登陆注册
4608900000028

第28章 OOR BOB(1)

M'ADAM'S pride in the great Cup that now graced his kitchen was supreme. It stood alone in the very centre of the mantelpiece, just below the old bell-mouthed blunderbuss that hung upon the wall.

The only ornament in the bare room, it shone out in its silvery chastity like the moon in a gloomy sky.

Por once the little man was content. Since his mother's death David had never known such peace. It was not that his father became actively kind; rather that he forgot to be actively unkind.

"Not as I care a brazen button one way or t'ither," the boy informed Maggie.

"Then yo' should," that proper little person replied.

M'Adam was, indeed, a changed being. He forgot to curse James Moore; he forgot to sneer at Owd Bob; he rarely visited the Sylvester Arms, to the detriment of Jem Burton's pocket and temper; and he was never drunk.

"Soaks 'isseif at home, instead," suggested Tammas, the prejudiced. But the accusation was untrue.

"Too drunk to git so far," said Long Kirby, kindly man.

"I reck'n the Cup is kind o' company to him," said Jim Mason.

"Happen it's lonesomeness as drives him here so much." And happen you were right, charitable Jim.

"Best mak' maist on it while he has it, 'cos he'll not have it for long," Tammas remarked amid applause.

Even Parson Leggy allowed--rather reluctantly, indeed, for he was but human--that the little man was changed wonderfully for the better.

"But I am afraid it may not last," he said. "We shall see what happens when Owd Bob beats him for the Cup, as he certainly will. That'll be the critical moment."As things were, the little man spent all his spare moments with the Cup between his knees, burnishing it and crooning to Wullie:

"I never saw a fairer, I never lo'ed a dearer, And neist my heart I'll wear her, For fear my jewel tine."There, Wullie! look at her! is she no bonthe? She shines like a twinkle--twinkle in the sky." And he would hold it out at arm's length, his head cocked sideways the better to scan its bright beauties.

The little man was very jealous for his treasure. David might not touch it; might not smoke in the kitchen lest the fumes should tarnish its glory; while if he approached too closely he was ordered abruptly away.

"As if I wanted to touch his nasty Cup!" he complained to Maggie.

"I'd sooner ony day--"

"Hands aff, Mr. David, immediate! ' she cried indignantly.

"'Pertinence, indeed!" as she tossed her head clear of the big fingers that were fondling her pretty hair.

So it was that M'Adam, on coming quietly-into the kitchen one day, was consumed with angry resentment to find David actually handling the object of his reverence; and the manner of his doing it added a thousandfold to the offence.

The boy was lolling indolently against the mantelpiece, his fair head shoved right into the Cup, his breath dimming its lustre, and his two hands, big and dirty, slowly revolving it before his eyes.

Bursting with indignation, the little man crept up behind the boy.

David was reading through the long list of winners.

"Theer's the first on 'em," he muttered, shooting out his tongue to indicate the locality: "'Andrew Moore's Rough, 178--.' And theer agin --' James Moore's Pinch, 179--.' And agin--'Beck, 182--.' Ah, and theer's 'im Tammas tells on! 'Rex, 183--,' and Rex, 183--.' Ay, but he was a rare un by all tell-in's! If he'd nob'but won but onst agin!

Ah, and theer's none like the Gray Dogs--they all says that, and Isay so masel'; none like the Gray Dogs o' Kenmuir, bless 'em! And we'll win agin too--" he broke off short; his eye had travelled down to the last name on the list.

"'M'Adam's Wull'!" he read with unspeakable contempt, and put his great thumb across the name as though to wipe it out. "'M'-Adam's Wull'! Goo' gracious sakes! P-hg-h-r-r! "--and he made a motion as though to spit upon the ground.

同类推荐
  • 佛说大坚固婆罗门缘起经

    佛说大坚固婆罗门缘起经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 元丰九域志

    元丰九域志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 轻重戊

    轻重戊

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 平书订

    平书订

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 扁鹊神应针灸玉龙经

    扁鹊神应针灸玉龙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 诗话总龟后集

    诗话总龟后集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 社交金口财

    社交金口财

    《社交金口财》以社交口才为基点,旨在传授如何让你运用口才在社会交往中立于不败之地。对于每个人来说,只要你有良好的口才,在社交时就会讨人喜欢、人见人爱,你只要肯下功夫,学习他人的方法,吸收他人的经验,并在实践中运用这些方法和经验,那么,你就能成为演说家、口才大师、社交高手。
  • 法神帝尊

    法神帝尊

    一个神秘的龙首挂坠从天外而来,蕴含着无尽魔法的奥秘,与贫民窟的落魄少年融为一体,一头闯进这个精彩缤纷的魔法世界。读者QQ群:261025322
  • 成功有约:20岁必须知道的9件事

