 | Purple-Eyes |  |
VII "WHAT YOU BED?"
Later they found the letter in the discarded conversation-book. It said that Garland was having his final outing before becoming a Benedick; and the missionary on the hill told them that that meant that he was to be married upon his return to America. Purple-Eyes drew a sharp breath, then faced the other two savagely. She was able to laugh presently; but it was a very piteous laugh.
"Tha' 's what I know! Aha, ha, ha! He he tell me all those." But the pitiful lie stuck in her throat, and her lips were dry. "He tell me aevery-thing! Yaes" to a look of doubt from Black-Eyes "he go'n' marry that other for jus' liddle "
"Speak Japanese," said her mother, who was not so clever at English as her daughters; but the request fell like a lash upon Purple-Eyes' heart.
"I will not!" she flamed forth, "I will speak his language. He will come for me. If he do not come, I shall go to him. He go'n' marry that other if he marry her if jus' liddle Me? He go'n' marry me las' an' foraever!"
Suddenly she became aware that she had betrayed her secret.
"Oh, all the gods in the sky!" she cried in anguish. "Tha' 's lie. He not go'n' marry me. He don' say. Jus' I thing so jus' I " She had to debase herself still further, if she would be shriven. "He not go'n' come for me. I not go'n' go at him. Me? Tha' 's correc', Oku-San; I jus' his liddle plaything. He don' say nawthing. Jus' I thing so."
Her mother nodded.
"And when he tires of the plaything "
She threw an imaginary something into the air.
"Yaes," whispered Purple-Eyes, humbly bowing her head; but when her face was down she smiled. It was all very sure to her. As she looked up she saw something like malevolence upon the face of her sister.
"But also he not go'n' marry that other foraever!"
Her sister smiled unbelievingly,
"I bed you don'!"
"Ah! what you bed?" challenged Black-Eyes.
"That heart in my bosom!" answered Purple-Eyes.
| Purple-Eyes | |