登陆注册
5362100000012

第12章

"Have I done anything, Barney?" said the younger boy, his dismay showing in his tone.

"No, no, Dick, boy, it has nothing to do with you." He put his hands on his brother's shoulders, the nearest thing to an embrace he ever allowed himself. "It is in myself; but to you, my boy, I am the same." His speech came now hurriedly and with difficulty:

"And whatever comes to me or to you, Dick, remember I shall never change to you--remember that, Dick, to you I shall never change."

His breath was coming in quick gasps. The younger boy gazed at his usually so undemonstrative brother. Suddenly he threw his arms about his neck, crying in a broken voice, "You won't, Barney, I know you won't. If you ever do I don't want to live."

For a single moment Barney held the boy in his arms, patting his shoulder gently, then, pushing him back, said impatiently, "Well, I am a blamed old fool, anyway. What in the diggins is the matter with me, I don't know. I guess I want supper, nothing to eat since noon. But all the same, Dick," he added in a steady, matter-of-fact tone, "we must expect many changes from this out, but we'll stand by each other till the world cracks."

After Dick had gone upstairs with his father, Barney and his mother sat together talking over the doings of the day after their invariable custom.

"He is looking thin, I am thinking," said the mother.

"Oh, he's right enough. A few days after the reaper and a few meals out of your kitchen, mother, and he will be as fit as ever."

"That was a fine work of yours with the doctor." The indifferent tone did not deceive her son for a moment.

"Oh, pshaw, that was nothing. At least it seemed nothing then.

There were things to be done, blood to be stopped, skin to be sewed up, and I just did what I could." The mother nodded slightly.

"You did no more than you ought, and that great Tom Magee might be doing something better than lying on his back on the floor like a baby."

"He couldn't help himself, mother. That's the way it struck him.

But, man, it was fine to see the doctor, so quick and so clever, and never a slip or a stop." He paused abruptly and stood upright looking far away for some moments. "Yes, fine! Splendid!" he continued as in a dream. "And he said I had the fingers and the nerve for a surgeon. That's it. I see now--mother, I'm going to be a doctor."

His mother stood and faced him. "A doctor? You?"

The sharp tone recalled her son.

"Yes, me. Why not?"

"And Richard?"

Her son understood her perfectly. His mind went back to a morning long ago when his mother, putting his younger brother's hand in his as they set forth to school for the first time, said, "Take care of your brother, Bernard. I give him into your charge." That very day and many a day after he had stood by his brother, had fought for him, had pulled him out of scraps into which the younger lad's fiery temper and reckless spirit were frequently plunging him, but never once had he consciously failed in the trust imposed on him.

And as Dick developed exceptional brilliance in his school work, together they planned for him, the mother and the older brother, the mother painfully making and saving, the brother accepting as his part the life of plodding obscurity in order that the younger boy might have his full chance of what school and college could do for him. True to the best traditions of her race, the mother had fondly dreamed of a day when she should hear from her son's lips the word of life. With never a thought of the sacrifice she was demanding, she had drawn into this partnership her elder son. And thus to the mother it seemed nothing less than an act of treachery, amounting to sacrilege, that Barney for a single moment should cherish for himself an ambition whose realisation might imperil his brother's future. Barney needed, therefore, no explanation of his mother's cry of dismay, almost of horror. He was quick with his answer.

"Dick? Oh, mother, do you think I was forgetting Dick? Of course nothing must stop Dick. I can wait--but I am going to be a doctor."

The mother looked into her son's rugged face, so like her own in its firm lines, and replied almost grudgingly, "Ay, I doubt you will." Then she added hastily, as if conscious of her ungracious tone, "And what for should you not?"

"Thank you, mother," said her son humbly, "and never fear we'll stand by Dick."

Her eyes followed him out of the room and for some moments she stood watching the door through which he had passed. Then, with a great sigh, she said aloud: "Ay, it is the grand doctor he will make. He has the nerve and the fingers whatever." Then after a pause she added: "And he will not fail the laddie, I warrant."

