When a soul has run waste to sin.”
J
UNE, departing, had scattered5 her wealth of floral treasures wide over the land, and Cherry Street, lowliest child of her adoption6, had not been forgotten. Under the wholesome7 influence of trowel, watering-can, and good black soil Miss Billy's garden had grown apace, and now burst into such a riotous8 excess of bloom as brought the small Cherryites to the fence in groups of silent adoration9. Beds of scarlet10 geraniums glowed like the heart of-143- rubies11 on the green lawn. Sweet peas were opening their pretty eyes and peeping over into Mr. Hennesy's yard. June roses, white, pink, and blood red, swung on their stems breathing incense12 night and day, while on the side of the house bloomed the pansy bed, hundreds of pretty faces of many colours and marvellous size. Over the back fence nasturtiums were opening their golden hearts, and a group of tall hollyhocks stood boldly disputing right of way with the arms of the Hennesy clothes reel.
Mrs. Hennesy had been sweeping13, and now she stood in the upstairs window looking down at the floral display in her neighbour's yard.
"It do be lookin' loike a park, Mary Jane," she commented at last. "Mrs. Casey was a good neighbour an' its mesilf that'll niver be over missin' her,—but she niver had things lookin' loike that. An' it's that girl—'Miss Billy,' as they call her,—that's done it all."
Marie Jean, who had condescended14 to the menial task of setting her bureau drawers to-144- rights, turned her head slightly. "Well," she commented indifferently, "if she wants to waste her time on an old garden I suppose it's nobody's business but her own."
Mrs. Hennesy discreetly17 waived18 the argument. "I think I'll be goin' over there to see thim this afthernoon, Mary Jane. They're that noice an' frindly it ain't roight for us not to be goin' near thim. Miss Billy has axed me twice to have you come over. It ain't neighbourly, Mary Jane,—that's what it ain't."
"Well, go on if you want to," said Marie Jean, beginning to hum a tune19 to show the matter was too trifling20 for further consideration; but she broke off to add, "wear your bead21 cape22 and your lace bonnet23 if you do go."
Mrs. Hennesy's face took on a look of despair. "Well now, Mary Jane," she began, "it's just a neighbour, an' a clane apron——"
"You must wear your bead cape and your lace bonnet," reiterated24 Marie Jean, with spirit. "And be sure you go to the front door. You must go decently, or not at all."
-145-
Mrs. Hennesy departed from the room, and presently went down the stairs in all the glory of her best dress, augmented25 by the bead cape and the lace bonnet. Marie Jean secretly surveyed her through the crack of the door, and returned to her task somewhat mollified. "I guess they won't find anything to laugh at in that bead cape," she said, with a toss of her head.
Mrs. Hennesy passed out through the kitchen door, but returned again. She drew off her black silk mitts26, stepped to the stairs to see if by any chance Marie Jean was listening, and tiptoed back to the kitchen cupboard. She looked uncertainly into the coffee can which was quite full, then into the tea caddie which was half full, and finally shook the sugar box, which responded roundly. "Well, I'll borry some tea, annyway," she whispered, and taking a cup, secreted27 it carefully under the bead cape. Thus fortified28, she passed around to the front gate, and, thankful that Marie Jean's point of vision could no longer-146- command her actions, hurried around by way of the pansy bed to her neighbour's side entrance and rapped at the door.
Mrs. Lee responded to the summons. "Why, it is Mrs. Hennesy," she said cordially, extending a hand to welcome her neighbour. "Do come in. It is cooler here in the dining room than in any other place in the house at this time of the day, so we'll sit right here. Beatrice, won't you take Mrs. Hennesy's cape and bonnet?"
"Well, now, I can't stay a minute," protested Mrs. Hennesy, in her soft Irish brogue. "I must be goin' back to start supper fer Mr. Hennesy, fer he gets no dinner these days but the bite he takes wid him in a pail. An' I only stepped over to see if I c'ud borry a drawin' of tea fer his supper. Me an' Mary Jane has been that busy all day we c'udn't get to the store."
The cup was filled with the desired "drawing of tea," and stood in readiness on the table, but as the minutes sped, Mrs. Hennesy, warm-147- and perspiring29, but loyal for Marie Jean's sake to the bead cape, began to feel more at ease. Mrs. Lee was not like Mrs. Casey, it was true, and could never fill her place,—but she would make a good neighbour,—and the girls were as pretty as pictures with their contrasting styles of beauty and pretty dresses.
Of course, they were not to be compared with Mary Jane. Mary Jane was—well, more dressed-up like and stylish30, than these Lee girls. But they were nice and kind, and treated their mother like a queen. Mrs. Hennesy wished Mary Jane might be there to see it.
"Sure an' Mary Jane will be in to see you wan16 of these days, soon," said Mrs. Hennesy as she rose to terminate her call. "It's bashful she is, or else jealous, wid John Thomas soundin' Miss Billy's praises all day long. It's 'Miss Billy says this,' an' 'Miss Billy does that,' an' he thinks Mary Jane can't hould a candle to Miss Billy,—an' that's the thruth of it."
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"And I think John Thomas is a jewel," declared Miss Billy warmly. "I wouldn't have a flower now if it wasn't for him. Do come out and look at them, Mrs. Hennesy,—and carry a bouquet31 to your daughter from me."
"Well now,—if them ain't lovely," declared Mrs. Hennesy, as Miss Billy began culling32 with a generous hand. "An' thim ould fashioned hollyhocks, as sassy as you plaze. Another summer an' I'll be havin' some fer mesilf."
"You may have slips and seeds from all my plants," responded Miss Billy generously, "and John Thomas could easily bring the dirt."
