登陆注册
15444200000007

第7章 CHAPTER III--A FAMILY POLYGON(3)

'"In my Father's house are many mansions,"' stammered Mr. Grubb, who had never before administered spiritual consolation.

She shook her head. 'If I can only get rid of this world, it's all I ask,' she said; 'if the other one isn't any better, why, it can't be any worse! Feel under the mattress and you'll find money enough to last three or four years. It's all she'll ever get, for she hasn't a soul now to look to for help. That's the way we human beings arrange things,--we, or the Lord, or the Evil One, or whoever it is; we bring a puzzle into the world, and then leave it for other people to work out--if they can! Who'll work out this one? Who'll work out this one? Perhaps she'll die before the money's gone; let's hope for the best.'

'Don't take on like that!' said Mr. Grubb despairingly,--'don't!

Pray for resignation, can't you?'

'Pray!' she exclaimed scornfully. 'Thank goodness, I've got enough self-respect left not to pray!--Yes, I must pray, I MUST . . . Oh, God! I do not ask forgiveness for him or for myself; I only beg that, in some way I cannot see, we may be punished, and she spared!'

And when the stricken soul had fled from her frail body, they who came to prepare her for the grave looked at her face and found it shining with hope.

It was thus that poor little Alisa Bennett assumed maternal responsibilities at the age of ten, and gained her sobriquet of 'Marm Lisa.' She grew more human, more tractable, under Mr. Grubb's fostering care; but that blessed martyr had now been dead two years, and she began to wear her former vacuous look, and to slip back into the past that was still more dreadful than the present.

It seemed to Mrs. Grubb more than strange that she, with her desire for freedom, should be held to earth by three children not flesh of her flesh--and such children. The father of the twins had been a professional pugilist, but even that fact could never sufficiently account for Pacific Simonson. She had apparently inherited instincts from tribes of warlike ancestors who skulked behind trees with battle-axes, and no one except her superior in size and courage was safe from her violent hand. She had little, wicked, dark eyes and crimson, swollen cheeks, while Atlantic had flaxen hair, a low forehead, and a square jaw. He had not Pacific's ingenuity in conceiving evil; but when it was once conceived, he had a dogged persistency in carrying it out that made him worthy of his twin.

Yet with all these crosses Mrs. Grubb was moderately cheerful, for her troubles were as nebulous as everything else to her mind. She intended to invent some feasible plan for her deliverance sooner or later, but she was much more intent upon development than deliverance, and she never seemed to have the leisure to break her shackles. Nothing really mattered much. Her body might be occasionally in Eden Place, but her soul was always in a hired hall.

She delighted in joining the New Order of Something,--anything, so long as it was an Order and a new one,--and then going with a selected committee to secure a lodge-room or a hall for meetings.

She liked to walk up the dim aisle with the janitor following after her, and imagine brilliant lights (paid for by collection), a neat table and lamp and pitcher of iced water, and herself in the chair as president or vice-president, secretary or humble trustee. There was that about her that precluded the possibility of simple membership.

She always rose into office the week after she had joined any society. If there was no office vacant, then some bold spirit (generally male) would create one, that Mrs. Grubb might not wither in the privacy of the ranks. Before the charter members had fully learned the alphabet of their order and had gained a thorough understanding of the social revolution it was destined to work, Mrs.

Grubb had mastered the whole scheme and was unfolding it before large classes for the study of the higher theory. The instant she had a tale to tell she presumed the 'listening earth' to be ready to hear it. The new Order became an old one in course of time, and, like the nautilus. Mrs. Grubb outgrew her shell and built herself a more stately chamber. Another clue to the universe was soon forthcoming, for all this happened in a city where it is necessary only for a man to open his lips and say, 'I am a prophet', and followers flock unto him as many in number as the stars. She was never disturbed that the last clue had brought her nowhere; she followed the new one as passionately as the old, and told her breathless pupils that their feet must not be weary, for they were treading the path of progress; that these apparently fruitless excursions into the domain of knowledge all served as so many milestones in their glorious ascent of the mountain of truth.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 无限群英之三雄争霸

    无限群英之三雄争霸

    如果你以为这里是天堂,那么你错了,因为这里其实是地狱;如果你以为这里是地狱,那么你还是错了,因为这里其实也是天堂。在天堂与地狱之间徘徊,在光明和黑暗之间抉择,在生存与死亡之间徜徉,一切尽在无限群英之三雄争霸。
  • 一眼万年之万年殇

