登陆注册
37808200000026

第26章 CHAPTER VI(2)

"Well--er--maybe she ain't, generally speakin'. I cal'late 'twas that Bacheldor brat that was responsible; but just the same I ain't goin' to have it happen any more. Mary-'Gusta, if you and that consarned--what's-his-name--Jimmie--go into that parlor again, unless Isaiah or one of us are with you, I--I--by the jumpin' Judas, me and Zoeth won't let you go to the Sunday school picnic. There!

I mean that and so does Zoeth. Shut up, Zoeth! You do mean it, too. You know mighty well either your dad or mine would have skinned us alive if we'd done such a thing when we was young-ones.

And," turning to the culprit, "if you fetch that cat in there, I'll--

I'll--I don't know what I'll do."

The Sunday school picnic was to be held on the second Saturday in June and Mary-'Gusta wished to attend it. She had never been to a real picnic, though the other children in Ostable had described such outings in glowing colors. Now, although she, a visitor, was not a regular member of the South Harniss Methodist Sunday school, the superintendent personally had invited her to go and Zoeth and the Captain had given their consent. Not to go would be a heart-breaking calamity. She finally resolved to be very, very good and obedient from that time on.

But good resolutions are broken occasionally, even by grown-ups, and in childhood much can be forgotten in nine days. So, on the afternoon of the tenth day, which was the day before the picnic, Mary-'Gusta walking alone in the field which separated the Gould-

Hamilton property from that of Abner Bacheldor, Jimmie's father--

Mary'-Gusta, walking in that field, was depressed and melancholy.

Her state of mind was indicated by the fact that she had left all her dolls, even Rose and Rosette, at home. She felt guilty and wicked and conscience-stricken. She had been a bad girl; only one other knew how bad she bad been and he, being guilty likewise, would not betray her. But at home Isaiah Chase was, as he said, "heatin' himself to a bile" baking apple turnovers for her to take to the picnic. And Captain Shadrach had announced his intention of bringing her, from the store, candy and bananas to go into the lunch basket with the turnovers and sandwiches and cake. And the Captain had that very day called her a good girl. If he only knew!

There had been a flurry of excitement in the kitchen just after dinner. Mr. Bacheldor had appeared at the door with the request that he might "borrer the loan of Cap'n Gould's shotgun." The day before, at a quarter after four--Mr. Bacheldor was certain as to the time because he had been "layin' down two or three minutes on the sofy afore goin' out to look at some wood there was to cut in the shed, and I'd just got up and looked at the clock afore I looked out of the settin'-room winder"--looking out of that window he had seen a cat running from his henyard with one of his recently hatched Plymouth Rock chickens in its mouth.

"If I'd had a gun then," declared Abner, "I could have blowed the critter to thunder-and-gone. But I'll get him next time. Let me have the gun, will you, Isaiah? I know Shad'll say it's all right when you tell him."

That shotgun was a precious arm. It had been given to the Captain years before by the officers of a sinking schooner, whom Shadrach's boat's crew, led by Shadrach himself, had rescued at a big risk off the Great South School. It had the Captain's name, with an inscription and date, on a silver plate fastened to the stock.

Isaiah was not too willing to lend it, but chicken stealing is a capital offense in South Harniss, as it is in most rural communities, and the cat caught in the act is summarily executed.

So Mr. Chase went to the Captain's room and returned with the gun.

"There you be, Ab," he said. "Hope you get the critter."

"Oh, I'll get him all right, don't you fret. Say, Isaiah--er--er--"

Mr. Bacheldor hesitated. "Say," he went on, "you couldn't let me have two or three cartridges, could you? I ain't got none in the house."

Isaiah looked more doubtful than ever, but he brought the cartridges. After ****** sure, by inquiry and inspection, that they were loaded, the borrower started to go.

"Oh, I say, Ab," Mr. Chase called after him; "know whose cat 'twas?"

Mr. Bacheldor did not appear to hear, so the question was repeated.

Abner answered without turning.

"I know," he declared. "I know all right," and hurried on. Isaiah looked after him and sniffed disdainfully.

"Anybody on earth but that feller," he said, "would have been ashamed to beg cartridges after beggin' the gun, but not Ab Bacheldor, no sir! Wonder he didn't want to borrer my Sunday hat to practice shootin' at."

Mary-'Gusta considered shooting a cat the height of cruelty and dreadfulness but she was aware of the universal condemnation of chicken stealing and kept her thought to herself. Besides, she had her own wickedness to consider.

She walked slowly on across the field, bound nowhere in particular, thinking hard and feeling very wretched and miserable. The pleasure of the next day, the day she had been anticipating, was spoiled already for her. If she went to that picnic without ****** a full and free confession she knew she would feel as mean and miserable as she was feeling now. And if she did confess, why then--

Her meditations were interrupted in a startling manner. She was midway of the field, upon the other side of which was a tumbledown stone wall, and a cluster of wild cherry trees and bayberry bushes marking the boundary of the Bacheldor land. From behind the wall and bushes sounded the loud report of a gun; then the tramp of running feet and an excited shouting:

"You missed him," screamed a voice. "You never hit him at all.

There he goes! There he goes! Give him t'other barrel quick!"

Mary-'Gusta, who had been startled nearly out of her senses by the shot and the shouting, stood perfectly still, too surprised and frightened even to run. And then out of the bushes before her darted a scared tortoise-shell cat, frantically rushing in her direction. The cat was David.

