twilight stories-第20部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


through；　and　giving　her　a　small　shake；　〃tear　that　either；　I　heard

Maum　Patty　scold　you　yesterday　for　letting　Jip　bite　it　and　snip

out　a　piece。〃



〃Well；　somefin　tore；〃　said　Viny。　　〃I　donno　whar　'tis；　but　it's

somewhars。　　A　mighty　smart　tare；　too；　Miss　Ca。〃



〃I'll　lock；　and　lock；　and　lock；〃　declared　the　young　girl；　now

down　on　her　knees　before　her　precious　drawer；　〃before　I　run　the

chance　of　your　rummaging　fingers　getting　here　again。　　Now　then；

Viny！〃



〃Yes'm；〃　said　the　little　black　girl　obsequiously；　and　rolling　her

eyes　to　all　quarters；　〃Oh；　yes'm！〃



〃We　are　going　to　move；　Viny；〃　said　her　young　mistress；　taking　the

key　out　of　its　lock；　and　turning　her　back　on　drawers　and

contents；　to　sit　on　the　floor　with　hands　folded　in　her　lap　while

she　watched　the　effect　of　her　words。



〃MOVE？〃　echoed　Viny　with　a　start；　〃Oh；　lawks！　　whatever's　dat；

Miss？〃



〃Why；　go　to　a　new　place；〃　said　Caryl；　laughing　in　spite　of

herself。　　〃For　mercy's　sake；　child；　do　take　your　eyes　in！　　It'll

be　very　fine；　Viny；　oh；　so　fine！〃　she　cried　enthusiastically。



〃An'　lib　here　nebber　no　mo'？〃　cried　the　little　black　figure　in　a

shrill　scream；　〃wot；　an'　hev　no　leaky　sink　dat　keps　me　a…swashin'

and　a…swashin'；　an'　no　old　ruf　dat　lets　in　hull　buckets　full　o'

