登陆注册
5254200000014

第14章

Mrs Yabsley,for ever on the alert,felt some change in his manner,and one Sunday morning received a shock.She was chopping wood in the yard.

She swung the axe with a grunt,and the billet,split in two,left the axe wedged in the block.As she was wrenching it out,Jonah dropped his cigarette and cried:

"'Ere,missis,gimme that axe;I niver like ter see a woman chop wood."She looked at him in amazement.Times without number he had watched her grunt and sweat without stirring a finger.Bitten with her one idea,she watched him curiously.

It was the baby that betrayed him at last.Ada was carrying it past him in furtive haste,when it caught sight of his familiar features.Jonah,off his guard,smiled.The child laughed joyously,and leaned out of Ada's arms towards him.

"W'y,wot's the matter,Joe?"cried Mrs Yabsley,all eyes.

Jonah hesitated.Denial was on his tongue,but he looked again at his child,and a lump rose in his throat.

"Oh,nuthin',missis,"he replied,reddening."Me an'the kid took a fancy ter one another long ago."He smiled blandly,in exquisite relief,as if he had confessed a sin or had a tooth drawn.He took the child from Ada,and it lay in his arms,nestling close with animal content.

Ada looked in silence,astonished and slightly scornful at this development,jealous of the child's preference,already regretting her neglect.

Mrs Yabsley stood petrified with the face of one who has seen a miracle.

For a moment she was too amazed to think;then,with a rapid change of front,she conquered her surprise and claimed the credit for this result.

"I knowed all along the kid 'ud fetch yer,Joe.I knowed yer'd got a soft 'eart,"she cried."An''e's the very image of yer,wi'the sweetest temper mortal child ever 'ad."From that time Sunday became a marked day for Jonah,and he looked forward to it with impatience.It was spring.The temperate rays of the sun fell on budding tree and shrub;the mysterious renewal of life that stirred inanimate nature seemed to touch his pulse to a quicker and lighter beat.

He sat for hours in the backyard,once a garden,screened from observation,with the child on his knees.The blood ran pleasantly in his veins;he felt in sympathy with the sunlight,the sky flecked with clouds,and the warm breath of the winds.It broke on him slowly that he was taking his place among his fellows,outcast and outlaw no longer.

Soon,he and the child were inseparable.He learned to attend to its little wants with deft fingers,listening with a smile to the kindly banter of the women.His manner changed to Ada and her mother;he was considerate,even kind.Then he began to drop in on Monday or Tuesday instead of loafing with the Push at the corner.Ada was at the factory;but Mrs Yabsley,sorting piles of dirty linen,with her arms bared to the elbow,welcomed him with a smile.He remarked with satisfaction that a change had come over the old woman.She never spoke of marriage;seemed to have given up the idea.

But one day,as he sat with the child on his knees,she stopped in front of the pair,with a bundle of shirts in her arms,and regarded them with a puzzling smile.The baby lay on its back,staring into space with solemn,unreflective eyes.From time to time Jonah turned his head to blow the smoke of his cigarette into the air.

"You'll be gittin'too fond of 'im,if y'ain't careful,Joe,"she said at last.

"Git work;wot's troublin'yer?"said Jonah,with a grin.

"Nuthin';only I was thinkin'wot a fine child 'e'd be in a few years.

It's a pity 'e ain't got no real father."

"Wot d'yer mean?"said Jonah,looking up angrily."W'ere do I come in?

Ain't I the bloke?"

"Well,y'are an'y'ain't,yer know,"said Mrs Yabsley."There's two ways of lookin'at these things.""'Strewth!I niver thought o'that,"said Jonah,scratching his ear.

"No,but other people do,worse luck,"said Mrs Yabsley.

Jonah stared at the child in silence.Mrs Yabsley turned and poked the fire under the copper boiler.Suddenly Jonah lifted his head and cried:

"I say,missis,I can see a hole in a ladder plain enough!Yer mean I've got ter marry Ada?"The old woman left the fire and stood in front of him.

"Not a bit,Joe.I've give up that idea.Marriage wouldn't suit yous.

Your dart is ter be King of the Push,an'knock about the streets with a lot of mudlarks as can't look a p'liceman straight in the face.You an'yer pals are seein'life now all right;but wait till yer bones begin ter stiffen,an'yer can't run faster than the cop.Then it'll be jail or worse,an'yous might 'ave bin a good workman,with a wife an'family,only yer knowed better--""'Ere,steady on the brake,missis,"interrupted Jonah,with a frown.

