登陆注册
5392600000058

第58章

"I am beginning to like it very much.At first I thought it very dull, but now I am getting acquainted.""There are few cottagers and summer people here.But in Harniss there is a large colony.Very nice people, I believe.""Yes, I have met some of them.But it was not the summer people Imeant.I am beginning to know the townspeople and to like some of them.I met that delightful old Captain Warren the other day.""He is as good as they make."

"Indeed he is.And I had an interview with another captain, Miss Dean's father, yesterday.We had an interesting encounter.""So I should imagine.Captain Jed! Whew! It MUST have been interesting.""It was.Oh, we were very fierce at first--at least he was, and Ifought for my side as hard as I could.He said Father was a selfish pig for wanting to close the Lane, and I said it was because of its use by the pigs that he wished to close it.""Ha! ha! How did it end?"

"Oh, we agreed to disagree.I respect Captain Dean for his fight;but Father will win, of course.He always does.""He won't win this time, Miss Colton."

"Why not? Oh, I actually forgot I was talking to the head and front of the opposition.So you think he will not win, Mr.Paine?""I am sure of it.He cannot close that Lane until I sell it, and Ishall not sell."

She regarded me thoughtfully, her chin upon her hand.

"It would be odd if he should not, after all," she said."He prides himself on having his own way.It would be strange if he should be beaten down here, after winning so often in New York.

Your mother told me something of your feeling in the matter, Mr.

Paine.Father has offered you a good price for the land, hasn't he?""He has offered me a dozen times what it is worth.""Yes.He does not count money when he has set his heart upon anything.And you refused?""Yes."

"But Nellie Dean says the town also wished to buy and you refused its offer, too.""Yes."

"You don't seem to care for money, either, Mr.Paine.Are all Cape Cod people so unmercenary? Or is it that you all have money enough--...Pardon me.That was impolite.I spoke without thinking.""Oh, never mind.I am not sensitive--on that point, at least.""But I do mind.And I am sorry I said it.And I should like to understand.I see why the townspeople do not want the Lane closed.

But you have not lived here always.Only a few years, so Miss Dean says.She said, too, that that Mr.Taylor, the cashier, was almost the only intimate friend you have made since you came.Others would like to be friendly, but you will not permit them to be.

And, yet for these people, mere acquaintances, you are sacrificing what Father would call a profitable deal.""Not altogether for them.I can't explain my feeling exactly.Iknow only that to sell them out and make money--and heaven knows Ineed money--at their expense seems to me dead wrong.""Then why don't you sell to THEM?"

"I don't know.Unless it was because to refuse your father's offer and accept a lower one seemed a mean trick, too.And I won't be bullied into selling to anyone.I guess that is it, as much as anything.""My! how stubborn you must be."

"I don't know why I have preached this sermon to you, Miss Colton.

your sympathies in the fight are with your father, naturally.""Oh, no, they are not."

I almost dropped the rod.

"Not--with--" I repeated.

"Not altogether.They are with you, just at present.If you had sold--if you had given in to Father, feeling as you do, I should not have any sympathy with you at all.As it is--""As it is?" I asked eagerly--too eagerly.I should have done better to pretend indifference.

"As it is," she answered, lightly, "I respect you as I would any sincere fighter for a losing cause.And I shall probably feel some sympathy for you after the cause is lost.Excuse my breaking in on your sermon, provided it is not finished, but--I think you have a bite, Mr.Paine."I had, very much of a bite.The minnow on my hook had been forgotten and allowed to sink to the bottom, and a big pout had swallowed it, along with the hook and a section of line.I dragged the creature out of the water and performed a surgical operation, resulting in the recovery of my tackle.

"There!" I exclaimed, in disgust."I think I have had enough fishing for one day.Suppose we call it off.Unless you would like to try, Miss Colton."I made the offer by way of a joke.She accepted it instantly.

"May I?" she cried, eagerly."I have been dying to ever since Icame.

"But--but you will get wet."

"No matter.This is an old suit."

It did not look old to my countrified eyes, but I protested no more.There was a rock a little below where we then were, one of the typical glacial boulders of the Cape--lying just at the edge of the water and projecting out into it.I helped her up on to this rock and baited her hook with shrimp.

"Shall I cast for you?" I asked.

"No indeed.I can do it, thank you."

She did, and did it well.Moreover, the line had scarcely straightened out in the water when it was savagely jerked, the pole bent into a half-circle, and out of the foaming eddy beneath its tip leaped the biggest bass I had seen that day, or in that pond on any day.

"By George!" I exclaimed."Can you handle him? Shall I--"She did not look at me, but I received my orders, nevertheless.

"Please don't! Keep away!" she said sharply.

For nearly fifteen minutes she fought that fish, in and out among the pads, keeping the line tight, handling him at least as well as I could have done.I ran for the landing net and, as she brought her captive up beside the rock, reached forward to use it.But she stopped me.

