登陆注册
5382600000104

第104章 CHAPTER XXII(3)

"You lovely,lovely,darling girl!"she cried,throwing her arms around Elnora and kissing her.With her lips close Elnora's ear,Polly whispered,"Sister!Dear,dear sister!"Elnora drew back,staring at Polly in confused amazement.

She was a beautiful girl,her eyes were sparkling and dancing,and as she turned to make way for the others,she kept one of Elnora's hands in hers.Polly would have dropped dead in that instant if Edith Carr could have killed with a look,for not until then did she realize that Polly would even many a slight,and that it had been a great mistake to bring her.

Edith bowed low,muttered something and touched Elnora's fingers.Tom took his cue from Polly.

"I always follow a good example,"he said,and before any one could divine his intention he kissed Elnora as he gripped her hand and cried:"Mighty glad to meet you!

Like to meet you a dozen times a day,you know!"Elnora laughed and her heart pumped smoothly.They had accomplished their purpose.They had let her know they were there through compulsion,but on her side.In that instant only pity was in Elnora's breast for the flashing dark beauty,standing with smiling face while her heart must have been filled with exceeding bitterness.

Elnora stepped back from the entrance.

"Come into the shade,"she urged."You must have found it warm on these country roads.Won't you lay aside your dust-coats and have a cool drink?Philip,would you ask mother to come,and bring that pitcher from the spring house?"They entered the arbour exclaiming at the dim,green coolness.

There was plenty of room and wide seats around the sides,a table in the centre,on which lay a piece of embroidery,magazines,books,the moth apparatus,and the cyanide jar containing several specimens.Polly rejoiced in the cooling shade,slipped off her duster,removed her hat,rumpled her pretty hair and seated herself to indulge in the delightful occupation of paying off old scores.

Tom Levering followed her example.Edith took a seat but refused to remove her hat and coat,while Henderson stood in the entrance.

"There goes something with wings!Should you have that?"cried Levering.

He seized a net from the table and raced across the garden after a butterfly.He caught it and came back mightily pleased with himself.As the creature struggled in the net,Elnora noted a repulsed look on Edith Carr's face.

Levering helped the situation beautifully.

"Now what have I got?"he demanded."Is it just a common one that every one knows and you don't keep,or is it the rarest bird off the perch?""You must have had practice,you took that so perfectly,"said Elnora."I am sorry,but it is quite common and not of a kind I keep.Suppose all of you see how beautiful it is and then it may go nectar hunting again."She held the butterfly where all of them could see,showed its upper and under wing colours,answered Polly's questions as to what it ate,how long it lived,and how it died.Then she put it into Polly's hand saying:"Stand there in the light and loosen your hold slowly and easily."Elnora caught a brush from the table and began softly stroking the creature's sides and wings.Delighted with the sensation the butterfly opened and closed its wings,clinging to Polly's soft little fingers,while every one cried out in surprise.Elnora laid aside the brush,and the butterfly sailed away.

"Why,you are a wizard!You charm them!"marvelled Levering.

"I learned that from the Bird Woman,"said Elnora.

"She takes soft brushes and coaxes butterflies and moths into the positions she wants for the illustrations of a book she is writing.I have helped her often.Most of the rare ones I find go to her.""Then you don't keep all you take?"questioned Levering.

"Oh,dear,no!"cried Elnora."Not a tenth!For myself,a pair of each kind to use in illustrating the lectures Igive in the city schools in the winter,and one pair for each collection I make.One might as well keep the big night moths of June,for they only live four or five days anyway.

For the Bird Woman,I only save rare ones she has not yet secured.

Sometimes I think it is cruel to take such creatures from freedom,even for an hour,but it is the only way to teach the masses of people how to distinguish the pests they should destroy,from the harmless ones of great beauty.

