villa rubein and other stories-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





Harz　passed　a　cracker　secretly　behind　Greta's　head；　and　Miss　Naylor；

moved　by　a　mysterious　impulse；　pulled　it　with　a　sort　of　gleeful

horror；　it　exploded；　and　Greta　sprang　off　her　chair。　　Scruff；　seeing

this；　appeared　suddenly　on　the　sideboard　with　his　forelegs　in　a　plate

of　soup；　without　moving　them；　he　turned　his　head；　and　appeared　to

accuse　the　company　of　his　false　position。　　It　was　the　signal　for

shrieks　of　laughter。　　Scruff　made　no　attempt　to　free　his　forelegs；

but　sniffed　the　soup；　and　finding　that　nothing　happened；　began　to　lap

it。



〃Take　him　out！　Oh！　take　him　out！〃　wailed　Greta；　〃he　shall　be　ill！〃



〃Allons！　Mon　cher！〃　cried　Herr　Paul；　〃c'est　magnifique；　mais；　vous

savez；　ce　nest　guere　la　guerre！〃　　Scruff；　with　a　wild　spring；　leaped

past　him　to　the　ground。



〃Ah！〃　cried　Miss　Naylor；　〃the　carpet！〃　　Fresh　moans　of　mirth　shook

the　table；　for　having　tasted　the　wine　of　laughter；　all　wanted　as　much

more　as　they　could　get。　　When　Scruff　and　his　traces　were　effaced；

Herr　Paul　took　a　ladle　in　his　hand。



〃I　have　a　toast；〃　he　said；　waving　it　for　silence；　〃a　toast　we　will

drink　all　together　from　our　hearts；　the　toast　of　my　little　daughter；

who　to…day　has　thirteen　years　become；　and　there　is　also　in　our

hearts；〃　he　continued；　putting　down　the　ladle　and　suddenly　becoming

grave；　〃the　thought　of　one　who　is　not　today　with　us　to　see　this

joyful　occasion；　to　her；　too；　in　this　our　happiness　we　turn　our

hearts　and　glasses　because　it　is　her　joy　that　we　should　yet　be

joyful。　　I　drink　to　my　little　daughter；　may　God　her　shadow　bless！〃



All　stood　up；　clinking　their　glasses；　and　drank：　then；　in　the　hush

that　followed；　Greta；　according　to　custom；　began　to　sing　a　German

carol；　at　the　end　of　the　fourth　line　she　stopped；　abashed。



Heir　Paul　blew　his　nose　loudly；　and；　taking　up　a　cap　that　had　fallen

from　a　cracker；　put　it　on。



Every　one　followed　his　example；　Miss　Naylor　attaining　the　distinction

of　a　pair　of　donkey's　ears；　which　she　wore；　after　another　glass　of

wine；　with　an　air　of　sacrificing　to　the　public　good。



At　the　end　of　supper　came　the　moment　for　the　offering　of　gifts。　　Herr

Paul　had　tied　a　handkerchief　over　Greta's　eyes；　and　one　by　one　they

brought　her　presents。　　Greta；　under　forfeit　of　a　kiss；　was　bound　to

tell　the　giver　by　the　feel　of　the　gift。　　Her　swift；　supple　little

hands　explored　noiselessly；　and　in　every　case　she　guessed　right。



Dawney's　present；　a　kitten；　made　a　scene　by　clawing　at　her　hair。



〃That　is　Dr。　Edmund's；〃　she　cried　at　once。　　Christian　saw　that　Harz

had　disappeared；　but　suddenly　he　came　back　breathless；　and　took　his

place　at　the　end　of　the　rank　of　givers。



Advancing　on　tiptoe；　he　put　his　present　into　Greta's　hands。　　It　was　a

small　bronze　copy　of　a　Donatello　statue。



〃Oh；　Herr　Harz！〃　cried　Greta；　〃I　saw　it　in　the　studio　that　day。　　It

stood　on　the　table；　and　it　is　lovely。〃



Mrs。　Decie；　thrusting　her　pale　eyes　close　to　it；　murmured：

〃Charming！〃



Mr。　Treffry　took　it　in　his　forgers。



〃Rum　little　toad！　　Cost　a　pot　of　money；　I　expect！〃　　He　eyed　Harz

doubtfully。



They　went　into　the　next　room　now；　and　Herr　Paul；　taking　Greta's

bandage；　transferred　it　to　his　own　eyes。



〃Take　caretake　care；　all！〃　he　cried；　〃I　am　a　devil　of　a　catcher；〃

