a girl of the limberlost-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃Yes；〃　said　Margaret　coldly。



〃But　because　I　brought　a　child　with　an　immortal　soul；

there　is　no　welcome。〃



〃That　isn't　a　child；　it's　an　animal。〃



〃You　just　said　you　would　have　welcomed　an　animal。〃



〃Not　a　wild　one。　　I　meant　a　tame　beast。〃



〃Billy　is　not　a　beast！〃　said　Wesley　hotly。　　〃He　is　a

very　dear　little　boy。　　Margaret；　you've　always　done　the

church…going　and　Bible　reading　for　this　family。　　How　do

you　reconcile　that　‘Suffer　little　children　to　come　unto　Me'

with　the　way　you　are　treating　Billy？〃



Margaret　arose。　　〃I　haven't　treated　that　child。　　I　have

only　let　him　alone。　　I　can　barely　hold　myself。　　He　needs

the　hide　tanned　about　off　him！〃



〃If　you'd　cared　to　look　at　his　body；　you'd　know　that　you

couldn't　find　a　place　to　strike　without　cutting　into　a　raw

spot；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Besides；　Billy　has　not　done　a

thing　for　which　a　child　should　be　punished。　　He　is　only

full　of　life；　no　training；　and　with　a　boy's　love　of　mischief。　

He　did　abuse　your　kittens；　but　an　hour　before　I　saw　him

risk　his　life　to　save　one　from　being　run　over。　　He　minds

what　you　tell　him；　and　doesn't　do　anything　he　is　told　not　to。　

He　thinks　of　his　brother　and　sister　right　away　when

anything　pleases　him。　　He　took　that　stinging　medicine

with　the　grit　of　a　bulldog。　　He　is　just　a　bully　little　chap；

and　I　love　him。〃



〃Oh　good　heavens！〃　cried　Margaret；　going　into　the

house　as　she　spoke。



Sinton　sat　still。　　At　last　Billy　tired　of　the　swing；　came

to　him　and　leaned　his　slight　body　against　the　big　knee。



〃Am　I　going　to　sleep　here？〃　he　asked。



〃Sure　you　are！〃　said　Sinton。



Billy　swung　his　feet　as　he　laid　across　Wesley's　knee。

〃Come　on；〃　said　Wesley；　〃I　must　clean　you　up　for　bed。〃



〃You　have　to　be　just　awful　clean　here；〃　announced　Billy。　

〃I　like　to　be　clean；　you　feel　so　good；　after　the　hurt　is　over。〃



Sinton　registered　that　remark；　and　worked　with　especial

tenderness　as　he　redressed　the　ailing　places　and

washed　the　dust　from　Billy's　feet　and　hands。



〃Where　can　he　sleep？〃　he　asked　Margaret。



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。



〃Oh；　I　can　sleep　ist　any　place；〃　said　Billy。　　〃On　the

floor　or　anywhere。　　Home；　I　sleep　on　pa's　coat　on　a　store…

box；　and　Jimmy　and　Belle　they　sleep　on　the　storebox；　too。　

〃I　sleep　between　them；　so's　I　don't　roll　off　and　crack

my　head。　　Ain't　you　got　a　storebox　and　a　old　coat？〃



Wesley　arose　and　opened　a　folding　lounge。　　Then　he

brought　an　armload　of　clean　horse　blankets　from　a　closet。



〃These　don't　look　like　the　nice　white　bed　a　little　boy

should　have；　Billy；〃　he　said；　〃but　we'll　make　them　do。　

This　will　beat　a　storebox　all　hollow。〃



Billy　took　a　long　leap　for　the　lounge。　　When　he　found

it　bounced；　he　proceeded　to　bounce；　until　he　was　tired。　

