just david(公正的大卫)-第22节
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see him？〃 suggested the girl。
The boy turned quickly。
〃Did you call him 'Jack'？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And he called you； Jill'？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃The real 'Jack and Jill' that 'went up the hill'？〃 The man and the girl
laughed； but the girl shook her head as she answered；
〃Not reallythough we do go up a hill； all right； every day。 But those
aren't even our own names。 We just call each other that for fun。 Don't
YOU ever call thingsfor fun？〃
David's face lighted up in spite of the dirt； the lump； and the bruise。
〃Oh； do you do that？〃 he breathed。 〃Say； I just know I'd like to play
to you！ You'd understand！〃
〃Oh； yes； and he plays； too；〃 explained the little girl； turning to the
man rapturously。 〃On a fiddle； you know； like you。〃
She had not finished her sentence before David was away； hurrying a
little unsteadily across the lot for his violin。 When he came back the man
was looking at him with an anxious frown。
〃Suppose you come home with us； boy；〃 he said。 〃It isn't farthrough
the hill pasture； 'cross lots；and we'll look you over a bit。 That lump over
your eye needs attention。〃
〃Thank you；〃 beamed David。 〃I'd like to go； andI'm glad you want
me！〃 He spoke to the man； but he looked at the little red…headed girl； who
still held the gray kitten in her arms。
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CHAPTER XII
ANSWERS THAT DID NOT
ANSWER
〃Jack and Jill；〃 it appeared； were a brother and sister who lived in a
tiny house on a hill directly across the creek from Sunnycrest。 Beyond this
David learned little until after bumps and bruises and dirt had been
carefully attended to。 He had then； too； some questions to answer
concerning himself。
〃And now； if you please；〃 began the man smilingly； as he surveyed the
boy with an eye that could see no further service to be rendered； 〃do you
mind telling me who you are； and how you came to be the center of
attraction for the blows and cuffs of six boys？〃
〃I'm David； and I wanted the cat；〃 returned the boy simply。
〃Well； that's direct and to the point； to say the least；〃 laughed the man。
〃Evidently； however； you're in the habit of being that。 But； David； there
were six of them；those boys；and some of them were larger than you。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃And they were so bad and cruel；〃 chimed in the little girl。
The man hesitated； then questioned slowly。
〃And may I ask you where youerlearned tofight like that？〃
〃I used to box with father。 He said I must first be well and strong。 He
taught me jiujitsu； too； a little； but I couldn't make it work very wellwith
so many〃
〃I should say not；〃 adjudged the man grimly。 〃But you gave them a
surprise or two； I'll warrant；〃 he added； his eyes on the cause of the trouble；
now curled in a little gray bunch of content on the window sill。 〃But I
don't know yet who you are。 Who is your father？ Where does he live？〃
David shook his head。 As was always the case when his father was
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mentioned； his face grew wistful and his eyes dreamy。
〃He doesn't live here anywhere；〃 murmured the boy。 〃In the far
country he is waiting for me to come to him and tell him of the beautiful
world I have found； you know。〃
〃Eh？ What？〃 stammered the man； not knowing whether to believe his
eyes； or his ears。 This boy who fought like a demon and talked like a saint；
and who； though battered and bruised； prattled of the 〃beautiful world〃 he
had found； was most disconcerting。
〃Why； Jack； don't you know？〃 whispered the little girl agitatedly。 〃He's
the boy at Mr。 Holly's that they took。〃 Then； still more softly： 〃He's the
little tramp boy。 His father died in the barn。〃
〃Oh；〃 said the man； his face clearing； and his eyes showing a quick
sympathy。 〃You're the boy at the Holly farmhouse； are you？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃And he plays the fiddle everywhere；〃 volunteered the little girl； with
ardent admiration。 〃If you hadn't been shut up sick just now； you'd have
heard him yourself。 He plays everywhereeverywhere he goes。〃
〃Is that so？〃 murmured Jack politely； shuddering a little at what he
fancied would come from a violin played by a boy like the one before him。
（Jack could play the violin himself a littleenough to know it some； and
love it more。） 〃Hm…m； well； and what else do you do？ 〃
〃Nothing； except to go for walks and read。〃
〃Nothing！a big boy like youand on Simeon Holly's farm？〃 Voice
and manner showed that Jack was not unacquainted with Simeon Holly
and his methods and opinions。
David laughed gleefully。
〃Oh； of course； REALLY I do lots of things； only I don't count those
any more。 'Horas non numero nisi serenas；' you knew；〃 he quoted
pleasantly； smiling into the man's astonished eyes。
〃Jack； what was thatwhat he said？〃 whispered the little girl。 〃It
sounded foreign。 IS he foreign？〃
〃You've got me； Jill；〃 retorted the man； with a laughing grimace。
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〃Heaven only knows what he isI don't。 What he SAID was Latin； I do
happen to know that。 Still〃he turned to the boy ironically〃of course you
know the translation of that；〃 he said。
〃Oh； yes。 'I count no hours but unclouded ones'and I liked that。 'T
was on a sundial； you know； and I'M going to be a sundial； and not count；
the hours I don't likewhile I'm pulling up weeds； and hoeing potatoes；
and picking up stones； and all that。 Don't you see？〃
For a moment the man stared dumbly。 Then he threw back his head
and laughed。
〃Well； by George！〃 he muttered。 〃By George！〃 And he laughed again。
Then： 〃And did your father teach you that； too？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； no；well； he taught me Latin； and so of course I could read it
when I found it。 But those 'special words I got off the sundial where my
Lady of the Roses lives。〃
〃YourLady of the Roses！ And who is she？〃
〃Why； don't you know？ You live right in sight of her house；〃 cried
David； pointing to the towers of Sunnycrest that showed above the trees。
〃It's over there she lives。 I know those towers now； and I look for them
wherever I go。 I love them。 It makes me see all over again the rosesand
her。〃
〃You meanMiss Holbrook？〃
The voice was so different from the genial tones that he had heard
before that David looked up in surprise。
〃Yes； she said that was her name；〃 he answered； wondering at the
indefinable change that had come to the man's face。
There was a moment's pause； then the man rose to his feet。
〃How's your head？ Does it ache？〃 he asked briskly。
〃Not muchsome。 II think I'll be going；〃 replied David； a little
awkwardly； reaching for his violin； and unconsciously showing by his
manner the sudden chill in the atmosphere。
The little girl spoke then。 She overwhelmed him again with thanks；
and pointed to the contented kitten on the window sill。 True； she did not
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tell him this time that she would love； love； love him always； but she
beamed upon him gratefully and she urged him to come soon again； and
often。
David bowed himself off； with many a backward wave of the hand；
and many a promise to come again。 Not until he had quite reached the
bottom of the hill did he remember that the man； 〃Jack；〃 had said almost
nothing at the last。 As David recollected him； indeed； he had last been seen
standing beside one of the veranda posts； with gloomy eyes fixed on the
towers of Sunnycrest that showed red…gold above the tree…tops in the last
rays of the setting sun。
It was a bad half…hour that David spent at the Holly farmhouse in
explanation of his
