登陆注册
4710800000037

第37章

I had a stent of cording wood that day and finished it before two o'clock Then I got my pole of mountain ash, made hook and line ready, dug some worms and went fishing. I cared not so much for the fishing as for the solitude of the woods. I had a bit of thing to do. In the thick timber there was a place where Tinkle brook began to hurry and break into murmurs on a pebble bar, as if its feet were tickled. A few more steps and it burst into a peal of laughter that lasted half the year as it tumbled over narrow shelves of rock into a foamy pool. Many a day I had sat fishing for hours at the little fall under a birch tree, among the brakes and moss. No ray of sunlight ever got to the dark water below me - the lair of many a big fish that had yielded to the temptation of my bait. Here I lay in the cool shade while a singular sort of heart sickness came over me. A wild partridge was beating his gong in the near woods all the afternoon. The sound of the water seemed to break in the tree-tops and fall back upon me. I had lain there thinking an hour or more when I caught the jar of approaching footsteps. Looking up I saw Jed Feary coming through the bushes, pole in hand.

'Fishin'?' he asked.

'Only thinking,' I answered.

'Couldn't be in better business,' said he as he sat down beside me.

More than once he had been my father confessor and I was glad he had come.

'In love?' he asked. 'No boy ever thinks unless he's in love.'

'In trouble,' said I.

'Same thing,' he answered, lighting his pipe. 'Love is trouble with a bit of sugar in it - the sweetest trouble a man can have. what's the matter?'

'It's a great secret,' I said, 'I have never told it. I am in love.'

'Knew it,' he said, puffing at his pipe and smiling in a kindly way.

'Now let's put in the trouble.'

'She does not love me,' I answered.

'Glad of it,' he remarked. 'I've got a secret t, tell you.'

'What's that?' I enquired.

'Wouldn't tell anybody else for the world, my boy,' he said, 'it's between you an' me.'

'Between you an' me,' I repeated.

'Well,' he said, you're a fool.'

'That's no secret,' I answered much embarrassed.

'Yes it is,' he insisted, 'you're smart enough an' ye can have most anything in this world if ye take the right road. Ye've grown t' be a great big strapping fellow but you're only - sixteen?'

'That's all,' I said mournfully.

'Ye're as big a fool to go falling in love as I'd be. Ye're too young an' I'm too old. I say to you, wait. Ye've got to go t' college.'

'College!' I exclaimed, incredulously.

'Yes! an' thet's another secret,' said he. I tol' David Brower what I thought o' your writing thet essay on bugs in pertickier - an' I tol' 'im what people were sayin' o' your work in school.'

'What d' he say?' I asked.

'Said Hope had tol' him all about it - that she was as proud o' you as she was uv her curls, an' I believe it. "Well," says I, "y' oughter sen' that boy t' college." "Goin' to," says he. "He'll go t' the 'Cademy this fall if he wants to. Then he can go t' college soon's he's ready."

Threw up my hat an' shouted I was that glad.'

As he spoke the old man's face kindled with enthusiasm. In me he had one who understood him, who saw truth in his thought, music in his verse, a noble simplicity in his soul. I took his hand in mine and thanked him heartily. Then we rose and came away together.

'Remember,' he said, as we parted at the corner, 'there's a way laid out fer you. In God's time it will lead to every good thing you desire. Don't jump over the fence. Don't try t' pass any milestun 'fore ye've come to it. Don't mope. Keep yer head cool with philosophy, yer feet warm with travel an' don't worry bout yer heart. It won't turn t' stun if ye do keep it awhile. Allwus hev enough of it about ye t' do business with. Goodbye!'

同类推荐
  • 周易参同契注

    周易参同契注

    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。
  • 洞玄灵宝丹水飞术运度小劫妙经

    洞玄灵宝丹水飞术运度小劫妙经

    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。
  • 逢故人

    逢故人

    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。
  • 观音玄义记卷

    观音玄义记卷

    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。
  • 文说

    文说

    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
  • 都市最强仙帝

    都市最强仙帝

    【热销火爆新书】一代魔君被洗白,重生回都市。看我快意恩仇踩不平,霸气纵横傲九洲,豪气冲天战不停,今生重走修仙路,且痴且狂且横行!(简单说就是一个魔头重生回都市,弃魔修仙,杀伐决断一路爽,不用装逼自牛逼的故事。)
  • 三国大军师

