condensed novels-第1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！




Condensed　Novels

by　Bret　Harte





Contents：
HANDSOME　IS　AS　HANDSOME　DOES
LOTHOW；　or　THE　ADVENTURES　OF　A　YOUNG　GENTLEMAN　IN　SEARCH　OF　A　RELIGION
MUCK…A…MUCK；　A　MODERN　INDIAN　NOVEL；　AFTER　JAMES　FENIMORE　COOPER
TERENCE　DENVILLE
SELINA　SEDILIA
THE　NINETY…NINE　GUARDSMEN　＇AFTER　THE　THREE　MUSKETEERS；　BY　DUMAS＇
MISS　MIX　＇AFTER　CHARLOTTE　BRONTE＇
GUY　HEAVYSTONE；　OR；　〃ENTIRE。〃
MR。　MIDSHIPMAN　BREEZY
JOHN　JENKINS；　OR；　THE　SMOKER　REFORMED
NO　TITLE　＇AFTER　WILKE　COLLINS＇
　　Contains：
　　MARY　JONES'S　NARRATIVE
　　THE　SLIM　YOUNG　MAN'S　STORY
　　NO。　27　LIMEHOUSE　ROAD
　　COUNT　MOSCOW'S　NARRATIVE
　　DR。　DIGGS'S　STATEMENT

MARY　MCGILLUP；　A　SOUTHERN　NOVEL；　AFTER　BELLE　BOYD





HANDSOME　IS　AS　HANDSOME　DOES。

BY　CHS　RDE。


CHAPTER　I。


The　Dodds　were　dead。　　For　twenty　year　they　had　slept　under　the
green　graves　of　Kittery　churchyard。　　The　townfolk　still　spoke　of
them　kindly。　　The　keeper　of　the　alehouse；　where　David　had　smoked
his　pipe；　regretted　him　regularly；　and　Mistress　Kitty；　Mrs。　Dodd's
maid；　whose　trim　figure　always　looked　well　in　her　mistress's　gowns；
was　inconsolable。　　The　Hardins　were　in　America。　　Raby　was
aristocratically　gouty；　Mrs。　Raby；　religious。　　Briefly；　then；　we
have　disposed　of

1。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Dodd　（dead）。

2。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hardin　（translated）。

3。　Raby；　baron　et　femme。　　（Yet　I　don't　know　about　the　former；　he
came　of　a　long…lived　family；　and　the　gout　is　an　uncertain　disease。）

We　have　active　at　the　present　writing　（place　aux　dames）

1。　Lady　Caroline　Coventry；　niece　of　Sir　Frederick。

2。　Faraday　Huxley　Little；　son　of　Henry　and　Grace　Little；　deceased。

Sequitur　to　the　above；　A　HERO　AND　HEROINE。


CHAPTER　II。


On　the　death　of　his　parents；　Faraday　Little　was　taken　to　Raby　Hall。
In　accepting　his　guardianship；　Mr。　Raby　struggled　stoutly　against
two　prejudices：　Faraday　was　plain…looking　and　sceptical。

〃Handsome　is　as　handsome　does；　sweetheart；〃　pleaded　Jael；
interceding　for　the　orphan　with　arms　that　were　still　beautiful。
〃Dear　knows；　it　is　not　his　fault　if　he　does　not　look　likehis
father；〃　she　added　with　a　great　gulp。　　Jael　was　a　woman；　and
vindicated　her　womanhood　by　never　entirely　forgiving　a　former
rival。

〃It's　not　that　alone；　madam；〃　screamed　Raby；　〃but；　dm　it；　the
little　rascal's　a　scientist；an　atheist；　a　radical；　a　scoffer！
Disbelieves　in　the　Bible；　ma'am；　is　full　of　this　Darwinian　stuff
about　natural　selection　and　descent。　　Descent；　forsooth！　　In　my
day；　madam；　gentlemen　were　content　to　trace　their　ancestors　back　to
gentlemen；　and　not　tomonkeys！〃

〃Dear　heart；　the　boy　is　clever；〃　urged　Jael。

〃Clever！〃　roared　Raby；　〃what　does　a　gentleman　want　with
cleverness？〃


CHAPTER　III。


Young　Little　WAS　clever。　　At　seven　he　had　constructed　a　telescope；
at　nine；　a　flying…machine。　　At　ten　he　saved　a　valuable　life。

