the golden road-第31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！



〃That's　a　nice　way　to　speak　of　your　great…grandmother；〃　said　Felicity　severely。

〃How　does　The　Family　Guide　say　you　ought　to　speak　of　your　great…　grandma；　sweet　one？〃　asked　Dan。

〃There　is　one　thing　about　it　that　puzzles　me；〃　remarked　Cecily。　　〃She　calls　herself　a　GRATEFUL　widow。　　Now；　what　was　she　grateful　for？〃

〃Because　she　was　rid　of　him　at　last；〃　said　graceless　Dan。

〃Oh；　it　couldn't　have　been　that；〃　protested　Cecily　seriously。　　〃I've　always　heard　that　Great…Grandfather　and　Great…Grandmother　were　very　much　attached　to　each　other。〃

〃Maybe；　then；　it　means　she　was　grateful　that　she'd　had　him　as　long　as　she　did；〃　suggested　Peter。

〃She　was　grateful　to　him　because　he　had　been　so　kind　to　her　in　life；　I　think；〃　said　Felicity。

〃What　is　a　'distressed　relict'？〃　asked　Felix。

〃'Relict'　is　a　word　I　hate；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃It　sounds　so　much　like　relic。　　Relict　means　just　the　same　as　widow；　only　a　man　can　be　a　relict；　too。〃

〃Great…Grandmother　seemed　to　run　short　of　rhymes　at　the　last　of　the　epitaph；〃　commented　Dan。

〃Finding　rhymes　isn't　as　easy　as　you　might　think；〃　avowed　Peter；　out　of　his　own　experience。

〃I　think　Grandmother　King　intended　the　last　of　the　epitaph　to　be　in　blank　verse；〃　said　Felicity　with　dignity。

There　was　still　only　a　sprinkling　of　people　in　the　church　when　we　went　in　and　took　our　places　in　the　old…fashioned；　square　King　pew。　　We　had　just　got　comfortably　settled　when　Felicity　said　in　an　agitated　whisper；　〃Here　is　Peg　Bowen！〃

We　all　stared　at　Peg；　who　was　pacing　composedly　up　the　aisle。　　We　might　be　excused　for　so　doing；　for　seldom　were　the　decorous　aisles　of　Carlisle　church　invaded　by　such　a　figure。　　Peg　was　dressed　in　her　usual　short　drugget　skirt；　rather　worn　and　frayed　around　the　bottom；　and　a　waist　of　brilliant　turkey　red　calico。　　She　wore　no　hat；　and　her　grizzled　black　hair　streamed　in　elf　locks　over　her　shoulders。　　Face；　arms　and　feet　were　bareand　face；　arms　and　feet　were　liberally　powdered　with　FLOUR。　　Certainly　no　one　who　saw　Peg　that　night　could　ever　forget　the　apparition。

Peg's　black　eyes；　in　which　shone　a　more　than　usually　wild　and　fitful　light；　roved　scrutinizingly　over　the　church；　then　settled　on　our　pew。

〃She's　coming　here；〃　whispered　Felicity　in　horror。　　〃Can't　we　spread　out　and　make　her　think　the　pew　is　full？〃

But　the　manoeuvre　was　too　late。　　The　only　result　was　that　Felicity　and　the　Story　Girl　in　moving　over　left　a　vacant　space　between　them　and　Peg　promptly　plumped　down　in　it。

〃Well；　I'm　here；〃　she　remarked　aloud。　　〃I　did　say　once　I'd　never　darken　the　door　of　Carlisle　church　again；　but　what　that　boy　there〃nodding　at　Peter〃said　last　winter　set　me　thinking；　and　I　concluded　maybe　I'd　better　come　once　in　a　while；　to　be　on　the　safe　side。〃

Those　poor　girls　were　in　an　agony。　　Everybody　in　the　church　was　looking　at　our　pew　and　smiling。　　We　all　felt　that　we　were　terribly　disgraced；　but　we　could　do　nothing。　　Peg　was　enjoying　herself　hugely；　beyond　all　doubt。　　From　where　she　sat　she　could　see　the　whole　church；　including　pulpit　and　gallery；　and　her　black　eyes　darted　over　it　with　restless　glances。

