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！
with kisses。 Then； turning to the trembling nurse； she said harshly：
〃Begone； I never wish to see your face again。 Had it not been for
this lady； my child would have been killed through your carelessness。
Excuse me； MissMiss〃
〃Miss Burton；〃 said the young lady quietly。
〃Excuse my show of feeling； but you can't realize the service you
have done us。 Bertie is our only child； and we just idolize him。
I'm so agitated； I must go to my room。〃
When the lady had disappeared； Miss Burton turned to the sobbing
nurse and said：
〃Will you promise me to be careful in the future if I intercede
for you？〃
〃Dade； Miss； an' I will。〃
〃Come to me； then； after supper。 In the mean time remain where
your mistress can summon you should she need your services； or be
inclined to forgive you of her own accord；〃 and leaving the crude
and offending jumble of humanity much comforted； she returned to
the piazza again。
Of course many pressed around her with congratulations and words
of commendation。 Van Berg was much interested in observing how
she would receive this sudden gush of mingled honest praise and
extravagant flattery； for he recognized that the occasion would
prove a searching and delicate test of character for which there
was no time to prepare。 She did not listen to their words with
deprecatory smirk； nor with the pained expression of those sensitive
souls to whom hearty words and demonstrations are like rough winds；
nor was there a trace of exultation and self…complacency in her
bearing。 Van Berg thought that her manner was peculiarly her own；
for she looked into the faces around her with frank gladness； and
her unconsciousness of herself can be； perhaps； best suggested by
her own words。
〃How fortunate it was；〃 she said； 〃that I stood where I did； and
happened to be looking at the child。 If somebody had not been at
hand it might have gone hard with the little fellow。 Not that I
think he would have been killed； but he might have been maimed or
disfigured in a way that would have caused him pain and mortification
all his life。〃
〃Miss Burton； I take my hat to you；〃 said Van Berg； laughing。
〃Ladies and gentlemen； I hope you all appreciate the force of Miss
Burton's phrase； 'somebody；' since it implies that any one of us
would have shown like courage and presence of mind if we had only
been 'at hand；' or had stood where she did。 Really Miss Burton；
you are like smiling fortune； and 'thrust upon' us 'greatness' and
heroism。〃
〃Mr。 Van Berg； you are laughing at me； and your quotation suggests
that other Shakespearean words are in your mindto wit； 'much
ado about nothing。' Now if YOU had had the opportunity you would
have achieved the rescue in a way that would have been heroic and
striking。 Instead of scrambling out of the way with the child；
like a timid woman； you would have rushed upon the horses； seized
them by their heads； thrown them back upon their haunches； and
while posing in that masterful attitude； you would have called out
in stentorian tones'Remove the child。'〃
All laughed at this unexpected sally； and no one enjoyed it more
than Stanton； who； a little before； had been excessively angry
at his coachman； and； like the mother of the child； had summarily
dismissed the poor fellow from his service。 Quite forgetful of his
uncomplimentary words concerning 〃Yankee school…ma'ams〃 in general；
and this one in particular； he now stood near； and was regarding
her not only with approval but with admiration。 Her ready reply
to Van Berg pleased him exceedingly； especially as the rising color
in the face of his self…possessed friend indicated a palpable hit。
But the artist was equal to the occasion； and quickly replied as
one who had felt a slight spur。
〃I fear you are in part correct； Miss Burton。 Instead of deftly
saving the child and taking both it and myself out of harm's way；
after your quiet womanly fashion； I should； no doubt； have 'rushed
upon the horses and seized them by their heads。' But I fear your
striking tableau； in which I appeared to such advantage； would
have been wholly wanting。 I could not have stopped the horses in
time； the child would have been run over and killed； the big； fat
coroner would have come and sat on it and have made us all； who
witnessed the scene； swear over the matter； the poor mother would
have gone to the lunatic asylum； the father would have committed
suicide； the nursery maid would haveobtained another place and
been the death of an indefinite number of other innocent babies；
and last； but not least； I should have been dragged and trampled
upon； my legs and arms broken； and perhaps my head； and so you
would all have had to take care of meand you know a cross bear
is a pleasanter subject than a sick man。〃
〃Oh； what a chapter of horrors！〃 exclaimed several ladies in chorus。
〃Nevertheless； we would have been equal to the occasion； even if
you had been so dreadfully fractured；〃 said Miss Burton。 〃We all
would have become your devoted nurses； and each one of us would
have had a separate and infallible remedy； which； out of courtesy；
you would have been compelled to use。〃
〃Oh； bless my soul！〃 exclaimed Van Berg； 〃I have had a greater
escape than the child。 In being 'at hand' as you express it； Miss
Burton； I am beginning to feel that you have saved me from death
by torture。〃
〃What a compliment to us！〃 said Miss Burton； appealing to the ladies；
〃he regards our ministrations as equivalent to death by torture。〃
〃Oh； pardon me； I referred to the numberless 'separate and infallible
remedies；' the very thought of which curdles my blood。〃
〃I cannot help thinking that my friend's prospects would have been
very dismal；〃 put in Stanton； 〃for with broken legs and arms and
head he would have been very badly fractured indeed to begin with；
and then some one of his fair nurses might have broken his heart。〃
〃My friend probably thinks； from a direful experience；〃 said Van
Berg； 〃that this would be worse than all the other fractures put
together； and perhaps it would。 An additional cause for gratitude；
Miss Burton； that you； and not I； were 'at hand。'〃
〃My reasons for gratitude to Miss Burton；〃 said Stanton； 〃do not
rest on what undoubtedly would have happened had my friend attempted
the rescue； but on what has happened； and if Mr。 Van Berg will
introduce me I will cordially express my thanks。〃
〃With all my heart。 Miss Burton； permit me to present to you Mr。
Stanton； whose only fault is a slight monomania for New England
and her institutions。〃
The lady recognized Stanton with her wonted smiling and pleasant
manner； which seemed so frank and open； but behind which some
present eventually learned the real woman was hiding； and said：
〃I am inclined to think that Mr。 Van Berg's English； like Hebrew；
reads backwards。 I warn you Mr。 Stanton； not to express any
indebtedness to me； or I shall str