登陆注册
5243000000004

第4章 CHAPTER I(4)

Between two fires, he thought. If that dog ever catches my eye he will come tearing as a cyclone, and Iwould not kick him again for a hundred dollars. First time I ever struck him, and didn't intend to then. So blame mad and disappointed my foot just shot out before I knew it. There he lies half dead to make up, but I'm blest if I forgive him in a hurry. And there is that insane little owl screeching for a mate. If I'd start out making sounds like that, all the girls would line up and compete for possession of my happy home.

The Harvester laughed and at the sound Belshazzar took courage and advanced five steps before he sank belly to earth again. The owl continued its song. The Harvester imitated the cry and at once it responded. He called again and leaned back waiting. The notes came closer. The Harvester cried once more and peered across the lake, watching for the shadow of silent wings. The moon was high above the trees now, the knife dropped in the box, the long fingers closed around the stick, the head rested against the casing, and the man intoned the cry with all his skill, and then watched and waited. He had been straining his eyes over the carving until they were tired, and when he watched for the bird the moonlight tried them; for it touched the lightly rippling waves of the lake in a line of yellow light that stretched straight across the water from the opposite bank, directly to the gravel bed below, where lay the bathing pool. It made a path of gold that wavered and shimmered as the water moved gently, but it appeared sufficiently material to resemble a bridge spanning the lake.

"Seems as if I could walk it," muttered the Harvester.

The owl cried again and the man intently watched the opposite bank. He could not see the bird, but in the deep wood where he thought it might be he began to discern a misty, moving shimmer of white. Marvelling, he watched closer. So slowly he could not detect motion it advanced, rising in height and taking shape.

"Do I end this day by seeing a ghost?" he queried.

He gazed intently and saw that a white figure really moved in the woods of the opposite bank.

"Must be some boys playing fool pranks!" exclaimed the Harvester.

He watched fixedly with interested face, and then amazement wiped out all other expression and he sat motionless, breathless, looking, intently looking. For the white object came straight toward the water and at the very edge unhesitatingly stepped upon the bridge of gold and lightly, easily advanced in his direction. The man waited. On came the figure and as it drew closer he could see that it was a very tall, extremely slender woman, wrapped in soft robes of white. She stepped along the slender line of the gold bridge with grace unequalled.

From the water arose a shining mist, and behind the advancing figure a wall of light outlined and rimmed her in a setting of gold. As she neared the shore the Harvester's blood began to race in his veins and his lips parted in wonder. First she was like a slender birch trunk, then she resembled a wild lily, and soon she was close enough to prove that she was young and very lovely. Heavy braids of dark hair rested on her head as a coronet. Her forehead was low and white. Her eyes were wide-open wells of darkness, her rounded cheeks faintly pink, and her red lips smiling invitation. Her throat was long, very white, and the hands that caught up the fleecy robe around her were rose-coloured and slender. In a panic the Harvester saw that the trailing robe swept the undulant gold water, but was not wet; the feet that alternately showed as she advanced were not purple with cold, but warm with a pink glow.

She was coming straight toward him, wonderful, alluring, lovely beyond any woman the Harvester ever had seen. Straightway the fountains of twenty-six years' repression overflowed in the breast of the man and all his being ran toward her in a wave of desire. On she came, and now her tender feet were on the white gravel.

When he could see clearly she was even more beautiful than she had appeared at a distance. He opened his lips, but no sound came. He struggled to rise, but his legs would not bear his weight. Helpless, he sank against the casing. The girl walked to his feet, bent, placed a hand on each of his shoulders, and smiled into his eyes.

He could scent the flower-like odour of her body and wrapping, even her hair. He struggled frantically to speak to her as she leaned closer, yet closer, and softly but firmly laid lips of pulsing sweetness on his in a deliberate kiss.

The Harvester was on his feet now. Belshazzar shrank into the shadows.

"Come back!" cried the man. "Come back! For the love of mercy, where are you?"

He ran stumblingly toward the lake. The bridge of gold was there, the little owl cried lonesomely; and did he see or did he only dream he saw a mist of white vanishing in the opposite wood?

His breath came between dry lips, and he circled the cabin searching eagerly, but he could find nothing, hear nothing, save the dog at his heels. He hurried to the stoop and stood gazing at the molten path of moonlight.

One minute he was half frozen, the next a rosy glow enfolded him. Slowly he lifted a hand and touched his lips. Then he raised his eyes from the water and swept the sky in a penetrant gaze.

