CHAPTER I HOME

 For the first time in ever so long Mimi was rude! She shoved, pushed, crowded, stepped on other passengers’ toes, jabbed them with her elbows. She forgot that every other camper on the train was as eager to be at home as she.

 

For long minutes, Mimi had been poking¹ her red-head out the window and then pulling it in, to report. A lady Jack-in-the-box, Sue thought.

 

“That was Bristow. The next stop is B. G.”—“There’s Howard’s house on the hill—only two miles from there—I know, I’ve hiked it.”—“Ooo-ooh we’re crossing the river into town——”

 

At the first soft p-s-s-s of escaping steam and applied² brakes, Mimi leaped to her feet. This was the signal to stampede the vestibule. Because she had more “junk” to pick up, drop and pick up again, Mimi was not the first to rush down the aisle³, but by some miracle of shoving and crowding and complete forgetfulness of manners, Mimi was at the head of the steps when the train pulled under the long shed and stopped. Only the restraining arm of the flagman kept her from diving off headlong before the train came to a dead stop.

 

“Careful, Miss.”

 

But Mimi neither heard nor heeded⁴. She was searching the faces of the crowd—Sue’s mother, Margie’s daddy, Miss Jane’s Dick—but her own darling family, where were they?

 

“Hello, Mimi—my child, you’re freckled⁵.” “Be seein’ you, Mimi”—“Goodbye”—“Bye.”

 

Mimi seemed rooted to one small spot under the shed and all the happiness in the world was passing around her and leaving her alone. What could be the matter? Something dreadful must have happened!

 

Then she saw——

 

A black coupe swung down the drive and raced right up to her—as near as it could come for the tracks, and stopped under a big sign which read, “No Parking.”

 

The gravel⁶ was still flying from under the wheels and the dust was still making fitful little clouds when the door popped open and Daddy jumped out. Mimi remembered later that he did not even wait to open the door for Mother Dear and Junior but let them scramble⁷ out the best they could. Daddy came striding toward her and scooped⁸ her up into his arms, bundles and all.

 

“I simply wouldn’t have a doctor for a Daddy,” he was saying.

 

And Mother Dear, quite out of breath from dragging Junior at a rapid pace, was adding——

 

“We had to go by the Hospital and Daddy was detained——”

 

But none of that mattered in the least now. They were here—the baggage was stowed away in the back of the coupe. Junior was stretched out on the shelf blocking any view out the back window—an ideal place to pull Mimi’s hair or tickle⁹ her ear—and Mimi, Daddy and Mother Dear were scrouged up together as Daddy stepped on the starter.

 

One long happy sigh escaped Mimi as she cuddled down, and not two minutes ago tears were, well, not quite in her eyes, but in her heart to say the least. Mimi’s blue eyes were usually merry.

 

“Psst, psst!” in her ear. Junior’s warm breath against her ear. “Secret!” in a hoarse¹⁰ stage whisper.

 

“James Sherwood Hammond, Junior,” in Mother’s sternest voice as she glared at Junior. A booming big laugh from Daddy who received the tail end of Mother’s stern glance. He immediately swallowed the smile and began asking Mimi about camp.

 

“Did Sue’s ankle get all right?” Daddy wanted to know. “Were there any stomach aches after the big Sunday dinner we brought? What finally became of Pluto¹¹?”

 

“Yes—No—No,” Mimi was answering. “Oh it was too perfectly¹² precious—all of it—and Daddy, Mother Dear—I am an honor camper! See!” She fished in her purse and held up the felt emblem¹³.

 

“And you are something else, too. Today you are——”

 

But stop—Mother scowled¹⁴ at Daddy over Mimi’s head and would have put her hand over his mouth if she could have reached it; wondering frantically¹⁵ if it were harder for big boys or small boys to keep a secret, she changed the subject swiftly.

 

“Is Miss Jane very tired from having the responsibility of you wild young things?”

 

“Not at all—she’s grand—wonderful. Next to you Mother, I love her best of nearly any one—and oh, Mother! She is——”

 

Then Mimi nearly told a secret. She stopped herself in time. Perhaps she would have gone on but Daddy was turning in the driveway. At the first sound of the car, Von, abandoning his watch on the porch and forgetting the restrained manners of German police pedigree, came bounding toward them. Mammy Cissy was standing¹⁶ in the door grinning.

