Will Melville drove up to the windowand, tossing a letter into Rebecca'slap, went off to the barn on an errand.
"Sister 's no worse, then," sighed Aureliagratefully, "or Jane would have telegraphed. See whatshe says."Rebecca opened the envelope and read in oneflash of an eye the whole brief page:--Your aunt Miranda passed away an hour ago.
Come at once, if your mother is out of danger. Ishall not have the funeral till you are here. Shedied very suddenly and without any pain. Oh,Rebecca! I long for you so!
Aunt Jane.
The force of habit was too strong, and evenin the hour of death Jane had remembered thata telegram was twenty-five cents, and that Aureliawould have to pay half a dollar for its delivery.
Rebecca burst into a passion of tears as shecried, "Poor, poor aunt Miranda! She is gonewithout taking a bit of comfort in life, and Icouldn't say good-by to her! Poor lonely auntJane! What can I do, mother? I feel torn in two,between you and the brick house.""You must go this very instant," said Aurelia;starting from her pillows. "If I was to die whileyou were away, I would say the very same thing.
Your aunts have done everything in the world foryou,--more than I've ever been able to do,--andit is your turn to pay back some o' their kindnessand show your gratitude1. The doctor says I'veturned the corner and I feel I have. Jenny canmake out somehow, if Hannah'll come over oncea day.""But, mother, I CAN'T go! Who'll turn you inbed?" exclaimed Rebecca, walking the floor andwringing her hands distractedly.
"It don't make any difference if I don't getturned," replied Aurelia stoically. "If a womanof my age and the mother of a family hasn't gotsense enough not to slip off haymows, she'd oughtto suffer. Go put on your black dress and pack yourbag. I'd give a good deal if I was able to go tomy sister's funeral and prove that I've forgottenand forgiven all she said when I was married. Heracts were softer 'n her words, Mirandy's were, andshe's made up to you for all she ever sinnedagainst me 'n' your father! And oh, Rebecca," shecontinued with quivering voice, "I remember sowell when we were little girls together and she tooksuch pride in curling my hair; and another time,when we were grown up, she lent me her best bluemuslin: it was when your father had asked me tolead the grand march with him at the Christmasdance, and I found out afterwards she thought he'dintended to ask her!"Here Aurelia broke down and wept bitterly; forthe recollection of the past had softened2 her heartand brought the comforting tears even more effectuallythan the news of her sister's death.
There was only an hour for preparation. Willwould drive Rebecca to Temperance and sendJenny back from school. He volunteered also toengage a woman to sleep at the farm in case Mrs.
Randall should be worse at any time in the night.
Rebecca flew down over the hill to get a last pailof spring water, and as she lifted the bucket fromthe crystal depths and looked out over the glowingbeauty of the autumn landscape, she saw a companyof surveyors with their instruments makingcalculations and laying lines that apparently3 crossedSunnybrook at the favorite spot where Mirror Poollay clear and placid5, the yellow leaves on its surfaceno yellower than its sparkling sands.
She caught her breath. "The time has come!"she thought. "I am saying good-by to Sunnybrook,and the golden gates that almost swung togetherthat last day in Wareham will close forevernow. Good-by, dear brook4 and hills and meadows;you are going to see life too, so we must be hopefuland say to one another:--"`Grow old along with me,The best is yet to be.'"Will Melville had seen the surveyors too, andhad heard in the Temperance post-office that morningthe probable sum that Mrs. Randall would receivefrom the railway company. He was in goodspirits at his own improved prospects6, for his farmwas so placed that its value could be only increasedby the new road; he was also relieved in mindthat his wife's family would no longer be in direpoverty directly at his doorstep, so to speak. Johncould now be hurried forward and forced into theposition of head of the family several years soonerthan had been anticipated, so Hannah's husbandwas obliged to exercise great self-control or hewould have whistled while he was driving Rebeccato the Temperance station. He could not understandher sad face or the tears that rolled silentlydown her cheeks from time to time; for Hannahhad always represented her aunt Miranda as anirascible, parsimonious7 old woman, who would beno loss to the world whenever she should elect todisappear from it.