Norwood　Park　was　the　adjacent　estate；a　lordly　domain　dotted　with
red　deer　and　black　trunks；　but　scrupulously　kept　with　gravelled
roads　as　hard　and　blue　as　steel。　　There　Little　was　strolling　one
summer　morning；　meditating　on　a　new　top　with　concealed　springs。　　At
a　little　distance　before　him　he　saw　the　flutter　of　lace　and
ribbons。　　A　young　lady；　a　very　young　lady；say　of　seven　summers；
tricked　out　in　the　crying　abominations　of　the　present　fashion；
stood　beside　a　low　bush。　　Her　nursery…maid　was　not　present；
possibly　owing　to　the　fact　that　John　the　footman　was　also　absent。

Suddenly　Little　came　towards　her。　　〃Excuse　me；　but　do　you　know　what
those　berries　are？〃　　He　was　pointing　to　the　low　bush　filled　with
dark　clusters　of　shiningsuspiciously　shiningfruit。

〃Certainly；　they　are　blueberries。〃

〃Pardon　me；　you　are　mistaken。　　They　belong　to　quite　another
family。〃

Miss　Impudence　drew　herself　up　to　her　full　height　（exactly　three
feet　nine　and　a　half　inches）；　and；　curling　an　eight　of　an　inch　of
scarlet　lip；　said；　scornfully。　　〃YOUR　family；　perhaps。〃

Faraday　Little　smiled　in　the　superiority　of　boyhood　over　girlhood。

〃I　allude　to　the　classification。　　That　plant　is　the　belladonna；　or
deadly　nightshade。　　Its　alkaloid　is　a　narcotic　poison。〃

Sauciness　turned　pale。　　〃Ihavejusteatensome！〃　　And　began　to
whimper。　　〃O　dear；　what　shall　I　do？〃　　Then　did　it；　i。　e。　wrung　her
small　fingers　and　cried。

〃Pardon　me　one　moment。〃　　Little　passed　his　arm　around　her　neck；　and
with　his　thumb　opened　widely　the　patrician…veined　lids　of　her　sweet
blue　eyes。　　〃Thank　Heaven；　there　is　yet　no　dilation　of　the　pupil；
it　is　not　too　late！〃　　He　cast　a　rapid　glance　around。　　The　nozzle
and　about　three　feet　of　garden　hose　lay　near　him。

〃Open　your　mouth；　quick！〃

It　was　a　pretty；　kissable　mouth。　　But　young　Little　meant　business。
He　put　the　nozzle　down　her　pink　throat　as　far　as　it　would　go。

〃Now；　don't　move。〃

He　wrapped　his　handkerchief　around　a　hoopstick。　　Then　he　inserted
both　in　the　other　end　of　the　stiff　hose。　　It　fitted　snugly。　　He
shoved　it　in　and　then　drew　it　back。

Nature　abhors　a　vacuum。　　The　young　patrician　was　as　amenable　to
this　law　as　the　child　of　the　lowest　peasant。

She　succumbed。　　It　was　all　over　in　a　minute。　　Then　she　burst　into　a
small　fury。

〃You　nasty；　badUGLY　boy。〃

Young　Little　winced；　but　smiled。

〃Stimulants；〃　he　whispered　to　the　frightened　nursery…maid　who
approached；　〃good　evening。〃　　He　was　gone。


CHAPTER　IV。


The　breach　between　young　Little　and　Mr。　Raby　was　slowly　widening。
Little　found　objectionable　features　in　the　Hall。　　〃This　black　oak
ceiling　and　wainscoating　is　not　as　healthful　as　plaster；　besides；
it　absorbs　the　light。　　The　bedroom　ceiling　is　too　low；　the
Elizabethan　architects　knew　nothing　of　ventilation。　　The　color　of
that　oak　panelling　which　you　admire　is　due　to　an　excess　of　carbon
and　the　exuvia　from　the　pores　of　your　skin〃

〃Leave　the　house；〃　bellowed　Raby；　〃before　the　roof　falls　on　your
sacrilegious　head！〃

As　Little　left　the　house；　Lady　Caroline　and　a　handsome　boy　of　about
Little's　age　entered。　　Lady　Caroline　recoiled；　and　thenblushed。
Little　glared；　he　instinctively　felt　the　presence　of　a　rival。


CHAPTER　V。


Little　worked　hard。　　He　studied　night　and　day。　　In　five　years　he
became　a　lecturer；　then　a　professor。

He　soared　as　high　as　the　clouds；　he　dipped　as　low　as　the　cellars　of
the　London　poor。　　He　analyzed　the　London　fog；　and　found　it　two
parts　smoke；　one　disease；　one　unmentionable　abominations。　　He
published　a　pamphlet；　which　was　violently　attacked。　　Then　he　knew
he　had　done　something。

But　he　had　not　forgotten　Caroline。　　He　was　walking　one　day　in　the
Zoological　Gardens　and　he　came　upon　a　pretty　picture；flesh　and
blood　too。

