登陆注册
5572400000123

第123章

And still the voices sang in supplication to the Virgin most powerful, Virgin most merciful. And Gerty, wrapt in thought, scarce saw or heard her companions or the twins at their boyish gambols or the gentleman off Sandymount green that Cissy Caffrey called the man that was so like himself passing along the strand taking a short walk. You never saw him anyway screwed but still and for all that she would not like him for a father because he was too old or something or on account of his face (it was a palpable case of doctor Fell) or his carbuncly nose with the pimples on it and his sandy moustache a bit white under his nose. Poor father! With all his faults she loved him still when he sang Tell me, Mary, how to woo thee or My love and cottage near Rochelle and they had stewed cockles and lettuce with Lazenby's salad dressing for supper and when he sang The moon hath raised with Mr Dignam that died suddenly and was buried, God have mercy on him, from a stroke. Her mother's birthday that was and Charley was home on his holidays and Tom and Mr Dignam and Mrs and Patsy and Freddy Dignam and they were to have had a group taken. No-one would have thought the end was so near. Now he was laid to rest. And her mother said to him to let that be a warning to him for the rest of his days and he couldn't even go to the funeral on account of the gout and she had to go into town to bring him the letters and samples from his office about Catesby's cork lino, artistic standard designs, fit for a palace, gives tiptop wear and always bright and cheery in the home.

A sterling good daughter was Gerty just like a second mother in the house, a ministering angel too with a little heart worth its weight in gold. And when her mother had those raging splitting headaches who was it rubbed on the menthol cone on her forehead but Gerty though she didn't like her mother taking pinches of snuff and that was the only single thing they ever had words about, taking snuff. Everyone thought the world of her for her gentle ways. It was Gerty who turned off the gas at the main every night and it was Gerty who tacked up on the wall of that place where she never forgot every fortnight the chlorate of lime Mr Tunney the grocer's christmas almanac the picture of halcyon days where a young gentleman in the costume they used to wear then with a threecornered hat was offering a bunch of flowers to his ladylove with oldtime chivalry through her lattice window. You could see there was a story behind it. The colours were done something lovely. She was in a soft clinging white in a studied attitude and the gentleman was in chocolate and he looked a thorough aristocrat. She often looked at them dreamily when there for a certain purpose and felt her own arms that were white and soft just like hers with the sleeves back and thought about those times because she had found out in Walker's pronouncing dictionary that belonged to grandpapa Giltrap about the halcyon days what they meant.

The twins were now playing in the most approved brotherly fashion, till at last Master Jacky who was really as bold as brass there was no getting behind that deliberately kicked the ball as hard as ever he could down towards the seaweedy rocks. Needless to say poor Tommy was not slow to voice his dismay but luckily the gentleman in black who was sitting there by himself came gallantly to the rescue and intercepted the ball. Our two champions claimed their plaything with lusty cries and to avoid trouble Cissy Caffrey called to the gentleman to throw it to her please. The gentleman aimed the ball once or twice and then threw it up the strand towards Cissy Caffrey but it rolled down the slope and stopped right under Gerty's skirt near the little pool by the rock. The twins clamoured again for it and Cissy told her to kick it away and let them fight for it so Gerty drew back her foot but she wished their stupid ball hadn't come rolling down to her and she gave a kick but she missed and Edy and Cissy laughed.

-- If you fail try again, Edy Boardman said.

Gerty smiled assent and bit her lip. A delicate pink crept into her pretty cheek but she was determined to let them see so she just lifted her skirt a little but just enough and took good aim and gave the ball a jolly good kick and it went ever so far and the two twins after it down towards the shingle. Pure jealousy of course it was nothing else to draw attention on account of the gentleman opposite looking. She felt the warm flush, a danger signal always with Gerty MacDowell, surging and flaming into her cheeks. Till then they had only exchanged glances of the most casual but now under the brim of her new hat she ventured a look at him and the face that met her gaze there in the twilight, wan and strangely drawn, seemed to her the saddest she had ever seen.