and；　feeling　the　air　cautiously；　he　moved　forward　like　a　bear　about

to　hug。　　He　caught　no　one。　　Christian　and　Greta　whisked　under　his

arms　and　left　him　grasping　at　the　air。　　Mrs。　Decie　slipped　past　with

astonishing　agility。　　Mr。　Treffry；　smoking　his　cigar；　and　barricaded

in　a　corner；　jeered：　〃Bravo；　Paul！　　The　active　beggar！　　Can't　he　run！

Go　it；　Greta！〃



At　last　Herr　Paul　caught　Cousin　Teresa；　who；　fattened　against　the

wall；　lost　her　head；　and　stood　uttering　tiny　shrieks。



Suddenly　Mrs。　Decie　started　playing　The　Blue　Danube。　　Herr　Paul

dropped　the　handkerchief；　twisted　his　moustache　up　fiercely；　glared

round　the　room；　and　seizing　Greta　by　the　waist；　began　dancing

furiously；　bobbing　up　and　down　like　a　cork　in　lumpy　water。　　Cousin

Teresa　followed　suit　with　Miss　Naylor；　both　very　solemn；　and　dancing

quite　different　steps。　　Harz；　went　up　to　Christian。



〃I　can't　dance；〃　he　said；　〃that　is；　I　have　only　danced　once；　butif

you　would　try　with　me！〃



She　put　her　hand　on　his　arm；　and　they　began。　　She　danced；　light　as　a

feather；　eyes　shining；　feet　flying；　her　body　bent　a　little　forward。

It　was　not　a　great　success　at　first；　but　as　soon　as　the　time　had　got

into　Harz's　feet；　they　went　swinging　on　when　all　the　rest　had

stopped。　　Sometimes　one　couple　or　another　slipped　through　the　window

to　dance　on　the　veranda；　and　came　whirling　in　again。　　The　lamplight

glowed　on　the　girls'　white　dresses；　on　Herr　Paul's　perspiring　face。

He　constituted　in　himself　a　perfect　orgy；　and　when　the　music　stopped

flung　himself；　full　length；　on　the　sofa　gasping　out：



〃My　God！　　But；　my　God！〃



Suddenly　Christian　felt　Harz　cling　to　her　arm。



Glowing　and　panting　she　looked　at　him。



〃Giddy！〃　he　murmured：　〃I　dance　so　badly；　but　I'll　soon　learn。〃



Greta　clapped　her　hands：　〃Every　evening　we　will　dance；　every　evening

we　will　dance。〃



Harz　looked　at　Christian；　the　colour　had　deepened　in　her　face。



〃I'll　show　you　how　they　dance　in　my　village；　feet　upon　the　ceiling！〃

And　running　to　Dawney；　he　said：



〃Hold　me　here！　　Lift　meso！　　Now；　ontwo；〃　he　tried　to　swing　his

feet　above　his　head；　but；　with　an　〃Ouch！〃　from　Dawney；　they

collapsed；　and　sat　abruptly　on　the　floor。　　This　untimely　event

brought　the　evening　to　an　end。　　Dawney　left；　escorting　Cousin　Teresa；

and　Harz　strode　home　humming　The　Blue　Danube；　still　feeling

Christian's　waist　against　his　arm。



In　their　room　the　two　girls　sat　long　at　the　window　to　cool　themselves

before　undressing。



〃Ah！〃　sighed　Greta；　〃this　is　the　happiest　birthday　I　have　had。〃



Cristian　too　thought：　'I　have　never　been　so　happy　in　my　life　as　I

have　been　to…day。　　I　should　like　every　day　to　be　like　this！'　　And　she

leant　out　into　the　night；　to　let　the　air　cool　her　cheeks。



〃Chris！〃　said　Greta　some　days　after　this；　〃Miss　Naylor　danced　last

evening；　I　think　she　shall　have　a　headache　to…day。　　There　is　my

French　and　my　history　this　morning。〃



〃Well；　I　can　take　them。〃



〃That　is　nice；　then　we　can　talk。　　I　am　sorry　about　the　headache。　　I

shall　give　her　some　of　my　Eau　de　Cologne。〃



Miss　Naylor's　headaches　after　dancing　were　things　on　which　to

calculate。　　The　girls　carried　their　books　into　the　arbour；　it　was　a

showery　day；　and　they　had　to　run　for　shelter　through　the　raindrops

and　sunlight。



