登陆注册
4617600000093

第93章

In her previous sojourn at the farmhouse she had concluded that it was her best policy to keep in Holcroft's good graces, even though she had to defy her mother and Mrs. Wiggins, and she was now by no means ready to commit herself to this new domestic power. She had received the impression that the authority and continued residence of females in this household was involved in much uncertainty, and although Alida was in favor now and the farmer's wife, she didn't know what "vicissitudes" (as her mother would denominate them)might occur. Holcroft was the only fixed and certain quantity in her troubled thoughts, and after a little hesitation she replied, "I'll do what he says;I'm goin' to mind him.""Suppose he tells you to mind me?"

"Then I will. That ud be mindin' him. I'm goin' to stick to him, for I made out by it better before than by mindin' mother and Mrs. Wiggins."Alida now understood the child and laughed aloud. "You are right," she said.

"I won't ask you to do anything contrary to his wishes. Now tell me, Jane, what other clothes have you besides those you are wearing?"It did not take the girl long to inventory her scanty wardrobe, and then Alida rapidly made out a list of what was needed immediately. "Wait here," she said, and putting on a pretty straw hat, one of her recent purchases, she started for the barn.

Holcroft had his wagon and team almost ready when Alida joined him, and led the way to the floor between the sweet-smelling hay-mows.

"One thing leads to another," she began, looking at him a little deprecatingly. "You must have noticed the condition of Jane's clothes.""She does look like a little scarecrow, now I come to think of it," he admitted.

"Yes, she's not much better off than I was," Alida returned, with downcast eyes and rising color.

Her flushing face was so pretty under the straw hat, and the dark mow as a background brought out her figure so finely that he thought of the picture again and laughed aloud for pleasure. She looked up in questioning surprise, thus adding a new grace.

"I wish that artist fellow was here now," he exclaimed. "He could make another picture that would suit me better than the one I saw in town.""What nonsense!" she cried, quickly averting her face from his admiring scrutiny. "Come, I'm here to talk business and you've no time to waste. I've made out a list of what the child actually must have to be respectable.""You're right, Alida," said the farmer, becoming grave at once over a question of dollars and cents. "As you say, one thing leads to another, and if we take the girl we must clothe her decently. But then, I guess she'll earn enough to pay her way. It isn't that I worry about so much," he broke out discontentedly, "but the interference with our quiet, cozy life. Things are going so smoothly and pleasantly that I hate a change of any kind.""We mustn't be selfish, you know," she replied. "You are doing a kind, generous act, and I respect you all the more for it.""That settles everything. You'll like me a little better for it, too, won't you?" he asked hesitatingly.

She laughed outright at this question and answered, "It won't do to take too much self-sacrifice out of your act. There's something which does us all good. She ought to have a spelling and a writing book also."Holcroft was assuredly falling under the sway of the little blind god, for he began at once to misunderstand Alida. "You are very fond of self-sacrifice,"he said, rather stiffly. "Yes, I'll get everything on your list," and he took it from her hand. "Now I must be off," he added, "for I wish to get back before night, and it's so warm I can't drive fast. Sorry I have to go, for Ican't say I dote on self-sacrifice."Alida but partially understood his sudden change of mood, nor was the farmer much better enlightened himself in regard to his irritation. He had received an unexpected impression and it seemed to fit in with other things and explain them. She returned slowly and dejectedly to the house, leaving unsaid the words she meant to speak about Jane's relations to her. Now she wished that she had imitated Jane, and merely nodded to the farmer's questions. "If he knew how far I am beyond the point of liking, I don't know what he'd do or say," she thought, "and I suppose that's the reason I couldn't answer him frankly, in a way that would have satisfied him. It's a pity I couldn't begin to just LIKE a little at first, as he does and have everything grow as gradually and quietly as one of his cornstalks. That's the way I meant it should be; but when he stood up for me and defended me from those men, my heart just melted, and in spite of myself, I felt I could die for him. It can't be such an awful thing for a woman to fall in love with her husband, and yet--yet I'd rather put my hand in the fire than let him know how I feel. Oh, dear! I wish Jane hadn't been born, as she says. Trouble is beginning already, and it was all so nice before she came."In a few moments Holcroft drove up. Alida stood in the door and looked timidly at him. He thought she appeared a little pale and troubled, but his bad mood prevailed and he only asked briefly, "Can't I get something for you?"She shook her head.

"Well, goodbye, then," and he drove away with Jane, who was confirmed in her line of policy. "She's afraid of 'im too," thought the child. "Mind her!

Guess not, unless he says so." She watched the farmer furtively and concluded that she had never known him to look more grim or be more silent even under her mother's blandishments. "He's married this one, I s'pose, to keep house for 'im, but he don't like her follerin' 'im up or bein' for'ard any more'n he did mother. Shouldn't wonder if he didn't keep her, either, if she don't suit better. She needn't 'a' put on such airs with me, for I'm goin' to stick to him."

