登陆注册
4715200000077

第77章

And they at once struck out a new plan, and soon agreed that it was by far the best of all. They would all go to Nancy Taylor's house and see to Brown's needs first. He could lie on the sofa in the parlor, and while Mrs. Taylor and Mary took care of him the other two ladies would take the buggy and go and get one of the Old People, and leave one of themselves with the other one, and----By this time, without any solicitation, they were at the horse's head and were beginning to turn him around. The danger was imminent, but Brown found his voice again and saved himself. He said--"But ladies, you are overlooking something which makes the plan impracticable. You see, if you bring one of them home, and one remains behind with the other, there will be three persons there when one of you comes back for that other, for some one must drive the buggy back, and three can't come home in it."They all exclaimed, "Why, sure-ly, that is so!" and they were, all perplexed again.

"Dear, dear, what can we do?" said Mrs. Glossop;" it is the most mixed-up thing that ever was. The fox and the goose and the corn and things--oh, dear, they are nothing to it."

They sat wearily down once more, to further torture their tormented heads for a plan that would work. Presently Mary offered a plan; it was her first effort. She said:

"I am young and strong, and am refreshed, now. Take Mr. Brown to our house, and give him help--you see how plainly he needs it. I will go back and take care of the Old People; I can be there in twenty minutes.

You can go on and do what you first started to do--wait on the main road at our house until somebody comes along with a wagon; then send and bring away the three of us. You won't have to wait long; the farmers will soon be coming back from town, now. I will keep old Polly patient and cheered up--the crazy one doesn't need it."This plan was discussed and accepted; it seemed the best that could be done, in the circumstances, and the Old People must be getting discouraged by this time.

Brown felt relieved, and was deeply thankful. Let him once get to the main road and he would find a way to escape.

Then Mrs. Taylor said:

"The evening chill will be coming on, pretty soon, and those poor old burnt-out things will need some kind of covering. Take the lap-robe with you, dear.""Very well, Mother, I will."

She stepped to the buggy and put out her hand to take it----That was the end of the tale. The passenger who told it said that when he read the story twenty-five years ago in a train he was interrupted at that point--the train jumped off a bridge.

At first we thought we could finish the story quite easily, and we set to work with confidence; but it soon began to appear that it was not a simple thing, but difficult and baffling. This was on account of Brown's character--great generosity and kindliness, but complicated with unusual shyness and diffidence, particularly in the presence of ladies. There was his love for Mary, in a hopeful state but not yet secure--just in a condition, indeed, where its affair must be handled with great tact, and no mistakes made, no offense given. And there was the mother wavering, half willing-by adroit and flawless diplomacy to be won over, now, or perhaps never at all. Also, there were the helpless Old People yonder in the woods waiting-their fate and Brown's happiness to be determined by what Brown should do within the next two seconds. Mary was reaching for the lap-robe; Brown must decide-there was no time to be lost.

Of course none but a happy ending of the story would be accepted by the jury; the finish must find Brown in high credit with the ladies, his behavior without blemish, his modesty unwounded, his character for self sacrifice maintained, the Old People rescued through him, their benefactor, all the party proud of him, happy in him, his praises on all their tongues.

We tried to arrange this, but it was beset with persistent and irreconcilable difficulties. We saw that Brown's shyness would not allow him to give up the lap-robe. This would offend Mary and her mother; and it would surprise the other ladies, partly because this stinginess toward the suffering Old People would be out of character with Brown, and partly because he was a special Providence and could not properly act so. If asked to explain his conduct, his shyness would not allow him to tell the truth, and lack of invention and practice would find him incapable of contriving a lie that would wash. We worked at the troublesome problem until three in the morning.

Meantime Mary was still reaching for the lap-robe. We gave it up, and decided to let her continue to reach. It is the reader's privilege to determine for himself how the thing came out.

同类推荐
  • 礼舍利塔仪式

    礼舍利塔仪式

    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。
  • 珠玉词

    珠玉词

    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。
  • A Voyage to Arcturus

    A Voyage to Arcturus

    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。
  • 医学指归

    医学指归

    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。
  • 禅宗决疑集

    禅宗决疑集

    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。
热门推荐
  • 你是青春里最美的风景

    你是青春里最美的风景

    为了逃婚,她女扮男装混进了男校,却不小心招惹了一个恶魔!某天,她发现了一件很可怕的事情:原来那个恶魔,就是她的未婚夫!可是她已经成了他的女朋友,还能逃到哪里去?
  • 雪夜访戴

    雪夜访戴

    《雪夜访戴——宋琳诗选》这是第三代诗人群城市诗派代表诗人宋琳的一部自选集。在此我们可以重温他颠沛流离的一生,他徘徊在大众和神学之间的绝望与希望,以及他所有的脆弱、细腻和敏感。
  • 游禁苑幸临渭亭遇雪

    游禁苑幸临渭亭遇雪

    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。
  • 翰苑易知录:中国古代文学演讲集

    翰苑易知录:中国古代文学演讲集

    这部演讲集,收录了2007年到2012年间,文学研究所古典文学专家给中央领导同志讲课的部分记录。从先秦《诗经》、《楚辞》,到近代文学,论题非常广泛的。这部书稿使我们更好地理解了古典文学的传统价值和当代意义。
  • 小猪弗莱迪:飞行员弗莱迪

    小猪弗莱迪:飞行员弗莱迪

    “不再只有人类和鸟类才能在广阔美丽的天空自由翱翔。你们,家畜们——猪、马、奶牛、狗——也能,你们都能离开陆地,登上云端,越过高山,去拥抱阳光。听着……”
  • 万古天穹

    万古天穹

    天地大道,唯吾独尊。万古血神。一个小家族的少年,无意间破开尘封万古的封印,一块神秘的玉佩,等待他的会是什么?
  • 东海若解

    东海若解

    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。
  • TRANSFORMATION

    TRANSFORMATION

    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。
  • 最经典的爱情名言警句

    最经典的爱情名言警句

    本书包括了古今中外的爱情名言和诗句。介绍了人们在恋爱、婚姻、家庭生活中不同时期的爱情观、消费观、价值观及生活主题。
  • 花千骨(中)

    花千骨(中)

    她是世间最后一个神,也是百年难得一见的天煞孤星。由于身上有着易招引鬼怪的特殊气味,所以自小便被妖魔缠身。出生时,满城鲜花尽数凋零,故取名花千骨。性格天真,敢爱敢恨。原本心无杂念的她,自从在群仙宴上初遇白子画时,便注定了她此生为他沉沦……一百零一剑、八十一根销魂钉、十六年的囚禁……她依然固执的不肯放弃。然而,当白子画削去那块绝情池水所留下的伤疤时,当逼着白子画在天下苍生和自己之间选择之一,白子画最终选择了天下苍生,而忍痛将轩辕剑刺向她时,她终于绝望了,对他下了一道神的诅咒:“白子画,我以神的名义诅咒你,今生今世,永生永世,不老不死,不伤不灭!”