villa rubein and other stories-第3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！



claret…coloured　velveteen；　a　large　gold　cross　dangled　from　a　steel

chain　on　her　chest；　she　nervously　twisted　her　hands；　clad　in　black

kid　gloves；　rather　white　about　the　seams。



Her　hair　was　prematurely　grey；　her　quick　eyes　brown；　her　mouth

twisted　at　one　corner；　she　held　her　face；　kind…looking；　but　long　and

narrow；　rather　to　one　side；　and　wore　on　it　a　look　of　apology。　　Her

quick　sentences　sounded　as　if　she　kept　them　on　strings；　and　wanted　to

draw　them　back　as　soon　as　she　had　let　them　forth。



〃Greta；　how　can；　you　do　such　things？　　I　don't　know　what　your　father

would　say！　　I　am　sure　I　don't　know　how　toso　extraordinary〃



〃Please！〃　said　Harz。



〃You　must　come　at　onceso　very　sorryso　awkward！〃　　They　were

standing　in　a　ring：　Harz　with　his　eyebrows　working　up　and　down；　the

little　lady　fidgeting　her　parasol；　Greta；　flushed　and　pouting；　her

eyes　all　dewy；　twisting　an　end　of　fair　hair　round　her　finger。



〃Oh；　look！〃　　The　coffee　had　boiled　over。　　Little　brown　streams

trickled　spluttering　from　the　pan；　the　dog；　with　ears　laid　back　and

tail　tucked　in；　went　scurrying　round　the　room。　　A　feeling　of

fellowship　fell　on　them　at　once。



〃Along　the　wall　is　our　favourite　walk；　and　Scruffso　awkward；　so

unfortunatewe　did　not　think　any　one　lived　herethe　shutters　are

cracked；　the　paint　is　peeling　off　so　dreadfully。　　Have　you　been　long

in　Botzen？　　Two　months？　　Fancy！　　You　are　not　English？　　You　are

Tyrolese？　　But　you　speak　English　so　wellthere　for　seven　years？

Really？　　So　fortunate！It　is　Greta's　day　for　English。〃



Miss　Naylor's　eyes　darted　bewildered　glances　at　the　roof　where　the

crossing　of　the　beams　made　such　deep　shadows；　at　the　litter　of

brushes；　tools；　knives；　and　colours　on　a　table　made　out　of　packing…

cases；　at　the　big　window；　innocent　of　glass；　and　flush　with　the

floor；　whence　dangled　a　bit　of　rusty　chainrelic　of　the　time　when

the　place　had　been　a　store…loft；　her　eyes　were　hastily　averted　from

an　unfnished　figure　of　the　nude。



Greta；　with　feet　crossed；　sat　on　a　coloured　blanket；　dabbling　her

fnger　in　a　little　pool　of　coffee；　and　gazing　up　at　Harz。　　And　he

thought：　'I　should　like　to　paint　her　like　that。　　〃A　forget…me…not。〃'



