登陆注册
5243000000057

第57章 CHAPTER XII(2)

"Never mind that," said the Harvester. "Tell me what you are planning. Say that you will come to the hospital for the long, perfect rest now."

"It is absolutely impossible. Don't weary me by mentioning it. I cannot."

"Will you tell me what you intend doing?"

`I must," she said, "for it depends entirely on your word. I am going to get Uncle Henry's supper, and then go and remain the night with the neighbour who has been helping me. In the morning, when he leaves, she is coming with her wagon for my trunk, and she is going to drive with me to Onabasha and find me a cheap room and loan me a few things, until I can buy what I need.

I am going to use fourteen dollars of this and my drawing money for what I am forced to buy, and pay fifty on my debt. Then I will send you my address and be ready for work."

She clutched the envelope and for the first time looked at him.

"Very well," said the Harvester. "I could take you to the wife of my best friend, the chief surgeon of the city hospital, and everything would be ease and rest until you are strong; she would love to have you."

The Girl dropped her hands wearily.

"Don't tire me with it!" she cried. "I am almost falling despite the stimulus of food and drink I can touch. I never can thank you properly for that. Iwon't be able to work hard enough to show you how much I appreciate what you have done for me. But you don't understand. A woman, even a poverty-poor woman, if she be delicately born and reared, cannot go to another woman on a man's whim, and when she lacks even the barest necessities. I don't refuse to meet your friends. I shall love to, when I can be so dressed that I will not shame you. Until that times comes, if you are the gentleman you appear to be, you will wait without urging me further."

"I must be a man, in order to be a gentleman," said the Harvester. "And it is because the man in me is in hot rebellion against more loneliness, pain, and suffering for you, that the conventions become chains I do not care how soon or how roughly I break. If only you could be induced to say the word, I tell you I could bring one of God's gentlest women to you."

"And probably she would come in a dainty gown, in her carriage or motor, and be disgusted, astonished, and secretly sorry for you. As for me, I do not require her pity. I will be glad to know the beautiful, refined, and gentle woman you are so certain of, but not until I am better dressed and more attractive in appearance than now. If you will give me your address, I will write you when I am ready for work."

Silently the Harvester wrote it. "Will you give me permission to take these things to your neighbour for you?" he asked. "They would serve until you can do better, and I have no earthly use for them."

She hesitated. Then she laughed shortly.

"What a travesty my efforts at pride are with you!" she cried. "I begin by trying to preserve some proper dignity, and end by confessing abject poverty. I yet have the ten you paid me the other day, but twenty-four dollars are not much to set up housekeeping on, and I would be more glad than I can say for these very things."

"Thank you," said the Harvester. "I will take them when I go. Is there anything else?"

"I think not."

"Will you have a drink?"

"Yes, if you have more with you. I believe it is really cooling my blood."

"Are you taking the medicine?"

"Yes," she said, "and I am stronger. Truly I am.

I know I appear ghastly to you, but it's loss of sleep, and trying to lay away poor Aunt Molly decently, and----"

"And fear of Uncle Henry," added the Harvester.

"Yes," said the Girl. "That most of all! He thinks I am going to stay here and take her place. I can't tell him I am not, and how I am to hide from him when I am gone, I don't know. I am afraid of him."

"Has he any claim on you?"

"Shelter for the past three months."

"Are you of age?"

"I am almost twenty-four," she said.

"Then suppose you leave Uncle Henry to me," suggested the Harvester.

"Why?"

"Careful now! The red bird told you why!" said the man. "I will not urge it upon you now, but keep it steadily in the back of your head that there is a sunshine room all ready and waiting for you, and I am going to take you to it very soon. As things are, I think you might allow me to tell you----"

She was on her feet in instant panic. "I must go," she said. "Uncle Henry is dogging me to promise to remain, and I will not, and he is watching me. I must go----"

"Can you give me your word of honour that you will go to the neighbour woman to-night; that you feel perfectly safe?"

She hesitated. "Yes, I----I think so. Yes, if he doesn't find out and grow angry. Yes, I will be safe."

"How soon will you write me?"

"Just as soon as I am settled and rest a little."

"Do you mean several days?"

"Yes, several days."

"An eternity!" cried the Harvester with white lips.

"I cannot let you go. Suppose you fall ill and fail to write me, and I do not know where you are, and there is no one to care for you."

"But can't you see that I don't know where I will be? If it will satisfy you, I will write you a line to-morrow night and tell you where I am, and you can come later."

"Is that a promise?" asked the Harvester.

"It is," said the Girl.

"Then I will take these things to your neighbour and wait until to-morrow night. You won't fail me?"

"I never in all my life saw a man so wild over designs," said the Girl, as she started toward the house.

"Don't forget that the design I'm craziest about is the same as the red bird's," the Harvester flung after her, but she hurried on and made no reply.

He folded the table and chair, rolled the rug, and shouldering them picked up the bucket and started down the river bank.

"David!"

Such a faint little call he never would have been sure he heard anything if Belshazzar had not stopped suddenly.

