the golden road-第4章

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〃'There's　a　stiff　gallop　before　us；　Ursula；'　said　Kenneth。

〃'I　would　ride　to　the　world's　end　with　you；　Kenneth　MacNair；'　said　Ursula。　　Oh；　of　course　she　shouldn't　have　said　anything　of　the　sort；　Felicity。　　But　you　see　people　had　no　etiquette　departments　in　those　days。　　And　when　the　red　sunlight　of　a　fair　October　dawn　was　shining　over　the　gray　sea　The　Fair　Lady　sailed　out　of　Charlottetown　harbour。　　On　her　deck　stood　Kenneth　and　Ursula　MacNair；　and　in　her　hand；　as　a　most　precious　treasure；　the　bride　carried　a　ball　of　gray　homespun　yarn。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Dan；　yawning；　〃I　like　that　kind　of　a　story。　　Nobody　goes　and　dies　in　it；　that's　one　good　thing。〃

〃Did　old　Hugh　forgive　Ursula？〃　I　asked。

〃The　story　stopped　there　in　the　brown　book；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　〃but　the　Awkward　Man　says　he　did；　after　awhile。〃

〃It　must　be　rather　romantic　to　be　run　away　with；〃　remarked　Cecily；　wistfully。

〃Don't　you　get　such　silly　notions　in　your　head；　Cecily　King；〃　said　Felicity；　severely。



CHAPTER　III

THE　CHRISTMAS　HARP


Great　was　the　excitement　in　the　houses　of　King　as　Christmas　drew　nigh。　　The　air　was　simply　charged　with　secrets。　　Everybody　was　very　penurious　for　weeks　beforehand　and　hoards　were　counted　scrutinizingly　every　day。　　Mysterious　pieces　of　handiwork　were　smuggled　in　and　out　of　sight；　and　whispered　consultations　were　held；　about　which　nobody　thought　of　being　jealous；　as　might　have　happened　at　any　other　time。　　Felicity　was　in　her　element；　for　she　and　her　mother　were　deep　in　preparations　for　the　day。　　Cecily　and　the　Story　Girl　were　excluded　from　these　doings　with　indifference　on　Aunt　Janet's　part　and　what　seemed　ostentatious　complacency　on　Felicity's。　　Cecily　took　this　to　heart　and　complained　to　me　about　it。

〃I'm　one　of　this　family　just　as　much　as　Felicity　is；〃　she　said；　with　as　much　indignation　as　Cecily　could　feel；　〃and　I　don't　think　she　need　shut　me　out　of　everything。　　When　I　wanted　to　stone　the　raisins　for　the　mince…meat　she　said；　no；　she　would　do　it　herself；　because　Christmas　mince…meat　was　very　particularas　if　I　couldn't　stone　raisins　right！　　The　airs　Felicity　puts　on　about　her　cooking　just　make　me　sick；〃　concluded　Cecily　wrathfully。

〃It's　a　pity　she　doesn't　make　a　mistake　in　cooking　once　in　a　while　herself；〃　I　said。　　〃Then　maybe　she　wouldn't　think　she　knew　so　much　more　than　other　people。〃

All　parcels　that　came　in　the　mail　from　distant　friends　were　taken　charge　of　by　Aunts　Janet　and　Olivia；　not　to　be　opened　until　the　great　day　of　the　feast　itself。　　How　slowly　the　last　week　passed！　But　even　watched　pots　will　boil　in　the　fulness　of　time；　and　finally　Christmas　day　came；　gray　and　dour　and　frost…bitten　without；　but　full　of　revelry　and　rose…red　mirth　within。　　Uncle　Roger　and　Aunt　Olivia　and　the　Story　Girl　came　over　early　for　the　day；　and　Peter　came　too；　with　his　shining；　morning　face；　to　be　hailed　with　joy；　for　we　had　been　afraid　that　Peter　would　not　be　able　to　spend　Christmas　with　us。　　His　mother　had　wanted　him　home　with　her。

〃Of　course　I　ought　to　go；〃　Peter　had　told　me　mournfully；　〃but　we　won't　have　turkey　for　dinner；　because　ma　can't　afford　it。　　And　ma　always　cries　on　holidays　because　she　says　they　make　her　think　of　father。　　Of　course　she　can't　help　it；　but　it　ain't　cheerful。　　Aunt　Jane　wouldn't　have　cried。　　Aunt　Jane　used　to　say　she　never　saw　the　man　who　was　worth　spoiling　her　eyes　for。　　But　I　guess　I'll　have　to　spend　Christmas　at　home。〃

At　the　last　moment；　however；　a　cousin　of　Mrs。　Craig's　in　Charlottetown　invited　her　for　Christmas；　and　Peter；　being　given　his　choice　of　going　or　staying；　joyfully　elected　to　stay。　　So　we　were　all　together；　except　Sara　Ray；　who　had　been　invited　but　whose　mother　wouldn't　let　her　come。

〃Sara　Ray's　mother　is　a　nuisance；〃　snapped　the　Story　Girl。　　〃She　just　lives　to　make　that　poor　child　miserable；　and　she　won't　let　her　go　to　the　party　tonight；　either。〃

〃It　is　just　breaking　Sara's　heart　that　she　can't；〃　said　Cecily　compassionately。　　〃I'm　almost　afraid　I　won't　enjoy　myself　for　thinking　of　her；　home　there　alone；　most　likely　reading　the　Bible；　while　we're　at　the　party。〃

