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CHAPTER XI GEMS FROM SHAKESPEARE
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IT was an exciting moment when Mary stood with the “Gems1 from Shakespeare” in her hand, declaring that this was not a book at all, but something else! What was it, then, which made her so excited? Caliban eyed her from the desk benevolently2. “Miaou!” he cried. But no one noticed him.
 
“What do you think it is, Mary?” cried John. For he, too, saw in a moment that it was not a mere3 book at which his sister was gazing with wide eyes.
 
The back, with its green-and-gold leather and its label, “Gems from Shakespeare,” matched the rest of the set, so far. And the sides were flat and cover-like. But the front and top and ends, where the edges of leaves would naturally show in any proper book, were enclosed in leather, so as to make the whole thing into a sort of case.
 
“It’s a box!” said Mary solemnly.
 
John thrust his face up close to the mystery, and presently he gave a start. In the end where[92] you would naturally open the book to read, he had spied something strange.
 
“Oh, Mary!” he cried; “Look! Here is a little keyhole! I believe we’ve found the clue to your key that was in the lantern. Have you got the key here? Quick, Mary!”
 
Mary was shaking the box very gently. “Something rattles4!” she said. “What do you suppose it is?”
 
“Oh, do be careful. Maybe it is something breakable. Hurry and find out what it is!” begged John in the greatest excitement.
 
Mary always wore the puzzling key about her neck, on the green silk cord which had come with it. She now pulled it out, and they carried the “Gems from Shakespeare” over to the table, so that they might see better under the lamp.
 
Just then there came a knock at the door, and both children jumped as if they had been caught in doing something wrong. “Mary! John!” cried the voice of their mother, “where are you both? What in the world are you doing? I rang the bell for tea three times; and I never knew you both to be so late before!”
 
“Oh, come in, Mother,” said Mary; “do come in, quickly!”
 
[93]The door opened, and there stood Mrs. Corliss with the Doctor close behind her.
 
“I thought I heard you shouting at one another in here,” said Dr. Corliss. “What’s up? More surprises, eh? Something better than tea?”
 
“Caliban looks as if he thought so,” said Mrs. Corliss. “See how his green eyes glitter!”
 
“Oh, yes, Father!” said Mary; “it’s the most exciting surprise of all, we think; because Aunt Nan has taken pains to make it a part of her portrait.”
 
“Part of the portrait! What do you mean, Mary?” exclaimed her father, advancing into the room, and like the rest of them forgetting all about tea in the excitement of the occasion.
 
Mary showed them the “Gems from Shakespeare” with the keyhole in the end, and explained how the picture had guided them to it. They lighted the lamp hastily, and Dr. Corliss had to see just how the “slow unmoving finger” of Aunt Nan’s portrait pointed5 to the shelf in the corner where the “Gems” lived.
 
“Why, yes!” exclaimed the Doctor, examining the picture still more closely than the children had done. “And now that I have a clue, I see something more, that you haven’t discovered.[94] Look, children! Do you see what this book is on which Aunt Nan’s left hand is resting? It is a picture of this very same ‘Gems from Shakespeare,’ I can even make out a ‘G—S’ on the binding6. But I never should have discovered it without your clue. I believe there is something in it, Mary!” And he looked as excited as any of them.
 
“Well, do let’s find out what is in it!” urged Mrs. Corliss. “I can’t wait another minute!”
 
“Neither can I!” cried John. “Hurry, Mary!”
 
Mary took the little key and tried it in the keyhole. Yes, it just fitted. She turned it, and a lock clicked.
 
“Lift the cover!” cried her father. And Mary opened what would have been the front cover of the book, if it had been a book which she was holding.
 
Inside the hollow leathern shell which pretended to be a book was a box; a green wooden box, with brass7 trimmings. Mary lifted the cover of this with a rapidly beating heart. And what do you think she found?
 
First of all she found a sheet of paper, at the top of which was written “Gems from Shakespeare.” Below it followed a list of quotations8 from Shakespeare, of a character that made[95] them all very much excited; you will readily guess why. These are the quotations:—
 
“The little casket bring me hither.—More jewels yet!”     T. of A. i, ii.
 
“The jewel that we find we stoop and take it.”     M. for M., ii, i.
 
