登陆注册
5382600000045

第45章 CHAPTER IX(4)

I think she enjoys even the little change made by my going and coming.She sits up half the night to read the library books I bring,but she is so stubborn she won't even admit that she touches them.Tell me more about my father.""Wait until I see if I can find the violin."So Elnora went home in suspense,and that night she added to her prayers:"Dear Lord,be merciful to my father,and oh,do help Aunt Margaret to get his violin."Wesley and Billy came in to supper tired and hungry.

Billy ate heartily,but his eyes often rested on a plate of tempting cookies,and when Wesley offered them to the boy he reached for one.Margaret was compelled to explain that cookies were forbidden that night.

"What!"said Wesley."Wrong words been coming again.

Oh Billy,I do wish you could remember!I can't sit and eat cookies before a little boy who has none.

I'll have to put mine back,too."Billy's face twisted in despair.

"Aw go on!"he said gruffly,but his chin was jumping,for Wesley was his idol.

"Can't do it,"said Wesley."It would choke me."Billy turned to Margaret."You make him,"he appealed.

"He can't,Billy,"said Margaret."I know how he feels.

You see,I can't myself."

Then Billy slid from his chair,ran to the couch,buried his face in the pillow and cried heart-brokenly.Wesley hurried to the barn,and Margaret to the kitchen.When the dishes were washed Billy slipped from the back door.

Wesley piling hay into the mangers heard a sound behind him and inquired,"That you,Billy?""Yes,"answered Billy,"and it's all so dark you can't see me now,isn't it?""Well,mighty near,"answered Wesley.

"Then you stoop down and open your mouth."Sinton had shared bites of apple and nuts for weeks,for Billy had not learned how to eat anything without dividing with Jimmy and Belle.Since he had been separated from them,he shared with Wesley and Margaret.So he bent over the boy and received an instalment of cooky that almost choked him.

"Now you can eat it!"shouted Billy in delight.

"It's all dark!I can't see what you're doing at all!"Wesley picked up the small figure and set the boy on the back of a horse to bring his face level so that they could talk as men.He never towered from his height above Billy,but always lifted the little soul when important matters were to be discussed.

"Now what a dandy scheme,"he commented."Did you and Aunt Margaret fix it up?""No.She ain't had hers yet.But I got one for her.

Ist as soon as you eat yours,I am going to take hers,and feed her first time I find her in the dark.""But Billy,where did you get the cookies?You know Aunt Margaret said you were not to have any.""I ist took them,"said Billy,"I didn't take them for me.

I ist took them for you and her."

Wesley thought fast.In the warm darkness of the barn the horses crunched their corn,a rat gnawed at a corner of the granary,and among the rafters the white pigeon cooed a soft sleepy note to his dusky mate.

"Did--did--I steal?"wavered Billy.

Wesley's big hands closed until he almost hurt the boy.

"No!"he said vehemently."That is too big a word.

You made a mistake.You were trying to be a fine little man,but you went at it the wrong way.You only made a mistake.All of us do that,Billy.The world grows that way.When we make mistakes we can see them;that teaches us to be more careful the next time,and so we learn.""How wouldn't it be a mistake?"

"If you had told Aunt Margaret what you wanted to do,and asked her for the cookies she would have given them to you.""But I was 'fraid she wouldn't,and you ist had to have it.""Not if it was wrong for me to have it,Billy.I don't want it that much.""Must I take it back?"

"You think hard,and decide yourself."

"Lift me down,"said Billy,after a silence,"I got to put this in the jar,and tell her."Wesley set the boy on the floor,but as he did so he paused one second and strained him close to his breast.

Margaret sat in her chair sewing;Billy slipped in and crept beside her.The little face was lined with tragedy.

"Why Billy,whatever is the matter?"she cried as she dropped her sewing and held out her arms.Billy stood back.

He gripped his little fists tight and squared his shoulders.

"I got to be shut up in the closet,"he said.

"Oh Billy!What an unlucky day!What have you done now?""I stold!"gulped Billy."He said it was ist a mistake,but it was worser 'an that.I took something you told me I wasn't to have.""Stole!"Margaret was in despair."What,Billy?""Cookies!"answered Billy in equal trouble.

