登陆注册
15688200000031

第31章 CHAPTER X.(3)

"Hello," said he, pulling up; "you'd better be careful how you go popping around here on the public roads, frightening horses."As I had not yet fired a single shot, I thought this was a very impudent speech, and I think so still.

"You had better wait until I begin to pop," said I, "before you make such a fuss about it.""No," said he, "I'd rather make the fuss before you begin. My horse is skittish," and he drove off.

This man annoyed me; but as I did not, of course, wish to frighten horses, I left the road and made my way back to the tent over some very rough fields. It was a poor day for birds, and I did not get a shot.

"What a foolish man!" said Euphemia, when I told her the above incident, "to talk that way when you stood there with a gun in your hand. You might have raked his wagon, fore and aft."That afternoon, as Euphemia and I were sitting under a tree by the tent, we were very much surprised to see Pomona come walking down the peninsula.

I was annoyed and provoked at this. We had given Pomona positive orders not to leave the place, under any pretense, while we were gone. If necessary to send for anything, she could go to the fence, back of the barn, and scream across a small field to some of the numerous members of old John's family. Under this arrangement, I felt that the house was perfectly safe.

Before she could reach us, I called out:

"Why did you leave the house, Pomona? Don't you know you should never come away and leave the house empty? I thought I had made you understand that.""It isn't empty," said Pomona, in an entirely unruffled tone.

"Your old boarder is there, with his wife and child."Euphemia and I looked at each other in dismay.

"They came early this afternoon," continued Pomona, "by the 1:14train, and walked up, he carrying the child.""It can't be," cried Euphemia. "Their child's married.""It must have married very young, then," said Pomona, "for it isn't over four years old now.""Oh!" said Euphemia, "I know! It's his grandchild.""Grandchild!" repeated Pomona, with her countenance more expressive of emotion than I had ever yet seen it.

"Yes," said Euphemia; "but how long are they going to stay? Where did you tell them we were?""They didn't say how long they was goin' to stay," answered Pomona.

"I told them you had gone to be with some friends in the country, and that I didn't know whether you'd be home to-night or not.""How could you tell them such a falsehood?" cried Euphemia.

"That was no falsehood," said Pomona; "it was true as truth. If you're not your own friends, I don't know who is. And I wasn't a-goin' to tell the boarder where you was till I found out whether you wanted me to do it or not. And so I left 'em and run over to old John's, and then down here."It was impossible to find fault with the excellent management of Pomona.

"What were they doing?" asked Euphemia.

"I opened the parlor, and she was in there with the child,--putting it to sleep on the sofa, I think. The boarder was out in the yard, tryin' to teach Lord Edward some tricks.""He had better look out!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, the dog's chained and growlin' fearful! What am I to do with 'em?"This was a difficult point to decide. If we went to see them, we might as well break up our camp, for we could not tell when we should be able to come back to it.

We discussed the matter very anxiously, and finally concluded that under the circumstances, and considering what Pomona had said about our whereabouts, it would be well for us to stay where we were and for Pomona to take charge of the visitors. If they returned to the city that evening, she was to give them a good supper before they went, sending John to the store for what was needed. If they stayed all night, she could get breakfast for them.

"We can write," said Euphemia, "and invite them to come and spend some days with us, when we are at home and everything is all right.

I want dreadfully to see that child, but I don't see how I can do it now.""No," said I. "They're sure to stay all night if we go up to the house, and then I should have to have the tent and things hauled away, for I couldn't leave them here.""The fact is," said Euphemia, "if we were miles away, in the woods of Maine, we couldn't leave our camp to see anybody. And this is practically the same.""Certainly," said I; and so Pomona went away to her new charge.

