just david(公正的大卫)-第23章
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DAVID'S CASTLE IN SPAIN
On his return from the House that Jack Built； David decided to count
his gold…pieces。 He got them out at once from behind the books； and
stacked them up in little shining rows。 As he had surmised； there were a
hundred of them。 There were； indeed； a hundred and six。 He was pleased
at that。 One hundred and six were surely enough to give him a 〃start。〃
A start！ David closed his eyes and pictured it。 To go on with his violin；
to hear good music； to be with people who understood what he said when
he played！ That was what Mr。 Jack had said a 〃start〃 was。 And this gold
these round shining bits of goldcould bring him this！ David swept the
little piles into a jingling heap； and sprang to his feet with both fists full of
his suddenly beloved wealth。 With boyish glee he capered about the room；
jingling the coins in his hands。 Then； very soberly； he sat down again； and
began to gather the gold to put away。
He would be wisehe would be sensible。 He would watch his chance；
and when it came he would go away。 First； however； he would tell Mr。
Jack and Joe； and the Lady of the Roses； yes； and the Hollys； too。 Just now
there seemed to be work； real work that he could do to help Mr。 Holly。 But
later； possibly when September came and school；they had said he must
go to school；he would tell them then； and go away instead。 He would see。
By that time they would believe him； perhaps； when he showed the gold…
pieces。 They would not think he hadSTOLEN them。 It was August now；
he would wait。 But meanwhile he could thinkhe could always be
thinking of the wonderful thing that this gold was one day to bring to him。
Even work； to David； did not seem work now。 In the morning he was
to rake hay behind the men with the cart。 Yesterday he had not liked it
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very well； but nownothing mattered now。 And with a satisfied sigh David
put his precious gold away again behind the books in the cupboard。
David found a new song in his violin the next morning。 To be sure； he
could not play itmuch of ituntil four o'clock in the afternoon came； for
Mr。 Holly did not like violins to be played in the morning； even on days
that were not especially the Lord's。 There was too much work to do。 So
David could only snatch a strain or two very； very softly； while he was
dressing； but that was enough to show him what a beautiful song it was
going to be。 He knew what it was； at once； too。 It was the gold…pieces； and
what they would bring。 All through the day it tripped through his
consciousness； and danced tantalizingly just out of reach。 Yet he was
wonderfully happy； and the day seemed short in spite of the heat and the
weariness。
At four o'clock he hurried home and put his violin quickly in tune。 It
came thenthat dancing sprite of tantalizationand joyously abandoned
itself to the strings of the violin； so that David knew； of a surety； what a
beautiful song it was。
It was this song that sent him the next afternoon to see his Lady of the
Roses。 He found her this time out of doors in her garden。
Unceremoniously； as usual； he rushed headlong into her presence。
〃Oh； LadyLady of the Roses；〃 he panted。 〃I've found out； and I came
quickly to tell you。〃
〃Why； David； whatwhat do you mean？〃 Miss Holbrook looked
unmistakably startled。
〃About the hours； you know；the unclouded ones；〃 explained David
eagerly。 〃You know you said they were ALL cloudy to you。〃
Miss Holbrook's face grew very white。
〃You meanyou've found out WHY my hours areare all cloudy
ones？〃 she stammered。
〃No； oh； no。 I can't imagine why they are；〃 returned David； with an
emphatic shake of his head。 〃It's just that I've found a way to make all my
hours sunny ones； and you can do it； too。 So I came to tell you。 You know
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you said yours were all cloudy。〃
〃Oh；〃 ejaculated Miss Holbrook； falling back into her old listless
attitude。 Then； with some asperity： 〃Dear me； David！ Did n't I tell you not
to be remembering that all the time？〃
〃Yes； I know； but I've LEARNED something；〃 urged the boy；
〃something that you ought to know。 You see； I did think； once； that
because you had all these beautiful things around you； the hours ought to
be all sunny ones。 But now I know it isn't what's around you； it's what is
IN you！〃
〃Oh； David； David； you curious boy！〃
〃No； but really！ Let me tell you；〃 pleaded David。 〃You know I haven't
liked them；all those hours till four o'clock came；and I was so glad； after
I saw the sundial； to find out that they didn't count； anyhow。 But to…day
they HAVE countedthey've all counted； Lady of the Roses； and it's just
