登陆注册
5393100000046

第46章

That Puritan blood flowed in their veins that throughout our land has drowned much harmless joyousness; yet those who know of it only from hearsay do foolishly to speak but ill of it. If ever earnest times should come again, not how to enjoy but how to live being the question, Fate demanding of us to show not what we have but what we are, we may regret that they are fewer among us than formerly, those who trained themselves to despise all pleasure, because in pleasure they saw the subtlest foe to principle and duty. No graceful growth, this Puritanism, for its roots are in the hard, stern facts of life; but it is strong, and from it has sprung all that is worth preserving in the Anglo-Saxon character. Its men feared and its women loved God, and if their words were harsh their hearts were tender. If they shut out the sunshine from their lives it was that their eyes might see better the glory lying beyond; and if their view be correct, that earth's threescore years and ten are but as preparation for eternity, then who shall call them even foolish for turning away their thoughts from its allurements.

"Still, I think I should like to have a look at one, just to see what it is like," argued my father; "one cannot judge of a thing that one knows nothing about."

I imagine it was his first argument rather than his second that convinced my mother.

"That is true," she answered. "I remember how shocked my poor father was when he found me one night at the bedroom window reading Sir Walter Scott by the light of the moon."

"What about the boy?" said my father, for I had been included in the invitation.

"We will all be wicked together," said my mother.

So an evening or two later the four of us stood at the corner of Pigott Street waiting for the 'bus.

"It is a close evening," said my father; "let's go the whole hog and ride outside."

In those days for a lady to ride outside a 'bus was as in these days for a lady to smoke in public. Surely my mother's guardian angel must have betaken himself off in a huff.

"Will you keep close behind and see to my skirt?" answered my mother, commencing preparations. If you will remember that these were the days of crinolines, that the "knife-boards" of omnibuses were then approached by a perpendicular ladder, the rungs two feet apart, you will understand the necessity for such precaution.

Which of us was the most excited throughout that long ride it would be difficult to say. Barbara, feeling keenly her responsibility as prompter and leader of the dread enterprise, sat anxious, as she explained to us afterwards, hoping there would be nothing shocking in the play, nothing to belie its innocent title; pleased with her success so far, yet still fearful of failure, doubtful till the last moment lest we should suddenly repent, and stopping the 'bus, flee from the wrath to come. My father was the youngest of us all.

Compared with him I was sober and contained. He fidgeted: people remarked upon it. He hummed. But for the stern eye of a thin young man sitting next to him trying to read a paper, I believe he would have broken out into song. Every minute he would lean across to enquire of my mother: "How are you feeling--all right?" To which my mother would reply with a nod and a smile, She sat very silent herself, clasping and unclasping her hands. As for myself, I remember feeling so sorry for the crowds that passed us on their way home. It was sad to think of the long dull evening that lay before them. I wondered how they could face it.

Our seats were in the front row of the upper circle. The lights were low and the house only half full when we reached them.

"It seems very orderly and--and respectable," whispered my mother.

There seemed a touch of disappointment in her tone.

"We are rather early," replied Barbara; "it will be livelier when the band comes in and they turn up the gas."

But even when this happened my mother was not content. "There is so little room for the actors," she complained.

It was explained to her that the green curtain would go up, that the stage lay behind.

So we waited, my mother sitting stiffly on the extreme edge of her seat, holding me tightly by the hand; I believe with some vague idea of flight, should out of that vault-scented gloom the devil suddenly appear to claim us for his own. But before the curtain was quite up she had forgotten him.

