by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第8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！
conversation with himself in the corner of my window pane； had gone to
sleep at last and was snoring。 The errant prince might have entered the
slumberous halls unchallenged； and walked into any of the darkened
rooms whose open doors gaped for more air； without awakening the
veriest Greyport flirt with his salutation。 At times a drowsy voice； a lazily
interjected sentence； an incoherent protest； a long…drawn phrase of
saccharine tenuity suddenly broke off with a gasp； came vaguely to the ear；
as if indicating a half…suspended； half…articulated existence somewhere；
but not definite enough to indicate conversation。 In the midst of this； there
was the sudden crying of a child。
I looked up from my work。 Through the camera of my jealously
guarded window I could catch a glimpse of the vivid； quivering blue of the
sky； the glittering intensity of the ocean； the long motionless leaves of the
horse…chestnut in the road；all utterly inconsistent with anything as active
as this lamentation。 I stepped to the open door and into the silent hall。
Apparently the noise had attracted the equal attention of my neighbors。
A vague chorus of 〃Sarah Walker；〃 in querulous recognition； of 〃O Lord！
that child again！〃 in hopeless protest； rose faintly from the different rooms。
As the lamentations seemed to approach nearer； the visitors' doors were
successively shut； swift footsteps hurried along the hall； past my open
door came a momentary vision of a heated nursemaid carrying a
tumultuous chaos of frilled skirts； flying sash； rebellious slippers； and
tossing curls； there was a moment's rallying struggle before the room
nearly opposite mine； and then a door opened and shut upon the vision。 It
was Sarah Walker！
26
… Page 27…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
Everybody knew her； few had ever seen more of her than this passing
vision。 In the great hall； in the dining…room； in the vast parlors； in the
garden； in the avenue； on the beach； a sound of lamentation had always
been followed by this same brief apparition。 Was there a sudden pause
among the dancers and a subjugation of the loudest bassoons in the early
evening 〃hop；〃 the explanation was given in the words 〃Sarah Walker。〃
Was there a wild confusion among the morning bathers on the sands；
people whispered 〃Sarah Walker。〃 A panic among the waiters at dinner； an
interruption in the Sunday sacred concert； a disorganization of the after…
dinner promenade on the veranda； was instantly referred to Sarah Walker。
Nor were her efforts confined entirely to public life。 In cozy corners and
darkened recesses； bearded lips withheld the amorous declaration to
mutter 〃Sarah Walker〃 between their clenched teeth； coy and bashful
tongues found speech at last in the rapid formulation of 〃Sarah Walker。〃
Nobody ever thought of abbreviating her full name。 The two people in the
hotel； otherwise individualized； but known only as 〃Sarah Walker's father〃
and 〃Sarah Walker's mother；〃 and never as Mr。 and Mrs。 Walker； addressed
her only as 〃Sarah Walker〃； two animals that were occasionally a part of
this passing pageant were known as 〃Sarah Walker's dog〃 and 〃Sarah
Walker's cat；〃 and later it was my proud privilege to sink my own
individuality under the title of 〃that friend of Sarah Walker's。〃
It must not be supposed that she had attained this baleful eminence
without some active criticism。 Every parent in the Greyport Hotel had held
his or her theory of the particular defects of Sarah Walker's education；
every virgin and bachelor had openly expressed views of the peculiar
discipline that was necessary to her subjugation。 It may be roughly
estimated that she would have spent the entire nine years of her active life
in a dark cupboard on an exclusive diet of bread and water； had this
discipline obtained； while； on the other hand； had the educational theories
of the parental assembly prevailed； she would have ere this shone an
etherealized essence in the angelic host。 In either event she would have
〃ceased from troubling；〃 which was the general Greyport idea of higher
education。 A paper read before our Literary Society on 〃Sarah Walker and
other infantile diseases；〃 was referred to in the catalogue as 〃Walker； Sarah；
27
… Page 28…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
Prevention and Cure；〃 while the usual burlesque legislation of our summer
season culminated in the Act entitled 〃An Act to amend an Act entitled an
Act for the abatement of Sarah Walker。〃 As she was hereafter exclusively
to be fed 〃on the PROVISIONS of this Act；〃 some idea of its general tone
may be gathered。 It was a singular fact in this point of her history that her
natural progenitors not only offered no resistance to the doubtful celebrity
of their offspring； but； by hopelessly accepting the situation； to some
extent POSED as Sarah Walker's victims。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Walker were
known to be rich； respectable； and indulgent to their only child。 They
themselves had been evolved from a previous generation of promiscuously
acquired wealth into the repose of inherited property； but it was currently
accepted that Sarah had 〃cast back〃 and reincarnated some waif on the
deck of an emigrant ship at the beginning of the century。
Such was the child separated from me by this portentous history； a
narrow passage； and a closed nursery door。 Presently； however； the door
was partly opened again as if to admit the air。 The crying had ceased； but
in its place the monotonous Voice of Conscience； for the moment
personated by Sarah Walker's nursemaid； kept alive a drowsy recollection
of Sarah Walker's transgressions。
〃You see；〃 said the Voice； 〃what a dreadful thing it is for a little girl to
go on as you do。 I am astonished at you； Sarah Walker。 So is everybody；
so is the good ladies next door； so is the kind gentleman opposite； so is all！
Where you expect to go to； 'Evin only knows！ How you expect to be
forgiven； saints alone can tell！ But so it is always； and yet you keep it up。
And wouldn't you like it different； Sarah Walker？ Wouldn't you like to
have everybody love you？ Wouldn't you like them good ladies next door；
and that nice gentleman opposite； all to kinder rise up and say； 'Oh； what a
dear good little girl Sarah Walker is？'〃 The interpolation of a smacking
sound of lips； as if in unctuous anticipation of Sarah Walker's virtue； here
ensued〃Oh； what a dear； good； sw…e…et； lovely little girl Sarah Walker
is！〃
There was a dead silence。 It may have been fancy； but I thought that
some of the doors in the passage creaked softly as if in listening
expectation。 Then the silence was broken by a sigh。 Had Sarah Walker
28
… Page 29…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
ingloriously succumbed？ Rash and impotent conclusion！
〃I don't；〃 said Sarah Walker's voice； slowly rising until it broke on the
crest of a mountainous sob； 〃Idon'twant'emtolove me。 Idon't
want'emto saywhat adeargoodlittle girl Sarah Walker is！〃 She
caught her breath。 〃Iwant'emto say what a naughtybaddirty
horridfilthylittle girl Sarah Walker isso I do。 There！〃
The doors slammed all along the passages。 The dreadful issue was
joined。 I softly crossed the hall and looked into Sarah Walker's room。
The light from a half…opened shutter fell full upon her rebellious little
figure。 She had stiffened herself in a large easy…chair into the attitude in
which she had been evidently deposited there by the nurse whose torn…off
apron she still held rigidly in one hand。 Her shapely legs stood out before
her； jointless and inflexible to the point of her tiny shoesa POSE copied
with pathetic fidelity by the French doll at her feet。 The attitude must have
