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just david(公正的大卫)-第24章

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the more welcome。 

     〃Oh;   will   we;   indeed!〃   he   retorted;   a   little   sharply。  〃Don't   trouble 

yourself; I beg of you; boy。〃 

     〃But it isn't a mite of trouble; truly;〃 urged David; with an ardor that 

ignored the sarcasm in the other's words。 〃I WANT to do it。〃 



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     Despite his annoyance; the man gave a short laugh。 

     〃Well; David; I believe you。 And I'll warrant you'd tackle this Brahms 

concerto as nonchalantly as you did those six hoodlums with the cat the 

other dayand expect to win out; too!〃 

     〃But; truly; this is easy; when you know how;〃 laughed the boy。 〃See!〃 

     To   his   surprise;   the   man   found   himself   relinquishing   the   violin   and 

bow into the slim; eager hands that reached for them。 The next moment he 

fell   back   in   amazement。   Clear;   distinct;   yet   connected   like   a   string   of 

rounded   pearls   fell   the   troublesome   notes   from  David's   bow。   〃You   see;〃 

smiled the boy again; and played the phrase a second time; more slowly; 

and with deliberate emphasis at the difficult part。 Then; as if in answer to 

some irresistible summons within him; he dashed into the next phrase and; 

with marvelous technique; played quite through the rippling cadenza that 

completed the movement。 

     〃Well; by George!〃 breathed the man dazedly; as he took the offered 

violin。   The   next   moment   he   had   demanded   vehemently:   〃For   Heaven's 

sake; who ARE you; boy?〃 

     David's face wrinkled in grieved surprise。 

     〃Why; I'm David。 Don't you remember? I was here just the other day!〃 

     〃Yes; yes; but who taught you to play like that?〃 

     〃Father。〃 

     〃 'Father'!〃 The man echoed the word with a gesture of comic despair。 

〃First Latin; then jiujitsu; and now the violin! Boy; who was your father?〃 

     David lifted his head and frowned a little。 He had been questioned so 

often; and so unsympathetically; about his father that he was beginning to 

resent it。 

     〃He was daddyjust daddy; and I loved him dearly。〃 

     〃But what was his name?〃 

     〃I don't know。 We didn't seem to have a name likelike yours down 

here。 Anyway; if we did; I didn't know what it was。〃 

     〃But;    David;〃the     man    was    speaking    very    gently   now。    He   had 

motioned the boy to a low seat by his side。 The little girl was standing near; 



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her eyes alight with wondering interest。 〃He must have had a name; you 

know;   just   the   same。   Didn't   you   ever   hear   any   one   call   him   anything? 

Think; now。〃 

     〃No。〃   David   said   the   single   word;   and   turned   his   eyes   away。   It   had 

occurred to him; since he had come to live in the valley; that perhaps his 

father did not want to have his name known。 He remembered that once the 

milk…and…eggs boy had asked what to call him; and his father had laughed 

and answered: 〃I don't see but you'll have to call me 'The Old Man of the 

Mountain;' as they do down in the village。〃 That was the only time David 

could recollect hearing his father say anything about his name。 At the time 

David   had   not   thought   much   about   it。   But   since   then;   down   here   where 

they   appeared   to   think   a   name   was   so   important;   he   had   wondered   if 

possibly his father had not preferred to keep his to himself。 If such were 

the case; he was glad now that he did not know this name; so that he might 

not have to tell all these inquisitive people who asked so many questions 

about it。 He was glad; too; that those men had not been able to read his 

father's name at the end of his other note that first morningif his father 

really did not wish his name to be known。 

     〃But; David; think。 Where you lived; wasn't there ever anybody who 

called him by name?〃 

     David shook his head。 

     〃I told you。 We were all alone; father and I; in the little house far up on 

the mountain。〃 

     〃Andyour mother?〃 Again David shook his head。 

     〃She is an angel…mother; and angel…mothers don't live in houses; you 

know。〃 

     There was a moment's pause; then gently the man asked: 

