just david(公正的大卫)-第20节
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She was about to tell him very coldly that now that he had found his
way there he might occupy himself in finding it home again； when the boy
interposed rapturously； his eyes sweeping the scene before him：
〃Yes。 I didn't suppose； anywhere； down here； there was a place one
half so beautiful！〃
An odd feeling of uncanniness sent a swift exclamation to the lady's
lips。
〃 'Down here'！ What do you mean by that？ You speak as if you came
fromabove；〃 she almost laughed。
〃I did；〃 returned David simply。 〃But even up there I never found
anything quite like this；〃with a sweep of his hands；〃nor like you； O
Lady of the Roses；〃 he finished with an admiration that was as open as it
was ardent。
This time the lady laughed outright。 She even blushed a little。
〃Very prettily put； Sir Flatterer〃 she retorted； 〃but when you are older；
young man； you won't make your compliments quite so broad。 I am no
Lady of the Roses。 I am Miss Holbrook； andand I am not in the habit of
receiving gentlemen callers who are uninvited andunannounced；〃 she
concluded； a little sharply。
Pointless the shaft fell at David's feet。 He had turned again to the
beauties about him； and at that moment he spied the sundialsomething he
had never seen before。
〃What is it？〃 he cried eagerly； hurrying forward。 〃It isn 't exactly pretty；
and yet it looks as if 't were meant forsomething。〃
〃It is。 It is a sundial。 It marks the time by the sun。〃
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Even as she spoke； Miss Holbrook wondered why she answered the
question at all； why she did not send this small piece of nonchalant
impertinence about his business； as he so richly deserved。 The next instant
she found herself staring at the boy in amazement。 With unmistakable ease；
and with the trained accent of the scholar； he was reading aloud the Latin
inscription on the dial： 〃 'Horas non numero nisi serenas；' 'I countno
hours butunclouded ones；' 〃 he translated then； slowly； though with
confidence。 〃That's pretty； but what does it meanabout 'counting'？〃
Miss Holbrook rose to her feet。
〃For Heaven's sake； boy； who； and what are you？〃 she demanded。
〃Can YOU read Latin？〃
〃Why； of course！ Can't you？〃 With a disdainful gesture Miss Holbrook
swept this aside。
〃Boy； who are you？〃 she demanded again imperatively。
〃I'm David。 I told you。〃
〃But David who？ Where do you live？〃
The boy's face clouded。
〃I'm Davidjust David。 I live at Farmer Holly's now； but I did live on
the mountain withfather； you know。〃
A great light of understanding broke over Miss Holbrook's face。 She
dropped back into her seat。
〃Oh； I remember；〃 she murmured。 〃You're the littleerboy whom he
took。 I have heard the story。 So THAT is who you are；〃 she added； the old
look of aversion coming back to her eyes。 She had almost said 〃the little
tramp boy〃but she had stopped in time。
〃Yes。 And now what do they mean； please；those words； 'I count no
hours but unclouded ones'？〃
Miss Holbrook stirred in her seat and frowned。
〃Why； it means what it says； of course； boy。 A sundial counts its hours
by the shadow the sun throws； and when there is no sun there is no shadow；
hence it's only the sunny hours that are counted by the dial；〃 she explained
a little fretfully。
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David's face radiated delight。
〃Oh； but I like that！〃 he exclaimed。
〃You like it！〃
〃Yes。 I should like to be one myself； you know。〃
〃Well； really！ And how； pray？〃 In spite of herself a faint gleam of
interest came into Miss Holbrook's eyes。
David laughed and dropped himself easily to the ground at her feet。 He
was holding his violin on his knees now。
〃Why； it would be such fun；〃 he chuckled； 〃to just forget all about the
hours when the sun didn't shine； and remember only the nice； pleasant
ones。 Now for me； there wouldn't be any hours； really； until after four
o'clock； except little specks of minutes that I'd get in between when I DID
see something interesting。〃
Miss Holbrook stared frankly。
〃What an extraordinary boy you are； to be sure；〃 she murmured。 〃And
what； may I ask； is it that you do every day until four o'clock； that you
wish to forget？ 〃
David sighed。
〃Well； there are lots of things。 I hoed potatoes and corn； first； but
they're too big now； mostly； and I pulled up weeds； too； till they were gone。
I've been picking up stones； lately； and clearing up the yard。 Then； of
course； there's always the woodbox to fill； and the eggs to hunt； besides
the chickens to feed；though I don't mind THEM so much； but I do the
other things； 'specially the weeds。 They were so much prettier than the
things I had to let grow； 'most always。〃 Miss Holbrook laughed。
〃Well； they were； and really〃 persisted the boy； in answer to the
merriment in her eyes； 〃now wouldn't it be nice to be like the sundial； and
forget everything the sun didn't shine on？ Would n't you like it？ Isn't there
anything YOU want to forget？〃
Miss Holbrook sobered instantly。 The change in her face was so very
marked； indeed； that involuntarily David looked about for something that
might have cast upon it so great a shadow。 For a long minute she did not
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speak； then very slowly； very bitterly； she said aloudyet as if to herself：
〃Yes。 If I had my way I'd forget them every onethese hours； every
single one！〃
〃Oh； Lady of the Roses！〃 expostulated David in a voice quivering with
shocked dismay。 〃You don't meanyou can't mean that you don't have
ANYsun！〃
〃I mean just that；〃 bowed Miss Holbrook wearily； her eyes on the
somber shadows of the pool； 〃just that！〃
David sat stunned； confounded。 Across the marble steps and the
terraces the shadows lengthened； and David watched them as the sun
dipped behind the tree…tops。 They seemed to make more vivid the chill and
the gloom of the lady's wordsmore real the day that had no sun。 After a
time the boy picked up his violin and began to play； softly； and at first with
evident hesitation。 Even when his touch became more confident； there was
still in the music a questioning appeal that seemed to find no answeran
appeal that even the player himself could not have explained。
For long minutes the young woman and the boy sat thus in the twilight。
Then suddenly the woman got to her feet。
〃Come； come； boy； what can I be thinking of？〃 she cried sharply。 〃I
must go in and you must go home。 Good…night。〃 And she swept across the
grass to the path that led toward the house。
CHAPTER XI
JACK AND JILL
David was tempted to go for a second visit to his Lady of the Roses；
but something he could not define held him back。 The lady was in his
mind almost constantly； however； and very vivid to him was the picture of
the garden； though always it was as he had seen it last with the hush and
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shadow of twilight； and with the lady's face gloomily turned toward the
sunless pool。 David could not forget that for her there were no hours to
count； she had said it herself。 He could not understand how this could be
so； and the thought filled him with vague unrest and pain。
Perhaps it was this restlessness that drove David to explore even more
persistently the village itself； sending him into new streets in search of
something strange and interesting。 One day the sound of shouts and
laughter drew him to an open lot back of the church where some boys
were at play。
David still knew very little of boys。 In his mountain home he had
never had them for playmates； and he had not seen much of them when he
went with his fathe
