"O, Pickering!" Polly actually ran into the drawing-room with outstretched hands. "Why did
Jencks put you in here?"
"I asked to come in here," said Pickering. "I don't want to see a lot of people to-night; I only want
you, Polly."
"But Mamsie could help you--she'd know the right thing to say to you," said Polly.
"No, no!" cried Pickering in alarm, and edging off into a corner. "Do sit down, Polly, I--I want to
talk to you."
So Polly sat down, her eyes fastened on his face, and wishing all the while that Mamsie would
come in.
"I don't wonder you think I'm in a bad way," began Pickering nervously1; "it was awfully2 good in
you to send for me, Polly, awfully."
"Why, I couldn't help it," said Polly. "You know it's just like having one of the boys in trouble, to
have you worried, Pickering."
"Yes, yes," said Pickering, "I know."
"Well, I want to tell you something," began Polly radiantly, thinking it better to cheer him up a bit
with her news before getting at the root of his trouble. "Do you know that Grandpapa is going to
take us all to-morrow to see Jasper? It's to be a surprise party."
"Ah," said Pickering, all his gladness gone.
"Yes; and Grandpapa wants you to go with us, Pickering," Polly went on.
"Oh, dear me--I can't--can't possibly!" exclaimed Pickering, in a tone of horror. "Don't ask me,
Polly. Anything but that."
"O, yes, you can," laughed Polly, determined3 to get him out of his strange mood. "Why, Pickering,
we don't want to go without you. It would spoil all our fun."
"Well, I can't go," cried Pickering, in an agony at being misunderstood. "I'd do anything in the
world you ask, Polly, but that."
"Why not, you ridiculous boy?" asked Polly, quite as if it were Joel who was before her.
"Because Jasper and I don't speak to each other," Pickering bolted out; "we had a fight."
[Illustration: "WHAT DO YOU SAY?" CRIED POLLY.]
Polly sprang to her feet. "What do you say?" she cried.
"It's beastly, I know," declared Pickering, his face aflame, "but, Polly, if you knew-- I really
couldn't help it; Jasper was"--
"Don't tell me that it was any of Jasper's doings," cried Polly vehemently4, clasping her hands
tightly together, so afraid she might say something to make the matter worse. "I know, Pickering,
it was quite your own fault if you won't speak."
"O, Polly!" exclaimed Pickering, the hot blood all over his face, "don't say that; please don't."
"I must; because I know it is the truth," said Polly uncompromisingly. "If it isn't, why, then come
with us to-morrow, Pickering," and her brow cleared.
"I can't, Polly, I can't possibly," cried Pickering in distress5; "ask me anything but that, and I'll do
it."
"This is the only thing that you ought to do," said Polly coldly. "O, Pickering, suppose that
anything should happen so that you never could speak!" she added reproachfully.
"I'm sure I don't want to speak to a man when I've broken friendship with him," said Pickering
sullenly6. "What is there to talk about, I'd like to know?"
"If you've broken friendship with Jasper, I'm quite, quite sure it is your own fault," hotly declared
Polly again; "Jasper never turned away from a friend in his life." And Polly broke off suddenly and
walked down the long room, aghast to find how angry she was at each step.
"Don't you turn away from me, Polly," begged Pickering in such a piteous tone that Polly felt little
twinges of remorse7, and in a minute she was by his side again.
"I didn't mean to be cross," she said quickly, "but you mustn't say such things, Pickering."
"I must tell you the truth," said Pickering doggedly8, "and that is that I've broken friendship with
Jasper, and I can't speak to him."
"Pickering," said Polly, whirling abruptly9 to get a good look at his face, "you must speak to
Jasper," and she drew a long breath.
"I tell you I can't," said Pickering, his face paling with the effort to control himself.
"Then," said Polly, very deliberately10, yet with a glow of determination, "you can't speak to me; so
good-night, Pickering," and she ran out of the room.
Pickering stared after her a moment in a dazed way, then picked up his hat, and darted11 out of the
house, shutting the door hard behind him.