     〃And you always lived there?〃 

     〃Six years; father said。〃 

     〃And before that?〃 

     〃I don't remember。〃 There was a touch of injured reserve in the boy's 

voice which the man was quick to perceive。 He took the hint at once。 



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     〃He must have been a wonderful manyour father!〃 he exclaimed。 

     The boy turned; his eyes luminous with feeling。 

     〃He washe was perfect! But theydown heredon't seem to know 

or care;〃 he choked。 

     〃Oh; but that's because they don't understand;〃 soothed the man。 〃Now; 

tell meyou must have practiced a lot to play like that。〃 

     〃I didbut I liked it。〃 

     〃And what else did you do? and how did you happen to comedown 

here?〃 

     Once   again   David   told   his   story;   more   fully;   perhaps;   this   time   than 

ever before; because of the sympathetic ears that were listening。 

     〃But   now〃   he   finished   wistfully;   〃it's   all;  so   different;   and   I'm   down 

here alone。 Daddy went; you know; to the far country; and he can't come 

back from there。〃 

     〃Who told youthat?〃 

     〃Daddy himself。 He wrote it to me。〃 

     〃Wrote it to you!〃 cried the man; sitting suddenly erect。 

     〃Yes。 It was in his pocket; you see。 Theyfound it。〃 David's voice was 

very low; and not quite steady。 

     〃David; may I seethat letter?〃 

     The boy hesitated; then slowly he drew it from his pocket。 

     〃Yes; Mr。 Jack。 I'll let YOU see it。〃 

     Reverently; tenderly; but very eagerly the man took the note and read it 

through;   hoping   somewhere   to   find   a   name   that   would   help   solve   the 

mystery。 With a sigh he handed it back。 His eyes were wet。 

     〃Thank you; David。 That is a beautiful letter;〃 he said softly。 〃And I 

believe you'll do it some day; too。 You'll go to him with your violin at your 

chin   and   the   bow   drawn   across   the   strings   to   tell   him   of   the   beautiful 

world you have found。〃 

     〃Yes;   sir;〃   said   David   simply。   Then;   with   a   suddenly   radiant   smile: 

〃And   NOW  I   can't help   finding   it   a   beautiful   world;  you   know;  'cause   I 

don't count the hours I don't like。〃 



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     〃You don't what?oh; I remember;〃 returned Mr。 Jack; a quick change 

coming to his face。 

     〃Yes; the sundial; you know; where my Lady of the Roses lives。〃 

     〃Jack; what is a sundial?〃 broke in Jill eagerly。 

     Jack turned; as if in relief。 

     〃Hullo; girlie; you there?and so still all this time? Ask David。 He'll 

tell you what a sundial is。 Suppose; anyhow; that you two go out on the 

piazza now。 I've goter…some work to do。 And the sun itself is out; see? 

through the trees there。 It came out just to say 'good…night;' I'm sure。 Run 

along; quick!〃 And he playfully drove them from the room。 

     Alone; he turned and sat down at his desk。 His work was before him; 

but he did not do it。 His eyes were out of the window on the golden tops of 

the towers of Sunnycrest。 Motionless; he watched them until they turned 

gray…white in the twilight。 Then he picked up his pencil and began to write 

feverishly。   He   went   to   the   window;   however;   as   David   stepped   off   the 

veranda; and called merrily: 

     〃Remember;   boy;   that   when   there's   another   note   that   baffles   me;   I'm 

going to send for you。〃 

     〃He's coming anyhow。 I asked him;〃 announced Jill。 

       And David laughed back a happy 〃Of course I am!〃 



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                              CHAPTER XIV 



                   THE TOWER WINDOW 



       It is not to be expected that when one's thoughts lead so persistently 

to a certain place; one's feet will not follow; if they can; and David's could… 

…so he went to seek his Lady of the Roses。 

     At   four   o'clock   one   afternoon;    with   his  violin   under   his  arm;   he 

traveled the firm white road until he came to the shadowed path that led to 

the garden。 He had decided that he would go exactly as he went before。 He 

expected;  in   consequence;   to   find   his   Lady   exactly   as   he   had   found   her 

before;    sitting   reading    under   the   roses。   Great   was    his  
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