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just david(公正的大卫)-第1章

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                                JUST DAVID 



              JUST DAVID 



BY ELEANOR H。{HODGMAN} PORTER 



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                                          JUST DAVID 



                                   CHAPTER I 



                   THE MOUNTAIN HOME 



     Far up on the mountain…side stood alone in the clearing。 It was roughly 

yet    warmly     built。  Behind     it  jagged   cliffs  broke    the  north    wind;   and 

towered   gray…white   in   the   sunshine。   Before   it   a   tiny   expanse   of   green 

sloped   gently   away   to   a   point   where   the   mountain   dropped   in   another 

sharp descent; wooded with scrubby firs and pines。 At the left a footpath 

led   into   the   cool   depths   of   the   forest。   But   at   the   right   the   mountain   fell 

away again and disclosed to view the picture David loved the best of all: 

the far…reaching valley; the silver pool of the lake with its ribbon of a river 

flung    far  out;   and   above    it  the  grays   and   greens    and   purples    of  the 

mountains   that   climbed   one   upon   another's   shoulders   until   the   topmost 

thrust their heads into the wide dome of the sky itself。 

     There   was   no   road;   apparently;   leading   away   from   the   cabin。   There 

was only the footpath that disappeared into the forest。 Neither; anywhere; 

was there  a house  in sight   nearer than the  white specks   far down   in  the 

valley by the river。 

     Within   the   shack   a   wide   fireplace   dominated   one   side   of   the   main 

room。 It was June now; and the ashes lay cold on the hearth; but from the 

tiny lean…to in the rear   came   the smell   and   the sputter   of  bacon sizzling 

over a blaze。 The furnishings of the room were simple; yet; in a way; out 

of the common。 There were two bunks; a few rude but comfortable chairs; 

a   table;   two   music…racks;   two   violins   with   their   cases;   and   everywhere 

books; and scattered sheets of music。 Nowhere was there cushion; curtain; 

or knickknack   that told of a   woman's taste   or touch。  On the other   hand; 

neither   was   there   anywhere   gun;   pelt;   or   antlered   head   that   spoke   of   a 

man's strength and skill。 For decoration there were a beautiful copy of the 



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                                         JUST DAVID 



Sistine Madonna; several photographs signed with names well known out 

in the great world beyond the mountains; and a festoon of pine cones such 

as a child might gather and hang。 

     From   the   little   lean…to   kitchen   the   sound   of   the   sputtering   suddenly 

ceased; and at the door appeared a pair of dark; wistful eyes。 

     〃Daddy!〃 called the owner of the eyes。 

     There was no answer。 

     〃Father; are you there?〃 called the voice; more insistently。 

     From one of the bunks came a slight stir and a murmured word。 At the 

sound the boy at the door leaped softly into the room and hurried to the 

bunk in the corner。 He was a slender lad with short; crisp curls at his ears; 

and the red of perfect health in his cheeks。 His hands; slim; long; and with 

tapering fingers like a girl's; reached forward eagerly。 

     〃Daddy; come! I've done the bacon all myself; and the potatoes and the 

coffee; too。 Quick; it's all getting cold!〃 

     Slowly; with the aid of the boy's firm hands; the man pulled himself 

half to a sitting posture。 His cheeks; like the boy's; were redbut not with 

health。 His eyes were a little wild; but his voice was low and very tender; 

like a caress。 

     〃Davidit's my little son David!〃 

     〃Of    course    it's  David!   Who    else   should    it  be?〃  laughed    the   boy。 

〃Come!〃 And he tugged at the man's hands。 

     The   man   rose   then;   unsteadily;   and   by   sheer   will   forced   himself   to 

stand   upright。 The  wild look   left his   eyes;  and the  flush his   cheeks。   His 

face    looked    suddenly     old  and   haggard。    Yet   with   fairly  sure   steps   he 

crossed the room and entered the little kitchen。 

     Half of the   bacon was black; the other half was transparent and   like 

tough jelly。 The potatoes were soggy; and had the unmistakable taste that 

comes   from   a   dish   that   has   boiled   dry。   The   coffee   was   lukewarm   and 

