IV
Nathan lay on his bed that night with his arms behind his head and stared up into the dark.
Moment by moment he lived that galaxy of sylvan love over. Branded as with searing iron into his brain was the picture of Bernice Gridley knee-deep in the brook water, or as he had laid her down on the hemlock needles when he had subsequently rescued her.
“I’ve got to marry her! I’ve got to marry her right off,” he told himself. “Grandfather Forge married at sixteen, he said so; and Grandma Forge was only fourteen. That’s only two years older’n me, and what’s two years? I’ll ask her! I’ll ask her to-morrow.”
And the poor young ass did.
It was down along the path through the Haskell meadow,—the “short cut” from Matthews Court to Windsor Street. It was by accident he encountered the girl but he stopped her.
“Marry you! Marry you!” she choked. “I think you’re raving crazy. I’m not old enough to marry anybody. Besides, I’m mad at you, anyhow!”
“What for, Bernie?”
“You broke your promise! You tattled about me going into the water.”
“I did not!”
“You did!”
“You can’t prove it!”
“Well, somebody did and it might as well been you! Besides, last night I dreamed you did—and that settles it.”
“But I can’t help what you dream!”
“Well, I’m mad, anyhow. You haven’t the backbone of a fish! You let your father jaw you, right there in sight of everybody.”
“Could I help it? He’s bigger’n me. And besides, he’s my father.”
“If my father dared to jaw me like that in front of everybody I’d—I’d—I’d get a gun and I’d shoot him dead! I told you that before.”
“I hate him as much as I love you, Bernie. At the same time, I can’t kill him.”
“Well, you wanted to know why I won’t marry you and I’m telling you. Besides, who’d marry us?”
“We could run away, Bernie. I could tell some minister we’re older than we are. You could get some of your mother’s long dresses perhaps and I’m puttin’ on long pants next week anyhow——”
“And who’d support us?”
“I’ve reached man’s estate. I’m going to work next week, anyhow. If I’ve reached man’s estate and am going to work and earn money, I’ve got a right to have the things a man has—a wife, for instance!”
“Where are you going to work?”
“In—in—your father’s tannery. And if I’ve got a wife, maybe my father will let me have my own money for myself. He’ll have to! The law’d make him——”
“Well of all things! Nathan Forge! And do you think I’d marry a man who worked in a smelly tannery?”
“Your father does!”
“My father owns it. It’s different. Now I know you’re crazy! I bet your father hit you over the head and made you crazy! I’ve heard of such things. And if you don’t get out of my way I’m going to scream!”
“Bernie—don’t go off mad! I ain’t crazy, Bernie——”
“When I get married it’s going to be a millionaire. And he’s not going to dress like a tramp, or go around with freckles, or need a hair-cut, or be so slow when I let him kiss me he makes me feel I was doing something wicked.”
“Bernie—you said in your letters you l-l-loved me! You said——”
“Oh, can’t you take a joke? That was just for fun, and besides, we aren’t grown up so it didn’t mean anything, anyhow!”
“You were only foolin’?”
“Well, I didn’t suppose you’d take it serious—in such a foolish way as this. Why, my father would horsewhip you if he even dreamed you’d asked such a thing.”
“Bernie—you aren’t—you aren’t—playing fair.”
“Well, a girl doesn’t have to play fair—if she doesn’t want. Anyhow, you’re not the boy I’d marry even if we were grown up. You aren’t handsome! You’re nothing but an ordinary little freckle-faced frump.”
“Then why—did you let—me kiss you——”
“Oh, just because I liked it. And even so, you didn’t care enough to come with me into the water and save me from getting all wet. And—and—I hate you and I’m going to Rutland to spend the summer next week and then I’m going to private school down to Mt. Hadley in the fall. My mother said so. She heard about what happened at the picnic. She said I wasn’t going to stay around Paris and get mixed up with the son of any village cobbler. I’m too high-class. Now you get out of my way or I’ll yell for help!”
“You’re goin’ away and I’m never goin’ to see you any more?”
“I am. And I’m tickled to death to forget you!”
When Nathan could see through his misery, the girl had vanished.