"No,Joe,I don't mind sayin'that I 'ad some idea of marryin'yous an'Ada,but ye're not the man I took yer for an'I give it up.I don't believe in a man marryin'because 'e wants a woman ter cook 'is meals.

My idea is a man wants ter git married because 'e's found out a lot o'surprisin'things in the world 'e niver dreamt of before.An'it's only when 'e's found somethin'ter live for,an'work for,that 'e's wot yer rightly call a man.That's w'y I don't worry about you,Joe.I can see your time ain't come.""Don't be too bleedin'sure,"cried Jonah,angrily.

"Of course I'm only a fat old woman as likes 'er joke an'a glass o'beer.

I'd be a fool ter lay down the law to a bloke as sharp as yous,that thinks 'e can see everything.But I wasn't always so fat I 'ad ter squeeze through the door,an'I tell yer the best things in life are them yer can't see at all,an'that's the feelin's.So take a fool's advice,an'don't think of marryin'till yer feel there's somethin'wrong wi'yer inside,fer that's w'ere it ketches yer.""'Ere,'old 'ard!Can't a bloke git a word in edgeways?"Mrs Yabsley stopped,with an odd smile on her face.

Jonah stared at her with a perplexed frown,and then the words came in a rush.

同类推荐
  • 新修往生传

    新修往生传

    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。
  • 佛说大净法门经

    佛说大净法门经

    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。
  • Classic Mystery and Detective Stories

    Classic Mystery and Detective Stories

    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。
  • 东谷赘言

    东谷赘言

    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。
  • 昭觉丈雪醉禅师语录

    昭觉丈雪醉禅师语录

    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。
热门推荐
  • 作弊的三好学生

    作弊的三好学生

    故事会编辑部编著的《作弊的三好学生》是“中国当代故事文学读本”系列丛书之一。本书为“社会写真系列”。《作弊的三好学生》共分,时代·生存篇、诱惑·万象篇、真情·灵魂篇、人生·启示篇等四个模块,其中包括《不合格的应酬替身》、《看看你在做什么》、《作弊的三好学生》、《说不清与查得明》等文章。
  • 守望恒星

    守望恒星

    算起来,这应该就是我的处女作了吧。我想每一位像我一样的作者,从自己平凡的生活中寻找到一丝淡淡的灵感,都不是偶然的,他们是我们最想表达出来东西。而我的灵感便来自我童年的回忆,便引用了我熟知的奥特曼来贯穿这个故事。我是个很喜欢看星星的男孩,不知道茫茫的宇宙中哪里会有我想要的答案。我的童年也很丰富,奥特曼一直陪伴了我18年,直到高中的我有一天终于决心写小说了。我是以奥特曼为故事核心来塑造我这部小说的故事,有借用了奥特曼系列的杰诺奥特曼为我小说的主人公。故事是从主人公在m78星云就幻想过外面的世界,终于有了机会以奥特战士的身份出来历练,结果来到了地球生活着。那些经历是他这一辈子都不会忘记的,野花开在废墟上,孩子们在上面玩耍...这是我的处女作,自己回忆起来还别有趣味的。
  • 七方大陆

    七方大陆

    修习天地之力,以力量和智慧统治一方!离奇的身世,究竟是奴族后人,还是皓月王亲,又或是碧水传人!冰雪青竹,素颜黑衣,俯瞰天下雪峰;竹枝带血,冷目嗜杀,一式险招为名!
  • 双生花

    双生花

    我常常可以听到花开花落的声音,撕心裂肺。我无法描述那是怎样的一种声音,但我可以告诉你它的样子,是一只透明的有些晃眼的玻璃杯,被狠狠地丢在地上,支离破碎。升腾出一片片玫瑰,红得刺眼,美的妖娆。一个声音歇斯底里的呼唤着,我们爱,否则死……
  • 豪门剩女宅妻