"My gracious Heavenly Father," said the Harvester reverently. "Would it be like that?"

同类推荐
  • 七颂堂识小录

    七颂堂识小录

    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。
  • 观世音菩萨秘密藏神咒经

    观世音菩萨秘密藏神咒经

    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。
  • 佛所行赞

    佛所行赞

    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。
  • 元始天尊说玄微妙经

    元始天尊说玄微妙经

    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。
  • The Life of Christopher Columbus

    The Life of Christopher Columbus

    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
  • 田家五行

    田家五行

    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。
  • 四书五经·诗 书 礼 易 春秋

    四书五经·诗 书 礼 易 春秋

    本书是“中华传统文化经典名句”丛书之一。从中国传统文化经典名著五经的《诗经》《尚书》《礼记》《周易》《春秋》中,遴选部分代表名句,分主题原文呈现并有白话文注释,配以精美书法作品,附传统经典名篇全文及生僻字注音,同时定向邀请具有深厚文化底蕴及汉语言文字造诣的书法教育家、清华大学德艺双馨的师生校友、社会各界实力派书法名家书写主题内容,经典名句、传统丹青、中文释义三位一体,以传统艺术形式承载民族优秀文化思想。
  • 霸王少爷高冷女友求抱抱

    霸王少爷高冷女友求抱抱

    顾允沫的生活一直以来都非常平淡,可自从转学之后,一个男人的出现让她的生活发生了翻天覆地的变化。一三五刺杀,二四六是狙击,星期日是事故,而当顾允沫明白一切的时候,却万万没想到是他。有一天,某男说:“我是霸王,你是我的虞姬。”某女笑了笑:“那你要霸王别姬吗?”某男回答:“不,在我的故事里,霸王虞姬会一直好好的生活在楚宫里。”
  • 任务之异国选夫

    任务之异国选夫

    普通女大学生箫小杞,从小到大作为狗都没成功勾引到手过的废渣一枚,某一天,被迫接受了一个颇有爱国主义色彩的任务:在系统的帮助下,追求当年参加八国联军的首领的后代,追求到手后再狠狠地甩掉,令他们精神受到极大创伤乃至精神崩溃箫小杞很悲愤,抗议无效无奈接受德国人的死板,英国人的高傲,意大利人的散漫,法国人的滥情,美国人的自大,日本人的反中,奥地利人的孤傲,俄罗斯人的沙文主义,都让箫小杞一百遍想把他们揍个半死,这只是一个发生在异国的,鸡飞狗跳的温馨爱情故事罢片段一“纸的量词是‘张’,那么就是说平的东西量词就是‘张’?”某身材高大的外国鬼子趴在桌上,摇着笔杆认真问道。箫小杞啃着苹果,想了想点头:“是的。”“一张照片,一张钱,一张信封…”“等等等等。”箫小杞一脚踹在卢卡的膝盖上,“不是一张信封,是一个信封。”“为什么?信封也是平的。”“信封有两层,不是单张的。”“那两张信封。”某人大声道。去死!片段二箫小杞看着阿尔弗雷德叹口气,而后缓慢地伸出他指节分明的大手,放了一撮茶叶在茶杯中,提起水壶,手腕上青筋突起,水慢慢注入茶杯中,一些细小的叶儿在水中颠了几下,身子散开了,就往下沉了,叠在杯底,杯里的水变青了,香味儿飘出来了……礀失神地看着那双大手捧起发烫的茶杯,端到眼前,细细地闻着茶香。“好烫!”男人嘀咕道转身走到厨房水管前,打开水龙头“隆隆”地加了半杯凉水到刚泡开的茶里……箫小杞嘴角抽搐,看着阿尔弗雷德心满意足地喝着那杯用凉开水泡开的碧螺春,一阵无语,觉得自己就像文成公主远嫁吐蕃松藏干布,身负将汉文明传播给西方蛮夷的重任,前路艰辛。
  • 黄昏岸边说声有

    黄昏岸边说声有

    我的故事或许怨了丰收。不是夏粮作物的丰收,是秋季作物的丰收。舅的那个地方因为气候、地理的原因,是一年一熟的单季种植杂粮区。说是叫因地制宜呢,杂粮也不再杂,高粱、大豆、谷子、红薯、山药蛋,包括南瓜、东瓜都不种了,人们齐刷刷种下了玉茭子。这几年是玉茭子的丰收。收玉茭子看起来省事其实不省事,不像小麦收下了就有粮商直接买走,得割倒了再掰,掰下的玉茭棒子肩挑车拉运回家,先用各种荆条编织的囤子囤起来,囤在院子里。不大的院落就全让玉茭囤子占据着,矗眼前的不仅是黑乎乎的玉茭囤子,往小里说,是一年油盐酱醋的代名词;往大里说,婚丧嫁娶起房建屋也指望着它呢。
  • Joe Wilson and His Mates