同类推荐
  • 扬州芍药谱

    扬州芍药谱

    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。
  • 佛说鬼子母经

    佛说鬼子母经

    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。
  • 清代割地谈

    清代割地谈

    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。
  • 金刚般若论会释

    金刚般若论会释

    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。
  • 小江驿送陆侍御归湖

    小江驿送陆侍御归湖

    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
  • 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!)
  • 刻骨铭心:情似屋

    刻骨铭心:情似屋

    如果说往事,对于他,如诺不是刹那时,我便会坚贞自己最初始的选择。我很庆幸在这大千世界里遇到你,我怕我面对这个肮脏混乱的世界时不知所措,我怕。所有的一切我都愿意,因为我嫉妒。我可以为了你不要命,你敢么?如果可以我将来不想成为你的亲人,而是情人。这一生还这样漫长,可是已经结束了,寂寞空庭春欲晚,梨花满地不开门。轩逸,爱一个人这样容易,恨一个人这样容易。这世上最可悲的一件事,便是穷尽心智地追寻一东西,最后却离当初越来越远。明明是想挨得近一些,再近一些,却不知到底哪里出了差错,就这样渐行渐远。你很残忍,让我杀了你,却只留了我一个人。
  • 枭宠狂妃

    枭宠狂妃

    一代杀神穿越成和亲郡主,异世疯狂之旅,就此开始。这男人看上了她的美貌,想娶她当王妃?炎琳琅表示,别以为你长的帅,武力值高,我就不会揍你。他沉默不语,奉上全部家财,宠她上天,一颗真心换真情。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 星河永生

    星河永生

    小说世界,众生皆是主角,万物都有气运,大千世界玄奥通幽,巨龙冥修,古府涅槃,浩瀚神秘的星空源海蕴藏着无尽轮回的至高奥秘,异世界万千生灵上演众生百态,恶魔本心,天使战甲,善恶命运变换不定。幻想的终极源头如虚空魔镜贯穿时代始终,界墙崩塌,秩序紊乱,精神冥想的力量日益枯竭,星空无垠,位面繁衍,来自命运的诅咒如影随形,巨龙不在无敌,圣人无法永生,昔日超然的一切如坠深渊。星河永生,将为你揭开所有小说背后强大的无敌本源。
  • 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!)
  • 九州天石

    九州天石

    人行大道,号为道士。九部科格,一举扬名江湖。不出世俗,不为真身。道门七叶图,是否得道成仙。前路茫茫,历尽生与死。麒麟血脉,非官非爵.....
  • 听闻从前有个玛丽苏

    听闻从前有个玛丽苏

    乐滋滋地在电脑审文的苏浅浅突然被吸入电脑内,啊啊啊一不小心穿成了书里的玛丽苏女主。等等!各种帅哥男神抱大腿,长像貌美人人嫉妒这些情节都没有这是怎么回事啊啊啊!还有,自恋狂顾淮,背影杀手季莫……是哪冒来的?!喂?110吗?我要报警!………
  • 逝去的青葱岁月

    逝去的青葱岁月

    每个人都有自己的故事,有痛苦、有快乐、有悲伤、有甜蜜。往事不会忘记,更不会消失。水晶能否把她的故事说完,现在我还不得而知,只能偶尔陪陪她,听她述说那些年的人和事,希望从她的樱桃小口里探索出值得我们追逐的青春爱情。不管是美好的结局还是悲凉的现实,但愿你和我共同期待~
  • 如沐春风不及你

    如沐春风不及你

    安梓沐:“崔淅泽,遇见你,是我这辈子最幸运的事,也是我最痛苦的事吧……”莫诗晴:“陈铭幽,我真的爱你啊!你为什么不相信我……为什么……”崔淅泽:“梓沐,相信我好吗?”陈铭幽:“诗晴,我真的不敢相信你说的任何一句话了,哪怕是你爱我……”
  • 惊鸿之夙银月

    惊鸿之夙银月

    一朝苏醒,她得以重生,只是活着的这些人,发生过的这些事,却已经不可以重来,当血淋淋的事实摆在她面前,她又该何去何从,自己又算什么。