the golden road-第41章

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m　from　the　room。　　The　inspiration　came　then。　　It　should　be　her　room；　he　would　fit　it　up　for　her；　and　her　picture　should　hang　there。

He　was　all　summer　carrying　out　his　plan。　　Nobody　must　know　or　suspect；　so　he　must　go　slowly　and　secretly。　　One　by　one　the　furnishings　were　purchased　and　brought　home　under　cover　of　darkness。　　He　arranged　them　with　his　own　hands。　　He　bought　the　books　he　thought　she　would　like　best　and　wrote　her　name　in　them；　he　got　the　little　feminine　knick…knacks　of　basket　and　thimble。　　Finally　he　saw　in　a　store　a　pale　blue　tea…gown　and　the　satin　slippers。　　He　had　always　fancied　her　as　dressed　in　blue。　　He　bought　them　and　took　them　home　to　her　room。　　Thereafter　it　was　sacred　to　her；　he　always　knocked　on　its　door　before　he　entered；　he　kept　it　sweet　with　fresh　flowers；　he　sat　there　in　the　purple　summer　evenings　and　talked　aloud　to　her　or　read　his　favourite　books　to　her。　　In　his　fancy　she　sat　opposite　to　him　in　her　rocker；　clad　in　the　trailing　blue　gown；　with　her　head　leaning　on　one　slender　hand；　as　white　as　a　twilight　star。

But　Carlisle　people　knew　nothing　of　thiswould　have　thought　him　tinged　with　mild　lunacy　if　they　had　known。　　To　them；　he　was　just　the　shy；　simple　farmer　he　appeared。　　They　never　knew　or　guessed　at　the　real　Jasper　Dale。

One　spring　Alice　Reade　came　to　teach　music　in　Carlisle。　　Her　pupils　worshipped　her；　but　the　grown　people　thought　she　was　rather　too　distant　and　reserved。　　They　had　been　used　to　merry；　jolly　girls　who　joined　eagerly　in　the　social　life　of　the　place。　　Alice　Reade　held　herself　aloof　from　itnot　disdainfully；　but　as　one　to　whom　these　things　were　of　small　importance。　　She　was　very　fond　of　books　and　solitary　rambles；　she　was　not　at　all　shy　but　she　was　as　sensitive　as　a　flower；　and　after　a　time　Carlisle　people　were　content　to　let　her　live　her　own　life　and　no　longer　resented　her　unlikeness　to　themselves。

She　boarded　with　the　Armstrongs；　who　lived　beyond　Golden　Milestone　around　the　hill　of　pines。　　Until　the　snow　disappeared　she　went　out　to　the　main　road　by　the　long　Armstrong　lane；　but　when　spring　came　she　was　wont　to　take　a　shorter　way；　down　the　pine　hill；　across　the　brook；　past　Jasper　Dale's　garden；　and　out　through　his　lane。　　And　one　day；　as　she　went　by；　Jasper　Dale　was　working　in　his　garden。

He　was　on　his　knees　in　a　corner；　setting　out　a　bunch　of　rootsan　unsightly　little　tangle　of　rainbow　possibilities。　　It　was　a　still　spring　morning；　the　world　was　green　with　young　leaves；　a　little　wind　blew　down　from　the　pines　and　lost　itself　willingly　among　the　budding　delights　of　the　garden。　　The　grass　opened　eyes　of　blue　violets。　　The　sky　was　high　and　cloudless；　turquoise…blue；　shading　off　into　milkiness　on　the　far　horizons。　　Birds　were　singing　along　the　brook　valley。　　Rollicking　robins　were　whistling　joyously　in　the　pines。　　Jasper　Dale's　heart　was　filled　to　over…flowing　with　a　realization　of　all　the　virgin　loveliness　around　him；　the　feeling　in　his　soul　had　the　sacredness　of　a　prayer。　　At　this　moment　he　looked　up　and　saw　Alice　Reade。

She　was　standing　outside　the　garden　fence；　in　the　shadow　of　a　great　pine　tree；　looking　not　at　him；　for　she　was　unaware　of　his　presence；　but　at　the　virginal　bloom　of　the　plum　trees　in　a　far　corner；　with　all　her　delight　in　it　outblossoming　freely　in　her　face。　　For　a　moment　Jasper　Dale　believed　that　his　dream　love　had　taken　visible　form　before　him。　　She　was　likeso　like；　not　in　feature；　perhaps；　but　in　grace　and　colouringthe　grace　of　a　slender；　lissome　form　and　the　colouring　of　cloudy　hair　and　wistful；　dark　gray　eyes；　and　curving　red　mouth；　and　more　than　all；　she　was　like　her　in　expressionin　the　subtle　revelation　of　personality　exhaling　from　her　like　perfume　from　a　flower。　　It　was　as　if　his　own　had　come　to　him　at　last　and　his　whole　soul　suddenly　leaped　out　to　meet　and　welcome　her。

Then　her　eyes　fell　upon　him　and　the　spell　was　broken。　　Jasper　remained　kneeling　mutely　there；　shy　man　once　more；　crimson　with　blushes；　a　strange；　almost　pitiful　creature　in　his　abject　confusion。　　A　little　smile　flickered　about　the　delicate　corners　of　her　mouth；　but　she　turned　and　walked　swiftly　away　down　the　lane。

