登陆注册
5297800000042

第42章 A Revelation.(3)

"Hollo!"cried that gentleman,looking around with a great show of savagery,as the little girl pulled the skirt of his coat to attract his attention;"where's King Herod?""We wish to try another method with the children,"answered Miss Burton."Will it please you therefore graciously to read the petition.All in the parlor have assented.""My goodness gracious---"

"No swearing,sir,if you please."

"Woman has been too many for man ever since she got him into trouble by eating green apples,"ejaculated Mr.Burleigh with a despairing gesture."Why do you mock me with petitions?THERE is the power behind the throne,"pointing to Miss Burton.

"Take your places,small ladies and gentlemen,"she cried."That's Mr.Burleigh's way of saying yes.While you are forming,I'll play a few bars to give you the time."Did she bewitch the piano that it responded so wonderfully to her touch?Where had she found such quaint,dainty music,simple as the old-fashioned dance itself,so that the little ones could keep time to it,and yet pleasing Van Berg's fastidious ear with its unhackneyed and refined melody.But the marked and marvellous feature in her playing was an airy rolicksomeness that was as irresistible as a panic.Old ladies'heads began to bob over their fancy work most absurdly.Two quartets of elderly gentlemen at whist were evidently beginning to play badly,their feet meantime tapping the floor in a most unwonted manner.

"Were I as dead as Julius Caesar I could not resist that quickstep,"cried Stanton;and he rushed over to his aunt,Mrs.Mayhew,and dragged her into line.

"What in the name of all the witches of Salem has got into that piano!"cried Mr.Burleigh,bursting into the parlor from the office,with his pen stuck behind his ear,and his hair brushed up perpendicularly."There's sorcery in the air.I'm practised upon--Keep still?No,not if I was nailed up in one of the soldier's 'wooden overcoats.'The world is transformed,transfigured,transmogrified,and 'things are not what they seem!'Here's a blooming girl who'll dance with me,"and he seized the hand of a white-haired old lady who yielded to the contagion so far as to take a place in the line beside her granddaughter.

Indeed,in a few moments,all who had been familiar with the pastime in their youth,caught the joyous infection,and lengthened out the lines,each new accession being greeted with shouts and laughter.

The scene approached in character that described by Hawthorne as occurring in the grounds of the Villa Borghese when Donatello,with a simple "tambourine,"produced music of such "indescribably potency"that sallow,haggard,half-starved peasants,French soldiers,scarlet-costumed contadinas,Swiss guards,German artists,English lords,and herdsmen from the Campagna,all "joined hands in the dance"which the musician himself led with the frisky,frolicsome step of the mythical faun.

同类推荐
  • 观物外篇

    观物外篇

    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。
  • 依楞严究竟事忏

    依楞严究竟事忏

    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。
  • Areopagitica

    Areopagitica

    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。
  • 醒园录

    醒园录

    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。
  • 紫庭内秘诀修行法

    紫庭内秘诀修行法

    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
  • 大方广佛华严经疏卷

    大方广佛华严经疏卷

    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。
  • 最有意义的生活

    最有意义的生活

    本书是许佳第二部重量级的长篇小说,是青春小说中的珍品,在人心浮躁、越来越多的年轻作者为了博取名利而写作的今天,能读到这样的作品令人心清气爽,这部作品郭敬明非常喜爱,相信也会受到年轻读者的欢迎。无数老读者选择将《最有意义的生活》带在身边,众多新读者辗转寻找。
  • 网游之男神在隔壁

    网游之男神在隔壁

    她在众高手中潜伏,就是为了得到一株神药,冲击最后一关!然而……天杀的!你个用鞭子的软绵绵,竟然当老娘的面抢宝物!看我不抓烂你的脸!3分钟后,软绵绵踢飞了她……趴在地上的她发誓!此仇不报非君子!当不了君子,就当搞偷袭的小人!你抢我神药,就要用一辈子偿还!
  • 金多多财会日记:精通建账做账的28个秘诀

    金多多财会日记:精通建账做账的28个秘诀

    金多多,从一本院校财经科班出身,也考过了几门CPA,拥有了初级会计职称.多多上班的单位是成都市一家小有名气的会计师事务所,在成都市属于中上水平。《金多多财会日记:精通建账做账的28个秘决》通过多多的工作实践,传授看懂和分析资产负债表、利润表、现金流量表等财务报表的28个绝招。
  • 少女小渔

    少女小渔

    张艾嘉执导同名电影,著名导演李安监制,刘若英倾情主演。在严歌苓的诸多作品中,中短篇小说是极其重要的组成部分,《少女小渔》集结了严歌苓所创作12个精彩的“海那边的故事”:《少女小渔》《红罗裙》《海那边》《抢劫犯查理和我》《风筝歌》《失眠人的艳遇》《吴川是个黄女孩》《茉莉的最后一日》《拉斯维加斯的谜语》《青柠檬色的鸟》《女房东》《密语者》。主打篇目《少女小渔》,讲述了江伟和女朋友小渔,千里迢迢从中国大陆来到纽约。由于无法取得居留权,小渔在唐人街当非法劳工。江伟也是以学生身份来美,半工半读,为了摆脱困苦的生活,他被迫安排小渔与年届六十的意大利老头Mario假结婚,希望让她取得绿卡。
  • The Call of the Wild

    The Call of the Wild

    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。
  • 蜜宠100分:男神老公求攻略

    蜜宠100分:男神老公求攻略

    陪姐妹去相亲,自己莫名被睡,睡了就睡了对方居然是渣渣前男友,而且这是这么回事,都已经分手三年了居然还来缠着她不放?她还是先逃,男人却追着她不放。她避他如蛇蝎,他在她身上却乐的自在,谁叫这女人是他从小宠着长大的呢,从她生下来就注定她是他一个人的。
  • 资治通鉴(最爱读国学系列)

    资治通鉴(最爱读国学系列)

    《最爱读国学系列(第2辑):资治通鉴》是北宋著名史学家、政治家司马光及其助手刘攽、刘恕、范祖禹、司马康等人历时19年编纂的一部史学巨著。全书按时间先后顺序记叙了从周威烈王二十三年(公元前403年)到后周显德六年(公元959年)为止,即“上起战国,下终五代”共1362年的历史,是我国第一部编年体通史。全书共354卷,约300多万字。其中尤以隋唐五代为重心,占了全书内容的五分之二,是书中最具价值的部分。
  • 军统起义第一将

    军统起义第一将

    1948年12月,解放军完成对北平的包围,按既定方针取“逼和”战略,北平守将傅作义正在犹豫徬徨,古城形势微妙。敌我双方特工人员展开了一场颇具神秘色彩的秘密战。军统局北平站少将站长王蒲臣,早被共产党城工部的敌工人员搞得焦头烂额,现在又要腾出手来防范傅作义投降,他已深感心力交瘁,但戴老板多年栽培,使他在这种风雨飘摇的时候,尚不缺乏必要的信心与决心,他牢记领袖的教诲:不成功则成仁。要在这关键时刻一显身手。
  • 王

    他是王的儿子,却在将军府长大;他是将军的儿子,却被抱入王宫,成为王位的继承人。是怎样的错乱,怎样的离合,让他们面对不同的人生道路的抉择。面对至高无上的权力与最荣耀的尊位,面对心爱的人,他们又该何去何从?作品以战国诸侯争霸为背景,讲述着征战、宫斗、寻爱等悲欢离合的故事。本书为第一届海峡两岸网络原创文学大赛入围作品。