freckles-第46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！



trailing　billowing　banners　of　lavender　and　gray　across　the　sky。

Gulls　and　curlews　wheeled　over　the　water　and　dipped　their　wings　in

the　foam。　　The　room　was　filled　with　every　luxury　that　taste　and

money　could　introduce。



All　the　tan　and　sunburn　had　been　washed　from　Freckles'　face　in

sweats　of　agony。　　It　was　a　smooth；　even　white；　its　brown　rift

scarcely　showing。　　What　the　nurses　and　Lady　O'More　had　done　to

Freckles'　hair　McLean　could　not　guess；　but　it　was　the　most

beautiful　that　he　ever　had　seen。　　Fine　as　floss；　bright　in　color；

waving　and　crisp；　it　fell　around　the　white　face。



They　had　gotten　his　arms　into　and　his　chest　covered　with　a　finely

embroidered；　pale…blue　silk　shirt；　with　soft；　white　tie　at　the　throat。　

Among　the　many　changes　that　had　taken　place　during　his　absence；

the　fact　that　Freckles　was　most　attractive　and　barely　escaped

being　handsome　remained　almost　unnoticed　by　the　Boss；　so　great

was　his　astonishment　at　seeing　both　cuffs　turned　back　and　the

right　arm　in　view。　　Freckles　was　using　the　maimed　arm　that

previously　he　always　had　hidden。



〃Oh　Lord；　sir；　but　I'm　glad　to　see　you！〃　cried　Freckles；　almost

rolling　from　the　bed　as　he　reached　toward　McLean。　　〃Tell　me　quick；

is　the　Angel　well　and　happy？　　Can　me　Little　Chicken　spread　six　feet

of　wing　and　sail　to　his　mother？　　How's　me　new　father；　the　Bird

Woman；　Duncans；　and　Nelliedarling　little　high…stepping　Nelie？　

Me　Aunt　Alice　is　going　to　choose　the　hat　just　as　soon　as　I'm　mended

enough　to　be　going　with　her。　　How　are　all　the　gang？　　Have　they　found

any　more　good　trees？　　I've　been　thinking　a　lot；　sir。　　I　believe　I　can

find　others　near　that　last　one。　　Me　Aunt　Alice　thinks　maybe　I　can；

and　Uncle　Terence　says　it's　likely。　　Golly；　but　they're　nice；

ilegant　people。　　I　tell　you　I'm　proud　to　be　same　blood　with　them！

Come　closer；　quick！　　I　was　going　to　do　this　yesterday；　and　somehow

I　just　felt　that　you'd　surely　be　coming　today　and　I　waited。　

I'm　selecting　the　Angel's　ring　stone。　　The　ring　she　ordered　for　me

is　finished　and　they　sent　it　to　keep　me　company。　　See？　　It's　an

emeraldjust　me　color；　Lord　O'More　says。〃



Freckles　flourished　his　hand。



〃Ain't　that　fine？　　Never　took　so　much　comfort　with　anything　in

me　life。　　Every　color　of　the　old　swamp　is　in　it。　　I　asked　the　Angel

to　have　a　little　shamrock　leaf　cut　on　it；　so　every　time　I　saw　it　I'd

be　thinking　of　the　‘love；　truth；　and　valor'　of　that　song　she　was

teaching　me。　　Ain't　that　a　beautiful　song？　　Some　of　these　days　I'm

going　to　make　it　echo。　　I'm　a　little　afraid　to　be　doing　it　with　me

voice　yet；　but　me　heart's　tuning　away　on　it　every　blessed　hour。

Will　you　be　looking　at　these　now？〃



Freckles　tilted　a　tray　of　unset　stones　from　Peacock's　that　would

have　ransomed　several　valuable　kings。　　He　held　them　toward　McLean；

stirring　them　with　his　right　arm。



〃I　tell　you　I'm　glad　to　see　you；　sir〃　he　said。　　〃I　tried　to　tell　me

uncle　what　I　wanted；　but　this　ain't　for　him　to　be　mixed　up　in；

anyway；　and　I　don't　think　I　made　it　clear　to　him。　　I　couldn't　seem

to　say　the　words　I　wanted。　　I　can　be　telling　you；　sir。〃



McLean's　heart　began　to　thump　as　a　lover's。



〃Go　on；　Freckles；〃　he　said　assuringly。



〃It's　this；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　told　him　that　I　would　pay　only　three