The hair on the back of his neck arose and he turned with a growl in his throat. The Harvester dropped his load with a crash and ran in leaping bounds, but the dog was before him. Half way to the house, Ruth Jameson swayed in the grip of her uncle. One hand clutched his coat front in a spasmodic grasp, and with the other she covered her face.

同类推荐
  • 恕谷后集

    恕谷后集

    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。
  • 上清侍帝晏桐柏真人真图赞

    上清侍帝晏桐柏真人真图赞

    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。
  • 观经

    观经

    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。
  • 蒙养诗教

    蒙养诗教

    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。
  • 伤科汇纂

    伤科汇纂

    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
  • 如沐春光

    如沐春光

    腹黑狼主VS非典型小白兔,择一城终老,遇一人白首,每一天,我们都如沐春光。颜珏是蓉北大学的美术老师,吃软不吃硬的毒舌美人。大学时,因为同学的报复,错失了得奖的机会,同时也错失了一段美好的爱情。厉铮是退伍的海军战士,因意外一只耳朵失聪。一次偶然的机会,他遇到了此生最想守护的人——颜珏。他包容、大度,软硬兼施,最终颜珏被他的执着打动。初尝爱情美好的两人,却在此时遇到了家人的反对,消失的未婚妻、深情的前男友……一幕幕狗血的故事考验着两人的爱情。面对考验,颜珏给出了最好的答案:“我的恋爱,要么,不开始。要么,一辈子……”
  • 明星萌娘养成计划

    明星萌娘养成计划

    新书:《欢迎来到梦境游戏》有喜欢的可以去看看
  • 父亲不哭

    父亲不哭

    重复多次的噩梦必定是凶兆。这个早上,季冬醒来后仔细分析昨夜的梦:在停车场,季冬手握遥控钥匙,焦急地寻找他那辆黑色红旗牌轿车。听到车子被解锁的声音后,他满心欢喜奔跑过去,近看却不是自己的红旗车。那么,是什么重要的东西即将失去吗?真的是他的红旗车?应该不是,因为车子买了保险就算被盗也不会失去。会不会是人呢?一个人?那个人会是谁?这个一再重复的噩梦,是否意味即将有死亡发生?楼上那个有着一张猴子脸的老处女,与以往任何一个清晨那样,正在大声教她那只聪明或者愚蠢的鹦鹉重复学舌“我爱你”。
  • 未央欢,语还休

    未央欢,语还休

    安洛央,大闹地府,暴打阎王!孟婆?也敢揣进忘川河!三生石?狗屁的前生今世!打碎!自顾自踏着满坡的彼岸花,一转身投入迷魂崖白冥休,满腹怨念不入轮回,烧了火照之路,毁了奈何桥,暴打牛头,那个人说,皇兄,你夺人所爱了。
  • 静如默竹笑颜如丹

    静如默竹笑颜如丹

    原来我跨越时空就是为了遇见你我们互相治愈.
  • 人人都要有逻辑思维

    人人都要有逻辑思维

    有些人智商不低,学历不低,情商也不低,但就是办事效率不高,说话啰嗦拖沓,被人莫名其妙地说服了,甚至有理时也莫名其妙输了。这是为什么呢?口才不好?不完全是。能力差也不完全是。其根源是逻辑思维能力差。因为办事没逻辑,效率自然低下;因为说话没逻辑,自然无法简洁明了表达;因为思辨没有逻辑,遇事就不可避免地随着别人的思路走——无论愿意不愿意都那样。在现实社会中,社会竞争激烈,要想赢得一席之地,除了拼智力、拼学历、拼背景、拼努力之外,如果你拼了逻辑思维能力,你将会迅速投影而出。
  • 霍村侠记

    霍村侠记

    机缘巧合,四个侠客相聚在霍村的一间客栈里发生的故事。
  • 回诤论

    回诤论

    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。
  • 多党合作在四川(工商联卷)

    多党合作在四川(工商联卷)

    《多党合作在四川》丛书,分设民革、民盟、民建、民进、农工党、致公党、九三学社、工商联卷,共8卷,近400万字,内容丰富,图文并茂。
  • 伤害(中篇小说)

    伤害(中篇小说)

    董老师这些天的脾气特别不好对付,动不动就发火,人也像是一下子瘦小了几分。小镇毕竟小,董老师的事已经在小镇里广泛传开了。那就是:董老师把他老婆烧饼和女儿董笑都无情地赶出了家门。很久以来,人们都说董老师的女儿董笑长得是既不像董老师也不像董老师的老婆烧饼。董老师是个脾气特别随和的人,他从来没和别人红过脸更不用说动手。他这天所做的一件事也就是把家里的那张大床从中间愤怒地锯开,他一个人在屋里满头大汗把那张黄漆大床“咯吱、咯吱”锯了老半天,然后又把锯开的大床从屋里一拖两拖拖到了屋外,半张床只有两条腿,所以只好靠着墙放在屋门外边。