登陆注册
20004200000006

第6章

MR.ROBERTS (bustling aimlessly about).Yes, yes; certainly, my dear.But don't be alarmed; we shall find him.

THE CALIFORNIAN (getting out in his stocking feet).We shall find him, ma'am, if we have to search every berth in this car.Don't you take on.That baby's going to be found if he's aboard the train, now, you bet! [He looks about and then tears open the curtains of a berth at random.] That your baby, ma'am?

MRS.ROBERTS (flying upon the infant thus exposed).Oh, BABY, baby, baby!! I thought I had lost you.Um! um! um!

[She clasps him in her arms, and covers his face and neck with kisses.]

THE CALIFORNIAN (as he gets back into his berth, sotto voce).I wish I HAD been her baby.

MRS.ROBERTS (returning with her husband to his seat, and bringing the baby with her).There! Did you ever see such a sleeper, Edward?

[In her ecstasy she abandons all control of her voice, and joyfully exclaims.] He has slept all through this excitement, without a wink.

A solemn Voice from one of the berths.I envy him.

[A laugh follows, in which all the passengers join.]

MRS.ROBERTS (in a hoarse whisper, breaking a little with laughter).

Oh, my goodness! there I went again.But how funny! I assure you, Edward, that if their remarks had not been about me, I could have really quite enjoyed some of them.I wish there had been somebody here to take them down.And I hope I shall see some of the speakers in the morning before--Edward, I've got an idea!

MR.ROBERTS (endeavoring to teach his wife by example to lower her voice, which has risen again).What--what is it, my dear?

MRS.ROBERTS.Why, don't you see? How perfectly ridiculous it was of me not to think of it before! though I did think of it once, and hadn't the courage to insist upon it.But of course it is; and it accounts for his being so polite and kind to me through all, and it's the only thing that can.Yes, yes, it must be.

MR.ROBERTS (mystified).What?

MRS.ROBERTS.Willis.

MR.ROBERTS.Who?

MRS.ROBERTS.This Californian.

MR.ROBERTS.Oh!

MRS.ROBERTS.No STRANGER could have been so patient and--and--attentive; and I know that he recognized me from the first, and he's just kept it up for a joke, so as to surprise us and have a good laugh at us when we get to Boston.Of COURSE it's Willis.

MR.ROBERTS (doubtfully).Do you think so, my dear?

MRS.ROBERTS.I KNOW it.Didn't you notice how he looked at your card? And I want you to go at once and speak to him, and turn the tables on him.

MR.ROBERTS.I--I'd rather NOT, my dear.

MRS.ROBERTS.Why, Edward, what can you mean?

MR.ROBERTS.He's very violent.Suppose it SHOULDN'T be Willis?

MRS.ROBERTS.Nonsense! It IS Willis.Come, let's both go and just tax him with it.He can't deny it, after all he's done for me.[She pulls her reluctant husband toward THE CALIFORNIAN'S berth, and they each draw a curtain.] Willis!

THE CALIFORNIAN (with plaintive endurance).Well, ma'am?

MRS.ROBERTS (triumphantly).There! I knew it was you all along.

How could you play such a joke on me?

THE CALIFORNIAN.I didn't know there'd been any joke; but I suppose there must have been, if you say so.Who am I now, ma'am--your husband, or your baby, or your husband's wife, or -MRS.ROBERTS.How funny you are! You KNOW you're Willis Campbell, my only brother.Now DON'T try to keep it up any longer, Willis.

[Voices from various berths."Give us a rest, Willis!" "Joke's too thin, Willis!" "You're played out, Willis!" "Own up, old fellow--own up!"

THE CALIFORNIAN (issuing from his berth, and walking up and down the aisle, as before, till quiet is restored).I haven't got any sister, and my name ain't Willis, and it ain't Campbell.I'm very sorry, because I'd like to oblige you any way I could.

MRS.ROBERTS (in deep mortification).It's I who ought to apologize, and I do most humbly.I don't know what to say; but when I got to thinking about it, and how kind you had been to me, and how sweet you had been under all my--interruptions, I felt perfectly sure that you couldn't be a mere stranger, and then the idea struck me that you must be my brother in disguise; and I was so certain of it that Icouldn't help just letting you know that we'd found you out, and -MR.ROBERTS (offering a belated and feeble moral support).Yes.

MRS.ROBERTS (promptly turning upon him).And YOU ought to have kept me from making such a simpleton of myself, Edward.

THE CALIFORNIAN (soothingly).Well, ma'am, that ain't always so easy.A man may mean well, and yet not be able to carry out his intentions.But it's all right.And I reckon we'd better try to quiet down again, and get what rest we can.

