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Mary Louise by L. Frank Baum, CHAPTER XXIII. A KISS FROM JOSIE

CHAPTER XXIII. A KISS FROM JOSIE

That evening, as Sarah Judd was sitting in her room reading a book, her work for the day being over, she heard a succession of little taps against her window-pane. She sat still, listening, until the taps were repeated, when she walked straight to the window, drew the shade and threw tip the sash. O'Gorman's face appeared in the opening and the girl put a hand on each of his cheeks and leaning over kissed him full upon his lips. The man's face, lighted by the lamp from within the room, was radiant. Even the fat nose was beatified by the love that shone in his small gray eyes. He took one of her hands in both of his own and held it close a moment, while they regarded one another silently.

Then he gave a little beckoning signal and the girl turned to slip on a light coat, for the nights were chill on the mountain. Afterward she unfastened her outside door and joined the detective, who passed an arm around her and led her to one of the benches on the bluff.

The new moon was dim, but a sprinkling of stars lit the sky. The man and girl were far enough from the Lodge not to be overheard.

"It's good to see you again, Josie," said O'Gorman, as they seated themselves on the bench. "How do you like being a sleuth?" "Really, Daddy," she replied, "it has been no end of a lark. I'm dead sick of washing other folks' dishes, I confess, but the fun I've had has more than made up for the hard work. Do you know, Dad, I had a session with Nan Shelley one day, and she didn't have much the best of it, either, although she's quick as a cat and had me backed off the map in every way except for the matter of wits. My thoughts didn't crumble much and Nan was good enough to congratulate me. She knew, as soon as I did, about the letter the crippled girl found in a book, but I managed to make a copy of it, while Nan is still wondering where it is hid. I'm patting myself on the back, Dad, because you trained me and I want to prove myself a credit to your training. It's no wonder, with such a master, that I could hold my own with Nan Shelley!" He gave a little amused laugh.

"You're all right, Josie dear," he replied. "My training wouldn't have amounted to shucks if you hadn't possessed the proper gray matter to work with. But about that letter," more seriously; "your telegram told me a lot, because our code is so concise, but it also left a good deal to be guessed at. Who wrote the letter? I must know all the details in order to understand it properly." "It's all down in my private shorthand book," said Josie O'Gorman, "but I've never dared make a clear copy while Nan was so near me. You can't read it, Dad, and I can't read it to you in the dark; so you'll have to wait." "Have you your notebook here?" "Always carry it." He drew an electric storage-lamp from his pocket and shielded the tiny circle of light with his coat.

"Now, then," said he, "read the letter to me, Josie. It's impossible for anyone to see the light from the house." The girl held her notebook behind the flap of his coat, where the lamp shed its white rays upon it, and slowly read the text of the letter. O'Gorman sat silent for some time after she had finished reading. "In all my speculations concerning the Hathaway case," he said to his daughter, "I never guessed this as the true solution of the man's extraordinary actions. But now, realizing that Hathaway is a gentleman to the core, I understand he could not have acted in any other way." "Mrs. Burrows is dead," remarked Josie. "I know. It's a pity she didn't die long ago." "This thing killed her, Dad." "I'm sure of it. She was a weak, though kind-hearted, woman and this trouble wore her out with fear and anxiety. How did the girl—Mary Louise—take her mother's death?" "Rather hard, at first. She's quieter now. But—see here, Dad—are you still working for the Department?" "Of course." "Then I'm sorry I've told you so much. I'm on the other side. I'm here to protect Mary Louise Burrows and her interests." "To be sure. I sent you here myself, at my own expense, both to test your training before I let you into the regular game and for the sake of the little Burrows girl, whom I fell in love with when she was so friendless. I believed things would reach a climax in the Hathaway case, in this very spot, but I couldn't foresee that your cleverness would ferret out that letter, which the girl Irene intended to keep silent about, nor did I know that the Chief would send me here in person to supervise Hathaway's capture. Mighty queer things happen in this profession of ours, and circumstances lead the best of us by the nose." "Do you intend to arrest Mr. Hathaway?" "After hearing that letter read and in view of the fact that Mrs. Burrows is dead, I think not. The letter, if authentic, clears up the mystery to our complete satisfaction. But I must get the story from Hathaway's own lips, and then compare his statement with that in the letter. If they agree, we won't prosecute the man at all, and the famous case that has caused us so much trouble for years will be filed in the office pigeonholes and pass into ancient history." Josie O'Gorman sat silent for a long time. Then she asked:

