marm lisa-第5部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


。　　My　cures　are　almost　as　satisfactory　as　Mrs。　Grubb's　now；　though　I　haven't　been　healing　but　six　months　last　Wednesday。'

'Fortunately　I　am　very　well　and　strong；'　smiled　Mistress　Mary。

'Yes；　that's　all　right；　but　you　don't　know　how　soon　sickness　may　overtake　you；　if　you　haven't　learned　to　cast　off　fear　and　practise　the　denials。　　Those　who　are　living　in　error　are　certain　to　be　affected　by　it　sooner　or　later；　unless　they　accept　the　new　belief。　Why　don't　you　have　your　nails　done；　now　you're　here？　　My　manicure　has　the　highest　kind　of　a　polish；she　uses　pumice　powder　and　the　rose　of　Peru　lustre；　you　ought　to　try　her；　by　taking　twenty　tickets　you　get　your　single　treatments　for　thirty…five　cents　apiece。　　Not　this　afternoon？　　Well；　some　other　time；　then。　　It　will　be　all　right　about　the　children　and　very　good　of　you　to　want　them。　　Of　course　you　can't　teach　them　anything；　if　that's　your　idea。　　Belief　in　original　sin　is　all　against　my　theories；　but　I　confess　I　can't　explain　the　twins　without　it。　　I　sometimes　wonder　I　can　do　any　healing　with　them　in　the　next　house　throwing　off　evil　influences。　　I　am　treating　Lisa　by　suggestion；　but　she　hasn't　responded　any　yet。　　Call　again；　won't　you？　Mrs。　Grubb　is　in　from　seven　to　eight　in　the　morning；　and　ten…thirty　to　eleven…thirty　in　the　evening。　　You　ought　to　know　her；　we　think　there's　nobody　like　Mrs。　Grubb；　she　has　a　wonderful　following；　and　it's　growing　all　the　time；　I　took　this　house　to　be　near　her。　　Good　afternoon。　　By　the　way；　if　you　or　any　of　your　friends　should　require　any　vocal　culture；　you　couldn't　do　better　than　take　of　Madame　Goldmarker　in　No。　17。　　She　can　make　anybody　sing；　they　say。　　I'm　taking　of　her　right　along；　and　my　voice　has　about　doubled　in　size。　　I　ought　to　be　leading　the　Kipling　Brothers　now；　but　my　patients　stayed　so　late　to…day　I　didn't　get　a　good　start。　　Good　afternoon。'

The　weeks　wore　on；　and　the　children　were　old　friends　when　Mary　finally　made　Mrs。　Grubb's　acquaintance；　but　in　the　somewhat　hurried　interviews　she　had　with　that　lady　at　first；　she　never　seemed　able　to　establish　the　kind　of　relation　she　desired。　　The　very　atmosphere　of　her　house　was　chaotic；　and　its　equally　chaotic　mistress　showed　no　sign　of　seeking　advice　on　any　point。

'Marm　Lisa　could　hardly　be　received　in　the　schools；'　Mary　told　the　listening　neophytes　one　afternoon　when　they　were　all　together。　'There　ought　of　course　to　be　a　special　place　for　her　and　such　as　she；　somewhere；　and　people　are　beginning　to　see　and　feel　the　importance　of　it　here；　but　until　the　thought　and　hope　become　a　reality　the　State　will　simply　put　the　child　in　with　the　idiots　and　lunatics；　to　grow　more　and　more　wretched；　more　hopeless；　more　stupid；　until　the　poor　little　light　is　quenched　in　utter　darkness。　　There　is　hope　for　her　now；　I　am　sure　of　it。　　If　Mrs。　Grubb's　neighbours　have　told　me　the　truth；　any　physical　malady　that　may　be　pursuing　her　is　in　its　very　first　stages；　for；　so　far　as　they　know　in　Eden　Place；　where　one　doesn't　look　for　exact　knowledge；　to　be　sure；　she　has　had　but　two　or　three　attacks　（〃dizziness〃　or　〃faintness〃　they　called　them）　in　as　many　years。　　She　was　very　strange　and　intractable　just　before　the　last　one；　and　much　clearer　in　her　mind　afterwards。　　They　think　her　worse　of　late；　and　have　advised　Mrs。　Grubb　to　send　her　to　an　insane　asylum　if　she　doesn't　improve。　　She　would　probably　have　gone　there　long　ago　if　she　had　not　been　such　a　valuable　watch…dog　for　the　twins；　but　she　does　not　belong　there；we　have　learned　that　from　the　doctors。　　They　say　decisively　that　she　is　curable；　but　that　she　needs　very　delicate　treatment。　　My　opinion　is　that　we　have　a　lovely　bit　of　rescue…work　sent　directly　into　our　hands　in　the　very　nick　of　time。　All　those　in　favour　of　opening　the　garden　gates　a　little　wider　for　Marm　Lisa　respond　by　saying　〃Ay！〃'

