登陆注册
5216100000028

第28章

Once, when my uncle left me at the store, you drew a lot of little birds and flowers for me on a piece of wrapping-paper. I kept them for a long while. I thought you were very romantic be-cause you could draw and had such black eyes."Carl smiled. "Yes, I remember that time.

Your uncle bought you some kind of a mechani-cal toy, a Turkish lady sitting on an ottoman and smoking a hookah, wasn't it? And she turned her head backwards and forwards.""Oh, yes! Wasn't she splendid! I knew well enough I ought not to tell Uncle Joe I wanted it, for he had just come back from the saloon and was feeling good. You remember how he laughed? She tickled him, too. But when we got home, my aunt scolded him for buying toys when she needed so many things. We wound our lady up every night, and when she began to move her head my aunt used to laugh as hard as any of us. It was a music-box, you know, and the Turkish lady played a tune while she smoked. That was how she made you feel so jolly. As I remember her, she was lovely, and had a gold crescent on her turban."Half an hour later, as they were leaving the house, Carl and Alexandra were met in the path by a strapping fellow in overalls and a blue shirt. He was breathing hard, as if he had been running, and was muttering to himself.

Marie ran forward, and, taking him by the arm, gave him a little push toward her guests.

"Frank, this is Mr. Linstrum."

Frank took off his broad straw hat and nod-ded to Alexandra. When he spoke to Carl, he showed a fine set of white teeth. He was burned a dull red down to his neckband, and there was a heavy three-days' stubble on his face. Even in his agitation he was handsome, but he looked a rash and violent man.

Barely saluting the callers, he turned at once to his wife and began, in an outraged tone, "Ihave to leave my team to drive the old woman Hiller's hogs out-a my wheat. I go to take dat old woman to de court if she ain't careful, I tell you!"His wife spoke soothingly. "But, Frank, she has only her lame boy to help her. She does the best she can."Alexandra looked at the excited man and offered a suggestion. "Why don't you go over there some afternoon and hog-tight her fences?

You'd save time for yourself in the end."Frank's neck stiffened. "Not-a-much, I

won't. I keep my hogs home. Other peoples can do like me. See? If that Louis can mend shoes, he can mend fence.""Maybe," said Alexandra placidly; "but I've found it sometimes pays to mend other people's fences. Good-bye, Marie. Come to see me soon."Alexandra walked firmly down the path and Carl followed her.

Frank went into the house and threw himself on the sofa, his face to the wall, his clenched fist on his hip. Marie, having seen her guests off, came in and put her hand coaxingly on his shoulder.

"Poor Frank! You've run until you've made your head ache, now haven't you? Let me make you some coffee.""What else am I to do?" he cried hotly in Bohemian. "Am I to let any old woman's hogs root up my wheat? Is that what I work myself to death for?""Don't worry about it, Frank. I'll speak to Mrs. Hiller again. But, really, she almost cried last time they got out, she was so sorry."Frank bounced over on his other side.

"That's it; you always side with them against me. They all know it. Anybody here feels free to borrow the mower and break it, or turn their hogs in on me. They know you won't care!"Marie hurried away to make his coffee.

When she came back, he was fast asleep. She sat down and looked at him for a long while, very thoughtfully. When the kitchen clock struck six she went out to get supper, closing the door gently behind her. She was always sorry for Frank when he worked himself into one of these rages, and she was sorry to have him rough and quarrelsome with his neighbors.

She was perfectly aware that the neighbors had a good deal to put up with, and that they bore with Frank for her sake.

同类推荐
  • 瓶粟斋诗话五编

    瓶粟斋诗话五编

    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。
  • 唐太宗李卫公问对

    唐太宗李卫公问对

    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。
  • Cap'n Eri

    Cap'n Eri

    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。
  • 七夕

    七夕

    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。
  • 永安县志

    永安县志

    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
  • 发生在黄河岸边的械斗

    发生在黄河岸边的械斗

    在运城至风陵渡途中下车后,沿一条陡立的斜坡攀援到上面的立交桥上,展示在我眼前的是另一番天地。中条山柔缓的曲线和一抹宽广的黄河紧密相接,这是中条山的末端,也是黄河从晋陕腹地进入中原的门户。黄河在这里形成了大片的滩涂,冬天稀薄的阳光下,宽广的河滩呈现出它该有的色泽和安详,一层白雾笼罩在无边的河滩上空,氤氲着来年春的勃发、夏的葱绿和秋的丰硕。一线黄河隐在天边,对面的秦川大地烟锁雾罩。来自黄河波澜间清新潮润的气息,随风徐徐吹来,向我发出最初的问候。
  • 呆萌王爷:宠溺我

