按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
looked toward the house； then his triumph would be all the more complete
when he dashed out to run up his answer。
〃Eight o'clock came and passed。 The boy waited until nine； but there
was no sign of life from the tower。 The boy was angry then； at himself。 He
called himself； indeed； a fool； to hide as he did。 Of course she wouldn't
wave when he was nowhere in sightwhen he had apparently forgotten！
And here was a whole precious day wasted！
123
… Page 124…
JUST DAVID
〃The next morning； long before eight； the boy stood in plain sight on
the piazza。 As before he waited until nine； and as before there was no sign
of life at the tower window。 The next morning he was there again； and the
next； and the next。 It took just five days； indeed； to convince the boyas
he was convinced at lastthat the girl did not intend to wave at all。〃
〃But how unkind of her！〃 exclaimed David。
〃She couldn't have been nice one bit！〃 decided Jill。
〃You forget；〃 said Mr。 Jack。 〃She was the Princess。〃
〃Huh！〃 grunted Jill and David in unison。
〃The boy remembered it then；〃 went on Mr。 Jack； after a pause；
〃about the money； and that she was a Princess。 And of course he knew
when he thought of itthat he could not expect that a Princess would wave
like a girljust a girl。 Besides； very likely she did not care particularly
about seeing him。 Princesses did forget； he fancied；they had so much； so
very much to fill their lives。 It was this thought that kept him from going
to see herthis； and the recollection that； after all； if she really HAD
wanted to see him； she could have waved。
〃There came a day； however； when another youth； who did not dare to
go alone； persuaded him； and together they paid her a call。 The boy
understood； then； many things。 He found the Princess； there was no sign of
the girl。 The Princess was tall and dignified； with a cold little hand and a
smooth； sweet voice。 There was no frank smile in her eyes； neither were
there any mischievous crinkles about her nose and lips。 There was no
mention of towers or flags； no reference to wavings or to childhood's days。
There was only a stiffly polite little conversation about colleges and
travels； with a word or two about books and plays。 Then the callers went
home。 On the way the boy smiled scornfully to himself。 He was trying to
picture the beauteous vision he had seen； this unapproachable Princess in
her filmy lace gown；standing in the tower window and wavingwaving
to a bit of a house on the opposite hill。 As if that could happen！
〃The boy； during those last three years； had known only books。 He
knew little of girlsonly one girland he knew still less of Princesses。 So
124
… Page 125…
JUST DAVID
when； three days after the call； there came a chance to join a summer camp
with a man who loved books even better than did the boy himself； he went
gladly。 Once he had refused to go on this very trip； but then there had been
the girl。 Now there was only the Princessand the Princess didn't count。〃
〃Like the hours that aren't sunshiny；〃 interpreted David。
〃Yes；〃 corroborated Mr。 Jack。 〃Like the hours when the sun does n't
shine。〃
〃And then？〃 prompted Jill。
〃Well； then；there wasn't much worth telling；〃 rejoined Mr。 Jack
gloomily。 〃Two more years passed； and the Princess grew to be twenty…
one。 She came into full control of her property then； and after a while she
came back to the old stone house with the towers and turned it into a
fairyland of beauty。 She spent money like water。 All manner of artists；
from the man who painted her ceilings to the man who planted her seeds；
came and bowed to her will。 From the four corners of the earth she
brought her treasures and lavished them through the house and grounds。
Then； every summer； she came herself； and lived among them； a very
Princess indeed。〃
〃And the boy？what became of the boy？〃 demanded David。 〃Didn't he
see herever？〃
Mr。 Jack shook his head。
〃Not often； David； and when he did； it did not make him anyhappier。
You see； the boy had become the Pauper； you must n't forget that。〃
〃But he wasn't a Pauper when you left him last。〃 〃Wasn't he？ Well；
then； I'll tell you about that。 You see； the boy； even though he did go away；
soon found out that in his heart the Princess was still the girl； just the same。
He loved her； and he wanted her to be his wife； so for a littlefor a very
littlehe was wild enough to think that he might work and study and do
great things in the world until he was even a Prince himself； and then he
could marry the Princess。〃
〃Well； couldn't he？ 〃
〃No。 To begin with； he lost his health。 Then； away back in the little
125
… Page 126…
JUST DAVID
house on the hill something happeneda something that left a very
precious charge for him to keep； and he had to go back and keep it； and to
try to see if he couldn't find that lost health； as well。 And that is all。〃
〃All！ You don't mean that that is the end！〃 exclaimed Jill。
〃That's the end。〃
〃But that isn't a mite of a nice end；〃 complained David。 〃They always
get married and live happy ever afterin stories。〃
〃Do they？〃 Mr。 Jack smiled a little sadly。 〃Perhaps they do； David；in
stories。〃
〃Well； can't they in this one？〃
〃I don't see how。〃
〃Why can't he go to her and ask her to marry him？〃
Mr。 Jack drew himself up proudly。
〃The Pauper and the Princess？ Never！ Paupers don't go to Princesses；
David； and say； 'I love you。'〃
David frowned。
〃Why not？ I don't see whyif they want to do it。 Seems as if somehow
it might be fixed。〃
〃It can't be；〃 returned Mr。 Jack； his gaze on the towers that crowned
the opposite hill； 〃not so long as always before the Pauper's eyes there are
those gray walls behind which he pictures the Princess in the midst of her
golden luxury。〃
To neither David nor Jill did the change to the present tense seem
strange。 The story was much too real to them for that。
〃Well； anyhow； I think it ought to be fixed；〃 declared David； as he rose
to his feet。
〃So do Ibut we can't fix it；〃 laughed Jill。 〃And I'm hungry。 Let's see
what there is to eat！〃