The little girls preserved a respectful silence, till the lady was out of hearing, and then held an indignant discussion as to the truth of what she had said. It would have been a discussion, I mean, if they had not both taken the same side of the question.
"How she sighed," said Susy, "just as if she was the melancholiest person that ever was!" Susy was famous for the use she made of adjectives, forming the superlatives just as it happened.
"Yes, just the way," responded Flossy. "I'd like to know what ever happened to her? Pshaw! She laughed this afternoon, and ate apples fast enough!"
"O, she thinks she must make believe have a dreadful time, because she is grown up," said Susy, scornfully. "She's forgot she was ever a little girl! I've had troubles; I guess I have! And I know one thing, I shall remember 'em when I grow up, and not say, 'What happy little things!' to children. It's real hateful!"
Little folks have trouble, to be sure. Their hearts are full of it, and running over, sometimes; and how can the largest heart that ever beat be more than full, and running over?
Susy had daily trials. They were sent to her because they were good for her. Shadows and night-dews are good for flowers. If the sun had shone on Susy always, and she had never had any shadows and night dews, she would have scorched1 up into a selfish girl.
One of her trials was Miss Dotty Dimple. Now, she loved Dotty dearly, and considered her funny all over, from the crown of her head to the soles of her little twinkling feet, which were squeezed into a pair of gaiters. Dotty loved those gaiters as if they were alive. She had a great contempt for the slippers2 she wore in the morning, but it was her "darlin' gaiters," which she put on in the afternoon, and loved next to father and mother, and all her best friends.
When ladies called, she stepped very briskly across the floor, looking down at her feet, and tiptoeing about, till the ladies smiled, and said, "O, what sweet little boots!" and then she was perfectly4 happy.
Susy was not very wide awake in the morning; but Dotty was stirring as soon as there was a peep of light, and usually stole into Susy's bed to have a frolic. Nothing but a story would keep her still, and poor Susy often wondered which was harder, to be used as a football by Dotty, or to tell stories with her eyes shut.
"O, Dotty Dimple, keep still; can't you? There's a darling," she would plead, longing5 for another nap; "don't kill me."
"No, no; me won't kill," the little one would reply; "'tisn't pooty to kill!"
Then Dotty would plant both feet firmly on Susy's chest, and say, in her teasing little voice, as troublesome as the hum of a mosquito,—
"Won't you tell me 'tory—tell me a 'tory—tell me a 'tory, Susy."
"Well, what do you want to hear?"
Now, it was natural for Susy to feel cross when she was sleepy. It cost her a hard struggle to speak pleasantly, and when she succeeded in doing so, I set it down as one of her greatest victories over herself. The Quaker motto of her grandmother, "Let patience have her perfect work," helped her sometimes, when she could wake up enough to remember it.
Susy roused herself after the third request, and sleepily asked if something else wouldn't do?
"I had a little nobby-colt."
"No, no, you di'n't, you di'n't; grandma had the nobby! Tell yellow gell."
"O," sighed Susy, "how can you want to hear that so many, many times? Well, once when I was a little bit of a girl—"
"'Bout's big as me, you said," put in Dotty.
"O, yes, I did say so once, and I suppose I must tell it so every time, or you'll fuss! Well, I had a yellow dress all striped off in checks—"
"Di'n't it go this way?" said Dotty, smoothing the sheet with her little hand, "and this way?"
"What? What?" Susy roused herself and rubbed her eyes. "O, yes, it went in checks; and I was at grandma Parlin's, and Grace—Grace—O, Grace and I went into the pasture where there were a couple of cows, a gray cow and a red cow."
"Now you must say what is couple," says Dotty.
"Then what is couple?"
"Gray cow," answers Dotty, very gravely.
"So when the cows saw us coming, they—they—O, they threw up their heads, and stopped eating grass—in the air. I mean—threw—up—their heads." Susy was nearly asleep.
"Up in the air?"