"Do you think Mr. Hathaway will come here, now that—now that—" "I'm quite sure he will come." "When?" "To-morrow." "Then I must warn them and try to head him off. I'm on his side, Dad; don't forget that." "I won't; and because you're on his side, Josie, you must let him come and be vindicated, and so clear up this matter for good and all." "Poor Mary Louise! I was thinking of her, not of her grandfather. Have you considered how a knowledge of the truth will affect her?" "Yes. She will be the chief sufferer when her grandfather's innocence is finally proved." "It will break her heart," said Josie, with a sigh. "Perhaps not. She's mighty fond of her grandfather. She'll be glad to have him freed from suspicion and she'll be sorry—about the other thing." Sarah Judd—otherwise Josie O'Gorman—sighed again; but presently she gave a little chuckle of glee. "Won't Nan be wild, though, when she finds I've beaten her and won the case for Hathaway?" "Nan won't mind. She's an old hand at the game and has learned to take things as they come. She'll be at work upon some other case within a week and will have forgotten that this one ever bothered her." "Who is Agatha Lord, and why did they send her here as principal, with Nan as her maid?" "Agatha is an educated woman who has moved in good society. The Chief thought she would be more likely to gain the friendship of the Conants than Nan, for poor Nan hasn't much breeding to boast of. But she was really the principal, for all that, and Agatha was instructed to report to her and to take her orders." "They were both suspicious of me," said the girl, "but as neither of them had ever set eyes on me before I was able to puzzle them. On the other hand, I knew who Nan was because I'd seen her with you, which gave me an advantage. Now, tell me, how's mother?" "Pretty chirky, but anxious about you because this is your first case and she feared your judgment wasn't sufficiently matured. I told her you'd pull through all right." For an hour they sat talking together. Then Officer O'Gorman kissed his daughter good night and walked back to the Bigbee house.

CHAPTER XXIII. A KISS FROM JOSIE

That evening, as Sarah Judd was sitting in her room reading a book, her work for the day being over, she heard a succession of little taps against her window-pane. Quella sera, mentre Sarah Judd era seduta nella sua stanza a leggere un libro, avendo terminato il lavoro della giornata, sentì una serie di piccoli colpetti contro il vetro della finestra. She sat still, listening, until the taps were repeated, when she walked straight to the window, drew the shade and threw tip the sash. Rimase immobile, in ascolto, fino a quando i colpetti non si ripeterono; allora andò dritta alla finestra, tirò la tenda e tirò l'anta. O'Gorman's face appeared in the opening and the girl put a hand on each of his cheeks and leaning over kissed him full upon his lips. Il volto di O'Gorman apparve nell'apertura e la ragazza mise una mano su ciascuna delle sue guance e, chinandosi, lo baciò sulle labbra. The man's face, lighted by the lamp from within the room, was radiant. Even the fat nose was beatified by the love that shone in his small gray eyes. Anche il naso grasso era beatificato dall'amore che brillava nei suoi piccoli occhi grigi. He took one of her hands in both of his own and held it close a moment, while they regarded one another silently.

Then he gave a little beckoning signal and the girl turned to slip on a light coat, for the nights were chill on the mountain. Poi fece un piccolo cenno e la ragazza si voltò per infilarsi un cappotto leggero, perché le notti erano fredde sulla montagna. Afterward she unfastened her outside door and joined the detective, who passed an arm around her and led her to one of the benches on the bluff. Poi aprì la porta esterna e raggiunse il detective, che le passò un braccio intorno e la condusse su una delle panchine della scogliera.

The new moon was dim, but a sprinkling of stars lit the sky. La luna nuova era fioca, ma una pioggia di stelle illuminava il cielo. The man and girl were far enough from the Lodge not to be overheard.

"It's good to see you again, Josie," said O'Gorman, as they seated themselves on the bench. "How do you like being a sleuth?" "Ti piace fare l'investigatore?". "Really, Daddy," she replied, "it has been no end of a lark. "Davvero, papà", rispose lei, "è stato un vero spasso. I'm dead sick of washing other folks' dishes, I confess, but the fun I've had has more than made up for the hard work. Lo confesso, sono stanca morta di lavare i piatti degli altri, ma il divertimento che ho avuto mi ha più che compensato del duro lavoro. Do you know, Dad, I had a session with Nan Shelley one day, and she didn't have much the best of it, either, although she's quick as a cat and had me backed off the map in every way except for the matter of wits. Sai, papà, un giorno ho avuto una seduta con Nan Shelley, e anche lei non se l'è passata molto bene, anche se è veloce come un gatto e mi ha fatto retrocedere in tutto e per tutto, tranne che per la questione dell'ingegno. My thoughts didn't crumble much and Nan was good enough to congratulate me. I miei pensieri non si sono sgretolati più di tanto e Nan è stata così gentile da congratularsi con me. She knew, as soon as I did, about the letter the crippled girl found in a book, but I managed to make a copy of it, while Nan is still wondering where it is hid. Sapeva, come me, della lettera che la ragazza storpia aveva trovato in un libro, ma sono riuscita a farne una copia, mentre Nan si chiede ancora dove sia nascosta. I'm patting myself on the back, Dad, because you trained me and I want to prove myself a credit to your training. Mi sto dando una pacca sulla spalla, papà, perché tu mi hai addestrato e io voglio dimostrare di essere all'altezza del tuo addestramento. It's no wonder, with such a master, that I could hold my own with Nan Shelley!" Non c'è da stupirsi, con un tale maestro, che io possa reggere il confronto con Nan Shelley!". He gave a little amused laugh. Fece una piccola risata divertita.