同类推荐
  • 百香诗选

    百香诗选

    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。
  • 佛说佛名经续

    佛说佛名经续

    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。
  • 尊孟辨

    尊孟辨

    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。
  • 山东海疆图记

    山东海疆图记

    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。
  • 书谱

    书谱

    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
  • 若是爱已成伤

    若是爱已成伤

    他多希望能将她捕获,永远安放在身边。在故事之初,她已死去,却一再影响着这个豪门世家的命运……她是一个通灵少女。美丽,寂寞,出身低微却高贵如莲。他是一个富家子弟。英俊,孤独,心机深沉,满身往事。然而,世俗的目光只能紧紧拥抱,挣扎在万丈深渊……
  • 灵纹仙劫

    灵纹仙劫

    修真之路,逆天行道;仙凡天劫,九死一生;一缕仙缘,得道成仙;道法万千,殊途同归。一场上仙间的斗法,破坏了一个原本安宁的村庄、导致了一个幸福家庭的破灭;一本传家之宝——算命神书,蕴含着诅咒之力、血脉之力,而世代却视其如珍宝、如命根,其中到底隐藏着什么秘密?灭村之仇、毁家之恨,如何能报?神秘的混沌天河、盘古开天的秘密、银汉一族由来……
  • 异能力者在异世界

    异能力者在异世界

    世界太大存在着许多不可思议的事物,在这个危险的世界为了保护人类成立了许多组织。但在这些异常之下掩盖的故事……
  • 佛说箭喻经

    佛说箭喻经

    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。
  • 步步惊婚:闷骚老公放肆宠

    步步惊婚:闷骚老公放肆宠

    她只是去参加个宴会,却惹上了尊贵霸道的男人——她骂他“变、态”!Boss大人挑眉,很好,女人,你成功引起了我的注意力。自此她落入了魔掌,被他指名为贴身专属设计师,各种刁难应接不暇。“我错了,求放过!”她求饶,他却勾唇一笑,“可以。”后来的后来,他在她耳边说:我这一生最好的交易,是以我之姓冠你之名。
  • 实践与马克思主义理论整体性

    实践与马克思主义理论整体性

    本书从逻辑起点整体性、理论内容整体性、价值指归整体性、实践功能整体性和发展创新整体性等方面论述了实践与马克思主义理论整体的历史联系及内在逻辑关联性;揭示了实践在马克思主义理论整体创立中的奠基作用,构建起了马克思主义理论的整体性;对马克思主义理论三大主要组成部分赋予了新的内容理解和体系定位,对理解马克思主义理论“既是三大主要组成部分又是一个统一整体”这一围绕马克思主义理论整体性的难题作了一种新的研究和解答。
  • 懂管理看这本就够了

    懂管理看这本就够了

    《懂管理看这本就够了(珍藏版)》是一本通俗易懂的管理书籍。《懂管理看这本就够了(珍藏版)》共分七章,内容包括:管理必须知道的12项原则;管理必须用到的12种手段;管理必须具备的12条素养;管理必须懂得的12个模型;管理必须达到的12个目标;管理必须学会的12种方法;管理必须注意的12个细节。
  • 甜宠宝贝妻

    甜宠宝贝妻

    女子一张精致的美人脸上着淡妆,漆黑如玉的双眸闪动着晶亮的光泽,仿如山泉一样纯净。她身材高挑,穿着一纯白色的及膝连身裙,简约的黑色宽腰带,青丝垂落至腰,如墨如缎。苏锦面有难色地看着坐在办公桌后的angel杂志社社长杜唯:“社长,我能不能不去?或者你换一个采访给我。”“你是采访部的编辑,竟然带头挑肥捡瘦?你不去谁去,如果你能给我一个好的人选,我立即换下你,怎样?”杜唯的目光在她纤细的柳……
  • 嫡女国师

    嫡女国师

    妖孽国师君修墨向她求亲,结果惨遭拒绝!第二次求亲,再次遭拒绝!妖孽男君修墨瞪着她:“月凌,你是我的!”古月凌昂了昂下巴,一脸不认帐,“谁说的?”“看,古家的订亲信物都给我了,还想抵赖吗?”“那又如何,你找那个愿意和你订亲的人就是……”他霸道,冷酷,怜她宠她成瘾;她狠毒,辣手,他是她的命,无人能夺走他!【新书《废材丹神:太子独宠小狂妃》火热连载,请继续支持楼楼作品哦!】
  • 老子想尔注

    老子想尔注

    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。