"Yes, of course, up in the air. (There, I will wake up!) And the gray cow began to run towards us, and Grace says to me, 'O, my, she thinks you're a pumpkin7!'"
"You?"
"Yes, me, because my dress was so yellow. I was just as afraid of the cow as I could be."
"Good cow! He wouldn't hurt!"
"No, the cow was good, and didn't think I was a pumpkin, not the least speck8. But I was so afraid, that I crept under the bars, and ran home."
"To grandma's house?"
"Yes; and grandma laughed."
"Well, where was me?" was the next question, after a pause.
Then, when the duty of story-telling was performed, Susy would gladly have gone back to "climbing the dream-tree;" but no, she must still listen to Dotty, though she answered her questions in an absent-minded way, like a person "hunting for a forgotten dream."
One morning she was going to ride with her cousin Percy. It had been some time since she had seen Wings, except in the stable, where she visited him every day.
But Dotty had set her heart on a rag-baby which Susy had promised to dress, and Prudy was anxious that Susy should play several games of checkers with her.
"O, dear," said the eldest9 sister, with the perplexed10 air of a mother who has disobedient little ones to manage. "I think I have about as much as I can bear. The children always make a fuss, just as sure as I want to go out."
The old, impatient spirit was rising; that spirit which it was one of the duties of Susy's life to keep under control.
She went into the bathing-room, and drank off a glass of cold water, and talked to herself a while, for she considered that the safest way.
"Have I any right to be cross? Yes, I think I have. Here Dotty woke me up, right in the middle of a dream, and I'm sleepy this minute. Then Prudy is a little babyish thing, and always was—making a fuss if I forget to call her Rosy11 Frances! Yes, I'll be cross, and act just as I want to. It's too hard work to keep pleasant; I won't try."
She walked along to the door, but, by that time, the better spirit was struggling to be heard.
"Now, Susy Parlin," it said, "you little girl with a pony12, and a pair of skates, and feet to walk on, and everything you want, ain't you ashamed, when you think of that dear little sister you pushed down stairs—no, didn't push—that poor little lame13 sister!—O, hark! there is your mother winding14 up that hard splint! How would you feel with such a thing on your hip15? Go, this minute, and comfort Prudy!"
The impatient feelings were gone for that time; Susy had swallowed them, or they had flown out of the window.
The splint was made of hard, polished wood and brass17. Under it were strips of plaster an inch wide, which wound round and round the poor wounded limb. These strips of plaster became loose, and there was a little key-hole in the splint, into which Mrs. Parlin put a key, and wound up and tightened18 the plaster every morning. This operation did not hurt Prudy at all.
"Now," said Susy, after she had combed Prudy's hair carefully, and put a net over it, until her mother should be ready to curl it, "now we will have a game of checkers."
Prudy played in high glee, for Susy allowed her to jump all her men, and march triumphantly19 into the king-row, at the head of a victorious20 army.
"There, now, Rosy," said Susy, gently, "are you willing to let me go out riding? I can't play any more if I ride, for I must dress Dotty's doll, and feed my canary."
"O, well," said Prudy, considering the matter, "I'm sick; I tell you how it is, I'm sick, you know; but—well, you may go, Susy, if you'll make up a story as long as a mile."
Susy really felt grateful to Prudy, but it was her own gentle manner which had charmed the sick child into giving her consent.
Then Susy proceeded to dress Dotty's doll in a very simple fashion, with two holes for short sleeves, and a skirt with a raw edge; but she looked kind and pleasant while she was at work, and Dotty was just as well pleased as if it had been an elegant costume she was preparing. And it was really good enough for a poor deformed21 rag-baby, with a head shaped like a stove-pipe.
Susy was delighted to find how well a little patience served her in amusing "the children." Next, she went to give Dandy his morning bath. Mrs. Parlin still thought it a dangerous practice, but had not seen Mrs. Mason, to question her about it, and Susy was too obstinate22 in her opinion to listen to her mother.
"I must do it," said Susy; "it has been ever so long since Dandy was bathed, and I shouldn't take any comfort riding, mamma, if I didn't leave him clean."