Here comes mother with something cool to drink."Mrs.Comstock came deliberately,talking to Philip as she approached.Elnora gave her one searching look,but could discover only an extreme brightness of eye to denote any unusual feeling.She wore one of her lavender dresses,while her snowy hair was high piled.She had taken care of her complexion,and her face had grown fuller during the winter.She might have been any one's mother with pride,and she was perfectly at ease.

Polly instantly went to her and held up her face to be kissed.

Mrs.Comstock's eyes twinkled and she made the greeting hearty.

The drink was compounded of the juices of oranges and berries from the garden.It was cool enough to frost glasses and pitcher and delicious to dusty tired travellers.

Soon the pitcher was empty,and Elnora picked it up and went to refill it.While she was gone Henderson asked Philip about some trouble he was having with his car.

They went to the woods and began a minute examination to find a defect which did not exist.Polly and Levering were having an animated conversation with Mrs.Comstock.

Henderson saw Edith arise,follow the garden path next the woods and stand waiting under the willow which Elnora would pass on her return.It was for that meeting he had made the trip.He got down on the ground,tore up the car,worked,asked for help,and kept Philip busy screwing bolts and applying the oil can.All the time Henderson kept an eye on Edith and Elnora under the willow.

But he took pains to lay the work he asked Philip to do where that scene would be out of his sight.When Elnora came around the corner with the pitcher,she found herself facing Edith Carr.

"I want a minute with you,"said Miss Carr.

同类推荐
  • The Inca of Perusalem

    The Inca of Perusalem

    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。
  • Cambridge Neighbors

    Cambridge Neighbors

    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。
  • 旧京琐记

    旧京琐记

    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。
  • 宋词三百首

    宋词三百首

    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。
  • 溪山琴况

    溪山琴况

    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
  • 冰山校花有点难撩

    冰山校花有点难撩

    开学第一天就和女神表白?贫穷的他,高高在上的她!如果不是那一个缘分的雨天,他们也不会相识!是缘分的牵绊?还是命运的捉弄?只有经过孤独的世界,才会体会到相爱的艰难!身份之间的巨大差距,注定我们有缘无份
  • 首席错婚

    首席错婚

    四年前,她在大火里抛弃他而去,四年后,他浴火重生归来强势来到她的身边,发誓要狠狠折磨她,报复她当年把他抛弃下。"你到底想干什么?"她对他的靠近既欢喜,又害怕这是他的复仇。"我想,蹂躏你!"他的回答模糊不清,一如他的真心。她却还是忍不住靠近了,然而另外一个女人的介入让她终于明白,这只是他的报复,可是她想抽身却已经来不及,哥哥被害,她被迫背井离乡的屈辱,让她无法就这么释怀......
  • 娇滴小娘子

    娇滴小娘子

    梁可仪为了减轻家庭负担,决定弃学工作,她甚至连大学毕业证都没拿就闯进了社会。她天生比较幸运,在面试时,竟然被她蒙混过关,那里人才辈出,偏偏轮到她面试时却像传说中的‘如有神助’般顺利进入集团。直接将她从分公司调到总公司,这是很多分公司女人想不到的事情,她们天天盼望有朝一日可以接近这个‘白金’单身汉,却被梁可仪无意中得到,可是羡慕死那把为了大老板守身如玉的老姑婆了。这么出色的员工,加上梁可仪本来就长得出色,很快身边就围满了狂蜂浪蝶,更要命的是与古旭文拥有同样身家与势力的好友范德生也看中了这个可爱迷人的小女人,愿意娶她为妻。可是看到古旭文身边围着那么多环肥燕瘦的女人,她的心里很不是滋味,她有想过辞职的,可是又下不了手,终于人的忍耐是有限的,她也会发火,也会表示不满,也有埋怨,她决定不再等下去了,死就死吧,向他表白完毕如果他不接受,那她就自动离职好了。
  • 万劫成道