"Cheer up, Becky!" he said, as he left her at thedepot. "You'll find your mother sitting up whenyou come back, and the next thing you know thewhole family'll be moving to some nice little housewherever your work is. Things will never be sobad again as they have been this last year; that'swhat Hannah and I think;" and he drove away totell his wife the news.
Adam Ladd was in the station and came up toRebecca instantly, as she entered the door lookingvery unlike her bright self.
"The Princess is sad this morning," he said,taking her hand. "Aladdin must rub the magiclamp; then the slave will appear, and these tearsbe dried in a trice."He spoke8 lightly, for he thought her troublewas something connected with affairs at Sunnybrook,and that he could soon bring the smiles bytelling her that the farm was sold and that hermother was to receive a handsome price in return.
He meant to remind her, too, that though she mustleave the home of her youth, it was too remote aplace to be a proper dwelling9 either for herself orfor her lonely mother and the three youngerchildren. He could hear her say as plainly as if it wereyesterday, "I don't think one ever forgets the spotwhere one lived as a child." He could see the quaintlittle figure sitting on the piazza10 at North Riverboroand watch it disappear in the lilac bushes when hegave the memorable11 order for three hundred cakesof Rose-Red and Snow-White soap.
A word or two soon told him that her grief wasof another sort, and her mood was so absent, sosensitive and tearful, that he could only assure herof his sympathy and beg that he might come soonto the brick house to see with his own eyes howshe was faring.
Adam thought, when he had put her on the trainand taken his leave, that Rebecca was, in her saddignity and gravity, more beautiful than he had everseen her,--all-beautiful and all-womanly. But in thatmoment's speech with her he had looked into hereyes and they were still those of a child; there wasno knowledge of the world in their shining depths,no experience of men or women, no passion, norcomprehension of it. He turned from the little countrystation to walk in the woods by the wayside untilhis own train should be leaving, and from time totime he threw himself under a tree to think anddream and look at the glory of the foliage12. Hehad brought a new copy of The Arabian Nights forRebecca, wishing to replace the well-worn old onethat had been the delight of her girlhood; butmeeting her at such an inauspicious time, he hadabsently carried it away with him. He turned thepages idly until he came to the story of Aladdinand the Wonderful Lamp, and presently, in spiteof his thirty-four years, the old tale held himspellbound as it did in the days when he first read it asa boy. But there were certain paragraphs thatespecially caught his eye and arrested his attention,--paragraphs that he read and reread, finding in themhe knew not what secret delight and significance.
These were the quaintly13 turned phrases describingthe effect on the once poor Aladdin of hiswonderful riches, and those descanting upon the beautyand charm of the Sultan's daughter, the PrincessBadroulboudour:--_Not only those who knew Aladdin when heplayed in the streets like a vagabond did not knowhim again; those who had seen him but a littlewhile before hardly knew him, so much were hisfeatures altered; such were the effects of the lamp,as to procure14 by degrees to those who possessed15 it,perfections agreeable to the rank the right use of itadvanced them to.__The Princess was the most beautiful brunette inthe world; her eyes were large, lively, and sparkling;her looks sweet and modest; her nose was ofa just proportion and without a fault; her mouthsmall, her lips of a vermilion red, and charminglyagreeable symmetry; in a word, all the features ofher face were perfectly16 regular. It is not thereforesurprising that Aladdin, who had never seen, andwas a stranger to, so many charms, was dazzled.
With all these perfections the Princess had so delicatea shape, so majestic17 an air, that the sight of herwas sufficient to inspire respect.__"Adorable Princess," said Aladdin to her, accostingher, and saluting18 her respectfully, "if I have themisfortune to have displeased19 you by my boldness inaspiring to the possession of so lovely a creature, Imust tell you that you ought to blame your brighteyes and charms, not me.""Prince," answered the Princess, "it is enoughfor me to have seen you, to tell you that I obey withoutreluctance."
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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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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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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parsimonious
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| adj.吝啬的，质量低劣的 | |
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8
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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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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quaintly
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| adv.古怪离奇地 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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15
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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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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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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18
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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19
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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