the golden road-第22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！



〃Oh；　they　are！〃　cried　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Why；　I　can　always　SEE　the　colour　of　any　thought　I　think。　　Can't　you？〃

〃I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing；〃　declared　Felicity；　〃and　I　don't　believe　it。　　I　believe　you　are　just　making　that　up。〃

〃Indeed　I'm　not。　　Why；　I　always　supposed　everyone　thought　in　colours。　　It　must　be　very　tiresome　if　you　don't。〃

〃When　you　think　of　me　what　colour　is　it？〃　asked　Peter　curiously。

〃Yellow；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl　promptly。　　〃And　Cecily　is　a　sweet　pink；　like　those　mayflowers；　and　Sara　Ray　is　very　pale　blue；　and　Dan　is　red　and　Felix　is　yellow；　like　Peter；　and　Bev　is　striped。〃

〃What　colour　am　I？〃　asked　Felicity；　amid　the　laughter　at　my　expense。

〃You'reyou're　like　a　rainbow；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl　rather　reluctantly。　　She　had　to　be　honest；　but　she　would　rather　not　have　complimented　Felicity。　　〃And　you　needn't　laugh　at　Bev。　　His　stripes　are　beautiful。　　It　isn't　HE　that　is　striped。　　It's　just　the　THOUGHT　of　him。　　Peg　Bowen　is　a　queer　sort　of　yellowish　green　and　the　Awkward　Man　is　lilac。　　Aunt　Olivia　is　pansy…purple　mixed　with　gold；　and　Uncle　Roger　is　navy　blue。〃

〃I　never　heard　such　nonsense；〃　declared　Felicity。　　The　rest　of　us　were　rather　inclined　to　agree　with　her　for　once。　　We　thought　the　Story　Girl　was　making　fun　of　us。　　But　I　believe　she　really　had　a　strange　gift　of　thinking　in　colours。　　In　later　years；　when　we　were　grown　up；　she　told　me　of　it　again。　　She　said　that　everything　had　colour　in　her　thought；　the　months　of　the　year　ran　through　all　the　tints　of　the　spectrum；　the　days　of　the　week　were　arrayed　as　Solomon　in　his　glory；　morning　was　golden；　noon　orange；　evening　crystal　blue；　and　night　violet。　　Every　idea　came　to　her　mind　robed　in　its　own　especial　hue。　　Perhaps　that　was　why　her　voice　and　words　had　such　a　charm；　conveying　to　the　listeners'　perception　such　fine　shadings　of　meaning　and　tint　and　music。

〃Well；　let's　go　and　have　something　to　eat；〃　suggested　Dan。　　〃What　colour　is　eating；　Sara？〃

〃Golden　brown；　just　the　colour　of　a　molasses　cooky；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。

We　sat　on　the　ferny　bank　of　the　pool　and　ate　of　the　generous　basket　Aunt　Janet　had　provided；　with　appetites　sharpened　by　the　keen　spring　air　and　our　wilderness　rovings。　　Felicity　had　made　some　very　nice　sandwiches　of　ham　which　we　all　appreciated　except　Dan；　who　declared　he　didn't　like　things　minced　up　and　dug　out　of　the　basket　a　chunk　of　boiled　pork　which　he　proceeded　to　saw　up　with　a　jack…knife　and　devour　with　gusto。

〃I　told　ma　to　put　this　in　for　me。　　There's　some　CHEW　to　it；〃　he　said。

〃You　are　not　a　bit　refined；〃　commented　Felicity。

〃Not　a　morsel；　my　love；〃　grinned　Dan。

〃You　make　me　think　of　a　story　I　heard　Uncle　Roger　telling　about　Cousin　Annetta　King；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Great…uncle　Jeremiah　King　used　to　live　where　Uncle　Roger　lives　now；　when　Grandfather　King　was　alive　and　Uncle　Roger　was　a　boy。　　In　those　days　it　was　thought　rather　coarse　for　a　young　lady　to　have　too　hearty　an　appetite；　and　she　was　more　admired　if　she　was　delicate　about　what　she　ate。　　Cousin　Annetta　set　out　to　be　very　refined　indeed。　　She　pretended　to　have　no　appetite　at　all。　　One　afternoon　she　was　invited　to　tea　at　Grandfather　King's　when　they　had　some　special　companypeople　from　Charlottetown。　　Cousin　Annetta　said　she　could　hardly　eat　anything。　　'You　know；　Uncle　Abraham；'　she　said；　in　a　very　affected；　fine…young…lady　voice；　'I　really　hardly　eat　enough　to　keep　a　bird　alive。　　Mother　says　she　wonders　how　I　continue　to　exist。'　And　she　picked　and　pecked　until　Grandfather　King　declared　he　would　like　to　throw　something　at　her。　　After　tea　Cousin　Annetta　went　home；　and　just　about　dark　Grandfather　King　went　over　to　Uncle　Jeremiah's　on　an　errand。　　As　he　passed　the　open；　lighted　pantry　window　he　happened　to　glance　in；　and　what　do　you　think　he　saw？　Delicate　Cousin　Annetta　standing　at　the　dresser；　with　a　big　loaf　of　bread　beside　her　and　a　big　platterful　of　cold；　boiled　pork　in　front　of　her；　and　Annetta　was　hacking　off　great　chunks；　like　Dan　there；　and　gobbling　them　down　as　if　she　was　starving。　　Grandfather　King　couldn't　resist　the　temptation。　　He　stepped　up　to　the　window　and　said；　'I'm　glad　your　appetite　has　come　back　to　you；　Annetta。　　Your　mother　needn't　worry　about　your　continuing　to　exist　as　long　as　you　can　tuck　away　fat；　salt　pork　in　that　fashion。'