Through the open window of the church the fragrant incense was wafted and with it the fragrant names of her who was conceived without stain of original sin, spiritual vessel, pray for us, honourable vessel, pray for us, vessel of singular devotion, pray for us, mystical rose. And careworn hearts were there and toilers for their daily bread and many who had erred and wandered, their eyes wet with contrition but for all that bright with hope for the reverend father Hughes had told them what the great saint Bernard said in his famous prayer of Mary, the most pious Virgin's intercessory power that it was not recorded in any age that those who implored her powerful protection were ever abandoned by her.

The twins were now playing again right merrily for the troubles of childhood are but as fleeting summer showers. Cissy played with baby Boardman till he crowed with glee, clapping baby hands in air. Peep she cried behind the hood of the pushcar and Edy asked where was Cissy gone and then Cissy popped up her head and cried ah! and, my word, didn't the little chap enjoy that! And then she told him to say papa.

-- Say papa, baby. Say pa pa pa pa pa pa pa.

同类推荐
  • 那些温暖而美好的名篇

    那些温暖而美好的名篇

    《我爱读好英文:那些温暖而美好的名篇》精选多篇经典名篇故事。经典是一种历久弥新的品味,名篇可以穿越时空,感动并激励不同时代的不同的人。我们需要经典的存在,带给我们的或沉静或激越的感觉,那是精神的寄托之处,也是心灵的滋养之地。《我爱读好英文:那些温暖而美好的名篇》内容丰富,文笔醇厚。不论是语言表达,还是故事内容,都堪称经典。具有极强的市场竞争力。同时,《我爱读好英文:那些温暖而美好的名篇》以双语形式编排推出,是人们学习英语的最佳读本。
  • 玩转幽默英语

    玩转幽默英语

    搜集西方流传的九类笑话:女人与男人、童真童趣、雇主与雇员、律师与警察等,结合实用情景,逐一指点,保证读者活学活用,幽默中玩转英语。
  • 玩转生活英语

    玩转生活英语

    本书是一本涵盖日常生活的英语口语书籍。全书信息量丰富,趣味性强,适合不同英语阶段的学习者使用。本书在内容编排上为了帮助读者巩固和提高英语能力,专门设计了“跟我练”栏目,保证能活学活用。
  • 飘(下)(纯爱·英文馆)

    飘(下)(纯爱·英文馆)

    《飘》是美国女作家玛格丽特·米切尔(1900—1949)十年磨一剑的作品,也是惟一的作品。小说以亚特兰大以及附近的一个种植园为故事场景,描绘了内战前后美国南方人的生活。作品刻画了那个时代的许多南方人的形象,占中心位置的斯佳丽、瑞德、艾希礼、梅勒妮等人是其中的典型代表。他们的习俗礼仪、言行举止、精神观念、政治态度,通过对斯佳丽与白瑞德的爱情纠缠为主线,成功地再现了林肯领导的南北战争,美国南方地区的社会生活。
热门推荐
  • 一念情深难自醒

    一念情深难自醒

    在没遇见他前,她还是单纯好奇的,为了学业苦恼,那时她的世界没有爱情,他跟她在初夏的街看她纤细的手臂,走了很久…遇见他后,她是成熟孤独的,每天思念,这时她的世界没有好奇,她和他在喧闹街头擦肩而过,想回头寻找却找不到!
  • 智慧明灯

    智慧明灯

    本套读物把阅读文学与掌握知识结合起来,扩大了中小学生的阅读深度和范围,这正是配套设计此套校园读物的最大特色。因此,本套校园读物有着极强的广泛性、知识性、阅读性和趣味性,是广大中小学生阅读和收藏的最佳版本,也非常适合各级图书馆装备陈列。
  • 天才庶女

    天才庶女

    云紫洛,祁夏国第一丑女,草包废物,自幼订婚四王爷,岂料花轿临门当街被辱,未入夫家便被撵回,未婚夫君与亲姐姐双宿双飞,自己沦为全京城的笑柄,只落得个香消玉殒! 21世纪女杀手,惊艳重生! 才知道: 那张丑颜的背后是如何倾国倾城; 那所谓的“天才”姐姐当年盗走了她的创作才一举成名; 那场婚姻本就是姐姐与夫君给她设下的阴谋。21世纪女性智慧又怎输古人! 辱我者,辱之! 欺我者,欺之! 我没有什么高大志向,更没有什么崇高理想。韬光养晦,只为求一方安宁;难得糊涂,不过是不屑计较。若有人触碰了我的底线,那就莫怪我以牙还牙,眦睚必报!云紫洛 他既喜欢她姐姐,那她就成全他们双宿双飞,错的是,他不该来招惹自己!
  • 海底两万里

