dream days-第5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！



especially　in　those　akin　to　usthe　finer　qualities　of　soul！　　We

misunderstood　you；　misappreciated　you；　and　we　own　up　to　it。　　And

now〃　　〃Alas；　my　dear　friends；〃　I　would　strike　in　here；　waving

towards　them　an　ascetic　handone　of　the　emaciated　sort；　that

lets　the　light　shine　through　at　the　finger…tips〃Alas；　you

come　too　late！　　This　conduct　is　fitting　and　meritorious　on　your

part；　and　indeed　I　always　expected　it　of　you；　sooner　or　later；

but　the　die　is　cast；　and　you　may　go　home　again　and　bewail　at　your

leisure　this　too　tardy　repentance　of　yours。　　For　me；　I　am　vowed

and　dedicated；　and　my　relations　henceforth　are　austerity　and　holy

works。　　Once　a　month；　should　you　wish　it；　it　shall　be　your

privilege　to　come　and　gaze　at　me　through　this　very　solid　grating；

but〃　　WHACK！



A　well…aimed　clod　of　garden　soil；　whizzing　just　past　my　ear；

starred　on　a　tree…trunk　behind；　spattering　me　with　dirt。　　The

present　came　back　to　me　in　a　flash；　and　I　nimbly　took　cover

behind　the　trees；　realising　that　the　enemy　was　up　and　abroad；

with　ambuscades；　alarms；　and　thrilling　sallies。　　It　was　the

gardener's　boy；　I　knew　well　enough；　a　red　proletariat；　who　hated

me　just　because　I　was　a　gentleman。　　Hastily　picking　up　a　nice

sticky　clod　in　one　hand；　with　the　other　I　delicately　projected　my

hat　beyond　the　shelter　of　the　tree…trunk。　　I　had　not　fought　with

Red…skins　all　these　years　for　nothing。



As　I　had　expected；　another　clod；　of　the　first　class　for　size　and

stickiness；　took　my　poor　hat　full　in　the　centre。　　Then；　Ajax…

like；　shouting　terribly；　I　issued　from　shelter　and　discharged　my

ammunition。　　Woe　then　for　the　gardener's　boy；　who；　unprepared；

skipping　in　premature　triumph；　took　the　clod　full　in　his　stomach！



He；　the　foolish　one；　witless　on　whose　side　the　gods　were　fighting

that　day；　discharged　yet　other　missiles；　wavering　and　wide　of　the

mark；　for　his　wind　had　been　taken　with　the　first　clod；　and　he

shot　wildly；　as　one　already　desperate　and　in　flight。　　I　got

another　clod　in　at　short　range；　we　clinched　on　the　brow　of　the

hill；　and　rolled　down　to　the　bottom　together。　　When　he　had

shaken　himself　free　and　regained　his　legs；　he　trotted　smartly　off

in　the　direction　of　his　mother's　cottage；　but　over　his　shoulder

he　discharged　at　me　both　imprecation　and　deprecation；　menace

mixed　up　with　an　under…current　of　tears。



But　as　for　me；　I　made　off　smartly　for　the　road；　my　frame

tingling；　my　head　high；　with　never　a　backward　look　at　the

Settlement　of　suggestive　aspect；　or　at　my　well…planned　future

which　lay　in　fragments　around　it。　　Life　had　its　jollities；　then；

life　was　action；　contest；　victory！　　The　present　was　rosy　once

more；　surprises　lurked　on　every　side；　and　I　was　beginning　to　feel

villainously　hungry。



Just　as　I　gained　the　road　a　cart　came　rattling　by；　and　I　rushed

for　it；　caught　the　chain　that　hung　below；　and　swung　thrillingly

between　the　dizzy　wheels；　choked　and　blinded　with　delicious…

smelling　dust；　the　world　slipping　by　me　like　a　streaky　ribbon

below；　till　the　driver　licked　at　me　with　his　whip；　and　I　had　to

descend　to　earth　again。　　Abandoning　the　beaten　track；　I　then

struck　homewards　through　the　fields；　not　that　the　way　was　very

much　shorter；　but　rather　because　on　that　route　one　avoided　the

bridge；　and　had　to　splash　through　the　stream　and　get　refreshingly

wet。　　Bridges　were　made　for　narrow　folk；　for　people　with　aims　and

vocations　which　compelled　abandonment　of　many　of　life's　highest

pleasures。　　Truly　wise　men　called　on　each　element　alike　to

minister　to　their　joy；　and　while　the　touch　of　sun…bathed　air；　the

fragrance　of　garden　soil；　the　ductible　qualities　of　mud；　and　the

spark…whirling　rapture　of　playing　with　fire；　had　each　their

special　charm；　they　did　not　overlook　the　bliss　of　getting　their

feet　wet。　　As　I　came　forth　on　the　common　Harold　broke　out　of　an

adjoining　copse　and　ran　to　meet　me；　the　morning　rain…clouds

all　blown　away　from　his　face。　　He　had　made　a　new　squirrel…stick；

it　seemed。　　Made　it　all　himself；　melted　the　lead　and　everything！　

I　examined　the　instrument　critically；　and　pronounced　it

absolutely　magnificent。　　As　we　passed　in　at　our　gate　the　girls

were　distantly　visible；　gardening　with　a　zeal　in　cheerful

contrast　to　their　heartsick　lassitude　of　the　morning。　　〃There's

bin　another　letter　come　to…day；〃　Harold　explained；　〃and　the

hamper　got　joggled　about　on　the　journey；　and　the　presents　worked

down　into　the　straw　and　all　over　the　place。　　One　of　'em　turned

up　inside　the　cold　duck。　　And　that's　why　they　weren't　found　at

first。　　And　Edward　said；　Thanks　AWFULLY〃

I　did　not　see　Martha　again　until　we　were　all　re…assembled　at　tea…

time；　when　she　seemed　red…eyed　and　strangely　silent；　neither

scolding　nor　finding　fault　with　anything。　　Instead；　she　was　very

kind　and　thoughtful　with　jams　and　things；　feverishly　pressing

unwonted　delicacies　on　us；　who　wanted　little　pressing　enough。　

Then　suddenly；　when　I　was　busiest；　she　disappeared；　and　Charlotte

whispered　me　presently　that　she　had　heard　her　go　to　her　room　and

lock　herself　in。　　This　struck　me　as　a　funny　sort　of

proceeding。









MUTABILE　SEMPER



She　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　garden　fence；　and　regarded　me