water　onter　de　bed；　an'〃



〃No；〃　said　Caryl；　interrupting　the　steady　stream　of　invective

against　the　old　heuse；　〃everything's　to　be　as　new　and　nice　and

neat　as　a　pin；　Vinysinks　and　everything　else；　you　can't　begin

to　think　how　splendid　it's　to　be！〃



〃I'm　goin'　to　tell　gramma；〃　cried　Viny；　wholly　off　her　balance；

〃dis　berry　same　minnit。　　Lawks！　　but　won't　she　be　tickled　to

leave　the　ole　shell！　　Den　I'll　git　my　bunnet　an'　go　wid　yer；　Miss

Ca；　in　tree　shakes　of　a　lobster's　whisker！〃



She　scampered　in　the　greatest　excitement　to　the　door；　when　a

detaining　pull　on　the　end　of　her　long　apron；　brought　her　to　a

full　stop。



〃You　are　crazy；　child！〃　exclaimed　Caryl；　bursting　into　a　laugh

and　holding　her　fast。　　〃We　can't　go　this　moment；　no　matter　how

bad　the　old　house　is。　　Listen；　Viny！〃



But　the　small　figure　flung　itself　into　a　heap　on　the　floor　so

suddenly　that　she　nearly　pulled　her　young　mistress　with　her；

while　the　little　black　hands　clapped　themselves　over　the　bead

like　eyes；　wail　after　wail　of　disappointment　making　the　room　to

ring。



〃Will　you　STOP！〃　cried　Caryl　in　perfect　despair。　　〃Aunt　Sylvia's

head　will　snap　with　your　noise！　　If　you　don't　stop　crying；　Viny；

you　sha'n't　go　when　the　rest　of　us　are　ready　to　move；　so　there；

now。〃



Threats　had　the　power　to　do　what　nothing　else　could。　　Viny　wiped

off　all　the　tears　with　the　backs　of　her　grimy　little　paws；　gave

two　or　three　concluding　sniffs；　sat　up　straight；　and　was

immediately　all　right　for　further　developments。



〃Now　then〃Caryl　pointed　off　her　sentences　briskly　on　the　tips

of　her　rosy　fingers〃you　must　try　to　helpwell；　an　awful　great

deal；　Viny；　yourself；　or　else　it　can't　be　a　moving　for　any　single

one　of　us。〃



Viny's　eyes　widened　fearfully；　but　she　didn't　stir。



〃If　you　will　take　caremind！　　SPLENDID　care　of　Aunt　Sylvia　every

morning；〃　said　Caryl　slowly　and　with　extreme　empressment　〃watch

and　get　her　everything　she　wants；　not　wait　for　her　to　ask　for

anything；　then　I　can　go　off　down　street　and　make　lots　and　lots　of

money；　Viny。　　Think　of　that；　lots　and　lots！　　Then　we　can　move；

and　Aunt　Sylvia　will　maybe　get　well。〃



Caryl's　gray　eyes　were　only　a　thought　less　big　than　those　of　her

small　black　audience；　who　presently　caught　the　infectious

enthusiasm　and　emitted　several　lusty　crows。



〃Jiminyoh；　I　DIDN'T　say　itI　didn'tI　didn't！　　O　Jiminy；　I

didn'tI　didn'tO　Jimmy；　I〃



〃Stop　saying　it；　then；〃　exclaimed　her　young　mistress　decidedly；

and　enforcing　her　words　by　a　vigorous　shake。



〃Oh；　I　didn'tI　willO　Jiminy！　　yes；　I　will！〃　cried　the　little

black　delinquent；　the　full　tide　of　original　sin　taking　an　unfair

advantage　of　her　excitement　to　engulf　her。　　〃Oher

oherr〃



Caryl　came　to　her　rescue　by　giving　her　a　new　idea。



〃See　how　splendid　you　can　be；　Viny　dear；〃　she　said　kindly。　　〃You

can　be　such　a　good　little　helper；　so　that　part　of　the　new　home

will　be　of　your　getting；　for　I　never　could　have　the　chance　to

earn　anything　if　you　didn't　take　my　place　and　be　Aunt　Sylvia's

nurse。〃



〃I　know　how；〃　said　Viny；　perfectly　overcome　with　the　greatness

thrust　upon　her；　〃it's　to　slip　crickets　under　her　feet　to　put　her

toes　onter。　　I'll　slip　'em　all　day。　　An'　it's　to　wipe　her　specs；

an'　to　say　yes；　no；　an'　to〃



〃To　be　good；〃　finished　Caryl　solemnly；　〃that　comprehends　the

whole　business。〃



〃To　be　good；〃　repeated　the　small　nurse　yet　more　solemnly；　〃an'　to

compren'　the　whole　bus'ness；　I　will。〃



〃You　are　a　ridiculous　child；〃　cried　Caryl　impatiently；　〃I　don't

really　suppose　you　are　fit　to　be　trusted；　but　then；　it's　the　only

thing　to　try。〃



Viny；　having　been　duly　elected　to　office；　considered　her　honors

settled；　so　she　was　little　disturbed　by　any　opinions　that　might

be　held　concerning　her。　　Therefore　she　squatted　and　wriggled　in

great　delight；　grinning　at　every　word　that　fell　from　her　young

mistress'　lips。



〃You　see；　Viny；〃　Caryl　was　saying；　beginning　on　her　confidence；

〃I've　got　an　order　to　teach　the　little　Grant　girls　how　to　paint；

and　if　I　can　run　down　there　two　hours　every　morning；　I'm　to　have

twenty…five　dollars；　and　Madam　Grant　is　going　to　give　it　to　me　in

advance；　that　is；　after　the　first　quarter。　　Think；　Viny；

TWENTY…FIVE　dollars！　　That's　what　we　want　to　move　with　into

Heart's　Delight！〃



This　was　the　upstairs　southwest　corner　of　a　little　cottage　that

