The cause of her fear, the gypsy god, was safely tucked away under her arm. This did not allay2 her fear. It only served to increase it, for had she not seen the shadow cast upon Angelo’s windowpane? And had she not recognized that shadow as belonging to the very gypsy who had pursued her in the darkness of that very morning?
81
“It is very strange about this gypsy god,” she said to Florence, as with a sigh of relief she sank into the depths of her own easy chair in their own little room. “One does not understand it at all. This god has been in the possession of the gypsy tribe of Bihari, my gypsy stepfather. As chief of the tribe he has watched over it for many years. Bihari is not in America. If he were I should know. Good news travels far in the wide world of the gypsies.
“And if he is not here, why is the God of Fire in this land? There can be but one answer. The tribe of Bihari would never part with so priceless a possession. It has been stolen and sent to America.”
“And then lost in the express.”
“You are quite right.”
“But who would steal it?”
“Who can say? Perhaps a gypsy who hates Bihari. There are many such. Perhaps only some sight-seeing Americans. There are some who would steal the Arch of Triumph in Paris as a souvenir if they could.”
82
“But is it so wonderful?” Florence’s tone was cold. Petite Jeanne had placed the strange object of their discussion upon the mantel. There, far from the glow of a fire, the thing seemed hideous3, smoke-blackened, dead.
“Who can tell all?” Petite Jeanne’s voice trailed off into a weary silence.
When she spoke4 again it was as with the lips of a philosopher:
“Who can know all? The gypsies believe that the fire dance and this god give them strength and courage, that their sick are healed, that by these their fortunes are mended. There are those who have been to many schools and who should know much more than the poor, wandering gypsies, but they believe in even stranger things.
“I only know that this god, this God of Fire, is very old and that I believe in his power because I was taught to do so as a child.
“But the gypsies of America desire this god!”
She sprang suddenly to her feet and began pacing the floor.
“Why,” exclaimed Florence, “they can’t even know it is here!”
83
“One of them does. He saw it smiling in the fire to-night. I saw his shadow on the windowpane. He will tell others.”
“You saw him?”
“It could have been none other. I recognized him instantly. His coat, his curious hat, his profile, were all visible.
“But we must guard this god well. We must keep him in hiding.” She went to the door and locked it. “I must have him for our opera.”
“But you could have a model made of clay. You could use that on the stage. No one would know. Few stage properties are real.”
“No! No!” The little French girl held up hands in protest. “Never! I will dance only before the true God of Fire.”
“Then,” said Florence calmly, “you will run a great risk. Some of the gypsies will attend the play. They are fond of drama. This one you saw will see the god. He will have it at any cost.”
84
“It may be so,” said the little French girl, dropping into a chair and folding her slender hands. “But truly, my friend, there is no other course.”
“Well!” Florence sprang to her feet. “Since we are to have his Reverence5, or his Highness—or how do you speak of a god?—we must find him a safe resting place. Where can we hide him?”
A careful scrutiny6 of their narrow quarters revealed no safe hiding place.
“Your trunk? My dresser drawer? Under the mattress7?” Petite Jeanne sighed. “May as well set him up here in the middle of the floor.” She placed the figure on the polished pine floor.
“But see!” Florence leaped forward. “Some one has cut a hole in the floor. I wonder why?”
“Some dark secret’s hidden there,” the little French girl whispered.
Florence had spoken the truth. In the very center of the floor three boards had been cut through twice. The pieces between the cuts, each some ten inches long, had been rudely pried8 up by the aid of some instrument. Something had undoubtedly9 been done; then the boards had been pounded back in place.
85
“Here!” exclaimed Florence, reaching for a heavy iron poker10 that stood by the fireplace. “Let’s have a look.”
Her first attempts to pry11 up the boards were unsuccessful. The poker slipped, then bent12. When Petite Jeanne supplemented her labors13 with a broken case knife their labors were rewarded. The short length of board sprang from its place.
Eagerly they pressed forward to look, and bumped their heads together doing so. Then they dropped back in their places with a merry laugh.
The hidden secret was no secret at all. The house, being a very old one, had been erected14 before the coming of electric lights. When installing the lights the electricians had found it necessary to open the floors of the upper rooms in order that they might install lights for the lower floors.
“Oh!” Florence sighed. “What a disappointment!”
86
“No!” cried Petite Jeanne. “See what we have found!”
“Found! What have we found?” Florence stared.
“We have found a safe place of hiding for my ancient friend, the God of Fire. How sweet! We have only to lift the boards, lower him to the laths below, batten down the hatch once more, and there you have him as snug15 as a diamond in a new setting.”
“You’re keen!” Florence put out a hand to pat her friend’s blonde head. “Now we can sleep in peace.”
And so they did, awakening16 at a late hour to a world of sunshine and high hopes. Nor is there reason to believe that his Highness objected in the least to the darkness of his place among the beams and plaster.
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收听单词发音
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1
apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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2
allay
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| v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等) | |
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3
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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4
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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5
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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7
mattress
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| n.床垫，床褥 | |
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8
pried
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| v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的过去式和过去分词 )；撬开 | |
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9
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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10
poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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11
pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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12
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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13
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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14
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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15
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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16
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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