the golden road-第6节

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〃We　ought　to　make　some　New　Year　resolutions；〃　suggested　the　Story　Girl。　　〃New　Year's　Eve　is　the　time　to　make　them。〃

〃I　can't　think　of　any　resolutions　I　want　to　make；〃　said　Felicity；　who　was　perfectly　satisfied　with　herself。

〃I　could　suggest　a　few　to　you；〃　said　Dan　sarcastically。

〃There　are　so　many　I　would　like　to　make；〃　said　Cecily；　〃that　I'm　afraid　it　wouldn't　be　any　use　trying　to　keep　them　all。〃

〃Well；　let's　all　make　a　few；　just　for　the　fun　of　it；　and　see　if　we　can　keep　them；〃　I　said。　　〃And　let's　get　paper　and　ink　and　write　them　out。　　That　will　make　them　seem　more　solemn　and　binding。〃

〃And　then　pin　them　up　on　our　bedroom　walls；　where　we'll　see　them　every　day；〃　suggested　the　Story　Girl；　〃and　every　time　we　break　a　resolution　we　must　put　a　cross　opposite　it。　　That　will　show　us　what　progress　we　are　making；　as　well　as　make　us　ashamed　if　we　have　too　many　crosses。〃

〃And　let's　have　a　Roll　of　Honour　in　Our　Magazine；〃　suggested　Felix；　〃and　every　month　we'll　publish　the　names　of　those　who　keep　their　resolutions　perfect。〃

〃I　think　it's　all　nonsense；〃　said　Felicity。　　But　she　joined　our　circle　around　the　table；　though　she　sat　for　a　long　time　with　a　blank　sheet　before　her。

〃Let's　each　make　a　resolution　in　turn；〃　I　said。　　〃I'll　lead　off。〃

And；　recalling　with　shame　certain　unpleasant　differences　of　opinion　I　had　lately　had　with　Felicity；　I　wrote　down　in　my　best　hand；

〃I　shall　try　to　keep　my　temper　always。〃

〃You'd　better；〃　said　Felicity　tactfully。

It　was　Dan's　turn　next。

〃I　can't　think　of　anything　to　start　with；〃　he　said；　gnawing　his　penholder　fiercely。

〃You　might　make　a　resolution　not　to　eat　poison　berries；〃　suggested　Felicity。

〃You'd　better　make　one　not　to　nag　people　everlastingly；〃　retorted　Dan。

〃Oh；　don't　quarrel　the　last　night　of　the　old　year；〃　implored　Cecily。

〃You　might　resolve　not　to　quarrel　any　time；〃　suggested　Sara　Ray。

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Dan　emphatically。　　〃There's　no　use　making　a　resolution　you　CAN'T　keep。　　There　are　people　in　this　family　you've　just　GOT　to　quarrel　with　if　you　want　to　live。　　But　I've　thought　of　oneI　won't　do　things　to　spite　people。〃

Felicitywho　really　was　in　an　unbearable　mood　that　nightlaughed　disagreeably；　but　Cecily　gave　her　a　fierce　nudge；　which　probably　restrained　her　from　speaking。

〃I　will　not　eat　any　apples；〃　wrote　Felix。

〃What　on　earth　do　you　want　to　give　up　eating　apples　for？〃　asked　Peter　in　astonishment。

〃Never　mind；〃　returned　Felix。

〃Apples　make　people　fat；　you　know；〃　said　Felicity　sweetly。

〃It　seems　a　funny　kind　of　resolution；〃　I　said　doubtfully。　　〃I　think　our　resolutions　ought　to　be　giving　up　wrong　things　or　doing　right　ones。〃

〃You　make　your　resolutions　to　suit　yourself　and　I'll　make　mine　to　suit　myself；〃　said　Felix　defiantly。

〃I　shall　never　get　drunk；〃　wrote　Peter　painstakingly。

〃But　you　never　do；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　in　astonishment。

〃Well；　it　will　be　all　the　easier　to　keep　the　resolution；〃　argued　Peter。

〃That　isn't　fair；〃　complained　Dan。　　〃If　we　all　resolved　not　to　do　the　things　we　never　do　we'd　all　be　on　the　Roll　of　Honour。〃

〃You　let　Peter　alone；〃　said　Felicity　severely。　　〃It's　a　very　good　resolution　and　one　everybody　ought　to　make。〃