“Bid my woman search for a jewel.”     Cym. ii, iii.
 
“And what says she to my little jewel?”     T. G. of V., iv, vii.
 
Under this sheet of quotations was spread a tiny silken blanket of pink. With trembling fingers Mary lifted this covering.
 
“Gems from Shakespeare,” indeed! The sight made them all gasp9. There, lying on velvet10 cushions, in little pens, were drops and clusters and strings11 of pearls; big and little, round and oval, creamy and lustrous12 and beautiful. Piece by piece Mary lifted them out of their beds. There was a long necklace which would go twice around her throat; earrings13; brooches; bar-pins and bracelets14 and rings. Some of the pearls were set with diamonds, and some with emeralds and sapphires15 and rubies16; some were made up into rosebuds17 with pink coral like that of the necklace which Mary had found in the bust18 of Shakespeare. It was a wonderful collection.
 
“Well!” cried Dr. Corliss, the first one of the[96] family to get his breath,—“well, Mary! So you have Aunt Nan’s jewels, after all. She did not sell them for the benefit of her hospital, as I believed. She wanted them to go with her beloved library. There can be no doubt that these belong to you, and that she wished you to have them, if you were clever enough to find them. And a pretty little fortune they will prove, if I am not mistaken.”
 
 
 
“Here is a note in the bottom of the box,” said Mary, drawing out a sheet of folded paper. Nowadays she did not dread19 Aunt Nan’s notes as she had done at first, for she began to think of the queer great-aunt whom she had never seen as one of her best and kindest friends.
 
“To Mary Corliss” the note was addressed, and it read:—
 
These are my jewels, Mary, since you have found them—my mere jewel stones. But by this time, as I hope, you will have learned the greater beauty of my other jewels—the real “Gems from Shakespeare.” You will know, if you have done as I wished, that books are the best treasure of all. And that in poetry—especially in Shakespeare’s poetry—are the most precious gems to be found in this world. These so-called precious bits of stone and pearl have never been of any use to me. I have never worn them. Why I have not sold them long ago, I do not know. Perhaps[97] because I wanted to play this one last joke with them, for somebody’s benefit. They have been waiting here in this secret place for years. Now I have played my last joke, and you shall do with the “Gems” whatever you please. I hope you will be a wise girl.
 
N. C.
 
“What do you suppose Aunt Nan meant by that last remark?” asked Mrs. Corliss wonderingly. “The pearls are far too splendid for our Mary ever to wear. I should hate to see her flaunting20 them, Owen.”
 
“So should I!” said Dr. Corliss fervently21. “They are grand enough for a princess to wear at a court ball. What do you say, Mary?”
 
“Oh, they are very beautiful,” said Mary, “but I don’t want to wear them, any more than Aunt Nan did. Father, do you think it would be right to sell them? I’d like so much to have the money to help us all—and perhaps there would be enough so that I could go to college, too.”
 
“That’s my daughter!” cried her father, hugging her proudly in his arms. “That is what I hoped you would say. I can see no possible reason why you should keep the jewels. Evidently Aunt Nan did not care for them herself, and you have no association with them except[98] through her. They can do you no good, except in one way. So my girl will be able to go to college, after all, as well as my boy. I am so glad!”
 
“Thanks to Aunt Nan—and to Shakespeare,” said Mary, patting the volume of “Hamlet” lovingly. “If Shakespeare hadn’t given the clue I might not have found the gems for ever and ever so long.”
 
“You might never have found them, Mary!” cried John. “Ginger! how awful! They might have stayed here all your life; or some old bookseller might have got them when you began to fill up with new books in place of these old ones.”
 
“Like Aladdin swapping22 off his old lamp for a new one,” smiled Dr. Corliss.
 
“No,” said Mary, “that wouldn’t have happened. And I should have found them, anyway, sooner or later. For I shall never part with one of Aunt Nan’s books. And sooner or later I mean to dip into every one, and read it through, if I can. I guess Aunt Nan knew that.” She glanced gratefully at the portrait over the mantelpiece, which seemed to look very happy in the lamplight, while the box of gems stood open on the table.
 

