登陆注册
4704700000024

第24章

"Well! he went to her room, it seems, and dressed himself in her old gown, and shawl, and bonnet; just the things she used to wear in Cranford, and was known by everywhere; and he made the pillow into a little - you are sure you locked the door, my dear, for I should not like anyone to hear - into - into a little baby, with white long clothes. It was only, as he told me afterwards, to make something to talk about in the town; he never thought of it as affecting Deborah. And he went and walked up and down in the Filbert walk - just half-hidden by the rails, and half-seen; and he cuddled his pillow, just like a baby, and talked to it all the nonsense people do. Oh dear! and my father came stepping stately up the street, as he always did; and what should he see but a little black crowd of people - I daresay as many as twenty - all peeping through his garden rails. So he thought, at first, they were only looking at a new rhododendron that was in full bloom, and that he was very proud of; and he walked slower, that they might have more time to admire. And he wondered if he could make out a sermon from the occasion, and thought, perhaps, there was some relation between the rhododendrons and the lilies of the field. My poor father! When he came nearer, he began to wonder that they did not see him; but their heads were all so close together, peeping and peeping! My father was amongst them, meaning, he said, to ask them to walk into the garden with him, and admire the beautiful vegetable production, when - oh, my dear, I tremble to think of it - he looked through the rails himself, and saw - I don't know what he thought he saw, but old Clare told me his face went quite grey-white with anger, and his eyes blazed out under his frowning black brows; and he spoke out - oh, so terribly! - and bade them all stop where they were - not one of them to go, not one of them to stir a step; and, swift as light, he was in at the garden door, and down the Filbert walk, and seized hold of poor Peter, and tore his clothes off his back - bonnet, shawl, gown, and all - and threw the pillow among the people over the railings: and then he was very, very angry indeed, and before all the people he lifted up his cane and flogged Peter!

"My dear, that boy's trick, on that sunny day, when all seemed going straight and well, broke my mother's heart, and changed my father for life. It did, indeed. Old Clare said, Peter looked as white as my father; and stood as still as a statue to be flogged; and my father struck hard! When my father stopped to take breath, Peter said, 'Have you done enough, sir?' quite hoarsely, and still standing quite quiet. I don't know what my father said - or if he said anything. But old Clare said, Peter turned to where the people outside the railing were, and made them a low bow, as grand and as grave as any gentleman; and then walked slowly into the house. I was in the store-room helping my mother to make cowslip wine. I cannot abide the wine now, nor the scent of the flowers; they turn me sick and faint, as they did that day, when Peter came in, looking as haughty as any man - indeed, looking like a man, not like a boy. 'Mother!' he said, 'I am come to say, God bless you for ever.' I saw his lips quiver as he spoke; and I think he durst not say anything more loving, for the purpose that was in his heart. She looked at him rather frightened, and wondering, and asked him what was to do. He did not smile or speak, but put his arms round her and kissed her as if he did not know how to leave off; and before she could speak again, he was gone. We talked it over, and could not understand it, and she bade me go and seek my father, and ask what it was all about. I found him walking up and down, looking very highly displeased.

"'Tell your mother I have flogged Peter, and that he richly deserved it.'

"I durst not ask any more questions. When I told my mother, she sat down, quite faint, for a minute. I remember, a few days after, I saw the poor, withered cowslip flowers thrown out to the leaf heap, to decay and die there. There was no making of cowslip wine that year at the rectory - nor, indeed, ever after.

"Presently my mother went to my father. I know I thought of Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus; for my mother was very pretty and delicate-looking, and my father looked as terrible as King Ahasuerus. Some time after they came out together; and then my mother told me what had happened, and that she was going up to Peter's room at my father's desire - though she was not to tell Peter this - to talk the matter over with him. But no Peter was there. We looked over the house; no Peter was there! Even my father, who had not liked to join in the search at first, helped us before long. The rectory was a very old house - steps up into a room, steps down into a room, all through. At first, my mother went calling low and soft, as if to reassure the poor boy, 'Peter!

Peter, dear! it's only me;' but, by-and-by, as the servants came back from the errands my father had sent them, in different directions, to find where Peter was - as we found he was not in the garden, nor the hayloft, nor anywhere about - my mother's cry grew louder and wilder, Peter! Peter, my darling! where are you?' for then she felt and understood that that long kiss meant some sad kind of 'good-bye.' The afternoon went on - my mother never resting, but seeking again and again in every possible place that had been looked into twenty times before, nay, that she had looked into over and over again herself. My father sat with his head in his hands, not speaking except when his messengers came in, bringing no tidings; then he lifted up his face, so strong and sad, and told them to go again in some new direction. My mother kept passing from room to room, in and out of the house, moving noiselessly, but never ceasing. Neither she nor my father durst leave the house, which was the meeting-place for all the messengers. At last (and it was nearly dark), my father rose up.

