登陆注册
34555300000058

第58章

"Let me see," said the lady. "Where was I? Oh, yes! the Land Company's failin'. Well, it failed and the insurance money went with it. It was discouragin', of course, but I had my house, except for the mortgage, and I had my health again, and, if I do say it, I ain't afraid of work, so I jest made up my mind there was no use cryin' over spilt milk, and that I must git along and begin to save all over again. Then Jedge Briar died and his nephew up to Boston come into the property. I was behind in my payments a little, and they sent me word they should foreclose the mortgage, and they did.""Well, I swan! The mean sculpins! Didn't you have NOBODY you could go to; no relations nor nothin'?""I've got a brother out in Chicago, but he married rich and his wife doesn't care much for her husband's relations. I never saw her but once, and then one of the first things she asked me was if it was true that there was more crazy people in Nantucket than in any other place of its size on earth, and afore I could answer she asked me what made 'em crazy. I told her I didn't know unless it was answerin' city folks' questions. She didn't like that very well, and I haven't heard from Job--that's my brother--for a long time. All my other near relations are dead.

"So they foreclosed the mortgage, and gave me notice to move out.

I packed my things, and watered my flowers--I had quite a pretty flower garden--for the last time, and then come in and set down in the rocker to wait for the wagon that was goin' to move me. I got to thinkin' how proud Jubal and me was when we bought that house and how we planned about fixin' it up, and how our baby that died was born in it, and how Jubal himself had died there, and told me that he was glad he was leavin' me a home, at any rate; and I got so lonesome and discouraged that I jest cried, I couldn't help it.

But I've never found that cryin' did much good, so I wiped my eyes and looked for somethin' to read to take up my mind. And that Chime paper was what I took up.

"You see, there'd been a big excursion from Boston down the day before, and some of the folks come down my way to have a sort of picnic. Two of 'em, factory girls from Brockton, they was, come to the house for a drink of water. They were gigglin', foolish enough critters, but I asked 'em in, and they eat their lunches on my table. They left two or three story papers and that Chime thing when they went away.

"Well, I looked it over, and almost the first thing I saw was that advertisement signed 'Skipper.' It didn't read like the other trashy things in there, and it sounded honest. And all of a sudden it come over me that I'd answer it. I was lonesome and tired and sort of didn't care, and I answered it right off without waitin'

another minute. That's all there is to tell. When I come here to be housekeeper I wrote the folks that's takin' care of my furniture--they're reel kind people; I was goin' to board there if I had stayed in Nantucket--to keep it till I come back. There! Imeant to tell you this long ago, and I don't know why I haven't."The Captain knew why she hadn't. It was easy to read between the lines the tale of the years of disappointment and anxiety. Such stories are not easy to tell, and he respected the widow more than ever for the ****** way in which she had told hers.

"That Land Company bus'ness," he said, "carried off a good lot of Cape Cod money. I never saw but one man that I thought was glad it busted, and that was old Caleb Weeks, over to Harniss. The old man was rich, but closer 'n the bark of a tree--he'd skin a flea for the hide and taller--and used to be a hard case into the bargain.

One time they had a big revival over there and he got religion.

The boys used to say what caught Caleb was the minister's sayin'

salvation was free. Well, anyhow, he got converted and j'ined the church. That was all right, only while the fit was fresh he pledged himself to give five hundred dollars to help build the new chapel. When he cooled down a little he was sorry, and every time they'd hint at his comin' down with the cash, he'd back and fill, and put it off for a spell. When the Land Company went up he was the only happy one in town, 'cause he said he'd lost all his money.

Course, under the circumstances, they couldn't ask him to pay, so he didn't. From what I hear he lost as much as fifty dollars."They both laughed, and Mrs. Snow was about to answer when she was interrupted.

"Eri," said a weak voice. "Eri."

The Captain started, turned sharply, and saw the sick man watching him, his eyes fixed and unwavering.

"Eri," said John Baxter again, "come here."Mrs. Snow hurried to her patient, but the latter impatiently bade her let him alone.

"Not you," he said, "I want Eri."

Captain Eri stooped down beside the bed.

"What is it, John?" he asked.

"Eri s'pose God called you to break man's law and keep his, what would you do?"The Captain glanced anxiously at the house-keeper. Then he said soothingly:

"Oh, that's all right, John. Don't worry 'bout that. You and me settled that long ago. How are you feelin' now?""I know, I know," with the monotonous persistence of those whose minds are wandering,--and then cleanly once more, "Eri, I've been called.""Ssh-h! That's all right, John; that's all right. Don't you want Mrs. Snow to fix your piller? P'raps you'd lay a little easier, then. Now, Mrs. Snow, if you'll jest turn it while I lift him.

So; that's better now, ain't it, shipmate, hey?" But the sick man muttered an unintelligible something, and relapsed once more into the half-doze, half-stupor that was his usual state.

Captain Eri sighed in relief.

