“And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then Heaven tries earth if it be in tune2,
And over it softly her warm ear lays;
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmur3, or see it glisten4.”
That twelfth of June was just such a day as Lowell describes in his immortal5 poem. Everybody196 was happy, even Grandpa Jim, since his beloved child was not really being taken from him. He was merely being presented with a grandson-in-law who would but add to the joy of his declining years. The wedding trip was to take Mary Louise away for only two weeks and Irene was to stay with him until Mr. and Mrs. Danny Dexter should return.
The ceremony was to be at high noon, followed by a wedding breakfast, the splendor6 and lavishness7 of which was to be the talk of Dorfield for days to come. Colonel Hathaway was not inclined to show, but the marriage of this dear grandchild was of paramount8 importance to the old man and he felt that nothing must be left undone9 to make this wedding breakfast perfect. The list of guests had grown, as such lists always do grow, and to the dear friends and intimates were gradually added the new acquaintances of grandfather and granddaughter. It was difficult to draw the line, since both old man and young girl had such kindly10 feelings for everybody in Dorfield and everybody surely loved them.
“Why draw the line, since it is so difficult?” Grandpa Jim had remarked. “If there is any doubt about whether we should or shouldn’t ask197 anybody, for goodness’ sake let’s ask them. It is better to err11 on that side of the ledger12.” And so the invitation ended by being general, much to the delight and satisfaction of Dorfield. Mrs. Wright, after all, might have spared herself her trouble of maneuvering13 for invitations for her daughters.
The bridesmaids had arrived. They looked very like the bunches of sweet peas they were to carry. As for the bride, no lily of the field could have been fairer.
“Her angel face as the great eye of Heaven shone bright
And made a sunshine in a shady place.
Did ever mortal eye behold14 such heavenly grace?”
quoted Elizabeth in a whisper to Josie. Josie had refused to be a bridesmaid, but was with them upstairs where they were waiting for the hour to strike. “I do wish Irene could see you now,” she said to Mary Louise.
“Where is she, the dear girl? I’ll run down and speak to her before the people all come.”
“You could hardly do that, honey, as Irene is already out on the lawn. She has wheeled her chair to the spot where we decided15 she must198 sit so she can be part of the ceremony, as it were.”
“Here I am!” cried Hortense Markle tripping into the room. “I was so afraid you would worry about my not getting here in time. I am a wee bit late, but dear Felix is ill and I could not leave him before.”
“Oh, I am so sorry,” said Mary Louise. “Is he in bed?”
“No, he is sitting up with his dressing16 gown wrapped around him. It is just one of those miserable17 neuralgic attacks he is subject to, but it completely lays him out, poor fellow. He is so sorry not to come to the wedding. In fact, up to the last minute, he hoped he would be able to control the wretched headache and come anyhow, but he finally had to give up. I gave him a huge dose of aspirin18. I really hated to leave him but, of course, I could not be absent from such a post of honor at such a time. The matron of honor is almost as necessary to a bride as the groom19 himself. But how beautiful you are, my dear Mary Louise! And the girls! They are wonderful. I am almost sorry I am to be in the picture, I want so much to see it.”
Hortense herself was as beautiful as could be.199 Her dress of the palest grey made over iridescent20 silk was perfect and her glowing beauty shone in a manner that Elizabeth thought of as being almost diabolical21 in its lure22.
“I am sorry I know what she is,” Elizabeth whispered to Josie. “I can’t enjoy her beauty as I should like to, knowing as I do what a thing she is.”
“Well, keep up a face, anyhow,” admonished23 Josie. “I am expecting trouble. I hope it won’t go wrong.”
“I promised to telephone Felix just before the ceremony,” said Hortense. “He says he wants to picture us as we go through the yew24 hedge. He is really quite sentimental25 about this wedding, dear Mary Louise. You are a prime favorite with him and he thinks great things of your Danny.”
At last the hour struck! It was time for the start. The guests had gathered on the lawn. It was hard for some of them to tear themselves away from the room where the wedding presents were placed. Such wedding presents! Cases of silver of every known pattern and device! Cut glass and fine china! Wonderful rugs and tapestries26! Rare etchings and prints! Linen200 fine enough for a king’s ransom28! All of these things were in a little room downstairs that connected Grandpa Jim’s bedroom and the living room. This room Mary Louise had always used as an extra sitting room where she could take her intimates. It had been cleared of furniture for the occasion and tables brought in to hold all the beautiful presents. Some of the more curious guests wanted to linger and read every card and look at the bottom of every piece of silver to see if, by chance, anyone could have sent anything not marked sterling29; but when the rumor30 went forth31 that the bridal procession was ready to start, the curious ones hastened for the terraces. Hortense telephoned to her husband a moment before they left the house.
“We are ready, dear,” she said in the phone in Mary Louise’s room, “Just starting! You may think of us in five minutes now as being in the midst of the ceremony. I hope your dear head is better. Oh, I am so sorry! Go to bed dear!”
