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！
They're only something like the little girl with a curl。 One is very； very
good； indeed； and the other is horrid。〃
〃Oh； yes； I know them； they're the ones that come to me；〃 returned
David； with a sigh。 〃I've had them a lot； lately。〃
Mr。 Jack stared。
〃Oh； have you？〃
〃Yes； and that's what's the trouble。 How can you drive them offthe
one that is bad； I mean？〃
〃Well； really；〃 confessed Mr。 Jack； 〃I'm not sure I can tell。 You seethe
gentlemen visit me sometimes。〃
〃Oh； do they？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I'm so gladthat is； I mean；〃 amended David； in answer to Mr。 Jack's
uplifted eyebrows； 〃I'm glad that you understand what I'm talking about。
You see； I tried Perry Larson last night on it； to get him to tell me what to
do。 But he only stared and laughed。 He didn't know the names of 'em；
anyhow； as you do； and at last he got really almost angry and said I made
him feel so 'buggy' and 'creepy' that he wouldn't dare look at himself in the
glass if I kept on； for fear some one he'd never known was there should
jump out at him。〃
Mr。 Jack chuckled。
〃Well； I suspect； David； that Perry knew one of your gentlemen by the
name of 'conscience；' perhaps； and I also suspect that maybe conscience
does pretty nearly fill the bill； and that you've been having a bout with that。
Eh？ Now； what is the trouble？ Tell me about it。〃
David stirred uneasily。 Instead of answering； he asked another
question。
〃Mr。 Jack； it is a beautiful world； isn't it？〃
For a moment there was no； answer； then a low voice replied：
〃Your father said it was； David。〃
137
… Page 138…
JUST DAVID
Again David moved restlessly。
〃Yes； but father was on the mountain。 And down herewell； down
here there are lots of things that I don't believe he knew about。〃
〃What； for instance？〃
〃Why； lots of thingstoo many to tell。 Of course there are things like
catching fish； and killing birds and squirrels and other things to eat； and
plaguing cats and dogs。 Father never would have called those beautiful。
Then there are others like little Jimmy Clark who can't walk； and the man
at the Marstons' who's sick； and Joe Glaspell who is blind。 Then there are
still different ones like Mr。 Holly's little boy。 Perry says he ran away years
and years ago； and made his people very unhappy。 Father wouldn't call
that a beautiful world； would he？ And how can people like that always
play in tune？ And there are the Princess and the Pauper that you told
about。〃
〃Oh； the story？〃
〃Yes； and people like them can't be happy and think the world is
beautiful； of course。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because they didn't end right。 They didn't get married and live happy
ever after； you know。〃
〃Well； I don't think I'd worry about that； David；at least； not about the
Princess。 I fancy the world was very beautiful to her； all right。 The Pauper…
…well； perhaps he wasn't very happy。 But； after all； David； you know
happiness is something inside of yourself。 Perhaps half of these people are
happy； in their way。〃
〃There！ and that's another thing；〃 sighed David。 〃You see； I found that
outthat it was inside of yourselfquite a while ago； and I told the Lady
of the Roses。 But now Ican't make it work myself。〃
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Well； you see then something was going to happensomething that I
liked； and I found that just thinking of it made it so that I didn't mind
raking or hoeing； or anything like that； and I told the Lady of the Roses。
138
… Page 139…
JUST DAVID
And I told her that even if it wasn't going to happen she could THINK it
was going to； and that that would be just the same； because 't was the
thinking that made my hours sunny ones。 It wasn't the DOING at all。 I said
I knew because I hadn't DONE it yet。 See？〃
〃Ithink so； David。〃
〃Well； I've found out that it isn't the same at all； for now that I KNOW
that this beautiful thing isn't ever going to happen to me； I can think and
think all day； and it doesn't do a mite of good。 The sun is just as hot； and
my back aches just as hard； and the field is just as big and endless as it
used to be when I had to call it that those hours didn't count。 Now； what is
the matter？〃
Mr。 Jack laughed； but he shook his head a little sadly。
〃You're getting into too deep waters for me； David。 I suspect you're
floundering in a sea that has upset the boats of sages since the world began。
But what is it that was so nice； and that isn't going to happen？ Perhaps I
MIGHT help on that。〃 〃No； you couldn't；〃 frowned David； 〃and there
couldn't anybody； either； you see； because I wouldn't go back now and
LET it happen； anyhow； as long as I know what I do。 Why； if I did； there
wouldn't be ANY hours that were sunny thennot even the ones after four
o'clock； II'd feel so mean！ But what I don't see is just how I can fix it up
with the Lady of the Roses。〃
〃What has she to do with it？〃
〃Why； at the very first； when she said she didn't have ANY sunshiny
hours； I told her〃
〃When she said what？〃 interposed Mr。 Jack； coming suddenly erect in
his chair。
〃That she didn't have any hours to count； you know。〃
〃ToCOUNT？〃
〃Yes； it was the sundial。 Didn't I tell you？ Yes； I know I didabout the
words on itnot counting any hours that weren't sunny； you know。 And she
said she wouldn't have ANY hours to count； that the sun never shone for
her。〃
139
… Page 140…
JUST DAVID
〃Why； David；〃 demurred Mr。 Jack in a voice that shook a little； 〃are
you sure？ Did she say just that？ Youyou must be mistakenwhen she
hashas everything to make her happy。〃
〃I wasn't； because I said that same thing to her myselfafterwards。
And then I told herwhen I found out myself； you knowabout its being
what was inside of you； after all； that counted； and then is when I asked
her if she couldn't think of something nice that was going to happen to her
sometime。〃
〃Well； what did she say？〃
〃She shook her head； and said 'No。' Then she looked away； and her
eyes got soft and dark like little pools in the brook where the water stops
to rest。