Jack2 went away hilariously3 for a brief fishing trip with his father before the Eastshore schools should open; and to the delight of his mother and sisters, Doctor Hugh came out to stay till they were ready to go back with him, a matter of ten days or so, for school would be in session by the middle of the month.
Finding Sarah in a sad state from violent crying on his arrival the day of Bony's departure, Doctor Hugh was soon in possession of the Gays' story; and he not only succeeded in persuading Louisa and Alec to accept the money Sarah's sacrifice had obtained, but he also managed to give them a more wholesome4 outlook on the world in general. Although Alec and Louisa were naturally reluctant to accept Sarah's money, when they were finally persuaded, their relief was plain. Now they had enough cash in hand to meet the dreaded5 interest payment. Alec insisted that the money from Sarah was to be regarded as a loan and Doctor Hugh agreed to this.
"All right," said Sarah when this arrangement was explained to her, "but I don't want to see Bony—not ever any more."
Alec had told her that the pig would probably be brought to the farm to spend the winter and had offered to drive to Eastshore some day and bring her back to see her pet. Sarah's refusal was unmistakable; the parting once made, she was not minded to harrow her feelings again.
Rosemary found Louisa a diligent6 pupil and the knitted spread was soon under way. Louisa's pet ambition was to buy a good flock of hens and raise chickens. The money earned from the spread, or spreads she might make, she confided7 to Rosemary, was to be saved toward this venture.
"We haven't had our picnic yet," said Doctor Hugh one morning at the breakfast table. "We must have one before we go back to town. Let's ask the Gays and the Hildreths and Warren and Richard—next week will be a good time."
And then for a few days a round of emergency calls kept him so busy he forgot that such things as picnics were ever held.
Bringing the car around a few mornings later, intending to take his mother and Winnie in to look at the remodeled house, he found Sarah and Shirley placidly8 seated behind the wheel when he came out from breakfast.
"You can't go this time—there isn't room," he informed them pleasantly. "Hop9 out—here come Mother and Winnie."
"You said we could go next time and this is next time," insisted Sarah.
There were tears of disappointment in Shirley's eyes, but she climbed out of the car in response to a second look from Doctor Hugh. Sarah, however, clung to the wheel and had to be lifted out bodily.
"You're too old to act like this," said her brother sternly. "It is important that Mother and Winnie go with me this morning—they were going yesterday and then I had to put them off to go in to the hospital; suppose Mother scowled10 the way you do, Sarah, when things didn't go to suit her."
Rosemary came out to see them off and Mrs. Willis and Winnie waved as though nothing had happened. Doctor Hugh suddenly swooped11 down upon Sarah, lifted her high in his arms and kissed her. With another swift kiss for Shirley, he was back in the car before the angry Sarah could recover from her astonishment12. The car rolled down the road and left her standing13 glaring after it.
Sarah was exceedingly put out and she did not attempt to disguise her state of mind. Rosemary, finding it impossible to win her to a more reasonable point of view, went indoors to finish the odds14 and ends of work Winnie had had to leave undone15. This left Shirley to Sarah, and Sarah was like the disgruntled sailor who deliberately16 incites17 mutiny.
"I want to be bad!" she told Shirley passionately18. "Let's think of something awful and go do it!"
Shirley could not think of anything, unfortunately, that is unfortunately from Sarah's point of view.
"I know!" cried that small sinner, after a moment's thought. "We can go in the tool house."
Sarah had remembered what Warren had said when they first came to the farm—that the tool house was forbidden ground. He had also warned them against going into the windmill.
"Come on, Shirley," cried the naughty Sarah. "We'll look at the old tools—we won't hurt 'em."
She found she had reckoned without the canny19 Mr. Hildreth, when she reached the tool house. It was securely locked and no amount of tampering20 could make any impression on the stout21 padlock.
She would have found it hard to explain what satisfaction disobeying Mr. Hildreth and Warren gave her, when her anger was really directed toward her brother. However, she may have reasoned that doing something she knew was wrong was one sure way to plague Doctor Hugh.
Shirley obediently trotted23 after her sister to the graceful24 red shingled25 tower that enclosed the iron framework of the windmill. Alas26, for once in his busy life, Mr. Hildreth had inspected the pump and left the door unlocked. Sarah had merely to open it and fold it back and the interior of the mill was revealed to her.
"We'll play it's a robbers' cave, Shirley," suggested Sarah. "It's nice and dark."
She was minded to climb the enticing27 iron ladder, but fearful lest Shirley develop an obstinate28 streak29 and refuse, she had decided30 to begin with a milder amusement.