gravely　as　I　came　down　the　road。　　Then　she　said；　〃Hi…o！〃　and　I

responded；　〃Hullo！〃　and　pulled　up　somewhat　nervously。



To　tell　the　truth；　the　encounter　was　not　entirely　unexpected　on

my　part。　　The　previous　Sunday　I　had　seen　her　in　church；　and　after

service　it　had　transpired　who　she　was；　this　new…comer；　and　what

aunt　she　was　staying　with。　　That　morning　a　volunteer　had　been

called　for；　to　take　a　note　to　the　Parsonage；　and　rather　to　my　own

surprise　I　had　found　myself　stepping　forward　with　alacrity；　while

the　others　had　become　suddenly　absorbed　in　various　pursuits；

or　had　sneaked　unobtrusively　out　of　view。　　Certainly　I　had　not

yet　formed　any　deliberate　plan　of　action；　yet　I　suppose　I

recollected　that　the　road　to　the　Parsonage　led　past　her　aunt's

garden。



She　began　the　conversation；　while　I　hopped　backwards　and　forwards

over　the　ditch；　feigning　a　careless　ease。



〃Saw　you　in　church　on　Sunday；〃　she　said；　〃only　you　looked

different　then。　　All　dressed　up；　and　your　hair　quite　smooth；　and

brushed　up　at　the　sides；　and　oh；　so　shiny！　　What　do　they　put　on

it　to　make　it　shine　like　that？　　Don't　you　hate　having　your　hair

brushed？〃　she　ran　on；　without　waiting　for　an　answer。　　〃How　your

boots　squeaked　when　you　came　down　the　aisle！　　When　mine　squeak；　I

walk　in　all　the　puddles　till　they　stop。　　Think　I'll　get　over　the

fence。〃



This　she　proceeded　to　do　in　a　businesslike　way；　while；　with

my　hands　deep　in　my　pockets；　I　regarded　her　movements　with　silent

interest；　as　those　of　some　strange　new　animal。



〃I've　been　gardening；〃　she　explained；　when　she　had　joined　me；

〃but　I　didn't　like　it。　　There's　so　many　worms　about　to…day。　　I

hate　worms。　　Wish　they'd　keep　out　of　the　way　when　I'm　digging。〃



〃Oh；　I　like　worms　when　I'm　digging；〃　I　replied　heartily；　〃seem　to

make　things　more　lively；　don't　they？〃



She　reflected。　　〃Shouldn't　mind　'em　so　much　if　they　were　warm　and

DRY；〃　she　said；　〃but〃　here　she　shivered；　and　somehow　I　liked

her　for　it；　though　if　it　had　been　my　own　flesh　and　blood　hoots　of

derision　would　have　instantly　assailed　her。



From　worms　we　passed；　naturally　enough；　to　frogs；　and　thence　to

pigs；　aunts；　gardeners；　rocking…horses；　and　other　fellow…citizens

of　our　common　kingdom。　　In　five　minutes　we　had　each　other's

confidences；　and　I　seemed　to　have　known　her　for　a　lifetime。　

Somehow；　on　the　subject　of　one's　self　it　was　easier　to　be　frank

and　communicative　with　her　than　with　one's　female　kin。　　It　must

be；　I　supposed；　because　she　was　less　familiar　with　one's　faulty；

tattered　past。



〃I　was　watching　you　as　you　came　along　the　road；〃　she　said

presently；　〃and　you　had　your　head　down　and　your　hands　in　your

pockets；　and　you　weren't　throwing　stones　at　anything；　or

whistling；　or　jumping　over　things；　and　I　thought　perhaps　you'd

bin　scolded；　or　got　a　stomach…ache。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered　shyly；　〃it　wasn't　that。　　Fact　is；　I　wasI

oftenbut　it's　a　secret。〃



There　I　made　an　error　in　tactics。　　That　enkindling　word　set　her

dancing　round　me；　half　beseeching；　half　imperious。　　〃Oh；　do

tell　it　me！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　must！　　I'll　never　tell　anyone　else

at　all；　I　vow　and　declare　I　won't！〃



Her　small　frame　wriggled　with　emotion；　and　with　imploring　eyes

she　jigged　impatiently　just　in　front　of　me。　　Her　hair　was　tumbled

bewitchingly　on　her　shoulders；　and　even　the　loss　of　a　front

tootha　loss　incidental　to　her　ageseemed　but　to　add　a　piquancy

to　her　face。



〃You　won't　care　to　hear　about　it；〃　I　said；　wavering。　　〃Besides；　I

can't　explain　exactly。　　I　think　I　won't　tell　you。〃　　But　all　the

time　I　knew　I　should　have　to。



〃But　I　DO　care；〃　she　wailed　plaintively。　　〃I　didn't　think

you'd　be　so　unkind！〃



This　would　never　do。　　That　little　downward　tug　at　either　corner

of　the　mouthI　knew　the　symptom　only　too　well！