    成功有约:20岁必须知道的9件事

    成功,是每个年轻人都渴望得到的。很多人成功了,或拥有名望,拥有财富,功成名就,或生活快乐,心想事成。但更多的人一生平平淡淡,没有实现自己年轻时的梦想。为什么?成功学家对“一些人为什么成功”做了几十年的研究,发现成功者的行为都有着相似的特点,也就是本书所讲述的9件事。它们是:定位、目标、自信、坚强、智慧、毅力、机遇、效率和积累。成功之路是从正确认识自己,为自己正确定位开始的。年轻时选择做什么,不选择做什么,决定了你的一生是成功还是失败。看看成功者是怎么选择自己的成功之路,谨慎地确定自己的人生路吧。记住,好的开端是成功的一半。
  • 婚期29号,首席一品妻

    婚期29号,首席一品妻

    王子,总有惯性定律,喜欢温婉如水的灰姑娘。而她,偏偏是个争强好胜的倔女人,注定只能成为女配。一如29号的婚礼,没有教堂没有酒席没有亲朋,有的,只是她手中的一本结婚证,以及一个刚出生一月的婴孩。还有,他和她人携手恩爱的报导……*三年后。他是商界的神话,英俊多金优雅,T大有史以来最年轻的教授。“他对女人要求很高,凡是身高低于一米六八的直接出局,穿着暴露的出局,不是O型血的出局,对他大呼小叫的出局,一天到晚缠着他的出局,刻意接近他诱/惑他的出局……”她的工作之一,便是为他打发送上门来的女人。桃花十三小姐:“为什么不是O型血也要出局?”她淡然解释:“易先生是万能供血者,他不希望自己出事时碰上血库告急的倒霉事。所以要求自己的女人必须是O型血,起码能输血给他。”*“易先生,我每天工作太繁琐,帮您料理后宫的重任,能否让其他人担当呢?”“可以。”磁性的嗓音温润,他漫不经心道,“等哪天你当上正宫娘娘有了发言权之后。”*叶璃想,她这一生,都不可能再有那般大的毅力,去追一个人了。只是最终,那个人却为了其她女人舍弃了她。“她可是一向省吃俭用宁可肚子饿到犯胃病都舍不得乱花一分钱呢,如今却为了挽回你买了对于她而言属于天价的飞机票,是不是感动得想要立刻飞去她身边?”淡漠的神色,她斜睨着他,一字一顿,“就像三年前一样,为了她毫不犹豫地将我扔下?”转身,手臂明明还在流血,她却一步步远离。医院门口,夕阳余晖下,男人的眼被缠了一圈纱布,却只是朝着她的方向静静站着,仿佛等待她,早已千年。
  • 佳玉

    佳玉

    佳玉挎着背篼去锅炉房。路面被冬霜打得又硬又滑。佳玉走出紧靠农田的那排平房,上一段长长的黄土斜坡,再从子弟校旁边的天桥上穿过,矿区昏黄的灯光就迎照着她矮胖的身影。雾很浓,悬浮的冰粒子扑打着她的脸,她感觉脸上东一块西一块被饥饿的冰屑咬烂了。
  • 高阳版《胡雪岩全传》4

    高阳版《胡雪岩全传》4

    讲透一代商圣胡雪岩的天才与宿命,影响中国一代企业家的经典!马云读了两遍!胡雪岩传记小说至高经典,其他版本大多是这套书的删减版或改编版。高阳版《胡雪岩全传》出版40年来无可逾越,是商人必备的生存手册。胡雪岩从店伙计到大清巨富花了30年,倾家荡产只花了6天!“有井水处有金庸,有村镇处有高阳。”武侠小说有金庸,历史小说有高阳!高阳的历史小说,注重历史的真实性,又擅长讲故事,读起来轻松畅快,有读者评为“华语历史小说不可逾越的高峰”。翻开本书,看当代历史小说巨匠高阳,重现一代商圣胡雪岩的辉煌与宿命。
  • 消逝的弥足珍贵

    消逝的弥足珍贵

    这是一段关于青春的校园故事,这是一首关于校园的青春歌曲。一段回忆总是会不断地牵扯我们的思绪,青葱岁月,或是人生最放肆的季节。故事里的这群孩子在这里生,在这里死,他们在这里邂逅了爱情,也埋葬了青春。每一个人在这个故事中都领悟到了成长的真谛,疼爱自己的父母、重情重义的朋友,以及年少时为爱的冲动都成为了记忆里永不磨灭的印迹。
  • 老总·师哥·女助理

    老总·师哥·女助理

    去顺义的路上,师哥拿出一个存折对刘占五说:“你的企业,我给你管了将近两年,因为身体越来越不行,让别人管我又不放心,最后我把它卖了,现在一个浙江人在那里当老板。我把卖厂的钱都放在这个存折里,足够你下辈子享用的了。你要用它赎回你的厂子,可能也差不多。”刘占五突然抱住了师哥,大声地喊道:“师哥,这都是因为什么呀?本来,咱们可以过得好好的!”
  • 做人与处世

    做人与处世

    莫为蝇头小利所迷惑,魔鬼在细节,小阀门酿成大悲剧,细节是一种创造,细节之中隐藏机会,细节产生效益,细节是关键所在,细节贵在执行,处处留心皆学问,细心才有灵感。