"Phronsie shall have a baked apple this morning," said Mother Fisher, coming into the sunny
room where Phronsie lay propped1 up against the pillows.
"Did Papa-Doctor say so?" asked Phronsie, a smile of supreme2 content spreading over her wan3
little face.
"Yes, he did," said her mother; "as nice an apple, red and shiny as we could find, is downstairs
baking for you, Phronsie. When it's done, Sarah is to bring it up."
"That will be very nice," breathed Phronsie slowly. "And I want my little tea-set--just the two cups
and saucers--and my own little pot and sugar-bowl. Do let me, Mamsie, and you shall have a cup
of milk with me," she cried, a little pink color stealing into either cheek.
"Yes, yes, child," said Mother Fisher. "There, you mustn't try to lean forward. I'll bring the little
table Grandpapa bought, so;" she hurried over across the room and wheeled it into place. "Now
isn't that fine, Phronsie?" as the long wing swung over the bed. "Did you ever see such a tea-party
as you and I'll have?"
"Breakfast party, Mamsie!" hummed Phronsie; "isn't that just lovely?" wriggling4 her toes under
the bed-clothes. "Do you think Sarah'll ever bring that apple?"
"Yes, indeed--why, here she is now!" announced Mrs. Fisher cheerily. "Come in, Sarah," as a rap
sounded on the door. "Our little girl is all ready for that good apple. My! what a fine one."
"Bless honey's heart!" ejaculated Sarah, her black face shining with delight. "Ain't he a beauty,
though?" setting down on the table-wing a pink plate in the midst of which reposed5 an apple
whose crackling skin disclosed a toothsome interior. "I bring a pink sasser so's to match his
insides. But ain't he rich, though!"
"Sarah," said Phronsie, with hungry eyes on the apple, "I think he is very nice indeed, and I do
thank you for bringing him."
"Bless her precious heart!" cried Sarah, her hands on her ample hips6, and her mouth extended in
the broadest of smiles.
"Do get me a spoon, Mamsie," begged Phronsie, unable to take her gaze from the apple. "I'm so
glad he has a stem on, Sarah," carefully picking at it.
"Well, there," said Sarah, "I had the greatest work to save that stem. But, la! I wouldn't 'a' brung
one without a stem. I know'd you'd want it to hold it up by, when you'd eat the most off."
"Yes, I do," said Phronsie, in great satisfaction fondling the stem.
"And here's your spoon," said her mother, bringing it. "Now, child, enjoy it to your heart's
content."
Phronsie set the spoon within the cracked skin, and drew it out half- full. "Oh, Mamsie!" she cried,
as her teeth closed over it, "do just taste; it's so good!"
"Hee-hee!" laughed Sarah, "I guess 'tis. Such works as I had to bake dat apple just right. But he's a
beauty, ain't he, though?"
Phronsie did not reply, being just at that moment engaged in conveying a morsel7 as much like her
own as possible, to her mother's mouth.
"Seems to me I never tasted such an apple," said Mother Fisher, slowly swallowing the bit.
"Did you, now?" cried Sarah.
Downstairs Polly was dancing around the music-room with three or four girls who had dropped in
on their way from school.
"Give me a waltz now, Polly," begged Philena. "Dear me, I haven't had a sight of you hardly, for
so long, I am positively8 starved for you. I don't care for you other girls now," she cried, as the two
went whirling down the long room together.
"Thank you, Miss Philena," cried the others, seizing their partners and whirling off too.
"I feel as if I could dance forever," cried Polly, when Amy Garrett turned away from the piano and
declared she would play no more--and she still pirouetted on one foot, to come up red as a rose to
the group.
"Look at Polly's cheeks!" cried Amy.
"You've been a white little minx so long," said Alexia, putting a fond arm around Polly; "I went
home and cried every day, after I would steal around the back way to see how Phronsie was"--
"Won't Phronsie be downstairs soon?" asked Amy.
"I don't know," said Polly. "Papa-Doctor is going to be dreadfully careful of her, that she doesn't
get up too soon."
"Say, Polly," cried another girl, "don't you have to take a lot of pills and stuff, now that Dr. Fisher
is your father?"
Polly threw back her head and laughed merrily. It sounded so strangely to her to hear the sound
echoing through the room so long silent, that she stopped suddenly.
"Oh, girls! I can't hardly believe even yet that Phronsie is almost well," she cried.
"Well, you'd better," advised Alexia philosophically9, "because she is, you know. Do laugh again,
Polly; it's good to hear you."
"I can't help it," said Polly, "Cathie asked such a funny question."
"Cathie's generally a goose," said Alexia coolly.
"Thank you," said Cathie, a tall girl, with such light hair and sallow face that she looked ten years
older than her fourteen summers. "I sometimes know quite as much as a few other people of my
acquaintance," she said pointedly10.
"I didn't say but that you did," said Alexia composedly. "I said you were generally a goose. And so
you are. Why, everybody knows that, Cath."
"Come, come, girls, don't fight," said Polly. "How can you when Phronsie is getting better? Alexia
didn't mean anything, Cathie."