hundred　dollars　for　the　Angel's　stone。　　I'm　thinking　that　with　what

he　has　laid　up　for　me；　and　the　bigness　of　things　that　the　Angel　did

for　me；　it　seems　like　a　stingy　little　sum　to　him。　　I　know　he　thinks

I　should　be　giving　much　more；　but　I　feel　as　if　I　just　had　to　be

buying　that　stone　with　money　I　earned　meself；　and　that　is　all　I

have　saved　of　me　wages。　　I　don't　mind　paying　for　the　muff；　or　the

drexing　table；　or　Mrs。　Duncan's　things；　from　that　other　money；　and

later　the　Angel　can　have　every　last　cent　of　me　grandmother's；　if

she'll　take　it；　but　just　nowoh；　sir；　can't　you　see　that　I　have　to

be　buying　this　stone　with　what　I　have　in　the　bank？　　I'm　feeling　that

I　couldn't　do　any　other　way；　and　don't　you　think　the　Angel　would

rather　have　the　best　stone　I　can　buy　with　the　money　I　earned　meself

than　a　finer　one　paid　for　with　other　money？〃



〃In　other　words；　Freckles；〃　said　the　Boss　in　a　husky　voice；　〃you

don't　want　to　buy　the　Angel's　ring　with　money。　　You　want　to　give　for

it　your　first　awful　fear　of　the　swamp。　　You　want　to　pay　for　it　with

the　loneliness　and　heart　hunger　you　have　suffered　there；　with　last

winter's　freezing　on　the　line　and　this　summer's　burning　in　the　sun。

You　want　it　to　stand　to　her　for　every　hour　in　which　you　risked　your

life　to　fulfill　your　contract　honorably。　　You　want　the　price　of　that

stone　to　be　the　fears　that　have　chilled　your　heartthe　sweat　and

blood　of　your　body。〃



Freckles'　eyes　were　filled　with　tears　and　his　face　quivering　with　feeling。



〃Dear　Mr。　McLean；〃　he　said；　reaching　with　a　caress　over　the　Boss's

black　hair　and　his　cheek。　　〃Dear　Boss；　that's　why　I've　wanted　you　so。　

I　knew　you　would　know。　　Now　you　will　be　looking　at　these？　　I　don't

want　emeralds；　because　that's　what　she　gave　me。〃



He　pushed　the　green　stones　into　a　little　heap　of　rejected　ones。

Then　he　singled　out　all　the　pearls。



〃Ain't　they　pretty　things？〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　be　getting　her　some　of

those　later。　　They　are　like　lily　faces；　turtle…head　flowers；

dewdrops　in　the　shade　or　moonlight；　but　they　haven't　the　life　in

them　that　I　want　in　the　stone　I　give　to　the　Angel　right　now。〃



Freckles　heaped　the　pearls　with　the　emeralds。　　He　studied　the

diamonds　a　long　time。



〃These　things　are　so　fascinating　like　they　almost　tempt　one；　though

they　ain't　quite　the　proper　thing；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　always　dearly

loved　to　be　watching　yours；　sir。　　I　must　get　her　some　of　these　big

ones；　too；　some　day。　　They're　like　the　Limberlost　in　January；　when

it's　all　ice…coated；　and　the　sun　is　in　the　west　and　shines　through

and　makes　all　you　can　see　of　the　whole　world　look　like　fire　and

ice；　but　fire　and　ice　ain't　like　the　Angel。〃



The　diamonds　joined　the　emeralds　and　pearls。　　There　was　left　a

little　red　heap；　and　Freckles'　fingers　touched　it　with　a　new

tenderness。　　His　eyes　were　flashing。



〃I'm　thinking　here's　me　Angel's　stone；〃　he　exulted。　　〃The

Limberlost；　and　me　with　it；　grew　in　mine；　but　it's　going　to　bloom；

and　her　with　it；　in　this！　　There's　the　red　of　the　wild　poppies；　the

cardinal…flowers；　and　the　little　bunch　of　crushed　foxfire　that　we

found　where　she　put　it　to　save　me。　　There's　the　light　of　the

campfire；　and　the　sun　setting　over　Sleepy　Snake　Creek。　　There's　the

red　of　the　blood　we　were　willing　to　give　for　each　other。　　It's　like

her　lips；　and　like　the　drops　that　dried　on　her　beautiful　arm　that

first　day；　and　I'm　thinking　it　must　be　like　the　brave；　tender；

clean；　red　heart　of　her。〃



Freckles　lifted　the　ruby　to　his　lips　and　handed　it　to　McLean。



〃I'll　be　signing　me　cheque　and　you　have　it　set；〃　he　said。　　〃I　want

you　to　draw　me　money　and　pay　for　it　with　those　very　same　dollars；　sir。〃



Again　the　heart　of　McLean　took　hope。



〃Freckles；　may　I　ask　you　something？〃　he　said。



〃Why；　sure；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃There's　nothing　you　would　be　asking