"No," she said, breathlessly, "I want to do this all myself."It took her several more minutes to do it, and she was pretty well splashed, when at last, with the heavy net dragging from one hand and the rod in the other, she sprang down from the rock.Together we bent over the fish.

"A four-pounder, if he is an ounce," said I."I congratulate you, Miss Colton.""Poor thing," she mused."I am almost sorry he did not get away.

同类推荐
  • 乐邦遗稿

    乐邦遗稿

    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。
  • 华严经海印道场忏仪

    华严经海印道场忏仪

    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。
  • 诸法无诤三昧法门

    诸法无诤三昧法门

    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。
  • 填词浅说

    填词浅说

    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。
  • 产鉴

    产鉴

    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
  • 时间的弧度

    时间的弧度

    他用诗行圈起了一道道的生活藩篱而蒙养着自己高尚的品格,他的诗情充满一种自然的力量,渐渐地在这沉寂之中喷溅而出,格外引人注目。
  • 视角独到的世界摄影

    视角独到的世界摄影

    摄影技术最初应用于纪实,摄影的发明给人们的生活方式带来了非常大的改变。随着摄影技术的进步,摄影成了一种艺术表达手段,摄影的手法也越加多样,在现代社会摄影是人们生活中不可缺少的一部分。
  • 送张祥之房陵

    送张祥之房陵

    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。
  • 烟花女子

    烟花女子

    烟花之地,烟花女子,沦入风尘,后面的酸楚自是无人能够体会。而从良之后的日子呢,又有谁能知晓,真的是脱离苦海,苦尽甘来吗?
  • 徒然喜欢你

    徒然喜欢你

    谁都知道萧墨寒英俊,多金,还有深情。可对她。他误会她,折磨她。殊不知,这三年来,与他心意相通的人就是她,承诺厮守终身的人也是她。当得知真相那一刻,他后悔莫及,可是她却已经离奇失踪……“
  • 这样恋着你,心里多欢喜

    这样恋着你,心里多欢喜

    二十三岁那一年,我爱上了十八岁的顾林。我以为这样的爱会是一辈子,一场宴席,一次流产,让我和他恩断义绝,我负气远走他乡。我又以为这样的恨,会持续一辈子。二十八岁这一年,我成了这座城市最臭名昭著的恶女。我在千百个男人中打转,游刃有余。我是城中最年轻的妈妈桑,黑白两道通吃,屹立不倒。人人都说我的背后是一群高官富商。谁都想不到,我大概是这世间,最清白的妈妈桑了……我的背后,只有一个甩不掉的男人而已,顾林,你把我当你的什么,到底怎么样才肯放过我?”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 亲骨肉

    亲骨肉

    陈集益,70后重要作家。曾就读于鲁迅文学院第七届中青年作家高级研讨班。浙江省作协签约作家。在《十月》《人民文学》《中国作家》《钟山》《天涯》等大型文学期刊发表小说六十万字。2009年获《十月》新锐人物奖。2010年获浙江省青年文学之星奖。
  • 知道更要做到的100个哲理

    知道更要做到的100个哲理

    在现实生活中,有许多人都曾为成功而努力过,后来却因一次次的失败而不再坚持;但是有一部分人坚持下来了,并最终取得了成功。为什么后者能够到达成功的巅峰,而前者却不能分享到成功的喜悦呢?这并不是因为前者缺乏知识、能力和机会,或许只是因为他们明知道坚持的道理,却不知道该怎样去做;或许只是因为他们明知道机会的重要,却不知道该怎样去创造;或许只是他们明知道自己有很大的潜能,却不知道该怎样去挖掘……而这些都是生活中一些耳熟能详的简单哲理被忽视所致。
  • 哈利波特与沙菲克

    哈利波特与沙菲克

    希尔伯特·巴伦·沙菲克,纯血二十八家族沙菲克家族出身,生于1980年5月15日。自身附带“神仙外挂”+“邓布利多老公盖勒特外挂”他的头衔很多——霍格沃茨斯莱特林院长魔药学教授西弗勒斯·斯内普的教子。白金汉宫指定的巫师与麻瓜交流者。有女王赐予的公爵爵位。霍格沃茨魔法学校第一代校长。罗伊娜·拉文克劳之夫,海莲娜·拉文克劳之父。灵虚道人之徒。梅林二级勋章,一级勋章获得者。盖勒特·格林德沃指定接班人,“圣徒”的下一任领导人。梅林大师的法术传承人。斯莱特林首席生,级长,学生会主席。他曾间接挑动了四个学院内战。是屈指可数的可以随意进入格兰芬多休息室的人。曾直面对抗过伏地魔。从一个名不见经传的小人物变身为仅次于救世主哈利·波特的人。其详细经历就在这里。
  • 武道至尊

    武道至尊

    废柴少年,无丝毫修武之材。一代战神在他身上重生,从此天地大变!群雄俯首,众神称臣!武道至尊,君临天下!