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1 gems 74ab5c34f71372016f1770a5a0bf4419     
growth; economy; management; and customer satisfaction 增长
参考例句:
  • a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
  • The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。
2 benevolently cbc2f6883e3f60c12a75d387dd5dbd94     
adv.仁慈地,行善地
参考例句:
  • She looked on benevolently. 她亲切地站在一边看着。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
4 rattles 0cd5b6f81d3b50c9ffb3ddb2eaaa027b     
(使)发出格格的响声, (使)作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 ); 喋喋不休地说话; 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动,堕下或走动; 使紧张,使恐惧
参考例句:
  • It rattles the windowpane and sends the dog scratching to get under the bed. 它把窗玻璃震得格格作响,把狗吓得往床底下钻。
  • How thin it is, and how dainty and frail; and how it rattles. 你看它够多么薄,多么精致,多么不结实;还老那么哗楞哗楞地响。
5 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
6 binding 2yEzWb     
有约束力的,有效的,应遵守的
参考例句:
  • The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
  • Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。
7 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
参考例句:
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
8 quotations c7bd2cdafc6bfb4ee820fb524009ec5b     
n.引用( quotation的名词复数 );[商业]行情(报告);(货物或股票的)市价;时价
参考例句:
  • The insurance company requires three quotations for repairs to the car. 保险公司要修理这辆汽车的三家修理厂的报价单。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • These quotations cannot readily be traced to their sources. 这些引语很难查出出自何处。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
9 gasp UfxzL     
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说
参考例句:
  • She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
  • The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。
10 velvet 5gqyO     
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的
参考例句:
  • This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
  • The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。
11 strings nh0zBe     
n.弦
参考例句:
  • He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上,随意地拨着吉他的弦。
  • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
12 lustrous JAbxg     
adj.有光泽的;光辉的
参考例句:
  • Mary has a head of thick,lustrous,wavy brown hair.玛丽有一头浓密、富有光泽的褐色鬈发。
  • This mask definitely makes the skin fair and lustrous.这款面膜可以异常有用的使肌肤变亮和有光泽。
13 earrings 9ukzSs     
n.耳环( earring的名词复数 );耳坠子
参考例句:
  • a pair of earrings 一对耳环
  • These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 bracelets 58df124ddcdc646ef29c1c5054d8043d     
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 sapphires 1ef1ba0a30d3a449deb9835f6fd3c316     
n.蓝宝石,钢玉宝石( sapphire的名词复数 );蔚蓝色
参考例句:
  • Again there was that moment of splintered sapphires before the lids, dropping like scales, extinguished it. 她眼眶中又闪烁出蓝宝石的光彩,接着眼睑象鱼鳞般地垂落下来,双目又黯然失色了。 来自辞典例句
  • She also sported a somewhat gawdy gold watch set with diamonds and sapphires. 她还收到一块镶着钻石和蓝宝石的金表。 来自辞典例句
16 rubies 534be3a5d4dab7c1e30149143213b88f     
红宝石( ruby的名词复数 ); 红宝石色,深红色
参考例句:
  • a necklace of rubies intertwined with pearls 缠着珍珠的红宝石项链
  • The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。
17 rosebuds 450df99f3a51338414a829f9dbef21cb     
蔷薇花蕾,妙龄少女,初入社交界的少女( rosebud的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. 花开堪折直须折。
  • Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. 有花堪折直须折,莫待花无空折枝。
18 bust WszzB     
vt.打破;vi.爆裂;n.半身像;胸部
参考例句:
  • I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
  • She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。
19 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
20 flaunting 79043c1d84f3019796ab68f35b7890d1     
adj.招摇的,扬扬得意的,夸耀的v.炫耀,夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 );有什么能耐就施展出来
参考例句:
  • He did not believe in flaunting his wealth. 他不赞成摆阔。
  • She is fond of flaunting her superiority before her friends and schoolmates. 她好在朋友和同学面前逞强。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
21 fervently 8tmzPw     
adv.热烈地,热情地,强烈地
参考例句:
  • "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦,我真高兴!”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊,我亲爱的,亲爱的,你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
22 swapping 8a991dafbba2463e25ba0bc65307eb5e     
交换,交换技术
参考例句:
  • The slow swapping and buying of horses went on. 马匹的买卖和交换就是这样慢慢地进行着。
  • He was quite keen on swapping books with friends. 他非常热衷于和朋友们交换书籍。


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