    海底两万里

    《海底两万里》的故事发生在19世纪末,海面上出现了一只神秘的怪物,它频频袭击各国海轮,在全世界闹得沸沸扬扬。“我”作为一名生物学家,接到美国海军部的邀请,登上了一艘驱逐舰,参与“把海怪从海洋中清除出去”的行动。孰料行动刚一开始,“我”和伙伴就成为怪物的俘虏,随即被迫开始了一段历尽艰辛、生死未卜的海底旅行……
  • 怪屋

    怪屋

    讲述了罗宾破获一起钻石盗窃奇案的过程。故事情节曲折多变、富于悬念,惊险刺激,令人不忍释卷。
  • 救生员男友

    救生员男友

    夏语和张玮凡是在泳池相遇,在张玮凡救起夏语的那一刻,从此夏语就赖上了他。
  • 后宫传:苏如惠

    后宫传:苏如惠

    那年的夏初,她带着对母亲生前遗留下的破旧的故事,放弃了与相爱之人相守的机会来到了蓬莱帝国的皇宫大宛。在哪里,她要寻的不是真爱,也不是真正的真相,而是一个女子的好奇心驱使下,对世间疑惑之事的追求。一个嫁过三个男人的女人,为什么临死还是一副哀怨的神情!她不甘这样平凡度过一生,相夫教子。亦或,这样的性子俨然促成了这个故事。或许,这就是命中注定吧。筑斯琰:蓬莱帝国的皇帝他对她三分怒气,四分忍让,五分包容,六分保护十分真情真意,却永远不敢去碰触她的真心,这又是为何?南宫紫昕:青梅竹马的恋人他恨她的抛弃,却又爱她的执着。只是,曲终人未散!是什么让相爱的人反目成仇!是什么让她义无返顾剑逼君喉。筑斯琛:蓬莱帝国的四皇子是报复吧!第一次他遇见她就在心里下定决心,她只会是他的女人!是仇恨吧!他毁灭了她,又遗弃了她。宋彷絮:蓬莱帝国的皇后谁都料想不到,在她要死之际,是被她逼得无路可退的皇后舍命相救!她们之间有什么真正的关系?
  • 神探洛秋:邪手

    神探洛秋:邪手

    连环谋杀,是堕落的天使再现人间,还是阴谋的恐怖向邪恶复仇?命案的背后,又是怎样不为人知的幕后?邪恶的大手,秘密操控着所有的一切,深邃的黑眸,暗暗的注视着这里的一切,睁大眼睛,我们看到的东西,是真的吗?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 庄子神游:退隐不争的生命哲学

    庄子神游:退隐不争的生命哲学

    魏晋时期是中国历史上最崇尚高谈阔论的时期,通过辩驳来阐述自己的哲学思想,而这些玄妙的思想又都是阐发和辩论老子、庄子和列子的玄学思想为主。本书通过白话故事的方式介绍魏晋时期的名家学说,其中有崇尚有的,也有崇尚无的还有主张非无非有的,亦有辩论名和心、言与意的,等等。是一本关于魏晋玄学的通俗读物。
  • 快穿99次:男神,约吗

    快穿99次:男神,约吗

    【女扮男装】洛瓷墨作为一个孤儿,可以说死了也没有掀起一丝浪花,但是,某系统被她的梦想感动,觉得帮她一下。虽然帮是帮了,但是洛瓷墨有点不满:“啊喂,我的梦想是撩小姐姐,为什么偏要给我安排一个小哥哥?”某小哥哥:“嗯?墨墨想撩小姐姐?”洛瓷墨(疯狂摇头)~~~~总之就是一个快穿+女扮男装系列的文啦!(简介无能求原谅)