a summer in a canyon-第27部分

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at　the　prospect　of　going　anywhere。　　Polly's　back　was　turned；　but　she
could　not　disappear　entirely　within　the　tent　without　causing　Mrs。
Winship　surprise；　and　she　went　through　a　lifetime　of　misery　and　self…
reproach　in　that　minute　of　shame　and　fear；　when　she　dared　neither　to
advance　nor　retreat。

'I　don't　quite　like　to　let　you　go　alone；　Laura；　without　consulting
the　doctor；　and　I　can't　find　him；'　said　Mrs。　Winship。　　'Why；　you　are
nervous　and　trembling！　　Hadn't　you　better　wait　until　to…morrow？'

'No；　thank　you；　Mrs。　Winship。　　I　am　all　ready　now；　and　would　prefer
to　go。　　I　think　perhaps　I　have　stayed　quite　long　enough；　as　Polly　has
just　told　me　that　everybody　is　glad　to　see　the　last　of　me；　and　that
I've　made　you　all　miserable　since　I　came。

This　was　the　climax　to　Polly's　misery；　for　she　was　already　so
overcome　by　the　thought　of　her　rudeness　that　she　was　on　the　point　of
begging　Laura's　pardon　for　that　particular　speech　then　and　there；　and
she　had　only　to　hear　her　exact　words　repeated　to　feel　how　they　would
sound　in　Mrs。　Winship's　ears。

Mrs。　Winship　was　so　entirely　taken　aback　by　Laura's　remark；　that　she
could　only　ejaculate；　'Pollysaidthat！　　What　do　you　mean？'

'Oh；　I　am　quite　ready　to　think　she　said　more　than　she　intended；　but
those　were　her　words。'

'Polly！'

Polly　turned。　　Alas！　it　was　plain　enough　that　this　was　no　false
accusation。　　Her　downcast　eyes；　flushed；　tear…stained　cheeks；
quivering　lips；　and　the　silent　shame　of　her　whole　figure；　spoke　too
clearly。

'Can　it　be　possible；　Polly；　that　you　spoke　in　such　a　way　to　a　guest
who　was　about　to　leave　my　house？'

'Yes。'

The　word　was　wrung　from　Polly's　trembling　lips。　　What　could　she　say
but　'Yes；'it　was　true；and　how　could　she　repeat　the　taunts　that
had　provoked　her　to　retort？　　They　were　not　a　sufficient　excuse；　and
for　that　matter；　nothing　could　be　a　sufficient　excuse　for　her
language。　　Now　that　she　was　confronted　with　her　own　fault；　Laura's
seemed　so　small　beside　it　that　she　would　have　been　ashamed　to　offer
it　as　any　justification。

Mrs。　Winship　grew　pale；　and　for　a　moment　was　quite　at　a　loss　as　to
the　treatment　of　such　a　situation。

'Don't　say　any　more　about　it；　Mrs。　Winship；'　said　Laura；　'we　were
both　angry；　or　we　should　never　have　forgotten　ourselves；　and　I　shall
think　no　more　of　it。'　　Laura　spoke　with　such　an　air　of　modest　virtue；
and　seemed　so　ready　to　forgive　and　forget；　that　Polly　in　her　silence
and　confusion　appeared　worse　than　ever。

'But　I　want　you　to　remember　that　you　are　my　guest；　not　Pauline's；
that　I　asked　you　to　come　and　ask　you　to　remain。　　I　cannot　allow　you
to　go　simply　because　you　do　not　chance　to　be　a　favourite　with　another
of　my　guests。'　　（Oh！　the　pang　these　words　gave　Polly's　faulty；　tender
little　heart！）

'I　am　only　going　because　I　feel　so　ill；not　a　bit　because　of　what
Polly　said；　I　was　in　the　wrong；　too；　perhaps；　but　I　promise　not　to
let　anybody　nor　anything　make　me　quarrel　when　I　visit　you　again。
Good…bye！'　and　Laura　stepped　into　the　wagon。