There　was　a　shout　from　the　neophytes　that　shook　the　very　rafters　such　a　shout　that　Lisa　shuttled　across　the　room；　and；　sitting　down　on　a　stool　at　Mistress　Mary's　feet；　looked　up　at　her　with　a　dull；　uncomprehending　smile。　　Why　were　those　beloved　eyes　full　of　tears？　She　could　not　be　displeased；　for　she　had　been　laughing　a　moment　before。　　She　hardly　knew　why；　but　Mistress　Mary's　wet　eyes　tortured　her；　she　made　an　ejaculation　of　discomfort　and　resentment；　and　taking　the　corner　of　her　apron　wiped　her　new　friend's　face　softly；　gazing　at　her　with　a　dumb　sorrow　until　the　smile　came　back；　then　she　took　out　her　string　and　her　doll　and　played　by　herself　as　contentedly　as　usual。

It　was　thus　that　heaven　began　to　dawn　on　poor　Marm　Lisa。　　At　first　only　a　physical　heaven：　　temporary　separation　from　Atlantic　and　Pacific；　a　chair　to　herself　in　a　warm；　sunshiny　room；　beautiful；　bright；　incomprehensible　things　hanging　on　the　walls；　a　soft　gingham　apron　that　her　clumsy　fingers　loved　to　touch；　brilliant　bits　of　colour　and　entrancing　waves　of　sound　that　roused　her　sleeping　senses　to　something　like　pleasure；　a　smile　meeting　her　eyes　when　she　looked　upoh！　she　knew　a　smileGod　lets　love　dwell　in　these　imprisoned　spirits！　　By…and…by　all　these　new　sensations　were　followed　by　thoughts；　or　something　akin　to　them。　　Her　face　wore　a　brooding；　puzzled　look；　'Poor　little　soul；　she　is　feeling　her　growing…pains！'　said　Mistress　Mary。　　It　was　a　mind　sitting　in　a　dim　twilight　where　everything　seems　confused。　　The　physical　eye　appears　to　see；　but　the　light　never　quite　pierces　the　dimness　nor　reflects　its　beauty　there。　If　the　ears　hear　the　song　of　birds；　the　cooing　of　babes；　the　heart…　beat　in　the　organ　tone；　then　the　swift　little　messengers　that　fly　hither　and　thither　in　my　mind　and　yours；　carrying　echoes　of　sweetness　unspeakable；　tread　more　slowly　here；　and　never　quite　reach　the　spirit　in　prison。　　A　spirit　in　prison；　indeed；　but　with　one　ray　of　sunlight　shining　through　the　bars；a　vision　of　duty。　　Lisa's　weak　memory　had　lost　almost　all　trace　of　Mr。　Grubb　as　a　person　but　the　old　instinct　of　fidelity　was　still　there　in　solution；　and　unconsciously　influenced　her　actions。　　The　devotion　that　first　possessed　her　when　she　beheld　the　twins　as　babies　in　the　perambulator　still　held　sway　against　all　their　evil　actions。　　If　they　plunged　into　danger　she　plunged　after　them　without　a　thought　of　consequences。　　There　was；　perhaps；　no　real　heroism　in　this；　for　she　saw　no　risks　and　counted　no　cost：　　this　is　what　other　people　said；　but　Mistress　Mary　always　thought　Marm　Lisa　had　in　her　the　stuff　out　of　which　heroes　and　martyrs　are　made。　　She　had　never　walked　in　life's　sunny　places；　it　had　always　been　the　valley　of　the　shadow　for　her。　　She　was　surrounded　by　puzzles　with　never　any　answer　to　one　of　them；　but　if　only　she　had　comprehended　the　truth；　it　was　these　very　puzzles　that　were　her　salvation。　　While　her　feeble　mind　stirred；　while　it　wondered；　brooded；　suffered；enough　it　did　all　these　too　seldom；it　kept　itself　alive；　even　if　the　life　were　only　like　the　flickering　of　a　candle。　　And　now　the　candle　might　flicker；　but　it　should　never　go　out　altogether；　if　half　a　dozen　pairs　of　women's　hands　could　keep　it　from　extinction；　and　how　patiently　they　were　outstretched　to　shield　the　poor　apology　for　a　flame；　and　coax　it　into　burning　more　brightly！

