登陆注册
4619100000102

第102章 A Mouse NestLINDA DEAREST:(5)

"Peter, you sound like a centipede," said Linda.

"Dear child," said Peter, "when I enter my front door and get to the back on two-inch footing, I positively feel that I have numerous legs, and I ache almost as badly in the fear that Ishall break the two I have, as I should if they were really broken."And then he added a few words on a subject of which he had not before spoken to Linda.

"It was like that in France. When we really got into the heat of things and the work was actually being done, we were not afraid:

we were too busy; we were 'supermen.' The time when we were all legs and arms and head, and all of them were being blown away wholesale was when the shells whined over while we had a rest hour and were trying to sleep, or in the cold, dim dawn when we stumbled out stiff, hungry, and sleepy. It's not the REAL THINGwhen it's really occurring that gets one. It's the devils of imagination tormenting the soul. There is only one thing in this world can happen to me that is really going to be as bad as the things I dream."Linda looked down Lilac Valley, her eyes absently focusing on Katy busily setting supper on a store box in front of the garage.

Then she looked at Peter.

"Mind telling?" she inquired lightly.

Peter looked at her speculatively.

"And would a man be telling his heart's best secret to a kid like you?" he asked.

"Now, I call that downright mean," said Linda. "Haven't you noticed that my braids are up? Don't you see a maturity and a dignity and a general matronliness apparent all over me today?""Matronliness" was too much for Peter. You could have heard his laugh far down the blue valley.

"That's good!" he cried.

"It is," agreed Linda. "It means that my braids are up to stay, so hereafter I'm a real woman."She lingered over the word an instant, glancing whimsically at Peter, a trace of a smile on her lips, then she made her way down a slant declivity and presently returned with an entire flower plant, new to Peter and of unusual beauty.

"And because I am a woman I shall set my seal upon you," she said.

In the buttonhole of his light linen coat she placed a flower of satin face of purest gold, the five petals rounded, but sharply tipped, a heavy mass of silk stamens, pollen dusted in the heart.

She pushed back the left side of his coat and taking one of the rough, hairy leaves of the plant she located it over Peter's heart, her slim, deft fingers patting down the leaf and flattening it out until it lay pasted smooth and tight. As she worked, she smiled at him challengingly. Peter knew he was experiencing a ceremony of some kind, the significance of which he must learn. It was the first time Linda had voluntarily touched him. He breathed lightly and held steady, lest he startle her.

"Lovely enough," he said, "to have come from the hills of the stars. Don't make me wait, Linda; help me to the interpretation.""Buena Mujer," suggested Linda.

"Good woman," translated Peter.

Linda nodded, running a finger down the leaf over his heart.

"Because she sticks close to you," she explained. Then startled by the look in Peter's eyes, she cried in swift change: "Now we are all going to work for a minute. Katy's spreading the lunch.

You take this pail and go to the spring for water and I shall tidy your quarters for you."With the eye of experience Linda glanced over the garage deciding that she must ask for clean sheets for the cot and that the Salvation Army would like the heap of papers. Studying the writing table she heard a faint sound that untrained ears would have missed.

"Ah, ha, Ma wood mouse," said Linda, "nibbling Peter's dr, goods are you?"Her cry a minute later answered the question. She came from the garage upon Katherine O'Donovan rushing to meet her, holding a man's coat at the length of her far-reaching arm.

"I wish you'd look at that pocket. I don't know how long this coat has been hanging there, but there is a nest of field mice in it," she said.

Katy promptly retreated to the improvised dining table, seated herself upon an end of it, and raised both feet straight into the air.

"Small help I'll be getting from you," said Linda laughingly.

She went to the edge of the declivity that cut back to the garage and with a quick movement reversed the coat catching it by the skirts and shaking it vigorously.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 君子孟泽

    君子孟泽

    自上古神界纠缠至今的两缕魂魄,以十五万年为一轮回的诅咒,到底是谁所种,到底应在了谁身上。至轮回枯竭,梦里执念成灯灭。我曾眷念一魂,枯守万年,却终有遗憾。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 海纪辑要

    海纪辑要

    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。
  • 军事世界大扫描(趣味科学馆丛书)

    军事世界大扫描(趣味科学馆丛书)

    “趣味科学馆”丛书,是一套自然科学类读物。丛书包罗科学的多个领域,涉及“信息化”、“绿色革命”、“发明、“生态资源”、“航天”、“军事”、“日食、月食”等当下热门关键词,有引领读者关注热点、提升其认识水平的现实价值。刘芳主编的《军事世界大扫描》为丛书之一。《军事世界大扫描》内容涉及军事世界的各个侧面,并进行合乎逻辑的排列组合。文字浅显易懂,生动活泼。
  • 萌宝来袭:天才宝宝腹黑妈咪

    萌宝来袭:天才宝宝腹黑妈咪

    六年后,长相酷似他的缩小版站在他的面前,皱了皱眉头:“听说你不好?”男人脸上青筋浮现,尊严再一次遭到鄙视!只有5岁的小屁孩?!重点是,小屁孩还是他的种!!
  • 重生之归来至尊

    重生之归来至尊

    ps:新书《最强唤神系统》火爆来袭!异界纵横九千万年,林凡逆天重生归来!当曾经暗恋的女神成了自己的姐姐,当前生最爱的女孩成了自己的妹妹,当班主任变成自己身边可爱的猫咪。当你变成一个真正的神,挥手间就有毁灭世界的能力,你会过什么样的人生?
  • 有一种明白叫糊涂

    有一种明白叫糊涂

    古往今来无数圣贤智者在参悟人生后,都发现了糊涂的影子。孔子发现了,取名“中庸”,老子发现了,取名“无为”,庄子发现了,取名“逍遥”,墨子看见了,取名为“非攻”;东晋诗人陶渊明在东篱采菊时也发现了,但他提起笔时却忘记了!他也真够糊涂的,只好语焉不详地说“此中有真意,欲辨已忘言”。直到清代,才由郑板桥振臂一呼,呼啦啦地擎起一面“糊涂”大旗,高声地宣称:难得糊涂!
  • 太公阴谋

    太公阴谋

    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。
  • Personal Memoirs

    Personal Memoirs

    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。
  • 绝宠法医王妃

    绝宠法医王妃

    身为21世纪的首席法医官,谢玲珑从来都不相信自己也会中头彩玩穿越。但事实证明,这不止是穿了,而且是一穿悬案缠上身!陷害?她淡定自若;刁难?她游刃有余,专业在手,谁能奈何?然而铁血如她,可唯于情,却偏偏缴械投降。无心出言,却惹恼了个腹黑王,更不知道什么时候已把他装在心里,再也放不下。一路披荆斩棘,她从未言败,可当他邪魅一笑,圈她入坑的时候……“爱妃,你还跳得出来么?”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 公正是最大的动力

    公正是最大的动力

    激发员工最大的动力是什么?这是很多企业都十分关心的问题。很长一段时间以来,人们普遍认为,薪水是最大的动力。因此,大多数企业都把薪酬作为激发员工的第一动力。管理者通过提高薪酬待遇从外单位聘请优秀人才,对本企业内业绩突出的人才施以重金。但本书作者却认为是公正。下面,就让我们看看作者到底是怎么阐述这一理由的。