登陆注册
14718100000056

第56章

"Our latch-string will always be out for you,"promised Anne. "And do you know that the old sea captain who keeps the Four Winds light knew John Selwyn and his bride well in his boyhood? He told me their story the night I came here--the third bride of the old house.""Can it be possible? This IS a discovery. I must hunt him up.""It won't be difficult; we are all cronies of Captain Jim. He will be as eager to see you as you could be to see him. Your grandmother shines like a star in his memory. But I think Mrs. Moore is expecting you. I'll show you our `cross-lots' road."Anne walked with him to the house up the brook, over a field that was as white as snow with daisies. Aboat-load of people were singing far across the harbor.

The sound drifted over the water like faint, unearthly music wind-blown across a starlit sea. The big light flashed and beaconed. Owen Ford looked around him with satisfaction.

"And so this is Four Winds," he said. "I wasn't prepared to find it quite so beautiful, in spite of all mother's praises. What colors-- what scenery--what charm! I shall get as strong as a horse in no time.

And if inspiration comes from beauty, I should certainly be able to begin my great Canadian novel here.""You haven't begun it yet?" asked Anne.

"Alack-a-day, no. I've never been able to get the right central idea for it. It lurks beyond me--it allures--and beckons--and recedes-- I almost grasp it and it is gone. Perhaps amid this peace and loveliness, I shall be able to capture it. Miss Bryant tells me that you write.""Oh, I do little things for children. I haven't done much since I was married. And--I have no designs on a great Canadian novel," laughed Anne. "That is quite beyond me."Owen Ford laughed too.

"I dare say it is beyond me as well. All the same Imean to have a try at it some day, if I can ever get time. A newspaper man doesn't have much chance for that sort of thing. I've done a good deal of short story writing for the magazines, but I've never had the leisure that seems to be necessary for the writing of a book. With three months of liberty I ought to make a start, though--if I could only get the necessary motif for it--the SOUL of the book."An idea whisked through Anne's brain with a suddenness that made her jump. But she did not utter it, for they had reached the Moore house. As they entered the yard Leslie came out on the veranda from the side door, peering through the gloom for some sign of her expected guest. She stood just where the warm yellow light flooded her from the open door. She wore a plain dress of cheap, cream-tinted cotton voile, with the usual girdle of crimson. Leslie was never without her touch of crimson. She had told Anne that she never felt satisfied without a gleam of red somewhere about her, if it were only a flower. To Anne, it always seemed to symbolise Leslie's glowing, pent-up personality, denied all expression save in that flaming glint.

Leslie's dress was cut a little away at the neck and had short sleeves. Her arms gleamed like ivory-tinted marble. Every exquisite curve of her form was outlined in soft darkness against the light. Her hair shone in it like flame. Beyond her was a purple sky, flowering with stars over the harbor.

Anne heard her companion give a gasp. Even in the dusk she could see the amazement and admiration on his face.

"Who is that beautiful creature?" he asked.

"That is Mrs. Moore," said Anne. "She is very lovely, isn't she?""I--I never saw anything like her," he answered, rather dazedly. "I wasn't prepared--I didn't expect--good heavens, one DOESN'T expect a goddess for a landlady ! Why, if she were clothed in a gown of sea-purple, with a rope of amethysts in her hair, she would be a veritable sea-queen. And she takes in boarders!""Even goddesses must live," said Anne. "And Leslie isn't a goddess. She's just a very beautiful woman, as human as the rest of us. Did Miss Bryant tell you about Mr. Moore?""Yes,--he's mentally deficient, or something of the sort, isn't he? But she said nothing about Mrs. Moore, and I supposed she'd be the usual hustling country housewife who takes in boarders to earn an honest penny.""Well, that's just what Leslie is doing," said Anne crisply. "And it isn't altogether pleasant for her, either. I hope you won't mind Dick. If you do, please don't let Leslie see it. It would hurt her horribly.

He's just a big baby, and sometimes a rather annoying one.""Oh, I won't mind him. I don't suppose I'll be much in the house anyhow, except for meals. But what a shame it all is! Her life must be a hard one.""It is. But she doesn't like to be pitied."Leslie had gone back into the house and now met them at the front door. She greeted Owen Ford with cold civility, and told him in a business-like tone that his room and his supper were ready for him. Dick, with a pleased grin, shambled upstairs with the valise, and Owen Ford was installed as an inmate of the old house among the willows.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 无敌贵妃

