just david(公正的大卫)-第35章
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CHAPTER XXV
THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD
David found many new songs in his violin those early winter days；
and they were very beautiful ones。 To begin with； there were all the kindly
looks and deeds that were showered upon him from every side。 There was
the first snowstorm； too； with the feathery flakes turning all the world to
fairy whiteness。 This song David played to Mr。 Streeter； one day； and great
was his disappointment that the man could not seem to understand what
the song said。
〃But don't you see？〃 pleaded David。 〃I'm telling you that it's your
pear…tree blossoms come back to say how glad they are that you didn't kill
them that day。〃
〃Pear…tree blossomscome back！〃 ejaculated the old man。 〃Well； no； I
can't see。 Where's yer pear…tree blossoms？〃
〃Why； thereout of the windoweverywhere；〃 urged the boy。
〃THERE！ By ginger！ boyye don't meanye CAN'T mean the
SNOW！〃
〃Of course I do！ Now； can't you see it？ Why； the whole tree was just a
great big cloud of snowflakes。 Don't you remember？ Well； now it's gone
away and got a whole lot more trees； and all the little white petals have
come dancing down to celebrate； and to tell you they sure are coming back
next year。〃
〃Well； by ginger！〃 exclaimed the man again。 Then； suddenly； he threw
back his head with a hearty laugh。 David did not quite like the laugh；
neither did he care for the five…cent piece that the man thrust into his
fingers a little later； thoughhad David but known itboth the laugh and
the five…cent piece gift werefor the uncomprehending man who gave
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themwhite milestones along an unfamiliar way。
It was soon after this that there came to David the great surprisehis
beloved Lady of the Roses and his no less beloved Mr。 Jack were to be
married at the beginning of the New Year。 So very surprised； indeed； was
David at this； that even his violin was mute； and had nothing； at first； to
say about it。 But to Mr。 Jack； as man to man； David said one day：
〃I thought men； when they married women； went courting。 In story…
books they do。 And youyou hardly ever said a word to my beautiful Lady
of the Roses； and you spoke oncelong agoas if you scarcely
remembered her at all。 Now； what do you mean by that？〃
And Mr。 Jack laughed； but he grew red； too；and then he told it all；
that it was just the story of 〃The Princess and the Pauper；〃 and that he；
David； had been the one； as it happened； to do part of their courting for
them。
And how David had laughed then； and how he had fairly hugged
himself for joy！ And when next he had picked up his violin； what a
beautiful； beautiful song he had found about it in the vibrant strings！
It was this same song； as it chanced； that he was playing in his room
that Saturday afternoon when the letter from Simeon Holly's long…lost son
John came to the Holly farmhouse。
Downstairs in the kitchen； Simeon Holly stood； with the letter in his
hand。
〃Ellen； we've got a letter fromJohn；〃 he said。 That Simeon Holly
spoke of it at all showed how very far along HIS unfamiliar way he had
come since the last letter from John had arrived。
〃FromJohn？ Oh； Simeon！ From John？〃
〃Yes。〃
Simeon sat down and tried to hide the shaking of his hand as he ran the
point of his knife under the flap of the envelope。 〃We'll see whathe says。〃
And to hear him； one might have thought that letters from John were
everyday occurrences。
DEAR FATHER： Twice before I have written ＇ran the letter＇； and
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received no answer。 But I'm going to make one more effort for forgiveness。
May I not come to you this Christmas？ I have a little boy of my own now；
and my heart aches for you。 I know how I should feel； should he； in years
to come； do as I did。
I'll not deceive youI have not given up my art。 You told me once to
choose between you and itand I chose； I suppose； at least； I ran away。 Yet
in the face of all that； I ask you again； may I not come to you at Christmas？
I want you； father； and I want mother。 And I want you to see my boy。
〃Well？〃 said Simeon Holly； trying to speak with a steady coldness
that would not show how deeply moved he was。 〃Well； Ellen？〃
〃Yes； Simeon； yes！〃 choked his wife； a world of mother…love and
longing in her pleading eyes and voice。 〃Yesyou'll let it be'Yes'！〃
〃Uncle Simeon； Aunt Ellen；〃 called David； clattering down the stairs
from his room； 〃I've found such a beautiful song in my violin； and I'm
going to play it over and over so as to be sure and remember it for father
for it is a beautiful world； Uncle Simeon； isn't it？ Now； listen！〃
