drift from two shores(漂流)-第9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！
call it squar。〃
〃You can tell her；〃 said North； very honestly； 〃that I shall be only too
glad to help her in any way； without ever hoping to cancel my debt of
obligation to her。〃
〃Then it's a go？〃 said the mystified Joe； with a desperate attempt to
convey the foregoing statement to his own intellect in three Saxon words。
〃It's a go；〃 replied North； cheerfully。
And he felt relieved。 For he was not quite satisfied with his own
want of frankness to her。 But here was a way to pay off the debt he owed
her； and yet retain his own dignity。 And now he could tell her what he
had done； and he trusted to the ambitious instinct that prompted her to
seek a better education to explain his reasons for it。
He saw her that evening and confessed all to her frankly。 She kept
her head averted； but when she turned her blue eyes to him they were wet
with honest tears。 North had a man's horror of a ready feminine
lachrymal gland； but it was not like Bessy to cry； and it meant something；
and then she did it in a large； goddess…like way； without sniffling； or
chocking； or getting her nose red； but rather with a gentle deliquescence； a
harmonious melting； so that he was fain to comfort her with nearer contact；
gentleness in his own sad eyes； and a pressure of her large hand。
〃It's all right； I s'pose；〃 she said； sadly； 〃but I didn't reckon on yer
havin' any relations； but thought you was alone； like me。〃
James North； thinking of Hank Fisher and the 〃mullater；〃 could not
help intimating that his relations were very wealthy and fashionable
people； and had visited him last summer。 A recollection of the manner in
which they had so visited him and his own reception of them prevented his
saying more。 But Miss Bessy could not forego a certain feminine
curiosity； and asked；
〃Did they come with Sam Baker's team？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Last July？〃
29
… Page 30…
DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
〃Yes。〃
〃And Sam drove the horses here for a bite？〃
〃I believe so。〃
〃And them's your relations？〃
〃They are。〃
Miss Robinson reached over the cradle and enfolded the sleeping
infant in her powerful arms。 Then she lifted her eyes； wrathful through
her still glittering tears； and said； slowly； 〃They don't havethischild
then！〃
〃But why？〃
〃Oh； why？ I saw them！ That's why； and enough！ You can't play
any such gay and festive skeletons on this poor baby for flesh and blood
parents。 No； sir！〃
〃I think you judge them hastily； Miss Bessy；〃 said North； secretly
amused； 〃my aunt may not； at first； favorably impress strangers； yet she
has many friends。 But surely you do not object to my cousin Maria； the
young lady？〃
〃What！ that dried cuttle…fish； with nothing livin' about her but her eyes？
James North； ye may be a fool like the old woman； perhaps it's in the
family；but ye ain't a devil； like that gal！ That ends it。〃
And it did。 North dispatched a second letter to Maria saying that he
had already made other arrangements for the baby。 Pleased with her easy
victory； Miss Bessy became more than usually gracious； and the next day
bowed her shapely neck meekly to the yoke of her teacher； and became a
docile pupil。 James North could not have helped noticing her ready
intelligence； even had he been less prejudiced in her favor than he was fast
becoming now。 If he had found it pleasant before to be admonished by
her there was still more delicious flattery in her perfect trust in his
omniscient skill as a pilot over this unknown sea。 There was a certain
enjoyment in guiding her hand over the writing…book； that I fear he could
not have obtained from an intellect less graciously sustained by its
physical nature。 The weeks flew quickly by on gossamer wings； and
when she placed a bunch of larkspurs and poppies in his hand one
morning； he remembered for the first that it was spring。
30
… Page 31…
DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
I cannot say that there was more to record of Miss Bessy's education
than this。 Once North； half jestingly； remarked that he had never yet seen
her admirer； Mr。 Hank Fisher。 Miss Bessy （coloring but cool）〃You
never will！〃 North （white but hot） 〃Why？〃 Miss Bessy （faintly）〃I'd
rather not。〃 North （resolutely）〃I insist。〃 Bessy （yielding）〃As my
teacher？〃 North （hesitatingly； at the limitation of the epithet）〃Y…e…e…s！〃
Bessy〃And you'll promise never to speak of it again？〃 North
〃Never。〃 Bessy （slowly〃Well； he said I did an awful thing to go over to
your cabin and stay。〃 North （in the genuine simplicity of a refined
nature）〃But how？〃 Miss Bessy （half piqued； but absolutely admiring
that nature）〃Quit！ and keep your promise！〃
They were so happy in these new relations that it occurred to Miss
Bessy one day to take James North to task for obliging her to ask to be his
pupil。 〃You knew how ignorant I was；〃 she added； and Mr。 North
retorted by relating to her the doctor's criticism on her independence。
〃To tell you the truth；〃 he added； 〃I was afraid you would not take it as
kindly as he thought。〃
〃That is； you thought me as vain as yourself。 It seems to me you and
the doctor had a great deal to say to each other。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 laughed North； 〃that was all we said。〃
〃And you didn't make fun of me？〃
Perhaps it was not necessary for North to take her hand to emphasize
his denial； but he did。
Miss Bessy； being still reminiscent； perhaps； did not notice it。 〃If it
hadn't been for that arI mean that tharno； that babyI wouldn't have
known you！〃 she said dreamily。
〃No；〃 returned North； mischievously； 〃but you still would have known
Hank Fisher。〃
No woman is perfect。 Miss Bessy looked at him with a suddenher
first and lastflash of coquetry。 Then stooped and kissedthe baby。
James North was a simple gentleman； but not altogether a fool。 He
returned the kiss； but not vicariously。
There was a footstep on the porch。 These two turned the hues of a
dying dolphin； and then laughed。 It was Joe。 He held a newspaper in
31
… Page 32…
DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
his hand。 〃I reckon ye woz right； Mr。 North； about my takin' these yar
papers reg'lar。 For I allow here's suthin' that may clar up the mystery o'
that baby's parents。〃 With the hesitation of a slowly grappling intellect；
Joe sat down on the table and read from the San Francisco 〃Herald〃 as
follows： 〃'It is now ascertained beyond doubt that the wreck reported by
the Aeolus was the American brig Pomare bound hence to Tahiti。 The
worst surmises are found correct。 The body of the woman has been since
identified as that of the beau…ti…ful daughter ofofofTerpTerp
Terpish'Well！ I swow that name just tackles me。〃
〃Gin it to me； Dad；〃 said Bessy pertly。 〃You never had any education；
any way。 Hear your accomplished daughter。〃 With a mock bow to the
new schoolmaster； and a capital burlesque of a confident school girl； she
strode to the middle of the room the paper held and folded book…wise in
her hands。 〃Ahem！ Where did you leave off？ Oh； 'the beautiful
daughter of Terpsichorewhose name was prom…i…nently connected with a
mysterious social scandal of last yearthe gifted but unfortunate Grace
Chatterton'Nodon't stop methere's some more！ 'The body of her
child； a lovely infant of six months； has not been recovered； and it is
supposed was washed overboard。' There！ may be that's the child； Mr。
North。 Why； Dad！ Look； O my God！ He's
