登陆注册
15387400000013

第13章

Todd steered away from the rocks, and scolded at the sheep's mean owner, an acquaintance of hers, who grudged the little salt and still less care which the patient creatures needed.The hot midsummer sun makes prisons of these small islands that are a paradise in early June, with their cool springs and short thick-growing grass.On a larger island, farther out to sea, my entertaining companion showed me with glee the small houses of two farmers who shared the island between them, and declared that for three generations the people had not spoken to each other even in times of sickness or death or birth."When the news come that the war was over, one of 'em knew it a week, and never stepped across his wall to tell the other," she said."There, they enjoy it;they've got to have somethin' to interest 'em in such a place; 'tis a good deal more tryin' to be tied to folks you don't like than 'tis to be alone.Each of 'em tell the neighbors their wrongs;plenty likes to hear and tell again; them as fetch a bone'll carry one, an' so they keep the fight a-goin'.I must say I like variety myself; some folks washes Monday an' irons Tuesday the whole year round, even if the circus is goin' by!"A long time before we landed at Green Island we could see the small white house, standing high like a beacon, where Mrs.Todd was born and where her mother lived, on a green slope above the water, with dark spruce woods still higher.There were crops in the fields, which we presently distinguished from one another.

Mrs.Todd examined them while we were still far at sea."Mother's late potatoes looks backward; ain't had rain enough so far," she pronounced her opinion."They look weedier than what they call Front Street down to Cowper Centre.I expect brother William is so occupied with his herrin' weirs an' servin' out bait to the schooners that he don't think once a day of the land.""What's the flag for, up above the spruces there behind the house?" I inquired, with eagerness.

"Oh, that's the sign for herrin'," she explained kindly, while Johnny Bowden regarded me with contemptuous surprise."When they get enough for schooners they raise that flag; an' when 'tis a poor catch in the weir pocket they just fly a little signal down by the shore, an' then the small bo'ts comes and get enough an' over for their trawls.There, look! there she is: mother sees us; she's wavin' somethin' out o' the fore door! She'll be to the landin'-place quick's we are."

I looked, and could see a tiny flutter in the doorway, but a quicker signal had made its way from the heart on shore to the heart on the sea.

"How do you suppose she knows it is me?" said Mrs.Todd, with a tender smile on her broad face."There, you never get over bein'

a child long's you have a mother to go to.Look at the chimney, now; she's gone right in an' brightened up the fire.Well, there, I'm glad mother's well; you'll enjoy seein' her very much."Mrs.Todd leaned back into her proper position, and the boat trimmed again.She took a firmer grasp of the sheet, and gave an impatient look up at the gaff and the leech of the little sail, and twitched the sheet as if she urged the wind like a horse.There came at once a fresh gust, and we seemed to have doubled our speed.

Soon we were near enough to see a tiny figure with handkerchiefed head come down across the field and stand waiting for us at the cove above a curve of pebble beach.

Presently the dory grated on the pebbles, and Johnny Bowden, who had been kept in abeyance during the voyage, sprang out and used manful exertions to haul us up with the next wave, so that Mrs.Todd could make a dry landing.

"You don that very well," she said, mounting to her feet, and coming ashore somewhat stiffly, but with great dignity, refusing our outstretched hands, and returning to possess herself of a bag which had lain at her feet.

"Well, mother, here I be!" she announced with indifference;but they stood and beamed in each other's faces.

"Lookin' pretty well for an old lady, ain't she?" said Mrs.

Todd's mother, turning away from her daughter to speak to me.She was a delightful little person herself, with bright eyes and an affectionate air of expectation like a child on a holiday.You felt as if Mrs.Blackett were an old and dear friend before you let go her cordial hand.We all started together up the hill.

"Now don't you haste too fast, mother," said Mrs.Todd warningly; "'tis a far reach o' risin' ground to the fore door, and you won't set an' get your breath when you're once there, but go trotting about.Now don't you go a mite faster than we proceed with this bag an' basket.Johnny, there, 'll fetch up the haddock.

I just made one stop to underrun William's trawl till I come to jes' such a fish's I thought you'd want to make one o' your nice chowders of.I've brought an onion with me that was layin' about on the window-sill at home.""That's just what I was wantin'," said the hostess."I give a sigh when you spoke o' chowder, knowin' my onions was out.

William forgot to replenish us last time he was to the Landin'.

Don't you haste so yourself Almiry, up this risin' ground.I hear you commencin' to wheeze a'ready."This mild revenge seemed to afford great pleasure to both giver and receiver.They laughed a little, and looked at each other affectionately, and then at me.Mrs.Todd considerately paused, and faced about to regard the wide sea view.I was glad to stop, being more out of breath than either of my companions, and Iprolonged the halt by asking the names of the neighboring islands.

There was a fine breeze blowing, which we felt more there on the high land than when we were running before it in the dory.

"Why, this ain't that kitten I saw when I was out last, the one that I said didn't appear likely?" exclaimed Mrs.Todd as we went our way.