 

The striped runners of wandering jew falling over the edges of the hanging baskets brushed her hair as she ducked under and her swinging arm almost knocked a fern pot from its pedestal, for Mimi had jumped on to the porch neither from the porte-cochere nor the front steps. With Von barking boldly at her heels, she had cut across the lawn and leaped on to the porch to Mammy—Precious old Cissy, who this instant hugged her close, and the next was holding her at arm’s length saying:—

 

“Lan’s sakes alive, Miss Mimi, yo sho is brought home a good crop of freckles¹⁷ and this newfangled sun tan both!”

 

Then Daddy calling from the drive, “Here, camper, help take your things in. What good is this old land lubber with a bulging¹⁸ sea bag?”

 

Daddy made such fun of things. He was unusually entertaining today (Mother had told him to be). While he and Mimi carried the things upstairs to her room—her own room with its ivory furniture and crisp swiss curtains tied back with green taffeta bows—Mammy, Mother and yes, Junior too, had disappeared. Daddy knew they were in the kitchen, busy putting last touches here and there and lighting¹⁹ candles—lighting candles in the middle of the day!

 

“There,” Mimi said depositing the last load on the cedar²⁰ chest under the double front window. “Can it be possible I smell food?”

 

“Quite,” answered Daddy catching²¹ her mood. “It could even be probable, honey, that the nose tickling²², delectable²³ odor assailing²⁴ your nostrils²⁵ is fried chicken!”

 

Mimi ran for the stairs. Before Daddy caught up with her and took her arm, Mother’s voice halted her rush for the kitchen.

 

“Mimi, wash that train dirt off. You and Daddy both freshen up, for dinner is ready.”

 

There was an excited undertone in Mother’s voice that should have told her something special was afoot but she didn’t suspect a thing until she and Daddy went downstairs together and walked right into the blue velvet²⁶ portieres! The dining room was shut off! Before Mimi could solve the puzzle Daddy pulled back the curtain and bowed very low. This was the cue for the music to begin. Mother, Junior and Cissy in three entirely²⁷ different keys were grouped at the foot of the table facing her singing, “Happy Birthday to you!”

 

Mimi was speechless——

 

There was a white cloth on the table. She was somehow aware of Mother’s good plates stacked at Daddy’s place, of the good silver which caught the candle light, and most of all of the big white cake in the middle of the table with fourteen yellow candles. Mimi knew without counting how many there were. It was her birthday. She was fourteen! How could she have forgotten?

 

“I believe she really is surprised!” beamed Mother very pleased with it all. “We put something over on her once.”

 

“Sho she is,” exclaimed Cissy ducking to the kitchen as soon as the song ended.

 

“I nearly told,” commented Junior slipping into his place and adding in the same breath—“Give me the drumstick, Daddy.”

 

There was a deep note of gratitude²⁸ in Daddy’s voice as he asked the simple blessing²⁹. He was thankful to have his small family all together again. It had been a long two weeks to Daddy without Mimi. There were not many more days to have them all four together at their own table. Daddy knew something Mimi was yet to find out.

 

While Daddy served the plates, Mother helped; while Cissy hovered³⁰ behind Daddy’s chair with hot breads, while Junior clamored for both drumsticks now instead of one, Mimi made a discovery. She found a plain white envelope that was flat on the table, hidden under her napkin. She hadn’t taken her napkin up immediately as Daddy finished the blessing the way she usually did. She was watching tiny streams of tallow run down the candles and hoping they would not spoil the cake icing; admiring the snowy white cloth and Mother’s thin, etched glasses, so different from the bare tables at camp and the thick glasses and heavy china. Not that camp wasn’t all right—No siree! But it was so grand to be home again.

 

“A-hem” said Daddy. He had finished serving the plates and all eyes were focused on Mimi waiting for her to rip open the white envelope.

 

“It’s for me?” Mimi asked picking it up and turning it over. No name, no anything——

 

“Look and see.”

 

It was so thin and flat, it couldn’t have much in it, Mimi thought as she tore the end open with scalloped little pinches. When she ran her finger in the envelope, it seemed empty. Then she shook it and out tumbled a check. It was for more money than Mimi dreamed existed.

 

“For you, daughter,” Daddy said (and when Daddy said “Daughter” she felt very grown-up and dignified³¹ if a slightly snubbed-nose person with unruly red hair and such merry blue eyes can ever be dignified).

 

The check instead of being payable³² to Mimi was made out to Sheridan School for one year’s room, board and tuition for Mimi—in full——

 

“But—?” said Mimi looking dazedly³³ from Mother to Daddy. She wasn’t old enough to go to college and she had heard Mother say she did not approve of Prep Schools when there were good High Schools at home.

