登陆注册
5192200000021

第21章

The two friends did not reappear for at least an hour.Icould hear their busy voices, loud and low by turns, as they ranged from public to confidential topics.At last Mrs.Todd kindly remembered me and returned, giving my door a ceremonious knock before she stepped in, with the small visitor in her wake.She reached behind her and took Mrs.Fosdick's hand as if she were young and bashful, and gave her a gentle pull forward.

"There, I don't know whether you're goin' to take to each other or not; no, nobody can't tell whether you'll suit each other, but I expect you'll get along some way, both having seen the world," said our affectionate hostess."You can inform Mis'

Fosdick how we found the folks out to Green Island the other day.

She's always been well acquainted with mother.I'll slip out now an' put away the supper things an' set my bread to rise, if you'll both excuse me.You can come an' keep me company when you get ready, either or both." And Mrs.Todd, large and amiable, disappeared and left us.

Being furnished not only with a subject of conversation, but with a safe refuge in the kitchen in case of incompatibility, Mrs.

Fosdick and I sat down, prepared to make the best of each other.

I soon discovered that she, like many of the elder women of the coast, had spent a part of her life at sea, and was full of a good traveler's curiosity and enlightenment.By the time we thought it discreet to join our hostess we were already sincere friends.

You may speak of a visit's setting in as well as a tide's, and it was impossible, as Mrs.Todd whispered to me, not to be pleased at the way this visit was setting in; a new impulse and refreshing of the social currents and seldom visited bays of memory appeared to have begun.Mrs.Fosdick had been the mother of a large family of sons and daughters,--sailors and sailors' wives,--and most of them had died before her.I soon grew more or less acquainted with the histories of all their fortunes and misfortunes, and subjects of an intimate nature were no more withheld from my ears than if I had been a shell on the mantelpiece.Mrs.Fosdick was not without a touch of dignity and elegance; she was fashionable in her dress, but it was a curiously well-preserved provincial fashion of some years back.In a wider sphere one might have called her a woman of the world, with her unexpected bits of modern knowledge, but Mrs.Todd's wisdom was an intimation of truth itself.She might belong to any age, like an idyl of Theocritus; but while she always understood Mrs.Fosdick, that entertaining pilgrim could not always understand Mrs.Todd.

That very first evening my friends plunged into a borderless sea of reminiscences and personal news.Mrs.Fosdick had been staying with a family who owned the farm where she was born, and she had visited every sunny knoll and shady field corner; but when she said that it might be for the last time, I detected in her tone something expectant of the contradiction which Mrs.Todd promptly offered.

同类推荐
  • Iphigenia at Aulis

    Iphigenia at Aulis

    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。
  • 洪武聖政記

    洪武聖政記

    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。
  • 观心论疏

    观心论疏

    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。
  • The Grand Canyon of Arizona

    The Grand Canyon of Arizona

    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。
  • 问远师

    问远师

    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
  • 一斛珠(上)

    一斛珠(上)

    她满门抄斩后被丢到敌国榻上承欢。好不容易吊个王爷金龟婿,又被诬陷她勾引皇帝。她本是个漂亮可人儿却落了个削发为尼的下场,还不幸痛失她腹中的胎儿!怎么会有那么悲催的女人!她发誓要来个绝地大反击!她该如何在这险恶的后宫中留有一席之地?
  • 六菩萨名亦当诵持经

    六菩萨名亦当诵持经

    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。
  • 中国航空工业人物传·领导篇3

    中国航空工业人物传·领导篇3

    《中国航空工业人物传:领导篇3》介绍了中国航空工业创建时期的各企事业单位的创始人(共计86名)的生平、工作业绩和突出贡献,真实地记录了他们为中国航空工业发展而呕心沥血、殚精竭虑,有的甚至献出生命的光辉历程,他们是“航空报国”精神的开创者和传承者。《中国航空工业人物传:领导篇3》史料翔实、内容丰富,适合广大航空工业从业人员和关心中国航空工业发展的相关人员阅读。
  • 腹黑首席:错诱双面娇妻

    腹黑首席:错诱双面娇妻

    “啊!”尖叫声吵醒了沉睡中的尹天佑,刚刚醒来的他觉得十分迷茫,是谁啊?大早晨鬼吼鬼叫的!她抓着床单躲到角落里,眼泪汪汪地:“你……你……”大惊小怪做什么?你昨晚可不是这种小白兔,可是小野猫!来吧来吧,让我好好爱爱你!
  • 画皮师

    画皮师

    曾经的段神玉和花子黎,现今的设乐与莹鹤,画皮隐的去身形却藏不住他们两世的爱恨与深情。
  • 戏中花

    戏中花

    漫长的生命里,你所深深爱着的人,便是你的漫天星光。
  • 随缘集

    随缘集

    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。
  • 异度穿越

    异度穿越

    一场意外成功的仪式将他的灵魂带到了一片前所未知的世界。在这里,不仅仅只有神秘的异能与魔法,还有专门为了针对各位面“入侵者”而发展到巅峰的位面穿越技术。
  • 幽默聊天学

    幽默聊天学

    《幽默聊天学》是一本实用的口才书,同时也将教会你为人处世的哲学。《幽默聊天学》共分为十二章,详细介绍了如何用幽默提升个人魅力,与人初次相见时,如何借幽默打造好印象,如何用幽默在公众面前发言,如何用幽默化解尴尬,如何用幽默化解冲突,幽默的技巧有哪些,怎样恰如其分地使用幽默,在职场、情场、家庭中如何使用幽默。另外,书中还列举了大量的幽默口才案例,教会读者在各个方面运用幽默,制造幽默,让读者身临其境,在较短的时间内领会幽默的真谛。只要读者懂得了如何使用幽默,就能够提升自己的影响力和感染力,获得更多人的支持,从而使生活和事业更加顺利。
  • 花容倾君心

    花容倾君心

    北方蛮族突然南下的铁蹄踏破安逸的京城定京,安享富贵的贵族十不存一,随之而来的是逃难、农民起义、地方割据、饥荒和瘟疫,看似富饶的帝国一时间摇摇欲坠。人人自危的乱世里被皇帝远送西北荒地的侄子——九王,带着兵马以强硬姿态镇压各地叛乱,整顿各方与蛮族对抗,当年连个正经封号默默无闻的先太子遗子成了一人之下,万人之上的监国——奕王。花容蹲在流民区里听着众人对她的丈夫的赞美与崇拜,明明就在眼前,却又如此遥远,她被乱军俘虏,历尽艰辛逃离敌帐,赤脚走过千山来到依然繁华依旧的大兴城,只为找到她的丈夫——如今已经万民敬仰的英雄,耀眼如此却也让她却步……保证是甜文,不要被我的乱七八糟的简介骗了