just david(公正的大卫)-第30节
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badge of mourning。
〃And yet they were wonderfully good friendsthis boy and girl。 From
the very first； when they were seven and eight； they had said that they
would marry each other when they grew up； and always they spoke of it as
the expected thing； and laid many happy plans for the time when it should
come。 To be sure； as they grew older； it was not mentioned quite so often；
perhaps； but the boy at least thoughtif he thought of it allthat that was
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only because it was already so well understood。〃
〃What did the girl think？〃 It was Jill who asked the question。
〃Eh？ The girl？ Oh；〃 answered Mr。 Jack； a little bitterly； 〃I'm afraid I
don't know exactly what the girl did think； butit was n't that； anyhow
that is； judging from what followed。〃
〃What did follow？〃
〃Well； to begin with； the old aunt died。 The girl was sixteen then。 It
was in the winter that this happened； and the girl was far away at school。
She came to the funeral； however； but the boy did not see her； save in the
distance； and then he hardly knew her； so strange did she look in her black
dress and hat。 She was there only two days； and though he gazed wistfully
up at the gray tower； he knew well enough that of course she could not
wave to him at such a time as that。 Yet he had hopedalmost believed that
she would wave two waves that last day； and let him go over to see her。
〃But she didn't wave； and he didn't go over。 She went away。 And then
the town learned a wonderful thing。 The old lady； her aunt； who had been
considered just fairly rich； turned out to be the possessor of almost
fabulous wealth； owing to her great holdings of stock in a Western gold
mine which had suddenly struck it rich。 And to the girl she willed it all。 It
was then； of course； that the girl became the Princess； but the boy did not
realize thatjust then。 To him she was still 'the girl。'
〃For three years he did not see her。 She was at school； or traveling
abroad； he heard。 He； too； had been away to school； and was； indeed； just
ready to enter college。 Then； that summer； he heard that she was coming to
the old home； and his heart sang within him。 Remember； to him she was
still the girl。 He knew； of course； that she was not the LITTLE girl who
had promised to marry him。 But he was sure she was the merry comrade；
the true…hearted young girl who used to smile frankly into his eyes； and
whom he was now to win for his wife。 You see he had forgottenquite
forgotten about the Princess and the money。 Such a foolish； foolish boy as
he was！
〃So he got out his flags gleefully； and one day； when his mother wasn't
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in the kitchen； he ironed out the wrinkles and smoothed them all ready to
be raised on the pole。 He would be ready when the girl wavedfor of
course she would wave； he would show her that he had not forgotten。 He
could see just how the sparkle would come to her eyes； and just how the
little fine lines of mischief would crinkle around her nose when she was
ready to give that first wave。 He could imagine that she would like to find
him napping； that she would like to take him by surprise； and make him
scurry around for his flags to answer her。
〃But he would show her！ As if she； a girl； were to beat him at their old
game！ He wondered which it would be： 'I'm coming over；' or； 'You are to
come over here。' Whichever it was； he would answer； of course； with the
red 'All right。' Still； it WOULD be a joke to run up the blue 'Got to work；'
and then slip across to see her； just as she； so long ago； had played the joke
on him！ On the whole； however； he thought the red flag would be better。
And it was that one which he laid uppermost ready to his hand； when he
arranged them。
〃At last she came。 He heard of it at once。 It was already past four
o'clock； but he could not forbear； even then； to look toward the tower。 It
would be like her； after all； to wave then； that very night； just so as to
catch him napping； he thought。 She did not wave； however。 The boy was
sure of that； for he watched the tower till dark。
〃In the morning； long before eight o'clock； the boy was ready。 He
debated for some time whether to stand out of doors on the piazza； or to
hide behind the screened window； where he could still watch the tower。 He
decided at last that it would be better not to let her see him when she
looked toward the house； then his triumph would be all the more complete
when he dashed out to run up his answer。
〃Eight o'clock came and passed。 The boy waited until nine； but there
was no sign of life from the tower。 The boy was angry then； at himself。 He
called himself； indeed； a fool； to hide as he did。 Of course she wouldn't
wave when he was nowhere in sightwhen he had apparently forgotten！
And here was a whole precious day wasted！
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〃The next morning； long before eight； the boy stood in plain sight on
the piazza。 As before he waited until nine； and as before there was no sign
of life at the tower window。 The next morning he was there again； and the
next； and the next。 It took just five days； indeed； to convince the boyas
he was convinced at lastthat the girl did not intend to wave at all。〃
〃But how unkind of her！〃 exclaimed David。
〃She couldn't have been nice one bit！〃 decided Jill。
〃You forget；〃 said Mr。 Jack。 〃She was the Princess。〃
〃Huh！〃 grunted Jill and David in unison。
〃The boy remembered it then；〃 went on Mr。 Jack； after a pause；
〃about the money； and that she was a Princess。 And of course he knew
when he thought of itthat he could not expect that a Princess would wave
like a girljust a girl。 Besides； very likely she did not care particularly
about seeing him。 Princesses did forget； he fancied；they had so much； so
very much to fill their lives。 It was this thought that kept him from going
to see herthis； and the recollection that； after all； if she really HAD
wanted to see him； she could have waved。
〃There came a day； however； when another youth； who did not dare to
go alone； persuaded him； and together they paid her a call。 The boy
understood； then； many things。 He found the Princess； there was no sign of
the girl。 The Princess was tall and dignified； with a cold little hand and a
smooth； sweet voice。 There was no frank smile in her eyes； neither were
there any mischievous crinkles about her nose and lips。 There was no
mention of towers or flags； no reference to wavings or to childhood's days。
There was only a stiffly polite little conversation about colleges and
travels； with a word or two about books and plays。 Then the callers went
home。 On the way the boy smiled scornfully to himself。 He was trying to
picture the beauteous vision he had seen； this unapproachable Princess in
her filmy lace gown；standing in the tower window and wavingwaving
to a bit of a house on the opposite hill。 As if that could happen！
〃The boy； during those last three years； had known only books。 He
knew little of girlsonly one girland he knew still less of Princesses。 So
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when； three days after the call； there came a chance to join a summer camp
with a man who loved books even better than did the boy himself； he went
gladly。 Once he had refused to go on this very trip； but then there had been
the girl。 Now there was only the Princessand the Princess didn't count。〃
〃Like the hours that aren't sunshiny；〃 interpreted David。
〃Yes；〃 corroborated Mr。 Jack。 〃Like the hours when the sun does n't
shine。〃
〃And then？〃 prompted Jill。
〃Well； then；there wasn't much worth telling；〃 rejoined Mr。 Jack
gloomily。 〃Two more years passed； and the Princess grew to be twenty…
one。 She came into full control of her property then； and after a while she
came back to the old stone house with the towers and turned it into a
fairyland of beauty。 She spent money like water。 All manner of
