登陆注册
5399800000030

第30章 VILLA RUBEIN(28)

"I shall cut them out of the frames," she said."Listen! What's that?"It was the sound of whistling, which stopped beneath the window.The girls, clasping each other's hands, dropped on their knees.

"Hallo!" cried a voice.

Greta crept to the window, and, placing her face level with the floor, peered over.

"It is only Dr.Edmund; he doesn't know, then," she whispered; "Ishall call him; he is going away!" cried Christian catching her sister's"Don't!" cried Christian catching her sister's dress.

"He would help us," Greta said reproachfully, "and it would not be so dark if he were here."Christian's cheeks were burning.

"I don't choose," she said, and began handling the pictures, feeling their edges with her knife.

"Chris! Suppose anybody came?"

"The door is screwed," Christian answered absently.

"O Chris! We screwed it unscrewed; anybody who wishes shall come!"Christian, leaning her chin in her hands, gazed at her thoughtfully.

"It will take a long time to cut these pictures out carefully; or, perhaps I can get them out without cutting.You must screw me up and go home.In the morning you must come early, when the gate is open, unscrew me again, and help carry the pictures."Greta did not answer at once.At last she shook her head violently.

"I am afraid," she gasped.

"We can't both stay here all night," said Christian; "if any one comes to our room there will be nobody to answer.We can't lift these pictures over the gate.One of us must go back; you can climb over the gate--there is nothing to be afraid of"Greta pressed her hands together.

"Do you want the pictures badly, Chris?"

Christian nodded.

"Very badly?"

"Yes--yes--yes!"

Greta remained sitting where she was, shivering violently, as a little animal shivers when it scents danger.At last she rose.

"I am going," she said in a despairing voice.At the doorway she turned.

"If Miss Naylor shall ask me where you are, Chris, I shall be telling her a story."Christian started.

"I forgot that -O Greta, I am sorry! I will go instead."Greta took another step--a quick one.

"I shall die if I stay here alone," she said; "I can tell her that you are in bed; you must go to bed here, Chris, so it shall be true after all."Christian threw her arms about her.

"I am so sorry, darling; I wish I could go instead.But if you have to tell a lie, I would tell a straight one.""Would you?" said Greta doubtfully.

"Yes."

"I think," said Greta to herself, beginning to descend the stairs, "Ithink I will tell it in my way." She shuddered and went on groping in the darkness.

Christian listened for the sound of the screws.It came slowly, threatening her with danger and solitude.

Sinking on her knees she began to work at freeing the canvas of a picture.Her heart throbbed distressfully; at the stir of wind-breath or any distant note of clamour she stopped, and held her breathing.No sounds came near.She toiled on, trying only to think that she was at the very spot where last night his arms had been round her.How long ago it seemed! She was full of vague terror, overmastered by the darkness, dreadfully alone.The new glow of resolution seemed suddenly to have died down in her heart, and left her cold.

She would never be fit to be his wife, if at the first test her courage failed! She set her teeth; and suddenly she felt a kind of exultation, as if she too were entering into life, were knowing something within herself that she had never known before.Her fingers hurt, and the pain even gave pleasure; her cheeks were burning; her breath came fast.They could not stop her now! This feverish task in darkness was her baptism into life.She finished;and rolling the pictures very carefully, tied them with cord.She had done something for him! Nobody could take that from her! She had a part of him! This night had made him hers! They might do their worst! She lay down on his mattress and soon fell asleep....

She was awakened by Scruff's tongue against her face.Greta was standing by her side.

"Wake up, Chris! The gate is open!"

In the cold early light the child seemed to glow with warmth and colour; her eyes were dancing.

"I am not afraid now; Scruff and I sat up all night, to catch the morning--I--think it was fun; and O Chris!" she ended with a rueful gleam in her eyes, "I told it."Christian hugged her.

"Come--quick! There is nobody about.Are those the pictures?"Each supporting an end, the girls carried the bundle downstairs, and set out with their corpse-like burden along the wall-path between the river and the vines.

XIX

Hidden by the shade of rose-bushes Greta lay stretched at length, cheek on arm, sleeping the sleep of the unrighteous.Through the flowers the sun flicked her parted lips with kisses, and spilled the withered petals on her.In a denser islet of shade, Scruff lay snapping at a fly.His head lolled drowsily in the middle of a snap, and snapped in the middle of a loll.

At three o'clock Miss Naylor too came out, carrying a basket and pair of scissors.Lifting her skirts to avoid the lakes of water left by the garden hose, she stopped in front of a rose-bush, and began to snip off the shrivelled flowers.The little lady's silvered head and thin, brown face sustained the shower of sunlight unprotected, and had a gentle dignity in their freedom.

Presently, as the scissors flittered in and out of the leaves, she, began talking to herself.