Lady　Caroline　feeding　buns　to　the　bears！　　An　exquisite　thrill
passed　through　his　veins。　　She　turned　her　sweet　face　and　their　eyes
met。　　They　recollected　their　first　meeting　seven　years　before；　but
it　was　his　turn　to　be　shy　and　timid。　　Wonderful　power　of　age　and
sex！　　She　met　him　with　perfect　self…possession。

〃Well　meant；　but　indigestible　I　fear〃　（he　alluded　to　the　buns）。

〃A　clever　person　like　yourself　can　easily　correct　that〃　（she；　the
slyboots；　was　thinking　of　something　else）。

In　a　few　moments　they　were　chatting　gayly。　　Little　eagerly
descanted　upon　the　different　animals；　she　listened　with　delicious
interest。　　An　hour　glided　delightfully　away。

After　this　sunshine；　clouds。

To　them　suddenly　entered　Mr。　Raby　and　a　handsome　young　man。　　The
gentlemen　bowed　stiffly　and　looked　vicious；as　they　felt。　　The
lady　of　this　quartette　smiled　amiably；　as　she　did　not　feel。

〃Looking　at　your　ancestors；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mr。　Raby；　pointing　to
the　monkeys；　〃we　will　not　disturb　you。　　Come。〃　　And　he　led
Caroline　away。

Little　was　heart…sick。　　He　dared　not　follow　them。　　But　an　hour
later　he　saw　something　which　filled　his　heart　with　bliss
unspeakable。

Lady　Caroline；　with　a　divine　smile　on　her　face；　feeding　the
monkeys！


CHAPTER　VI。


Encouraged　by　love；　Little　worked　hard　upon　his　new　flying…machine。
His　labors　were　lightened　by　talking　of　the　beloved　one　with　her
French　maid　Therese；　whom　he　had　discreetly　bribed。　　Mademoiselle
Therese　was　venal；　like　all　her　class；　but　in　this　instance　I　fear
she　was　not　bribed　by　British　gold。　　Strange　as　it　may　seem　to　the
British　mind；　it　was　British　genius；　British　eloquence；　British
thought；　that　brought　her　to　the　feet　of　this　young　savan。

〃I　believe；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　one　day；　interrupting　her　maid　in
a　glowing　eulogium　upon　the　skill　of　〃M。　Leetell；〃〃I　believe　you
are　in　love　with　this　Professor。〃　　A　quick　flush　crossed　the　olive
cheek　of　Therese；　which　Lady　Caroline　afterward　remembered。

The　eventful　day　of　trial　came。　　The　public　were　gathered；
impatient　and　scornful　as　the　pigheaded　public　are　apt　to　be。　　In
the　open　area　a　long　cylindrical　balloon；　in　shape　like　a　Bologna
sausage；　swayed　above　the　machine；　from　which；　like　some　enormous
bird　caught　in　a　net；　it　tried　to　free　itself。　　A　heavy　rope　held
it　fast　to　the　ground。

Little　was　waiting　for　the　ballast；　when　his　eye　caught　Lady
Caroline's　among　the　spectators。　　The　glance　was　appealing。　　In　a
moment　he　was　at　her　side。

〃I　should　like　so　much　to　get　into　the　machine；〃　said　the　arch…
hypocrite；　demurely。

〃Are　you　engaged　to　marry　young　Raby；〃　said　Little；　bluntly。

〃As　you　please；〃　she　said　with　a　courtesy；　〃do　I　take　this　as　a
refusal？〃

Little　was　a　gentleman。　　He　lifted　her　and　her　lapdog　into　the　car。

〃How　nice！　it　won't　go　off？〃

〃No；　the　rope　is　strong；　and　the　ballast　is　not　yet　in。〃

A　report　like　a　pistol；　a　cry　from　the　spectators；　a　thousand　hands
stretched　to　grasp　the　parted　rope；　and　the　balloon　darted　upward。

Only　one　hand　of　that　thousand　caught　the　rope；Little's！　　But　in
the　same　instant　the　horror…stricken　spectators　saw　him　whirled
from　his　feet　and　borne　upward；　still　clinging　to　the　rope；　into
space。


CHAPTER　VII。*


*　The　right　of　dramatization　of　this　and　succeeding　chapters　is
reserved　by　the　writer。


Lady　Caroline　fainted。　　The　cold　watery　nose　of　her　dog　on　her
cheek　brought　her　to　herself。　　She　dared　not　look　over　the　edge　of
the　car；　she　dared　not　look　up　to　the　bellying　monster　above　her；
bearing　her　to　death。　　She　threw　herself　on　the　bottom　of　the　car；
and　embraced　the　only　living　thing　spared　her；the　poodle。　　Then
sh