〃She　might　be　worse　occupied　than　reading　the　Bible；〃　said　Felicity　rebukingly。

〃But　Mrs。　Ray　makes　her　read　it　as　a　punishment；〃　protested　Cecily。　　〃Whenever　Sara　cries　to　go　anywhereand　of　course　she'll　cry　tonightMrs。　Ray　makes　her　read　seven　chapters　in　the　Bible。　　I　wouldn't　think　that　would　make　her　very　fond　of　it。　　And　I'll　not　be　able　to　talk　the　party　over　with　Sara　afterwardsand　that's　half　the　fun　gone。〃

〃You　can　tell　her　all　about　it；〃　comforted　Felix。

〃Telling　isn't　a　bit　like　talking　it　over；〃　retorted　Cecily。　　〃It's　too　one…sided。〃

We　had　an　exciting　time　opening　our　presents。　　Some　of　us　had　more　than　others；　but　we　all　received　enough　to　make　us　feel　comfortably　that　we　were　not　unduly　neglected　in　the　matter。　　The　contents　of　the　box　which　the　Story　Girl's　father　had　sent　her　from　Paris　made　our　eyes　stick　out。　　It　was　full　of　beautiful　things；　among　them　another　red　silk　dressnot　the　bright；　flame…　hued　tint　of　her　old　one；　but　a　rich；　dark　crimson；　with　the　most　distracting　flounces　and　bows　and　ruffles；　and　with　it　were　little　red　satin　slippers　with　gold　buckles；　and　heels　that　made　Aunt　Janet　hold　up　her　hands　in　horror。　　Felicity　remarked　scornfully　that　she　would　have　thought　the　Story　Girl　would　get　tired　wearing　red　so　much；　and　even　Cecily　commented　apart　to　me　that　she　thought　when　you　got　so　many　things　all　at　once　you　didn't　appreciate　them　as　much　as　when　you　only　got　a　few。

〃I'd　never　get　tired　of　red；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃I　just　love　itit's　so　rich　and　glowing。　　When　I'm　dressed　in　red　I　always　feel　ever　so　much　cleverer　than　in　any　other　colour。　　Thoughts　just　crowd　into　my　brain　one　after　the　other。　　Oh；　you　darling　dressyou　dear；　sheeny；　red…rosy；　glistening；　silky　thing！〃

She　flung　it　over　her　shoulder　and　danced　around　the　kitchen。

〃Don't　be　silly；　Sara；〃　said　Aunt　Janet；　a　little　stimy。　　She　was　a　good　soul；　that　Aunt　Janet；　and　had　a　kind；　loving　heart　in　her　ample　bosom。　　But　I　fancy　there　were　times　when　she　thought　it　rather　hard　that　the　daughter　of　a　roving　adventureras　she　considered　himlike　Blair　Stanley　should　disport　herself　in　silk　dresses；　while　her　own　daughters　must　go　clad　in　gingham　and　muslinfor　those　were　the　days　when　a　feminine　creature　got　one　silk　dress　in　her　lifetime；　and　seldom　more　than　one。

The　Story　Girl　also　got　a　present　from　the　Awkward　Mana　little；　shabby；　worn　volume　with　a　great　many　marks　on　the　leaves。

〃Why；　it　isn't　newit's　an　old　book！〃　exclaimed　Felicity。　　〃I　didn't　think　the　Awkward　Man　was　mean；　whatever　else　he　was。〃

〃Oh；　you　don't　understand；　Felicity；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　patiently。　　〃And　I　don't　suppose　I　can　make　you　understand。　　But　I'll　try。　　I'd　ten　times　rather　have　this　than　a　new　book。　　It's　one　of　his　own；　don't　you　seeone　that　he　has　read　a　hundred　times　and　loved　and　made　a　friend　of。　　A　new　book；　just　out　of　a　shop；　wouldn't　be　the　same　thing　at　all。　　It　wouldn't　MEAN　anything。　　I　consider　it　a　great　compliment　that　he　has　given　me　this　book。　　I'm　prouder　of　it　than　of　anything　else　I've　got。〃

〃Well；　you're　welcome　to　it；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃I　don't　understand　and　I　don't　want　to。　　I　wouldn't　give　anybody　a　Christmas　present　that　wasn't　new；　and　I　wouldn't　thank　anybody　who　gave　me　one。〃

Peter　was　in　the　seventh　heaven　because　Felicity　had　given　him　a　presentand；　moreover；　one　that　she　had　made　herself。　　It　was　a　bookmark　of　perforated　cardboard；　with　a　gorgeous　red　and　yellow　worsted　goblet　worked　on　it；　and　below；　in　green　letters；　the　solemn　warning；　〃Touch　Not　The　Cup。〃　As　Peter　was　not　addicted　to　habits　of　intemperance；　not　even　to　looking　on　dandelion　wine　when　it　was　pale　yellow；　we　did　not　exactly　see　why　Felicity　should　have　selected　such　a　device。　　But　Peter　was　perfectly　satisfied；　so　nobody　cast　any　blight　on　his　happiness　by　carping　criticism。　　Later　on　Felicity　told　me　she　had　worked　the　bookmark　for　him　because　his　father　used　to　drink　before　he　ran　away。

〃I　thought　Peter　ought　to　be　warned　in　time；〃　she　said。

Even　Pat　had　a　ribbon　of　blue；　which　he　clawed　off　and　lost　half　an　hour　after　it　was　tied　on　him。　　Pat　did　not　care　for　vain　adornments　of　the　bod