A slight knock, and then a stealthy footstep, roused the negro, and she started up and looked about her. In the dim moonlight she saw Mary Ray standing2 at her bedside, with her finger on her lips, and herself setting the example in every motionless limb, of the silence she imposed.
Mary took Daph by the hand, and[Pg 191] led her into the hall, and then said in a whisper,
“I could not go without bidding you good-bye, you have always been so kind to me?”
Daph looked in wonder at the slender young girl, wrapped in her shawl, and carrying a small bundle in her hand.
“Where is you going, Mary?” she said, anxiously; “it’s no good is takin’ you from home at this time of night.”
“I can bear it no longer,” said Mary, with quiet determination; “I have never had a home, and now I am going to look for one for myself. Mother may find out that, if I am ‘only a girl,’ she will miss me. Good-bye,[Pg 192] Daph. I should like to kiss the children once more, but I am afraid I should wake them. Good-bye!” and the young girl shook the hand of her humble3 friend.
The hand she had given was not so easily released; it was held gently but firmly as if in a vice4.
“Ise wont5 let you go—go straight to black sin,” said Daph, earnestly; “you’s a leavin’ the mother the great Lord gave you; you’s a leavin’ the home the great Lord put you in, and there’s black sin a waitin’ outside for you, if you go so young and lone6; Ise will not let you go!”
“I cannot bear it any longer,” said Mary, and she sank down on the floor, and wiped away her fast-flowing tears.
[Pg 193]Mary had of late had a hard life, indeed. Mrs. Ray had been slowly coming to a knowledge of herself, and this knowledge, instead of bringing repentance7 and reformation, had made her doubly unreasonable8 and irritable9, and on Mary she had vented10 all her ill-humor.
Though still treated as a child, Mary had become, in feeling and strength of character, a woman. The sense of injustice11 and ill-treatment, which had grown with her growth, had now reached its height. The down-trodden child, now felt herself a curbed12, thwarted13, almost persecuted14 woman, and she was determined15 to bear her present life no longer.
[Pg 194]It was in vain that Daph plead with her to give up her wild purpose; at last all the poor negro’s store of persuasion16 and warning was exhausted17, and in her despair, she said desperately18, “Now you Mary jus sit still here, and let Daph tell you somewhat dat do be all solemn true, ebery single word.” Daph had been no inattentive listener to Rose’s frequent reading of the Saviour19’s life on earth; and now, in her own simple, graphic20 language, she sketched21 the outline of his patient suffering, and painful, unresisted death. She told of the glory of His heaven, where those who humbly22 follow Him, shall rejoice forever; and the speaker and the listener forgot the dreary23 place and the[Pg 195] midnight hour, as she dwelt in faith on that glorious theme. “Dere’ll be nobody dere, Mary, dat turns de back on de work de Lord gibs em to do!” said Daph, earnestly. “Stay, Mary, and try to bear for de Lord Jesus’ sake! Who knows but your poor ma, her own self, may learn to know bout1 de heavenly home?”
“Every human heart has its trials, which it can only bear in the strength that God alone can give. Every human heart feels the need of comfort and hope, which can only be found in God’s truth.”
Mary Ray was touched by the simple eloquence24 of her humble friend, and acted upon by the glorious motives[Pg 196] held out to her for new efforts of forbearance and patient endurance.
The world she had known was dreary and dismal25 enough; but what terrors, trials, and temptations might not await her in the new scenes into which she was hastily rushing. Subdued26 and softened27, she crept back to her bed, and lay down beside the mother whom she had so nearly forsaken28. Compared with the wide, lone world without, that poor, low room seemed a kindly29 and comfortable shelter; and as her mother sighed and groaned30 in her sleep, Mary felt that natural affection was not yet dead in her heart—that a tie bound her to her on whose bosom31 she had been nursed.
[Pg 197]True prayer was at that moment going up to heaven for the poor, tried, desperate girl. And what faithful petition was ever unnoticed or unanswered!
