a girl of the limberlost-第6章
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〃I believe the best way to get an answer to prayer is
to work for it；〃 muttered Elnora grimly。
Again she followed the trail to the swamp； rearranged
her hair and left the tin pail。 This time she folded a couple
of sandwiches in the napkin； and tied them in a neat light
paper parcel which she carried in her hand。 Then she
hurried along the road to Onabasha and found a book…store。
There she asked the prices of the list of books that
she needed； and learned that six dollars would not quite
supply them。 She anxiously inquired for second…hand
books； but was told that the only way to secure them was
from the last year's Freshmen。 Just then Elnora felt that
she positively could not approach any of those she supposed
to be Sophomores and ask to buy their old books。
The only balm the girl could see for the humiliation of
yesterday was to appear that day with a set of new books。
〃Do you wish these？〃 asked the clerk hurriedly； for the
store was rapidly filling with school children wanting
anything from a dictionary to a pen。
〃Yes；〃 gasped Elnora； 〃Oh； yes！ But I cannot pay for
them just now。 Please let me take them； and I will pay
for them on Friday； or return them as perfect as they are。
Please trust me for them a few days。〃
〃I'll ask the proprietor；〃 he said。 When he came back
Elnora knew the answer before he spoke。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said； 〃but Mr。 Hann doesn't recognize
your name。 You are not a customer of ours； and he feels
that he can't take the risk。〃
Elnora clumped out of the store； the thump of her heavy；
shoes beating as a hammer on her brain。 She tried two
other dealers with the same result； and then in sick despair
came into the street。 What could she do？ She was too
frightened to think。 Should she stay from school that
day and canvass the homes appearing to belong to the
wealthy； and try to sell beds of wild ferns； as she had
suggested to Wesley Sinton？ What would she dare ask for
bringing in and planting a clump of ferns？ How could she
carry them？ Would people buy them？ She slowly moved
past the hotel and then glanced around to see if there
were a clock anywhere； for she felt sure the young people
passing her constantly were on their way to school。
There it stood in a bank window in big black letters
staring straight at her：
WANTED： CATERPILLARS； COCOONS； CHRYSALIDES；
PUPAE CASES； BUTTERFLIES； MOTHS； INDIAN RELICS
OF ALL KINDS。 HIGHEST SCALE OF PRICES PAID IN CASH
Elnora caught the wicket at the cashier's desk with both
hands to brace herself against disappointment。
〃Who is it wants to buy cocoons； butterflies； and
moths？〃 she panted。
〃The Bird Woman；〃 answered the cashier。 〃Have you
some for sale？〃
〃I have some； I do not know if they are what she would want。〃
〃Well； you had better see her；〃 said the cashier。 〃Do you
know where she lives？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Elnora。 〃Would you tell me the time？〃
〃Twenty…one after eight；〃 was the answer。
She had nine minutes to reach the auditorium or be late。
Should she go to school； or to the Bird Woman？ Several girls
passed her walking swiftly and she remembered their faces。
They were hurrying to school。 Elnora caught the infection。
She would see the Bird Woman at noon。 Algebra came first；
and that professor was kind。 Perhaps she could slip to the
superintendent and ask him for a book for the next lesson；
and at noon〃Oh； dear Lord make it come true；〃 prayed Elnora；
at noon possibly she could sell some of those wonderful
shining…winged things she had been collecting all her life
around the outskirts of the Limberlost。
As she went down the long hall she noticed the professor
of mathematics standing in the door of his recitation room。
When she passed him he smiled and spoke to her。
〃I have been watching for you；〃 he said； and Elnora
stopped bewildered。
〃For me？〃 she questioned。
〃Yes；〃 said Professor Henley。 〃Step inside。〃
Elnora followed him into the room and closed the door
behind them。
〃At teachers' meeting last evening； one of the professors
mentioned that a pupil had betrayed in class that she had
expected her books to be furnished by the city。 I thought
possibly it was you。 Was it？〃
〃Yes；〃 breathed Elnora。
〃That being the case；〃 said Professor Henley； 〃it just
occurred to me as you had expected that； you might require
a little time to secure them； and you are too fine a
mathematician to fall behind for want of supplies。 So I
telephoned one of our Sophomores to bring her last year's
books this morning。 I am sorry to say they are somewhat
abused； but the text is all here。 You can have them for
two dollars； and pay when you are ready。 Would you
care to take them？〃
Elnora sat suddenly； because she could not stand another instant。
She reached both hands for the books； and said never a word。
The professor was silent also。 At last Eleanor arose；
hugging those books to her heart as a mother clasps a baby。
〃One thing more；〃 said the professor。 〃You may pay
your tuition quarterly。 You need not bother about the
first instalment this month。 Any time in October will do。〃
It seemed as if Elnora's gasp of relief must have reached
the soles of her brogans。
〃Did any one ever tell you how beautiful you are！〃 she cried。
