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！
The sick pasha shall be amused。 Bismillah！ he wills it so。 If the story…
teller becomes prolix and tediousthe bow…string and the sack； and two
Nubians to drop him into the Piscataqua！ But truly； Jack； I have a hard task。
There is literally nothing hereexcept the little girl over the way。 She is
swinging in the hammock at this moment。 It is to me compensation for
many of the ills of life to see her now and then put out a small kid boot；
which fits like a glove； and set herself going。 Who is she； and what is her
name？ Her name is Daw。 Only daughter if Mr。 Richard W。 Daw； ex…
colonel and banker。 Mother dead。 One brother at Harvard； elder brother
killed at the battle of Fair Oaks； ten years ago。 Old； rich family； the Daws。
This is the homestead； where father and daughter pass eight months of the
twelve； the rest of the year in Baltimore and Washington。 The New
England winter too many for the old gentleman。 The daughter is called
MarjorieMarjorie Daw。 Sounds odd at first； doesn't it？ But after you say
it over to yourself half a dozen times； you like it。 There's a pleasing
quaintness to it； something prim and violet…like。 Must be a nice sort of girl
to be called Marjorie Daw。
I had mine host of The Pines in the witness…box last night； and drew
the foregoing testimony from him。 He has charge of Mr。 Daw's vegetable…
garden； and has known the family these thirty years。 Of course I shall
make the acquaintance of my neighbors before many days。 It will be next
to impossible for me not to meet Mr。 Daw or Miss Daw in some of my
walks。 The young lady has a favorite path to the sea…beach。 I shall
intercept her some morning； and touch my hat to her。 Then the princess
will bend her fair head to me with courteous surprise not unmixed with
haughtiness。 Will snub me； in fact。 All this for thy sake； O Pasha of the
Snapt Axle…tree！。 。 。 How oddly things fall out！ Ten minutes ago I was
called down to the parloryou know the kind of parlors in farm…houses on
8
… Page 9…
Majorie Daw
the coast； a sort of amphibious parlor； with sea…shells on the mantel…piece
and spruce branches in the chimney…placewhere I found my father and
Mr。 Daw doing the antique polite to each other。 He had come to pay his
respects to his new neighbors。 Mr。 Daw is a tall； slim gentleman of about
fifty…five； with a florid face and snow…white mustache and side…whiskers。
Looks like Mr。 Dombey； or as Mr。 Dombey would have looked if he had
served a few years in the British Army。 Mr。 Daw was a colonel in the late
war； commanding the regiment in which his son was a lieutenant。 Plucky
old boy； backbone of New Hampshire granite。 Before taking his leave； the
colonel delivered himself of an invitation as if he were issuing a general
order。 Miss Daw has a few friends coming； at 4 p。m。； to play croquet on
the lawn （parade…ground） and have tea （cold rations） on the piazza。 Will
we honor them with our company？ （or be sent to the guard… house。） My
father declines on the plea of ill…health。 My father's son bows with as
much suavity as he knows； and accepts。
In my next I shall have something to tell you。 I shall have seen the
little beauty face to face。 I have a presentiment； Jack； that this Daw is a
rara avis！ Keep up your spirits； my boy； until I write you another letter
and send me along word how's your leg。
9
… Page 10…
Majorie Daw
CHAPTER V。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 13； 1872。
The party； my dear Jack； was as dreary as possible。 A lieutenant of the
navy； the rector of the Episcopal Church at Stillwater； and a society swell
from Nahant。 The lieutenant looked as if he had swallowed a couple of his
buttons； and found the bullion rather indigestible； the rector was a pensive
youth； of the daffydowndilly sort； and the swell from Nahant was a very
weak tidal wave indeed。 The women were much better； as they always are；
the two Miss Kingsburys of Philadelphia； staying at the Seashell House；
two bright and engaging girls。 But Marjorie Daw！
The company broke up soon after tea； and I remained to smoke a cigar
with the colonel on the piazza。 It was like seeing a picture； to see Miss
Marjorie hovering around the old soldier； and doing a hundred gracious
little things for him。 She brought the cigars and lighted the tapers with her
own delicate fingers； in the most enchanting fashion。 As we sat there； she
came and went in the summer twilight； and seemed； with her white dress
and pale gold hair； like some lovely phantom that had sprung into
existence out of the smokewreaths。 If she had melted into air； like the
statue of Galatea in the play； I should have been more sorry than surprised。
It was easy to perceive that the old colonel worshipped her and she
him。 I think the relation between an elderly father and a daughter just
blooming into womanhood the most beautiful possible。 There is in it a
subtile sentiment that cannot exist in the case of mother and daughter； or
that of son and mother。 But this is getting into deep water。
I sat with the Daws until half past ten； and saw the moon rise on the
sea。 The ocean； that had stretched motionless and black against the
horizon； was changed by magic into a broken field of glittering ice；
interspersed with marvellous silvery fjords。 In the far distance the Isle of
Shoals loomed up like a group of huge bergs drifting down on us。 The
Polar Regions in a June thaw！ It was exceedingly fine。 What did we talk
10
… Page 11…
Majorie Daw
about？ We talked about the weatherand you！ The weather has been
disagreeable for several days pastand so have you。 I glided from one
topic to the other very naturally。 I told my friends of your accident； how it
had frustrated all our summer plans； and what our plans were。 I played
quite a spirited solo on the fibula。 Then I described you； or； rather； I didn't。
I spoke of your amiability； of your patience under this severe affliction； of
your