'I　trust　you　will　not　mention　this　to　your　mother；　since　I　hope　it　is
the　only　unpleasant　incident　of　your　visit；　and　it　is　no　fault　of
mine　that　you　go　away　with　an　unhappy　impression　of　our　hospitality。'
Here　Mrs。　Winship　reached　up　and　kissed　little　Anne；　and　as　the
horses　were　restive；　and　no　one　seemed　to　have　anything　further　to
say；　Pancho　drove　off。

'I　don't　care　to　talk　with　you　any　more　at　present；　Polly；'　said　Mrs。
Winship。　　'I　am　too　hurt　and　too　indignant　to　speak　of　your　conduct
quietly。　　I　know　the　struggles　you　have　with　your　temper；　and　I　am
quite　willing　to　sympathise　with　you　even　when　you　do　not　come　off
victorious；　but　this　is　something　quite　different。　　I　can't　conceive
how　any　amount　of　provocation　or　dislike　could　have　led　you　into　such
disloyalty　to　me'；　and　with　this　she　walked　away。

Polly　staggered　into　a　little　play…room　tent　of　Dicky's；　where　she
knew　that　she　could　be　alone；　pinned　the　curtains　together　so　that　no
one　could　peep　in；　and　threw　herself　down　upon　the　long　cushioned
seat　where　Dicky　was　wont　to　take　his　afternoon　nap。　　There；　in　grief
and　despair；　she　sobbed　the　afternoon　through；　dreading　to　be
disturbed　and　dreading　to　be　questioned。

'My　beautiful　birthday　spoiled；'　she　moaned；　'and　all　my　own　fault！
I　was　so　happy　this　morning；　but　now　was　ever　anybody　so　miserable　as
I？　　And　even　if　I　tell　Aunt　Truth　what　Laura　said；　she　will　think　it
no　excuse；　and　it　isn't！'

As　it　neared　supper…time　she　made　an　opening　in　the　back　of　the　tent；
and　after　long　watching　caught　sight　of　Gin　on　his　way　to　the　brook
for　water；　signalled　him；　and　gave　him　this　despairing　little　note
for　Mrs。　Winship：…


Dear　Aunt　Truth；I　don't　ask　you　to　forgive　meI　don't　deserve　to
be　forgivenbut　I　ask　you　to　do　me　just　one　more　of　your　dear　little
kindnesses。　　Let　me　stay　alone　in　Dicky's　tent　till　morning；　and
please　don't　let　any　one　come　near　me。　　You　can　tell　everybody　the
whole　story　to…night；　if　you　think　best；　though　I　should　be　glad　if
only　Dr。　Paul　and　Bell　need　know；　but　I　do　not　mind　anything　after
displeasing　younothing　can　be　so　bad　as　that。　　Perhaps　you　think　I
ought　to　come　out　and　confess　it　to　them　myself；　as　a　punishment；　but
oh；　Aunt　Truth；　I　am　punishing　myself　in　here　alone　worse　than　any
one　else　can　do　it。　　I　will　go　back　to　Santa　Barbara　any　time　that
you　can　send　me　to　the　stage　station；　and　I　will　never　ask　you　to
love　me　again　until　I　have　learned　how　to　control　my　temper。　　Your
wretched；　wretched

POLLY。

P。S。I　remember　that　it　is　my　birthday；　and　all　that　you　have　done
for　me；　to…day　and　all　the　other　days。　　It　looks　as　if　I　were
ungrateful；　but　in　spite　of　what　I　did　I　am　not。　　The　words　just
blazed　out；　and　I　never　knew　that　they　were　going　to　be　said　till　I
heard　them　falling　from　my　mouth。　　It　seems　to　me　that　if　I　ever
atone　for　this　I　will　have　a　slate　and　pencil　hanging　to　my　belt；　and
only　write　what　I　have　to　say。　　POLLY。