"Yes, she did," declared Cathie with a pout11; "she's always meaning something. She's the
hatefullest thing I ever saw!"
"Nonsense!" said Polly, with a gay little laugh. "She says perfectly12 dreadful things to me, and so I
do to her, but we don't either of us mind them."
"Well, those are in fun," said Cathie; "that's a very different matter"- -
"So you must make these in fun," said Polly. "I would if I were you." But she drew away from
Alexia's arm.
"Polly, don't be an idiot and fight with me," whispered Alexia in her ear.
"Go away," said Polly, shaking her off.
"Polly, Polly, I'll say anything if you won't look like that. See here, Cathie, let's make up," and she
ran over, seized the tall girl by the waist and spun13 her around till she begged to stop.
"Is that your way of making up?" cried Cathie, when she had the breath to speak.
"Yes; it is as good as any other way. It spins the nonsense out of you. There!" with a last pat on the
thin shoulder, she left her, and ran back to Polly.
"It's all done," she cried. "I'm at peace with the whole world. Now don't look like an ogre any
longer."
"Phronsie's actually hungry now all the time," confided14 Polly in a glow, "and we can't get enough
to satisfy her."
"Good--good!" cried the girls.
"I'm going to send her some of my orange jelly," declared Alexia. "I'll make it just as soon as I go
home. Do you think she will like it, Polly?" she asked anxiously.
"Yes, I do believe she will," said Polly, "because she loves oranges so."
"Well, I shan't make any old orange jelly," cried Cathie, her nose in the air. "Faugh! it's insipid15
enough!"
"But 'tisn't when it's made the way Alexia makes it," said Polly, viewing in alarm the widening of
the breach16 between the two. "I've eaten some of hers, and it's too splendid for anything."
"I don't know anything about hers, but all orange jelly I have tasted is just horrid17. I hate it! I'm
going to make almond macaroons. They're lovely, Polly."
"Oh! don't, Cathie," begged Polly in distress18.
"Why not, pray tell," whirling on one set of toes. "You needn't be afraid they won't be good. I've
made them thousands of times."
"But she couldn't eat them," said Polly. "Just think, almond macaroons! Why, Papa- Doctor
would"--
"Now I know the doctor makes you take perfectly terrible things, and won't let you eat anything.
And macaroons are the only things I can make. It's a shame!" and down sat Cathie in despair on an
ottoman.
"What's the matter?" Dr. Fisher put his head in at the doorway19, his spectacled eyes sending a swift
glance of inquiry20 around.
"O dear me!" exclaimed Cathie in a fright, jumping up and clutching the arm of the girl next to
her. "Don't let Polly tell him what I said-- don't."
"Polly won't tell," said the girl, with a superb air; "don't you know any better, Cathie Harrison, you
goose, you!"
To be called a goose by two persons in the course of an hour was too much for Cathie's endurance,
and flinging off the girl's arm, she cried out passionately21, "I won't stay; I'm going home!" and
rushed out the door.
Dr. Fisher turned from a deliberate look at the girl's white cheeks, as she ran past, to the flushed
ones before him.
"I'm very sorry that anything unpleasant has happened. I dropped in to tell you of a little surprise,
but I see it's no time now."
"Oh, Papa-Doctor!" cried Polly, flying up to him from the center of the group, "it was nothing--
only"--
"A girl's quarrel is not a slight thing, Polly," said little Dr. Fisher gravely, "and one of your friends
has gone away very unhappy."
"Oh! I know it," said Polly, "and I'm so sorry."
"We can't any of us help it," said Alexia quickly. "Cathie Harrison has the temper of a gorilla--so
there, Dr. Fisher."
Dr. Fisher set his spectacles straight, and looked at Alexia, but he did not even smile, as she hoped
he would do. "I can't help it," she said, tracing the pattern of the carpet with the toe of her boot,
"she makes us all so uncomfortable, oh! you can't think. And I wish she'd stay home forever."
Still no answer from the doctor. He didn't act as if he heard, but bowing gravely, he withdrew his
head and shut the door.
"O dear, dear!" cried Alexia, when they had all looked at each other a breathing space. "Why
didn't he speak? I'd much rather he'd scold like everything than to look like that. Polly, why don't
you say something?"
"Because there isn't anything to say." Polly got no further, and turned away, suspiciously near to
tears. Was this the first meeting with the girls to which she had looked forward so long?
"To think of that Cathie Harrison making such a breeze," cried Alexia angrily; "a girl who's just
come among us, as it were, and we only let her in our set because Miss Salisbury asked us to make
things pleasant for her. If it had been any one else who raised such a fuss!"
Meantime Dr. Fisher strode out to the west porch, intending to walk down to his office, and
buttoning up his coat as he went along. As he turned the angle in the drive, he came suddenly upon
a girl who had thrown herself down on a rustic22 seat under a tree, and whose shoulders were
shaking so violently that he knew she was sobbing23, though he heard no sound.
