友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

villa rubein and other stories-第7章

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!



〃It's my country up there。  I was born amongst the mountains。  I

looked after the cows; and slept in hay…cocks; and cut the trees in

winter。  They used to call me a 'black sheep;' a 'loafer' in my

village。〃



〃Why?〃



〃Ah! why?  I worked as hard as any of them。  But I wanted to get

away。  Do you think I could have stayed there all my life?〃



Christian's eyes grew eager。



〃If people don't understand what it is you want to do; they always

call you a loafer!〃 muttered Harz。



〃But you did what you meant to do in spite of them;〃 Christian said。



For herself it was so hard to finish or decide。  When in the old days

she told Greta stories; the latter; whose instinct was always for the

definite; would say: 〃And what came at the end; Chris?  Do finish it

this morning!〃 but Christian never could。  Her thoughts were deep;

vague; dreamy; invaded by both sides of every question。  Whatever she

did; her needlework; her verse…making; her painting; all had its

charm; but it was not always what it was intended for at the

beginning。  Nicholas Treffry had once said of her: 〃When Chris starts

out to make a hat; it may turn out an altar…cloth; but you may bet it

won't be a hat。〃  It was her instinct to look for what things meant;

and this took more than all her time。  She knew herself better than

most girls of nineteen; but it was her reason that had informed her;

not her feelings。  In her sheltered life; her heart had never been

ruffled except by rare fits of passion〃tantrums〃 old Nicholas

Treffry dubbed themat what seemed to her mean or unjust。



〃If I were a man;〃 she said; 〃and going to be great; I should have

wanted to begin at the very bottom as you did。〃



〃Yes;〃 said Harz quickly; 〃one should be able to feel everything。〃



She did not notice how simply he assumed that he was going to be

great。  He went on; a smile twisting his mouth unpleasantly beneath

its dark moustache



〃Not many people think like you! It's a crime not to have been born a

gentleman。〃



〃That's a sneer;〃 said Christian; 〃I didn't think you would have

sneered!〃



〃It is true。  What is the use of pretending that it isn't?〃



〃It may be true; but it is finer not to say it!〃



〃By Heavens!〃 said Harz; striking one hand into the other; 〃if more

truth were spoken there would not be so many shams。〃



Christian looked down at him from her seat on the stile。



〃You are right all the same; Fraulein Christian;〃 he added suddenly;

〃that's a very little business。  Work is what matters; and trying to

see the beauty in the world。〃



Christian's face changed。  She understood; well enough; this craving

after beauty。  Slipping down from the stile; she drew a slow deep

breath。



〃Yes!〃 she said。  Neither spoke for some time; then Harz said shyly:



〃If you and Fraulein Greta would ever like to come and see my studio;

I should be so happy。  I would try and clean it up for you!〃



〃I should like to come。  I could learn something。  I want to learn。〃



They were both silent till the path joined the road。



〃We must be in front of the others; it's nice to be in frontlet's

dawdle。  I forgotyou never dawdle; Herr Harz。〃



〃After a big fit of work; I can dawdle against any one; then I get

another fit of workit's like appetite。〃



〃I'm always dawdling;〃 answered Christian。



By the roadside a peasant woman screwed up her sun…dried face; saying

in a low voice: 〃Please; gracious lady; help me to lift this basket!〃



Christian stooped; but before she could raise it; Harz hoisted it up

on his back。



〃All right;〃 he nodded; 〃this good lady doesn't mind。〃



The woman; looking very much ashamed; walked along by Christian; she

kept rubbing her brown hands together; and saying; 〃Gracious lady; I

would not have wished。  It is heavy; but I would not have wished。〃



〃I'm sure he'd rather carry it;〃 said Christian。



They had not gone far along the road; however; before the others

passed them in a carriage; and at the strange sight Miss Naylor could

be seen pursing her lips; Cousin Teresa nodding pleasantly; a smile

on Dawney's face; and beside him Greta; very demure。  Harz began to

laugh。



〃What are you laughing at?〃 asked Christian。



〃You English are so funny。  You mustn't do this here; you mustn't do

that there; it's like sitting in a field of nettles。  If I were to

walk with you without my coat; that little lady would fall off her

seat。〃  His laugh infected Christian; they reached the station

feeling that they knew each other better。



The sun had dipped behind the mountains when the little train steamed

down the valley。  All were subdued; and Greta; with a nodding head;

