登陆注册
14730400000134

第134章 The Lady of the Iris(1)

A few days later Linda and Peter went to San Francisco and helped celebrate the marriage of Marian and Eugene Snow. They left Marian in a home carefully designed to insure every comfort and convenience she ever had planned, furnished in accordance with her desires. Both Linda and Peter were charmed with little Deborah Snow; she was a beautiful and an appealing child.

"It seems to me," said Linda, on the train going home, "that Marian will get more out of life, she will love deeper, she will work harder, she will climb higher in her profession than she would have done if she had married John. It is difficult sometimes, when things are happening, to realize that they are for the best, but I really believe this thing has been for the level best. I think Marian is going to be a bigger woman in San Francisco than she ever would have been in Lilac Valley. With that thought I must reconcile myself.""And what about John?" asked Peter. "Is he going to be a bigger man with Eileen than he would have been with Marian?""No," said Linda, "he is not. He didn't do right and he'll have penalty to pay. Eileen is developing into a lovable and truly beautiful woman, but she has not the intellect, nor the education, nor the impulse to stimulate a man's mental processes and make him outdo himself the way Marian will. John will probably never know it, but he will have to do his own stimulating; he will have to vision life for himself. He will have to find his high hill and climb it with Eileen riding securely on his shoulders. It isn't really the pleasantest thing in the world, it isn't truly the thing I wanted to do this summer--helping them out--but it has seemed to be the work at hand, the thing Daddy probably would have wanted me to do, so it's up to me to do all I can for them, just as I did all I could for Donald. One thing I shall always be delighted about. With my own ears I heard the pronouncement: Donald had the Jap beaten; he was at the head of his class before Oka Sayye was eliminated. The Jap knew it. His only chance lay in getting rid of his rival. Donald can take the excellent record he has made in this race to start on this fall when he commences another battle against some other man's brain for top honors in his college.""Will he start with the idea that he wants to be an honor man?"Linda laughed outright.

"I think," she said, "his idea was that if he were one of fifty or one hundred leading men it would be sufficient, but I insisted that if he wanted to be first with me, he would have to be first in his school work.""I see," said Peter. "Linda, have you definitely decided that when you come to your home-making hour, Donald is the man with whom you want to spend the remainder of your life?""Oh, good gracious!" said Linda. "Who's talking about 'homes'

and 'spending the remainder of lives'? Donald and I are school friends, and we are good companions. You're as bad as Eileen.

She's always trying to suggest things that nobody else ever thought of, and now Katy's beginning it too.""Sapheads, all!" said Peter. "Well, allow me to congratulate you on having given Donald his spurs. I think it's a very fine thing for him to start to college with the honor idea in his head.

What about your Saturday excursions?"

"They have died an unnatural death," said Linda. "Don and Ifought for them, but the Judge and Mrs. Whiting and Mary Louise were terrified for fear a bone might slip in Don's foot, or some revengeful friend or relative of Oka Sayye lie in wait for us.

They won't hear of our going any more. I go every Saturday and take Donald for a very careful drive over a smooth road with the Bear Cat cursing our rate of speed all the way. All the fun's spoiled for all three of us.""Think I would be any good as a substitute when it comes to field work?" inquired Peter casually. "I have looked at your desert garden so much I would know a Cotyledon if I saw it. I believe Icould learn.""You wouldn't have time to bother," objected Linda. "You're a man, with a man's business to transact in the world. You have to hustle and earn money to pay for the bridge and changing the brook.""But I had money to pay for the brook and the bridge before Iagreed to them," said Peter.

"Well, then," said Linda, "you should begin to hunt old mahogany and rugs.""I hadn't intended to," said Peter; "if they are to be old, Iwon't have to do more than to ship them. In storage in Virginia there are some very wonderful old mahogany and rosewood and rugs and bric-a-brac enough to furnish the house I am building. The stuff belonged to a little old aunt of mine who left it to me in her will, and it was with those things in mind that I began my house. The plans and finishing will fit that furniture beautifully.""Why, you lucky individual!" said Linda. "Nowhere in the world is there more beautiful furniture than in some of those old homes in Virginia. There are old Flemish and Dutch and British and Italian pieces that came into this country on early sailing vessels for the aristocrats. You don't mean that kind of stuff, do you, Peter?""That is precisely the kind of stuff I do mean," answered Peter.

