just david(公正的大卫)-第31节
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fairyland of beauty。 She spent money like water。 All manner of artists；
from the man who painted her ceilings to the man who planted her seeds；
came and bowed to her will。 From the four corners of the earth she
brought her treasures and lavished them through the house and grounds。
Then； every summer； she came herself； and lived among them； a very
Princess indeed。〃
〃And the boy？what became of the boy？〃 demanded David。 〃Didn't he
see herever？〃
Mr。 Jack shook his head。
〃Not often； David； and when he did； it did not make him anyhappier。
You see； the boy had become the Pauper； you must n't forget that。〃
〃But he wasn't a Pauper when you left him last。〃 〃Wasn't he？ Well；
then； I'll tell you about that。 You see； the boy； even though he did go away；
soon found out that in his heart the Princess was still the girl； just the same。
He loved her； and he wanted her to be his wife； so for a littlefor a very
littlehe was wild enough to think that he might work and study and do
great things in the world until he was even a Prince himself； and then he
could marry the Princess。〃
〃Well； couldn't he？ 〃
〃No。 To begin with； he lost his health。 Then； away back in the little
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house on the hill something happeneda something that left a very
precious charge for him to keep； and he had to go back and keep it； and to
try to see if he couldn't find that lost health； as well。 And that is all。〃
〃All！ You don't mean that that is the end！〃 exclaimed Jill。
〃That's the end。〃
〃But that isn't a mite of a nice end；〃 complained David。 〃They always
get married and live happy ever afterin stories。〃
〃Do they？〃 Mr。 Jack smiled a little sadly。 〃Perhaps they do； David；in
stories。〃
〃Well； can't they in this one？〃
〃I don't see how。〃
〃Why can't he go to her and ask her to marry him？〃
Mr。 Jack drew himself up proudly。
〃The Pauper and the Princess？ Never！ Paupers don't go to Princesses；
David； and say； 'I love you。'〃
David frowned。
〃Why not？ I don't see whyif they want to do it。 Seems as if somehow
it might be fixed。〃
〃It can't be；〃 returned Mr。 Jack； his gaze on the towers that crowned
the opposite hill； 〃not so long as always before the Pauper's eyes there are
those gray walls behind which he pictures the Princess in the midst of her
golden luxury。〃
To neither David nor Jill did the change to the present tense seem
strange。 The story was much too real to them for that。
〃Well； anyhow； I think it ought to be fixed；〃 declared David； as he rose
to his feet。
〃So do Ibut we can't fix it；〃 laughed Jill。 〃And I'm hungry。 Let's see
what there is to eat！〃
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JUST DAVID
CHAPTER XVIII
DAVID TO THE RESCUE
It was a beautiful moonlight night； but for once David was not
thinking of the moon。 All the way to the Holly farmhouse he was thinking
of Mr。 Jack's story； 〃The Princess and the Pauper。〃 It held him strangely。
He felt that he never could forget it。 For some reason that he could not
have explained； it made him sad； too； and his step was very quiet as he
went up the walk toward the kitchen door。
It was after eight o'clock。 David had taken supper with Mr。 Jack and
Jill； and not for some hours had he been at the farmhouse。 In the doorway
now he stopped short； then instinctively he stepped back into the shadow。
In the kitchen a kerosene light was burning。 It showed Mrs。Holly crying at
the table； and Mr。 Holly； white…faced and stern…lipped； staring at nothing。
Then Mrs。 Holly raised her face； drawn and tear…stained； and asked a
trembling question。
〃Simeon； have you thought？ We might goto Johnforhelp。〃
David was frightened then； so angry was the look that came into
Simeon Holly's face。
〃Ellen； we'll have no more of this；〃 said the man harshly。 〃Understand；