同类推荐
  • 道基

    道基

    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。
  • 东林列传

    东林列传

    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。
  • 诫子拾遗

    诫子拾遗

    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。
  • Revolution and Counter-Revolution

    Revolution and Counter-Revolution

    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。
  • 明伦汇编皇极典法祖部

    明伦汇编皇极典法祖部

    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
  • 说话讲技巧 办事有方法

    说话讲技巧 办事有方法

    人生在世,谁都渴望成功。《说话技巧,办事有方法》提供了中国古代和国外大量鲜活、实用的有关资料和心理讲解,帮助你对任何人,任何场所,都可以从容不迫、潇洒自如地面对。让你的财富迅速提升,爱情找到甜蜜,亲朋关系更加紧密,事业上走向成功!
  • 牧明

    牧明

    健身教练重生在天启年间。钟仁没有盖世的神功;没有王霸之气;也没有处处能逢凶化吉的好运气。他有的。只有那多出来的,将近400年模糊历史。有那先贤们耗尽脑汁,为这古老的国度,寻找的一条条出路。明末,有辽东女真虎视眈眈,有日趋尖锐的社会矛盾,有怒急起义的百姓。还有那忙着升官争权的朝堂诸公,以及“无用”的皇帝陛下。在这乌云密布,风雨欲来的大海上,大明朝这艘腐朽笨拙的大船,能否继续安然前行?这是一个,小人物如何在大风雨中艰难前行的故事,他苦辣酸甜的一生,敬请诸君观看。
  • 心灵放松一分钟

    心灵放松一分钟

    《心灵放松一分钟》内容简介:地面不常扫,就不会有一个干净清洁的庭院,落叶越积越多、尘埃越落越厚,庭院便成垃圾场了。人生也如此。一个人如不常清扫自己的心境,久了,财、色、利、赌、贪、懒等等,就会在心灵中、在思想上积重难除,从而迷失了生活的真正意义,也就无从拥有一个宁静宽舒的心境了。
  • 我的青春我的刀塔

    我的青春我的刀塔

    一个不起眼的战队,通过时间的磨合,最后登上了电子竞技的最高峰。
  • 女佣兵穿越3:狂妃倾天下

    女佣兵穿越3:狂妃倾天下

    她抬起手往他一指:“王,你有两个选择,第一就是把你的侧妃杀了,第二,就让我杀了你!”她是来自现代的女佣兵,有着魔一样的本事,野兽一样的性格,行事更是霸道无比,穿越到异时空之后,却成为他强行豢养的杀手王妃。他是刚刚取得烈焰国的王,他宠她,让她随心所欲不受约束。可他绝美的外表下,隐藏着的是残忍,诱惑人心的笑容里,是薄情。当霸道遇上腹黑,真心对上假意,那一场恩宠下的情,谁输输赢?谁心软,谁死!
  • 高血压饮食参照书

    高血压饮食参照书

    高血压在我国普遍存在着患病率高、残疾率高的“三高”和知晓率低、治疗率低、控制率低的“三低”特点。在2004年我国发布的“中国居民营养与健康状况调查报告”中指出:我国成人高血压患病率为18.8%,估计全国患病人数为1.6亿,而高血压人群的知晓率、治疗率和控制率仅为30.2%、24.7%和6.1%。
  • 闪耀

    闪耀

    这是一个寻常的早晨。在朝阳中学的高三楼里,响起了第一节课的上课铃声。这是祁风扬担任物理老师的第八个年头。一如既往,他没有带任何讲义,也没有做任何课件,看似有些木然地站在讲台上,望着台下睡倒一片的学生,等待上课铃声把他们叫起来。“上课。”“起立!” “老师好!”“同学们好。”祁风扬说,“请坐。这节课是复习课,我们来回顾一下万有引力定律,然后完成相关习题。”
  • 犹记清欢

    犹记清欢

    人生在世如身处荆棘之中,心不动,人不妄动,不动则不伤;如心动则人妄动,伤其身痛其骨,于是体会到世间诸般痛苦。书友群:427531615
  • 曹溪大师别传

    曹溪大师别传

    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。
  • 只是还没遇见你

    只是还没遇见你

    他是俊秀儒雅的心理医师,专注治愈有自杀倾向的失恋者。她表面古怪精灵,活泼开朗,却因三年前婚礼前夕未婚夫万里的意外去世而行为偏激。他们互相依偎,慢慢靠近,然而,正当情浓,意外却突然而至,她面临着艰难的选择……这世间所有的爱情,总要经遇各种考验,庆幸的是,我们还彼此相爱。而这世间所有伤痕,即使刻骨铭心,也终究因爱愈合。