〃The　French　first；　Chris！〃　　Greta　liked　her　French；　in　which　she　was

not　far　inferior　to　Christian；　the　lesson　therefore　proceeded　in　an

admirable　fashion。　　After　one　hour　exactly　by　her　watch

（Mr。　Treffry's　birthday　present　loved　and　admired　at　least　once　every

hour）　Greta　rose。



〃Chris；　I　have　not　fed　my　rabbits。〃



〃Be　quick！　there's　not　much　time　for　history。〃



Greta　vanished。　　Christian　watched　the　bright　water　dripping　from　the

roof；　her　lips　were　parted　in　a　smile。　　She　was　thinking　of　something

Harz　had　said　the　night　before。　　A　discussion　having　been　started　as

to　whether　average　opinion　did；　or　did　not；　safeguard　Society；　Harz；

after　sitting　silent；　had　burst　out：　〃I　think　one　man　in　earnest　is

better　than　twenty　half…hearted　men　who　follow　tamely；　in　the　end　he

does　Society　most　good。〃



Dawney　had　answered：　〃If　you　had　your　way　there　would　be　no　Society。〃



〃I　hate　Society　because　it　lives　upon　the　weak。〃



〃Bah！〃　Herr　Paul　chimed　in；　〃the　weak　goes　to　the　wall；　that　is　as

certain　as　that　you　and　I　are　here。〃



〃Let　them　fall　against　the　wall；〃　cried　Harz；　〃don't　push　them

there。。。。〃



Greta　reappeared；　walking　pensively　in　the　rain。



〃Bino；〃　she　said；　sighing；　〃has　eaten　too　much。　　I　remember　now；　I

did　feed　them　before。　　Must　we　do　the　history；　Chris？〃



〃Of　course！〃



Greta　opened　her　book；　and　put　a　finger　in　the　page。　　〃Herr　Harz　is

very　kind　to　me；〃　she　said。　　〃Yesterday　he　brought　a　bird　which　had。

come　into　his　studio　with　a　hurt　wing；　he　brought　it　very　gently　in

his　handkerchiefhe　is　very　kind；　the　bird　was　not　even　frightened

of　him。　　You　did　not　know　about　that；　Chris？〃



Chris　flushed　a　little；　and　said　in　a　hurt　voice



〃I　don't　see　what　it　has　todo　with　me。〃



〃No；〃　assented　Greta。



Christian's　colour　deepened。　　〃Go　on　with　your　history；　Greta。〃



〃Only；〃　pursued　Greta；　〃that　he　always　tells　you　all　about　things；

Chris。〃



〃He　doesn't！　How　can　you　say　that！〃



〃I　think　he　does；　and　it　is　because　you　do　not　make　him　angry。　　It　is

very　easy　to　make　him　angry；　you　have　only　to　think　differently；　and

he　shall　be　angry　at　once。〃



〃You　are　a　little　cat！〃　said　Christian；　〃it　isn't　true；　at　all。　　He

hates　shams；　and　can't　bear　meanness；　and　it　is　mean　to　cover　up

dislikes　and　pretend　that　you　agree　with　people。〃



〃Papa　says　that　he　thinks　too　much　about　himself。〃



〃Father！〃　began　Christian　hotly；　biting　her　lips　she　stopped；　and

turned　her　wrathful　eyes　on　Greta。



〃You　do　not　always　show　your　dislikes；　Chris。〃



〃I？　　What　has　that　to　do　with　it？　　Because　one　is　a　coward　that

doesn't　make　it　any　better；　does　it？〃



〃I　think　that　he　has　a　great　many　dislikes；〃　murmured　Greta。



〃I　wish　you　would　attend　to　your　own　faults；　and　not　pry　into　other

people's；〃　and　pushing　the　book　aside；　Christian　gazed　in　front　of

her。



Some　minutes　passed；　then　Greta　leaning　over；　rubbed　a　cheek　against

her　shoulder。



〃I　am　very　sorry；　ChrisI　only　wanted　to　be　talking。　　Shall　I　read

some　history？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Christian　coldly。



〃Are　you　angry　with　me；　Chris？〃



There　was　no　answer。　　The　lingering　raindrops　pattered　down　on　the

roof。　　Greta　pulled　at　her　sister's　sleeve。



〃Look；　Chris！〃　she　said。　　〃There　is　Herr　Harz！〃



Christian　looked　up；　dropped　her　eyes　again；　and　said：　〃Will　you　go

on　wi