登陆注册
5590700000004

第4章 Two Penitents(1)

Jack and Jill never cared to say much about the night which followed the first coasting party of the season,for it was the saddest and the hardest their short lives had ever known.Jack suffered most in body;for the setting of the broken leg was such a painful job,that it wrung several sharp cries from him,and made Frank,who helped,quite weak and white with sympathy,when it was over.The wounded head ached dreadfully,and the poor boy felt as if bruised all over,for he had the worst of the fall.Dr.

Whiting spoke cheerfully of the case,and made so light of broken legs,that Jack innocently asked if he should not be up in a week or so.

"Well,no;it usually takes twenty-one days for bones to knit,and young ones make quick work of it,"answered the doctor,with a last scientific tuck to the various bandages,which made Jack feel like a hapless chicken trussed for the spit.

"Twenty-one days!Three whole weeks in bed!I shouldn't call that quick work,"groaned the dismayed patient,whose experience of illness had been limited.

"It is a forty days job,young man,and you must make up your mind to bear it like a hero.We will do our best;but next time,look before you leap,and save your bones.Good-night;you'll feel better in the morning.No jigs,remember";and off went the busy doctor for another look at Jill,who had been ordered to bed and left to rest till the other case was attended to.

Anyone would have thought Jack's plight much the worse,but the doctor looked more sober over Jill's hurt back than the boy's compound fractures;and the poor little girl had a very bad quarter of an hour while he was trying to discover the extent 0f the injury,"Keep her quiet,and time will show how much damage is done,"was all he said in her hearing;but if she had known that he told Mrs.Pecq he feared serious consequences,she would not have wondered why her mother cried as she rubbed the numb limbs and paced the pillows so tenderly.

Jill suffered most in her mind;for only a sharp stab of pain now and then reminded her of her body;but her remorseful little soul gave her no peace for thinking of Jack,whose bruises and breakages her lively fancy painted in the darkest colors.

"Oh,don't be good to me,Mammy;I made him go,and now he's hurt dreadfully,and may die;and it is all my fault,and everybody ought to hate me,"sobbed poor Jill,as a neighbor left the room after reporting in a minute manner how Jack screamed when his leg was set,and how Frank was found white as a sheet,with his head under the pump,while Gus restored the tone of his friend's nerves,by pumping as if the house was on fire.

"Whist,my lass,and go to sleep.Take a sup of the good wine Mrs.

Minot sent,for you are as cold as a clod,and it breaks my heart to see my Janey so.""I can't go to sleep;I don't see how Jack's mother could send my anything when I've half killed him.I want to be cold and ache and have horrid things done to me.Oh,if I ever get out of this bed I'll be the best girl in the world,to pay for this.See if I ain t!"and Jill gave such a decided nod that her tears flew all about the pillow like a shower.

"You d better begin at once,for you won't get out of that bed for a long while,I m afraid,my lamb,"sighed her mother,unable to conceal the anxiety that lay so heavy on her heart.

"Am I hurt badly,Mammy?"

"I fear it,lass."

"I'm glad of it;I ought to be worse than Jack,and I hope I am.I'll bear it well,and be good right away.Sing,Mammy,and I'll try to go to sleep to please you."Jill shut her eyes with sudden and unusual meekness,and before her mother had crooned half a dozen verses of an old ballad,the little black head lay still upon the pillow,and repentant Jill was fast asleep with a red mitten in her hand.

Mrs.Pecq was an Englishwoman who had left Montreal at the death of her husband,a French Canadian,and had come to live in the tiny cottage which stood near Mrs.Minot's big house,separated only by an arbor-vitae hedge.A sad,silent person,who had seen better days,but said nothing about them,and earned her bread by sewing,nursing,work in the factory,or anything that came in her way,being anxious to educate her little girl.Now,as she sat beside the bed in the small,poor room,that hope almost died within her,for here was the child laid up for months,probably,and the one ambition and pleasure of the solitary woman's life was to see Janey Pecq's name over all the high marks in the school-reports she proudly brought home.

