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！
… Page 150…
JUST DAVID
couldn't see。 Now； Jack； wasn't that just like David？ Jack； I can't have
anything happen to David！〃
〃No； dear； no； of course not！ I'm afraid we can't any of us； for that
matter；〃 sighed Jack； his forehead drawn into anxious lines。 〃I'll go down
to the Hollys'； Jill； the first thing tomorrow morning； and see how he is
and if there's anything we can do。 Meanwhile； don't take it too much to
heart； dear。 It may not be half so bad as you think。 School…children always
get things like that exaggerated； you must remember；〃 he finished；
speaking with a lightness that he did not feel。
To himself the man owned that he was troubled； seriously troubled。 He
had to admit that Jill's story bore the earmarks of truth； and
overwhelmingly he realized now just how big a place this somewhat
puzzling small boy had come to fill in his own heart。 He did not need Jill's
anxious 〃Now； hurry； Jack；〃 the next morning to start him off in all haste
for the Holly farmhouse。 A dozen rods from the driveway he met Perry
Larson and stopped him abruptly。
〃Good morning； Larson； I hope this isn't truewhat I hearthat David
is very ill。〃
Larson pulled off his hat and with his free hand sought the one
particular spot on his head to which he always appealed when he was very
much troubled。
〃Well； yes； sir； I'm afraid 't is； Mr。 JackerMr。 Gurnsey； I mean。 He is
turrible sick； poor little chap； an' it's too badthat's what it istoo bad！〃
〃Oh； I'm sorry！ I hoped the report was exaggerated。 I came down to
see ifif there wasn't something I could do。〃
〃Well； 'course you can askthere ain't no law ag'in' that； an' ye needn't
be afraid； neither。 The report has got 'round that it's ketchin'what he's got；
and that he got it down to the Glaspells'； but 't ain't so。 The doctor says he
didn't ketch nothin'； an' he can't give nothin'。 It's his head an' brain that
ain't right； an' he's got a mighty bad fever。 He's been kind of flighty an'
nervous； anyhow； lately。
〃As I was sayin'； 'course you can ask； but I'm thinkin' there won't be
150
… Page 151…
JUST DAVID
nothin' you can do ter help。 Ev'rythin' that can be done is bein' done。 In
fact； there ain't much of anythin' else that is bein' done down there jest
now but； tendin' ter him。 They've got one o' them 'ere edyercated nurses
from the Junctionwhat wears caps； ye know； an' makes yer feel as if they
knew it all； an' you didn't know nothin'。 An' then there's Mr。 an' Mis' Holly
besides。 If they had THEIR way； there wouldn't neither of； em let him out
o' their sight fur a minute； they're that cut up about it。〃
〃I fancy they think a good deal of the boyas we all do；〃 murmured
the younger man； a little unsteadily。
Larson winkled his forehead in deep thought。
〃Yes； an' that's what beats me；〃 he answered slowly； 〃 'bout HIM；Mr。
Holly； I mean。 'Course we'd 'a' expected it of HERlosin' her own boy as
she did； an' bein' jest naturally so sweet an' lovin'…hearted。 But HIMthat's
diff'rent。 Now； you know jest as well as I do what Mr。 Holly isevery one
does； so I ain't sayin' nothin' sland'rous。 He's a good mana powerful good
man； an' there ain't a squarer man goin' ter work fur。 But the fact is； he was
made up wrong side out； an' the seams has always showed badturrible
bad； with ravelin's all stickin' out every which way ter ketch an' pull。 But；
gosh！ I'm blamed if that； ere boy ain't got him so smoothed down； you
wouldn't know； scursely； that he had a seam on him； sometimes； though
how he's done it beats me。 Now； there's Mis' Hollyshe's tried ter smooth
'em； I'll warrant； lots of times。 But I'm free ter say she hain't never so much
as clipped a ravelin' in all them forty years they've lived tergether。 Fact is；
it's worked the other way with her。 All that HER rubbin' up ag'in' them
seams has amounted to is ter git herself so smoothed down that she don't
never dare ter say her soul's her own； most generally；anyhow； not if he
happens ter intermate it belongs ter anybody else！〃
Jack Gurnsey suddenly choked over a cough。
〃I wish I coulddo something；〃 he murmured uncertainly。
〃'T ain't likely ye cannot so long as Mr。 an' Mis' Holly is on their two
feet。 Why； there ain't nothin' they won't do； an' you'll believe it； maybe；
when I tell you that yesterday Mr。 Holly； he tramped all through Sawyer's
151
… Page 152…
JUST DAVID
woods in the rain； jest ter find a little bit of moss that the boy was callin'
for。 Think o' that； will ye？ Simeon Holly huntin' moss！ An' he got it； too；
an' brung it home； an' they say it cut him up somethin' turrible when the
boy jest turned away； and didn't take no notice。 You understand； 'course；
sir； the little chap ain't right in his head； an' so half the time he don't know
what he says。〃
〃Oh； I'm sorry； sorry！〃 exclaimed Gurnsey； as he turned away； and
hurried toward the farmhouse。
Mrs。 Holly herself answered his low knock。 She looked worn and pale。
〃Thank you； sir；〃 she said gratefully； in reply to his offer of assistance；
〃but there isn't anything you can do； Mr。 Gurnsey。 We're having everything
done that can be； and every one is very kind。 We have a very good nurse；
and Dr。 Kennedy has had consultation with Dr。 Benson from the Junction。
They are doing all in their power； of course； but they say thatthat it's
going to be the nursing that will count now。〃
〃Then I don't fear for him； surely〃 declared the man； with fervor。
〃I know； butwell； he shall have the very best possibleof that。〃
〃I know he will； but isn't there anythinganything that I can do？〃
She shook her head。
〃No。 Of course； if he gets better〃 She hesitated； then lifted her chin a
little higher； 〃WHEN he gets better；〃 she corrected with courageous
emphasis； 〃he will want to see you。〃
〃And he shall see me；〃 asserted Gurnsey。 〃And he will be better； Mrs。
Holly；I'm sure he will。〃
〃Yes； yes； of course； onlyoh； Mr。 Jack； he's so sickso very sick！ The
doctor says he's a peculiarly sensitive nature； and that he thinks
something's been troubling him lately。〃 Her voice broke。
〃Poor little chap！〃 Mr。 Jack's voice； too； was husky。
She looked up with swif