Mrs. Hennesy shook her head doubtfully. "It's wades33 I'd be after raisin'," she protested. "Sure an' flowers don't be growin' fer ivery wan loike they do fer you."
"Weeds!" Miss Billy took up the words dolefully. "Mrs. Hennesy, weeds are making my existence miserable34. Look at my-149- hands from keeping the weeds down. But it's no use,—look there!" She pointed35 as she spoke36, up and down Cherry Street, and Mrs. Hennesy's following glance took in a long vista37 of rank vegetation flanking every sidewalk and dooryard, weeds great and small, broad and feathery, tall and diminutive38, flaunting39 their rank growth in the hot sunshine.
"Well, thim's not all yours," said Mrs. Hennesy consolingly. "There's none in your yard, so ye needn't care."
"Oh, but I see them, and I hate them so!" said Miss Billy despairingly. "And the seeds are beginning to blow over here. The plantain and dandelions are killing40 my new grass already."
"Well, wheriver there's good, there's bad," said Mrs. Hennesy philosophically41: "An' if the good stopped tryin' an' quit what w'ud become of the world, I'd loike to know? Hould fast to yer flowers, Miss Billy, an' remimber whereiver wan of thim grows a weed-150- can't," with which comforting advice the kind-hearted Mrs. Hennesy, holding fast to Marie Jean's bouquet and the borrowed cup of tea, took her departure.
The setting of the sun brought relief to Cherry Street. Every tiny porch held its household group, and the clear moonlight and cool breeze brought recompense for the glare and toil42 of the day. By degrees the noisy laughter and outcries of children waned43 and ceased, the murmured talk of their elders died away, and the street was wrapped in slumber44.
It was then Miss Billy came softly from her room, clad in a flowing wrapper. She listened longest at Theodore's door, till, satisfied by his heavy breathing that he slept, she descended15 the stairs and stepped out into the moonlight.
Mingled45 with the perfume of her roses came the rank breath of the weeds, bringing malarial46 poisons to the sleepers47 of Cherry Street. Mrs. Hennesy's words came uppermost in her mind.-151- "Wherever there's good, there's bad,—and if the good stopped trying, what would become of the world?" "Well, I'm going to help all I can, and I'm going to commence on Mr. Schultzsky's premises48." She caught up a sickle49, crossed the sidewalk jubilantly, and bumped into another pale wraith50, sickle in hand, who straightened himself suddenly from the O'Brien weeds.
"John Thomas Hennesy!" she exclaimed. "How you frightened me! What are you doing out here at this time of night?"
John Thomas wiped the honest drops of toil from his brow and regarded her sickle suspiciously. "I'm cutting weeds. I've cut our own and now I'm cutting Canary's. What are you going to do, I'd like to know?"
"I'm going to cut Mr. Schultzsky's," said Miss Billy, in a gay stage whisper. "No,—not a word, John Thomas,—I want the satisfaction of laying those weeds low myself."
"Well if she ain't a reg'lar brick!" said-152- John Thomas admiringly, as the swish of her sickle came across the street to his ears. "Catch Mary Jane taking a sickle in her lily white hand to——"
The rest of his sentence was lost in the sound of his own sickle as it played dexterously51 among the O'Brien weeds.
There were other ears than John Thomas's on which fell the swish of Miss Billy's keen blade that night. Two eyes peered down from an open window of the Schultzsky house on a girl kneeling in the very dooryard. A girl who might have been mistaken for a saving angel with the moonlight on her wavy52 hair and flowing gown. A girl who attacked the weeds in a very fury of resentment53, and scattered their rank growth in every direction. The eyes peered and peered, and then withdrew,—but gave no sign.
It was ten o'clock the next morning when Miss Billy came sleepily down to her breakfast. Theodore met her with suspicion lurking in his eye, but sang carelessly:
-153-
The bee is on the wing:
The ant its labours has begun——
"Say Sis, who cut all those weeds last night?"
"Theodore," said Miss Billy pathetically, with a nervous sense of aching muscles, and a weariness on which his raillery grated, "is there any breakfast?"
"There is," said Theodore; "I couldn't half eat mine, I was so excited. I've been bursting to tell you the news for two hours. Guess, Sis, what's happened?"
"What?" said Miss Billy, looking apprehensive55. That it was something portentous56 she knew from Theodore's manner.
"Mr. Schultzskyczarovitch fell through the rotten planks57 of our sidewalk this morning at eight o'clock, and broke his leg, even as you wished."
"Oh," said Miss Billy faintly, and then for no reason at all collapsed58 in a little heap to the carpet.
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收听单词发音
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1
nettle
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| n.荨麻；v.烦忧，激恼 | |
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paupers
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| n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 )；贫民；贫穷 | |
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3
lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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7
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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12
incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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13
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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14
condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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15
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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16
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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18
waived
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| v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等） | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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24
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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mitts
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| n.露指手套，棒球手套，拳击手套( mitt的名词复数 ) | |
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secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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28
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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29
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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32
culling
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| n.选择，大批物品中剔出劣质货v.挑选，剔除( cull的现在分词 ) | |
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33
wades
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的第三人称单数 ) | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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39
flaunting
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| adj.招摇的，扬扬得意的，夸耀的v.炫耀，夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 )；有什么能耐就施展出来 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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philosophically
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| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 | |
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42
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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43
waned
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| v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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44
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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45
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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malarial
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| 患疟疾的，毒气的 | |
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sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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sickle
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| n.镰刀 | |
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50
wraith
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| n.幽灵；骨瘦如柴的人 | |
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51
dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
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52
wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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54
lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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55
apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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56
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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57
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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