"I'll be the robber chief, Shirley," she went on—Sarah had a fondness for such plays and her brother often said that she would have had a wonderful time as a boy. "I'll be the robber chief," she repeated, "and you drag in the loot."
"What's loot?" asked Shirley hopefully, having a vague idea that it was something one ate.
"Loot is what we steal from the noble lords and ladies," Sarah asserted with a faint memory of old firelight stories.
"But where do we get it?" the literal-minded Shirley demanded.
"Oh, we go out and hunt for it," said Sarah. "Don't let anybody see you—remember we're robbers."
And she opened the windmill door cautiously and peered out.
There was no one in sight and the two little girls crept out and sped to the nearest tree with a delicious sense of excitement. If they had turned around and seen someone chasing them, they would not have been surprised.
"Take a stone," said Sarah. "Take a stone for loot. A little one, Shirley—that one by your foot."
Shirley picked it up and dropped it immediately with a little cry.
"Did you drop it on your foot?" asked Sarah.
"What's the matter?"
"Horrid31, nasty little bugs32 under that," Shirley announced, pointing with a dainty pink forefinger33 at the stone she had sent crashing back to earth.
"Well, a few bugs never hurt anyone," proclaimed Sarah. "I only hope you haven't mashed34 any; when will you learn not to be afraid of bugs, Shirley?"
Shirley refused to look as Sarah carefully turned the stone over. There were numerous little crawling creatures beneath it and several white slugs.
"I suppose you've murdered a hundred, but I can't see them," Sarah reported. "If I had something to scrape them up with, I could save some."
"Don't play with bugs, Sarah," pleaded Shirley, who knew too well the fatal attraction of all creeping and crawling things for her sister. "I don't like bugs. Leave them alone."
"All right, I will," said Sarah with surprising amiability35. "We'll go back to the cave; I'll take this stone and you needn't take any."
Back to the windmill they went and nothing would please Sarah but closing the door again. She liked the dark, she said.
"What's that?" cried Shirley, starting. "I heard a noise, Sarah."
Sarah had heard it, too.
"What clanking chains?" whispered Shirley fearfully.
"The chains we put on our prisoners," said Sarah whose imagination was stimulated38 by the dark pit in which she found herself.
"What prisoners?" asked Shirley, fascinated in spite of herself.
"Prisoners we robbed," said Sarah solemnly. "We put long chains on them and they have to walk up and down and they can't get out."
"Oh—Oh—I don't like them to have on long chains," Shirley wailed39. "I want you to take them off, Sarah. Please, Sarah."
"Well," Sarah considered. "Perhaps I will. We might as well let the prisoners go, anyway. They make too much noise. Now the chains are off, Shirley."
Just as she said that, the noise sounded louder than before.
"Clank! Clank! Clank!"
"You said you took 'em off!" wept Shirley. "You said so, Sarah."
"I thought I did," admitted Sarah. "Wait till I get the door open and I'll see what made that last noise."
She had latched40 the door of the windmill and in the darkness it took her some time to find it. At last she got it open and the light streamed in, showing Shirley's face streaked41 with tears.
"I see what made the noise!" proclaimed Sarah triumphantly42. "It's the jigger-thing pumping up and down."
The wings of the mill had turned lazily and the iron rods, jerked up and down, had made the clanking noise.
"I don't want to play that any more," said Shirley with more decision than she usually showed.
"We'll play we are firemen and climb the ladder," said Sarah, pointing to the narrow iron ladder that led to the top of the mill.
And she actually helped the confiding43 Shirley to start the long upward climb and followed close behind her.
Half way up, the inky darkness—for the narrow windows were few and far between, frightened Shirley and she begged to go back. Sarah cajoled and bullied44 her into continuing and the two children managed to make the steep climb and reach the platform at the top of the mill. As they stepped out on the boards a gust45 of wind caught the big fan-like sails and the pump began to sound with a loud clanking noise. This and the sensation of being high among the clouds terrified Shirley and she clung to Sarah, screaming.
Sarah would have liked to scream too. Her face was quite white under the tan and she grasped the framework tightly. As she looked far across the fields and felt the dizzy sensation of floating with the clouds that seemed near enough for her hand to touch, one awful thought came to her—"How are we to get back?" She was sure they could never go down that narrow ladder—it had been hard enough to climb up and going down would be impossible.
She sat down, close to the frame, and Shirley hid her face on her shoulder. And there Rosemary found them—having heard from Mrs. Hildreth that they had been seen going down to the brook46. The quickest way to reach the brook was past the windmill.
