A Vision of beauty now breaks upon the scene! This vision is tall, graceful1, and commanding in figure. It has long black ringlets, piercing black eyes, a fair delicate skin, and a bewitching smile that displays a row of—of “pearls!” The vision is about sixteen years of age, and answers to the romantic name of Flora2 Macdonald. It is sister to that stalwart Hector who first showed Mr Sudberry how to fish; and stately, sedate3, and beautiful does it appear, as, leaning on its brother’s arm, it ascends4 the hill towards the White House, where extensive preparations are being made for a picnic.
“Good-morning, Mr Sudberry,” cries Hector, doffing5 his bonnet6 and bowing low to Lucy. “Allow me to introduce my sister, Flora; but,” (glancing at the preparations), “I fear that my visit is inopportune.”
“My dear sir, my dear madam, inopportune! impossible! I am charmed. We are just going on a picnic, that is all, and you will go with us. Lucy, my dear, allow me to introduce you to Miss Macdonald—”
“Flora, my good sir; pray do not let us stand upon ceremony,” interposes Hector.
Lucy bows with a slight air of bashful reserve; Flora advances and boldly offers her hand. The blue eyes and the black meet; the former twinkle, the latter beam, and the knot is tied; they are fast friends for life!
“Glorious day,” cries Mr Sudberry, rubbing his hands.
“Magnificent,” assents9 Hector. “You are fortunate in the weather, for, to say truth, we have little enough of sunshine here. Sometimes it rains for three or four weeks, almost without cessation.”
“Does it indeed?”
Mr Sudberry’s visage elongates10 a little for one moment. Just then George and Fred come out of the White House laden11 with hampers12 and fishing-baskets full of provisions. They start, gaze in surprise at the vision, and drop the provisions.
“These are my boys, Miss Macdonald—Hector’s sister, lads,” cries Mr Sudberry. “You’ll join us I trust?” (to Hector.)
Hector assents “with pleasure.” He is a most amiable13 and accommodating man. Meanwhile George and Fred shake hands with Flora, and express their “delight, their pleasure, etcetera, at this unexpected meeting which, etcetera, etcetera.” Their eyes meet, too, as Lucy’s and Flora’s had met a minute before. Whether the concussion14 of that meeting is too severe, we cannot say, but the result is, that the three pair of eyes drop to the ground, and their owners blush. George even goes the length of stammering15 something incoherent about “Highland scenery,” when a diversion is created in his favour by Jacky, who comes suddenly round the corner of the house with a North-American-Indian howl, and with the nine dogs tearing after him clamorously.
Jacky tumbles over a basket, of course, (a state of disaster is his normal condition), bruises16 his shins, and yells fearfully, to the dismay of his mother, who runs shrieking17 to the window in her dressing-gown, meets the gaze of Hector and Flora Macdonald, and retires precipitately19 in discomfiture20.
No such sensibility affects the stern bosom21 of Mrs Brown, who darts22 out at the front door, catches the unhappy boy by one arm, and drags him into the house by it as if it were a rope, the child a homeward-bound vessel23, and she a tug-steamer of nine hundred horse-power. The sounds that proceed from the nursery thereafter are strikingly suggestive: they might be taken for loud clapping of hands, but the shrieks24 which follow forbid the idea of plaudits.
Poor Tilly, who is confused by the uproar25, follows the nurse timidly, bent26 upon intercession, for she loves Jacky dearly.
The nine dogs—easy-going, jovial27 creatures—at once jump to the conclusion that the ham and cold chicken have been prepared and laid out there on the green hill-side for their special entertainment. They make a prompt dash at the hampers. Gentlemen and ladies alike rush to the rescue, and the dogs are obliged to retire. They do so with a surprised and injured look in their innocent eyes.
“Have you one or two raw onions and a few cold boiled potatoes?” inquires Hector.
“That will do. Now I shall let you taste a potato salad; meanwhile I will assist in carrying the baskets down to the boat.”
Hector’s and Lucy’s eyes meet as this is said. There must be some unaccountable influence in the atmosphere this morning, for the meeting of eyes, all round, seems to produce unusual results!
“Will Mr McAllister accompany us?” says Mr Sudberry.
Mr McAllister permits a quiet smile to disturb the gravity of his countenance29, and agrees to do so, at the same time making vague reference to the groves30 of Arcadia, and the delight of dining alfresco, specially31 in wet weather,—observations which surprise Mr Sudberry, and cause Hector and the two brothers to laugh.
Mrs Sudberry is ready at last! The gentlemen and Hobbs load themselves, and, followed by Jacky and the ladies, proceed to the margin32 of the loch, which sheet of water Mr Sudberry styles a “lock,” while his better half deliberately33 and obstinately34 calls it a “lake.” The party is a large one for so small a boat, but it holds them all easily. Besides, the day is calm and the water lies like a sheet of pure glass; it seems almost a pity to break such a faithful mirror with the plashing oars35 as they row away.
Thus, pleasantly, the picnic began!
George and Fred rowed, Hector steered36, and the ladies sang,—Mr Sudberry assisting with a bass37. His voice, being a strong baritone, was overwhelmingly loud in the middle notes, and sank into a muffled38 ineffective rumble39 in the deep tones. Having a bad ear for tune7, he disconcerted the ladies—also the rowers. But what did that matter? He was overflowing40 with delight, and apologised for his awkwardness by laughing loudly and begging the ladies to begin again. This they always did, with immense good humour. Mrs Sudberry had two engrossing41 subjects of contemplation. The one was the boat, which, she was firmly persuaded, was on the point of upsetting when any one moved ever so little; the other was Jacky, who, owing to some strange impulse natural to his impish character, strove to stretch as much of his person beyond the side of the boat as was possible without absolutely throwing himself overboard.
