just david(公正的大卫)-第41节
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him then。〃
〃To…morrow？ Soso soon？〃 faltered Miss Holbrook。 And to David；
gazing at her with wondering eyes； it seemed for a moment almost as if
she were looking about for a place to which she might run and hide。 Then
determinedly； as if she were taking hold of something with both hands； she
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leaned forward； looked David squarely in the eyes； and began to talk
hurriedly； yet very distinctly。
〃David； listen。 I've something I want you to say to Mr。 Jack； and I want
you to be sure and get it just right。 It's about thethe story； 'The Princess
and the Pauper；' you know。 You can remember； I think； for you
remembered that so well。 Will you say it to himwhat I'm going to tell
youjust as I say it？〃
〃Why； of course I will！〃 David's promise was unhesitating； though his
eyes were still puzzled。
〃It's about thethe ending；〃 stammered Miss Holbrook。 〃That is； it
mayit may have something to do with the endingperhaps；〃 she finished
lamely。 And again David noticed that odd shifting of Miss Holbrook's gaze
as if she were searching for some means of escape。 Then； as before； he
saw her chin lift determinedly； as she began to talk faster than ever。
〃Now； listen；〃 she admonished him； earnestly。
And David listened。
CHAPTER XXIV
A STORY REMODELED
The pretended Halloween was a great suceess。 So very excited；
indeed； did David become over the swinging apples and popping nuts that
he quite forgot to tell Mr。 Jack what the Lady of the Roses had said until
Jill had gone up to bed and he himself was about to take from Mr。 Jack's
hand the little lighted lamp。
〃Oh； Mr。 Jack； I forgot；〃 he cried then。 〃There was something I was
going to tell you。〃
〃Never mind to…night； David； it's so late。 Suppose we leave it until to…
morrow；〃 suggested Mr。 Jack； still with the lamp extended in his hand。
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〃But I promised the Lady of the Roses that I'd say it to…night；〃
demurred the boy； in a troubled voice。
The man drew his lamp halfway back suddenly。
〃The Lady of the Roses！ Do you meanshe sent a messageto ME？〃
he demanded。
〃Yes； about the story； 'The Princess and the Pauper；' you know。〃
With an abrupt exclamation Mr。 Jack set the lamp on the table and
turned to a chair。 He had apparently lost his haste to go to bed。
〃See here； David； suppose you come and sit down； and tell me just
what you're talking about。 And firstjust what does the Lady of the Roses
know about thatthat 'Princess and the Pauper'？〃
〃Why； she knows it all； of course；〃 returned the boy in surprise。 〃I told
it to her。〃
〃Youtolditto her！〃 Mr。 Jack relaxed in his chair。 〃David！〃
〃Yes。 And she was just as interested as could be。〃
〃I don't doubt it！〃 Mr。 Jack's lips snapped together a little grimly。
〃Only she didn't like the ending； either。〃
Mr。 Jack sat up suddenly。
〃She didn't likeDavid； are you sure？ Did she SAY that？〃
David frowned in thought。
〃Well； I don't know as I can tell； exactly； but I'm sure she did n't like it；
because just before she told me WHAT to say to you； she said thatthat
what she was going to say would probably have something to do with the
ending； anyway。 Still〃 David paused in yet deeper thought。 〃Come to
think of it； there really isn't anythingnot in what she saidthat
CHANGED that ending； as I can see。 They didn't get married and live
happy ever after； anyhow。〃
〃Yes； but what did she say？〃 asked Mr。 Jack in a voice that was not
quite steady。 〃Now； be careful； David； and tell it just as she said it。〃
〃Oh； I will；〃 nodded David。 〃SHE said to do that； too。〃
〃Did she？〃 Mr。 Jack leaned farther forward in his chair。 〃But tell me；
how did she happen toto say anything about it？ Suppose you begin at the
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beginningaway back； David。 I want to hear it allall！〃
David gave a contented sigh； and settled himself more comfortably。
〃Well； to begin with； you see； I told her the story long ago； before I
was sick； and she was ever so interested then； and asked lots of questions。
Then the other day something came upI've forgotten howabout the
ending； and I told her how hard I'd tried to have you change it； but you
wouldn't。 And she spoke right up quick and said probably you didn't want
to change it； anyhow。 But of course I settled THAT question without any
trouble；〃 went on David confidently； 〃by just telling her how you said
you'd give anything in the world to change it。〃
〃And you told her thatjust that； David？〃 cried the man。
〃Why； yes； I had to；〃 answered David； in surprise； 〃else she wouldn't
have known that you DID want to change it。 Don't you see？〃
〃Oh； yes！ Iseea good deal that I'm thinking you don't；〃 muttered Mr。
Jack； fallig back in his chair。
〃Well； then is when I told her about the logical endingwhat you said；
you know；oh； yes！ and that was when I found out she did n't like the
ending； because she laughed such a funny little laugh and colored up； and
said that she wasn't sure she could tell me what a logical ending was； but
that she would try to find out； and that； anyhow； YOUR ending wouldn't
be hersshe was sure of that。〃
〃David； did she say thatreally？〃 Mr。 Jack was on his feet now。
〃She did； and then yesterday she asked me to come over； and she said
some more things；about the story； I mean；but she didn't say another
thing about the ending。 She didn't ever say anything about that except that
little bit I told you of a minute ago。〃
〃Yes； yes； but what did she say？〃 demanded Mr。 Jack； stopping short
in his walk up and down the room。
〃She said： 'You tell Mr。 Jack that I know something about that story of
his that perhaps he doesn't。 In the first place； I know the Princess a lot
better than he does； and she isn't a bit the kind of girl he's pictured her。〃
〃Yes！ Go ongo on！〃
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〃 'Now； for instance；' she says； 'when the boy made that call； after the
girl first came back； and when the boy didn't like it because they talked of
colleges and travels； and such things； you tell him that I happen to know
that that girl was just hoping and hoping he'd speak of the old days and
games； but that she could n't speak； of course； when he hadn't been even
once to see her during all those weeks； and when he'd acted in every way
just as if he'd forgotten。' 〃
〃But she hadn't wavedthat Princess hadn't wavedonce！〃 argued Mr。
Jack； 〃and he looked and looked for it。〃
〃Yes； SHE spoke of that；〃 returned David。 〃But SHE said she shouldn't
think the Princess would have waved； when she'd got to be such a great
big girl as thatWAVING to a BOY！ She said that for her part she should
have been ashamed of her if she had！〃
〃Oh； did she！〃 murmured Mr。 Jack blankly； dropping suddenly into his
chair。
〃Yes； she did；〃 repeated David； with a little virtuous uplifting of his
chin。
It was plain to be seen that David's sympathies had unaccountably met
with a change of heart。
〃Butthe Pauper〃
〃Oh； yes； and that's another thing；〃 interrupted David。 〃The Lady of
the Roses said that she didn't like that name one bit； that it wasn't true；
anyway； because he wasn't a pauper。 And she said； too； that as for his
picturing the Princess as being perfectly happy in all that magnificence； he
didn't get it right at all。 For SHE knew that the Princess wasn't one bit
happy； because she was so lonesome for things and people she had known
when she was just the girl。〃
Again Mr。 Jack sprang to his feet。 For a minute he strode up and down
the room in silence； then in a shaking voice he asked：
〃David； youyou aren't making all this up； are you？ You're saying just
whatwhat Miss Holbrook told you to？〃
〃Why； of course； I'm not making it up；〃