    三国大军师

    三国的魅力经久不衰,其核心正在于谋略,而谋略则出于军师。三国的精彩,七成在于军师;军师的精彩,九成在于谋略。谋略有大有小,有成有败,有远有近,有得有失。大谋者左右时局发展,影响历史走势,小谋者则寻求进阶之道,以期安身立命,两者均不可或缺。三国谋略穿越千年,之所以至今仍被津津乐道,原因是它已经融入了中国人的文化基因,无时无刻不影响着中国人的思维。本书讲述三国军师、谋士代表性事迹,分析其谋略之道,以现代人的视角,萃取其智慧,让读者读三国、懂三国、用三国。
  • 隐天帝

    隐天帝

    地球某年,天空出现了巨大的魔方虚影,这是通往另一世界的门。故事便这般开始了……
  • 畸零女人

    畸零女人

    在维多利亚时期的英国,女性比男性多出一百多万。这些“剩女”无法进入婚姻,为了自己的社会角色与道德处境努力抗争。此书以不同社会阶层的女性生活为代表,真实地描绘了维多利亚晚期的情景,反映了早期的女权运动。
  • 熊的自白书

    熊的自白书

    一个成功白领的人生独白,当代中国的“变形记”,职场生涯的“无间道”,都市岁月的“志怪录”,原始生态对于庸常生活的突围——我们最终究竟是鹰、狼还是熊?《熊的自白书》是一部探索都市人心灵原始意象的小说,讲述了世界五百强公司上海职员凯文的职场沉浮史。从硕士毕业参加工作,到四十岁升职为亚太区总监的历程中,他先后遇见了鹰、熊、狼三种野兽,它们奇迹般地一次又一次改变了他命运的轨迹。这是一则都市白领的童话,一段现实主义的奇幻经历,一趟黑色幽默的追逐理想之旅。
  • 陌生的中国人

    陌生的中国人

    改革开放,让一个强大的中国、陌生的中国突然呈现在世界面前:从浙江清冷的青田到喧嚣的西班牙马德里,从广西中南部贫困的上林到黑非洲加纳的金矿,从鸭绿江畔繁华的丹东到朝鲜平壤的寂夜;从故乡到他乡,从早先的超稳定到如今的四处漂泊谋生,陌生的中国人不断带给世界惊奇的同时,自身承受了多少情感的磨难、经历了多少苦痛、留下多少灵魂的背影?本期我们从杨猛的长篇纪实《陌生的中国人》中精选部分章节,让您从中感受中国人在海外含泪带血的奋斗经历——偷渡西班牙1995年10月初,一个清冷之夜,19岁的郑建茂离开家乡青田,踏上偷渡之路。
  • 妙元如曌

    妙元如曌

    她是不受宠的落魄公主,受尽折辱,一番悔悟终是脱胎换骨,装失忆,扮乖巧,设计被人领养,重得父皇欢心,可是这样哪够,她的命运她要自己掌握,不要嫁给权臣做政治牺牲品,不要成为和亲公主被他人凌辱。她,李妙元必须有权利!偶然出宫遇到他,将他带会宫中教其文化,将他放入军营锻其筋骨。“牧童,你是我最好的一把刀。”“牧童愿为公主肝脑涂地!”永安六年,我登上帝位,成为史上第二个女皇帝,改年号“本初”这篇文原来的名字叫做《落魄公主遇忠犬侍卫:妙元如曌》大家不要找错了!!
  • 谈判力:非常说服与赢取的智慧

    谈判力:非常说服与赢取的智慧

    由文成蹊编著的本书用平实的语言和丰富的事例介绍了谈判力的重要作用、原理以及怎样获得谈判力等问题,结合生活中的各种场景来讲解提升谈判力的技巧,力图通过这样的方式让读者在短时间内提升自己的谈判力。本书帮助读者在人生每一场谈判中都能有效说服他人,实现自己的愿景,成为真正的赢家。
  • 绝世妖妃

    绝世妖妃

    她是玄门二小姐,未婚夫为得到天下,伙同姐姐灭其玄门,逼迫她跳下万丈深渊。大难不死,浴火归来,已经是另一张妖媚的脸,步步为营。为了顺利复仇,她选择最具有实力的七王爷交易。他说:“我娶你,是为了你身上的东西。”她回答:“我嫁你,是为了报仇雪恨。”相互利用的过程中,彼此的心却双双沦陷,坠落情网漩涡无法自拔。
  • THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

    THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

    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。