Susy plunged23 the trembling canary into his little bathing-bowl, in some haste. He struggled as usual, and begged, with his weak, piping voice, to be spared such an infliction24. But Susy was resolute25.
"It'll do you good, Ducky Daddles; we mustn't have any lazy, dirty birdies in this house."
"O, look, mother!" cried Susy, laughing; "how funny Dandy acts! Do you suppose it's to make me laugh? O, is he fainting away?"
"Fainting away! My dear child, he is dying!"
This was the sad truth. Mrs. Parlin fanned him, hoping to call back the lingering breath. But it was too late. One or two more throbs27, and his frightened little heart had ceased to beat; his frail28 life had gone out as suddenly as a spark of fire.
Susy was too much shocked to speak. She stood holding the stiffening29 bird in her hands, and gazing at it.
Mrs. Parlin was very sorry for Susy, and had too much kindness of feeling to add to her distress30 by saying,—
"You know how I warned you, Susy."
Susy was already suffering for her obstinacy31 and disregard of her mother's advice; and Mrs. Parlin believed she would lay the lesson to heart quite as well without more words. It was a bitter lesson. Susy loved dumb creatures dearly, and was just becoming very fond of Dandy.
In the midst of her trouble, and while her eyes were swollen32 with tears, her cousin Percy came with Wings and the sleigh to give her the promised ride. Susy no longer cared for going out: it seemed to her that her heart was almost broken.
"Well, cousin Indigo33, what is the matter?" said Percy; "you look as if this world was a howling wilderness34, and you wanted to howl too. What, crying over that bird? Poh! I can buy you a screech-owl any time, that will make twice the noise he could in his best days. Come, hurry, and put your things on!"
"My bird is dead, said Susy P.,
My bird is dead; O, deary me!
He sang so sweet, te whee, te whee;
He sings no more; O, deary me!
Go hang his cage up in the tree,
That cage I care no more to see.
My bird is dead, cried Susy P."
These provoking words Percy drawled out in a sing-song voice. It was too much. Susy's eyes flashed through her tears.
"You've always laughed at me, Percy Eastman, and plagued me about Freddy Jackson, and everything, and I've borne it like a—like a lady. But when you go to laughing at my poor little Dandy that's dead, and can't speak—"
Susy was about to say, "Can't speak for himself," but saw in time how absurdly she was talking, and stopped short.
Percy laughed.
"Where are you going with that cage?"
"Give it to me," said Percy: "I'll take care of it for you."
If Susy's eyes had not been blinded by tears, she would have been surprised to see the real pity in Percy's face.
He was a rollicking boy, full of merriment and bluster38, and what tender feelings he possessed39, he took such a wonderful amount of pains to conceal40, that Susy never suspected he had any. She would have enjoyed her ride if she had not felt so full of grief. The day was beautiful. There had been a storm, and the trees looked as if they had been snowballing one another; but Susy had no eye for trees, and just then hardly cared for her pony.
Percy put the cage in the sleigh, under the buffalo41 robes; and when they reached his own door, he carried the cage into the house, while Susy drew a sigh of relief. He offered to stuff Dandy, or have him stuffed; but Susy rejected the idea with horror.
"No, if Dandy was dead, he was all dead; she didn't want to see him sitting up stiff and cold, when he couldn't sing a speck."
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收听单词发音
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1
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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2
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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5
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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6
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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7
pumpkin
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| n.南瓜 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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9
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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10
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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12
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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13
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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14
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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15
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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16
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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17
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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18
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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19
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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21
deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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22
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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23
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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24
infliction
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| n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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27
throbs
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| 体内的跳动( throb的名词复数 ) | |
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28
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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29
stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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30
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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31
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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32
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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33
indigo
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| n.靛青，靛蓝 | |
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34
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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dirge
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| n.哀乐，挽歌，庄重悲哀的乐曲 | |
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37
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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38
bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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39
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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40
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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41
buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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