The　moisture　came　to　Mrs。　Winship's　eyes　as　she　read　this　tear…
stained　little　note。　　'There's　something　here　I　don't　quite
understand；'　she　thought；　'and　yet　Polly　confessed　that　Laura　told
the　truth。　　Poor　child！but　she　has　got　to　learn　patience　and　self…
control　through　suffering。　　However；　I'll　keep　the　matter　a　secret
from　everybody　at　present；　and　stand　between　her　and　my　inquisitive
brood　of　youngsters；'　and　she　slipped　the　note　into　her　pocket。

At　six　o'clock　the　members　of　the　family　came　into　camp　from　various
directions；　and　gathered　about　the　supper…table。　　All　were　surprised
at　Laura's　sudden　departure；　but　no　one　seemed　especially　grief…
stricken。　　Dicky　announced　confidentially　to　Philip　that　Laura　was　a
'norful　'fraid…cat　of　frogs；'　and　Jack　ventured　the　opinion　that　Miss
Laura　hadn't　'boy'　enough　in　her　for　camp…life。

'But　where　is　Polly？'　asked　Bell；　looking　round　the　table；　as　she
pinned　up　her　riding…skirt　and　sat　down　in　her　usual　seat。

'She　has　a　bad　headache；　and　is　lying　down；'　said　Mrs。　Winship；
quietly；　'she'll　be　all　right　in　the　morning。'

'Headache！'　ejaculated　four　or　five　people　at　once；　dropping　their
napkins　and　looking　at　each　other　in　dismay。

'I'll　go　and　rub　her　head　with　Cologne；'　said　Margery。

'Let　me　go　and　sit　with　her；'　said　Elsie。

'Have　you　been　teasing　her；　Jack？'　asked　Mrs。　Howard。

'Too　much　birthday？'　asked　Dr。　Paul。　　'Tell　her　we　can　spare　almost
anybody　else　better。'

'Bless　the　child；　she　wants　me　if　she　is　sick。　　Go　on　with　your
suppers；　I'll　see　to　her；'　and　Bell　rose　from　the　table。

'No；　my　dear；　I　want　you　all　to　leave　her　alone　at　present；'　said
Mrs。　Winship；　decidedly。　　'I've　put　her　to　bed　in　Dicky's　play…tent；
and　I　want　her　to　be　quiet。　　Gin　has　taken　her　some　supper；　and　she
needs　rest。'

Polly　Oliver　in　need　of　rest！　　What　an　incomprehensible　statement！
Nobody　was　satisfied；　but　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　said；　though
Bell　and　Philip　exchanged　glances　as　much　as　to　say；　'Something　is
wrong。'

Supper　ended；　and　they　gathered　round　the　camp…fire；　but　nothing　was
quite　as　usual。　　It　was　all　very　well　to　crack　jokes；　but　where　was　a
certain　merry　laugh　that　was　wont　to　ring　out；　at　the　smallest
provocation；　in　such　an　infectious　way　that　everybody　else　followed
suit？　　And　who　was　there；　when　Polly　had　the　headache；　to　make　a
saucy　speech　and　look　down　into　the　fire　innocently；　while　her
dimples　did　everything　that　was　required　in　order　to　point　the　shaft？
And　pray　what　was　the　use　of　singing　when　there　was　no　alto　to　Bell's
treble；　or　of　giving　conundrums；　since　it　was　always　Polly　who
thought　of　nonsensical　answers　better　than　the　real　ones？　　And　as　for
Jack；　why；　it　was　folly　to　shoot　arrows　of　wit　into　the　air　when
there　was　no　target。　　He　simply　stretched　himself　out　beside　Elsie；
who　was　particularly　quiet　and　snoozed　peacefully；　without　taking　any
part　in　the　conversation；　avowing　his　intention　to　'turn　in'　early。
'Turn　in'　early；　forsooth！　　What　was　the　matter　with　the　boy？

'It's　no　use；'　said　Bell；　plaintively；　'we　can't　be　anything　but
happy；　now　that　we　have　Elsie　here；　but　it　needs　only　one　small
headache　to　show　that　Polly　fills　a　long…felt　want　in　this　camp。　　You
think　of　her　as　a　modest　spoke　in