that　it　wouldn't　be　giving　me　joy　to　be　telling　you。〃



McLean's　eyes　traveled　to　Freckles'　right　arm　with　which　he　was

moving　the　jewels。



〃Oh；　that！〃　cried　Freckles　with　a　laugh。　　〃You're　wanting　to　know

where　all　the　bitterness　is　gone？　　Well　sir；　'twas　carried　from　me

soul；　heart；　and　body　on　the　lips　of　an　Angel。　　Seems　that　hurt　was

necessary　in　the　beginning　to　make　today　come　true。　　The　wound　had

always　been　raw；　but　the　Angel　was　healing　it。　　If　she　doesn't　care；

I　don't。　　Me　dear　new　father　doesn't；　nor　me　aunt　and　uncle；　and　you

never　did。　　Why　should　I　be　fretting　all　me　life　about　what　can't

be　helped。　　The　real　truth　is；　that　since　what　happened　to　it　last

week；　I'm　so　everlastingly　proud　of　it　I　catch　meself　sticking　it

out　on　display　a　bit。〃



Freckles　looked　the　Boss　in　the　eyes　and　began　to　laugh。



〃Well　thank　heaven！〃　said　McLean。



〃Now　it's　me　turn；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　don't　know　as　I　ought　to　be

asking　you；　and　yet　I　can't　see　a　reason　good　enough　to　keep　me

from　it。　　It's　a　thing　I've　had　on　me　mind　every　hour　since　I've　had

time　to　straighten　things　out　a　little。　　May　I　be　asking　you　a　question？〃



McLean　reached　over　and　took　Freckles'　hand。　　His　voice　was　shaken

with　feeling　as　he　replied：　　〃Freckles；　you　almost　hurt　me。　　Will　you

never　learn　how　much　you　are　to　mehow　happy　you　make　me　in　coming

to　me　with　anything；　no　matter　what？〃



〃Then　it's　this；〃　said　Freckles；　gripping　the　hand　of　McLean　strongly。　

〃If　this　accident；　and　all　that's　come　to　me　since；　had　never

happened；　where　was　it　you　had　planned　to　send　me　to　school？　

What　was　it　you　meant　for　me　to　do？〃



〃Why；　Freckles；〃　answered　McLean；　〃I'm　scarcely　prepared　to

state　definitely。　　My　ideas　were　rather　hazy。　　I　thought　we　would

make　a　beginning　and　see　which　way　things　went。　　I　figured　on　taking

you　to　Grand　Rapids　first；　and　putting　you　in　the　care　of　my　mother。　

I　had　an　idea　it　would　be　best　to　secure　a　private　tutor　to　coach　you

for　a　year　or　two；　until　you　were　ready　to　enter　Ann　Arbor　or　the

Chicago　University　in　good　shape。　　Then　I　thought　we'd　finish　in

this　country　at　Yale　or　Harvard；　and　end　with　Oxford；　to　get　a

good；　all…round　flavor。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Freckles。



〃No；　that's　leaving　the　music　out；〃　said　McLean。　　〃I　intended　to

have　your　voice　tested　by　some　master；　and　if　you　really　were

endowed　for　a　career　as　a　great　musician；　and　had　inclinations　that

way；　I　wished　to　have　you　drop　some　of　the　college　work　and　make

music　your　chief　study。　　Finally；　I　wanted　us　to　take　a　trip　through

Europe　and　clear　around　the　circle　together〃



〃And　then　what？〃　queried　Freckles　breathlessly。



〃Why；　then；〃　said　McLean；　〃you　know　that　my　heart　is　hopelessly　in

the　woods。　　I　never　will　quit　the　timber　business　while　there　is

timber　to　handle　and　breath　in　my　body。　　I　thou