登陆注册
38606600000061

第61章 "It Is the Child!"(1)

The next afternoon three members of the Large Family sat in the Indian gentleman's library,doing their best to cheer him up.

They had been allowed to come in to perform this office because he had specially invited them.He had been living in a state of suspense for some time,and today he was waiting for a certain event very anxiously.This event was the return of Mr.Carmichael from Moscow.His stay there had been prolonged from week to week.

On his first arrival there,he had not been able satisfactorily to trace the family he had gone in search of.When he felt at last sure that he had found them and had gone to their house,he had been told that they were absent on a journey.His efforts to reach them had been unavailing,so he had decided to remain in Moscow until their return.Mr.Carrisford sat in his reclining chair,and Janet sat on the floor beside him.He was very fond of Janet.

Nora had found a footstool,and Donald was astride the tiger's head which ornamented the rug made of the animal's skin.It must be owned that he was riding it rather violently.

"Don't chirrup so loud,Donald,"Janet said."When you come to cheer an ill person up you don't cheer him up at the top of your voice.

Perhaps cheering up is too loud,Mr.Carrisford?"turning to the Indian gentleman.

But he only patted her shoulder.

"No,it isn't,"he answered."And it keeps me from thinking too much."

"I'm going to be quiet,"Donald shouted."We'll all be as quiet as mice."

"Mice don't make a noise like that,"said Janet.

Donald made a bridle of his handkerchief and bounced up and down on the tiger's head.

"A whole lot of mice might,"he said cheerfully."A thousand mice might."

"I don't believe fifty thousand mice would,"said Janet,severely;

"and we have to be as quiet as one mouse."

Mr.Carrisford laughed and patted her shoulder again.

"Papa won't be very long now,"she said."May we talk about the lost little girl?"

"I don't think I could talk much about anything else just now,"

the Indian gentleman answered,knitting his forehead with a tired look.

"We like her so much,"said Nora."We call her the little un-fairy princess."

"Why?"the Indian gentleman inquired,because the fancies of the Large Family always made him forget things a little.

It was Janet who answered.

"It is because,though she is not exactly a fairy,she will be so rich when she is found that she will be like a princess in a fairy tale.

We called her the fairy princess at first,but it didn't quite suit."

"Is it true,"said Nora,"that her papa gave all his money to a friend to put in a mine that had diamonds in it,and then the friend thought he had lost it all and ran away because he felt as if he was a robber?"

"But he wasn't really,you know,"put in Janet,hastily.

The Indian gentleman took hold of her hand quickly.

"No,he wasn't really,"he said.

"I am sorry for the friend,"Janet said;"I can't help it.

He didn't mean to do it,and it would break his heart.I am sure it would break his heart."

"You are an understanding little woman,Janet,"the Indian gentleman said,and he held her hand close.

"Did you tell Mr.Carrisford,"Donald shouted again,"about the little-girl-who-is{}n't-a-beggar?Did you tell him she has new nice clothes?P'r'aps she's been found by somebody when she was lost."

"There's a cab!"exclaimed Janet."It's stopping before the door.

It is papa!"

They all ran to the windows to look out.

"Yes,it's papa,"Donald proclaimed."But there is no little girl."

All three of them incontinently fled from the room and tumbled into the hall.It was in this way they always welcomed their father.

They were to be heard jumping up and down,clapping their hands,and being caught up and kissed.

Mr.Carrisford made an effort to rise and sank back again.

"It is no use,"he said."What a wreck I am!"

Mr.Carmichael's voice approached the door.

{remove header}

"No,children,"he was saying;"you may come in after I have talked to Mr.Carrisford.Go and play with Ram Dass."

Then the door opened and he came in.He looked rosier than ever,and brought an atmosphere of freshness and health with him;but his eyes were disappointed and anxious as they met the invalid's look of eager question even as they grasped each other's hands.

"What news?"Mr.Carrisford asked."The child the Russian people adopted?"

"She is not the child we are looking for,"was Mr.Carmichael's answer.

"She is much younger than Captain Crewe's little girl.Her name is Emily Carew.I have seen and talked to her.The Russians were able to give me every detail."

How wearied and miserable the Indian gentleman looked!His hand dropped from Mr.Carmichael's.

"Then the search has to be begun over again,"he said."That is all.

Please sit down."

Mr.Carmichael took a seat.Somehow,he had gradually grown fond of this unhappy man.He was himself so well and happy,and so surrounded by cheerfulness and love,that desolation and broken health seemed pitifully unbearable things.If there had been the sound of just one gay little high-pitched voice in the house,it would have been so much less forlorn.And that a man should be compelled to carry about in his breast the thought that he had seemed to wrong and desert a child was not a thing one could face.

"Come,come,"he said in his cheery voice;"we'll find her yet."

"We must begin at once.No time must be lost,"Mr.Carrisford fretted.

"Have you any new suggestion to make--any whatsoever?"

Mr.Carmichael felt rather restless,and he rose and began to pace the room with a thoughtful,though uncertain face.

"Well,perhaps,"he said."I don't know what it may be worth.

The fact is,an idea occurred to me as I was thinking the thing over in the train on the journey from Dover."

"What was it?If she is alive,she is somewhere."

"Yes;she is SOMEWHERE>.We have searched the schools in Paris.

Let us give up Paris and begin in London.That was my idea--to search London."