"Billy!"wailed Margaret."How could you?""It was for him and you,"sobbed Billy."He said he couldn't eat it 'fore me,but out in the barn it's all dark and I couldn't see.I thought maybe he could there.

Then we might put out the light and you could have yours.

He said I only made it worse,cos I mustn't take things,so I got to go in the closet.Will you hold me tight a little bit first?He did."Margaret opened her arms and Billy rushed in and clung to her a few seconds,with all the force of his being,then he slipped to the floor and marched to the closet.

Margaret opened the door.Billy gave one glance at the light,clinched his fists and,walking inside,climbed on a box.Margaret closed the door.

Then she sat and listened.Was the air pure enough?

Possibly he might smother.She had read something once.

Was it very dark?What if there should be a mouse in the closet and it should run across his foot and frighten him into spasms.Somewhere she had heard--Margaret leaned forward with tense face and listened.

Something dreadful might happen.She could bear it no longer.She arose hurriedly and opened the door.

Billy was drawn up on the box in a little heap,and he lifted a disapproving face to her.

"Shut that door!"he said."I ain't been in here near long enough yet!"

同类推荐
  • 道德经注

    道德经注

    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。
  • 十二门论

    十二门论

    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。
  • 题陈正字林亭

    题陈正字林亭

    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。
  • 郭公案

    郭公案

    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。
  • 长目电禅师语录

    长目电禅师语录

    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
  • 女帝江山:医手遮天

    女帝江山:医手遮天

    她素有“神医圣手”的美誉,却在最美好的年华陨落。异世重生,刀光剑影,在血雨腥风中被逼迫练就绝世武功。隐匿锋芒,放浪形骸,她自认医术武功无双,从此逍遥江湖,享一世安宁。极品美男纷至沓来,半世癫狂为她敛,半世冰霜因她融。情深似海,生死不弃,终于扣动了她的心弦,宝剑出鞘,谈笑间,取了天下。翻手为云覆手为雨,而她眼底并无江山如画,只为他们留一方宁土,共赴一世情长!(同类型新文《公主霸气:驸马,滚回来》免费连载中,拜托大家多多支持,热烈期待你们的点评)
  • 三岁偶像

    三岁偶像

    当红明星小鲜肉×电子竞技职业选手顾宁只是回母校参加了150年校庆而已啊!怎么就带了块儿“狗皮膏药回来”!?萧奕翰他不是偶像吗,他不在意在粉丝面前的形象吗!?“小姐姐,小姐姐,和我恋爱吗?我超好的唉~”别和我说话,我想静静,别问我静静是谁!“不可以哦,除了我你谁都不能想!”直到最后顾宁才发现,萧奕翰,原来我和你,是命中的注定。
  • 亡者童眼:大头娃娃,凶画诡事录(新惊魂六计)

    亡者童眼:大头娃娃,凶画诡事录(新惊魂六计)

    汇集当前都市公寓最可怕、最扑朔迷离的故事,不到最后一秒,你一定无法知晓真相。瞧,游走在噩梦边缘,令人窒息的惧意正在蔓延着……夜半三更,谁的高跟鞋在雾巷阁楼响起?扎纸刘、定风猴、血风扇、财神咒……谁在谋杀我们的似水年华?凶画降临,所有诡事绘出人间丑恶。
  • 您的萌兽请签收

    您的萌兽请签收

    梦尊身为一个万年老妖,终于找到等待了五万年的师傅师兄师姐们了。本以为这次可以翻身做主,从团宠变成宗门的大佬,却不想……大师兄:二十岁就接受家族企业并将其发扬光大,可以一手遮天的芝麻馅龟毛霸道总裁。二师兄:天天绯闻不断,万花丛中过的逗比影帝。三师姐:杀手榜上的No1。……看着在各行各业大放异彩的诸位大佬们,梦尊表示你家长注定还是你家长。看着瑟瑟发抖的小徒弟,一代宗师玄风漏出了慈(jian)祥(zha)的笑容“乖,你的和我的师兄师姐们都太能干了,咱们当个米虫就好。”
  • 三点钟