As the professor was lank； tow…haired and so near…
sighted； that he peered at his pupils through spectacles；
no one ever had。
〃No；〃 said Professor Henley； 〃I've waited some time
for that； for which reason I shall appreciate it all the more。
Come now； or we shall be late for opening exercises。〃
So Elnora entered the auditorium a second time。 Her face was
like the brightest dawn that ever broke over the Limberlost。
No matter about the lumbering shoes and skimpy dress。
No matter about anything； she had the books。 She could
take them home。 In her garret she could commit them to
memory； if need be。 She could prove that clothes were
not all。 If the Bird Woman did not want any of the many
different kinds of specimens she had collected； she was
quite sure now she could sell ferns； nuts； and a great
many things。 Then； too； a girl made a place for her
that morning； and several smiled and bowed。 Elnora forgot
everything save her books； and that she was where she
could use them intelligentlyeverything except one
little thing away back in her head。 Her mother had
known about the books and the tuition； and had not told
her when she agreed to her coming。
At noon Elnora took her little parcel of lunch and started
to the home of the Bird Woman。 She must know about
the specimens first and then she would walk to the suburbs
somewhere and eat a few bites。 She dropped the heavy
iron knocker on the door of a big red log cabin； and
her heart thumped at the resounding stroke。
〃Is the Bird Woman at home？〃 she asked of the maid。
〃She is at lunch；〃 was the answer。
〃Please ask her if she will see a girl from the Limberlost
about some moths？〃 inquired Elnora。
〃I never need ask； if it's moths；〃 laughed the girl。
〃Orders are to bring any one with specimens right in。
Come this way。〃
Elnora followed down the hall and entered a long room with
high panelled wainscoting； old English fireplace with an
overmantel and closets of peculiar china filling the corners。
At a bare table of oak； yellow as gold； sat a woman Elnora
often had watched and followed covertly around the Limberlost。
The Bird Woman was holding out a hand of welcome。
I heard！〃 she laughed。 〃A little pasteboard box； or
just the mere word ‘specimen；' passes you at my door。
If it is moths I hope you have hundreds。 I've been very
busy all summer and unable to collect； and I need so many。
Sit down and lunch with me； while we talk it over。
From the Limberlost； did you say？〃
〃I live near the swamp；〃 replied Elnora。 〃Since it's
so cleared I dare go around the edge in daytime； though
we are all afraid at night。〃
〃What have you collected？〃 asked the Bird Woman；
as she helped Elnora to sandwiches unlike any she ever
before had tasted； salad that seemed to be made of many
familiar things； and a cup of hot chocolate that would have
delighted any hungry schoolgirl。
〃I am afraid I am bothering you for nothing； and imposing
on you；〃 she said。 〃That 'collected' frightens me。
I've only gathered。 I always loved everything outdoors；
so I made friends and playmates of them。 When I learned
that the moths die so soon； I saved them especially；
because there seemed no wickedness in it。〃
〃I have thought the same thing；〃 said the Bird
Woman encouragingly。 Then because the girl could
not eat until she learned about the moths； the Bird
Woman asked Elnora if she knew what kinds she had。
〃Not all of them；〃 answered Elnora。 〃Before Mr。
Duncan moved away he often saw me near the edge of
the swamp and he showed me the box he had fixed for
Freckles； and gave me the key。 There were some books
and things； so from that time on I studied and tried to
take moths right； but I am afraid they are not what you want。〃
〃Are they the big ones that fly mostly in June nights？〃
asked the Bird Woman。
〃Yes；〃 said Elnora。 〃Big gray ones with reddish
markings； pale blue…green； yellow with lavender； and red
and yellow。〃
〃What do you mean by ‘red and yellow？'〃 asked the
Bird Woman so quickly that the girl almost jumped
〃Not exactly red；〃 explained Elnora； with tremulous voice。
〃A reddish； yellowish brown； with canary…coloured spots
and gray lines on their wings。〃
〃How many of them？〃 It was the same quick question。
〃I had over two hundred eggs；〃 said Elnora； 〃but
some of them didn't hatch； and some of the caterpillars
died； but there must be at least a hundred perfect ones。〃
〃Perfect！ How perfect？〃 cried the Bird Woman。
〃I mean whole wings； no down gone； and all their legs
and antennae；〃 faltered Elnora。
〃Young woman； that's the rarest moth in America；〃
said the Bird Woman solemnly。 〃If you have a hundred
of them； they are worth a hundred dollars according to
my list。 I can use all that are not damaged。〃
〃What if they are not pinned right；〃 quavered Elnora。
〃If they are perfect； that does not make the
slightest difference。 I know how to soften them so
that I can put them into any shape I choose。
Where are they？ When may I see them？〃
〃They are in Freckles's old case in the Limberlost；〃
said Elnora。 〃I couldn't carry many for fear of breaking
them； but I could bring a few after school。〃
〃You come here at four；〃 said the Bird Woman； 〃and
we will drive out with some specimen boxes； and a price
list； and see what you have to sell。 Are they your very own？
Are you free to part with them？〃
〃They are mine；〃 said Elnora。 〃No one but