"She'll win through,please Heaven,and I'll see my lass a gentlewoman yet,thanks to the good friend in yonder,who will never let her want for care,"thought the poor soul,looking out into the gloom where a long ray of light streamed from the great house warm and comfortable upon the cottage,like the spirit of kindness which made the inmates friends and neighbors.

Meantime,that other mother sat by her boy's bed as anxious but with better hope,for Mrs.Minot made trouble sweet and helpful by the way in which she bore it;and her boys were learning of her how to find silver linings to the clouds that must come into the bluest skies.

同类推荐
  • Life of Johnsonl

    Life of Johnsonl

    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。
  • 述报法兵侵台纪事残辑

    述报法兵侵台纪事残辑

    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。
  • 重庆堂随笔

    重庆堂随笔

    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。
  • 春酒堂诗话

    春酒堂诗话

    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。
  • The White Moll

    The White Moll

    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
  • 妃常嚣张,王爷请纳妾

    妃常嚣张,王爷请纳妾

    言沐晚本是逍遥自在的盗圣,但因某个花好月圆夜,喝醉了酒对一个良家美男子下了药做了不可描述之事。之后,她本着愧疚之心,与他换了信物定终身。可没想到,这良家美男子竟是官家中人,还是当朝四王爷,更是小师妹的意中人……反正小师妹也不介意,那……就请王爷纳妾?怎么又出来个自称是王爷心上人的林相府的千金林依酒?嗯……那王爷再纳一个?天下第一花魁楼冷芯不依了?哦!言沐晚的心愿便是愿夫君今后妻妾成群,以后生了娃子也有各种姨娘,一定会像她谷中那般热闹的!但是,花情念是什么个意思,怎么拿着她与他的定情信物,质问她,“你此般处心积虑可是为了坐上皇后之位?”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 毕业那天我们还能继续牵手吗

    毕业那天我们还能继续牵手吗

    青春,一个充满着个性与张扬的时代;青春,一个充满着友谊与关爱的时代;青春,一个充满着智慧与力量的时代;青春,爱幻想,爱自由,爱探索,爱快乐的时代;如果现在可以,我愿在回到那个年代,再去重温一遍,我的青春之路~~~
  • 佛说普贤曼拏罗经

    佛说普贤曼拏罗经

    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。
  • 天价萌宝,爹地是谁

    天价萌宝,爹地是谁

    腹黑女遇上腹黑男,再加一个御姐女儿。当两大腹黑对决,御姐女儿在一旁摇旗呐喊,输赢已不再那么重要,一家人和和美美才是真。片段一小御姐:“妈咪,我帮你找到工作了。”可怜妈:“宝贝,妈咪不需要工作。”小御姐:“妈咪,人生要有追求。”可怜妈望天,检讨自己的人生没有追求吗?嗯,好像是,好吧,女儿是对的。片段三“妈咪,我以为你明天没事,就帮你答应你老板,明天的游艇会你陪他出席。”小御姐一副我犯了错的忏悔样,低着头不敢看她家妈咪。“宝贝,没事儿,老板就是把我丢去喂鲨鱼,妈也去。”可怜妈说得一脸豪情壮志。小御姐望天,我知道你早就想去跟鲨鱼玩了。
  • 穿越异界很累的

    穿越异界很累的

    重生?穿越?校园?都市?异能?未来是好是坏?就把握现在,成为最强存在……楚云瑶:“老哥,别突然自我陶醉了,挡住我看新番了。”魔女:“别忘记去趟涂山妖馨斋买限量五彩棒。”楚云瑶:“还有异世界食堂的……”楚天行:“好,好,知道了,就知道吃,走了。”楚天行随手开了个空间门,一脚踏进去。然而好像忘记拿钱了……只能拿着龙之泪卖了几十块钱。明明一身传奇装备,一套无敌能力,能屠龙,能灭星……却沦落到给家里妹妹和魔女去异世界带饭,哎,去异界也是很累的呀!
  • 涩女日记