Polly, hurrying over the stairs to her own room, kept saying to herself over and over, "Oh! how
could I have said that--how could I? when I want to help him--and now I have made everything
worse."
"Polly," called Mrs. Fisher, as Polly sped by her door, "you are going to take the noon train, you
know, to-morrow, Mr. King says; so you can pack in the morning easily."
"I'm not going, Mamsie; that is--I hope we are not any of us going," said Polly incoherently, as she
tried to hurry by.
"Not going! Polly, child, what do you mean?" cried Mrs. Fisher aghast.
"O, Mamsie, don't ask me," begged Polly, having hard work to keep the tears back. "Do forgive
me, but need I tell?" and Polly stopped and clung to the knob of the door.
"No, Polly, if you cannot tell mother your trouble willingly, I will not ask it, child." And Mrs.
Fisher turned off, and began to busy herself over her work.
Polly, quite broken down by this, deserted12 her door-knob, and rushed into the bedroom.
"O, Mamsie, it's about--about other people, and I didn't know as I ought to tell. Need I?" cried
Polly imploringly13, seizing her mother's gown just as Phronsie would.
"No more had you a right to tell, Polly," said her mother, "if that is the case," and she turned a
cheerful face toward her; "I can trust my girl, that she won't keep anything that is her own, away
from me. There, there;" and she smoothed Polly's brown hair with her hand. "How I used to be
always telling you to brush your hair, and now how nice it looks, Polly," she added approvingly.
"It's the same fly-away hair now," said Polly, throwing back her rebellious14 locks with an impatient
toss of the head. "Oh! how I do wish I had smooth hair like Charlotte's."
"Fly-away hair, when it's taken care of as it ought to be," observed Mrs. Fisher, "is one thing, and
when it's all sixes and sevens because a girl doesn't have time to brush it, is another. Your hair is
all right now, Polly, There, go, child;" and she dismissed her with a final loving pat. "I can trust
you, and when your worry gets too big for you, why, bring it to mother."
So Polly, up in her own room at last, crept into a corner, and there went over every word, bitterly
lamenting15 what she had done. At last she could endure it no longer, and she sprang up. "I'll write a
note to Pickering and say I am sorry," she cried to herself. "Maybe Ben will take it to him. O,
dear! I forgot; Ben is vexed16 with him; but perhaps he will leave it at the door. Any way, I'll ask
him."
So Polly scribbled17 down hastily:
Dear Pickering:
I am so sorry I said those words to you; I don't see how I came to. Do forget them, and forgive
Polly.
"Ben, Ben!" Polly ran over the stairs, nervously twirling the little note. "O, dear me, where are
you, Ben?"
"Here," called Ben, "in Mamsie's sewing-room."
"Oh! I beg your pardon," exclaimed Polly, throwing wide the door on the tete-a-tete Ben was
having with Charlotte.
"Come in, Polly," cried Ben, his blue eyes glowing with welcome. "That's all right; you don't
interrupt us. Charlotte and I were having a bit of a talk, but we're through. Now what's the
matter?" with a good look at Polly's face.
"O, Ben, if you could," began Polly fearfully, "it's only this," waving the note with trembling
fingers. "Now do say you will take this note to Pickering Dodge18."
"Why, I thought you sent him a note before dinner," said Ben in surprise.
"So I did; and he came," said Polly, her head drooping19 in a shamefaced way, "and I was cross to
him."
"O, Polly, you cross to him!" exclaimed Ben; "as if I'd believe that!" while Charlotte stared at her
with wide eyes.
"I truly was," confessed Polly. "There, don't stop, Ben, to talk about it, please, but do take this
note," thrusting it at him.
But Ben shook his head. "I thought I told you, Polly, that Pick don't want to speak to me. How in
the world can I go at him?" At this Charlotte stared worse than ever.
"You needn't go in the house," said Polly, "just leave it at the door. Ah, do, Ben;" she went up to
him and coaxingly20 patted his cheek.