〃Bless　me；　there's　Sam　Kinnaird；〃　she　exclaimed；　still　aloud。　　〃He's　the　man　that　dunned　Jacob　Marr　for　four　cents　on　the　church　steps　one　Sunday。　　I　heard　him。　　'I　think；　Jacob；　you　owe　me　four　cents　on　that　cow　you　bought　last　fall。　　Rec'llect　you　couldn't　make　the　change？'　Well；　you　know；　'twould　a…made　a　cat　laugh。　　The　Kinnairds　were　all　mighty　close；　I　can　tell　you。　　That's　how　they　got　rich。〃

What　Sam　Kinnaird　felt　or　thought　during　this　speech；　which　everyone　in　the　church　must　have　heard；　I　know　not。　　Gossip　had　it　that　he　changed　colour。　　We　wretched　occupants　of　the　King　pew　were　concerned　only　with　our　own　outraged　feelings。

〃And　there's　Melita　Ross；〃　went　on　Peg。　　〃She's　got　the　same　bonnet　on　she　had　last　time　I　was　in　Carlisle　church　six　years　ago。　　Some　folks　has　the　knack　of　making　things　last。　　But　look　at　the　style　Mrs。　Elmer　Brewer　wears；　will　yez？　　Yez　wouldn't　think　her　mother　died　in　the　poor…house；　would　yez；　now？〃

Poor　Mrs。　Brewer！　　From　the　tip　of　her　smart　kid　shoes　to　the　dainty　cluster　of　ostrich　tips　in　her　bonnetshe　was　most　immaculately　and　handsomely　arrayed；　but　I　venture　to　think　she　could　have　taken　small　pleasure　in　her　fashionable　attire　that　evening。　　Some　of　the　unregenerate；　including　Dan；　were　shaking　with　suppressed　laughter；　but　most　of　the　people　looked　as　if　they　were　afraid　to　smile；　lest　their　turn　should　come　next。

〃There's　old　Stephen　Grant　coming　in；〃　exclaimed　Peg　viciously；　shaking　her　floury　fist　at　him；　〃and　looking　as　if　butter　wouldn't　melt　in　his　mouth。　　He　may　be　an　elder；　but　he's　a　scoundrel　just　the　same。　　He　set　fire　to　his　house　to　get　the　insurance　and　then　blamed　ME　for　doing　it。　　But　I　got　even　with　him　for　it。　　Oh；　yes！　He　knows　that；　and　so　do　I！　　He；　he！〃

Peg　chuckled　quite　fiendishly　and　Stephen　Grant　tried　to　look　as　if　nothing　had　been　said。

〃Oh；　will　the　minister　never　come？〃　moaned　Felicity　in　my　ear。　　〃Surely　she'll　have　to　stop　then。〃

But　the　minister　did　not　come　and　Peg　had　no　intention　of　stopping。

〃There's　Maria　Dean。〃　she　resumed。　　〃I　haven't　seen　Maria　for　years。　　I　never　call　there　for　she　never　seems　to　have　anything　to　eat　in　the　house。　　She　was　a　Clayton　and　the　Claytons　never　could　cook。　　Maria　sorter　looks　as　if　she'd　shrunk　in　the　wash；　now；　don't　she？　　And　there's　Douglas　Nicholson。　　His　brother　put　rat　poison　in　the　family　pancakes。　　Nice　little　trick　that；　wasn't　it？　They　say　it　was　by　mistake。　　I　hope　it　WAS　a　mistake。　　His　wife　is　all　rigged　out　in　silk。　　Yez　wouldn't　think　to　look　at　her　she　was　married　in　cottonand　mighty　thankful　to　get　married　in　anything；　it's　my　opinion。　　There's　Timothy　Patterson。　　He's　the　meanest　man　alivemeaner'n　Sam　Kinnaird　even。　　Timothy　pays　his　children　five　cents　apiece　to　go　without　their　suppers；　and　then　steals　the　cents　out　of　their　pockets　after　they've　gone　to　bed。　　It's　a　fact。　　And　when　his　old　father　died　he　wouldn't　let　his　wife　put　his　best　shirt　on　him。　　He　said　his　second　best　was　plenty　good　to　be　buried　in。　　That's　another　fact。〃

