"So I do love my work," cried Jasper in a glow, "but, Polly," and he sprang to his feet and walked
away so that she couldn't see his face, "I thought that you were going to say something about
yourself,"
Then he turned around and faced her again.
"O, Jasper!" exclaimed Polly reproachfully, "what could I possibly have to say about myself! How
can I think of anything when you are in trouble?"
"Forgive me, Polly," broke in Jasper eagerly, and he took her hand, "and don't worry about me; I
mean, don't think that what you said to Grandpapa made any difference."
"But indeed it did, Jasper," declared Polly truthfully; "oh! I know it did, and I have done it all."
"Polly--Polly!" begged Jasper in great distress1, "don't, dear!"
"And now you must give it all up and go into the law--oh! the horrid2, hateful law; oh! what will
you do, Jasper?" And she gazed up into his face pityingly.
"I shall have to go," said Jasper, drawing his breath hard, and looking at her steadily3. "You know
you yourself told me long ago to make my father happy any way, Polly." He smiled as he
emphasized the last word.
"Oh! I know," cried Polly in despair, "but I didn't think it could ever be anything as bad as this,
Jasper."
"'Any way' means pretty hard lines sometimes, Polly," said Jasper. "Well, there's no help for it
now, so you must help me to go through with it."
"And just think," mourned Polly, looking as if the shower were about to fall again, "how I've made
it worse for you with Grandpapa. O, Jasper! I shall never be any help to you."
"Polly!" exclaimed Jasper, in such a tone that she stopped to look at him in astonishment4. "There,
now, I'll tell you all about it," he added with his usual manner, and sitting down beside her again,
"and then you'll see that nothing on earth made any difference to father. This was the way of it,"
and Jasper proceeded to lay before her every detail of Mr. King's visit to him, and all the
circumstances at the store, not omitting Mr. Whitney's part in the affair, as shown by the letter that
Jasper had seen.
"Oh, oh! how mean," interrupted Polly at this point, with flashing brown eyes; "how could he?"
and her lips curled disdainfully,
"Oh! Mason thought he was doing me the greatest favor in the world, I don't doubt," answered
Jasper. "You know, Polly, he never could bear to hear of the publishing business, and he was so
disappointed when I wouldn't go into the law."
"I know," said Polly, "but this was dreadful, to meddle--after you had once decided5; very, very
dreadful!"
"I think so," said Jasper, with a laugh; feeling surprisingly light-hearted, it was so beautiful to be
talking it all over with Polly, "but the trouble is, Mason don't. Well, and then came that dreadful
misunderstanding about Mr. Marlowe; that hurt me worse than all. O, Polly! if you only knew the
man," and Jasper relapsed into gloom once more.
"O, dear, dear!" cried Polly sympathetically, and clasping her hands. "What can we do; isn't there
anything to do?"
"No," said Jasper, "absolutely nothing. When father once makes up his mind about anything, it's
made up for all time. I must just lose the friendship of that man, as well as my place." With that
his gloom deepened, and Polly, feeling powerless to utter a word, slipped her hand within his as it
lay on his knee.
He looked up and smiled gratefully. "You see, Polly, we can't say anything to him."
"Oh! no, no," cried Polly in horror at the mere7 thought; "I've only made it a great deal worse."
"No, you haven't made it worse, dear; but we shouldn't do any good to talk to him about it."
"I don't believe I could live," cried Polly, off her guard, "to have him look at me, and to hear him
speak so again, Jasper."
Jasper started, while a frown spread over his face. "I can bear anything but that you should be hurt,
Polly," he exclaimed, his fingers tightening8 over hers.
"Oh! I don't mind it so much," cried Polly, recovering herself hastily, "if I hadn't made mischief9
for you."
"And that you never must think of again. Promise me, Polly."
"I'll try not to," said Polly.
"You must just put the notion out of your mind whenever it comes in," said Jasper decidedly;
"you'll promise that, Polly, I know you will."
"Well," said Polly reluctantly, "I will, Jasper."
"All right," exclaimed Jasper, in great satisfaction.
"Polly--Polly." Phronsie's yellow head came up above the stairs, and presently Phronsie came
running up to them in great haste.
"O, Polly!" and she threw her arms hungrily around Polly and hugged her closely. "O, dear!"
letting her arms fall, "I wasn't to stop a minute. Grandpapa wants you to drive with him, Polly, and
you are to go right down as soon as you get your hat on."
"Grandpapa!" screamed Polly, jumping off from the window-seat so hastily that Phronsie nearly
fell over, while Jasper was hardly less excited. "Why, Phronsie, you can't mean it. He"--
"Father really wants you, Polly, I know," broke in Jasper, with a look into the brown eyes. But his
voice shook, and if Phronsie hadn't been so worried over Polly, she would certainly have noticed
it.