"All right, as long as you don't want me to bore him," said Ben, slowly getting out of his chair.
"Here, give us your note, Polly. Of course you'll make me do as you say."
"You're just as splendid as you can be," cried Polly joyfully21. "There, now, Bensie," pushing the
note into his hand, "do hurry, that's a good boy."
And in a quarter of an hour, Ben rushed in, meeting Polly in the hall, kis face aglow22, and eyes
shining. "Here, Polly, catch it," tossing her a note; "that's from Pick."
"Why, did you see him?" asked Polly, in amazement23.
"Yes; couldn't help it--he was rushing out the door like a whirlwind, and we came together on the
steps," said Ben, with a burst of laughter at the remembrance, "and we spoke24 before we meant to;
couldn't help it, you know; just ran into each other--and he read your note, and then he flew into
the house, and was gone a moment or two, and came back mumbling25 it was all his fault, and he'd
written; that you'd understand, or something of that sort, and he gave me this note to carry back;
and I guess Pick is all right, Polly." Ben drew a long breath of relief after he got through; he was
so unaccustomed to long speeches.
Polly tore open her note, and stooped to read it by the dancing flames of the hall fire.
To show that I forgive you, Polly, I'll go to-morrow with you all to see Jasper.
PICKERING.
"Won't Jasper be surprised?" Phronsie kept exclaiming over and over, when they were once fairly
in the cars; much to old Mr. King's delight, who never tired of congratulating himself on planning
the outing. "Grandpapa dear, I do think it was, oh! so lovely in you to take us all."
"Well, Jasper has been working hard lately," said the old gentleman, "and it will be no end of good
to him even if it doesn't agree with you, my pet," pinching Phronsie's ear.
"Oh, but it does agree with me," said Phronsie in great satisfaction, "very much, indeed,
Grandpapa."
"So it seems," said the old gentleman. "Well, now, Phronsie," glancing around at the rest of his
party, "everything is moving on well, and I believe I'll take a bit of a nap; that is, if that
youngster," with a nod toward the end of the car, "will allow me to."
"I don't believe that baby will cry any more," said Phronsie, with a hopeful glance whence the
disturbing sounds came, "he can't, Grandpapa; he's cried so much. Now do lean your head back;
I'm going to put this rug under it;" and Phronsie began to pull out a traveling blanket from the roll.
Polly, across the car aisle26, laid down her book, and clambered out her seat. "Let me take baby,"
she said, coming up unsteadily to the pale little woman who was endeavoring to pacify28 a stout,
red-cheeked boy a year old, just beginning on a fresh series of roars.
An old gentleman in the seat back, laid down the paper he had been trying to read, to see the fresh
attempts on the small disturber.
"He'll tire you out, Miss," said the pale little woman deprecatingly. "There, there, Johnny, do be
still," with an uneasy pull at Johnny's red skirt.
"Indeed he won't," laughed Polly merrily. Hearing this, Johnny stopped beating the window in the
vain effort to get out, and deliberately looked Polly over. "I like babies," added Polly, "and if you'll
let me," to the little mother, "I'm going to play with this one." And without waiting for an answer,
she sat down in the end of the seat, and held out her hands alluringly29 to Johnny.
"Young lady, there are babies and babies," observed the old gentleman solemnly, and leaning over
the back of the seat, he regarded Polly over his spectacles with pitying eyes, "and I'd advise you to
have nothing to do with this particular one."
But Johnny was already scrambling30 all over Polly's traveling gown, and she was laughing at him.
And presently the pale little woman was stretched comfortably on the opposite seat, her eyes
closed restfully.
"Well done!" cried the old gentleman; "I'll read my paper while the calm spell lasts;" as the train
rumbled31 on, the sound only broken by Johnny's delighted little gurgles, as Polly played "Rabbit
and Fox" for his delectation.
Phronsie looked down the intervening space, and heaved a sigh at Polly's employment.
"Don't worry; I like it," telegraphed Polly, nodding away to her. So Phronsie turned again to her
watch, lest Grandpapa's head should slip from the blanket pillow in a sudden lurch32 of the cars.