    呆萌王爷:宠溺我

    …………………………简介…………………………………………简介什么的不可能的,这辈子都不可能的…………
  • 神秘现象

    神秘现象

    这个世界在以我们难以预料的速度变化着,在这个既短暂又漫长的变化过程里,诞生了多少神秘现象,难以估算。如:木乃伊的制作、法老的诅咒之谜、稀奇古怪的电台节目、古希腊古文明之谜、韦后为什么要杀夫等。这些现象背后究竟隐藏了怎样的历史真相和神秘力量,还无法全面了解。然而,令人欣喜的是,正是这些如此繁多的难以解释的现象,才让我们不断地去探索。
  • 穿越之春暖花开

    穿越之春暖花开

    有穿越、有王爷、有种田、没空间、没异能、没胆子!在强大的婆婆及公主的压力下,还是带着藏獒翘家种地安全些!至于这个小包子??呵呵,管他的,又当爹又当妈,穿越前,这种女强人一直是我的偶像嘛!被捉住?呵呵,人质在手!没有一生一世一双人!亲王殿下,拜拜了您啦!
  • 绝色狂妃狠嚣张

    绝色狂妃狠嚣张

    为争皇位,他指她做王妃,一道圣旨赐婚,她纵心中百般不愿也只能勉强下嫁。然而,他有他的心中至宝,她有她的金玉良缘,死对头的两人被迫在一起,冤家路窄,斗智斗勇。来自娘家与朝堂的陷害,迫使两人联手,她助她登上太子之位,他助她血洗娘家,大事终成那日,她与三番四次救自己于水火之中的男人离开,却在半路被他拦住,“我的玲儿,你偷了我的心,就想这样一走了之?”
  • 女扮男装:用尽幸运遇见你

    女扮男装:用尽幸运遇见你

    母亲病重在床,狠心父亲却只想利用乔默助事业一臂之力。继母冷言冷语,姐姐处处刁难,乔默喝酒买醉,却从陌生地方醒来!奈何女扮男装,她连为自己伸张正义的资格都没有。本想默默吞下苦果,谁料竟怀孕了?几年后带宝归来,从此被宠不停。
  • 女科指掌

    女科指掌

    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。
  • 王爷,你欺人太甚(将完)

    王爷,你欺人太甚(将完)

    你不在时,雪一直下,仿佛是在等你回来,我抬头,雪落在我的眉尖化成一片雨水。你不在时,月一直挂在空中,仿佛是在为你照亮回来的路,于是我想变做一颗树,和月亮一起等你。你不在时,树一直摇晃,那影子就象你的身影,时常使我失神。你不在时,风时常又哭又笑,于是风哭时我跟着落泪,风笑时我随它而笑。你不在时,床一直为你而空,是我心中已经容不下她人酣睡,你可知那细微的喘息声曾是我入梦的良药。你不在时,梦不期而至,梦中有你也有我,可梦醒时你却消然而去,于是,我只盼夜夜有梦,梦中有你。你不在时,我食之无味,寝之难安,唯任两鬓生华发,岁月指尖流……雪月你虽不在,我却仍为你保留着皇后的位置……直到永远……我不希望我困住你,但我也不希望再次失去你,如果用江山来和你交换,那么我一定要你,而不要江山。一滴清泪落在我的脸庞,我愕然抬起头时,却发现他已泪流满面,我刚要说什么,他却将手指放在我的唇边,只仰起头长长的叹了一声,然后将我紧紧的拥入怀中,用他的脸轻轻的抚着我的额头…….
  • 文娱复兴

    文娱复兴

    新书《电影世界大拯救》已发,求大家支持。
  • 闪婚成爱

    闪婚成爱

    男友傍上富婆,还拿钱羞辱自己,夏南星赌气转身,就这样和陌生帅大叔闪婚了。婚后,帅大叔宠她入骨,狗粮撒了一地。可随着阴谋的接踵而至,所有人都说她心狠手辣,为了达到目的可以不择手段。当全世界都背弃她,避她如蛇蝎的时候,只有他会毫不犹豫的站在她的身后,坚定的握着她的手。“你可以一生猖狂,做我的混世魔王。”“大叔,你嫌弃我吗?”“不嫌弃,我喜欢青梅竹马的感觉。”