"That was queer, wa'n't it?" he observed.

"He's had two or three of those spells in the last day or two," was the answer.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 不与时光计较

    不与时光计较

    网络小说作者溪梦,偶然得到一本来自1942年的日记本,日记本讲述一个叫秋禾的大家闺秀思念心上人乘宇的故事。溪梦找到秋禾的家人,了解到日记中记录的真正历史,确实是一段凄美的爱情故事。秋禾从青春年少等到暮年白首,乘宇终究没有出现,直到秋禾90岁生日那天,她对她的孙子说出她与乘宇的爱情时,他的孙子费劲千辛万苦终于找到乘宇最终长眠的地方。溪梦用文字讲述了这段等待75年的凄美爱情故事,放到网站被疯狂阅读,迅速成为各大电视剧导演编剧争抢的对象,溪梦终于成为“著名作家”。
  • 团宠太子妃可盐可甜

    团宠太子妃可盐可甜

    作为一个不能修炼的废物,陆柒言可谓是不称职,说好的不会修炼,却吊打一众高手,明明是个废物,却琴棋书画,十八般武艺样样精通,修炼,炼丹,驭兽,医术,炼器信手拈来,这也罢了,她还偏偏有个好身世,还有个让人羡慕的未婚夫――太子殿下:易凌霄1v1甜宠无虐
  • 纵横黑道

    纵横黑道

    元龙,一个勇士,从唐朝穿越到现世,会掀起怎样的腥风血雨呢!本故事纯属虚构,如有雷同纯属巧合
  • 蜜汁娇妻,甜甜甜!

    蜜汁娇妻,甜甜甜!

    身为酒店试睡员,英子菁最霸道的试睡经历,就是试了酒店集团的少东家。少东家宠她宠到上天入地,英小姐却并不领情:“我的事情,你不要插手!”男人眉眼一笑,轻轻揽她入怀,指尖挑开她的樱唇:“好,我不插手……我只,动口……”——生活不止有眼前的宠爱,还有夜晚和发糖。【【此处高亮:试睡员是酒店质量测评员,职业体验酒店房间的床铺适睡度,以及检测相关软硬件设施,然后评分以供其它顾客参考。纯洁的孩子们不要想歪了哦~~】】
  • 世界唯吾

    世界唯吾

    这天太窄,容不下我身。我心太高,这天埋不了我心,不一样的写法,不一样的传奇,不一样的精彩,走入不同世界,残破的魂,留下一串串的传说。
  • tfboys之十年我们

    tfboys之十年我们

    林诗菀,一个普通的女孩,遇到了他,他们该何去何从?
  • 神级交易商

    神级交易商

    某天,李霖的微信忽然绑定了神级交易系统,随便摇一摇,就要跟人交易那种。于是乎,李霖就摇到了很多奇怪的交易者。在烤串摊子前徘徊不肯投胎的全市首富,被人供奉却即将消散的门神,被拐卖之后害死却依旧寻找回家路的萝莉,红线绑错了很纠结的月老,玉兔绝食不吃饭很闹心的嫦娥……从此之后,李霖就牛了!身上穿的是织女做的衣服,吃的是食神做的食物,喝的是酒神亲自酿的仙酒,再来个恶鬼当个保镖,简直是完美了!
  • 又是清明雨上

    又是清明雨上

    他本一介布衣,只求一生安稳,却因一颗玲珑心招来杀身之祸。他为一国护法,护陛下安康,护万千黎民,护天下苍生,却独独不能护下他。他对他用尽千般柔情,只因一颗玲珑心。他明知皆是假意,却还是动了心。
  • 苍穹寻梦

    苍穹寻梦

    2212年12月21日,玛雅人预言的2012世界末日已经过去整整两百年。世界虽然没有灭亡,但地球生存环境发生巨大改变,资源枯竭,环境污染,地球不再适宜人居,人类陷入了前所未有的困境。为了生存,人类开始在茫茫宇宙中寻找......
  • 大梦遗经

    大梦遗经

    这世间要问什么最珍奇,毫无疑问是坤吉兽!因为它们可以成为一个国家赖以生存的底蕴!尽管世上并无任何人或势力可以驯服一只坤吉兽,但它所带来的潜在价值却也让所有人无法忽视。比如岩腹古鲲、西域鬼头蜂王……它们是世间最珍贵的宝藏!它们的存在实实在在地主导了国家的命运。浮空堡而来的少年陆之恒,梦者传承之人,背负着整个宗家命运的大陆之旅,以及追寻坤吉兽终极秘密的特殊使命!……世上没有同一类的坤吉兽,它们是那样的与众不同,甚至说特立独行。仿佛它们的存在只是一种标志,一种印记,一种符号。没有人知道它们什么时候诞生,又会什么时候,以何种形式死亡……少年的奇幻冒险,解开世界的神秘面纱,领略有坤吉兽的世界是如何的多姿多彩却又多灾多难……