I'd rather lose the whole thing andand starve； than go toJohn。〃
David fled then。 Up the back stairs he crept to his room and left his
violin。 A moment later he stole down again and sought Perry Larson
whom he had seen smoking in the barn doorway。
〃Perry； what is it？〃 he asked in a trembling voice。 〃What has
happenedin there？〃 He pointed toward the house。
The man puffed for a moment in silence before he took his pipe from
his mouth。
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〃Well； sonny； I s'pose I may as well tell ye。 You'll have ter know it
sometime； seein' as 't won't be no secret long。 They've had a stroke o' bad
luckMr。 an' Mis' Holly has。〃
〃What is it？〃
The man hitched in his seat。
〃By sugar； boy； I s'pose if I tell ye； there ain't no sartinty that you'll
sense it at all。 I reckon it ain't in your class。〃
〃But what is it？〃
〃Well； it's moneyand one might as well talk moonshine to you as
money； I s'pose； but here goes it。 It's a thousand dollars； boy； that they
owed。 Here； like this；〃 he explained； rummaging his pockets until he had
found a silver dollar to lay on his open palm。 〃Now； jest imagine a
thousand of them； that's heaps an' heapsmore 'n I ever see in my life。〃
〃Like the stars？〃 guessed David。
The man nodded。
〃Ex…ACTLY！ Well； they owed thisMr。 an' Mis' Holly didand they
had agreed ter pay it next Sat'day。 And they was all right； too。 They had it
plum saved in the bank； an' was goin' ter draw it Thursday； ter make sure。
An' they was feelin' mighty pert over it； too； when ter…day along comes the
news that somethin's broke kersmash in that bank； an' they've shet it up。
An' nary a cent can the Hollys git nowan' maybe never。 Anyhow； not
'fore it's too late for this job。〃
〃But won't he wait？that man they owe it to？ I should think he'd have
to； if they didn't have it to pay。〃
〃Not much he will； when it's old Streeter that's got the mortgage on a
good fat farm like this！〃
David drew his brows together perplexedly。
〃What is aa mortgage？〃 he asked。 〃Is it anything like a porte…cochere？
I KNOW what that is； 'cause my Lady of the Roses has one； but we
haven't got thatdown here。〃
Perry Larson sighed in exasperation。
〃Gosh； if that ain't 'bout what I expected of ye！ No； it ain't even second
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cousin to aa…that thing you're a…talkin' of。 In plain wordin'； it's jest this：
Mr。 Holly； he says ter Streeter： 'You give me a thousand dollars and I'll pay
ye back on a sartin day； if I don't pay； you can sell my farm fur what it'll
bring； an' TAKE yer pay。 Well； now here 't is。 Mr。 Holly can't pay； an' so
Streeter will put up the farm fur sale。〃
〃What； with Mr。 and Mrs。 Holly LIVING here？〃
〃Sure！ Only they'll have ter git out； ye know。〃
〃Where'll they go？〃
〃The Lord knows； I don't。〃
〃And is THAT what they're crying forin there？because they've got
to go？〃
〃Sure！〃
〃But isn't there anything； anywhere； that can be done tostop it？〃
〃I don't see how； kid；not unless some one ponies up with the money
'fore next Sat'day；an' a thousand o' them things don't grow on ev'ry
bush；〃 he finished； gently patting the coin in his hand。
At the words a swift change came to David's face。 His cheeks paled
and his eyes dilated in terror。 It was as if ahead of him he saw a yawning
abyss； eager to engulf him。
〃And you sayMONEY wouldfix it？〃 he asked thickly。
〃Ex…ACT…ly！a thousand o' them； though； 't would take。〃
A dawning relief came into David's eyesit was as if he saw a bridge
across the abyss。
〃You meanthat there wouldn't ANYTHING do； only silver pieces
like those？〃 he questioned hopefully。
〃Sugar； kid； 'course there would！ Gosh； but you BE a checkerboard o'
sense an' nonsense； an' no mistake！ Any money would do the jobany
money！ Don't ye see？ Anything that's money。〃
〃Would g…gold do it？〃 David's voice was very faint now。
〃Sure！gold； or silver；