〃I　shall　not　be　jealous；〃　wrote　the　Story　Girl。

〃But　are　you？〃　I　asked；　surprised。

The　Story　Girl　coloured　and　nodded。　　〃Of　one　thing；〃　she　confessed；　〃but　I'm　not　going　to　tell　what　it　is。〃

〃I'm　jealous　sometimes；　too；〃　confessed　Sara　Ray；　〃and　so　my　first　resolution　will　be　'I　shall　try　not　to　feel　jealous　when　I　hear　the　other　girls　in　school　describing　all　the　sick　spells　they've　had。'〃

〃Goodness；　do　you　want　to　be　sick？〃　demanded　Felix　in　astonishment。

〃It　makes　a　person　important；〃　explained　Sara　Ray。

〃I　am　going　to　try　to　improve　my　mind　by　reading　good　books　and　listening　to　older　people；〃　wrote　Cecily。

〃You　got　that　out　of　the　Sunday　School　paper；〃　cried　Felicity。

〃It　doesn't　matter　where　I　got　it；〃　said　Cecily　with　dignity。　　〃The　main　thing　is　to　keep　it。〃

〃It's　your　turn；　Felicity；〃　I　said。

Felicity　tossed　her　beautiful　golden　head。

〃I　told　you　I　wasn't　going　to　make　any　resolutions。　　Go　on　yourself。〃

〃I　shall　always　study　my　grammar　lesson；〃　I　wroteI；　who　loathed　grammar　with　a　deadly　loathing。

〃I　hate　grammar　too；〃　sighed　Sara　Ray。　　〃It　seems　so　unimportant。〃

Sara　was　rather　fond　of　a　big　word；　but　did　not　always　get　hold　of　the　right　one。　　I　rather　suspected　that　in　the　above　instance　she　really　meant　uninteresting。

〃I　won't　get　mad　at　Felicity；　if　I　can　help　it；〃　wrote　Dan。

〃I'm　sure　I　never　do　anything　to　make　you　mad；〃　exclaimed　Felicity。

〃I　don't　think　it's　polite　to　make　resolutions　about　your　sisters；〃　said　Peter。

〃He　can't　keep　it　anyway；〃　scoffed　Felicity。　　〃He's　got　such　an　awful　temper。〃

〃It's　a　family　failing；〃　flashed　Dan；　breaking　his　resolution　ere　the　ink　on　it　was　dry。

〃There　you　go；〃　taunted　Felicity。

〃I'll　work　all　my　arithmetic　problems　without　any　help；〃　scribbled　Felix。

〃I　wish　I　could　resolve　that；　too；〃　sighed　Sara　Ray；　〃but　it　wouldn't　be　any　use。　　I'd　never　be　able　to　do　those　compound　multiplication　sums　the　teacher　gives　us　to　do　at　home　every　night　if　I　didn't　get　Judy　Pineau　to　help　me。　　Judy　isn't　a　good　reader　and　she　can't　spell　AT　ALL；　but　you　can't　stick　her　in　arithmetic　as　far　as　she　went　herself。　　I　feel　sure；〃　concluded　poor　Sara；　in　a　hopeless　tone；　〃that　I'll　NEVER　be　able　to　understand　compound　multiplication。〃


　　　　　　　　　　〃'Multiplication　is　vexation；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Division　is　as　bad；　　　　　　　　　　　　The　rule　of　three　perplexes　me；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　And　fractions　drive　me　mad；'〃


quoted　Dan。

〃I　haven't　got　as　far　as　fractions　yet；〃　sighed　Sara；　〃and　I　hope　I'll　be　too　big　to　go　to　school　before　I　do。　　I　hate　arithmetic；　but　I　am　PASSIONATELY　fond　of　geography。〃

〃I　will　not　play　tit…tat…x　on　the　fly　leaves　of　my　hymn　book　in　church；〃　wrote　Peter。

〃Mercy；　did　you　ever　do　such　a　thing？〃　exclaimed　Felicity　in　horror。

Peter　nodded　shamefacedly。

〃Yesthat　Sunday　Mr。　Bailey　preached。　　He　was　so　long…winded；　I　got　awful　tired；　and；　anyway；　he　was　talking　about　things　I　couldn't　understand；　so　I　played　tit…tat…x　with　one　of　the　Markdale　boys。　　It　was　the　day　I　was　sitting　up　in　the　gallery。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　if　you　ever　do　the　like　again　you　won't　do　it　in　OUR　pew；〃　said　Felicity　severely。

