贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the grey brethren(阴郁的教友们) >

第7章

the grey brethren(阴郁的教友们)-第7章

小说: the grey brethren(阴郁的教友们) 字数: 每页4000字

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!




have   seen it   with   my  bodily  eyes   only  once;  but   it   has   left in   my  life   a 

blessing; a picture of blue sky; yellow bells; and clear rippling water … and 

whispered secrets not forgotten。 

     All the Devonshire streams are full of life and strength。                   They chatter 

cheerily  over   stones;   they  toil   bravely  to   shape   out   their   bed。       Some   of 

them might tell horrible tales of the far…away past; of the worship of the 

false   god   when   blood   stained   the   clear   waters;   tales;   too;   of   feud   and 

warfare; of grave council and martial gathering; and happy stories of fairy 



                                                  22 


… Page 23…

                                         The Grey Brethren 



and   pixy   our   eyes   are   too   dull   to   see;   and   of   queer   little   hillmen   with 

foreign ways and terror of all human beings。                 Their banks are bright with 

tormentil;   blue   with   forget…me…not;   rich   in   treasures   of   starry   moss;   the 

water is clear; cool in the hottest summer … they rise under the shadow of 

the everlasting hills; and their goal is the sea。 

     * * * * * 

     There are other times when I must leave the clean waters and the good 

brown earth; to live; for a while; in London:              and there I go on pilgrimage 

that I may listen to the river's voice。 

     I stand sometimes at a wharf where the ships are being unloaded of the 

riches   of   every   country;   of   fruits   of   labour   by   my   unknown   brothers   in 

strange lands; and the river speaks of citizenship in the great world of God; 

wherein all men have place; each man have his own place; and every one 

should be neighbour to him who may have need。 

     I pass on to London Bridge; our Bridge of Sighs。                  How many of these 

my  brethren   have   sought   refuge   in   the   cold   grey  arms   of   the   river   from 

something worse than death?              What drove them to this dreadful resting… 

place?      What   spectre hurried   them  to the   leap?          These things;   too;   are 

my concern; the river says。 

     Life   is   very   grim   in   London:    it   is   not   painted   in   the   fair;   glowing 

colours of grass and sky and trees; and shining streams that bring peace。 

It is drawn in hard black and white; but the voice of its dark waters must 

be heard all the same。 

     * * * * * 

     I would not leave my rivers in the shadow。                 After all; this life is only 

a   prelude;   a   beginning:      we   pass   on   to   where   〃the   rivers   and   streams 

make glad the city of God。〃             But if we will not listen here how shall we 

understand hereafter。 



                                                 23 


… Page 24…

                                        The Grey Brethren 



                                        Spring 



     HARK how the merry daffodils; Fling golden music to the hills! And 

how the hills send echoing down; Through wind…swept turf and moorland 

brown; The murmurs of a thousand rills That mock the song…birds' liquid 

trills! The hedge released from Winter's frown Shews jewelled branch and 

willow crown; While all the earth with pleasure trills; And 'dances with the 

daffodils。' 

     Out;    out;  ye   flowers!     Up    and   shout!    Staid   Winter's    passed    and 

Spring's about To lead your ranks in joyous rout; To string the hawthorn's 

milky   pearls;   And   gild   the   grass   with   celandine;   To   dress   the   catkins' 

tasselled   curls;   To   twist   the   tendrils   of   the   vine。   She   wakes   the   wind… 

flower   from   her     sleep;   And   lights  the   woods   with    April's   moon;    The 

violets lift their heads to peep; The daisies brave the sun at noon。 

     The   gentle   wind   from  out   the   west Toys   with  the   lilac pretty   maids; 

Ruffles the meadow's verdant…vest; And rings the bluebells in the glades; 

The ash…buds change their sombre suit; The orchards blossom white and 

red … Promise of Autumn's riper fruit; When Spring's voluptuousness has 

fled。 Awake!   awake;   O   throstle   sweet! And   haste   with   all   your   choir   to 

greet This Queen who comes with wakening feet。 

     Persephone   with   grateful   eyes   Salutes   the   Sun   …   'tis   Paradise:   Then 

hastens down the dewy meads; Past where the herd contented feeds; Past 

where the furrows hide the grain; For harvesting of sun and rain; To where 

Demeter patient stands With longing lips and outstretched hands; Until the 

dawning of one face Across the void of time and space Shall bring again 

her day of grace。 Rejoice; O Earth!           Rejoice and sing! This is the promise 

of the Spring; And this the world's remembering。 



                                               24 


… Page 25…

                                       The Grey Brethren 



                               A Lark's Song 



     SWEET; sweet! I rise to greet The sapphire sky The   air slips by  On 

either side As up I ride On mounting wing; And sing and sing … Then reach 

my bliss; The sun's great kiss; And poise a space To see his face; Sweet; 

sweet; In radiant grace; Ah; sweet! ah; sweet! 

     Sweet;   sweet!   Beneath   my   feet   My   nestlings   call:   And   down   I   fall 

Unerring; true; Through heaven's blue; And haste to fill Each noisy  bill。 

My   brooding   breast   Stills   their   unrest。   Sweet;   sweet;   Their   quick   hearts 

beat; Safe in the nest: Ah; sweet; sweet; sweet! Ah; sweet! 

     Sweet;   sweet   The   calling   sky   That   bids   me   fly   Up   …   up   …   on   high。 

Sweet; sweet The claiming earth; It holds my nest And draws me down To 

where Love's crown Of priceless worth Awaits my breast。 Sweet; sweet! 

Ah; this is best And this most meet; Sweet; sweet! ah; sweet! 



                                               25 


… Page 26…

                                        The Grey Brethren 



                                  'Luvly Miss' 



     NOBODY   thought   of   consequences。             There   was   a   lighted   paraffin 

lamp on the table and nothing else handy。              Mrs Brown's head presented a 

tempting   mark;   and   of   course   Mr   Brown's   lengthy   stay   at   'The   Three 

Fingers' had something to do with it; but nobody thought of Miss Brown; 

aged four; who was playing happily on the floor; unruffled by the storm to 

which she was so well accustomed。 

     Mrs Brown ducked; there was a smash; a scream; and poor little Miss 

Brown   was   in   a   blaze。    The   shock   sobered   the   father   and   silenced   the 

mother。     Miss   Brown   was   extinguished   with   the   aid   of   a   table…   cover; 

much   water;   and   many   neighbours;   but   she   was   horribly   burnt   all   over; 

except her face。 

     * * * * * 

     I made Miss Brown's acquaintance a few days later。                   She was lying 

on a bed made up on two chairs; and was covered with cotton wool。 She 

had scarcely any pain; and could not move at all; and the small face that 

peered out of what she called her 〃pitty warm snow〃 was wan and drawn 

and had a far…away look in the dark eyes。 

     Miss   Brown   possessed   one   treasure;   her   'luvly   miss。'      I   suppose   I 

must call it a doll; though in what its claim to the title consisted I dared not 

ask; Miss Brown would have deeply resented the enquiry。                     It was a very 

large   potato   with   a   large   and   a   small   bulge。 Into   the   large   bulge   were 

inserted three pieces of fire… wood; the body and arms of 'luvly miss'; legs 

she had none。 

     How  Miss   Brown   came   by  this treasure   I   never   heard。        She   had   an 

impression that it 〃flied froo the winder〃 … I fancy Mr Brown had a hand in 

the manufacture in one o

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 2

你可能喜欢的