"Don't cry," said the little doctor, "and what's the matter?" all in the same breath, and sitting down
beside her.
Cathie looked up with a gasp24, and then crushed her handkerchief over her eyes. "Those girls in
there are perfectly horrid." "Softly, softly," said Dr. Fisher.
"I can't--help it. No matter what I say, they call me names, and I'm tired of it. O dear, dear!"
"Now see here," said the doctor, getting up on his feet and drawing a long breath. "I'm on my way
to my office; suppose you walk along with me a bit and tell me all about it."
Cathie opened her mouth, intending to say, "Oh! I can't"--instead, she found herself silent, and not
knowing how, she was presently pacing down the drive by the doctor's side.
"Polly Pepper!" exclaimed Alexia, as a turn in the drive brought the two figures in view of the
music-room windows, "did you ever see such a sight in your life? Cathie is walking off with Dr.
Fisher! There isn't anything her tongue won't say!"
"Did you tell Polly?" cried Jasper, a half-hour later, putting his head into Dr. Fisher's office. "Oh!
beg pardon; I didn't know you were busy, sir."
"Come in," said the doctor, folding up some powders methodically. "No, I didn't tell Polly."
"Oh!" said Jasper, in a disappointed tone.
"I hadn't a fair chance"--
"But she ought to know it just as soon as it's talked of," said Jasper, fidgeting at a case of little
vials on the table. "Oh! beg pardon again. I'm afraid I've smashed that chap," as one rolled off to
the floor. "I'm no end sorry," picking up the bits ruefully.
"I have several like it," said the doctor kindly25, and settling another powder in its little paper.
"There were a lot of girls with Polly when I looked in upon her on my way out. But we'll catch a
chance to tell her soon, my boy."
"Oh! I suppose so. A lot of giggling26 creatures. How Polly can stand their chatter27, I don't see," cried
Jasper impatiently.
"They've been shut off from Polly for some time, you know," said Dr. Fisher quietly. "We must
remember that."
"Polly doesn't like some of them a bit better than I do," said Jasper explosively, "only she puts up
with their nonsense."
"It's rather a difficult matter to pick and choose girls who are in the same classes," said the doctor,
"and Polly sees that."
"Don't I know it?" exclaimed Jasper, in an astonished tone. "Dear me, Dr. Fisher, I've watched
Polly for years now. And she's always done so." He stopped whirling the articles on the office
table, and bestowed28 a half-offended look on the little physician.
"Softly, softly, Jasper," said Dr. Fisher composedly. "Of course you've used your eyes. Now don't
spoil things by saying anything, but let Polly 'go her own gait,' I beg of you." Then he turned to his
powders once more.
"She will, anyway," declared Jasper. "Whatever she makes up her mind to do, Polly does that very
thing."
"Not a bad characteristic," laughed the doctor.
"I should say not."
"Now when I come up home for dinner, you and I will find Polly, and tell her the good news. If
she's with a lot of those silly girls, I'll--I'll tear her off this time." Dr. Fisher glared so fiercely as he
declared this determination that Jasper laughed outright29.
"I thought no one was to disturb Polly's good intentions in that line," he cried.
"Well, there's an end to all things, and patience ceases to be a virtue30 sometimes."
"So I've thought a good many times, but I've borne it like a man." Jasper drew himself up, and
laughed again at the doctor's face.
"Oh! you go along," cried Dr. Fisher, his eyes twinkling. "I'll meet you just before dinner."
"All right," as Jasper rushed off.
Dr. Fisher jumped to his feet, pushing aside the litter of powder papers, and bottles, and ran his
fingers through the shock of gray hair standing31 straight on his head.
"Yes, yes," he muttered, walking to the window, "it will be a good thing for Polly, now I tell you,
Adoniram." He always preferred to address himself by his first name; then he was sure of a
listener. "A vastly good thing. It's quite time that some of the intimacies32 with these silly creatures
are broken up a bit, while the child gains immensely in other ways." He rubbed his palms
gleefully. "Oh! good-morning, good-morning!"
A patient walking in, looked up at the jolly little doctor. "I wish I could laugh like that," he
ejaculated, his long face working in the unusual effort to achieve a smile.
"You would if you had a gay crowd of children such as I have," cried the little doctor proudly.
"Why, man, that's better than all my doses."
"But I haven't the children," said the patient sourly, and sitting down with a sigh.
"I pity you, then," said Dr. Fisher, with the air of having been a family man for years. "Well,
besides owning the Peppers, I'm going off with them to"--there he stopped, for before he knew it,
the secret was well-nigh out.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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3
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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4
wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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5
reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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7
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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8
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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9
philosophically
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| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 | |
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10
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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11
pout
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| v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴 | |
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12
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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13
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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14
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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15
insipid
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| adj.无味的，枯燥乏味的，单调的 | |
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16
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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17
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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18
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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19
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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20
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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21
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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22
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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24
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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25
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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26
giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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27
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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28
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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30
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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31
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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32
intimacies
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| 亲密( intimacy的名词复数 )； 密切； 亲昵的言行； 性行为 | |
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