同类推荐
  • 论语学案

    论语学案

    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。
  • 一诚斋诗存

    一诚斋诗存

    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。
  • 七夕

    七夕

    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。
  • 北斗七星护摩法

    北斗七星护摩法

    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。
  • 持世经

    持世经

    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
  • 岁序总考全集

    岁序总考全集

    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。
  • 凤破仙途

    凤破仙途

    楼歆穿越了,但是她的心情却是十分的不好,为毛别人穿越不是公主王妃,就是大小姐?她却是一个孤苦无依的,即将沦为口粮的农女!???等等!事情的发展好像有些不对劲?“姑娘,我看你骨骼惊奇,同我们一起去修仙吧!”喵喵喵?修仙?啥玩意?你开玩笑吗?然,这并不是在开玩笑。至此,她开始踏上了那天充满了艰难险阻的漫漫仙途之路!登仙路,无情道,逆天命,求长生。大道三千,天道无情,天不怜人,人需自强。漫漫的修真之路,吾将上下而求索!
  • 绝世仙罗

    绝世仙罗

    大道无情,仙者有意。佛魔隐现,诡计无边……地球商人风扬斩断尘缘,被师尊接引至荧惑星,开启了闯荡仙佛大干世界的传奇人生,走上了一条追逐永生的大道。风扬一路结识朋友,凭借自身机缘闯过各种险境,最终站在宇宙金字塔的巅峰。无尽的宇宙无奇不有,为了逍遥长生,纵死无悔的逐仙者们和天地斗,历无边劫难,于茫茫人世之中找寻逆天改命的机缘。绝世大能虚空遨游星际,穿梭于六界之中,恐怖的仙法可以焚烧星球,上古仙宝可以摧毁虚空。强大的圣兽可以掀起星河谁能续接仙路,演绎一卷壮丽的逐仙史诗,一切尽在石子狂徒著的《绝世仙罗》……
  • 神秘的厨子

    神秘的厨子

    张大奎是个极其细致周密的人,他早已利用查修管道的机会,把这里的管道口与不远处的下水道连接上了。就在他和魏国杰一起把木箱顺下来的时候,负责埋伏在下水道里接应的是肉铺掌柜,他带人迅速把上面顺下来的木箱一一运走。当张大奎跳下来的时候,就听到地面上传来了爆炸声,他的眼泪立刻就流了下来,张大奎知道此时的战友魏国杰凶多吉少,他心里一阵难过……
  • 本宫专治各种不服

    本宫专治各种不服

    赵平安深深觉得,老天让她先穿越后重生,还附赠了一份神秘大礼,肯定是想让她有不同的活法。所以上辈子腥风血雨,这一生干脆就过简(yin)单(xian)粗(jiao)暴(zha)吧。你有病吗?我有药啊。跟本公主对着干?呵呵,那就没药了。朗如星月的花三郎,长腿媚眼的楼大掌柜,还有某个黝黑健美小王子,上辈子我到底嫁给谁了?啊?还有别人!难道本公主还养了面首吗?都憋理我,让我静静……
  • 恶魔大小姐归来

    恶魔大小姐归来

    【新书:女主她每天都活在修罗场】她是复仇而来的恶魔大小姐,他是自立为王的帝国霸主。她不要爱,摒弃情,只为了让上一世抛她、弃她、害她之人,不得善终,报血海深仇!虐渣妹,手撕渣爹,怒踩渣男,以牙还牙,以眼还眼。他身份成谜,怜她、护她、爱她,只为了儿时的那一缕温暖。他冰冷无情,强势霸道,却总将她逼至墙角,对她说:“女人,你只能属于我。”
  • 遇见星晴遇见你

    遇见星晴遇见你

    一见钟情的喜欢,是我的幸运,还是你的眷恋?那些感情,似花娇,比阳烈。那么善良的我们,一定是最幸福的吧!
  • 中国当代文学经典必读:2013中篇小说卷

    中国当代文学经典必读:2013中篇小说卷

    本书收录了2013年中篇小说卷。文学的经典化过程,既是一个历史化的过程,又更是一个当代化的过程。文学的经典化时时刻刻都在进行着,它需要当代人的积极参与和实践。文学的经典不是由某一个“权威”命名的,而是由一个时代所有的阅读者共同命名的,可以说,每一个阅读者都是一个命名者,他都有命名的“权力”。
  • 叫魂者

    叫魂者

    叫魂:亦称“喊惊”、“喊魂”等。旧时汉族信仰民俗。流行于全国大多数地区。古代认为,人有疾病将死,魂魄离散,须招魂以复其精神,延其年寿,因而有“招魂”之俗。这世上藏匿了太多秘密,所谓秘密,就是已经发生但永远不会让你知道的事情……
  • 赠别前蔚州契苾使君

    赠别前蔚州契苾使君

    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。