    豪门剩女宅妻

    她,二十九岁,大龄剩女一枚,没事就喜欢宅在家里做着一个作者万年不变的事情——码字!他,年轻权贵,风华正茂的骨灰级钻石王老五,XX集团翻手为云覆手为雨的帝国总裁。她觉得自己是站在尘世之外冷眼看这个世界,不相信这个世界还有所谓的真爱。他向来专断独行,喜欢的东西就一定要拥有。……要不是遇上这个天杀的男人,她想,她的生活应该还是一片波澜平静的。要不是遇上这个冰块般的女人,他想,他还真的不知道与生俱来唯我独尊的他,竟然会甘心呆在她手心里做一根草!他给了她无限的特权:“家里的事全都由老婆来做主!”“外面的事老婆想做主也没问题。”“老婆想要做的无条件支持!”“老婆辛苦可以帮忙按摩。”某男想着,要是按到床上去最好了!“要是老婆被人欺负,第一个出去教训人。”“老婆的话都要听!比如什么话听呢?什么都听!”……经过一番战斗终于抱得美人归!“老婆,这么晚了,我们休息吧。”新郎往电脑前真正敲键盘写小说的新娘走去。“没看到我在码字吗?吃饱喝足你不睡觉大晚上的发什么春……啊!干什么?”“大晚上不正是发春的时候吗!”将新娘往肩上一抗,关灯,滚床单!开玩笑,洞房花烛夜不洞房竟然码字,明天让那些出版社都关门大吉!
  • 冷校草霸宠坏丫头

    冷校草霸宠坏丫头

    女流氓晴桑见证了一个事实,那就是:美男不能乱吻,吻了可是要负责的!“喂!你个禽兽,你干嘛要摸我屁股?为嘛要脱我衣服?为嘛要……唔……”晴桑话还未说完嘴巴便被堵住,她这才恍然发觉她调戏的不是美男,纯粹是一个禽兽,但是WHO怕WHO,这是一个流氓校花VS禽兽校草的故事!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 佛系快穿:金手指已到,请签收!

    佛系快穿:金手指已到,请签收!

    文又名#系统她三观超‘症’#顾之初醒来时,在一颗蛋里,她的神情迟疑……良久,她缓缓的戳了下蛋壁,只听“咔嚓——”一声,蛋碎了。顾之初听前辈们说,每个系统的运行不同。比如什么女票系统,逆袭系统,回血系统…可顾之初按照前辈指引的路却一直没成功,反而……后来她是发现,走过最长的路就是前辈们的套路!**顾之初契约第一个宿主时,循循善诱:“你想重生吗?想获得人生巅峰,迎娶白富美吗?”“我饿了。”“……?”当顾之初契约又一个宿主,微笑说:“我有兵书万卷,无敌机甲,古今传奇,你想……”“我是三好青年。”“……”当顾之初契约第n个宿主后,面无表情的道:“我无所不能,你有什么愿望?”“你是什么原理构成,好想研究…”
  • 如花青春似水流年

    如花青春似水流年

    如花美眷,似水流年,回得了过去,回不了当初。苒苒青春年华,不负那相遇韶光。藏在心底那一段情,埋葬在青春里的那一段爱。去就去了,来也不会再来。你走了,我还在等待。下一秒,希望是我们久别重逢。下一刻,希望是我们的春华秋实。
  • 阿拉伯童话16篇(世界传世童话宝库)

    阿拉伯童话16篇(世界传世童话宝库)

    大喊一声“芝麻,开门!”,强盗藏宝的洞门便自动打开了“擦一擦阿拉丁神灯,它就能满足你的任何愿望,”阿拉伯童话以其引人入胜的情节、奇特诡异的想象撑起了一幅幅色彩斑斓的阿拉伯风情画卷,吸引着一代又一代读者走进神秘的世界,体验其中隽永不朽的人生经验和人生智慧!
  • 快穿99次:男神拯救计划

    快穿99次:男神拯救计划

    所有人都知道顾玄烨的逆鳞是叶千千。“顾少,叶小姐想拍电影。”“影视城买下来,让她随便拍。”“儿子,你终于回来看爸妈了”“千千看上了家里这只猫,我拿了猫就走。”“……”“顾少,不好了,叶小姐想上天!”“该死!我宇宙飞船呢!”“顾少,叶小姐要生日了。”顾少沉吟,“这个星球卖多少钱?我买了送她做礼物。”“……”众人皆哭。“叶千千,无论你在世界哪个角落,都是我顾玄烨的妻子,我顾玄烨,会征服整个宇宙,来宠你!”