He　took　out　his　chalks　to　make　a　sketch　of　her。



〃Shall　you　show　me？〃　cried　out　Greta；　scrambling　to　her　feet。



〃'Will；'　Greta'will'；　how　often　must　I　tell　you？　　I　think　we　should

be　goingit　is　very　lateyour　fatherso　very　kind　of　you；　but　I

think　we　should　be　going。　　Scruff！〃　　　Miss　Naylor　gave　the　floor　two

taps。　　The　terrier　backed　into　a　plaster　cast　which　came　down　on　his

tail；　and　sent　him　flying　through　the　doorway。　　Greta　followed

swiftly；　crying：



〃Ach！　poor　Scrufee！〃



Miss　Naylor　crossed　the　room；　bowing；　she　murmured　an　apology；　and

also　disappeared。



Harz　was　left　alone；　his　guests　were　gone；　the　little　girl　with　the

fair　hair　and　the　eyes　like　forget…me…nots；　the　little　lady　with

kindly　gestures　and　bird…like　walk；　the　terrier。　　He　looked　round

him；　the　room　seemed　very　empty。　　Gnawing　his　moustache；　he　muttered

at　the　fallen　cast。



Then　taking　up　his　brush；　stood　before　his　picture；　smiling　and

frowning。　　Soon　he　had　forgotten　it　all　in　his　work。









II



It　was　early　morning　four　days　later；　and　Harz　was　loitering

homewards。　　The　shadows　of　the　clouds　passing　across　the　vines　were

vanishing　over　the　jumbled　roofs　and　green…topped　spires　of　the　town。

A　strong　sweet　wind　was　blowing　from　the　mountains；　there　was　a　stir

in　the　branches　of　the　trees；　and　flakes　of　the　late　blossom　were

drifting　down。　　Amongst　the　soft　green　pods　of　a　kind　of　poplar

chafers　buzzed；　and　numbers　of　their　little　brown　bodies　were　strewn

on　the　path。



He　passed　a　bench　where　a　girl　sat　sketching。　　A　puff　of　wind　whirled

her　drawing　to　the　ground；　Harz　ran　to　pick　it　up。　　She　took　it　from

him　with　a　bow；　but；　as　he　turned　away；　she　tore　the　sketch　across。



〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃why　did　you　do　that？〃



This　girl；　who　stood　with　a　bit　of　the　torn　sketch　in　either　hand；

was　slight　and　straight；　and　her　face　earnest　and　serene。　　She　gazed

at　Harz　with　large；　clear；　greenish　eyes；　her　lips　and　chin　were

defiant；　her　forehead　tranquil。



〃I　don't　like　it。〃



〃Will　you　let　me　look　at　it？　　I　am　a　painter。〃



〃It　isn't　worth　looking　at；　butif　you　wish〃



He　put　the　two　halves　of　the　sketch　together。



〃You　see！〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　told　you。〃



Harz　did　not　answer；　still　looking　at　the　sketch。　　The　girl　frowned。



Harz　asked　her　suddenly：



〃Why　do　you　paint？〃



She　coloured；　and　said：



〃Show　me　what　is　wrong。〃



〃I　cannot　show　you　what　is　wrong；　there　is　nothing　wrongbut　why　do

you　paint？〃



〃I　don't　understand。〃



Harz　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃You've　no　business　to　do　that；〃　said　the　girl　in　a　hurt　voice；　〃I

want　to　know。〃



〃Your　heart　is　not　in　it；〃　said　Harz。



She　looked　at　him；　startled；　her　eyes　had　grown　thoughtful。



〃I　suppose　that　is　it。　　There　are　so　many　other　things〃



〃There　should　be　nothing　else；〃　said　Harz。



She　broke　in：　〃I　don't　want　always　to　be　thinking　of　myself。

Suppose〃



〃Ah！　When　you　begin　supposing！〃



The　girl　confronted　him；　she　had　torn　the　sketch　again。



〃You　mean　that　if　it　does　not　matter　enough；　one　had　better　not　do　it

at　all。　　I　don't　know　if　you　are　rightI　think　you　are。〃



There　was　the　sound　of　a　nervous　cough；　and　Harz　saw　behind　him　his

three　visitorsMiss　Naylor　offering　him　her　hand；　Greta；　flushed；

with　a　bunch　of　wild　flowers；　staring　intently　in　his　face；　and　the

terrier；　sniffing　at　his　trousers。



Miss　Naylor　broke　an　awkward　silence。



〃We　wondered　if　you　would　still　be　here；　Christian。　　I　am　sorry　to

interrupt　youI　was　not　aware　that　you　knew　Mr。Herr〃



〃Harz　is　my　namewe　were　just　talking〃



〃About　my　sketch。　　Oh；　Greta；　you　do　tickle！　　Will　you　come　and　have

breakfast　with　us　to…day；　Herr　Harz？　　It's　our　turn；　you　know。〃



Harz；　glancing　at　his　dusty　clothes；　excused　himself。



But　Greta　in　a　pleading　voice　said：　〃Oh！　do　come！　　Scruff　likes　you。

It　is　so　dull　when　there　is　nobody　for　breakfast　but　ourselves。〃



Miss　Naylor's　mouth　began　to　twist。　　Harz　hurriedly　broke　in：



〃Thank　you。　　I　will　come　with　pleasure；　you　don't　mind　my　being

dirty？〃



〃Oh　no！　we　do　not　mind；　then　we　shall　none　of　us　wash；　and　afterwards

I　shall　show　you　my　rabbits。〃



Miss　Naylor；　moving　from　foot　to　foot；　like　a　bird　on　its　perch；

exclaimed：



〃I　hope　you　won't　regret　it；　not　a　very　good　mealthe　girls　are　so

impulsivesuch　informal　invitation；　we　shall　be　very　glad。〃



But　Greta　pulled　softly　at　her　sister's　sleeve；　and　Christian；

gathering　her　things；　led　the　way。



Harz　followed　in　amazement；　nothing　of　this　kind　had　come　into　his

life　before。　　He　kept　shyly　glancing　at　the　girls；　and；　noting　the

speculative　innocence　in　Greta's　eyes；　he　smiled。　　They　soon　came　to

two　great　poplar…trees；　which　stood；　like　sentinels；　one　on　either

side　of　an　unweeded　gravel　walk　leading　through　lilac　bushes　to　a

house　painted　dull　pink；　with　green…shuttered　windows；　and　a　roof　of

greenish　slate。　　Over　the　door　in　faded　crimson　letters　were　written

the　words；　〃Villa　Rubein。〃



〃That　is　to　the　stables；〃　said　Greta；　pointing　down　a　path；　where

some　pigeons　were　sunning　themselves　on　a　wall。　　〃Uncle　Nic　keeps　his

horses　there：　Countess　and　Cuckoohis　horses　begin　with　C；　because

of　Christhey　are　quite　beautiful。　　He　says　he　could　drive　them　to

Kingdom…Come　and　they　would　not　turn　their　hair。　　Bow；　and　say　'Good…

morning'　to　our　house！〃



Harz　bowed。



〃Father　said　all　strangers　should；　and　I　think　it　brings　good　luck。〃

》From　the　doorstep　she　looked　round　at　Harz；　then　ran　into　the　house。



A　broad；　thick…set　man；　with　stiff；　brushed…up　hair；　a　short；　brown；

bushy　beard　parted　at　the　chin；　a　fresh　complexion；　and　blue　glasses

across　a　thick　nose；　came　out；　and　called　in　a　bluff　voice：



〃Ha！