按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
drivin' away them pesky； thievin' crows。 There ain't a farmer 'round here
that hain't been green with envy； ever since I caught the critter。 An' now ter
have you come along an' with one flip o'yer knife spile it all； IWell； it
jest makes me mad； clean through！ That's all。〃
〃You mean； you tied him there to frighten away the other crows？〃
〃Sure！ There ain't nothin' like it。〃
〃Oh； I'm so sorry！〃
〃Well； you'd better be。 But that won't bring back my crow！〃
David's face brightened。
〃No； that's so； isn't it？ I'm glad of that。 I was thinking of the crows； you
see。 I'm so sorry for them！ Only think how we'd hate to be tied like that〃
But Perry Larson； with a stare and an indignant snort； had got to his feet；
and was rapidly walking toward the house。
Very plainly； that evening； David was in disgrace； and it took all of
Mrs。 Holly's tact and patience； and some private pleading； to keep a
63
… Page 64…
JUST DAVID
general explosion from wrecking all chances of his staying longer at the
farmhouse。 Even as it was； David was sorrowfully aware that he was
proving to be a great disappointment so soon； and his violin playing that
evening carried a moaning plaintiveness that would have been very
significant to one who knew David well。
Very faithfully； the next day； the boy tried to carry out all the 〃dos；〃
and though he did not always succeed； yet his efforts were so obvious； that
even the indignant owner of the liberated crow was somewhat mollified；
and again Simeon Holly released David from work at four o'clock。
Alas； for David's peace of mind； however； for on his walk to…day；
though he found no captive crow to demand his sympathy； he found
something else quite as heartrending； and as incomprehensible。
It was on the edge of the woods that he came upon two boys； each
carrying a rifle； a dead squirrel； and a dead rabbit。 The threatened rain of
the day before had not materialized； and David had his violin。 He had been
playing softly when he came upon the boys where the path entered the
woods。
〃Oh！〃 At sight of the boys and their burden David gave an involuntary
cry； and stopped playing。
The boys； scarcely less surprised at sight of David and his violin；
paused and stared frankly。
〃It's the tramp kid with his fiddle；〃 whispered one to the other huskily。
David； his grieved eyes on the motionless little bodies in the boys'
hands； shuddered。
〃Are theydead； too？〃
The bigger boy nodded self…importantly。
〃Sure。 We just shot 'emthe squirrels。 Ben here trapped the rabbits。〃
He paused； manifestly waiting for the proper awed admiration to come
into David's face。
But in David's startled eyes there was no awed admiration； there was
only disbelieving horror。
〃You mean； you SENT them to the far country？〃
64
… Page 65…
JUST DAVID
〃Wewhat？〃
〃Sent them。 Made them go yourselvesto the far country？〃
The younger boy still stared。 The older one grinned disagreeably。
〃Sure；〃 he answered with laconic indifference。 〃We sent 'em to the far
country； all right。〃
〃Buthow did you know they WANTED to go？〃
〃WantedEh？〃 exploded the big boy。 Then he grinned again； still more
disagreeably。 〃Well； you see； my dear； we didn't ask 'em；〃 he gibed。
Real distress came into David's face。
〃Then you don't know at all。 And maybe they DIDn't want to go。 And
if they didn't； how COULD they go singing； as father said？ Father wasn't
sent。 He WENT。 And he went singing。 He said he did。 But theseHow
would YOU like to have somebody come along and send YOU to the far
country； without even knowing if you wanted to go？〃
There was no answer。 The boys； with a growing fear in their eyes； as at
sight of something inexplicable and uncanny； were sidling away； and in a
moment they were hurrying down the hill； not； however； without a
backward glance or two； of something very like terror。
David； left alone； went on his way with troubled eyes and a thoughtful
frown。
David often wore； during those first few days at the Holly farmhouse；
a thoughtful face and a troubled frown。 There were so many； many things
that were different from his mountain home。 Over and over； as those first
long days passed； he read his letter until he knew it by heartand he had
need to。 Was he not already surrounded by things and people that were
strange to him？
And they were so very strangethese people！ There were the boys and
men who rose at dawnyet never paused to watch the sun flood the world
with light； who stayed in the fields all dayyet never raised their eyes to
the big fleecy clouds overhead； who knew birds only as thieves after fruit
and grain； and squirrels and rabbits only as creatures to be trapped or shot。
The womenthey were even more incomprehensible。 They spent the long
65
… Page 66…
JUST DAVID
hours behind screened doors and windows； washing the same dishes and
sweeping the same floors day after day。 They； too； never raised their eyes
to the blue sky outside； nor even to the crimson roses that peeped in at the
window。 They seemed rather to be looking always for dirt； yet not pleased
when they found itespecially if it had been tracked in on the heel of a
small boy's shoe！
More extraordinary than all this to David； however； was the fact that
these people regarded HIM； not themselves； as being strange。 As if it were
not the most natural thing in the world to live with one's father in one's
home on the mountain…top； and spend one's days trailing through the forest
paths； or lying with a book beside some babbling little stream！ As if it
were not equally natural to take one's violin with one at times； and learn to
catch upon the quivering strings the whisper of the winds through the trees！
Even in winter； when the clouds themselves came down from the sky and
covered the earth with their soft whiteness；even then the forest was
beautiful； and the song of the brook under its icy coat carried a charm and
mystery that were quite wanting in the chattering freedom of summer。
Surely there was nothing strange in all this； and yet these people seemed to
think there was！
66
… Page 67…
JUST DAVID
CHAPTER IX
JOE
Day by day； however； as time passed； David diligently tried to
perform the 〃dos〃 and avoid the 〃don'ts〃； and day by day he came to
realize how important weeds and woodboxes were； if he were to conform
to what was evidently Farmer Holly's idea of 〃playing in； tune〃 in this
strange new Orchestra of Life in which he found himself。
But； try as he would； there was yet an unreality about it all； a persistent
feeling of uselessness and waste； that would not be set aside。 So that； after
all； the only part of this strange new life of his that seemed real to him was
the time that came after four o'clock each day； when he was released from
work。
And how full he filled those hours！ There was so much to see； so much
to do。 For sunny days there were field and stream and pasture land and the
whole wide town to explore。 For rainy days； if he did not care to go to
walk； there was his room with the books in the chimney cupboard。 Some
of them David had read before； but many of them he had not。 One or two
were old friends； but not so 〃Dare Devil Dick；〃 and 〃The Pirates of Pigeon
Cove〃 （which he found hidden in an obscure corner behind a loose board）。
Side by side stood 〃The Lady of the Lake；〃 〃Treasure Island；〃 and 〃David
Copperfield〃； and coverless and dogeared lay 〃Robinson Crusoe；〃 〃The
Arabian Nights；〃 and 〃Grimm's Fairy Tales。〃 There were more； many
more； and David devoured them all with eager eyes。 The good in them he
absorbed as he absorbed the sunshine； the evil he cast aside
unconsciouslyit rolled off； indeed； like the proverbial water from th