"I'd help her if I knew how," Charlotte, several seats off, groaned33 to herself, "but that lump of a
baby would only roar at me. Dear, dear, am I never to be any good to Polly?"
She leaned her troubled face against the window-side, her chin resting on her hand, and gave
herself up to the old thoughts. "What did Ben say?" she cried suddenly, flying away from the
window so abruptly that she involuntarily glanced around to be quite sure that none of her fellow-
passengers were laughing at her. "'You may be sure, Charlotte, if you keep on the lookout34, there
will a time come for you to help Polly.' That's what he said, and I'll hold fast to it."
On and on the train rumbled. The little mother woke up with a new light in her eyes, and a pink
color on her cheeks. "I haven't had such a sleep in weeks," she said gratefully. Then she leaned
forward.
"I'll take Johnny now," she said; "you must be so tired."
But Johnny roared out "No," and beat her off with small fists and feet.
"He's going to sleep," said Polly, looking down at him snuggled up tightly within her arm, his
heavy eyelids35 slowly drooping, "then I'll put him down on the seat, and tuck him up for a good
long nap."
At the word "sleep" Johnny screamed out, "No, no!" and thrust his fat knuckles36 into his eyes,
while he tried to sit up straight in Polly's lap.
"There, there," cried Polly soothingly37, "now fly back, little bird, into your nest."
Johnny showed all the small white teeth he possessed38, in a gleeful laugh, and burrowed39 deeper
than before within the kind arm as he tried to play "Bo-peep" with her.
"You see," said Polly, to the little mother's worried look; "he'll soon be off in Nodland," she added
softly.
"I've never had any one be so good to me," said Johnny's mother brokenly, "as you, Miss."
"Is Johnny your only little boy?" asked Polly, to stop the flow of gratitude40.
"Yes, Miss; I've buried four children."
"Oh!" exclaimed Polly, quite hushed.
The little mother wiped away the tears from her eyes, and looked out of the window, steadily27
fixing her gaze on the distant landscape. And the train sped on.
"But the worst is, the father is gone." She turned again to Polly, then glanced down at her black
dress. "Johnny and me have no one now."
"Don't try to tell me," cried Polly involuntarily, "if it pains you."
She would have taken the thin hand in hers, but Johnny's uneasy breathing showed him still
contesting every inch of progress the "children's sandman" was making toward him, and she didn't
dare to move.
"It does me good," said the little woman, "somehow, I must tell you, Miss. And now I'm going to
Fall River. Somebody told me I'd get work there in the Print Mills. You see, I haven't any father
nor mother, nor anybody belonging to Johnny's father nor me."
"Are you sure of getting work when you reach Fall River?" asked Polly, feeling all the thrill of a
great lonely world, for two such little helpless beings to be cast adrift in it.
"No'm," said the little woman; "but it's a big mill, they say, and has to have lots of women in it,
and there must be a place for me. I do think that times are going to be good now for Johnny and
me, and"--
A crash like that when the lightning begins on deadly work; a surging, helpless tossing from side
to side, when the hands strike blindly out on either side for something to cling to; a sudden fall,
down, down, to unknown depths; a confused medley41 of shouts, and one long shuddering42 scream.
"Oh! what"--began Polly, holding to Johnny through it all. And then she knew no more.
点击
收听单词发音
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1
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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7
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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8
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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10
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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11
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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12
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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imploringly
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| adv. 恳求地, 哀求地 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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15
lamenting
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| adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 ) | |
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16
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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17
scribbled
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| v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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18
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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19
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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coaxingly
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| adv. 以巧言诱哄，以甘言哄骗 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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24
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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mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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26
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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27
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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28
pacify
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| vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰 | |
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29
alluringly
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| 诱人地，妩媚地 | |
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30
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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31
rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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32
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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33
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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34
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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35
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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36
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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38
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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burrowed
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| v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的过去式和过去分词 )；翻寻 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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41
medley
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| n.混合 | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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