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that found and followed the crystal paths through the waste of foam。。。。
There were long； quiet stretches； hemmed in by alders； where the canoes；
dodging the fallen trees； glided through the still water。。。 No such
silent； exhilarating motion Janet had ever known。 Even the dipping
paddles made no noise； though sometimes there was a gurgle； as though a
fish had broken the water behind them； sometimes； in the shining pools
ahead； she saw the trout leap out。 At every startling flop Delphin would
exclaim： 〃Un gros！〃 From an upper branch of a spruce a kingfisher darted
like an arrow into the water； making a splash like a falling stone。
Once； after they had passed through the breach of a beaver dam； Herve
nodded his head toward a mound of twigs by the bank and muttered
something。 Augusta Maturin laughed。
〃Cabane de castor； he saysa beaver cabin。 And the beavers made the dam
we just passed。 Did you notice； Janet； how beautifully clean those logs
had been cut by their sharp teeth？〃
At moments she conversed rapidly with Delphin in the same patois Janet
had heard on the streets of Hampton。 How long ago that seemed！
On two occasions； when the falls were sheer； they had to disembark and
walk along little portages through the green raspberry bushes。 The
prints of great hooves in the black silt betrayed where wild animals had
paused to drink。 They stopped for lunch on a warm rock beside a singing
waterfall； and at last they turned an elbow in the stream and with
suddenly widened vision beheld the lake's sapphire expanse and the
distant circle of hills。 〃Les montagnes；〃 Herve called them as he flung
out his pipe； and this Janet could translate for herself。 Eastward they
lay lucent in the afternoon light； westward； behind the generous log camp
standing on a natural terrace above the landing； they were in shadow。
Here indeed seemed peace； if remoteness； if nature herself might bestow
it。
Janet little suspected that special preparations had been made for her
comfort。 Early in April； while the wilderness was still in the grip of
winter； Delphin had been summoned from a far…away lumber camp to Saint
Hubert； where several packing…cases and two rolls of lead pipe from
Montreal lay in a shed beside the railroad siding。 He had superintended
the transportation of these； on dog sledges； up the frozen decharge；
accompanied on his last trip by a plumber of sorts from Beaupre； thirty
miles down the line； and between them they had improvised a bathroom； and
attached a boiler to the range！ Only a week before the arrival of Madame
the spring on the hillside above the camp had been tapped； and the pipe
laid securely underground。 Besides this unheard…of luxury for the Lac du
Sablier there were iron beds and mattresses and little wood stoves to go
in the four bedrooms； which were more securely chinked with moss。 The
traditions of that camp had been hospitable。 In Professor Wishart's day
many guests had come and gone； or pitched their tents nearby； and Augusta
Maturin； until this summer； had rarely been here alone； although she had
no fears of the wilderness； and Delphin brought his daughter Delphine to
do the housework and cooking。 The land for miles round about was owned
by a Toronto capitalist who had been a friend of her father； and who
could afford as a hobby the sparing of the forest。 By his permission a
few sportsmen came to fish or shoot； and occasionally their campfires
could be seen across the water； starlike glows in the darkness of the
night； at morning and evening little blue threads of smoke that rose
against the forest； 〃bocane；〃 Delphin called it； and Janet found a sweet；
strange magic in these words of the pioneer。
The lake was a large one； shaped like an hourglass； as its name implied；
and Augusta Maturin sometimes paddled Janet through the wide； shallow
channel to the northern end； even as she had once paddled Gifford。 Her
genius was for the helpless。 One day； when the waters were high； and the
portages could be dispensed with； they made an excursion through the
Riviere des Peres to the lake of that name； the next in the chain above。
For luncheon they ate the trout Augusta caught； and in the afternoon；
when they returned to the mouth of the outlet； Herve； softly checking the
canoe with his paddle； whispered the word 〃Arignal！〃 Thigh deep in the
lush grasses of the swamp was an animal with a huge grey head； like a
donkey's； staring foolishly in their directiona cow moose。 With a
tremendous commotion that awoke echoes in the forest she tore herself