"You're all right, Josie dear," he replied. "My training wouldn't have amounted to shucks if you hadn't possessed the proper gray matter to work with. "Il mio addestramento non sarebbe servito a nulla se tu non avessi posseduto la materia grigia adatta per lavorare. But about that letter," more seriously; "your telegram told me a lot, because our code is so concise, but it also left a good deal to be guessed at. Ma per quanto riguarda la lettera", più seriamente, "il suo telegramma mi ha detto molto, perché il nostro codice è così conciso, ma ha anche lasciato molto da indovinare. Who wrote the letter? I must know all the details in order to understand it properly." "It's all down in my private shorthand book," said Josie O'Gorman, "but I've never dared make a clear copy while Nan was so near me. "È tutto scritto nel mio libro privato di stenografia", disse Josie O'Gorman, "ma non ho mai osato farne una copia chiara quando Nan era così vicina a me. You can't read it, Dad, and I can't read it to you in the dark; so you'll have to wait." "Have you your notebook here?" "Always carry it." He drew an electric storage-lamp from his pocket and shielded the tiny circle of light with his coat. Estrasse dalla tasca una lampada elettrica da magazzino e schermò il piccolo cerchio di luce con il cappotto.

"Now, then," said he, "read the letter to me, Josie. It's impossible for anyone to see the light from the house." The girl held her notebook behind the flap of his coat, where the lamp shed its white rays upon it, and slowly read the text of the letter. La ragazza tenne il quaderno dietro il lembo del cappotto, dove la lampada diffondeva i suoi raggi bianchi, e lesse lentamente il testo della lettera. O'Gorman sat silent for some time after she had finished reading. "In all my speculations concerning the Hathaway case," he said to his daughter, "I never guessed this as the true solution of the man's extraordinary actions. "In tutte le mie speculazioni sul caso Hathaway", disse alla figlia, "non ho mai immaginato che questa fosse la vera soluzione delle azioni straordinarie di quell'uomo. But now, realizing that Hathaway is a gentleman to the core, I understand he could not have acted in any other way." Ma ora, rendendomi conto che Hathaway è un gentiluomo fino al midollo, capisco che non avrebbe potuto agire in altro modo". "Mrs. Burrows is dead," remarked Josie. "I know. It's a pity she didn't die long ago." È un peccato che non sia morta molto tempo fa". "This thing killed her, Dad." "I'm sure of it. She was a weak, though kind-hearted, woman and this trouble wore her out with fear and anxiety. Era una donna debole, anche se di buon cuore, e questo problema la logorava con la paura e l'ansia. How did the girl—Mary Louise—take her mother's death?" "Rather hard, at first. She's quieter now. But—see here, Dad—are you still working for the Department?" "Of course." "Then I'm sorry I've told you so much. I'm on the other side. I'm here to protect Mary Louise Burrows and her interests." "To be sure. I sent you here myself, at my own expense, both to test your training before I let you into the regular game and for the sake of the little Burrows girl, whom I fell in love with when she was so friendless. Ti ho mandato qui io stesso, a mie spese, sia per testare il tuo addestramento prima di farti entrare nel gioco regolare, sia per il bene della piccola Burrows, di cui mi sono innamorato quando era così senza amici. I believed things would reach a climax in the Hathaway case, in this very spot, but I couldn't foresee that your cleverness would ferret out that letter, which the girl Irene intended to keep silent about, nor did I know that the Chief would send me here in person to supervise Hathaway's capture. Credevo che le cose sarebbero arrivate al culmine nel caso Hathaway, proprio in questo luogo, ma non potevo prevedere che la vostra astuzia avrebbe scovato quella lettera, di cui la ragazza Irene intendeva tacere, né sapevo che il Capo mi avrebbe mandato qui di persona per supervisionare la cattura di Hathaway. Mighty queer things happen in this profession of ours, and circumstances lead the best of us by the nose." Succedono cose strane in questo nostro mestiere, e le circostanze portano al naso anche i migliori di noi". "Do you intend to arrest Mr. Hathaway?" "After hearing that letter read and in view of the fact that Mrs. Burrows is dead, I think not. "Dopo aver sentito leggere quella lettera e alla luce del fatto che la signora Burrows è morta, penso di no. The letter, if authentic, clears up the mystery to our complete satisfaction. But I must get the story from Hathaway's own lips, and then compare his statement with that in the letter. Ma devo ottenere la storia dalle labbra di Hathaway stesso, e poi confrontare la sua dichiarazione con quella contenuta nella lettera. If they agree, we won't prosecute the man at all, and the famous case that has caused us so much trouble for years will be filed in the office pigeonholes and pass into ancient history." Se sono d'accordo, non lo perseguiremo affatto, e il famoso caso che ci ha causato tanti problemi per anni sarà archiviato nelle buche dell'ufficio e passerà alla storia antica". Josie O'Gorman sat silent for a long time. Then she asked:

"Do you think Mr. Hathaway will come here, now that—now that—" "I'm quite sure he will come." "When?" "To-morrow." "Then I must warn them and try to head him off. "Allora devo avvertirli e tentare di allontanarlo. I'm on his side, Dad; don't forget that." "I won't; and because you're on his side, Josie, you must let him come and be vindicated, and so clear up this matter for good and all." "Non lo farò; e poiché tu sei dalla sua parte, Josie, devi lasciare che venga e che si vendichi, chiarendo così la questione per sempre". "Poor Mary Louise! I was thinking of her, not of her grandfather. Have you considered how a knowledge of the truth will affect her?" "Yes. She will be the chief sufferer when her grandfather's innocence is finally proved." Sarà lei a soffrire di più quando l'innocenza di suo nonno sarà finalmente provata". "It will break her heart," said Josie, with a sigh. "Perhaps not. She's mighty fond of her grandfather. She'll be glad to have him freed from suspicion and she'll be sorry—about the other thing." Sarà contenta di averlo liberato dai sospetti e sarà dispiaciuta per l'altra cosa". Sarah Judd—otherwise Josie O'Gorman—sighed again; but presently she gave a little chuckle of glee. Sarah Judd - altrimenti Josie O'Gorman - sospirò di nuovo; ma subito dopo fece una piccola risatina di gioia. "Won't Nan be wild, though, when she finds I've beaten her and won the case for Hathaway?" "Ma Nan non si scatenerà quando scoprirà che l'ho battuta e ho vinto la causa per Hathaway?". "Nan won't mind. "A Nan non dispiacerà. She's an old hand at the game and has learned to take things as they come. She'll be at work upon some other case within a week and will have forgotten that this one ever bothered her." Nel giro di una settimana sarà già al lavoro su un altro caso e si sarà dimenticata che questo l'ha disturbata". "Who is Agatha Lord, and why did they send her here as principal, with Nan as her maid?" "Agatha is an educated woman who has moved in good society. "Agatha è una donna istruita che si è mossa nella buona società. The Chief thought she would be more likely to gain the friendship of the Conants than Nan, for poor Nan hasn't much breeding to boast of. Il capo pensava che avrebbe avuto più probabilità di guadagnarsi l'amicizia dei Conant rispetto a Nan, perché la povera Nan non ha molto allevamento di cui vantarsi. But she was really the principal, for all that, and Agatha was instructed to report to her and to take her orders." Ma lei era davvero la direttrice, per tutto questo, e Agatha aveva l'ordine di riferire a lei e di prendere i suoi ordini". "They were both suspicious of me," said the girl, "but as neither of them had ever set eyes on me before I was able to puzzle them. "Erano entrambi sospettosi nei miei confronti", disse la ragazza, "ma dato che nessuno dei due mi aveva mai visto prima, riuscii a confonderli. On the other hand, I knew who Nan was because I'd seen her with you, which gave me an advantage. Now, tell me, how's mother?" Ora, dimmi, come sta la mamma?". "Pretty chirky, but anxious about you because this is your first case and she feared your judgment wasn't sufficiently matured. "Piuttosto vivace, ma ansiosa per te perché questo è il tuo primo caso e temeva che il tuo giudizio non fosse sufficientemente maturo. I told her you'd pull through all right." Le ho detto che ce l'avresti fatta". For an hour they sat talking together. Then Officer O'Gorman kissed his daughter good night and walked back to the Bigbee house.