muddy。 Even the milk was sour。 

     David laughed a little ruefully。 

     〃Things aren't so nice as yours; father;〃 he apologized。 〃I'm afraid I'm 



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nothing   but   a   discord   in   that   orchestra   to…day!   Somehow;   some   of   the 

stove was hotter than the rest; and burnt up the bacon in spots; and all the 

water got out of the potatoes; too;though THAT didn't matter; for I just 

put more cold in。 I forgot and left the milk in the sun; and it tastes bad now; 

but I'm sure next time it'll be betterall of it。〃 

     The man smiled; but he shook his head sadly。 

     〃But there ought not to be any 'next time;' David。〃 

     〃Why   not?   What   do   you   mean? Aren't   you   ever   going   to   let   me   try 

again; father?〃 There was real distress in the boy's voice。 

     The man hesitated。 His lips parted with an indrawn breath; as if behind 

them lay a rush of words。 But they closed abruptly; the words still unsaid。 

Then; very lightly; came these others: 

     〃Well; son; this isn't a very nice way to treat your supper; is it? Now; if 

you please; I'll take some of that bacon。 I think I feel my appetite coming 

back。〃 

     If the truant appetite 〃came back;〃 however; it could not have stayed; 

for the man ate but little。 He frowned; too; as he saw how little the boy ate。 

He sat silent while his son cleared the food and dishes away; and he was 

still silent when; with the boy; he passed out of the house and walked to 

the little bench facing the west。 

     Unless it stormed very hard; David never went to bed without this last 

look at his 〃Silver Lake;〃 as he called the little sheet of water far down in 

the valley。 

     〃Daddy; it's gold to…nightall gold with the sun!〃 he cried rapturously; 

as his eyes fell upon his treasure。 〃Oh; daddy!〃 

     It was a long…drawn cry of ecstasy; and hearing it; the man winced; as 

with sudden pain。 

     'Daddy;     I'm   going   to  play   itI've  got   to  play   it!〃  cried   the  boy; 

bounding   toward   the   cabin。   In   a   moment   he   had   returned;   violin   at   his 

chin。 

     The   man   watched   and   listened;   and   as   he   watched   and   listened;   his 

face became a battle…ground whereon pride and fear; hope and despair; joy 



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                                          JUST DAVID 



and sorrow; fought for the mastery。 

     It was no new thing for David to 〃play〃 the sunset。 Always; when he 

was moved; David turned to his violin。 Always in its quivering strings he 

found the means to say that which his tongue could not express。 

     Across the valley the grays and blues of the mountains had become all 

purples now。 Above; the sky in one vast flame of crimson and gold; was a 

molten sea on which floated rose…pink cloud…boats。 Below; the valley with 

its lake and river picked out in rose and gold against the shadowy greens 

of field and forest; seemed like some enchanted fairyland of loveliness。 

     And   all   this   was   in   David's   violin;   and   all   this;   too;   was   on   David's 

uplifted; rapturous face。 

     As the last rose…glow turned to gray and the last strain quivered into 

silence; the man spoke。 His voice was almost harsh with self…control。 

     〃David; the time has come。 We'll have to give it upyou and I。〃 

     The boy turned wonderingly; his face still softly luminous。 

     〃Give what up?〃 

     〃Thisall this。〃 

     〃This! Why; father; what do you mean? This is home!〃 

     The man nodded wearily。 

     〃I   know。   It   has   been   home;   but;   David;   you   didn't   think   we   could 

always live here; like this; did you?〃 

     David laughed softly; and turned his eyes once more to the distant sky… 

line。 

     Why not?〃 he asked dreamily。 〃What better place could there be? I like 

it; daddy。〃 

     The   man   drew   a   troubled   breath;   and   stirred   restlessly。   The   teasing 

pain in his side was very bad to…night; and no change of position eased it。 

He   was   ill;   very   ill;   and   he   knew   it。 Yet   he   also   knew   that;   to   David; 

sickness;     pain;   and   death   meant    nothingor;    at  most;    words    that  had 

always been lightly; almost unconsciously passed over。 For the first time 

he wondered if; after all; his trainingsome of ithad been w
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