MRS.ROBERTS.Why, yes, certainly; and I will try--oh, I will TRYnot to disturb you again.And if there's anything we can do in reparation after we reach Boston, we shall be so glad to do it!

[They bow themselves away, and return to their seat, while THECALIFORNIAN re-enters his berth.]

同类推荐
  • 夏晚初霁南省寓直用

    夏晚初霁南省寓直用

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无上妙道文始真经

    无上妙道文始真经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大佛略忏一卷

    大佛略忏一卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Little Lame Prince

    The Little Lame Prince

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上方大洞真元妙经品

    上方大洞真元妙经品

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 天音六合

    天音六合

    六合之地分六郡,分别为:东莱郡,西蜀郡、滇南郡、北风郡、青祁郡以及河洛郡,是为六合政商聚集之地,同时也是江湖人士汇集之地。各大郡城门派林立,政商混杂,实为三教九流向往而又忌惮之地,传闻名震江湖的“一字传承”于百年之前由当时的六合盟主“秋雨剑”沈剑秋自滇南郡带出,自此引发一场武林浩劫。
  • 炼魂法则

    炼魂法则

    从出生的那一刻起,陈暮就被两个残疾师父不停灌输着斗气,可倒霉的他偏偏就凝聚不出一丝斗气。直到有一天,神邸先知降临在这座乌邦小城,揭露了一个寓言:“有些人注定不是一个斗气强者,而是……而是……恶魔!”
  • 轮盘流转:前世今生

    轮盘流转:前世今生

    当十二星座转世人间,将会与宿命的轮盘发生怎样的不同?白羊与狮子,金牛与巨蟹,双子与水瓶,处女与摩羯,天平与双鱼,天蝎和射手,他们的恋情最后将会怎样?能否扭转看似艰难的结局,期待着这部奇幻言情给你带来不一样的新天地吧。
  • 都市异曲

    都市异曲

    “张辰,我好想能听到别人想什么。”“超能力?别扯了,你说说,我在想什么?”“昨天晚上看的那个片真给力,要是能和同桌.....”两个少年在一次偶然中发现自己竟然获得了异能,拥有异能后的他们异常惊喜,他们有仇报仇,有怨报怨,就在他们享受着上天赐予他们力量的时候,一股更为强大的势力闯进了他们的生活..........这个世界真的有异能者吗?异能者是什么样的呢?欢迎您进入异能者的世界《都市异曲》读者交流群:223951108欢迎您的加入
  • 盛宠商女毒后

    盛宠商女毒后

    二十五世纪的S级战者也有被阴的时候,眨眼就因灵魂虫洞来到了苍蓝大陆涟国奉家的一个旁支府中,成为了一个被姨娘庶妹陷害得经脉尽毁的废材嫡小姐。经脉尽毁又如何?耐得住她的力量还懂扩散运动!一朝逆天成神,抬手魔武双修,垂手万毒听命,身后还有雄伟魔兽军团.不仅斗倒姨娘,虐哭庶妹,将渣渣都打得不要不要的,还能被奉家本家跪求着请她当太子妃!不过,太子神马的她不在乎,她就爱那个传说容貌丑陋,修炼无能,甚至在床上也可能不行的废材王爷!“娘子大人,你不是说很爱本王的吗?赶紧过来,这被子本王已经睡得暖暖了!”一个粉嫩的脚丫子飞过,某女大吼:“大热天的你暖什么被子,本来就已经热得睡不着了!”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 刁蛮公主霸道爱

    刁蛮公主霸道爱

    她,是身份神秘的苦练五年跆拳道,空手道的任性小姐;他,是高高在上的霸道拽少爷。一次无意的邂逅,就注定他们之间要有数不清的纠纷,当刁蛮任性的她遇上霸道帅气的他,又会发生怎样精彩有趣的故事呢?
  • 灵异眼

    灵异眼

    “命中注定的逃不掉,今生,天下万物生命寄拖于我一人身上,此上巫山,怕是就此一别了,只愿来世你我不再是这玄门中人,我们一起携手相伴到老。”写好诀别信,我踏了上通往巫山结界的唯一通道......去完成这属于我这一世的使命。
  • 异世之平凡的梦想

    异世之平凡的梦想

    意外得到一颗珠子,来到虚灵境,最爱的女人雨儿的死去,原本单纯的少年符炎踏上成为强者的修炼复仇之路
  • 都市丛中绿

    都市丛中绿

    都市吗,也就是有那么几个女人等着安慰,也就是那么几个男人等着变渣,也就是那么几个大家族要找人膜拜,也就是那么几个国家想被踏平……所以,真的没有什么!书友群建立,喜欢爱书的……书的,就来吧,群号:34720464
  • 安海异人录

    安海异人录

    晶人无法生育也没有性征,成为二性之外第三性。