登陆注册
5243000000064

第64章 CHAPTER XIII(3)

"There are shoes somewhere in this load. I thought of them in getting other things for you, but I had no idea as to size, and so I told that clerk to-day when she got your measure to put in every kind you'd need."

"You are horribly extravagant," she said. "But if you have them here, perhaps I could use one pair."

The Harvester mounted the wagon and hunted until he found a large box, and opening it on the bench he disclosed almost every variety of shoe, walking shoe and slipper, a girl ever owned, as well as sandals and high overshoes.

"For pity sake!" cried the Girl. "Cover that box!

You frighten me. You'll never get them paid for.

You must take them straight back."

"Never take anything back," said the Harvester.

" `Be sure you are right, then go ahead,' is my motto.

Now I know these are your correct size and that for differing occasions you will want just such shoes as other girls have, and here they are. Simple as life! I think these will serve because they are for street wear, yet they are white inside."

He produced a pair of canvas walking shoes and kneeling before her held out his hand.

When he had finished, he loaded the box on the wagon, gave the hitching strap to Belshazzar, and told him to lead Betsy to the cabin and hold her until he came.

Then he turned to the Girl.

"Now," he said, "look as long as you choose. But remember that the law gives you part of this and your lover, which same am I, gives you the remainder, so you are privileged to come here at any hour as often as you please. If you miss anything this evening, you have all time to come in which to re-examine it."

"I'd like to live right here on this bridge," she said.

"I wish it had a roof."

"Roof it to-morrow," offered the Harvester. "Simple matter of a few pillars already cut, joists joined, and some slab shingles left from the cabin. Anything else your ladyship can suggest?"

"That you be sensible."

"I was born that way," explained the Harvester, "and I've cultivated the faculty until I've developed real genius. Talking of sense, there never was a proper marriage in which the man didn't give the woman a present. You seem likely to be more appreciative of this bridge than anything else I have, so right here and now would be the appropriate place to offer you my wedding gift. I didn't have much time, but I couldn't have found anything more suitable if I'd taken a year."

He held out a small, white velvet case.

"Doesn't that look as if it were made for a bride?" he asked.

"It does," answered the Girl. "But I can't take it.

You are not doing right. Marrying as we did, you never can believe that I love you; maybe it won't ever happen that I do. I have no right to accept gifts and expensive clothing from you. In the first place, if the love you ask never comes, there is no possible way in which I can repay you. In the second, these things you are offering are not suitable for life and work in the woods. In the third, I think you are being extravagant, and I couldn't forgive myself if I allowed that."

"You divide your statements like a preacher, don't you?" asked the Harvester ingenuously. "Now sit thee here and gaze on the placid lake and quiet your troubled spirit, while I demolish your `perfectly good' arguments. In the first place, you are now my wife, and you have a right to take anything I offer, if you care for it or can use it in any manner. In the second, you must recognize a difference in our positions. What seems nothing to you means all the world to me, and you are less than human if you deprive me of the joy of expressing feelings I am in honour bound to keep in my heart, by these little material offerings. In the third place, I inherited over six hundred acres of land and water, please observe the water----it is now in evidence on your left. All my life I have been taught to be frugal, economical, and to work. All I've earned either has gone back into land, into the bank, or into books, very plain food, and such clothing as you now see me wearing. Just the value of this place as it stands, with its big trees, its drug crops yielding all the year round, would be difficult to estimate; and I don't mind telling you that on the top of that hill there is a gold mine, and it's mine----ours since four o'clock."

"A gold mine!"

"Acres and acres of wild ginseng, seven years of age and ready to harvest. Do you remember what your few pounds brought?"

"Why it's worth thousands!"

"Exactly! For your peace of mind I might add that all I have done or got is paid for, except what I bought to-day, and I will write a check for that as soon as the bill is made out. My bank account never will feel it Truly, Ruth, I am not doing or going to do anything extravagant. I can't afford to give you diamond necklaces, yachts, and trips to Europe; but you can have the contents of this box and a motor boat on the lake, a horse and carriage, and a trip----say to New York perfectly well. Please take it."

"I wish you wouldn't ask me. I would be happier not to."

"Yes, but I do ask you," persisted the Harvester.

"You are not the only one to be considered. I have some rights also, and I'm not so self-effacing that Iwon't insist upon them. From your standpoint I am almost a stranger. You have spent no time considering me in near relations; I realize that. You feel as if you were driven here for a refuge, and that is true. I said to Belshazzar one day that I must remember that you had no dream, and had spent no time loving me, and Ido I know how this wedding seems to you, but it's going to mean something different and better soon, please God. I can see your side; now suppose you take a look at mine. I did have a dream, it was my dream, and beyond the sum of any delight I ever conceived. On the strength of it I rebuilt my home and remodelled these premises. Then I saw you, and from that day I worked early and late. I lost you and Inever stopped until I found you; and I would have courted and won you, but the fates intervened and here you are! So it's my delight to court and win you now.

