half a life-time ago-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！



across　the　kitchen　like　a　cat's　in　the　dark。　　Now；　if　you　were　a　man；

I　should　feel　queer　before　those　looks　of　yours；　as　it　is；　I　rather

like　them；　because〃



〃Because　what？〃　asked　she；　looking　up　and　perceiving　that　he　had

stolen　close　up　to　her。



〃Because　I　can　make　all　right　in　this　way；〃　said　he；　kissing　her

suddenly。



〃Can　you？〃　said　she；　wrenching　herself　out　of　his　grasp　and　panting；

half　with　rage。　　〃Take　that；　by　way　of　proof　that　making　right　is

none　so　easy。〃　　And　she　boxed　his　ears　pretty　sharply。　　He　went　back

to　his　seat　discomfited　and　out　of　temper。　　She　could　no　longer　see

to　look；　even　if　her　face　had　not　burnt　and　her　eyes　dazzled；　but　she

did　not　choose　to　move　her　seat；　so　she　still　preserved　her　stooping

attitude　and　pretended　to　go　on　sewing。



〃Eleanor　Hebthwaite　may　be　milk…and…water；〃　muttered　he；　〃but

Confound　thee；　lad！　what　art　thou　doing？〃　exclaimed　Michael；　as　a

great　piece　of　burning　wood　was　cast　into　his　face　by　an　unlucky　poke

of　Will's。　　〃Thou　great　lounging；　clumsy　chap；　I'll　teach　thee

better！〃　and　with　one　or　two　good　round　kicks　he　sent　the　lad

whimpering　away　into　the　back…kitchen。　　When　he　had　a　little

recovered　himself　from　his　passion；　he　saw　Susan　standing　before　him；

her　face　looking　strange　and　almost　ghastly　by　the　reversed　position

of　the　shadows；　arising　from　the　firelight　shining　upwards　right

under　it。



〃I　tell　thee　what；　Michael；〃　said　she；　〃that　lad's　motherless；　but

not　friendless。〃



〃His　own　father　leathers　him；　and　why　should　not　I；　when　he's　given

me　such　a　burn　on　my　face？〃　said　Michael；　putting　up　his　hand　to　his

cheek　as　if　in　pain。



〃His　father's　his　father；　and　there　is　nought　more　to　be　said。　　But

if　he　did　burn　thee；　it　was　by　accident；　and　not　o'　purpose；　as　thou

kicked　him；　it's　a　mercy　if　his　ribs　are　not　broken。〃



〃He　howls　loud　enough；　I'm　sure。　　I　might　ha'　kicked　many　a　lad　twice

as　hard；　and　they'd　ne'er　ha'　said　ought　but　'damn　ye；'　but　yon　lad

must　needs　cry　out　like　a　stuck　pig　if　one　touches　him；〃　replied

Michael；　sullenly。



Susan　went　back　to　the　window…seat；　and　looked　absently　out　of　the

window　at　the　drifting　clouds　for　a　minute　or　two；　while　her　eyes

filled　with　tears。　　Then　she　got　up　and　made　for　the　outer　door　which

led　into　the　back…kitchen。　　Before　she　reached　it；　however；　she　heard

a　low　voice；　whose　music　made　her　thrill；　say　…



〃Susan；　Susan！〃



Her　heart　melted　within　her；　but　it　seemed　like　treachery　to　her　poor

boy；　like　faithlessness　to　her　dead　mother；　to　turn　to　her　lover

while　the　tears　which　he　had　caused　to　flow　were　yet　unwiped　on

Will's　cheeks。　　So　she　seemed　to　take　no　heed；　but　passed　into　the

darkness；　and；　guided　by　the　sobs；　she　found　her　way　to　where　Willie

sat　crouched　among　the　disused　tubs　and　churns。



〃Come　out　wi'　me；　lad；〃　and　they　went　out　into　the　orchard；　where　the

fruit…trees　were　bare　of　leaves；　but　ghastly　in　their　tattered

covering　of　gray　moss：　　and　the　soughing　November　wind　came　with　long

sweeps　over　the　fells　till　it　rattled　among　the　crackling　boughs；

underneath　which　the　brother　and　sister　sat　in　the　dark；　he　in　her

lap；　and　she　hushing　his　head　against　her　shoulder。



〃Thou　should'st　na'　play　wi'　fire。　　It's　a　naughty　trick。　　Thoul't

suffer　for　it　in　worse　ways　nor　this　before　thou'st　done；　I'm

afeared。　　I　should　ha'　hit　thee　twice　as　lungeous　kicks　as　Mike；　if

I'd　been　in　his　place。　　He　did　na'　hurt　thee；　I　am　sure；〃　she

assumed；　half　as　a　question。



〃Yes　but　he　did。　　He　turned　me　quite　sick。〃　　And　he　let　his　head　fall

languidly　down　on　his　sister's　breast。



〃Come；　lad！　come；　lad！〃　said　she　anxiously。　　〃Be　a　man。　　It　was　not

much　that　I　saw。　　Why；　when　first　the　red　cow　came　she　kicked　me　far

harder　for　offering　to　milk　her　before　her　legs　were　tied。　　See　thee！

here's　a　peppermint…drop；　and　I'll　make　thee　a　pasty　to…night；　only

don't　give　way　so；　for　it　hurts　me　sore　to　think　that　Michael　has

