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a mistake people made who said I was
a good； quiet； child。 I knew that I
looked sad and prim； but I really hated
my sadness and primness and good…
ness； and longed to let out all the in…
teresting； wild； naughty thoughts there
were in me。 I wanted to act as if I were
bewitched； and to tear up vines and
wind them about me； to shriek to the
echoes； and to scold back at the squir…
rels。 I wanted to take off my clothes
and rush into the pond； and swim like
a fish； or wriggle like a pollywog。 I
wanted to climb trees and drop from
them； and； most of all oh； with what
longing did I wish to lift myself above
the earth and fly into the bland blue
air！
I came to a hollow where there was
a wonderful greenness over everything；
and I said to myself that I would be
bewitched at last。 I would dance and
whirl and call till； perhaps； some kind
of a creature as wild and wicked and
wonderful as I； would come out of the
woods and join me。 So I forgot about
the fresh linen frock； and wreathed my…
self with wild grape…vine； I cared noth…
ing for my fresh braids and wound
trillium in my hair； and I ceased to re…
member my new shoes； and whirled
around and around in the leafy mould；
singing and shouting。
I grew madder and madder。 I seemed
not to be myself at all； but some sort
of a wood creature； and just when the
trees were looking larger than ever they
did before； and the sky higher up； a
girl came running down from a sort of
embankment where a tornado had made
a path for itself and had hurled some
great chestnuts and oaks in a tumbled
mass。 The girl came leaping down the
steep sides of this place； her arms out…
spread； her feet bare； her dress no more
than a rag the colour of the tree…trunks。
She had on a torn green jacket； which
made her seem more than ever like
some one who had just stepped out of
a hollow tree； and； to my unspeakable
happiness； she joined me in my dance。
I shall never forget how beautiful she
was； with her wild tangle of dark hair；
and her deep blue eyes and ripe lips。
Her cheeks were flaming red； and her
limbs strong and brown。 She did not
merely shout and sing； she whistled；
and made calls like the birds； and cawed
like a crow； and chittered like a squir…
rel； and around and around the two of
us danced； crazy as dervishes with the
beauty of the spring and the joy of be…
ing free。
By and by we were so tired we had
to stop； and then we sat down panting
and looked at each other。 At that we
laughed； long and foolishly； but； after
a time； it occurred to us that we had
many questions to ask。
〃How did you get here？〃 I asked the
girl。
〃I was walking my lone；〃 she said；
speaking her words as if there was a
rich thick quality to them； 〃and I
heard you screeling。〃
〃Won't you get lost； alone like
that？〃
〃I can't get lost； 〃she sighed。 〃I 'd
like to； but I can't。〃
〃Where do you live？〃
〃Beyant the fair…grounds。〃
〃You're not not Norah Madigan？〃
She leaned back and clasped her
hands behind her head。 Then she
smiled at me teasingly。
〃I am that；〃 she said； showing her
perfect teeth。
I caught my breath with a sharp
gasp。 Ought I to turn back to my par…
ents？ Had I been so naughty that I
had called the naughtiest girl in the
whole county out to me？
But I could not bring myself to leave
her。 She was leaning forward and
looking at me now with mocking eyes。
〃Are you afraid？〃 she demanded。
〃Afraid of what？〃 I asked； knowing
quite well what she meant。
〃Of me？〃 she retorted。
At that second an agreeable truth
overtook me。 I leaned forward； too；
and put my hand on hers。
〃Why； I like you！〃 I cried。 She be…
gan laughing again； but this time there
was no mockery in it。 She ran her fin…
gers over the embroidery on my linen
frock； she examined the lace on my pet…
ticoat； looked at the bows on my shoes；
and played delicately with the locket
dangling from the slender chain around
my neck。
〃Do you know other girls？〃 she al…
most whispered。
I nodded。 〃Lots and lots of 'em；〃
I said。 〃Don't you？〃
She shook her head in wistful denial。
〃Us Madigans；〃 she said； 〃keeps to
ourselves。〃 She said it so haughtily
that for a moment I was almost per…
suaded into thinking that they lived
their solitary lives from choice。 But；
glancing up at her； I saw a blush that
covered her face； and there were tears
in her eyes。
〃Well； anyway；〃 said I quickly； 〃we
know each other。〃
〃Yes；〃 she cried； 〃we do that！〃
She got up； then； and ran to a great
tree from which a stout grape…vine was
swinging； and pulling at it with her