同类推荐
  • 淮阳集

    淮阳集

    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。
  • 太平两同书

    太平两同书

    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。
  • 玉清元始玄黄九光真经

    玉清元始玄黄九光真经

    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 Vanished Messenger

    The Vanished Messenger

    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。
  • 决罪福经

    决罪福经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 中华家训2

    中华家训2

    “家训”是中国古文化的重要组成部分,它以其深厚的内涵、独特的艺术形式真实地反映了各个时代的风貌和社会生活。它怡悦着人们的情志、陶冶着人们的情操、感化着人们的心灵。正是这些优秀的文化因子,潜移默化地影响着现代人的人格理想、心理结构、风尚习俗与精神素质。这都将是陪伴我们一生的精神财富。所谓“家训”就是中国古人进行家教的各种文字记录,包括诗歌、散文、格言、书信等。家训是古人留给我们的一大笔宝贵的文化遗产。学习研究并利用这些知识,对提高我们每个人的文化素质,品德修养,一定会起到不可磨灭的作用。
  • 莎蕾拉的终极男团

    莎蕾拉的终极男团

    一觉醒来就变成血精灵族“女王”殿下的莎蕾拉,被陌生的美男军团牵引着,踏上了复兴血精灵族的复仇征程……他们将乔装潜伏,进入魔法世家、海妖水城、兽使楼域三个奇异世界去惩罚叛变首领!然而一切没有看上去那么简单,莎蕾拉对被告知的使命毫无记忆,而且在旅程中发生的种种神秘事件,让“女王”越来越迷茫,仿佛一切都是被美男军团操纵般,让她每往前走一步就愈加怀疑自己的真实身份……
  • 错爱成缘

    错爱成缘

    苏员外为女儿苏元元挑选佳婿,媒婆踏烂了门槛,苏员外却是一个都看不上眼。唐桓为了揭开苏元元的真面目夜闯苏府,意外遇到了女扮男装的苏元元,两人成为好朋友。之后两人阴差阳错为栾义城解决了一桩大案,彼此情愫渐生,最后除掉乡城恶霸,喜结良缘。
  • 血色谜情

    血色谜情

    《血色谜情》由奥斯汀·弗里曼编著。《血色谜情》讲述了:保险箱里的巨额钻石离奇失踪,除了一张印有清晰血指纹的自纸,毫无线索。 而犯罪的证据全部指向保险箱主人的侄子诺柏·霍比。看似铁证如山的案件却被医师桑戴克看出了破绽,他发现失窃现场留下的指纹有一条S型的空白,这或许会是案件的转折点和突破口,于是他和搭档里维斯深入霍比家族进一步取证,正当案情渐渐明朗,真相即将浮出水面时,一双从浓雾中伸出来的手将他推向了疾驰的马车。
  • 爱妃朕不准你逃

    爱妃朕不准你逃

    他的嗓音很低沉,却很好听,透着迷人的磁性。他的视线落在她的身上后就再也没有离开过。恶魔萌宝横空出世,却因男人独占欲太强,严重缺爱!萌宝狂怒:“禽兽,放开我娘亲,你敢欺负她,把你绑去草船借箭!”他说,若爱,便深深爱,狠狠爱,作死地爱!即使全天下的人都要杀她,他也会挡在她的前面,为她挡刀挡剑!
  • 漫威之重力魔

    漫威之重力魔

    窥探宇宙黑暗的意志,得无上引力权能在漫威世界重生醒来,看宇宙恶魔的如何在这个精彩纷呈的世界里面搅弄风云。(漫威电影故事线)
  • 白首不分,痛爱过后

    白首不分,痛爱过后

    她遇到他的第一面,是一名女子对他以死相逼的时候;他遇到她的第一面,却感觉是一个静默的让人冷颜的女子…“我们在一起吧”“我们结婚吧。”对于女子来说如此重要的句子在那个男人嘴里却感觉不到丝毫的温度。他宠着她,却不给她爱;她爱着他,却清楚的知道对他来说她不是一个特殊的存在。她只是他那么多女友中的一个,普普通通,没有任何的特别。但至少,她努力过,她不想放弃…
  • 重生之傲娇魔君逆天妃

    重生之傲娇魔君逆天妃

    这一次他绝不会让,自己的家人啊,再遭灭门之祸。这一次她要守护她的爱情,再也不会被渣男骗心。这一次。她要利用自己的资质。成为这个大陆的强者。天也就这样。逆天又何妨!(且魔女异世重生,如何逆天而行!本文偏向于男女主都强,然后一生一世一双人。)
  • 九界战魂

    九界战魂

    上古人间,菩萨界到地狱界共分九界,四境之内,九界之中。这里,有门派之间的勾心斗角。这里,有挖空了血肉的凡世人间。这里,有的是劫难、灾祸,人神争斗。也就是在这,主人公踏上了征程。
  • 紫柏尊者别集

    紫柏尊者别集

    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。