By　that　time　the　blankets　had　to　be　refolded。　　Wesley　had

Billy　take　one　end　and　help；　while　both　of　them　seemed　to

enjoy　the　job。　　Then　Billy　lay　down　and　curled　up　in　his

clothes　like　a　small　dog。　　But　sleep　would　not　come。



Finally　he　sat　up。　　He　stared　around　restlessly。　　Then　he

arose；　went　to　Wesley；　and　leaned　against　his　knee。　　He　picked

up　the　boy　and　folded　his　arms　around　him。　　Billy　sighed

in　rapturous　content。



〃That　bed　feels　so　lost　like；〃　he　said。　　〃Jimmy　always

jabbed　me　on　one　side；　and　Belle　on　the　other；　and　so　I

knew　I　was　there。　　Do　you　know　where　they　are？〃



〃They　are　with　kind　people　who　gave　them　a　fine　supper；

a　clean　bed；　and　will　always　take　good　care　of　them。〃



〃I　wisht　I　was〃　　Billy　hesitated　and　looked　earnestly

at　Wesley。　　〃I　mean　I　wish　they　was　here。〃



〃You　are　about　all　I　can　manage；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　sat　up。　　〃Can't　she　manage　anything？〃　he　asked；

waving　toward　Margaret。



〃Indeed；　yes；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃She　has　managed　me

for　twenty　years。〃



〃My；　but　she　made　you　nice！〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　just　love　you。　

I　wisht　she'd　take　Jimmy　and　Belle　and　make　them　nice　as　you。〃



〃She　isn't　strong　enough　to　do　that；　Billy。　　They　will

grow　into　a　good　boy　and　girl　where　they　are。〃



Billy　slid　from　Wesley's　arms　and　walked　toward

Margaret　until　he　reached　the　middle　of　the　room。　　Then　he

stopped；　and　at　last　sat　on　the　floor。　　Finally　he　lay

down　and　closed　his　eyes。　　〃This　feels　more　like　my　bed；

if　only　Jimmy　and　Belle　was　here　to　crowd　up　a　little；　so　it

wasn't　so　alone　like。〃



〃Won't　I　do；　Billy？〃　asked　Wesley　in　a　husky　voice。



Billy　moved　restlessly。　　〃Seems　likeseems　like

toward　night　as　if　a　body　got　kind　o'　lonesome　for　a

woman　personlike　her。〃



Billy　indicated　Margaret　and　then　closed　his　eyes　so

tight　his　small　face　wrinkled。



Soon　he　was　up　again。　　〃Wisht　I　had　Snap；〃　he　said。　

〃Oh；　I　ist　wisht　I　had　Snap！〃



〃I　thought　you　laid　a　board　on　Snap　and　jumped　on

it；〃　said　Wesley。



〃We　did！〃　cried　Billy〃oh；　you　ought　to　heard　him

squeal！〃　Billy　laughed　loudly；　then　his　face　clouded。



〃But　I　want　Snap　to　lay　beside　me　so　bad　nowthat　if　he

was　here　I'd　give　him　a　piece　of　my　chicken；　'for；　I　ate　any。　

Do　you　like　dogs？〃



〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　was　up　instantly。　　〃Would　you　like　Snap？〃



〃I　am　sure　I　would；〃　said　Wesley。



〃Would　she？〃　Billy　indicated　Margaret。　　And　then

he　answered　his　own　question。　　〃But　of　course；　she

wouldn't；　cos　she　likes　cats；　and　dogs　chases　cats。　

Oh；　dear；　I　thought　for　a　minute　maybe　Snap　could

come　here。〃　　Billy　lay　down　and　closed　his　eyes　resolutely。



Suddenly　they　flew　open。　　〃Does　it　hurt　to　be　dead？〃

he　demanded。



〃Nothing　hurts　you　after　you　are　dead；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。