The loch was upwards42 of three miles in length; before the party had gone half the distance Mr Sudberry senior had sung himself quite hoarse43, and Master Sudberry junior had leaped three-quarters of his length out of the boat six times, and in various other ways had terrified his poor mother almost into fits, and imperilled the lives of the party more than once.
“By the way,” said Fred, when his father concluded a fine old boat-song with a magnificent flourish worthy44 of an operatic artiste, “can any one tell me any thing about the strange old woman that lives down in the hut near the bridge?”
“Ha! ha!” laughed George, “I can tell you that she’s an old witch, and a very fierce one too.”
A slight frown gathered on Flora’s white forehead, and a flash shot from her dark eyes, as George said this, but George saw it not. Lucy did, however, and became observant, while George continued—
“But methinks, Fred, that the long visit you paid her lately must have been sadly misapplied if you have not pumped her history out of her.”
“I went to paint, not to pump. Perhaps Mr Macdonald can tell me about her.”
“Not I,” said Hector, lighting45 a cigar. “I only know that she lost her grandson about six years ago, and that she’s been mad ever since, poor thing.”
“For shame, Hector,” said Flora; “you know that poor old Moggy is no more mad than yourself.”
“Possibly not, sweet sister, but as you often tell me that I am mad, and as I never deny the charge, it seems to me that you have said nothing to vindicate46 the old woman’s character for sanity47.”
“Poor thing,” said Flora, turning from her brother, and speaking with warmth to Fred; “if you knew how much that unhappy old creature has suffered, you would not be surprised to find her somewhat cross at times. She is one of my people, and I’m very glad to find that you take an interest in her.”
“‘My people!’ Flora then takes an interest in the poor,” thought the observant Lucy. Another link was added to the chain of friendship.
“Do tell us about her, please,” cried George. “There is nothing that I love so much as a story—especially a horrible one, with two or three dreadful murders to chill one’s blood, and a deal of retributive justice to warm it up again. I’m dying to know about old Moggy.”
“Are you?” said Flora saucily48. “I’m glad to hear that, because I mean to keep you in a dying state. I will tell the story as a dead secret to Lucy, when I take her to see my poor people, and you sha’n’t hear it for weeks to come.”
George cast up his eyes in affected49 despair, and said with a groan50, that he “would endeavour to exist notwithstanding.”
“Oh! I know all about old Moggy,” cried Jacky with energy.
Everyone looked at the boy in surprise. In the midst of the foregoing dialogue he had suddenly ceased to tempt51 his fate, and sat down quietly with a hand on each knee and his eyes fixed52 intently on Flora Macdonald—to the surprise and secret joy of his mother, who, being thus relieved from anxiety on his account, had leisure to transfer the agony of her attention to the boat.
“What do you know about her, child?” asked Flora.
“Most genuine testimony54 in her favour,” laughed Hector, “though the word is scarcely appropriate to one whose temper is sour.”
“Why do you think her jolly, my boy?” said Flora.
“’Cause I do. She’s a old brick!”
“Jacky, darling,” said Mrs Sudberry, “do try to give up those ugly slang words—they’re so naughty—that is to say—at least—they are very ugly if they’re not positively55 naughty.”
“She’s a jolly old brick,” retorted Jacky, with a look at his mother that was the concentrated essence of defiance56.
“Dear child!”
Lucy snickered and coughed somewhat violently into her handkerchief; while Flora, repressing a smile, said—
“But why does Jacky like old Moggy so much?”
“Hallo! don’t run us ashore,” shouted Mr Sudberry, starting up with a sudden impetuosity which shook the boat and sent a pang57 to the heart of his wife, the sharpness of which no words can convey. A piercing shriek18, however, betrayed the state of her feelings as the boat was swept violently round by George to avoid a point of rock. As they were now drawing near to the spot where it was proposed that they should picnic, Jacky suddenly became alive to the fact that in his interest about old Moggy he had been betrayed into a forgetfulness of his opportunities. No time was to be lost. Turning round with a cheer, he made a desperate plunge58 at the water and went much farther over than he had intended, insomuch that he would certainly have taken a “header” into its depths, had not McAllister grasped him by the baggy59 region of his trousers and gravely lifted him into his mother’s lap. Next moment the boat’s keel grated sharply on the gravel60, to the horror of Mrs Sudberry, who, having buried her face in the bosom of her saved son, saw not what had occurred, and regarded the shock as her death-warrant.
Thus agreeably the picnic continued!
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1
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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sedate
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| adj.沉着的，镇静的，安静的 | |
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ascends
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
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doffing
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| n.下筒，落纱v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的现在分词 ) | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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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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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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assents
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| 同意，赞同( assent的名词复数 ) | |
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elongates
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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hampers
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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concussion
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| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
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stammering
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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17
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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precipitately
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| adv.猛进地 | |
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discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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23
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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28
edibles
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| 可以吃的，可食用的( edible的名词复数 )； 食物 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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39
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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40
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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engrossing
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| adj.使人全神贯注的，引人入胜的v.使全神贯注( engross的现在分词 ) | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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43
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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44
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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45
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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46
vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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saucily
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| adv.傲慢地，莽撞地 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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50
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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51
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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52
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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53
vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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54
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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55
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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56
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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57
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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58
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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59
baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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