〃Cousin　Annetta　never　forgave　him；　but　she　never　pretended　to　be　delicate　again。〃

〃The　Jews　don't　believe　in　eating　pork；〃　said　Peter。

〃I'm　glad　I'm　not　a　Jew　and　I　guess　Cousin　Annetta　was　too；〃　said　Dan。

〃I　like　bacon；　but　I　can　never　look　at　a　pig　without　wondering　if　they　were　ever　intended　to　be　eaten；〃　remarked　Cecily　naively。

When　we　finished　our　lunch　the　barrens　were　already　wrapping　themselves　in　a　dim；　blue　dusk　and　falling　upon　rest　in　dell　and　dingle。　　But　out　in　the　open　there　was　still　much　light　of　a　fine　emerald…golden　sort　and　the　robins　whistled　us　home　in　it。　　〃Horns　of　Elfland〃　never　sounded　more　sweetly　around　hoary　castle　and　ruined　fane　than　those　vesper　calls　of　the　robins　from　the　twilight　spruce　woods　and　across　green　pastures　lying　under　the　pale　radiance　of　a　young　moon。

When　we　reached　home　we　found　that　Miss　Reade　had　been　up　to　the　hill　farm　on　an　errand　and　was　just　leaving。　　The　Story　Girl　went　for　a　walk　with　her　and　came　back　with　an　important　expression　on　her　face。

〃You　look　as　if　you　had　a　story　to　tell；〃　said　Felix。

〃One　is　growing。　　It　isn't　a　whole　story　yet；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl　mysteriously。

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Cecily。

〃I　can't　tell　you　till　it's　fully　grown；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃But　I'll　tell　you　a　pretty　little　story　the　Awkward　Man　told　us　told　metonight。　　He　was　walking　in　his　garden　as　we　went　by；　looking　at　his　tulip　beds。　　His　tulips　are　up　ever　so　much　higher　than　ours；　and　I　asked　him　how　he　managed　to　coax　them　along　so　early。　　And　he　said　HE　didn't　do　itit　was　all　the　work　of　the　pixies　who　lived　in　the　woods　across　the　brook。　　There　were　more　pixy　babies　than　usual　this　spring；　and　the　mothers　were　in　a　hurry　for　the　cradles。　　The　tulips　are　the　pixy　babies'　cradles；　it　seems。　　The　mother　pixies　come　out　of　the　woods　at　twilight　and　rock　their　tiny　little　brown　babies　to　sleep　in　the　tulip　cups。　　That　is　the　reason　why　tulip　blooms　last　so　much　longer　than　other　blossoms。　　The　pixy　babies　must　have　a　cradle　until　they　are　grown　up。　　They　grow　very　fast；　you　see；　and　the　Awkward　Man　says　on　a　spring　evening；　when　the　tulips　are　out；　you　can　hear　the　sweetest；　softest；　clearest；　fairy　music　in　his　garden；　and　it　is　the　pixy　folk　singing　as　they　rock　the　pixy　babies　to　sleep。〃

〃Then　the　Awkward　Man　says　what　isn't　true；〃　said　Felicity　severely。



CHAPTER　XIII

A　SURPRISING　ANNOUNCEMENT


〃Nothing　exciting　has　happened　for　ever　so　long；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　discontentedly；　one　late　May　evening；　as　we　lingered　under　the　wonderful　white　bloom　of　the　cherry　trees。　　There　was　a　long　row　of　them　in　the　orchard；　with　a　Lombardy　poplar　at　either　end；　and　a　hedge　of　lilacs　behind。　　When　the　wind　blew　over　them　all　the　spicy　breezes　of　Ceylon's　isle　were　never　sweeter。

It　was　a　time　of　wonder　and　marvel；　of　the　soft　touch　of　silver　rain　on　greening　fields；　of　the　incredible　delicacy　of　young　leaves；　of　blossom　in　field　and　garden　and　wood。　　The　whole　world　bloomed　in　a　flush　and　tremor　of　maiden　loveliness；　instinct　with　all　the　evasive；　fleeting　charm　of　spring　and　girlhood　and　young　morning。　　We　felt　and　enjoyed　it　all　without　understanding　or　analyzing　it。　　It　was　enough　to　be　glad　and　young　with　spring　on　the　golden　road。

〃I　don't　like　excitement　very　much；〃　said　Cecily。　　〃It　makes　one　so　tired。　　I'm　sure　it　was　exciting　enough　when　Paddy　was　missing；　but　we　didn't　find　that　very　pleasant。〃

〃No；　but　it　was　interesting；〃　returned　the　Story　Girl　thoughtfully。　　〃After　all；　I　believe　I'd　rather　be　miserable　than　dull。〃

〃I　wouldn't　then；〃　said　Felicity　decidedly。　　〃And　you　need　never　be　dull　when　you　have　work　to　do。　　'Satan　finds　some　mischief　still　for　idle　hands　to　do！'〃

〃Well；　mischief　is　interesting；〃　laughed　the　Story　Girl。　　〃And　I　thought　you　didn't　think　it　lady…like　to　speak　of　that　person；　Felicity？〃

〃It's　all　right　if　you　call　him　by　his　polite　name；〃　said　Felicity　stiffly。

〃Wh