Abel stayed in the tree and eventually slept. In the light of morning, taking his bearings, he was overjoyed to see Mt. Eunice to the northwest. The fire observatory was on the side visible to him, and at last he knew where he was. He had to travel northward with a bias to the east, and he would be in Mossville sooner or later—with luck, in less than a day. He would be seeing her again! He hustled down the tree and started homeward, half walking, half running.
20
By late afternoon he was on rocky ground cleft with ravines. It must have been one of these he was flushed down a year ago in the hurricane, because he arrived before long at the cliff with the cave where he and Amanda had taken shelter that day. He pressed on.
He was walking in the woods where he had picnicked with his wife. There were signs of last year’s great storm. Broken branches lay on the ground, and uprooted trees with slabs of earth still attached to their bases. In the shade of the woods it was still quite green in spite of the drought.
Abel’s heart pounded with his exertions and excitement. And with dreadful anxiety. Would Amanda be there, at home? Would she be happy to see him? At moments he was afraid he might even be unwelcome. It grew dark and he was glad of it. He had every reason to be in rags, but he didn’t want to be seen that way. He didn’t want to be seen in any way, not by anyone but Amanda. Later there would be time to see mother, father, family, and all the others.
He reached the edge of town at night. He was in Grover Park. The soft gas lamps were lighted. It was a hot night, and the park was full of townsfolk, outdoors after dinner to keep cool, strolling on the graveled walks, chatting on the benches, laughing, watching the children romp and frisk about. How wonderful, after the year alone in the woods, to see this model of civilized society, the town where he was born. He recognized many faces; he was back where he belonged. But he stayed in the shadows to avoid being seen.
Then, suddenly, whom should he see! She, herself, Amanda! Sitting on a stone bench in a perfectly everyday way.
How could he keep from rushing out and holding her dearness in his arms? He managed to restrain himself. There were others on the bench and on the walk. He had waited a year; he could wait a bit longer. Their reunion should be theirs alone. He hurried quietly home, avoiding any encounter.
Home! He grasped the graceful railing and bounded up the steps. He still had the keys in his ragged pants. He opened the door. It was all exactly as he had left it, as he had remembered it so often during his exile. It was nothing like his hollow log.
Amanda’s radiance was there. How good to see her things about. And his own—his books, his favorite chair. He went into the kitchen, looked in a pot on the stove, tasted the soup.
In the bedroom he looked around with anxious joy at the familiar objects. He washed, with scented soap. He donned his best silk shirt, his purple cravat, his brown velvet jacket with the braided lapels. These elegant clothes felt uncomfortable.
Now, smiling, he put Amanda’s scarf on the taboret in the entrance hall where she could see it when she entered, then went into the parlor and lay down on the plush sofa, his paws behind his head, his heart full of bold expectations. It seemed a long time before Amanda came home. At last he heard the door open and then a gasp and a cry.
“Abel! Oh, dear Abel! It’s you! It’s really, really you!” Amanda came rushing in and flung herself into Abel’s arms. They covered each other with kisses.
When he was able to speak, Abel said, “I’ve brought you back your scarf.”
An Imprint of Macmillan
ABEL’S ISLAND. Copyright © 1976 by William Steig. All rights reserved. Printed in July 2011 in the United States of America by R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company, Harrisonburg, Virginia. For information, address Square Fish, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Square Fish and the Square Fish logo are trademarks of Macmillan, and are used by Farrar Straus Giroux under license from Macmillan.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75-35819
ISBN 978-0-312-37143-2
Originally published in the United States by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Square Fish logo designed by Filomena Tuosto
Cover design by Robbin Gourley
First Square Fish Edition: 2007
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mackids.com
AR: 5.9 / F&P: T / LEXILE: 920L
eISBN 9781466839175
Abel's Island Page 6