    一眼万年之万年殇

    万年以前,他见到了她,便深陷其中不能自拔。那时,他是魔的太子,她是天帝的女儿。他们注定不能在一起。而她也爱上了他,但却不得不带兵攻打他,因为这是天道,不能共存。最后,她却舍不得,“彻,为了苍生,为了父母,我不得不遵循天道杀你,但我却舍不得,所以,我宁愿自己死,你要好好活着。”“不,妖妖,没人能阻挡我们,就算天道也不能。”她最终还是死在了他的怀里。而下一刻,他自爆随她而去。“来生我会在遇到你。第一眼便认出你。不再遵天道,不再相杀。”万年以后,为什么我会对皇甫彻有种似曾相识的感觉。他到底是谁?我到底是谁?为什么会来到这里?“上官妖妖,我皇甫彻今生为你何求。”
  • 驱魔小娇妻:帅鬼老公找上门

    驱魔小娇妻:帅鬼老公找上门

    阴阳师这东西,做起来真不容易,长了个阴阳眼,每天都要遇上各路鬼怪,收入不稳定,搞不好连盒饭钱都没得喽,我容易吗我。苏晴,苏家第十七任嫡系阴阳师,抓鬼驱魔,撒娇卖萌,简直无所不能。在阴阳师这条道路上可谓是混得风生水起,阴阳两界都要让她三分……可是……谁能能告诉她,这个天天死缠着她,赖在她家不走,还扬言要做她老公的帅鬼到底怎么回事?!原来不是只小鬼头吗???“你到底走不走?!”某女死瞪着床上的某只自大狂妄的帅鬼。“娘子,你要赶我走吗?你不要我了吗?嘤嘤嘤……”某鬼做怨妇状,满怀哀怨的看着苏晴。苏晴无力望苍天,怎么会这样?!
  • 九曲天歌

    九曲天歌

    一念苍穹灭,万物徒生悲。五百年的时间无数次的生死轮回,总有一天他还会站在他的对面,继而以往的对他不屑一顾。五百年后柳毅不再是樊云飞,苏语嫣却还是原来那个苏语嫣。但是没有关系,她说:“所有人都会喜欢上我的聪明!”命络上的痕迹理不清,剪不断。到头来终是一场空,何必固执以往!
  • 嫡女归来:重生盛世宠后

    嫡女归来:重生盛世宠后

    前世她以为姐妹情深难分,她以为父亲疼她入骨,她以为祖母对她仁慈不已……可惜一切都只是她以为!姐妹嫉妒她所得的封号,父亲贪图她血拼回来的兵权,祖母更是觊觎母亲为她留下的嫁妆!她为家族付出所有,甚至舍弃红妆,披上战袍,却换来这样的结果!她恨:若有来世,我必拉你们一并下地狱……苍天有眼,竟让她回到了少年之时。这一次,她再也不是当年那个任人摆布的祈言!这一次,她要看着丞相府在她的手中慢慢毁灭——一如前世的她。等着吧:前世种种,今生来报。欠她的债,她会一笔一笔的讨回来!
  • 冒险岛之枫之境界

    冒险岛之枫之境界

    呜呜,最近没什么灵感,暂时停更,大大们暂时先饶过枫雨咯QAQ
  • 佛说大白伞盖总持陀罗尼经

    佛说大白伞盖总持陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 人鬼殊途之倾世绝恋

    人鬼殊途之倾世绝恋

    深山俊鸟,一笑倾城。心中本有倾心的书生,奈何被嫂嫂算计,不得不嫁入官府为妾。侯门深似海,因利益冲突,佳人惨遭毒手,化为一缕幽魂,自此和心爱的书生人鬼殊途,阴阳相隔。书生进京赶考,怎奈身陷皇室争斗,屡遭阴谋算计,郁郁不得志。边关再起烽烟,三千忠魂死不瞑目。十六年后,转世投胎的佳人长大成人,昔日的书生却不知所踪。他们能否在今世相遇?能否再续前缘?一切真相大白,摆在眼前的却是十多年的苦恋,十多年的相思。这虐心的三角爱恋,让人如何取舍!
  • 重掌大晋

    重掌大晋

    他来自一个强者辈出之地!他的存在让无数人死亡、亦让无数人胆寒!他将走向何方?成为何样的人?尽请期待重掌大晋!