for　a　year　or　more　had　been　the　desideratum　of　the　young　girl's

highest　hopes　that　had　to　wear　themselves　out　in　empty　longings；

the　invalid's　scanty　exchequer　only　sufficing　for　doctor's　bills

and　similar　twelvemonth；　along　with　several　other　broken…down

lodgers　whose　slender　means　compelled　them　to　call　this　place

〃home〃this　place　where　never　a　bit　of　sunshine　seemed　to　come；

where　even　the　birds　hated　to　stop　for　a　song　as　they　flew

merrily　over　the　tree…tops。　　And　no　wonder。　　The　trees　were

scraggy；　loppy　old　things　hanging　down　in　dismal　sweep　over　the

leaky　roof　and　damp　walls。　　They　had　to　staythe　lodgers；　but

the　birds　and　the　sunshine　tossed　off　the　whole　responsibility　of

life　in　such　a　gloomy　old　home；　and　flitted　to　gayer　quarters。　

But　now；　what　if　Heart's　Delight　could　really　be　theirs！



〃Yer　goin'　ter　tell　'em　how　to　paint　dem　tings　yer　daub？〃　broke

in　Viny；　and　snapping　off　this　delightful　thought。



〃You　shouldn't　speak　so；　child；〃　said　Caryl　with　the　greatest

dignity；　〃it's　very　fine　work；　and　you　couldn't　possibly

understand　it。　　It's　art；　Viny。〃



〃Ho；　ho！〃　laughed　the　small　black　figure；　nowise　impressed　and

cramming　her　stumpy　fingers　up　to　her　mouth　to　keep　the　laugh　in

as　she　saw　her　young　mistress'　displeasure。　　〃It's　an　awful　old

dirty　muss；　an'　I　wish　I　could　do　it；〃　she　added　under　her

breath。



〃And　I　shall　begin　tomorrow；〃　declared　Caryl　with　still　greater

dignity；　and　drawing　herself　to　her　full　height。　　〃Aunt　Sylvia

says　she'll　try　you。　　Now　you'll　be　good；　won't　you？〃　she　added

anxiously。　　〃It's　only　for　two　hours　a　day；　Viny。〃



〃I'll　be　good；〃　declared　Viny；　〃　'strue's　I　live　an'　breeve。〃

Meanwhile　the　darkest　of　plans　ran　riot　in　her　little　black　head。



〃Heart's　DelightHeart's　Delight！〃　sang　Caryl's　happy　voice　all

that　day；　and　like　St。　Patrick's　poor　imprisoned　snake；　she　began

to　feel　that　to…morrow　would　never　come。



But　hours　come　and　go；　and　Caryl　awoke　the　next　morning；　the

brightest；　cheeriest　morning　that　ever　called　a　happy　girl　out　of

bed。



〃Aunt　Sylvia　won't　have　many　more　days　in　that　dark　little　room

of　hers；〃　she　cried　to　herself；　throwing　on　her　clothes　rapidly。　

〃Oh；　dear；　where　ARE　the　pins？　　I　can't　bear　to　wait　a　minute　any

more　than　Viny；　when　I　think　of　that　dear　lovely　nest；　and　the

bay…window；　and　all　that　sunshine。　　I'll　always　have　it　full　of

flowers；　and　the　bird　shall　sing　all　the　time；　andand　and〃



The　rest　was　lost　in　a　dash　of　cold　water　over　the　rosy　face；　and

Caryl　soon　presented　herself　at　her　aunt's　bedside。



〃I'll　do　well　enough　while　you　are　gone；〃　said　her　aunt；　smiling

up　from　the　pillows　into　the　bright　face　above　hers。　　〃Now　you're

not　to　worry　about　me　in　the　least；　for　you　cannot　do　justice　to

yourself　if　your　mind　is　troubled。　　Remember；　Caryl；　and　be

thorough　in　your　efforts　to　teach　your　little　pupils。〃



〃And　Madam　Grant　is　going　to　buy　some　of　my　panels　and　little

plaques；　I　almost　know；〃　cried　Caryl；　bustling　around　for　her

aunt's　long　woolen　wrapper　and　her　day　slippers；　〃for　she　told　me

she　should　want　to　see　them　some　time。　　Then；　Auntie　oh；　then！〃



The　young　girl　in　her　eagerness　climbed　upon　the　old　bed　to　lay

her　fresh　young　cheek　against　the　pale　thin　one。　　How　she　longed

to　put　brightness　into　the　poor　invalid's　life！



〃Remember；〃　said　Aunt　Sylvia　lightly；　to　hide　the　tears　in　her

voice；　〃your　fortune's　to　be　made。　　Only　be　prompt　and　thorough；

and　put　your　whole　mind　to　your　work。　　That　is　the　secret　of

success。〃



〃I　will；　Auntie；　oh；　I　WILL！〃　cried　Caryl　happily；　〃and　Viny　will

do　well；　I　guess；〃　she　added；　the　gleeful　tones　dropping　down

with　an　anxious　note。



〃Viny　will　prove　a　capital　little　nurse；　I　expect；〃　said　Miss

Sylvia　cheerfully；　〃now　the　day　won't　wait；　Caryl；　so　get　your

old　auntie　up。〃



〃My　old　auntie　is　just　LOVELY；〃　cried　the　girl；　hopping　off　from

the　bed；　and　flying　around　merrily；　well　pleased　at　last　when　the

invalid　was　in　her　chair；　to　see　a　little　faint；　pink　color

stealing　up　the　wan　cheek。



〃The　best　cap；　Aunt　Sylviathe　best　cap！〃　she　cried；　running　for

the　one　with　the　fresh　lavender　ribbons。



〃What　an　extravagant　puss！〃　exclaimed　Aunt　Sylvia；　willing　to

humor　the　gay　little　heart；　and　tapping　her　cheek　as　th