from the mud and disappeared； followed by her panic…stricken offspring； a
caricature of herself。。。。
By September the purple fireweed that springs up beside old camps； and in
the bois brute； had bloomed and scattered its myriad； impalpable
thistledowns over crystal floors。 Autumn came to the Laurentians。 In
the morning the lake lay like a quicksilver pool under the rising mists；
through which the sun struck blinding flashes of light。 A little later；
when the veil had lifted； it became a mirror for the hills and crags； the
blue reaches of the sky。 The stinging air was spiced with balsam。
Revealed was the incredible brilliance of another day；the arsenic…green
of the spruce； the red and gold of the maples； the yellow of the alders
bathing in the shallows； of the birches； whose white limbs could be seen
gleaming in the twilight of the thickets。 Early； too early； the sun fell
down behind the serrated forest…edge of the western hill； a ball of
orange fire。。。。 One evening Delphin and Herve； followed by two other
canoes； paddled up to the landing。 New visitors had arrived； Dr。 McLeod；
who had long been an intimate of the Wishart family； and with him a
buxom； fresh…complexioned Canadian woman； a trained nurse whom he had
brought from Toronto。
There； in nature's wilderness； Janet knew the supreme experience of
women； the agony； the renewal and joy symbolic of nature herself。 When
the child was bathed and dressed in the clothes Augusta Maturin herself
had made for it； she brought it into the room to the mother。
〃It's a daughter；〃 she announced。
Janet regarded the child wistfully。 〃I hoped it would be a boy；〃 she
said。 〃He would have hada better chance。〃 But she raised her arms；
and the child was laid in the bed beside her。
〃We'll see that she has a chance； my dear；〃 Augusta Maturin replied； as
she kissed her。
Ten days went by； Dr。 McLeod lingered at Lac du Sablier； and Janet was
still in bed。 Even in this life…giving air she did not seem to grow
stronger。 Sometimes； when the child was sleeping in its basket on the
sunny porch； Mrs。 Maturin read to her； but often when she was supposed to
rest； she lay gazing out of the open window into silver space listening
to the mocking laughter of the loons； watching the ducks flying across
the sky； or； as evening drew on； marking in the waters a steely angle
that grew and grewthe wake of a beaver swimming homeward in the
twilight。 In the cold nights the timbers cracked to the frost； she heard
the owls calling to one another from the fastnesses of the forest； and
thought of life's inscrutable mystery。 Then the child would be brought
to her。 It was a strange； unimagined happiness she knew when she felt it
clutching at her breasts； at her heart； a happiness not unmixed with
yearning； with sadness as she pressed it to her。 Why could it not remain
there always； to comfort her； to be nearer her than any living thing？
Reluctantly she gave it back to the nurse； wistfully her eyes followed
it。。。。
Twice a week； now； Delphin and Herve made the journey to Saint Hubert；
and one evening； after Janet had watched them paddling across the little
bay that separated the camp from the outlet's mouth； Mrs。 Maturin
appeared； with an envelope in her hand。
〃I've got a letter from Brooks Insall； Janet；〃 she said； with a well…
disguised effort to speak naturally。 〃It's not the first one he's sent
me； but I haven't mentioned the others。 He's in Sillistonand I wrote
him about the daughter。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Janet。
〃Wellhe wants to come up here； to see you； before we go away。 He asks
me to telegraph your permission。〃
〃Oh no； he mustn't； Mrs。 Maturin！〃
〃You don't care to see him？〃
〃It isn't that。 I'd like to see him if things had been different。 But
now that I've disappointed himhurt him； I couldn't stand it。 I know
it's only his kindness。〃
After a moment Augusta Maturin handed Janet a sealed envelope she held in
her hand。
〃He asked me to give you this；〃 she said； and left the room。 Janet read
it； and let it fall on the bedspread； where it was still lying when her
friend returned and began tidying the room。 From the direction of the
guide's cabin； on the point； came the sounds of talk and laughter； broken
by snatches of habitant songs。 Augusta Maturin smiled。 She pretended
not to notice the tears in Janet's eyes； and strove to keep back her own。
〃Delphin and Herve saw a moose in the decharge；〃 she explained。 〃Of
course it was a big one； it always is！ They're telling the doctor about
it。〃
〃Mrs。 Maturin；〃 said Janet； 〃I'd like to talk to you。 I think I ought to
tell you what Mr。 Insall says。〃