同类推荐
  • 慧珠阁诗

    慧珠阁诗

    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。
  • 台湾资料清文宗实录选辑

    台湾资料清文宗实录选辑

    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。
  • 佛说瞿昙弥记果经

    佛说瞿昙弥记果经

    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。
  • 百佛名经

    百佛名经

    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。
  • 大唐贞元续开元释教录

    大唐贞元续开元释教录

    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
  • 穿越最强荣耀

    穿越最强荣耀

    【2018王者荣耀文学大赛·征文参赛作品】穿越到王者荣耀世界之中,手无缚鸡之力的李枫如何与强大的英雄抗衡?“震惊大唐第一拳,野王裴擒虎!”“巾帼女帝,艳冠无双!女帝武则天!”“斗战魔圣,孙悟空!”且看,李枫如何在这英雄横杀之中,逆境崛起,攀向王者之巅!
  • 这个前任有点甜

    这个前任有点甜

    颜倾是安大的校园女神,人如其名,还是一枚学霸,且能文能武,可盐可甜。人美声甜的她主持新生晚会,一帅气学弟当众告白,被她残忍拒绝。观众起哄问她理想型男友,她微微一笑,“各方面至少得比我前男友强吧!”众人惊,女神有前男友这事怎么没人知道?法学天才顾默留学归来,竟选择重回母校上课,在界内引起了不小的轰动。安大女生如获至宝,纷纷表示要拿下这个新晋男神。然后,她们发现……为什么顾默每次都在蹭金融系的课!而且每次都和颜倾坐在一起!顾默莞尔,“我在追她。”颜倾高冷如斯,从不回应。后来的后来,两人牵手,有人问颜倾:“顾神和你前任相比,如何?”颜倾微微一笑,“没有前任,一直都是他!”[本文甜甜甜]
  • 西风裁翡翠:爱尔兰中南行

    西风裁翡翠:爱尔兰中南行

    《西风裁翡翠:爱尔兰中南行》为读者提供了如何利用一周的时间在爱尔兰中南部进行深度旅游的独特线路。以爱尔兰首都都柏林为起点,包括如今被誉为欧洲最年轻的城市科克,水晶制品成名镇沃特福德、香侬湖区……仿佛一场大戏,作者以亲历的方式,记叙了整个行程,并有很个性的推荐。
  • 诱拐敛财妻:我的BOSS是只鬼

    诱拐敛财妻:我的BOSS是只鬼

    【已完结】白浅浅万万没想到,她的BOSS竟然是只鬼!得知真相的她都快被吓尿了!当初只怪自己贪财,被人连坑带骗进了这专门招待鬼神的酒店!想逃走?没门!福利好?结果发的全是冥币!极品美男?一个比一个臭屁是怎么回事!天哪,她到底混进了一个什么世界!【此文属搞笑非恐怖,可以轻松入坑。】
  • 引发青少年奇思妙想的创新故事(青少年潜能开发训练营)

    引发青少年奇思妙想的创新故事(青少年潜能开发训练营)

    没有莱克兄弟的飞翔之梦,人类怎能翱翔于天际?没有哥伦布的远洋航行,怎会有新大陆的发现?没有阿姆斯特朗在月球上跨出的一小步,怎么会有人类在浩淼太空中需找生命的一大步?世界日新月异的变化,是各行各业的人们不断创新进取的成果。本书用一个个生动的小故事告诉大家,什么是创新,如何创新,为了创新我们需要具备哪些素质,来教育读者要善于在生活中发散思维,勤于动脑,勇于创新。
  • 重生之仙也是人

    重生之仙也是人

    怪力仙尊触犯天条被贬入凡间,本想凭借万年修为装个酷,谁知道装酷不成反遭雷劈......
  • 做最好的自己:认识你的性格

    做最好的自己:认识你的性格

    性格决定命运在很多人看来似乎是一个耳熟能详的古老话题。性格是命运好歹的先决条件,命运是性格导演的人生结果。相对而言,人们似乎更在意自己的命运,而非自己的性格。只有在晓得二者存在着如此密切而且非常内在的关系时,才开始对自己的性格格外关注和重视起来,这可能也是人所特有的一种势力心理使然。
  • 神级古武高手

    神级古武高手

    【新书已经上传:透视小保安】天才少年强势回归,纵横花都,一路狂歌不断,横扫八方!三个校花一台戏,作为这台戏的唯一男主角,林宇表示一定要低调,低调,再低调……书友群(清轩小筑):482715935,妹纸多多,红包多多噢!!!
  • 一路红灯

    一路红灯

    红灯,前面十字路口亮起了红灯!刘凯军驾驶着面包车从家里出来,连续在两个十字路口都碰到了红灯。明明看着第三个路口是盏绿灯,谁知眼看快到跟前了,只见那盏绿灯闪了两闪,随后变成红灯。他只好刹车停在那里,坐在车里静静地等待着红灯变成绿灯。每天到书店上班或送儿子去上学,刘凯军都必须经过三四个这样的十字路口。要是走得不顺利,可能会连续遭遇到红灯,在每个十字路口都得等上那么几秒或者几十秒。其实,不仅开车赶路常会碰到红灯,在现实生活中也会经常遭遇红灯。
  • 皇后之妹

    皇后之妹

    穿越成世家嫡女,家世显赫,有个内定太子妃的胞姐,运气很好?周清华无语问苍天:爹不爱、娘早死、祖母不亲,庶兄庶姐站对面。这是怎么一手烂牌啊?所以,周清华只好加倍的努力求上进。