"Polly hasn't had any dinner," she said in a troubled way.
"Oh! I don't care for dinner," cried Polly, with another look at Jasper, and beginning to dance off
to her room for her hat.
"But you must have some," declared Phronsie in gentle authority, going toward the stairs, "and I
shall just ask Grandpapa to wait for you to get it. Mrs. Higby saved your dinner for you, Polly"--
"Oh! I couldn't eat a morsel," protested Polly from her little room, "and don't ask Grandpapa to
wait an instant, whatever you do, Phronsie. See, I'm ready," and she ran out into the hall, putting
on her hat as she spoke10.
"Get her a glass of milk, Phronsie," called Jasper, standing6 by the stair-railing; "that's a good
child."
Polly flashed him a grateful look as she dashed down the stairs, drawing on her gloves, and not
daring to look forward to meeting Grandpapa.
But when she came out to the back piazza11, Phronsie following her with the glass, and begging her
to drink up the rest left in it, old Mr. King, standing by the little old-fashioned chaise, received her
exactly as if nothing had happened.
"Well, I declare, Polly," he said, turning to her with a smile, "I never saw anybody get ready so
quickly as you can. There, hop12 in, child," and he put aside her dress from the wheel in his most
courtly manner possible.
"Polly hasn't had all the milk," said Phronsie, by the chaise-step, holding up the glass anxiously.
"Well, I don't believe she wants it," said old Mr. King.
[Illustration: "POLLY HASN'T HAD ALL THE MILK," SAID PHRONSIE]
"No, I don't," said Polly, from the depths of the old chaise. "I couldn't drink it, dear."
Mr. King bent13 his white head to kiss Phronsie, and then they drove away, and left her standing in
the lilac-shaded path, her glass in her hand, and looking after them.
All sorts of things Mr. King talked of in the cheeriest manner possible, just as if Polly and he were
in the habit of taking a drive like this every morning; and he never seemed to notice her swollen14
eyelids15, or whether she answered, but kept on bravely with the conversation. At last Polly, at
something he said, laughed in her old merry fashion; then Mr. King drew a long breath, and
relaxed his efforts.
"I declare, Polly," he said, leaning back in a comfortable way against the old cushion, and
allowing the neighbor's horse, hired for the occasion, to amble16 along in its own fashion, "now we
are so cosy17, I believe I'll tell you a secret."
Polly stopped laughing and gazed at him.
"How would you like to take a little journey, just you and I, to-morrow?" he asked, looking down
into her face.
"A journey, Grandpapa?" asked Polly wonderingly.
"Yes; about as far as---say, well, to the place where Jasper has been all winter. The fact is, Polly,"
went on Mr. King very rapidly, as if with the fear that if he stopped he would not be able to finish
at all, "I want you to look over the ground--Jasper's work, I mean. It seems an abominable18 place to
me--a perfectly19 abominable one," confided20 the old gentleman in a burst of feeling, "but there,"
pulling himself up, "maybe I'm not the one to say it. You see, Polly, I never did a stroke of work in
my life, and I really can't tell how working-places ought to look. And I suppose a working man
like Mr. Marlowe might be different from me, and yet be a decent sort of a person, after all. Well,
will you go?" he asked abruptly21.
"O, Grandpapa!" cried Polly, aghast, and turning in the chaise to look at him with wide eyes.
"Yes, I really mean it," nodded old Mr. King, in his most decided fashion, "although I don't blame
you for thinking me funny, child."
"I was only thinking how good you are Grandpapa!" exclaimed Polly fervently22, and creeping up
close to his side.
"There--there, Polly, child," said the old gentleman, "no more of that, else we shall have a scene,
and that's what I never did like, dear, you know. Well, will you go with me--you haven't said yes
yet."
"Oh! yes, yes, yes," cried Polly, in a rapturous shout, not taking her glowing eyes off from his
face.
"Take care, you'll scare the natives," warned old Mr. King, beaming at her. "Brierly folks couldn't
have any such transports, Polly," as they turned down a shady lane and ambled23 by a quiet
farmhouse24.
"Well, they ought to," replied Polly merrily, peering out at the still, big house. "O, Grandpapa! I
just want to get out and jump and scream. I don't feel any bigger than Phronsie."
"Well, I much rather have you here in this carriage with me," said the old gentleman composedly.