同类推荐
  • Northanger Abbey

    Northanger Abbey

    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 Sleeping-Car

    The Sleeping-Car

    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。
  • 女丹合编选注

    女丹合编选注

    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。
  • 隋书

    隋书

    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。
  • 赋百舌鸟

    赋百舌鸟

    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
  • 凡人意识

    凡人意识

    什么是意识?是所有生物都拥有意识,还是人类独有?察觉杀气果断反杀,遭遇GANK提前离开,意识存在万物之间。在不断萎缩的世界反面,少年背负起旧神的灵龛,从灰暗的历史中走了出来,决定带给凡人们新生。
  • 水晶星海

    水晶星海

    天地之中,有世界十三层,中央最大,其六在其上,其六在其下,形似水晶,水晶之外,星辰密布,其数不可数,故曰星海。万物混沌之时,有一种、一石、一水。其后不知几兆亿年,种破土成树;石聚土成山;水凝雾为河,世间乃诞混沌之生灵。其后不知几兆亿年,树居其中,高绝宇宙,欣欣而向荣;山居其上,壁立兆仞,浑厚而坚韧;河居其下,蜿蜒不绝,悠远而延绵。世间始诞有智之生灵,其一四肢一头,依穴而居、采果浆为食,织树叶······学霸荆无铭完全式穿越到这个宇宙中,能否在这个危险的世界生存下去,本书主角虽然作为千千万万穿越者中的一员,却没有金手指、没有奇遇,更没有神器,也不是那种沙发果断之人,到底他要靠着什么修炼?
  • 血噬咒

    血噬咒

    他以为纯净之莲可以克制她的血噬咒,明知有陷井,还是带着她来到了普者黑。可是,当他知道她没有中血噬咒的同时,痛苦的看着血噬咒被完成。血噬咒,无解之法,唯中咒之人死之时,咒自解!他流着泪要杀死她,他唯一想要在一起的一生一世的人。却被突然到来的紫衣男子所止。带着一丝解咒的希望踏上了前往幽冥的路......却不知......
  • 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!
  • 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!
  • 艾泽拉斯新历程

    艾泽拉斯新历程

    让我们走近艾泽拉斯,去领略不一样的人生。实力划分普通、精英、史诗、传奇(半神)
  • 闪情闪爱:纨绔公子很专情

    闪情闪爱:纨绔公子很专情

    李潇潇觉得这辈子她肯定是嫁不出去了。第一:她现在很红!被指证抄袭,所有人都知道她为了出名不惜剽窃别人作品。第二:她还是很红!外界都传言,她为了钱流连在好几个男人中间。第三:她确实很红!她真的为了签约为了十万块钱放弃了节操去陪了阮翰琛一宿。一个失去了工作身负外债而且名声又很差的女人可以找个老实人去接盘嘛?老实人没有,纨绔公子倒是有一个。********阮翰琛是个骄傲的男人。也许是他上辈子好事做多了所以投了个好胎,英俊、多金、身居高位,翻手为云,覆手为雨。他想要的就没有得不到的。他不惜重掷千金为红颜、怒发冲冠为红颜、甚至为红颜和家中决裂。可是这些和她李潇潇没什么关系。********然,这些怎么到最后就变了呢……?——你们我们俩名声差不多,凑在一起不是正好相配?你不是挥金如土么?你不是有过很多女人么!你名声差是你活该,而我的是被人诬陷的!可是你确实因为钱陪过我一次阿……李潇潇:……——谁当初嫌弃我来着,不让我进门?那时候年轻不懂事!谁当初一个劲的强调他喜欢的人不是我?那时候年轻不懂事!那谁现在又天天死皮赖脸的在我身边晃悠那时候年轻……。阮翰琛……*********新坑新坑求收藏~~~~
  • 天元末世

    天元末世

    时间的洪流下,人类遗忘了太多。来自山村的孩子,被卷入了另外一种纷争,他传承了武学巅峰之作,却应付不了世人的尔虞我诈,当时空裂痕碎裂在天空,一切,都将毁灭!一千年的冰封,将带来什么?激发的绚丽异能,强大超出武学范围的体术,高端而又精锐的科技,这里将带您走入的是一个真实的玄幻世界,就在天元末世……____________________________________________________________咳,首先的说老残写简介是弱项,在没有想到更好的以上凑合用吧,我所有的心思都在勾勒这个世界上了,喜欢的朋友请投票,收藏吧,嘿嘿。嗯,对,还有,以前弄了太多群,也没人管理后来都变死群了,现在在这里发一个朋友建的新书群吧,做为这本书讨论用的好了:49254433
  • 源弑界

    源弑界

    灵源崛起,机械科技并肩;繁杂残酷的世界里,简单的莫叶坚守着自己的初心。爱情和友情的羁绊,只有强大的实力才能守护一切!!!小人物也有大梦想,用拳头闯出一片未来!!!(已过签约,大量存稿,每日稳定两更。粉丝群:151524270)
  • 都市狂人

    都市狂人

    国家特工组最强三人青狼,苍狼,冰狼,苍狼失踪,下落不明,青狼中计,重生却变成了一个纨绔子弟,喝三流的酒,抽二流的烟,做一流的狂人!男人就该顶天立地,无所畏惧,整黑道,杀恶人,收美女,极品少爷霸道震世!