 

“Daughter, Daddy is going away a year,” Dr. Hammond said—“taking a leave of absence from his practice and going to Leipzig, Germany, to specialize.”

 

“But what will we do without you?”

 

“I was coming to that. You see, daughter, Mother is going along with me—” Daddy reached over and patted Mother’s hand. “And Junior is too small to leave so we are taking him.”

 

“But me, Daddy—what about me?” Mimi’s voice was getting thinner and higher.

 

“You, daughter, are going to Sheridan School.”

 

For an awful moment Mimi was silent. No Mother or Daddy for a whole year? She wished she were too small to leave too. They wouldn’t leave her; then without moving her lips she whispered “Sheridan School.” The very words were healing magic. How often with great longing³⁴ she had said them. “When I get big I’m going to Sheridan School.” She wasn’t big yet, but fourteen is quite a responsible age.

 

She began to understand that the long looked forward to “someday” would be September.

 

“Of course, of course,” she burst out. Holding her head high and her chin firm, and without the least bit of quiver in her voice, she looked Daddy squarely in the eyes, “I am going to Sheridan School!”

1 poking   

n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
• He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

2 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

3 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

4 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 freckled   

adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her face was freckled all over. 她的脸长满雀斑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Her freckled skin glowed with health again. 她长有雀斑的皮肤又泛出了健康的红光。 来自辞典例句

6 gravel   

n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石

参考例句：

• We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
• More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。

7 scramble   

v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料

参考例句：

• He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
• It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。

8 scooped   

v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等）

参考例句：

• They scooped the other newspapers by revealing the matter. 他们抢先报道了这件事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块，在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 tickle   

v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒

参考例句：

• Wilson was feeling restless. There was a tickle in his throat.威尔逊只觉得心神不定。嗓子眼里有些发痒。
• I am tickle pink at the news.听到这消息我高兴得要命。

10 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

11 Pluto   

n.冥王星

参考例句：

• Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun.冥王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Pluto has an elliptic orbit.冥王星的轨道是椭圆形的。

12 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

13 emblem   

n.象征，标志；徽章

参考例句：

• Her shirt has the company emblem on it.她的衬衫印有公司的标记。
• The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.鹰是力量和勇气的象征。

14 scowled   

怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。
• The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。

15 frantically   

ad.发狂地, 发疯地

参考例句：

• He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
• She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。

16 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

17 freckles   

n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She had a wonderful clear skin with an attractive sprinkling of freckles. 她光滑的皮肤上有几处可爱的小雀斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• When she lies in the sun, her face gets covered in freckles. 她躺在阳光下时，脸上布满了斑点。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 bulging   

膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱

参考例句：

• Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
• Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

19 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

20 cedar   

n.雪松，香柏(木)

参考例句：

• The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
• She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。

21 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

22 tickling   

反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法

参考例句：

• Was It'spring tickling her senses? 是不是春意撩人呢？
• Its origin is in tickling and rough-and-tumble play, he says. 他说，笑的起源来自于挠痒痒以及杂乱无章的游戏。

23 delectable   

adj.使人愉快的；美味的

参考例句：

• What delectable food you cook!你做的食品真好吃！
• But today the delectable seafood is no longer available in abundance.但是今天这种可口的海味已不再大量存在。

24 assailing   

v.攻击( assail的现在分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对

参考例句：

• Last-minute doubts were assailing her. 最后一分钟中的犹豫涌上心头。 来自辞典例句
• The pressing darkness increased the tension in every student's heart, assailing them with a nameless fear. 黑暗压下来，使每个人的心情变得更紧张。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

25 nostrils   

鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。
• The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

26 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

27 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

28 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

29 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

30 hovered   

鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• A hawk hovered over the hill. 一只鹰在小山的上空翱翔。
• A hawk hovered in the blue sky. 一只老鹰在蓝色的天空中翱翔。

31 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

32 payable   

adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的

参考例句：

• This check is payable on demand.这是一张见票即付的支票。
• No tax is payable on these earnings.这些收入不须交税。

33 dazedly   

头昏眼花地，眼花缭乱地，茫然地

参考例句：

• Chu Kuei-ying stared dazedly at her mother for a moment, but said nothing. 朱桂英怔怔地望着她母亲，不作声。 来自子夜部分
• He wondered dazedly whether the term after next at his new school wouldn't matter so much. 他昏头昏脑地想，不知道新学校的第三个学期是不是不那么重要。

34 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。