"Now that's settled that we are going, Polly. Of course I asked the doctor; I sent down a letter to
him after dinner, to ask if your arm would let you take a little journey with me, and of course he
said 'yes,' like a sensible man. Why shouldn't he, pray tell--when we were all going home in a day
or two? Now, of course, that must be postponed25 a bit."
"Never mind," Polly hastened to say, "if Jasper is only fixed26 up."
"Now, Polly," Mr. King shifted his position a bit, so that he might see her the better, "perhaps Mr.
Marlowe won't take Jasper back. Judging from what I know of the man, I don't think he will," and
the old gentleman's face, despite his extreme care, began to look troubled at once.
"Oh! maybe he will," cried Polly warmly. "Grandpapa, I shouldn't wonder at all--he must!" she
added positively27.
"I don't know, Polly," he said, in a worried way. "I think it's very doubtful; indeed, from what I
know of business now, I don't believe at all that he will. But then, we can try."
"Oh! we can try," echoed Polly hopefully, and feeling as if, since God was good, he would let
Jasper back into his chosen life-work.
"Well, we'll start early to- morrow morning on our little trip, Polly," said the old gentleman,
catching28 her infectious spirit, and giving the old horse a fillip with the whip. "Meantime, not a
word, my dear, of our little plan!"
So Polly promised the deepest secrecy29, and that no one should even have a hint from her looks, of
what Grandpapa and she were to do.
And the next morning, although everybody was nearly devoured30 by curiosity, no one dared to ask
questions; so old Mr. King and Polly, with two well-filled portmanteaus, departed for a journey of
apparently31 a few days; and Polly didn't dare to trust herself alone with Jasper, but ran a race with
him around all the angles of the old farmhouse, always cleverly disappearing with a merry laugh
when there was the least chance of his overtaking her and cornering her for an explanation.
And Pickering Dodge32, in his invalid33 chair drawn34 close to the window, heard the merry
preparations for the journey, and fretfully declared "that people seem to be happy, with never a
thought for a poor dog like me," while old Mr. Loughead, who, despite Doctor Bryce's verdict,
had never seemed quite well enough in his own estimation for his departure from the "Higby
hospital," on the contrary brightened up, exclaiming, "Now, that is something like--to hear Miss
Polly laugh like that--bless her!"
"Good-by, Pickering," said Polly, coming into his room, old Mr. King close behind; "I am going
away with Grandpapa for a day or two," and she came up in her traveling hat and gown close to
his chair.
"So I heard," said Pickering, lifting his pale face, and trying to seem glad, for Polly's joy was
bubbling over. But he made rather a poor show of it.
"Good-by to you, my boy," said Mr. King, laying a soft palm over the thin fingers on Pickering's
knee. "Now see that you get up a little more vigor35 by the time we are back. Goodness! all you
want is a trifle more backbone36. Why, an old fellow like me would beat you there, I do believe. I
am surprised at you," cried the old gentleman, shaking his fingers at Mr. Loughead, with whom he
was on the best of terms, but never feeling the necessity to weigh his words, "that you, being chief
nurse, don't set up with that boy and make him get on his feet quicker."
"So I could do," cried old Mr. Loughead, whose chief object in life since Pickering had been
pronounced out of danger, had been to browbeat37 the trained nurse, and usurp38 the authority in
Pickering's sick-room, "if Mrs. Cabot would keep out, or take it into her head to return home. To
state it mildly," continued the old gentleman, not lowering his tone in the least, "that lady doesn't
seem to be gifted with the qualities of a nurse. Providence39 never intended that she should be one,
in my opinion."
"Don't tell him to bully40 me worse than he does," cried Pickering. "He shows a frightful41 hand when
he wants his own way."
"That's it," cried old Mr. King delightedly; "only just keep it up. You'll get well fast, as long as
you can fight. Come on, Polly, my girl, or we shall be late for the train."
The evening before, Jack42 Loughead ran up the steps to Miss Salisbury's "select School for Young
Ladies," and pulled the bell hastily.
Amy ran down as quickly to the little room where she was always allowed to see her brother.
"Well, Amy, child," cried Jack, when they had gone through with the preliminaries always
religiously observed on his visits: how she had progressed in her music under the new teacher
Miss Pepper had recommended during her enforced absence, and how far she had pleased Miss
Salisbury, and all the other things an elder brother who had come to his conscience rather late,
would be apt to look into. "And so you really think you are getting on in your practice?"
"O, yes, Jack!" cried Amy confidently. "Come and see; I've a new Beethoven for you," and she
laid hold of his arm with eager fingers. "Now, you'll be immensely surprised, Jack--immensely."
"No doubt, no doubt," answered Jack hastily, and not offering to get up from the sofa, "but you
needn't play it now."