slept fitfully。  Christian; in her corner; was looking out of the

window; and Harz kept studying her profile。



He tried to see her eyes。  He had remarked indeed that; whatever

their expression; the brows; arched and rather wide apart; gave them

a peculiar look of understanding。  He thought of his picture。  There

was nothing in her face to seize on; it was too sympathetic; too much

like light。  Yet her chin was firm; almost obstinate。



The train stopped with a jerk; she looked round at him。  It was as

though she had said: 〃You are my friend。〃



At Villa Rubein; Herr Paul had killed the fatted calf for Greta's

Fest。  When the whole party were assembled; he alone remained

standing; and waving his arm above the cloth; cried: 〃My dears! Your

happiness!  There are good things hereCome!〃  And with a sly look;

the air of a conjurer producing rabbits; he whipped the cover off the

soup tureen:



〃Soup…turtle; fat; green fat!〃  He smacked his lips。



No servants were allowed; because; as Greta said to Harz:



〃It is that we are to be glad this evening。〃



Geniality radiated from Herr Paul's countenance; mellow as a bowl of

wine。  He toasted everybody; exhorting them to pleasure。



Harz passed a cracker secretly behind Greta's head; and Miss Naylor;

moved by a mysterious impulse; pulled it with a sort of gleeful

horror; it exploded; and Greta sprang off her chair。  Scruff; seeing

this; appeared suddenly on the sideboard with his forelegs in a plate

of soup; without moving them; he turned his head; and appeared to

accuse the company of his false position。  It was the signal for

shrieks of laughter。  Scruff made no attempt to free his forelegs;

but sniffed the soup; and finding that nothing happened; began to lap

it。



〃Take him out! Oh! take him out!〃 wailed Greta; 〃he shall be ill!〃



〃Allons! Mon cher!〃 cried Herr Paul; 〃c'est magnifique; mais; vous

savez; ce nest guere la guerre!〃  Scruff; with a wild spring; leaped

past him to the ground。



〃Ah!〃 cried Miss Naylor; 〃the carpet!〃  Fresh moans of mirth shook

the table; for having tasted the wine of laughter; all wanted as much

more as they could get。  When Scruff and his traces were effaced;

Herr Paul took a ladle in his hand。



〃I have a toast;〃 he said; waving it for silence; 〃a toast we will

drink all together from our hearts; the toast of my little daughter;

who to…day has thirteen years become; and there is also in our

hearts;〃 he continued; putting down the ladle and suddenly becoming

grave; 〃the thought of one who is not today with us to see this

joyful occasion; to her; too; in this our happiness we turn our

hearts and glasses because it is her joy that we should yet be

joyful。  I drink to my little daughter; may God her shadow bless!〃



All stood up; clinking their glasses; and drank: then; in the hush

that followed; Greta; according to custom; began to sing a German

carol; at the end of the fourth line she stopped; abashed。



Heir Paul blew his nose loudly; and; taking up a cap that had fallen

from a cracker; put it on。



Every one followed his example; Miss Naylor attaining the distinction

of a pair of donkey's ears; which she wore; after another glass of

wine; with an air of sacrificing to the public good。



At the end of supper came the moment for the offering of gifts。  Herr

Paul had tied a handkerchief over Greta's eyes; and one by one they

brought her presents。  Greta; under forfeit of a kiss; was bound to

tell the giver by the feel of the gift。  Her swift; supple little

hands explored noiselessly; and in every case she guessed right。



Dawney's present; a kitten; made a scene by clawing at her hair。



〃That is Dr。 Edmund's;〃 she cried at once。  Christian saw that Harz

had disappeared; but suddenly he came back breathless; and took his

place at the end of the rank of givers。



Advancing on tiptoe; he put his present into Greta's hands。  It was a

small bronze copy of a Donatello statue。



〃Oh; Herr Harz!〃 cried Greta; 〃I saw it in the studio that day。  It

stood on the table; and it is lovely。〃



Mrs。 Decie; thrusting her pale eyes close to it; murmured:

〃Charming!〃



Mr。 Treffry took it in his forgers。



〃Rum little toad!  Cost a pot of money; 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!