because there was something inside of me that shone and shone； and made
them all sunnythose hours。〃
〃Dear me！ And what was this wonderful thing？〃
David smiled； but he shook his head。
〃I can't tell you that yetin words； but I'll play it。 You see； I can't
always play them twice alike；those little songs that I find；but this one I
can。 It sang so long in my head； before my violin had a chance to tell me
what it really was； that I sort of learned it。 Now； listen！〃 And be began to
play。
It was； indeed； a beautiful song； and Miss Holbrook said so with
promptness and enthusiasm； yet still David frowned。
〃Yes； yes；〃 he answered； 〃but don't you see？ That was telling you
about something inside of me that made all my hours sunshiny ones。 Now；
what you want is something inside of you to make yours sunshiny； too。
Don't you see？〃
An odd look came into Miss Holbrook's eyes。
〃That's all very well for you to say； David； but you haven't told me yet；
you know； just what it is that's made all this brightness for you。〃
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The boy changed his position； and puckered his forehead into a deeper
frown。
〃I don't seem to explain so you can understand；〃 he sighed。 〃It isn't the
SPECIAL thing。 It's only that it's SOMETHING。 And it's thinking about it
that does it。 Now； mine wouldn't make yours shine； butstill；〃he broke
off； a happy relief in his eyes；〃yours could be LIKE mine； in one way。
Mine is something that is going to happen to mesomething just beautiful；
and you could have that； you know；something that was going to happen
to you； to think about。〃
Miss Holbrook smiled； but only with her lips； Her eyes had grown
somber。
〃But there isn't anything 'just beautiful' going to happen to me； David；〃
she demurred。
〃There could； couldn't there？〃
Miss Holbrook bit； her lip； then she gave an odd little laugh that
seemed； in some way； to go with the swift red that had come to her cheeks。
〃I used to think there couldonce；〃 she admitted； 〃but I've given that
up long ago。 Itit didn't happen。〃
〃But couldn't you just THINK it was going to？〃 persisted the boy。
〃You see I found out yesterday that it's the THINKING that does it。 All
day long I was thinkingonly thinking。 I wasn't DOING it； at all。 I was
really raking behind the cart； but the hours all were sunny。〃
Miss Holbrook laughed now outright。
〃What a persistent little mental…science preacher you are！〃 she
exclaimed。 〃And there's truthmore truth than you knowin it all； too。 But
I can't do it； David；not thatnot that。 'T would take more than
THINKINGto bring that；〃 she added； under her breath； as if to herself。
〃But thinking does bring things；〃 maintained David earnestly。 〃There's
JoeJoe Glaspell。 His mother works out all day； and he's blind。〃
〃Blind？ Oh…h！〃 shuddered Miss Holbrook。
〃Yes； and he has to stay all alone； except for Betty； and she is n't there
much。 He THINKS ALL his things。 He has to。 He can't SEE anything with
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his outside eyes。 But he sees everything with his inside eyeseverything
that I play。 Why； Lady of the Roses； he's even seen thisall this here。 I told
him about it； you know； right away after I'd found you that first day： the
big trees and the long shadows across the grass； and the roses； and the
shining water； and the lovely marble people peeping through the green
leaves； and the sundial； and you so beautiful sitting here in the middle of it
all。 Then I played it for him； and he said he could see it all just as plain！
And THAT was with his inside eyes！ And so； if Joe； shut up there in his
dark little room； can make his THINK bring him all that； I should think
that YOU； here in this beautiful； beautiful place； could make your think
bring you anything you wanted it to。〃
But Miss Holbrook sighed again and shook her head。
〃Not that； David； not that；〃 she murmured。 〃It would take more than
thinking to bringthat。〃 Then； with a quick change of manner； she cried：
〃Come； come； suppose we don't worry any more about MY hours。 Let's
think of yours。 Tell me； what have you been doing since I saw you last？
Perhaps you have been again toto see Mr。 Jack； for instance。〃
〃I have； but I saw Jill mostly； till the last。〃 David hesitated； then he
blurted it out： 〃Lady of the Roses； do you know about the gate and the
footbridge？〃
Miss Holbrook looked up quickly。
〃Knowwhat； David？〃
〃Know about themthat they're there？〃
〃Whyyes； of course； at least； I suppose you mean the footbridge that
crosses the little stream at the foot of the hill over there。〃
〃That's the one。〃 Again David hesitated； and again he blurted out the
burden of his thoughts。 〃Lady of the Roses； did you evercross that
bridge？〃
Miss Holbrook stirred uneasily。
〃Notrecently。〃
〃But you don't MIND folks crossing it？〃
〃Cert