"Why, Jack," cried Amy, no little offended, "what's the matter? You've asked me regularly to play
you my pieces, and now to-night when I offer to, you won't have any of it," and she began to pout43.
"That's shabby in me," declared Jack, with remorse44; and getting off the sofa, to his feet, he
dutifully spread the music on the rack, and paid his little sister such attention, that she was soon
smilingly launched into the new piece, and lost to everything else but her own melody.
"That's fine!" pronounced Jack, as Amy declared herself through, and whirled around on the
music-stool for his applause. But his heart wasn't in it, and Amy's blue eyes soon found it out.
"You're not a bit like yourself to-night, Brother Jack," she cried, with another pout and staring at
him.
"You're right; I'm not, Amy," declared Jack. "Come over to the sofa, and I'll tell you about it."
So the two turned their backs on the piano; and pretty soon, Amy, her hand in her brother's big
brown palm, was nestled up against him, and hearing a confidence that made her small soul swell45
with delight.
"Amy," said Jack, putting his arm closer around her, "when Miss Pepper had the courage to tell me
of my duty to you, I made up my mind that you should never want for anything that my hand
could supply."
"And I never have," cried little Amy, poking46 her head up from its nest to look at him. "All the girls
say you are just splendid to me; that they never saw such a brother; and I don't believe they ever
did, Jack," she added proudly.
"So now, what I am about to do," said Jack, speaking with great effort, "isn't to bring anything but
the greatest happiness to you, Amy, as well as to me. If only I can secure it!" he added under his
breath.
"What are you going to do, Jack?" demanded Amy, springing away from him to stare into his
bronzed face. "Oh! I know; you are going to Europe again, and will take me this time--oh! goody,
goody!" She screamed like a child, clapping her hands gaily47.
"Hush48, Amy," cried Jack, trying to speak lightly, "or Miss Salisbury will come in, and send me off,
saying I spoil your manners. There, come back here to me; I can talk better then," and he drew her
to his side again. "No, it is something much more beautiful than any trip to Europe would be."
"It can't be. Jack," cried Amy positively, and burrowing49 her sunny head into his waistcoat.
[Illustration: AMY.]
"Listen--and don't interrupt again," said her big brother. "Amy--how can I tell it? Amy, if Miss
Pepper will--will marry me, I will bless God all my life!"
This time Amy sprang to the middle of the floor of Miss Salisbury's small reception-room. "Marry
you, Brother Jack!" she screamed. "Oh! how perfectly elegant! It's too lovely for anything--oh! my
darling Miss Pepper," and so on, till Jack couldn't make her hear a word.
"Amy--Amy," at last he said, getting up to her, to lay an imperative50 hand on her arm, "what would
Miss Pepper say--don't get so excitable, child--to see you now? Do hush!"
"I know it," said Amy, stopping instantly, and creeping humbly51 back to the sofa; "Miss Pepper
was always telling me how to stop screaming at everything I liked; and not to cry at things I didn't
like," she confessed frankly52.
"Well, then, if you love her," said Jack, going back to sit down by her again, "you will try to do
what she says. And you do love her, I am quite sure, Amy."
"I love her so," declared Amy, "that I would do any and everything she ever asked me to, Brother
Jack."
"I thought so," said Jack. "Well, now, Amy, I must tell you that I went to see Mrs. Fisher to-day,
to ask her if I may speak to Miss Pepper. And she gives me full permission; and so I shall go to
Brierly to-morrow, and try my fate."
"It won't be any trying at all," cried Amy superbly, and stretching her neck to look up with
immense pride at her tall brother. "She can't help loving you, Jack! Oh! I am so happy."
Jack Loughead's dark face had a grave look on it as he glanced down at her. "I hope so," he said
simply.
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收听单词发音
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1
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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2
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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3
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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4
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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5
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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6
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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7
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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8
tightening
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| 上紧，固定，紧密 | |
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9
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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10
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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11
piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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12
hop
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| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
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13
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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14
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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15
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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16
amble
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| vi.缓行，漫步 | |
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17
cosy
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| adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的 | |
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18
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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19
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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20
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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21
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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22
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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23
ambled
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的过去式和过去分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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24
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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25
postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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26
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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27
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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28
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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29
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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30
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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31
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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32
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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33
invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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34
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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35
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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36
backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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37
browbeat
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| v.欺侮；吓唬 | |
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38
usurp
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| vt.篡夺，霸占；vi.篡位 | |
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39
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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40
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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41
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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42
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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43
pout
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| v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴 | |
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44
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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45
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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46
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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47
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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48
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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49
burrowing
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| v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的现在分词 )；翻寻 | |
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50
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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51
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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52
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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