just david(公正的大卫)-第21章
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street； the boy alone at the window； with his sightless eyesthe boy who
never； never would know what a beautiful world he lived in。
Then suddenly to David came a new thought。 This boy； Joe； had said
before that he understood。 He had seemed to know that he was being told
of the sunny skies and the forest winds； the singing birds and the babbling
brooks。 Perhaps again now he would understand。
What if； for those sightless eyes； one could create a world？
Possibly never before had David played as he played then。 It was as if
upon those four quivering strings； he was laying the purple and gold of a
thousand sunsets； the rose and amber of a thousand sunrises； the green of a
boundless earth； the blue of a sky that reached to heaven itselfto make
Joe understand。
〃Gee！〃 breathed Joe； when the music came to an end with a crashing
chord。 〃Say； wa'n't that just great？ Won't you let me； please； just touch that
fiddle？〃 And David； looking into the blind boy's exalted face； knew that
Joe had indeedunderstood。
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JUST DAVID
CHAPTER X
THE LADY OF THE ROSES
It was a new world； indeed； that David created for Joe after thata
world that had to do with entrancing music where once was silence；
delightful companionship where once was loneliness； and toothsome
cookies and doughnuts where once was hunger。
The Widow Glaspell； Joe's mother； worked out by the day； scrubbing
and washing； and Joe； perforce； was left to the somewhat erratic and
decidedly unskillful ministrations of Betty。 Betty was no worse； and no
better； than any other untaught； irresponsible twelve…year…old girl； and it
was not to be expected； perhaps； that she would care to spend all the bright
sunny hours shut up with her sorely afflicted and somewhat fretful brother。
True； at noon she never failed to appear and prepare something that passed
for a dinner for herself and Joe。 But the Glaspell larder was frequently
almost as empty as were the hungry stomachs that looked to it for
refreshment； and it would have taken a far more skillful cook than was the
fly…away Betty to evolve anything from it that was either palatable or
satisfying。
With the coming of David into Joe's life all this was changed。 First；
there were the music and the companionship。 Joe's father had 〃played in
the band〃 in his youth； and （according to the Widow Glaspell） had been a
〃powerful hand for music。〃 It was from him； presumably； that Joe had
inherited his passion for melody and harmony； and it was no wonder that
David recognized so soon in the blind boy the spirit that made them kin。
At the first stroke of David's bow； indeed； the dingy walls about them
would crumble into nothingness； and together the two boys were off in a
fairy world of loveliness and joy。
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JUST DAVID
Nor was listening always Joe's part。 From 〃just touching〃 the violin
his first longing pleahe came to drawing a timid bow across the strings。
In an incredibly short time； then； he was picking out bits of melody； and
by the end of a fortnight David had brought his father's violin for Joe to
practice on。
〃I can't GIVE it to younot for keeps；〃 David had explained； a bit
tremulously； 〃because it was daddy's； you know； and when I see it； it
seems almost as if I was seeing him。 But you may take it。 Then you can
have it here to play on whenever you like。〃
After that； in Joe's own hands lay the power to transport himself into
another world； for with the violin for company he knew no loneliness。
Nor was the violin all that David brought to the house。 There were the
doughnuts and the cookies。 Very early in his visits David had discovered；
much to his surprise； that Joe and Betty were often hungry。
〃But why don't you go down to the store and buy something？〃 he had
queried at once。
Upon being told that there was no money to buy with； David's first
impulse had been to bring several of the gold…pieces the next time he came；
but upon second thoughts David decided that he did not dare。 He was not
wishing to be called a thief a second time。 It would be better； he concluded；
to bring some food from the house instead。
In his mountain home everything the house afforded in the way of
food had always been freely given to the few strangers that found their
way to the cabin door。 So now David had no hesitation in going to Mrs。
Holly's pantry for supplies； upon the occasion of his next visit to Joe
Glaspell's。
Mrs。 Holly； coming into the kitchen； found him merging from the
pantry with both hands full of cookies and doughnuts。
〃Why； David； what in the world does this mean？〃 she demanded。
〃They're for Joe and Betty；〃 smiled David happily。
〃For Joe andBut those doughnuts and cookies don't belong to you。
They're mine！〃
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JUST DAVID
〃Yes； I know they are。 I told them you had plenty；〃 nodded David。
〃Plenty！ What if I have？〃 remonstrated Mrs。 Holly； in growing
indignation。 〃That doesn't mean that you can take〃 Something in David's
face stopped the words half…spoken。
〃You don't mean that I CAN'T take them to Joe and Betty； do you？
Why； Mrs。 Holly； they're hungry！ Joe and Betty are。 They don't have half
enough to eat。 Betty said so。 And we've got more than we want。 There's
food left on the table every day。 Why； if YOU were hungry； wouldn't you
want somebody to bring〃
But Mrs。 Holly stopped him with a despairing gesture。
〃There； there； never mind。 Run along。 Of course you can take them。
I'mI'm GLAD to have you；〃 she finished； in a desperate attempt to drive
from David's face that look of shocked incredulity with which he was still
regarding her。
Never again did Mrs。 Holly attempt to thwart David's generosity to the
Glaspells； but she did try to regulate it。 She saw to it that thereafter； upon
his visits to the house； he took only certain things and a certain amount；
and invariably things of her own choosing。
But not always toward the Glaspell shanty did David turn his steps。
Very frequently it was in quite another direction。 He had been at the Holly
farmhouse three weeks when he found his Lady of the Roses。
He had passed quite through the village that day； and had come to a
road that was new to him。 It was a beautiful road； smooth； white； and firm。
Two huge granite posts topped with flaming nasturtiums marked the point
where it turned off from the main highway。 Beyond these； as David soon
found； it ran between wide…spreading lawns and flowering shrubs； leading
up the gentle slope of a hill。 Where it led to； David did not know； but he
proceeded unhesitatingly to try to find out。 For some time he climbed the
slope in silence； his violin； mute； under his arm； but the white road still lay
in tantalizing mystery before him when a by…path offered the greater
temptation； and lured him to explore its cool shadowy depths instead。
Had David but known it； he was at Sunny…crest； Hinsdale's one 〃show
