旧式女孩 英文版 An Old-fashioned Girl
露意莎.梅.奥尔科特 Louisa May Alcott
CHAPTER XIV NIPPED IN THE BUD Page 2
"I 'm very glad to hear it, and willingly take your word for it.Everybody shows you their good side, I think, and that is why youfind the world such a pleasant place."
"Oh, but I don't! It often seems like a very hard and dismal place,and I croak over my trials like an ungrateful raven."
"Can't we make the trials lighter for you?"
The voice that put the question was so very kind, that Polly darednot look up, because she knew what the eyes were silently saying.
"Thank you, no. I don't get more tribulation than is good for me, Ifancy, and we are apt to make mistakes when we try to dodgetroubles."
"Or people," added Sydney in a tone that made Polly color up toher forehead.
"How lovely the park looks," she said, in great confusion.
"Yes, indeed! It 's always so refreshing to me to see a little bit ofthe country, as it were, especially at this season."
Oh, Polly, Polly, what a stupid speech to make, when you had justgiven him to understand that you were tired of the park! Not beinga fool or a cox-comb, Sydney put this and that together, and takingvarious trifles into the account, he had by this time come to theconclusion that Polly had heard the same bits of gossip that he had,which linked their names together, that she did n't like it, and triedto show she did n't in this way. He was quicker to take a hint thanshe had expected, and being both proud and generous, resolved tosettle the matter at once, for Polly's sake as well as his own. So,when she made her last brilliant remark, he said quietly, watchingher face keenly all the while; "I thought so; well, I 'm going out oftown on business for several weeks, so you can enjoy your 'little bitof country' without being annoyed by me."
"Annoyed? Oh, no!" cried Polly earnestly; then stopped short, notknowing what to say for herself. She thought she had a good dealof the coquette in her, and I 've no doubt that with time andtraining she would have become a very dangerous little person, butnow she was far too transparent and straightforward by nature evento tell a white lie cleverly. Sydney knew this, and liked her for it,but he took advantage of it, nevertheless by asking suddenly;"Honestly, now, would n't you go the old way and enjoy it as muchas ever, if I was n't anywhere about to set the busybodiesgossiping?"
"Yes," said Polly, before she could stop herself, and then couldhave bitten her tongue out for being so rude. Another awful pauseseemed impending, but just at that moment a horseman clatteredby with a smile and a salute, which caused Polly to exclaim, "Oh,there 's Tom!" with a tone and a look that silenced the wordshovering on Sydney's lips, and caused him to hold out his handwith a look which made Polly's heart flutter then and ache withpity for a good while afterward, though he only said, "Good by,Polly."
He was gone before she could do anything but look up at him witha remorseful face, and she walked on, feeling that the first andperhaps the only lover she would ever have, had read his answerand accepted it in silence. She did not know what else he had read,and comforted herself with the thought that he did not care for hervery much, since he took the first rebuff so quickly.
Polly did not return to her favorite walk till she learned fromMinnie that "Uncle" had really left town, and then she found thathis friendly company and conversation was what had made theway so pleasant after all. She sighed over the perversity of thingsin general, and croaked a little over her trials in particular, but onthe whole got over her loss better than she expected, for soon shehad other sorrows beside her own to comfort, and such work doesa body more good than floods of regretful tears, or hours ofsentimental lamentation.
She shunned Fanny for a day or two, but gained nothing by it, forthat young lady, hearing of Sydney's sudden departure, could notrest till she discovered the cause of it, and walked in upon Pollyone afternoon just when the dusk made it a propitious hour fortender confidences.
"What have you been doing with yourself lately?" asked Fanny,composing herself, with her back toward the rapidly waning light.
"Wagging to and fro as usual. What's the news with you?"answered Polly, feeling that something was coming and rather gladto have it over and done with.
"Nothing particular. Trix treats Tom shamefully, and he bears itlike a lamb. I tell him to break his engagement, and not be worriedso; but he won't, because she has been jilted once and he thinks it's such a mean thing to do."
"Perhaps she 'll jilt him."
"How is Maudie?"
"Pretty well, but she worries me by her queer tastes and notions.She loves to go into the kitchen and mess, she hates to study, andsaid right before the Vincents that she should think it would begreat fun to be a beggar-girl, to go round with a basket, it must beso interesting to see what you 'd get."
"Minnie said the other day she wished she was a pigeon so shecould paddle in the puddles and not fuss about rubbers."
"By the way, when is her uncle coming back?" asked Fanny, whocould n't wait any longer and joyfully seized the opening Pollymade for her.
"I 'm sure I don't know."
don't you think so?" askedthe.
"Why, Fan, what do you mean?"
"I 'm not blind, my dear, neither is Tom, and when a younggentleman cuts a call abruptly short, and races after a young lady,and is seen holding her hand at the quietest corner of the park, andthen goes travelling all of a sudden, we know what it means if youdon't."
"Who got up that nice idea, I should like to know?" demandedPolly, as Fanny stopped for breath.
"Now don't be affected, Polly, but just tell me, like a dear, has n'the proposed?"
"No, he has n't."
"Don't you think he means to?"
"I don't think he 'll ever say a word to me."
"Well, I am surprised!" And Fanny drew a long breath, as if a loadwas off her mind. Then she added in a changed tone: "But don'tyou love him, Polly?"
"No."
"Truly?"
"Truly, Fan."
Neither spoke for a minute, but the heart of one of them beatjoyfully and the dusk hid a very happy face.
"Don't you think he cared for you, dear?" asked Fanny, presently. "Idon't mean to be prying, but I really thought he did."
"That 's not for me to say, but if it is so, it 's only a passing fancyand he 'll soon get over it."
"Do tell me all about it; I 'm so interested, and I know somethinghas happened, I hear it in your voice, for I can't see your face."
"Do you remember the talk we once had after reading one of MissEdgeworth's stories about not letting one's lovers come to adeclaration if one did n't love them?"
"And you girls said it was n't proper, and I said it was honest,anyway. Well, I always meant to try it if I got a chance, and I have.Mind you, I don't say Mr. Sydney loved me, for he never said so,and never will, now, but I did fancy he rather liked me and mightdo more if I did n't show him that it was of no use."
"And you did?" cried Fanny, much excited.
"I can't sell myself for an establishment."
"Mercy! What an idea!"
"Well, that 's the plain English of half your fashionable matches. I'm 'odd,' you know, and prefer to be an independent spinster andteach music all my days."
"Ah, but you won't. You were made for a nice, happy home of yourown, and I hope you 'll get it, Polly, dear," said Fanny warmly,feeling so grateful to Polly, that she found it hard not to pour outall her secret at once.
"I hope I may; but I doubt it," answered Polly in a tone that madeFanny wonder if she, too, knew what heartache meant.
"Something troubles you, Polly, what is it? Confide in me, as I doin you," said Fanny tenderly, for all the coldness she had tried tohide from Polly, had melted in the sudden sunshine that had cometo her.
"Do you always?" asked her friend, leaning forward with anirresistible desire to win back the old-time love and confidence,too precious to be exchanged for a little brief excitement or thebarren honor of "bagging a bird," to use Trix's elegant expression.Fanny understood it then, and threw herself into Polly's arms,crying, with a shower of grateful tears; "Oh, my dear! my dear!did you do it for my sake?"
And Polly held her close, saying in that tender voice of hers, "I didn't mean to let a lover part this pair of friends if I could help it."