    Joe Wilson and His Mates

    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。
  • 国家日记

    国家日记

    本书包括《重犯押向西部》、《中国反恐怖揭秘》、《共和国告急》、《中国第一农民市场》四个故事。
  • 赵大年卷

    赵大年卷

    古人讲究惜墨如金,大概与刀刻竹简之费力有关。埃及的羊皮书,朝鲜的陶片书,我国的钟鼎铭文,肯定都是短文章。本书收集了作者的151篇小散文、小随笔。小,就是短小,每篇五六百字。一篇一页,每篇配一页插图,文图并茂,更好看。古人讲究惜墨如金,大概与刀刻竹简之费力有关。埃及的羊皮书,朝鲜的陶片书,我国的钟鼎铭文,肯定都是短文章。 一个故事、一点醒悟、一篇文字、一幅图画,互相映衬,蕴涵了生活多彩的色调与悠长的滋味。
  • 庶女阏氏

    庶女阏氏

    阏氏-相关解说yānzhī(音同“胭脂”)汉代匈奴称其君主的妻妾为阏氏。瞧我是庶女,就好欺负吗?替尊贵的皇姐姐们和亲塞外?替便宜的皇帝爹维护外交?替大离皇朝稳固统治?行,没问题!不过,请付出代价!看我一个小小皇家庶女,拿了这花花江山,去做我缮善阏氏的陪嫁!一嫁,她穿着高贵无比的大红凤袍,头戴金冠,看着那个在红毯尽头迎着她的未来夫君——垂垂老矣的鄯善王!二嫁,她披上了鄯善国最最荣耀和昂贵的金缕玉衣,与那个要迎娶她的人——腹黑冷漠的鄯善王子,怒目而视!三嫁,只是一身最简单不过的红裙,他为她绾好一头长发,插上自己亲手打造的碧玉簪,二人并肩、携手,分担寒潮、风雷、霹雳;共享雾霭流岚、虹霓!
  • 邪帝—绝爱娇妃

    邪帝—绝爱娇妃

    【本文是架空历史】七年前,我的准驸马在大婚当夜率领十万大军杀入皇城,诛杀大随暴君随末帝而我又在国破家亡不久‘纯属意外’自缢殉国这年头气节?算个鸟!贞操?算个鸟!保住小命才是正果为了活命,我要过饭,偷过赃,贩过毒,卖过娼……做了跑腿的龟奴子,纯属混口饭直到有一天,我的身份被发现,狂风浪蝶蜂涌而至惜日驸马,当今九五至尊;惜日竹马,当今当朝宰相惜日护卫,当今魔教教主;惜日伴读,当今天下首富全天下女人喷着唾沫星子拍肿了大腿骂我:不守妇道、水性扬花、朝三暮四、伤风败俗其实我身为公主,自有一骨子骄傲你,你,你,还有你,警告你们,老娘活了二十二年,还是个处呢!【场景一】“做朕的皇后,好吗?”“命短”“……那做朕的妻,可好?”“命更短”想当年我才做了他两个时辰的正房媳妇就成了前朝余孽【场景二】“那个抢男霸女,恶贯满盈,色遍天下无敌手外兼半只脚进棺材的魔教教主派你来接我?”“……是,公主,请。”“离开本公主这些年你混得不错嘛,什么职务?来日本公主在你主子面前红了不忘提你一把。”“魔教教主”“……”【场景三】通缉令:江洋大盗———如图!特点:黑头发,大眼睛,高鼻梁,小嘴巴。身边带着一只不像狐狸的野狐狸此人暴戾恣睢,人面兽心,杀人如麻,丧尽天良。如有提供行踪者赏黄金一万两。注:不准伤其本人城门口的告示前人山人海,议论纷纷角落里一个小身影挥着小肉拳恨不得冲上去撕烂那张纸“公主,镇定,镇定”如玉的男子满脸黑线投向人头攒动的远方,沉吟片刻后转身往回走“赫连无痕,你去哪儿?”“买块布遮住你那副尊容”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~本文非虐,很甜很宠,过程很搞笑