And Simeon Holly listenedbut it was not the violin that he heard。 It
was the voice of a little curly…headed boy out of the past。
When David stopped playing some time later； only the woman sat
watching himthe man was over at his desk； pen in hand。
John； John's wife； and John's boy came the day before Christmas； and
great was the excitement in the Holly farmhouse。 John was found to be big；
strong； and bronzed with the outdoor life of many a sketching tripa son
to be proud of； and to be leaned upon in one's old age。 Mrs。 John；
according to Perry Larson； was 〃the slickest little woman goin'。〃
According to John's mother； she was an almost unbelievable incarnation of
a long…dreamed…of； long…despaired…of daughtersweet； lovable； and
charmingly beautiful。 Little Johnlittle John was himself； and he could
not have been more had he been an angel…cherub straight from heaven
which； in fact； he was； in his doting grandparents' eyes。
John Holly had been at his old home less than four hours when he
chanced upon David's violin。 He was with his father and mother at the
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time。 There was no one else in the room。 With a sidelong glance at his
parents； he picked up the instrumentJohn Holly had not forgotten his
own youth。 His violin…playing in the old days had not been welcome； he
remembered。
〃A fiddle！ Who plays？〃 he asked。
〃David。〃
〃Oh； the boy。 You say youtook him in？ By the way； what an odd little
shaver he is！ Never did I see a BOY like HIM。〃 Simeon Holly's head came
up almost aggressively。
〃David is a good boya very good boy； indeed； John。 We think a great
deal of him。〃
John Holly laughed lightly； yet his brow carried a puzzled frown。 Two
things John Holly had not been able thus far to understand： an indefinable
change in his father； and the position of the boy David； in the household
John Holly was still remembering his own repressed youth。
〃Hm…m；〃 he murmured； softly picking the strings； then drawing across
them a tentative bow。 〃I've a fiddle at home that I play sometimes。 Do you
mind if Itune her up？〃
A flicker of something that was very near to humor flashed from his
father's eyes。
〃Oh； no。 We are used to thatnow。〃 And again John Holly remembered
his youth。
〃Jove！ but he's got the dandy instrument here；〃 cried the player；
dropping his bow after the first half…dozen superbly vibrant tones； and
carrying the violin to the window。 A moment later he gave an amazed
ejaculation and turned on his father a dumfounded face。
〃Great Scott； father！ Where did that boy get this instrument？ I KNOW
something of violins； if I can't play them much； and this！ Where DID he
get it？〃
〃Of his father； I suppose。 He had it when he came here； anyway。〃
〃 'Had it when he came'！ But； father； you said he was a tramp； andoh；
come； tell me； what is the secret behind this？ Here I come home and find
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calmly reposing on my father's sitting…room table a violin that's priceless；
for all I know。 Anyhow； I do know that its value is reckoned in the
thousands； not hundreds： and yet you； with equal calmness； tell me it's
owned by this boy who； it's safe to say； doesn't know how to play sixteen
notes on it correctly； to say nothing of appreciating those he does play； and
who； by your own account； is nothing but〃 A swiftly uplifted hand of
warning stayed the words on his lips。 He turned to see David himself in
the doorway。
〃Come in； David；〃 said Simeon Holly quietly。 〃My son wants to hear
you play。 I don't think he has heard you。〃 And again there flashed from
Simeon Holly's eyes a something very much like humor。
With obvious hesitation John Holly relinquished the violin。 From the
expression on his face it was plain to be seen the sort of torture he deemed
was before him。 But； as if constrained to ask the question； he did say：
〃Where did you get this violin； boy？〃
〃I don't know。 We've always had it； ever since I could rememberthis
and the other one。〃
〃The OTHER one！〃
〃Father's。〃
〃Oh！〃 He hesitated； then； a little severely； he observed： 〃This is a fine
instrument； boy；a very fine instrument。〃
〃Yes；〃 nodded David； with a cheerful smile。 〃Father said it was。 I like
it； too。 This is an Amati； but the other is a Stradivarius。 I don't know which
I do like best； sometimes； only this is mine。〃
With a half…smothered ejaculation John Holly fell back limply。
〃Then youdoknow？〃 he challenged。
〃Knowwhat？〃
〃The value of that violin in your hands。〃
There was no answer。 The boy's eyes were questioning。
〃The worth； I mean；what it's worth。〃
〃Why； noyesthat is； it's worth everythingto me；〃 answered David；
in a puzzled voice。
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With an impat