同类推荐
  • 心医集

    心医集

    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。
  • 金刚三昧经论

    金刚三昧经论

    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。
  • Beautiful Joe

    Beautiful Joe

    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。
  • 赤雅

    赤雅

    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。
  • 天竺别集

    天竺别集

    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
  • 魔情小妖妃

    魔情小妖妃

    为了替爸爸公司聚拢资金,谢雨宣答应了高氏的联姻。高昊三年前我什么都没做,你为什么不肯相信我。;男人不看她一眼,淡然说到我只相信证据;你为了娶我,弄垮我爸爸的公司一切都是为了报复?是,你会后悔的。我高昊做事从来不后悔她是他的孽,他是她的劫,一辈子他只后悔过三件事。第一件,她认错第二次伤害她第三次失去她
  • 绝宠之盛世倾狂妃

    绝宠之盛世倾狂妃

    嫁给我,保你一辈子衣食无忧一生平安无虞,不嫁,让你生不如死”他挑眉对她说道。她白了他一眼:“靠山山倒,靠人人跑,这年头靠自己最好。”她对他的话充满不屑转身就走。“你到我这,是要干什么?”她看着这个天天到她跟前报到的人,气愤的想揍人。“睡觉啊能干什么,要是你能让我干什么,我很乐意效劳,”他坏笑的调笑他。她对天翻了个白眼,这是那个人人尊敬仰望,谪仙一样的翼王殿下么?她怎么只看到一个无赖,那些人肯定瞎了眼被蒙蔽了。世人皆知她是草包废物,族里人人肆意欺压,就连亲生父亲也不待见她,唯他慧眼识珠,看出她是金子,对她死缠烂打,看邪魅强势霸道,天资卓绝的他与腹黑,同样天赋超群,聪颖如她,如何强强联手,笑傲天下
  • 我的记忆只停留在你这儿

    我的记忆只停留在你这儿

    交往几年的两个人突然因为女主角看见男主角抱着另一个女生以为他出轨,消失后出车祸失忆嫁给另一个男人,重新回到男主角身边……
  • 极道灵修

    极道灵修

    世间有化天地之灵为力者,便可超脱凡俗,生命本源极尽升华,悟天地之玄妙,法世间之万千术,世人尊称为“灵修者”。一个本源破碎的少年为了夺回失去的灵,踏上了追寻灵修极致的道路!天地洪荒,灵道称尊!
  • 家庭教师之新生纲

    家庭教师之新生纲

    主角在穿越到家庭教师的世界时,成为了纲,身体和外貌变成了一方通行的,也有一方通行的超能力
  • 复活之路(兽王系列)

    复活之路(兽王系列)

    就在后羿星上一场后羿星人与梦幻星人的强力较量正在展开的时候,在地球上,侥幸未死的天才少年柳远藤也在为了重新获得力量而不懈努力着,在桃花源中,独孤奇混入鼎神的世界,强行打开火鸦的封印,放出这只太古第一凶兽,此战中柳远藤遭受重创,众人皆以为他已经死去。然而,柳远藤幸运地在最后一刻被神兽贪狼奇迹般救活,但是一身修为因为受伤过重而丧失殆尽,柳远藤怀着一颗迷惘的心在鼎神的世界中漫无目的地游走,在贪狼的帮助下,柳远藤重拾王者之心。为了恢复强大的力量、早日走出鼎神的世界而从头开始修炼,柳远藤最终能够回到现实世界中来吗?这个骄傲的少年能够重新成为新人类的强者P-57满目疮痍的鼎神世界能否恢复如初?
  • 弯与直

    弯与直

    弯弯直直,花开堪折弯折直,莫待无花直折弯,是理性迷茫了感性?还是感性诱惑了理性?弯念感性搁浅执念,执念流放了直念。弯直红尘雷霆万丈,既下尘涯,尽落黄泉!人生苦,执念苦,直念苦,弯念更苦。谁能道的清,谁人又能讲的明……多少人不顾一切的寻找‘爱’,背弃‘爱’,可‘爱’无错,,,
  • 五行星辰诀

    五行星辰诀

    天之骄子,一册《灵诀》,让他领悟力量本源,傲视诸雄。一柄戮神,杀的八方强者尽皆失声。美艳绝伦的月神,清丽脱俗的贵族少女,娇蛮可爱富家小姐.....主角说:我都要,全处全收。
  • 天荒m

    天荒m

    生死海,九皇山,是终焉还是起始!一式回朔,可否断他一生生死?神罚出、断血脉、修厄难、铸厄运、参造化、悟天道、重定五行.....封印万载的人界,今时他为陆吾。
  • 远夫不如近邻

    远夫不如近邻

    新婚之夜,丈夫却和自己名义上的姑姑一起霸占了原本属于秦汐的婚床,她笑看着那对狗男女,将蜜月套房让了出来。殊不知她自己早已被人下套,一头扎进了旁边陌生男人的房间。一夜缠绵,男人只遗漏下了一粒琥珀袖扣,翌日所有人齐聚一堂,琥珀袖扣的主人竟是她应该要叫姑丈的裴锦川!几番纠缠,他居然成了她的邻居——裴锦川用尽手段,步步紧逼,“既然勾搭了,睡了。那不如继续勾搭,继续睡,如何?”秦汐被他抵在墙角,退无可退,“你这是在偷.....情!”他修长白皙的手指缓缓摩挲过她的菱唇,凉薄的嘴唇吐出一句,“偷情.....也是情!而且......我看你也蛮会偷的!”秦汐:“......救命!”