strong arms； she soon had it made into
a practical swing。
〃Come！〃 she called 〃come； let's
swing together！〃
She helped me to balance myself on
the rope…like vine； and； placing her feet
outside of mine； showed me how to
〃work up〃 till we were sweeping with
a fine momentum through the air。 We
shrieked with excitement； and urged
each other on to more and more frantic
exertions。 We were like two birds； but
to birds flying is no novelty。 With us
it was； which made us happier than
birds。 But I； for my part； was no more
delighted with my swift flights through
the air than I was with the shining eyes
and flashing teeth of the girl opposite
me。 I liked her strength； and the way
in which her body bent and swayed。
Once more； she seemed like a wood…
child a wild； mad； gay creature from
the tree。 I felt as if I had drawn a play…
mate from elf…land； and I liked her a
thousand times better than those
proper little girls who came to see me
of a Saturday afternoon。
Well； there we were； rocking and
screaming； and telling each other that
we were hawks； and that we were fly…
ing high over the world； when the anx…
ious and austere voice of my mother
broke upon our ears。 We tried to stop；
but that was not such an easy matter
to do； and as we twisted and writhed；
to bring our grape…vine swing to a
standstill； there was a slow rending and
breaking which struck terror to our
souls。
〃Jump！〃 commanded Norah
〃jump！ the vine's breaking！〃 We
leaped at the same moment； she safely。
My foot caught in a stout tendril； and
I fell headlong； scraping my forehead
on the ground and tearing a triangular
rent in the pretty； new frock。 Mother
came running forward； and the expres…
sion on her face was far from being
the one I liked to see。
〃What have you been doing？〃 she
demanded。 〃I thought you were get…
ting old enough and sensible enough to
take care of yourself！〃
I must have been a depressing sight；
viewed with the eyes of a careful
mother。 Blood and mould mingled on
my face； my dress needed a laundress
as badly as a dress could； and my shoes
were scratched and muddy。
〃And who is this girl？〃 asked
mother。 I had become conscious that
Norah was at my feet； wiping off my
shoes with her queer little brown frock。
〃It's a new friend of mine；〃 gasped
I； beginning to see that I must lose her；
and hoping the lump in my throat
wouldn't get any bigger than it was。
〃What is her name？〃 asked mother。
I had no time to answer。 The girl did
that。
〃I'm Norah Madigan；〃 she said。
Her tone was respectful； and； maybe；
sad。 At any rate； it had a curious
sound。
〃Norah Mad…i…gan？〃 asked mother
doubtfully； stringing out the word。
〃Yessum；〃 said a low voice。 〃Good…
bye； mum。〃
〃Oh； Norah！〃 cried I； a strange pain
stabbing my heart。 〃Come to see
me 〃
But my mother's voice broke in； firm
and kind。
〃Good…bye； Norah；〃 said she。
I saw Norah turn and run up among
the trees； almost as swiftly and silently
as a hare。 Once； she turned to look
back。 I was watching； and caught the
chance to wave my hand to her。
〃Come！〃 commanded mother； and
we went back to where father was sit…
ting。
〃What do you think！〃 said mother。
〃I found the child playing with one of
the Bad Madigans。 Isn't she a sight！〃
The lump in my throat swelled to a
terrible size； something buzzed in my
ears； and I heard some one weeping。
For a second or two I didn't realise that
it was myself。
〃Well； never mind； dear；〃 said
mother's voice soothingly。 〃The frock
will wash； and the tear will mend； and
the shoes will black。 Yes； and the
scratches will heal。〃
〃It isn't that；〃 I sobbed。 〃Oh； oh；
it isn't that！〃
〃What is it； then； for goodness
sake？〃 asked mother。
But I would not tell。 I could not
tell。 How could I say that the daughter
of the Bad Madigans was the first real
and satisfying playmate I had ever
had？
IV
FAME
AS I remember the boys and girls
who grew up with me； I think of
them as artists； or actors； or travellers；
or rich merchants。 Each of us； by the
time we were half through grammar
school； had selected a career。 So far
as I recollect； this career had very lit…
tle to do with our abilities。 We merely
chose something that suited us。 Our
energy and our vanity crystallised into
particular shapes。 There was a sort of
religion abroad in the West at that time
that a person could do almost anything
he set out to do。 The older people； as
well as the children； had an idea that
the world was theirs they all were
Monte Cristos in that respect。
As for me； I had decided to be an
orator。
At the time of making this deci