|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
 |
||||
|
Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
||||
|
|
||||
76 “I told you I was never scared with you,” she answered. The strange exaltation of his mood had brought on one of his rare fits of boastfulness. “It is a tricky place, though. The least swerve, and we’d never ha’ come up again. But I can measure distances to a hair’s-breadth-always could.” She murmured: “I always say you’ve got the surest eye...” Deep silence had fallen with the starless dusk, and they leaned on each other without speaking; but at every step of their climb Ethan said to himself: “It’s the last time we’ll ever walk together.” They mounted slowly to the top of the hill. When they were abreast of the church he stooped his head to her to ask: “Are you tired?” and she answered, breathing quickly: “It was splendid!” With a pressure of his arm he guided her toward the Norway spruces. “I guess this sled must be Ned Hale’s. Anyhow I’ll leave it where I found it.” He drew the sled up to the Varnum gate and rested it against the fence. As he raised himself he suddenly felt Mattie close to him among the shadows. “Is this where Ned and Ruth kissed each other?” she whispered breathlessly, and flung her arms about him. Her lips, groping for his, swept over his face, and he held her fast in a rapture of surprise. “Good-bye-good-bye,” she stammered, and kissed him again. “Oh, Matt, I can’t let you go!” broke from him in the same old cry. She freed herself from his hold and he heard her sobbing. “Oh, I can’t go either!” she wailed. “Matt! What’ll we do? What’ll we do?” They clung to each other’s hands like children, and her body shook with desperate sobs. Through the stillness they heard the church clock striking five. “Oh, Ethan, it’s time!” she cried. He drew her back to him. “Time for what? You don’t suppose I’m going to leave you now?” “If I missed my train where’d I go?” “Where are you going if you catch it?” She stood silent, her hands lying cold and relaxed in his. “What’s the good of either of us going anywheres without the other one now?” he said. She remained motionless, as if she had not heard him. Then she snatched her hands from his, threw her arms about his neck, and pressed a sudden drenched cheek against his face. “Ethan! Ethan! I want you to take me down again!” “Down where?” “The coast. Right off,” she panted. “So ‘t we’ll never come up any more.” “Matt! What on earth do you mean?” She put her lips close against his ear to say: “Right into the big elm. You said you could. So ‘t we’d never have to leave each other any more.” “Why, what are you talking of? You’re crazy!” “I’m not crazy; but I will be if I leave you.” “Oh, Matt, Matt-” he groaned. |