〃Yes；　but　I　mean　does　it　hurt　getting　to　be　dead？〃



〃Sometimes　it　does。　　It　did　not　hurt　your　father；　Billy。　

It　came　softly　while　he　was　asleep。〃



〃It　ist　came　softly？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　kind　o'　wisht　he　wasn't　dead！〃　said　Billy。　　〃'Course　I

like　to　stay　with　you；　and　the　fried　chicken；　and　the　nice

soft　bed；　andand　everything；　and　I　like　to　be　clean；　but

he　took　us　to　the　show；　and　he　got　us　gum；　and　he　never

hurt　us　when　he　wasn't　drunk。〃



Billy　drew　a　deep　breath；　and　tightly　closed　his　eyes。　

But　very　soon　they　opened。　　Then　he　sat　up。　　He　looked

at　Wesley　pitifully；　and　then　he　glanced　at　Margaret。　

〃You　don't　like　boys；　do　you？〃　he　questioned。



〃I　like　good　boys；〃　said　Margaret。



Billy　was　at　her　knee　instantly。　　〃Well　say；　I'm　a　good

boy！〃　he　announced　joyously。



〃I　do　not　think　boys　who　hurt　helpless　kittens　and　pull

out　turkeys'　tails　are　good　boys。〃



〃Yes；　but　I　didn't　hurt　the　kittens；〃　explained　Billy。　

〃They　got　mad　'bout　ist　a　little　fun　and　scratched　each　other。　

I　didn't　s'pose　they'd　act　like　that。　　And　I　didn't　pull

the　turkey's　tail。　　I　ist　held　on　to　the　first　thing　I

grabbed；　and　the　turkey　pulled。　　Honest；　it　was　the

turkey　pulled。〃　　He　turned　to　Wesley。　　〃You　tell　her！　

Didn't　the　turkey　pull？　　I　didn't　know　its　tail　was　loose；

did　I？〃



〃I　don't　think　you　did；　Billy；〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　stared　into　Margaret's　cold　face。　　〃Sometimes　at　night；

Belle　sits　on　the　floor；　and　I　lay　my　head　in　her　lap。　

I　could　pull　up　a　chair　and　lay　my　head　in　your　lap。　

Like　this；　I　mean。〃　　Billy　pulled　up　a　chair；　climbed

on　it　and　laid　his　head　on　Margaret's　lap。　　Then　he　shut

his　eyes　again。　　Margaret　could　have　looked　little　more

repulsed　if　he　had　been　a　snake。　　Billy　was　soon　up。



〃My；　but　your　lap　is　hard；〃　he　said。　　〃And　you　are

a　good　deal　fatter　'an　Belle；　too！〃　　He　slid　from　the

chair　and　came　back　to　the　middle　of　the　room。



〃Oh　but　I　wisht　he　wasn't　dead！〃　he　cried。　　The　flood

broke　and　Billy　screamed　in　desperation。



Out　of　the　night　a　soft；　warm　young　figure　flashed

through　the　door　and　with　a　swoop　caught　him　in　her　arms。　

She　dropped　into　a　chair；　nestled　him　closely；　drooped

her　fragrant　brown　head　over　his　little　bullet…eyed

red　one；　and　rocked　softly　while　she　crooned　over　him





　　　　　〃Billy；　boy；　where　have　you　been？

　　　　　　Oh；　I　have　been　to　seek　a　wife；

　　　　　　She's　the　joy　of　my　life；

　　　　　　But　then　she's　a　young　thing　and　she　can't　leave　her　mammy！〃





Billy　clung　to　her　frantically。　　Elnora　wiped　his　eyes；

kissed　his　face；　swayed　and　sang。



〃Why　aren't　you　asleep？〃　she　asked　at　last。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　tried。　　I　tried　awful

hard　cos　I　thought　he　wanted　me　to；　but　it　ist　wouldn't　come。　

Please　tell　her　I　tried。〃　　He　appealed　to　Margaret。



〃He　did　try　to　go　to　sleep；〃　admitted　Margaret。



〃Maybe　he　can't　sleep　in　his　clothes；〃　suggested　Elnora。　

〃Haven't　you　an　old　dressing　sacque？　　I　could　roll

the　sleeves。〃



Margaret　got　an　old　sacque；　and　Elnora　put　it　on　Billy。　

Then　she　brought　a　basin　of　water　and　bathed　his　face

and　head。　　She　gathered　him　up　and　began　to　rock　again。



〃Have　you　got　a　pa？〃　asked　Billy。



〃No；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Is　he　dead　like　mine？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Did　it　hurt　him　to　die？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



Billy　w