Josie watched every movement of the matron of honor. Nothing escaped the little detective. It was easy to see that Hortense was filled with an excitement that merely being matron of honor201 did not warrant. Her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were flushed. Her beauty glowed like a ruby32. Occasionally, Josie noticed she stood still for a moment in an attitude of listening. Josie listened too up to the moment the bridal party came through the yew hedge and made its way to the spot on the greensward where the minister awaited. Then for a moment, she forgot everything but the fact that Mary Louise, her dear little friend, was being united to her Danny in the holy bonds of matrimony in sickness and in health until death would them part.
Of course, the servants came out to the side of the house to see their little mistress married. Even the caterers who had begun to swarm33 in and out of the place left their work and joined the house servants. Mary Louise was a favorite with everybody and this was not the first time those caterers had been called to Colonel Hathaway’s to serve, for the old gentleman was a famous entertainer and many had been the parties given by him to his granddaughter. The great house was empty. Everybody was in the garden thrilled by the beautiful and picturesque34 sight of the wedding.
As the procession came through the yew hedge202 a small automobile35 truck was driven up the alley36. It stopped at the Hathaways’ back gate and two men got out, each one with a trunk slung37 over his back. Quietly they made their way through the deserted38 kitchen and butler’s pantry and into the small room where the presents were on display. They closed the doors to this room and then with remarkable39 dispatch proceeded to pack the presents in the trunks filled with excelsior, first the silver which they took from the cases, thereby40 economizing41 space, and then the cut glass wrapped in the fine linen27 and tapestries and packed between the folds of the rugs. Such clever packers were never seen. They seemed to have an instinct for fitting an article in a space. The trunks were filled in a twinkling and then the men carried them out one at a time, and quietly and easily lifted them into the truck. Just as the minister pronounced Danny and Mary Louise man and wife and warned the guests that whom God had united let no man put asunder42, the truck started up the alley.
“Well, we got off there all safe,” laughed one of the men. “I must say you are the cleverest ever. Of course, you have your wife to help you plan a thing like this.” The man who was203 thus blessed was no other than Felix Markle, who seemed to have shaken off his headache remarkably43 quickly and have got to the Hathaways in time for the ceremony after all.
“Yes, she is a wonder. I’d like to know if the others got the things from the Wrights. I hope they didn’t fill up with useless plunder44. The Wrights are off to the beach tomorrow and they won’t know a thing about their treasures being lifted until they come back in the fall. There they are!”
The truck was met at the corner by one similar also carrying trunks and run by two men.
“All safe?” called Markle.
“As easy as shootin’!” was the answer. “Not a soul around and back windows all unlatched. We found the silver on top the wardrobe and brought along all the books you named to us. We picked up some rugs too, all nicely packed in moth45 balls and two fur coats.”
“Well, we’d best be off now. You have the address all right, eh? Mark your tag clearly and bring me your check tomorrow at my office. Good boys!”
The trucks then separated, the one Markle was in making at a goodly speed for a small204 town about fifteen miles from Dorfield, the other one going to the Dorfield station.
Josie, whose eye was ever on Hortense, noticed the woman was a little distrait46 at the close of the ceremony. Just as the benediction47 was pronounced instead of casting down her eyes she seemed unable to keep her eyes from the back of the garden, even stooping a little to peer through a gap in the hedge. What could she be interested in?
Congratulations in order! Everybody kissing the bride and shaking hands with the bridegroom, some of them even kissing him. Josie slipped through the crowd and whispered something to Bob Dulaney.
“A truck you say drove up during the ceremony?”
“Yes, and it is off now, but we can keep up with it. The chief is having all the stations watched. Have you your disguise?”
“Sure! And you?”
“Mine is in my pocket, so come along.”
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1
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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2
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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3
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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glisten
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| vi.（光洁或湿润表面等）闪闪发光，闪闪发亮 | |
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5
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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lavishness
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| n.浪费，过度 | |
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8
paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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9
undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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10
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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11
err
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| vi.犯错误，出差错 | |
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12
ledger
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| n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿 | |
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13
maneuvering
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| v.移动，用策略( maneuver的现在分词 )；操纵 | |
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14
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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16
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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17
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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18
aspirin
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| n.阿司匹林 | |
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19
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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20
iridescent
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| adj.彩虹色的，闪色的 | |
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21
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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22
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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23
admonished
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| v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
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24
yew
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| n.紫杉属树木 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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26
tapestries
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| n.挂毯( tapestry的名词复数 )；绣帷，织锦v.用挂毯（或绣帷）装饰( tapestry的第三人称单数 ) | |
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27
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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28
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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29
sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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30
rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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31
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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36
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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37
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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40
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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41
economizing
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| v.节省，减少开支( economize的现在分词 ) | |
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42
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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43
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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44
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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45
moth
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| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
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46
distrait
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| adj.心不在焉的 | |
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47
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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