroundings；　and　his　desire　to　visit　the　Limberlost　with　Freckles

before　they　sailed；　he　expressed　the　hope　that　he　could　prevail

upon　the　Angel's　father　to　place　her　in　his　wife's　care　and　have

her　education　finished　in　Paris。　　He　said　they　were　anxious　to　do

all　they　could　to　help　bind　Freckles'　arrangements　with　the　Angel；

as　both　he　and　Lady　O'More　regarded　her　as　the　most　promising　girl

they　knew；　and　one　who　could　be　fitted　to　fill　the　high　position　in

which　Freckles　would　place　her。



Every　word　he　uttered　was　pungent　with　bitterness　to　McLean。　　The

swamp　had　lost　its　flavor　without　Freckles；　and　yet；　as　Lord　O'More

talked；　McLean　fervently　wished　himself　in　the　heart　of　it。　　As　he

entered　Freckles'　room　he　almost　lost　his　breath。　　Everything　was　changed。



Freckles　lay　beside　a　window　where　he　could　follow　Lake　Michigan's

blue　until　the　horizon　dipped　into　it。　　He　could　see　big　soft

clouds；　white…capped　waves；　shimmering　sails；　and　puffing　steamers

trailing　billowing　banners　of　lavender　and　gray　across　the　sky。

Gulls　and　curlews　wheeled　over　the　water　an