〃I　can't　stand　much　more　of　this；〃　wailed　Felicity。

〃See　here；　Miss　Bowen；　you　really　oughtn't　to　talk　like　that　about　people；〃　expostulated　Peter　in　a　low　tone；　goaded　thereto；　despite　his　awe　of　Peg；　by　Felicity's　anguish。

〃Bless　you；　boy；〃　said　Peg　good…humouredly；　〃the　only　difference　between　me　and　other　folks　is　that　I　say　these　things　out　loud　and　they　just　think　them。　　If　I　told　yez　all　the　things　I　know　about　the　people　in　this　congregation　you'd　be　amazed。　　Have　a　peppermint？〃

To　our　horror　Peg　produced　a　handful　of　peppermint　lozenges　from　the　pocket　of　her　skirt　and　offered　us　one　each。　　We　did　not　dare　refuse　but　we　each　held　our　lozenge　very　gingerly　in　our　hands。

〃Eat　them；〃　commanded　Peg　rather　fiercely。

〃Mother　doesn't　allow　us　to　eat　candy　in　church；〃　faltered　Felicity。

〃Well；　I've　seen　just　as　fine　ladies　as　your　ma　give　their　children　lozenges　in　church；〃　said　Peg　loftily。　　She　put　a　peppermint　in　her　own　mouth　and　sucked　it　with　gusto。　　We　were　relieved；　for　she　did　not　talk　during　the　process；　but　our　relief　was　of　short　duration。　　A　bevy　of　three　very　smartly　dressed　young　ladies；　sweeping　past　our　pew；　started　Peg　off　again。

〃Yez　needn't　be　so　stuck　up；〃　she　said；　loudly　and　derisively。　　〃Yez　was　all　of　yez　rocked　in　a　flour　barrel。　　And　there's　old　Henry　Frewen；　still　above　ground。　　I　called　my　parrot　after　him　because　their　noses　were　exactly　alike。　　Look　at　Caroline　Marr；　will　yez？　　That's　a　woman　who'd　like　pretty　well　to　get　married；　And　there's　Alexander　Marr。　　He's　a　real　Christian；　anyhow；　and　so's　his　dog。　　I　can　always　size　up　what　a　man's　religion　amounts　to　by　the　kind　of　dog　he　keeps。　　Alexander　Marr　is　a　good　man。〃

It　was　a　relief　to　hear　Peg　speak　well　of　somebody；　but　that　was　the　only　exception　she　made。

〃Look　at　Dave　Fraser　strutting　in；〃　she　went　on。　　〃That　man　has　thanked　God　so　often　that　he　isn't　like　other　people　that　it's　come　to　be　true。　　He　isn't！　　And　there's　Susan　Frewen。　　She's　jealous　of　everybody。　　She's　even　jealous　of　Old　Man　Rogers　because　he's　buried　in　the　best　spot　in　the　graveyard。　　Seth　Erskine　has　the　same　look　he　was　born　with。　　They　say　the　Lord　made　everybody　but　I　believe　the　devil　made　all　the　Erskines。〃

〃She's　getting　worse　all　the　time。　　What　WILL　she　say　next？〃　whispered　poor　Felicity。

But　her　martyrdom　was　over　at　last。　　The　minister　appeared　in　the　pulpit　and　Peg　subsided　into　silence。　　She　folded　her　bare；　floury　arms　over　her　breast　and　fastened　her　black　eyes　on　the　young　preacher。　　Her　behaviour　for　the　next　half…hour　was　decorum　itself；　save　that　when　the　minister　prayed　that　we　might　all　be　charitable　in　judgment　Peg　ejaculated　〃Amen〃　several　times；　loudly　and　forcibly；　somewhat　to　the　discomfiture　of　the　Young　man；　to　whom　Peg　was　a　stranger。　　He　opened　his　eyes；　glanced　at　our　pew　in　a　startled　way；　then　collected　himself　and　went　on。

Peg　listened　to　the　sermon；　silently　and　motionlessly；　until　Mr。　Davidson　was　half　through。　　Then　she　suddenly　got　on　her　feet。

〃This　is　too　dull　for　me；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　want　something　more　exciting。〃

Mr。　Davidson　stopped　shor