Jasper　looked　after　her　with　a　new；　painful　sense　of　loss　and　loveliness。　　It　had　been　agony　to　feel　her　conscious　eyes　upon　him；　but　he　realized　now　that　there　had　been　a　strange　sweetness　in　it；　too。　　It　was　still　greater　pain　to　watch　her　going　from　him。

He　thought　she　must　be　the　new　music　teacher　but　he　did　not　even　know　her　name。　　She　had　been　dressed　in　blue；　tooa　pale；　dainty　blue；　but　that　was　of　course；　he　had　known　she　must　wear　it；　and　he　was　sure　her　name　must　be　Alice。　　When；　later　on；　he　discovered　that　it　was；　he　felt　no　surprise。

He　carried　some　mayflowers　up　to　the　west　gable　and　put　them　under　the　picture。　　But　the　charm　had　gone　out　of　the　tribute；　and　looking　at　the　picture；　he　thought　how　scant　was　the　justice　it　did　her。　　Her　face　was　so　much　sweeter；　her　eyes　so　much　softer；　her　hair　so　much　more　lustrous。　　The　soul　of　his　love　had　gone　from　the　room　and　from　the　picture　and　from　his　dreams。　　When　he　tried　to　think　of　the　Alice　he　loved　he　saw；　not　the　shadowy　spirit　occupant　of　the　west　gable；　but　the　young　girl　who　had　stood　under　the　pine；　beautiful　with　the　beauty　of　moonlight；　of　starshine　on　still　water；　of　white；　wind…swayed　flowers　growing　in　silent；　shadowy　places。　　He　did　not　then　realize　what　this　meant：　had　he　realized　it　he　would　have　suffered　bitterly；　as　it　was　he　felt　only　a　vague　discomforta　curious　sense　of　loss　and　gain　commingled。

He　saw　her　again　that　afternoon　on　her　way　home。　　She　did　not　pause　by　the　garden　but　walked　swiftly　past。　　Thereafter；　every　day　for　a　week　he　watched　unseen　to　see　her　pass　his　home。　　Once　a　little　child　was　with　her；　clinging　to　her　hand。　　No　child　had　ever　before　had　any　part　in　the　shy　man's　dream　life。　　But　that　night　in　the　twilight　the　vision　of　the　rocking…chair　was　a　girl　in　a　blue　print　dress；　with　a　little；　golden…haired　shape　at　her　kneea　shape　that　lisped　and　prattled　and　called　her　〃mother；〃　and　both　of　them　were　his。

It　was　the　next　day　that　he　failed　for　the　first　time　to　put　flowers　in　the　west　gable。　　Instead；　he　cut　a　loose　handful　of　daffodils　and；　looking　furtively　about　him　as　if　committing　a　crime；　he　laid　them　across　the　footpath　under　the　pine。　　She　must　pass　that　way；　her　feet　would　crush　them　if　she　failed　to　see　them。　　Then　he　slipped　back　into　his　garden；　half　exultant；　half　repentant。　　From　a　safe　retreat　he　saw　her　pass　by　and　stoop　to　lift　his　flowers。　　Thereafter　he　put　some　in　the　same　place　every　day。

When　Alice　Reade　saw　the　flowers　she　knew　at　once　who　had　put　them　there；　and　divined　that　they　were　for　her。　　She　lifted　them　tenderly　in　much　surprise　and　pleasure。　　She　had　heard　all　about　Jasper　Dale　and　his　shyness；　but　before　she　had　heard　about　him　she　had　seen　him　in　church　and　liked　him。　　She　thought　his　face　and　his　dark　blue　eyes　beautiful；　she　even　liked　the　long　brown　hair　that　Carlisle　people　laughed　at。　　That　he　was　quite　different　from　other　people　she　had　understood　at　once；　but　she　thought　the　difference　in　his　favour。　　Perhaps　her　sensitive　nature　divined　and　responded　to　the　beauty　in　his。　　At　least；　in　her　eyes　Jasper　Dale　was　never　a　ridiculous　figure。

When　she　heard　the　story　of　the　west　gable；　which　most　people　disbelieved；　she　believed　it；　although　she　did　not　understand　it。　　It　invested　the　shy　man　with　interest　and　romance。　　She　felt　that　she　would　have　liked；　out　of　no　impertinent　curiosity；　to　solve　the　mystery；　she　believed　that　it　contained　the　key　to　his　character。

Thereafter；　every　day　she　found　flowers　under　the　pine　tree；　she　wished　to　see　Jasper　to　thank　him；　unaware　that　he　watched　her　daily　from　the　screen　of　shrubbery　in　his　garden；　but　it　was　some　time　before　she　found　the　opportunity。　　One　evening　she　passed　when　he；　not　expecting　her；　was　leaning　against　his　garden　fence　with　a　book　in　his　hand。　　She　stopped　under　the　pine。

〃Mr。　Dale；〃　she　said　softly；　〃I　want　to　thank　you　for　your　flowers。〃

Jasper；　startled；　wished　that　he　might　sink　into　the　ground。　　His　anguish　of　embarrassment　made　her　smile　a　little。　　He　could　not　speak；　so　she　went　on　gently。

〃It　has　been　so　good　of　you。　　They　have　given　me　so　much