    涩女日记

    此时此刻在地球上,约有两万个人适合当你的人生伴侣...(萧伯纳)如果你知道,无论你朝哪个方向行进,这世界永远有1/20000的人在等你,你还甘心继续做涩女吗?
  • 世界各地神秘事件

    世界各地神秘事件

    UFO出没、”死亡之海“翻腾、飞机坠毁、海岛怪湖杀人……一件又一件的神秘离奇事件,究竟是天然形成还是人为祸乱呢?
  • 亡后长歌

    亡后长歌

    突如其来的灭顶之灾,让圣宠一时的苏家瞬间倾亡,她跪在金銮殿上死死哀求他手下留情,却被无情的打入大牢。牢狱中,奄奄一息的她,竟然有了身孕。本以为可以借此来求他回头,不料得到的却是一纸休书。***“苏嫦曦,你这个贱人,不要再幻想了,皇上已经说了,让我赏赐你一杯毒酒,送你和你肚子里的孽种最后一程……”牢门前,同父异母的妹妹嚣张的狂笑。那一刻,她苏嫦曦发誓,若能重来,她必定要让她和他不得好死。殊不知,这一幕,早已经被他洞悉于心。“是不是很恨,是不是想要报仇,这些我都可以满足你,不过你得答应……”他紧紧的拥她入怀,嘴角的笑意却是那么的邪恶和激荡。她看着他如如诗如画的精致面庞,狠狠咬唇应承道,“没想到我一个亡妃竟然能够让殿下你如此上心,看来是嫦曦多福了……”***辗转异国深宫,机关算尽,只为爬上权位的巅峰,这一路,她活的小心翼翼,却依旧伤痕累累,但她却从未放弃。后宫佳丽如云,他却看到了她的风华卓绝,轻轻吻着她的额头,柔声道,“曦儿,你不必活的这么辛苦,其实我也可以帮你复仇,只要你愿意……”那一刻,她终于明白,原来他什么都知道,他是心甘情愿的被她利用。温文尔雅,俊逸非凡的他宠她爱她帮她,可是这份情谊她该拿什么来还呢?***五年后,她大权在握,重遇绝情汉,却听闻他惊骇的瞪眼道,“嫦曦,是你么,你不是已经……”她却笑得妖娆魅惑,“凌绍辉,没错,苏嫦曦已经死在你手中,此刻在你面前的是傅国的皇后娘娘……”“不,你不是傅国的皇后,你就是我日思夜想的嫦曦,我不会认错……”
  • 蝶魇

    蝶魇

    极其喜欢蝴蝶的年轻的漂亮姑娘的男朋友不断死亡,究竟是什么原因?漫天飞舞的蝴蝶如梦魇一般缠绕着一位又一位的年轻男子,姑娘怪异的习惯、不能被打开的暗室、怪异的噩梦,随着故事的进展,谜团一步一步解开……
  • 聪明女人的24堂幸福经营课

    聪明女人的24堂幸福经营课

    漂亮是与生俱来的,而美丽却是后天形成的。女人可以不漂亮,但不能不美丽。女人选择爱情,本质上无非是选择和谁过一辈子。遗憾的是很多人并不懂得“选择”,她们只懂得挑拣。俗话说,柔能克刚,收服男人就得对他好。但不要时时、事事都好,只要在他生病时照顾他就行了。记住:千万不能太宠男人了,不要让他习以为常,以为这是你该做的,你喜欢做的。女人要有自己的生活,要知道爱情和家庭并不是生活的全部。女人应该把握好自己的天空,珍惜自己,充实自己。只有这样,一旦在爱情之火燃尽的时候,你才能很潇洒地收拾悲伤,不让他带走自己的一片云彩。金钱自立是女人的资本之一,学会理财才是追求独立自主的基础,不要掩饰对金钱的喜爱和追求。