Mary met Daph’s kind “good morning,” with a shy, averted32 face, and kept out of her way as much as possible during the day.
When evening came on and the sound of singing was heard in the room of the lodgers33. Mary lingered at the open door, and did not resist when Daph noiselessly stepped to her side and drew her to the low bench where she herself was seated.
Mary Ray learned to love that evening hour when she could hear Louise[Pg 198] read of the blessed Saviour, and join her voice in the hymns34 of praise, that went up from the faithful worshippers.
Even this pleasure she was soon obliged to deny herself; for all her time and attention were needed beside the sick bed of her mother.
Mrs. Ray had never wholly recovered from the severe cold with which she had been attacked soon after the arrival of Daph. At times, her cough returned upon her with violence, and at length a sudden hemorrhage laid her low. Prostrate35, enfeebled and helpless, Mrs. Ray had time to dwell upon her past life, and see all too plainly, the hatefulness of her own wicked heart. A dull despair crept[Pg 199] over her. She gave herself up as a lost and hopeless being, waiting for her eternal doom36. Daph felt her own incapacity to reason with, and comfort the wretched woman, and to Rose she turned for aid and counsel.
Often and long Rose Stuyvesant sat beside the bed of the unhappy woman, and strove to open her mind to the free forgiveness, granted through the blood of Christ Jesus. Her words of peace seemed to fall on a deaf ear and a deadened heart; but to the listening, unnoticed Mary, they were the message of pardon and joy in believing.
Long years of humbling37 sickness were in store for Mrs. Ray, during[Pg 200] which she was to be dependent for care and sustenance38 upon the child she had undervalued and ill-treated. From that child to whom she had given life, she was to receive the still greater blessing39 of being gently led towards the life eternal.
Mary’s days and nights of watching, and words of holy comfort, fell like the noiseless dew on the heart of the mother, till at last, remorse40 was exchanged for repentance, and the cold alienation41 of a sinful heart, for the loving trust of one, forgiven through the “Only Mediator42.”
Meanwhile, Daph went cheerfully and industriously43 on, providing for the physical wants of the children so dear[Pg 201] to her; while Rose, with almost a mother’s love, led them in the way of truth and moulded them by her sweet influence. Little by little she managed to throw an air of refinement44 about the humble room where they dwelt, and to add many comforts and luxuries to their hitherto simple way of life. She advised Daph as to their plain but tasteful style of dress, and gave to their manners that nameless charm of delicacy45 and true politeness, which Daph felt herself so unable to describe, or impart.
While Louise grew tall, graceful46 and attractive, and Charlie’s ruddy face was bright with frank cheerfulness, Rose fancied that Daph’s step waxed[Pg 202] feeble, and her figure less straight than in the first days of their acquaintance.
When Rose expressed anxiety about the health of the poor negro, to whom she was really strongly attached, Daph would answer with a smile:
“Daph do be a bit older, Miss Rose; but nebber you fret47 for her. De great Lord wont take her away yet, she most sure. Nebber you mind Daph; she do be well enough—and oh, so happy!”
The upward glance of the eye of honest Daph, told of the source of her happiness, and the spring of her faithful, conscientious48 life.
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收听单词发音
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1
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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3
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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4
vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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5
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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9
irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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10
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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12
curbed
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| v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
thwarted
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| 阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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14
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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15
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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graphic
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| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
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sketched
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| v.草拟（sketch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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24
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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26
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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27
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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28
Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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30
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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31
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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32
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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lodgers
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| n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 ) | |
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34
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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humbling
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| adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气 | |
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38
sustenance
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| n.食物，粮食；生活资料；生计 | |
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39
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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40
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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41
alienation
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| n.疏远；离间；异化 | |
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42
mediator
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| n.调解人，中介人 | |
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43
industriously
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44
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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45
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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46
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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47
fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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48
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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