Веснянки
Chapter XVII
“Imustn’tbelayingittotheAlmighty,ortomebird,mustI?”
“No,dearlad,”saidMcLean,strokingthebrillianthair.“Thechoicelaywithyou.Youcouldhavestoodarooteddoltlikealltheremainderofus.Itwasthroughyourgreatloveandyourhighcouragethatyoumadethesacrifice.”
“Don’tyoubesonamingit,sir!”criedFreckles.“It’sjustthereverse.IfIcouldbegivingmebodythehundredtimesovertosavehersfromthis,I’dbedoingitandtakejoywitheverypain.”
HeturnedwithasmileofadoringtendernesstotheAngel.Shewasghastlywhite,andhereyesweredullandglazed.Shescarcelyseemedtohearorunderstandwhatwascoming,butshebravelytriedtoanswerthatsmile.
“Ismyforeheadcoveredwithdirt?”heasked.
Sheshookherhead.
“Youdidonce,”hegasped.
Instantlyshelaidherlipsonhisforehead,thenoneachcheek,andtheninalongkissonhislips.
McLeanbentoverhim.
“Freckles,”hesaidbrokenly,“youwillneverknowhowIloveyou.Youwon’tgowithoutsayinggood-byetome?”
ThatwordstungtheAngeltoquickcomprehension.Shestartedasifarousingfromsleep.
“Good-bye?”shecriedsharply,hereyeswideningandthecolorrushingintoherwhiteface.“Good-bye!Why,whatdoyoumean?Who’ssayinggood-bye?WherecouldFrecklesgo,whenheishurtlikethis,savetothehospital?Youneedn’tsaygood-byeforthat.Ofcourse,wewillallgowithhim!Youcallupthemen.Wemuststartrightaway.”
“It’snouse,Angel,”saidFreckles.“I’mthinkingivryboneinmebreastissmashed.