    万劫成道

    封神量劫期间,青帝竟然被偷袭而入轮回,哪怕一元会都未曾再次觉醒。当他再次轮回到一个叫百兵大陆的小世界时,懵懵懂懂了近百年,在武祖的帮助下恢复了记忆。飞升回洪荒,他竟然发现这个洪荒与他的记忆迥然不同。“这是怎么回事?”“你上网搜下不就知道了。”“叮,伏羲请求添加您为好友!”……又一个量劫开启,他将历万劫而成道!
  • 当太阳不再以光头的姿态奔走

    当太阳不再以光头的姿态奔走

    当太阳不再以光头的姿态汗漉漉地奔走在天空,田野的风变得英姿飒爽时,故乡的秋天就豪迈而至了。仿佛一个拨浪鼓声声的货郎,脚步悠扬地行走在乡间大道上。那豪迈的身影,洋溢着谷物成熟的蓬勃色彩,给故乡带来了金色的收获,也带来了人欢马叫的繁忙。耕耘的锄头被悬挂起来,闲置的镰刀开始闪闪发亮。尽管20多年过去了,我站在城市的高楼上,回望故乡的秋天时,仍能感受到那忙碌的生动气息。就像站在一个阳光照耀的码头上,而故乡的秋天是一条嘹亮的大河。在我茂盛的记忆里,故乡之秋到来的繁忙,每次都表现得十分固执,它像在讲述一个遥远的故事,感觉始终是从老屋开始的。
  • 混沌紫霄诀

    混沌紫霄诀

    年少时,自己亲身父母弃之不顾,兄弟被杀,可又得到一座逆天小塔。悲鸣深渊中立誓,我要这天,再遮不住我的眼,要这地,埋不了我的心,要这众生,都明白我意,要那诸神,都烟消云散!
  • 帝临诸天

    帝临诸天

    [穿梭爽文]:新书《万界主宰系统》踏星辰、踩日月,一剑寒光耀九州!偶获系统,穿梭各个位面,掠夺主角机缘,女人,资源,誓要做那至高无上的主宰!“诸天万界,谁主沉浮,这里,我才是主角!”
  • 靠制度管人,不靠人管人

    靠制度管人,不靠人管人

    马云曾经说过,没有好的制度,这是公司的灾难。由此可见制度化管理对于一个团队是何等的重要。一个企业,应当依“规”管理,做到有“规”可依、有“规”必依。人管人,总是有漏洞可循,因为人是有弱点、有感情的。企业内部有一套运行得当的规章制度,是一个有生命力的团队的基本特征。若是没有一个健全的制度来规范人的行为,那么,这个团队便会成为缺乏凝聚力与执行力的一盘散沙。本书从如何选拔人才、培育人才、使用人才、留住人才、精细化管理等企业管理所面临的具体问题入手,提供了一套切实可行的方法,让读者明白了“为什么”之后,更懂得“怎么做”。极具实用性和操作性。
  • 雪城(全集)

    雪城(全集)

    本书述说的是二十余万知青返城后的故事,是他们在又一次失落之后的艰难寻觅:主人公姚玉慧的父亲是现任市长,其母是旅游局局长,她有舒适的家却不贪安逸,要以自己的能力找工作;顶替未婚夫王志松病退返城的徐淑芳,父亲去世后被母亲赶出家门,刚要和困难中相助的郭立强结婚,王志松又抬来花圈“贺喜”;当年名噪兵团的金嗓子刘大文此时只能以卖香烟为生……本书真实、动人地展现了当年北大荒知青的痛苦与欢乐、求索与理想,充满激情地礼赞了他们在逆境中所表现的美好心灵与情操。
  • 狼孩历险记(语文新课标课外读物)

    狼孩历险记(语文新课标课外读物)

    现代中、小学生不能只局限于校园和课本,应该广开视野,广长见识,广泛了解博大的世界和社会,不断增加丰富的现代社会知识和世界信息,才有所精神准备,才能迅速地长大,将来才能够自由地翱翔于世界蓝天。否则,我们将永远是妈妈怀抱中的乖宝宝,将永远是温室里面的豆芽菜,那么,我们将怎样走向社会、走向世界呢?