    无敌贵妃

    一个刚出生就被得道高人抱走的女子,十四年后,机缘巧合,当上了皇帝的宠妃。她是一朵‘出淤泥而不染的白莲’,冲破以往后宫女子唯唯诺诺的处世态度,活出自我;南下平乱,生擒敌国皇帝,多次微服出宫私访,为大靖赢得“康煜盛世”;产子的同时,冒险救太后;舍命救心爱之人----大靖皇帝,最终是否会赢得帝王一心一意的爱情?
  • 茵梦湖

    茵梦湖

    本书荟萃了作者十三篇抒情小说,如名篇《茵梦湖》《白马骑者》《燕语》等,还精选了他十九篇抒情诗。其中《茵梦湖》描写了一对青年男女的爱情悲剧。莱因哈德和伊丽莎白青梅竹马,情爱甚笃,可是伊丽莎白的母亲却把女儿嫁给了家境富裕的埃利希。多年后,莱因哈德应邀去埃利希在茵梦湖的庄园,旧日的恋人相见却是一片惆怅。小说谴责了包办婚姻,不仅主题鲜明,而且在艺术上也有很高的造诣。其优美的笔调,清丽的风格,生动的故事,对人物细腻深刻的心理描写,给人们留下了深刻的印象。尽管施拖姆的时代已经久远了,但是相信,他的作品对我们今天的读者来说,仍具有很大的现实意义。
  • 99次偶然爱:手机里的希亚瑟

    99次偶然爱:手机里的希亚瑟

    一部莫名其妙的手机,竟然把我卷入了危机!史上最奇怪的宠物升级游戏开始了!谁来告诉我,手机里突然出现的萌宠,为什么会和学院男神希亚瑟长得那么像?天啊!就连那暴躁的脾气也一模一样!精灵般的双胞胎美少年夏裕树、夏裕天,奇怪的完美女生季培培……每个人似乎都有着自己的秘密。逃不开的神秘宿命,谜一般的记忆空洞!希亚瑟……我到底能不能让你打开心扉?安柠檬幻想志,欢迎你大驾光临!
  • 白猫女孩:请看公告!

    白猫女孩:请看公告!

    看公告,看公告,看公告!重要的事情说三遍。
  • 中华谚语(第二卷)

    中华谚语(第二卷)

    该书本着科学、规范、实用的原则,从收集的数万条谚语中选取其中的精华约11500条。收录的谚语哲理丰富,涉及范围广,从婚姻家庭到社会百态,从军事历史到处世哲学,从天文地理到农、工、商、建,从养生保健到琴棋书画……大千世界,千姿百态均有涉及。本书为了便于读者阅读和掌握,在每句谚语下面标注了简单的释义
  • 妃要自由:王妃很抢手

    妃要自由:王妃很抢手

    王妃要自由同王爷约法三章:我不管你,你不管我王妃时尔搞笑,时尔腹黑,时尔装傻,时尔呆萌。。。。。那就要看王妃遇上什么人啦但她最重要的是,我需要自由,自由路上,人不惹我,我不惹人,人若惹急了我,嘿嘿。。。。。我也是心狠手辣的,要不,试试这是本妃第一次写作,希望大家我多支持啦,多给意见,多收藏。。。那都是动力啦。开始在文章里见吧。
  • BLOOD银之逆月

    BLOOD银之逆月

    她,出生那一天,她的父亲梵卓之王,便离开他们母女,回血族去娶另一个女人,因母亲是里琉克埃家族的长公主,她,也因身为梵卓族的父亲而遭到打压。四岁时,母亲患病去世,她,变为男身,进了不死营。几年后,她接到了金色任务,来到宁海市。而且遇到了战友和她的--未婚夫.命运总是折腾人,迈身黑道做任务她又得知,自己,是战魔七神之一.......沉睡的恶魔醒来,灾难,就此降临!金属般的月亮逆旋转!慢慢接近地球!“让一切,都归为零吧!”她这样说着......
  • TFBOYS爱的丫头

    TFBOYS爱的丫头

    安梓璇,普通女生,穿越到了清朝,面对三个少年,她不知道怎么办,爱着他的王俊凯,她爱的王源,陪伴着他的易烊千玺,她该如何选择呢?
  • 沙砾掩埋过的记忆

    沙砾掩埋过的记忆

    沐夏夕,忘掉的记忆,被自己对他的无视而唤醒,俩个人在一起却如同陌生人一般,他看着他心痛,她看着他云淡风轻,到最后才知道谁错了,才知道被伤遍体鳞伤的那个人不是自己,而是他,想要回头,但命运怎么可能让他她如愿以偿!!
  • 彼岸之侧

    彼岸之侧

    原力、战技加异能,再来一点高科技……这个世界太暴躁,咱们让它冷静一下!………………………王勒活了两辈子将近五十年,终于知道自己不是普通人!