"Why Peter, if you have furniture like that," cried Linda, "then all you need is Mary Louise.""Linda," said Peter soberly, "you are trespassing on delicate ground again. You selected one wife for me and your plan didn't work. When that furniture arrives and is installed I'll set about inducing the lady of my dreams to come and occupy my dream house, in my own way. I never did give you that job. It was merely assumed on your part.""So it was," said Linda. "But you know I could set that iris and run that brook with more enthusiasm if I knew the lady who was to walk beside it.""You do," said Peter. "You know her better than anyone else, even better than I. Put that in your mental pipe and smoke it!""Saints preserve us!" cried Linda. "I believe the man is planning to take Katy away from me.""Not FROM you," said Peter, "WITH you.""Let me know about it before you do it," said Linda with a careless laugh.

"That's what I'm doing right now," said Peter.

"And I'm going to school," said Linda.

同类推荐
  • The Way of the World

    The Way of the World

    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。
  • 人谱类记

    人谱类记

    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。
  • 思陵翰墨志

    思陵翰墨志

    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。
  • 修真九要

    修真九要

    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。
  • 杂素菜单

    杂素菜单

    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。
热门推荐
  • 哦,原来是路人甲啊

    哦,原来是路人甲啊

    种田?我只是路人甲,宅斗?我只是路人甲。修仙?你继续,我只是个围观的路人甲!
  • 绝代风华:王妃太彪悍

    绝代风华:王妃太彪悍

    一代杀手在出一次任务中竟被鸟巢砸穿越?当她再次醒来时,发现自己在一个鸟不拉屎的地方...她默默在心中吐槽:我难道是幸运女神的杀父仇人么?回到府中,却招人唾弃和嘲笑?废材?呵呵,如果是废材,那么,这世上可谓有天才所言?人家明明是鬼才!小剧场“小染儿,有人欺负你!我去帮你打他好不好?”“不用了,你把这个倒在她饭里,保证他腰不疼脚不酸心也不跳了!”某女腹黑道此小说美男多多男主逆天女主更逆天!看看女主如何从一代废材蜕变成绝代奇才!看女主如何虐小三男主如何秒杀情敌!
  • 极道之前途无量

    极道之前途无量

    这个世界无奇不有,一切皆有可能。石头,树木,飞禽,走兽,人类,精灵,鬼怪,妖魔,神仙万事万物,你可能遇到过其中的一些,也可能对一部分很了解。越是了解的越多,未知却不一定会减少,有可能更多。不要做井底之蛙,放开你的视野,走进不一样的世界。
  • 染血成玉

    染血成玉

    她,曾是现代天才医师,无意穿越她救了落魄的他他曾说过会一生爱她,但当他临驾于九霄之上时才知道这一切只不过是一盘棋,而他的枕边人便是下棋者,但为什么当她带着孩子跳下山崖的那一刻,他的心好似撕裂般地疼,原来他早已爱上她是那么地深,只是被仇恨蒙蔽了心,他悔了,为了她他宁愿化身为魔只为能够和她再来一世,这一次,我绝不放手,但当她得知前世的一切时,她与他又该如何……
  • 青春期的幻想

    青春期的幻想

    一群正处于青春期的屌丝日常生活。其中乐趣无穷啊~大家无聊的时候可以看看,作者还是第一次写,写的太烂喷的别太狠就行哈~。-谢谢大家的支持
  • 灵动剑仙

    灵动剑仙

    身世不祥,身怀诡异灵脉,生活在修炼世家中,原本安逸的生活却被打破,被人陷害,误认为自己杀害了少主,开始亡命天涯,君子报仇十年不晚,且看一个少年踏上复仇问仙的道路
  • 大直播系统

    大直播系统

    得到大直播系统,走上人生巅峰,迎娶白富美,我就是宇宙之王————“主播别做梦了,快来开播"...
  • 火影之天魔路

    火影之天魔路

    得到《天魔册》魔门武功秘笈的青年,暮云!被一大群人追杀三年!最终,身死重生在火影漫画的世界里!!!从此走上一条为魔的道路......新人处作!主角修炼的是魔门武功和忍术,是激情+冷酷,有美女,无TJ!!!同人,不同命!!!远离剧情~!珍惜生命~!QQ群;45337055求推荐~~~求收藏~~~~点击点击再点击~推荐推荐再推荐~收藏收藏继续收藏!!!
  • 因恋

    因恋

    虐心!!虐身!!不喜勿入!!!一个夜晚,一个纯洁,善良的小天使闯进了他的心膛。可她是害死母亲的人的凶手的女人的孩子。白雪自从她踏进了这扇门,注足了一生的悲惨命运。13岁的白雪被夜冷辰因禁并念婪的折磨着………………
  • 我和女友在异界

    我和女友在异界

    天空一个炸雷,叶飞和女主角意外穿越到了异界,由于随身带了一块空间玉佩,发现在里面种植药草一天的时间,等于外界一年的时间,有着这个BUG,叶飞......请原谅我是一个狂放不羁的人。