登陆注册
5224300000078

第78章 XXXII(2)

Ivory felt himself hidden in the beautiful shelter of the girl's love. It was dark now, or as dark as the night ever is that has moonlight and snow. He took Waitstill in his arms again reverently, and laid his cheek against her hair. "I worship God as well as I know how," he whispered; "worship him as the maker of this big heaven and earth that surrounds us. But I worship you as the maker of my little heaven and earth, and my heart is saying its prayers to you at this very moment!"

"Hush, my dear! hush! and don't value me too much, or I shall lose my head--I that have never known a sweet word in all my life save those that my sister has given me.--I must tell you all about Patty now."

"I happen to know more than you, dear. I met her at the bridge when I was coming home from the woods, and I saw her safely to Uncle Bart's door.--I don't know why we speak of it as Uncle Bart's when it is really Aunt Abby's!--I next met Mark, who had fairly flown from Bridgton on the wings of love, arriving hours ahead of time. I managed to keep him from avenging the insults heaped upon his bride, and he has driven to the Mills to confide in his father and mother. By this time Patty is probably the centre of the family group, charming them all as is her custom."

"Oh, I am so glad Mark is at home! Now I can be at rest about Patty. And I must not linger another moment, for I am going to ask Mrs. Mason to keep me overnight," cried Waitstill, bethinking herself suddenly of time and place.

"I will take you there myself and explain everything. And the moment I've lighted a fire in Mrs. Mason's best bedroom and settled you there, what do you think I am going to do? I shall drive to the town clerk's house, and if he is in bed, rout him out and have the notice of our intended marriage posted in a public place according to law. Perhaps I shall save a day out of the fourteen I've got to wait for my wife. 'Mills,' i ndeed! I wonder at you, Waitstill! As if Mrs. Mason's house was not far enough away, without your speaking of 'mills.'"

"I only suggested mills in case you did not want to marry me," s aid Waitstill.

"Walk up to the door with me," begged Ivory.

"The horse is all harnessed, and Rod will slip him into the sleigh in a jiffy."

"Oh, Ivory! do you realize what this means?"--and Waitstill clung to his arm as they went up the lane together--"that whatever sorrow, whatever hardship comes to us, neither of us will ever have to bear it alone again?"

"I believe I do realize it as few men could, for never in my five-and-twenty years have I had a human creature to whom I could pour myself out, in whom I could really confide, with whom I c ould take counsel. You can guess what it will be to have a comprehending woman at my side. Shall we tell my mother? Do say 'yes'; I believe she will understand.--Rod, Rod! come and see who's stepping in the door this very minute!"

Rodman was up in his bedroom, attiring himself elaborately for sentry duty. His delight at seeing Waitstill was perhaps slightly tempered by the thought that flashed at once through his mind,--that if she was safe, he would not be required to stand guard in the snow for hours as he had hoped. But this grief passed when he fully realized what Waitstill's presence at the farm at this unaccustomed hour really meant. After he had been told, he hung about her like the child that he was,--though he had a bit of the hero in him, at bottom, too,--embracing her waist fondly, and bristling with wondering questions.

"Is she really going to stay with us for always, Ivory?" he asked.

"Every day and all the days; every night and all the nights.

'Praise God from whom all blessings flow!'" said Ivory, taking off his fur cap and opening the door of the living-room. "But we've got to wait for her a whole fortnight, Rod. Isn't that a ridiculous snail of a law?"

"Patty didn't wait a fortnight."

"Patty never waited for anything," Ivory responded with a smile;

"but she had a good reason, and, alas! we haven't, or they'11 say that we haven't. And I am very grateful to the same dear little Patty, for when she got herself a husband she found me a wife!"

Rodman did not wholly understand this, but felt that there were many mysteries attending the love affairs of grown-up people that were too complicated for him to grasp; and it did not seem to be just the right moment for questions.

Waitstill and Ivory went into Mrs. Boynton's room quietly, hand in hand, and when she saw Waitstill she raised herself from her pillow and held out her arms with a soft cry of delight.

"I haven't had you for so long, so long!" she said, touching the girl's cheek with her frail hand.

"You are going to have me every day now, dear," whispered Waitstill, with a sob in her voice; for she saw a change in the face, a new transparency, a still more ethereal look than had been there before.

"Every day?" she repeated, longingly. Waitstill took off her hood, and knelt on the floor beside the bed, hiding her face in the counterpane to conceal the tears.

"She is coming to live with us, dear.--Come in, Rod, and hear me tell her.--Waitstill is coming to live with us: isn't that a beautiful thing to happen to this dreary house?" asked Ivory, bending to take his mother's hand.