Rosemary called as she came through the field and Sarah heard her. She stood up and shouted and, because the wind had died down and it was very quiet and still, Rosemary, too, heard. Kneeling down, Sarah could see her sister through a knot hole in the platform.
Rosemary's first impulse was to run and get help—someone to bring the girls down, but Sarah implored47 her "not to tell."
"Everyone will scold and tell Hugh," said Sarah, shouting her plea. "You come get us, Rosemary—please don't tell."
Both she and Shirley were confident that Rosemary could rescue them alone and unaided. As the older, Rosemary was accustomed to helping48 Sarah out of tight places and, it must be confessed, shielding her from the consequences of her own wrong-doing. She promised not to tell "this time."
Setting her teeth, Rosemary began the climb and accomplished49 it with fair ease. Her nerves were steady and she was strong and vigorous. But when it came to getting Shirley down, all her powers of endurance were taxed to the utmost.
Shirley was rigid50 with fright. She wanted to hang on to Rosemary and it was necessary to force her to face the ladder and come down step by step, Rosemary just below her steadying her with a light touch and constant words of encouragement. Shirley cried piteously, she stopped often and refused to take another step. Rosemary had to plead, to scold, to stimulate37, everything but pity—that would have been fatal. Long before they reached the floor of the mill, Rosemary's face and hands were dripping with cold perspiration51.
Shirley safe on the ground at last. Rosemary detached her clutching little fingers and went back for Sarah. Gone was Sarah's bravado52, lost her courage completely. She hung back and cried and only started the descent when Rosemary threatened to leave her. Twice Sarah lost her footing and shrieked53 and Rosemary's heart raced madly. The climb seemed interminable and all the time, down in the darkness below, they could hear Shirley crying to herself.
A great wave of thankfulness surged over Rosemary as she felt her foot touch the ground and lifted Sarah from the ladder. They were safe!
"Come away, quick!" said Rosemary, her voice sounding hoarse54 and unnatural55 in her own ears. "Don't ever come here again!"
They stumbled over the doorsill, the strong sunlight blinding their eyes after the darkness of the windmill interior. So it happened that none of them saw Warren till he was close to them.
"Rosemary!" he cried in quick alarm. "Is anything the matter? You're as white as a sheet!"
Rosemary tried to smile, but she swayed as she stood. He put an arm around her and led her to an overturned tomato crate56 under a tree. "Sit down," he said commandingly. "Do you feel faint?"
"I'm not!" Indignation sent the color flying back to Rosemary's cheeks. "I'm never faint."
But to her disgust, she began to tremble uncontrollably. She shook from head to foot and her lips were blue.
"I was afraid!" she whispered. "So afraid—" and then she could have bitten her tongue.
Sarah and Shirley were dismayed—never had they seen Rosemary like this. They crept close to her and she leaned her head against Sarah, closing her eyes. All the horror of the dizzy climb and descent pressed in upon her, tenfold stronger.
Warren's quick eyes went from face to face. All three were white and strained. Plainly something had happened. Sarah and Shirley had torn their dresses and there were great dust and oil stains on Rosemary's white skirt.
Warren wheeled and looked back. The windmill door swung slowly in the breeze.
"Rosemary!" he spoke57 so sharply that she jumped. "Rosemary, have you been in the windmill? Have you been hurt?"
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收听单词发音
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1
blazoned
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| v.广布( blazon的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布；夸示；装饰 | |
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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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hilariously
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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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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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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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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10
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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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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14
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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15
undone
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| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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incites
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| 刺激，激励，煽动( incite的第三人称单数 ) | |
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18
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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19
canny
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| adj.谨慎的，节俭的 | |
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20
tampering
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| v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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22
balked
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| v.畏缩不前，犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 )；（指马）不肯跑 | |
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23
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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24
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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25
shingled
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| adj.盖木瓦的；贴有墙面板的v.用木瓦盖(shingle的过去式和过去分词形式) | |
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26
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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27
enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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28
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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29
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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30
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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31
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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32
bugs
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| adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误 | |
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33
forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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34
mashed
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| a.捣烂的 | |
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35
amiability
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| n.和蔼可亲的，亲切的，友善的 | |
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36
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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37
stimulate
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| vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋 | |
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38
stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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39
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
latched
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| v.理解( latch的过去式和过去分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上） | |
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41
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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42
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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43
confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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44
bullied
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| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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46
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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47
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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49
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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50
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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51
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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52
bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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53
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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55
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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56
crate
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| vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱 | |
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57
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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