    三点钟

    康奈尔·伍尔里奇(ComellWoolrich):1903年生于纽约市。19世纪20年代,他在哥伦比亚大学时开始创作小说。并于30年代至40年代与雷蒙德·钱德勒以及詹姆士·M·凯恩一起成为“黑色体裁”小说的创始人之一。写出了如《后窗》、《我嫁给了一个死人》之类被称为“黑色系列”的经典悬念小说。他的作品被后人大量改编成电影,其中最有名的是希区柯克的《后窗》和楚孚的《黑衣新娘》。康奈尔·伍尔里奇于1968年酗酒过度而去世。她为自己签署了死亡执行令。他一遍又一遍地对自己说,这事不能怪他,她是咎由自取。他从没见过那个男人。
  • 龙太子的初恋:炼丹废柴女

    龙太子的初恋:炼丹废柴女

    炼丹天才叶清语被逼落悬崖,重生成了被未婚夫陷害致死的凤家废柴九天离火鼎在手,废柴秒变天才。从此治渣男,乱乾坤,重现九天之路。重生一次,她原本只为复仇但意外捡到的小正太为毛突然变成了英俊男子?他还说他是什么龙皇,死缠烂打非要娶他?“娶本姑娘是吧?可以,先去排队吧!诺,这是你的号码牌,大概是一千三百号,你一定要慢慢等哦。”凤无双笑靥如花。
  • 舞之邪

    舞之邪

    俗话说“雷不劈好人。”下面这位人物不知道算不算是特殊的。女大学生林晓舞为赴帅哥约会,顶着下雨之天出去了,本想来个浪漫的约会,可惜老天不给面子,惊雷一声,我们还没来得及和帅哥好好说句话的林晓舞,竟然被雷给华丽丽的劈死了,醒来后,发现自己重生于一个未知的时空。而且自己还变成了一个婴儿,林晓舞很是郁闷,自己可是绝对的乖宝宝,怎么会遭雷劈?怎么会呢?好吧,有时候是有点小坏,呜呜......可是也不至于遭雷劈吧,我不就是花痴一点吗?我不就是没事整整我那个后妈吗?我不就是逃逃课吗?我不就是看不过眼的时候,适当的伸张一下“正义”吗?至于被雷劈吗?算了甩甩眼泪,就勉强活一下吧。想知道重生后的,林晓舞是怎样勉强活一下的吗?还等什么?快点击《舞之邪》吧。
  • 薄媚·恋香衾

    薄媚·恋香衾

    她曾依在他的怀里嗔怪,他不是好人。他轻笑。好人能登得上九五至尊的宝座?好人能守得住权斗漩涡里他和她的幸福?天下虽大,人的心更大。再大的天下,填不满一颗人心。所幸他有她,她有他。他们信守誓诺,一切完满。可午夜梦回,蓦然惊起,伊人却手持利剑,破开千军万马,刺心而来……
  • 胭脂铁马冰河入梦

    胭脂铁马冰河入梦

    苏各,你要活下去!在这兵荒马乱、毫不熟悉的异世界,你没有理由放弃!因为,我还在现实中等着你……各儿,你走吧!往生门我已替你关上,我凡青此生都不会再开启它!小庄,我与你拜过天地,行过六礼。即便是死,碑上刻的只会是……庄苏氏……
  • 专宠呆萌小甜心

    专宠呆萌小甜心

    那晚,韩筱筱一不小心被人灌醉进错了房间上错了床,没想到却招惹到了一只沉睡的恶魔,还被夺走了初吻。被迫与恶魔绑定了契约关系,由“契约女仆”变成了“契约未婚妻”,从此两人的关系牵扯不清。“冷墨希我受够你了,我要解除契约。”韩筱筱终于忍无可忍的爆发了。“我们契约开始与结束,只有我说的算,是你先招惹我的。”冷墨希嘴角露出邪魅的笑容,游戏才刚刚开始而已。(甜甜甜,宠宠宠)