〃I　ain't　going　to　do　it　at　all；〃　said　Peter。　　〃I　felt　sort　of　mean　all　the　rest　of　the　day。〃

〃I　shall　try　not　to　be　vexed　when　people　interrupt　me　when　I'm　telling　stories；〃　wrote　the　Story　Girl。　　〃but　it　will　be　hard；〃　she　added　with　a　sigh。

〃I　never　mind　being　interrupted；〃　said　Felicity。

〃I　shall　try　to　be　cheerful　and　smiling　all　the　time；〃　wrote　Cecily。

〃You　are；　anyway；〃　said　Sara　Ray　loyally。

〃I　don't　believe　we　ought　to　be　cheerful　ALL　the　time；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃The　Bible　says　we　ought　to　weep　with　those　who　weep。〃

〃But　maybe　it　means　that　we're　to　weep　cheerfully；〃　suggested　Cecily。

〃Sorter　as　if　you　were　thinking；　'I'm　very　sorry　for　you　but　I'm　mighty　glad　I'm　not　in　the　scrape　too；'〃　said　Dan。

〃Dan；　don't　be　irreverent；〃　rebuked　Felicity。

〃I　know　a　story　about　old　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Davidson　of　Markdale；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃She　was　always　smiling　and　it　used　to　aggravate　her　husband；　so　one　day　he　said　very　crossly；　'Old　lady；　what　ARE　you　grinning　at？'　'Oh；　well；　Abiram；　everything's　so　bright　and　pleasant；　I've　just　got　to　smile。'

〃Not　long　after　there　came　a　time　when　everything　went　wrongthe　crop　failed　and　their　best　cow　died；　and　Mrs。　Davidson　had　rheumatism；　and　finally　Mr。　Davidson　fell　and　broke　his　leg。　　But　still　Mrs。　Davidson　smiled。　　'What　in　the　dickens　are　you　grinning　about　now；　old　lady？'　he　demanded。　　'Oh；　well；　Abiram；'　she　said；　'everything　is　so　dark　and　unpleasant　I've　just　got　to　smile。'　'Well；'　said　the　old　man　crossly；　'I　think　you　might　give　your　face　a　rest　sometimes。'〃

〃I　shall　not　talk　gossip；〃　wrote　Sara　Ray　with　a　satisfied　air。

〃Oh；　don't　you　think　that's　a　little　TOO　strict？〃　asked　Cecily　anxiously。　　〃Of　course；　it's　not　right　to　talk　MEAN　gossip；　but　the　harmless　kind　doesn't　hurt。　　If　I　say　to　you　that　Emmy　MacPhail　is　going　to　get　a　new　fur　collar　this　winter；　THAT　is　harmless　gossip；　but　if　I　say　I　don't　see　how　Emmy　MacPhail　can　afford　a　new　fur　collar　when　her　father　can't　pay　my　father　for　the　oats　he　got　from　him；　that　would　be　MEAN　gossip。　　If　I　were　you；　Sara；　I'd　put　MEAN　gossip。〃

Sara　consented　to　this　amendment。

〃I　will　be　polite　to　everybody；〃　was　my　third　resolution；　which　passed　without　comment。

〃I'll　try　not　to　use　slang　since　Cecily　doesn't　like　it；〃　wrote　Dan。

〃I　think　some　slang　is　real　cute；〃　said　Felicity。

〃The　Family　Guide　says　it's　very　vulgar；〃　grinned　Dan。　　〃Doesn't　it；　Sara　Stanley？〃

〃Don't　disturb　me；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　dreamily。　　〃I'm　just　thinking　a　beautiful　thought。〃

〃I've　thought　of　a　resolution　to　make；〃　cried　Felicity。　　〃Mr。　Marwood　said　last　Sunday　we　should　always　try　to　think　beautiful　thoughts　and　then　our　lives　would　be　very　beautiful。　　So　I　shall　resolve　to　think　a　beautiful　thought　every　morning　before　breakfast。〃

〃Can　you　only　manage　one　a　day？〃　queried　Dan。

〃And　why　before　breakfast？〃　I　asked。

〃Because　it's　easier　to