"If girls were more like what they used to be, this would not have happened.Perhaps we don't understand; it's very easy to forget."Burying her nose and lips in a rose, she sniffed."Poor dear girl!

It's such a pity his father is--a--"

"A farmer," said a sleepy voice behind the rosebush.

Miss Naylor leaped."Greta! How you startled me! A farmer--that is--an--an agriculturalist!"

"A farmer with vineyards--he told us, and he is not ashamed.Why is it a pity, Miss Naylor?"Miss Naylor's lips looked very thin.

同类推荐
  • 洞玄灵宝自然九天生神章经解义

    洞玄灵宝自然九天生神章经解义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文苑诗格

    文苑诗格

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说金色王经

    佛说金色王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清经真丹秘诀

    上清经真丹秘诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医方证治汇编歌诀

    医方证治汇编歌诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 亚特兰蒂斯1:基因战争

    亚特兰蒂斯1:基因战争

    两千年来,一个古老的组织誓言保守人类起源的秘密,竭尽全力寻找一个自远古时代便已存在的宿敌,这个庞大的威胁具有消灭人类族群的邪恶力量, 而所有一切物种本质谜团的线索,都指向失落的神话之城亚特兰蒂斯……从事自闭症研究的遗传学家凯特,无意中发现智人突变转化的关键要素“亚特兰蒂斯”,竟也是1918年杀死全球五千万人超级传染病西班牙流感的始作俑者,却因此莫名遭到神秘组织伊麻里的追缉。
  • 生命最后的时间

    生命最后的时间

    时间王国,时间代替了金钱交易体系,所有的人从出生开始就拥有着100年的时间可以花费,一个全新的世界。
  • 竹林中

    竹林中

    久木寺位于逗子市郊的达摩山上,背山面海。已经有了六百年的历史。游客穿过正红色的寺门,登上台阶,就能看到里面古朴的大观明石塔。塔身最下端的圆敦上有历代书法大师的题字摹刻,塔身上则留有刚健有力的“观明自在,虚华静空”八个大字。背后则又是一偈:“念念照常理,心心摄幻尘,遍观诸法性,无假亦无真。”在石塔周围,素白的石灯于蜿蜒坡道中一字排开,透着肃穆。清脆竹节和树段制成的栅栏将卵石小道装点得幽静宜人。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 玩转职场和人脉场的50条权利法则

    玩转职场和人脉场的50条权利法则

    为什么工作上毫无起色,人缘也不是很好;为什么一直自认为踏实勤勉,升迁的机会却总是轮不到自己;为什么对人推心置腹,却得不到一个长久的朋友……本书通过分析成功人士的实践经验,总结出适用于职场和人脉场的50条权力法则,帮助你玩转职场和人脉场,让你成为最受欢迎的人,引导你走向成功的道路。
  • 创意写作的兴起:“发现你的声音”(1960—1975)

    创意写作的兴起:“发现你的声音”(1960—1975)

    美苏冷战以苏联瓦解美国的胜利告终。美国之战胜苏联更重要的原因是文化创新。本书重点研究高等教育写作训练体系转变与文学文化产业发展之间的关系,把美国战后创意写作学科发展史作为作为理解战后美国文学线索,解读创意写作的奥秘。来自于爱荷华写作工坊和斯坦福大学以及其他大量不断成长中的超过350个创意写作工坊的大量实例,汇成一部文学史巨著,让您开卷有益。
  • 落露为霜

    落露为霜

    常溪穿到了古代,从初时的不适应到后来的岁月静好,她感激上苍的安排。作者的另一本书《红尘拂面来》也还可以,有空可以翻翻看。简介:傅誉向来心肠硬,即使是女人在他面前流泪,他也只会皱皱眉头,而绝不会觉得女人楚楚可怜动人,而眼前这个女人,他既不认识,也就谈不起来什么交情,对他趋之若鹜的女人太多,他也没什么耐性留给一个陌生女人。他往后一靠,手指在那毛茸靠枕上有一下没一下地点着。“你……是傅情的朋友。”舒微看了看他修长的手指,微微点了下头,虽然她跟傅情说不上真正的朋友,但此刻在这男人面前总不能说不是,除非她想马上滚出这间房子。
  • 观虚空藏菩萨经

    观虚空藏菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 向军队学执行

    向军队学执行

    这个世界上培养更多高级别管理人才的,不是MBA商学院,而是军队与军校,如美国的西点军校,自“二战”后美国500强企业卓越的管理者大多出自于此。军队是这个世界上极有效率、执行力超强的组织!军校也培养出这个世界上更多更高级别的管理精英,但毫无疑问,纯粹的军事化管理并不完全适合现代的企业,就连美国部队都是将商业化与军事化进行融合,既提高了效率又节约了成本。百万管理畅销书《给你一个团队,你能怎么管?》作者赵伟,经十年研究,将MBA商学院管理精华与军事化管理精华完美融合。