stories by english authors-orient (英国作家故事集)-第24节
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before； would she have them with her。 Just a morning and a good…night
kiss； and a quarter of an hour at most； and I must take them away。 She
watched them play in the garden from her window or the little hill there；
and when they were asleep she would sit by them for hours； saying how
bonny they were and how good they were growing。 And she looked after
their clothes and their food and every little toy and pleasure； but never
came in for a romp and a chat any more。〃
〃Dear； brave heart！〃 murmured the girl。
〃Yes； ma'am； you feel for her； I know。 She was fair terrified of them
turning Maori and shaming their father。 That was it。 You didn't notice？ No；
after you came she was too ill to bear them about； and it seemed natural； I
dare say。 The Maoris are a fearful delicate set of folks。 A bad cold takes
them off into consumption directly。 And with her there was the sorrow as
well as the cold。 It was wonderful that she lived so long。〃
Alice threw her arms round Mrs。 Bentley's neck。
〃O nurse； it is all so dreadful and sad。 Couldn't we have somehow kept
her with us and made her happy？〃
The old woman held her close。 〃Nay； my dear bairn； never after that
happened。 It； or worse； might have come again。 It's something stronger in
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them than we know； it's the very blood； I'm thinking。 But she's gone to be
the angel that Dick always said she was。〃
Alice looked away over the starlit garden to where the plumy trees
stirred in the night wind。 〃No；〃 she said； fervently； 〃not 'gone to be；' nurse
dear； she was an angel always。 Dick was right。〃
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KING BILLY OF BALLARAT
BY MORLEY ROBERTS
King Billy was given to strolling up and down the streets of Ballarat
when that eviscerated city was merely in process of disembowelment；
before alluvial mining gave way to quartz…crushing； when the individual
had a chance； if a very vague one； of sudden and delightful fortune。 The
Ballarat blacks were a scaly lot； to talk of them like ill…fed hogs； as men
were wont to do。 They dwined and dwindled； as natives will before the
resources of civilisation： the bloodthirsty ones got killed out； the
rumthirsty ones died out； the wild corroboree was reduced to a poverty…
stricken imitation of its former glory。 King Billy's authority grew less with
the increase of his clothes。 The brass plate with his name on it was about
the last relic of his precarious power； and was chiefly valued as a means of
notifying the public generally that they might stand drinks to a monarch if
they saw fit and were not too humble。 He was not haughty； and never
presumed on his plate； as parvenus will。 He came of an ancient stock； and
could afford to condescend； even if he could not afford to pay for drinks。
He was very kind to children；white children； of course；and was hale…
fellow…well…met with many of them。
He was particularly fond of Annie Colborn； whose father was a
magistrate and a gold commissioner； and a person of very great
importance。 Whether or not King Billy was wise in his generation； and out
of the unwritten Scriptures of the somber bush had culled a maxim
inculcating the wisdom of making friends of the sons of Mammon； I
cannot say； but he was always good to Annie。 For my own part； I do not
believe the simple…hearted old king had any such notion inside his thick
antipodean skull。 He was good because he was not bad； which is the very
best morality after all； and a great advance on much we hear of。 And；
besides； he was sometimes hungry； and Mr。 Colborn's Chinese cook was
very haughty； and not to be approached except through an intermediary。
And who so capable of conciliating Wong as Annie？ Wong would make
her cakes even when his pigtail hung despondently from his aching head
after an opium debauch； and his cheeks were shining with anything but
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gladness； for if you get drunk very often on opium you shine。
Old Billy was mostly to be found where there was a chance of a drink；
but if the fountains were dried up； or he had been insulted by some
democratic； revolutionary； king…hating miner knocking his high hat down
over his eyes； he usually went up to Mr。 Colborn's place； and sat on the
fence； or on a log outside the gate。 So he was often very melancholy when
Annie came out。 One day his hat was very； very badly bulged indeed。
〃Your hat is very bad to…day； King Billy；〃 said six…year…old Annie； as
she stood in front of him critically； with her head on one side。 Without
knowing it； the child had come to look upon the state of the poor king's hat
as emblematical of his state of mind。 When it shut up like a closed
concertina his barometer was low。
〃Yes； missy；〃 said the king； 〃white man knock 'um over eyes； and〃
with a rub down his face〃skin 'um nose。〃
She inspected his nose carefullythough from a certain distance；
because her own nose was very good； both inside and out； and she knew
the king never got washed unless it rained when he was very drunk。 And
this was the end of summer。 It had not rained since November。
〃There is not very much skin off；〃 said Annie。 〃You had better wash
it。〃
The king made a wry face and changed the conversation。
〃You got 'um hat； Missy Annie？ One hat baal brokum； allasame white
fellow hat。 Bad hat； King Billy bad； black fellow； white fellow laugh。〃
He peered into his hat； and； trying to straighten it out； put his fist
through the side。 Poor Billy looked as if he could cry。
〃You stop a minute；〃 said Annie； and； flying indoors； she brought out a
very good high hat indeed。 〃Budgeree！〃 thought the king； that was a good
hat。 He could go down the streets like a king indeed； able to hold up his
head with any rich man in Ballarat。 He tried it on； and though it was much
too big； he knew it shone。 And the glory of a hat is in its shining as much
as its shape； even a black fellow knows that。
But that hat very nearly led to serious trouble。 For one thing； Mr。
Colborn missed it； and never thinking Annie had given it away； when he
saw the king sitting on the fence decorated with it； he stopped and
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interviewed him。
〃Where did you get that hat； you old thief？〃 asked the magistrate；
without any politeness to him who ruled the land before white men broke
into the country。 Some in authority are polite to those they dispossess； the
Prussians； for instance； to the miserable King Billys who strut about the
empire。 But the Anglo…Saxon only respects himself； and even that to a
limited extent； in new conquests。
The question troubled King Billy greatly。 He did not know that Mr。
Colborn would as soon have thought of murdering Annie as of bullying
her； so he lied promptly： 〃Me buy 'um； Mistah Cobon！〃
Mr。 Colborn took it off of his head； and saw that it was his； as he had
thought。 What he would have said I do not know； for just then he heard a
voice behind him：
〃Papa； it is my fault； I gave it to King Billy。〃
Colborn turned round and took her up； letting fall the hat as he did so。
Billy made a jump； picked it up； and； in his agitation； brushed it carefully
the wrong way。
〃My dear； if you gave it to him it's all right。 But why didn't the old fool
tell me？〃
〃He's not an old fool； papa； and you must not say so。 He's a good man；
and I think he thought you would be angry with me。 Didn't you； King
Billy？〃 And the king； with a smile of conscious rectitude； admitted it was
so。
Mr。 Colborn gave him sixpence； and he gave Annie a great many
kisses； declaring； with uncommon thoughtlessness； that whatever she did
was right； and that she could give the king all his house； and Australia to
boot。 Whereon King Billy smiled a smile that was portentous； and showed
his te
