第39章

Thenshesteppedintothecarriage，andhewaitedasecond，quitelongenoughtoletherseethathewasperfectlywillingtosittherealldayifshewantedhimto，andthenheslowlyandcarefullydrovehome，ashealwaysdidwhenshewasinthecarriage。Timeswhenhehaduschildrenoutalone，hewentuntilyoucouldn’tseethespokesinthewheels。Hejustlovedto“speedup“onceinawhileonapieceoffineroadtoletusknowhowgoingfastfelt。

Mothersattheretremblingalittle，smiling，misty-eyed。Iwasthinking，forIknewwhatthe“flyintheointment“was。ShehadaletterfromShelleyyesterday，andshesaidtherewasn’tareasononearthwhyfatherorLaddieshouldspendmoneytocometoChicago，shewouldsoonbehome，shewascountingthehours，andsheneverwantedtoleaveagain。Inthestartshedidn’twanttogoatall，unlessshecouldstaythreeyears，attheveryleast。Ofcourseitwasthatdreadfulman，whohadmadehersobeautifulandhappy，andthentakenawayallthejoy；howCOULDamandoit？Itwasthehardestthingtounderstand。

Nextmorningmotherwasfeelingfine，theworldwaslovely，MissAmeliawasgone，Maywashometohelp，soshebeganhousecleaningbywashingallthecurtains。ShehadbeeninthekitchentoshowCandacehow。Ihadallmyworkdone，andwasmakingfriendswitharobinbroodinginmyveryowncatalpatree，whenMr。Pryorrodeup，tiedhishorse，andstartedtowardthegate。Iknewheandfatherhadquarrelled；thatis，fatherhadtoldhimhecouldn’tsay“Godwasamyth“inthishouse，andhe’dgonehomemadashops；soIknewitwouldbesomethingmightyimportantthatwasbringinghimback。Islidfromthetree，ranandopenedthegate，andledthewayupthewalk。Iopenedthefrontdoorandaskedhimin，andthenIdidthewrongthing。Ishouldhavetakenhishat，toldhimtobeseated，andsaidIwouldseeifI

couldfindfather；Iknewwhattodo，andhowtodoit，butbecauseofthataboutGod，IwassoexcitedImadeamistake。I

nevertookhishat，orofferedhimachair；Ijustboltedintothedining-room，lookingforfatherormother，andleftthedoorwideopen，sohethoughtthatwasn’ttheplacetosit，becauseI

didn’tgivehimachair，andhefollowedme。TheinstantIsawmother’sface，IknewwhatIhaddone。Thedining-roomwasnoplaceforparticularcompanylikehim，andbringinghiminthatwaydidn’tgivehertimetosmoothherhair，pullshutherdressbandattheneck，putonhercollar，andshinygoldstonepin，herwhiteapron，andrubherlittleflannelrag，withriceflouronit，onhernosetotakeawaytheshine。Ihadmadeamessofit。

Thereshecamerightinthedoor，justasshewasfromthetub。

Herhairwasdampandcrinkledaroundherface，herneckbandhadbeencloseinstooping，soshehadunfastenedit，andtuckeditbackinalittleV-shapedplacetogiveherroomandair。Hercheekswerepink，hereyesbright，herlipsredasagirl’s，andherneckwassoftandwhite。TheV-shapedplaceshowedalittlespotlikebabyskin，rightwhereherneckwentintoherchest。

Sureasfatherkissedherlips，healwaystippedbackherhead，bentlowerandkissedthatspottoo。Ihadseenhundredsofthemgothere，andIhadtrieditmyself，lotsoftimes，anditWAS

thesweetestplace。SeeingwhatIhaddone，Istoppedbreathless。Youhavetobeatmosteverythingyouteachachildrightintoitproperlytokeepitfrommakingsuchabotchofthingsasthat。Ihardlydaredtopeepatmother，butwhenI

did，shetookmybreathworsethanthemistakeIhadmade。

Caught，shestoodherground。Sheneverpausedasecond。

Straighttohimshewent，holdingoutherhand，andIcouldseethatitwasredandwarmfrompressingthelaceinthehotsuds。

Asomethingflashedoverher，thatmadehermorebeautifulthanshewasinhersilkdressgoingtotowntohelpLucygiveaparty，andhervoicewassweetasthebubblingwarbleronthegardenfencewhenhewastryingtocoaxamateintotheprivetbushtonest。

Motheraskedhimtobeseated，sohetookoneofthechairsnearesthim，andsatholdinghishatinonehand，hiswhipintheother。Motherdrewachairbesidethediningtable，droppedherhandsoneachother，andlookinginhiseyes，shesmiledathim。

Itellthesamethingoveraboutpeople’slooks，butIhaven’ttoldofthissmileofmother’s；becauseIneversawexactlyhowitwas，orwhatitwoulddotopeople，untilthatmorning。ThenasIwatchedher——forhowshefeltdecidedwhatwouldhappentome，afterMr。PryorwasgoneIsawsomethingIneverhadnoticeduntilthatminute。Shecouldlaughalloverherface，beforeherlipsparteduntilherteethshowed。Shewasdoingitnow。Withawidesmilerunningfromcheektocheek，pushingupabigdimpleateachend，herlipsbarelytouching，hereyesdancing，shesatlookingathim。

“ThisISthemostblessedseasonforwarminguptheheart，“shesaid。“Ifyouwantthehalfofmykingdom，askquickly。I’minthemoodtobestowit。“

Howshelaughed！

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