just david(公正的大卫)-第19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！
was not to be expected； perhaps； that she would care to spend all the bright
sunny hours shut up with her sorely afflicted and somewhat fretful brother。
True； at noon she never failed to appear and prepare something that passed
for a dinner for herself and Joe。 But the Glaspell larder was frequently
almost as empty as were the hungry stomachs that looked to it for
refreshment； and it would have taken a far more skillful cook than was the
fly…away Betty to evolve anything from it that was either palatable or
satisfying。
With the coming of David into Joe's life all this was changed。 First；
there were the music and the companionship。 Joe's father had 〃played in
the band〃 in his youth； and （according to the Widow Glaspell） had been a
〃powerful hand for music。〃 It was from him； presumably； that Joe had
inherited his passion for melody and harmony； and it was no wonder that
David recognized so soon in the blind boy the spirit that made them kin。
At the first stroke of David's bow； indeed； the dingy walls about them
would crumble into nothingness； and together the two boys were off in a
fairy world of loveliness and joy。
75
… Page 76…
JUST DAVID
Nor was listening always Joe's part。 From 〃just touching〃 the violin
his first longing pleahe came to drawing a timid bow across the strings。
In an incredibly short time； then； he was picking out bits of melody； and
by the end of a fortnight David had brought his father's violin for Joe to
practice on。
〃I can't GIVE it to younot for keeps；〃 David had explained； a bit
tremulously； 〃because it was daddy's； you know； and when I see it； it
seems almost as if I was seeing him。 But you may take it。 Then you can
have it here to play on whenever you like。〃
After that； in Joe's own hands lay the power to transport himself into
another world； for with the violin for company he knew no loneliness。
Nor was the violin all that David brought to the house。 There were the
doughnuts and the cookies。 Very early in his visits David had discovered；
much to his surprise； that Joe and Betty were often hungry。
〃But why don't you go down to the store and buy something？〃 he had
queried at once。
Upon being told that there was no money to buy with； David's first
impulse had been to bring several of the gold…pieces the next time he came；
but upon second thoughts David decided that he did not dare。 He was not
wishing to be called a thief a second time。 It would be better； he concluded；
to bring some food from the house instead。
In his mountain home everything the house afforded in the way of
food had always been freely given to the few strangers that found their
way to the cabin door。 So now David had no hesitation in going to Mrs。
Holly's pantry for supplies； upon the occasion of his next visit to Joe
Glaspell's。
Mrs。 Holly； coming into the kitchen； found him merging from the
pantry with both hands full of cookies and doughnuts。
〃Why； David； what in the world does this mean？〃 she demanded。
〃They're for Joe and Betty；〃 smiled David happily。
〃For Joe andBut those doughnuts and cookies don't belong to you。
They're mine！〃
76
… Page 77…
JUST DAVID
〃Yes； I know they are。 I told them you had plenty；〃 nodded David。
〃Plenty！ What if I have？〃 remonstrated Mrs。 Holly； in growing
indignation。 〃That doesn't mean that you can take〃 Something in David's
face stopped the words half…spoken。
〃You don't mean that I CAN'T take them to Joe and Betty； do you？
Why； Mrs。 Holly； they're hungry！ Joe and Betty are。 They don't have half
enough to eat。 Betty said so。 And we've got more than we want。 There's
food left on the table every day。 Why； if YOU were hungry； wouldn't you
want somebody to bring〃
But Mrs。 Holly stopped him with a despairing gesture。
〃There； there； never mind。 Run along。 Of course you can take them。
I'mI'm GLAD to have you；〃 she finished； in a desperate attempt to drive
from David's face that look of shocked incredulity with which he was still
regarding her。
Never again did Mrs。 Holly attempt to thwart David's generosity to the
Glaspells； but she did try to regulate it。 She saw to it that thereafter； upon
his visits to the house； he took only certain things and a certain amount；
and invariably things of her own choosing。
But not always toward the Glaspell shanty did David turn his steps。
Very frequently it was in quite another direction。 He had been at the Holly
farmhouse three weeks when he found his Lady of the Roses。
He had passed quite through the village that day； and had come to a
road that was new to him。 It was a beautiful road； smooth； white； and firm。
Two huge granite posts topped with flaming nasturtiums marked the point
where it turned off from the main highway。 Beyond these； as David soon
found； it ran between wide…spreading lawns and flowering shrubs； leading
up the gentle slope of a hill。 Where it led to； David did not know； but he
proceeded unhesitatingly to try to find out。 For some time he climbed the
slope in silence； his violin； mute； under his arm； but the white road still lay
in tantalizing mystery before him when a by…path offered the greater
temptation； and lured him to explore its cool shadowy depths instead。
Had David but known it； he was at Sunny…crest； Hinsdale's one 〃show
77
… Page 78…
JUST DAVID
place；〃 the country home of its one really rich resident； Miss Barbara
Holbrook。 Had he also but known it； Miss Holbrook was not celebrated for
her graciousness to any visitors； certainly not to those who ventured to
approach her otherwise than by a conventional ring at her front doorbell。
But David did not know all this； and he therefore very happily followed
the shady path until he came to the Wonder at the end of it。
The Wonder； in Hinsdale parlance； was only Miss Holbrook's garden；
but in David's eyes it was fairyland come true。 For one whole minute he
could only stand like a very ordinary little boy and stare。 At the end of the
minute he became himself once more； and being himself； he expressed his
delight at once in the only way he knew how to doby raising his violin
and beginning to play。
He had meant to tell of the limpid pool and of the arch of the bridge it
reflected； of the terraced lawns and marble steps； and of the gleaming
white of the sculptured nymphs and fauns； of the splashes of glorious
crimson； yellow； blush…pink； and snowy white against the green； where the
roses rioted in luxurious bloom。 He had meant； also； to tell of the Queen
Rose of them allthe beauteous lady with hair like the gold of sunrise； and
a gown like the shimmer of the moon on waterof all this he had meant to
tell； but he had scarcely begun to tell it at all when the Beauteous Lady of
the Roses sprang to her feet and became so very much like an angry young
woman who is seriously displeased that David could only lower his violin
in dismay。
〃Why； boy； what does this mean？〃 she demanded。
David sighed a little impatiently as he came forward into the sunlight。
〃But I was just telling you；〃 he remonstrated； 〃and you would not let
me finish。〃
〃Telling me！〃
〃Yes； with my violin。 COULDn't you understand？〃 appealed the boy
wistfully。 〃You looked as if you could！〃
〃Looked as if I could！〃
〃Yes。 Joe understood； you see； and I was surprised when HE did。 But I
78
… Page 79…
JUST DAVID
was just sure you couldwith all this to look at。〃
The lady frowned。 Half…unconsciously she glanced about her as if
contemplating flight。 Then she turned back to the boy。
〃But how came you here？ Who are you？〃 she cried。
〃I'm David。 I walked here through the little path back there。 I didn't
know where it went to； but I'm so glad now I found out！〃
〃Oh； are you！〃 murmured the lady； with slightly uplifted brows。
She was about to tell him very coldly that now that he had found his