'Let　the　child　choose　her　own　special　teacher；'　said　Mistress　Mary；　'she　is　sure　to　have　a　strong　preference。'

'Then　it　will　be　you；'　laughed　Helen。

'Don't　be　foolish；　it　may　be　any　one　of　us　and　it　will　prove　nothing　in　any　case；　save　a　fancy　that　we　can　direct　to　good　use。　　She　seldom　looks　at　anybody　but　you；'　said　Edith。

'That　is　true；'　replied　Mary　thoughtfully。　　'I　think　she　is　attracted　by　this　glittering　steel　thing　in　my　hair。　　I　am　going　to　weave　it　into　Helen's　curly　crop　some　day；　and　see　whether　she　misses　it　or　transfers　her　affection。　　I　have　made　up　my　mind　who　is　the　best　teacher　for　her；　and　whom　she　will　chose。'

Rhoda　gave　a　comical　groan。　　'Don't　say　it's　I；'　she　pleaded。　　'I　dread　it。　　Please　I　am　not　good　enough；　I　don't　know　how；　and　besides；　she　gives　me　the　creeps！'

Mistress　Mary　turned　on　Rhoda　with　a　reproachful　smile；　saying；　'You　naughty　Rhoda；　with　the　brightest　eyes；　the　swiftest　feet；　the　nimblest　fingers；　the　lightest　heart　among　us　all；　why　do　you　want　to　shirk？'

Mistress　Mary　had　noted　the　fact　that　Lisa　had　refused　to　sit　in　an　unpainted　chair；　but　had　dragged　a　red　one　from　another　room　and　ensconced　herself　in　it；　though　it　was　uncomfortably　small。

Now　Rhoda　was　well　named；　for　she　was　a　rose　of　a　girl；　with　damask　cheeks　that　glowed　like　two　Jacqueminot　beauties。　　She　was　much　given　to　aprons　of　scarlet　linen；　to　collars　and　belts　of　red　velvet；　and　she　had　a　general　air　of　being　fresh；　thoroughly　alive；　and　in　a　state　of　dewy　and　perennial　bloom。　　Mary　was　right　in　her　surmise；　and　whenever　she　herself　was　out　of　Lisa's　sight　or　reach　the　child　turned　to　Rhoda　instinctively　and　obeyed　her　implicitly。



CHAPTER　VTHE　NEW　PLANT　GREW



'Now；　Rhoda　dear；'　said　Mistress　Mary　one　day；　when　Lisa　had　become　somewhat　wonted　to　her　new　surroundings；　'you　are　to　fold　your　hands　respectfully　in　your　lap　and　I　will　teach　you　things；things　which　you　in　your　youth　and　inexperience　have　not　thought　about　as　yet。　The　other　girls　may　listen；　too；　and　catch　the　drippings　of　my　wisdom。　　I　really　know　little　about　the　education　of　defective　children；　but；　thank　heaven；　I　can　put　two　and　two　together；　as　Susan　Nipper　said。　　The　general　plan　will　be　to　train　Lisa's　hands　and　speak　to　her　senses　in　every　possible　way；　since　her　organs　of　sense　are　within　your　reach；　and　those　of　thought　are　out　of　it。　　The　hardest　lesson　for　such　a　child　to　learn　is　the　subordination　of　its　erratic　will　to　our　normal　ones。　　Lisa's　attention　is　the　most　hopeful　thing　about　her　and　encourages　me　more　than　anything　else。　It　is　not　as　if　there　were　no　mental　processes　existing；　they　are　there；　but　in　a　very　enfeebled　state。　　Of　course　she　should　have　been　under　skilled　teaching　the　six　years；　but；　late　as　it　is；　we　couldn't　think　of　giving　up　a　child　who　can　talk；　use　her　right　hand；　dress　herself；　go　upon　errands；　recognise　colours；　wash　dishes；　who　is　apparently　neither　vicious　nor　cunning；　but　who；　on　the　contrary；　has　lived　four　years　under　the　same　roof　with　Mrs。　S。　Cora　Grubb　without　rebellion　or　violence　or　treachery！　　Why；　dear　girls；　such　a　task；　if　it　did　not　appeal　to　one　on　the　moral；　ce