done　thee　any　harm；　my　pretty。〃



Willie　roused　himself　up；　and　put　back　the　wet　and　ruffled　hair　from

his　heated　face；　and　he　and　Susan　rose　up；　and　hand…in…hand　went

towards　the　house；　walking　slowly　and　quietly　except　for　a　kind　of

sob　which　Willie　could　not　repress。　　Susan　took　him　to　the　pump　and

washed　his　tear…stained　face；　till　she　thought　she　had　obliterated

all　traces　of　the　recent　disturbance；　arranging　his　curls　for　him；

and　then　she　kissed　him　tenderly；　and　led　him　in；　hoping　to　find

Michael　in　the　kitchen；　and　make　all　straight　between　them。　　But　the

blaze　had　dropped　down　into　darkness；　the　wood　was　a　heap　of　gray

ashes　in　which　the　sparks　ran　hither　and　thither；　but　even　in　the

groping　darkness　Susan　knew　by　the　sinking　at　her　heart　that　Michael

was　not　there。　　She　threw　another　brand　on　the　hearth　and　lighted　the

candle；　and　sat　down　to　her　work　in　silence。　　Willie　cowered　on　his

stool　by　the　side　of　the　fire；　eyeing　his　sister　from　time　to　time；

and　sorry　and　oppressed；　he　knew　not　why；　by　the　sight　of　her　grave；

almost　stern　face。　　No　one　came。　　They　two　were　in　the　house　alone。

The　old　woman　who　helped　Susan　with　the　household　work　had　gone　out

for　the　night　to　some　friend's　dwelling。　　William　Dixon；　the　father；

was　up　on　the　fells　seeing　after　his　sheep。　　Susan　had　no　heart　to

prepare　the　evening　meal。



〃Susy；　darling；　are　you　angry　with　me？〃　said　Willie；　in　his　little

piping；　gentle　voice。　　He　had　stolen　up　to　his　sister's　side。　　〃I

won't　never　play　with　the　fire　again；　and　I'll　not　cry　if　Michael

does　kick　me。　　Only　don't　look　so　like　dead　motherdon'tdon't

please　don't！〃　he　exclaimed；　hiding　his　face　on　her　shoulder。



〃I'm　not　angry；　Willie；〃　said　she。　　〃Don't　be　feared　on　me。　　You　want

your　supper；　and　you　shall　have　it；　and　don't　you　be　feared　on

Michael。　　He　shall　give　reason　for　every　hair　of　your　head　that　he

toucheshe　shall。〃



When　William　Dixon　came　home　he　found　Susan　and　Willie　sitting

together；　hand…in…hand；　and　apparently　pretty　cheerful。　　He　bade　them

go　to　bed；　for　that　he　would　sit　up　for　Michael；　and　the　next

morning；　when　Susan　came　down；　she　found　that　Michael　had　started　an

hour　before　with　the　cart　for　lime。　　It　was　a　long　day's　work；　Susan

knew　it　would　be　late；　perhaps　later　than　on　the　preceding　night；

before　he　returnedat　any　rate；　past　her　usual　bed…time；　and　on　no

account　would　she　stop　up　a　minute　beyond　that　hour　in　the　kitchen；

whatever　she　might　do　in　her　bed…room。　　Here　she　sat　and　watched　till

past　midnight；　and　when　she　saw　him　coming　up　the　brow　with　the

carts；　she　knew　full　well；　even　in　that　faint　moonlight；　that　his

gait　was　the　gait　of　a　man　in　liquor。　　But　though　she　was　annoyed　and

mortified　to　find　in　what　way　he　had　chosen　to　forget　her；　the　fact

did　not　disgust　or　shock　her　as　it　would　have　done　many　a　girl；　even

at　that　day；　who　had　not　been　brought　up　as　Susan　had；　among　a　class

who　considered　it　no　crime；　but　rather　a　mark　of　spirit；　in　a　man　to

get　drunk　occasionally。　　Nevertheless；　she　chose　to　hold　herself　very

high　all　the　next　day　when　Michael　was；　perforce；　obliged　to　give　up

any　attempt　to　do　heavy　work；　and　hung　about　the　out…buildings　and

farm　in　a　very　disconsolate　and　sickly　state。　　Willie　had　far　more

pity　on　him　than　Susan。　　Before　evening；　Willie　and　he　were　fast；

and；　on　his　side；　ostentatious　friends。　　Willie　rode　the　horses　down

to　water；　Willie　helped　him　to　chop　wood。　　Susan　sat　gloomily　at　her

work；　hearing　an　indistinct　but　cheerful　conversation　going　on　in　the

shippon；　while　the　cows　were　being　milked。　　She　almost　felt　irritated

with　her　little　brother；　as　if　he　were　a　traitor；　and　had　gone　over

to　the　enemy　in　the　very　battle　that　she　was　fighting　in　his　cause。

She　was　alone　with　no　one　to　speak　to；　while　they　prattled　on

regardless　if　she　were　glad　or　sorry。



Soon　Willie　burst　in。　　〃Susan！　　Susan！　come　with　me；　I've　something

so　pretty　to　show　you。　　Round　the　corner　of　the　barnrun！　run！〃　　（He

was　dra