"Don't you remember what you thought the first time I ever came here, mother?" and Waitstill lifted her head, and looked at Mrs.

Boynton with swimming eyes and lips that trembled. "Ivory is making it all come true, and I shall be your daughter!"

Mrs. Boynton sank farther back into her pillows, and closing her eyes, gave a long sigh of infinite content. Her voice was so faint that they had to stoop to catch the words, and Ivory, feeling the strange benediction that seemed to be passing from his mother's spirit to theirs, took Rod's hand and knelt beside Waitstill.

The verse of a favorite psalm was running through Lois Boynton's mind, and in a moment the words came clearly, as she opened her eyes, lifted her hands, and touched the bowed heads. "Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth forever!" she said, slowly and reverently; and Ivory, with all his heart, responded, "Amen!"

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 人力资源绩效考核与薪酬激励

    人力资源绩效考核与薪酬激励

    企业的用人问题最重要的是对职员做出公正、合理的考核,并通过薪酬来激励职员的工作热情。本书系统介绍了绩效考核与薪酬激励的基本理论和常用的方法与技巧。对绩效考核与薪酬激励各个环节都做了具体的介绍,并在各章都附了一定的案例。理论介绍的同时,注重从实际操作角度讲各种常用的考核与激励技术。
  • 浙江省“科研兴校”百强

    浙江省“科研兴校”百强

    本书介绍了杭州、宁波、温州、金华、台州、绍兴、嘉兴、湖州、衢州、丽水、舟山和义乌12个科研兴校的城市。
  • 大方等大集经

    大方等大集经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 丑女逆袭记

    丑女逆袭记

    一个平平凡凡的上班族,偶遇美男子商业间谍,十分女汉子的她抽总裁,追总监,欺帅徒,无奈,有了个帅徒弟,美男为她疯狂,为她温柔,可她,只是个平凡的丑女。【除了总裁,还加入了都市元素,男闺蜜元素,逆势元素】
  • 净天

    净天

    嫁我,我便原谅你,还会放了你的这帮姐妹,让我滚,很好,如此的尊敬我便饶你,我就是这么要脸的……
  • The Hated Son

    The Hated Son

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 萌妻大神嗨翻天

    萌妻大神嗨翻天

    溥卿言22岁时一见钟情林时遇,到了26岁还没有将小白兔叼回家。于是在他的好友圈流传着一句话。溥总怂,溥总怂。溥总怂完还是溥总怂。本想着温水煮青蛙。没曾想半路被人截了胡。这次,溥总终于不怂了。当很久之后的某一天,林时遇从溥卿言的书房柜子翻到了一本日记。翻开第一页,第二页、第三页……通通都只有一句话。“想和林时遇有一个可爱的小包子。”于是,林时遇24岁那年,和溥卿言有了两只白白胖胖的小包砸。【优雅痞子贵公子VS呆萌甜美小辣椒。电竞小甜文,可放心食用。】
  • 妃本蛇蝎:轻狂三小姐

    妃本蛇蝎:轻狂三小姐

    她是国家安全局首席情报执行官,中央军事学院任课教官,杀敌无数战功显赫。一朝穿越成为被宰相亲爹遗弃老家的无能落魄女?身世凄惨遭遇背叛,瘦小软弱备受欺压?NoNoNo!她才不会让自己活的这么窝囊!建建军队盗盗墓,倒卖军火圈圈钱,打家劫舍做黑市,谁敢惹她轰了谁。当‘侵犯’她的人是那个敌国邪魅的太子时?苏殷小手一抬,轰他丫的!四国硝烟,群雄并起,强者为尊,当特工重生,弃女睁眼,这天下,又将谁主沉浮?
  • 神医高尚先生

    神医高尚先生

    正午,毒毒的日头下,一支长长的出殡队伍缓缓行进在河间府城的大街上。白幡高挂,哀乐长鸣,那口硕大厚重的黑色柏木棺材格外刺目。忽然,一位须发皆白的骑驴老者阻住了去路。只见他轻巧地翻下驴背,平伸双臂,挡在了队伍前面。众人大惊。总兵府家人上前正要打问,老者已经以不容置疑的语气开口了:“快回禀你家主人,棺中之人尚有生机,请他速速开棺,容老夫施救。”
  • 心跳加速的那一刻

    心跳加速的那一刻

    也许在某个转角路灯会暗一次又一次的失败摔倒这些重复的动作也许在某一天就有意义了…不断的摸索中获得更多