同类推荐
  • 诗谱

    诗谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Provincial Letters

    The Provincial Letters

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Commission in Lunacy

    The Commission in Lunacy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 白话古文观止

    白话古文观止

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 玄肤论

    玄肤论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 摇篮

    摇篮

    家庭是一个摇篮,学校也是一个摇篮,不管是一个怎样的学校,在社会上,它就是一个摇篮,摇篮可以为我们遮风挡雨,也能给我们提供良好的环境,让我们更好的生活,我们不用担心物价会上涨,作为第一消费群体的我们是不会考虑自己兜里没有钱会怎样,我们只要能有个好得成绩,就算是出息了,或许能得到摇篮的褒奖。在摇篮里这么长时间,我们对摇篮有了依赖感,同时也对摇篮里面的同伴有了眷恋的感情,但是由于我们已经不在年轻,个子不断地长高,体重不断地增长,这个摇篮已经再也容不下我们了。摇篮成了我们永远留恋的地方,在我们脑海里挥之不去的地方,没有摇篮的庇护,我们开始寻找新的出路,也许还会是更大的摇篮,或者完全脱离摇篮,承认长大。
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 血瞳武尊

    血瞳武尊

    灵灵大陆,灵力为尊。天穹之下,上三天,中三天,下三天,势力如云。青阳镇少年,从母亲遗物之中无疑获得血轮眼之力。神秘的血轮眼,精彩的武魂界。看少年如何以一颗血轮眼,透视,寻宝,发动幻术,开启武魂空间,一步步,跨上天穹,成为天穹主宰、绝对的爽文,绝对的热血,尽在《血瞳武尊》
  • 我不是书仙之带书穿越

    我不是书仙之带书穿越

    带一本书穿越是什么鬼???我居然可以改写剧情,那,主角猪脚什么的,还不是由我定?写写写,我要——这天空变成粉红色——咳,我是男的
  • 嫡女重生之邪医王妃

    嫡女重生之邪医王妃

    他,凤褚国摄政王褚钰又是暗阁阁主北离,权势滔天,还是传说中的帝域君主北离,可望而不可及。她,前世是第一杀手叶清澜。重生后:凤褚国将军府叶家嫡女叶清澜,马甲邪医久俗,玖月门门主炎梦,还是帝域火族圣女炎梦,天生控火之术,无人可敌。当可盐可甜的他遇上强势重生的她,他是否会一见倾心,她又是否会被带歪呢?更多关于他们的故事就期待《嫡女重生之邪医王妃》吧。每周一般1-2更,主要周末更,看空余时间如何再进行安排。了解更多也可以加QQ群:958607309
  • 明贼

    明贼

    大明天启元年四月,毛帅奇袭镇江的路上,多了一名新兵。一身转战三千里,一剑可当百万兵。窃钩者诛,窃国者侯。蝴蝶悄悄扇动了翅膀,大明帝国战力最强悍的东江军集团,悄悄偏移了原本的方向。
  • 瑶婀郡主

    瑶婀郡主

    她是船王之女,养在深闺。一个回眸,一纸婚约,不惜沦为侍妾。深宅书房,勾心斗角,不料却是痴心错付。四年后,她是无父弃儿,游走山野。一面之缘,成为当朝郡主。一个神似她的少年,一位地位显赫似曾相识的侯爷。爱情,权利,地位,她该何去何从?
  • 仙魔:九重葛

    仙魔:九重葛

    (文艺版)七千年前,仙魔大战,他们各司其职却又带着种种误会浴血奋战,你不情我不愿中终究还是将彼此伤害。七千年后,他们不忆前尘往事却还是逃不开命运的戏弄,月老牵的红线到底是对是错?情不知所起到最后的爱欲其生恨欲其死。重重阻挠,血海深仇。当真相破碎,记忆苏醒,是一笑泯恩仇相忘于江湖,还是生死两茫茫与子成说?(轻松版)九重葛向来玩世不恭且很皮实,在龙宫之内几乎无人不晓,就是对夫君这一事较为苦恼,本以为会遵从天帝的旨意与渊祭日久生情从而举案齐眉,但凡事总有意外。殊不知两人经历的些多事故其实都见微知著,欺骗,背叛,以往,这都是他们所一直共同拥有。最后,只有在重生的那一刻,渊祭口中的夫君才是真的实至名归。
  • 重生蓝星当精灵训练家

    重生蓝星当精灵训练家

    赤道上成群的吼鲸王和吼吼鲸正在向南极迁徙,天空中毯子棉随着季风开始另一次全球旅行,卡比兽从冬眠醒来吃到了新春第一口嫩叶……尾立成群结队的跳涯寻死是为了什么,顿甲死前真的会前往神秘的遁甲之墓吗,化石翼龙的复苏是否能给我们带来远古的信息……“这个《精灵传奇》的片头是真的长。”一个坐在沙发上的少年抱怨道,他的旁边一只慵懒的猫老大正躺在那,听到少年的抱怨,举了举爪回应了一声。“喵。”………神奇宝贝,宠物小精灵,宝可梦
  • 女扮男装走学院

    女扮男装走学院

    她,本是豪门小姐,本该幸福的生活。朋友的背叛,亲人的离世,种种痛苦加诸在她身上,让她炙热的心彻底冰封了……