黑衣女人英文短篇小说

　　The house was very still. In the little room over the porch, the lady in black sat alone. Near her, a child's white dress lay across a chair. On the floor at her feet lay a tiny pair of shoes. A doll hung over a chair and a toy soldier occupied the little stand by the bed.

　　And everywhere was silence-the strange silence that comes only to a room where the clock has stopped ticking.

　　The clock stood on the shelf near the end of the bed. The Lady in Black looked at it. She remembered the wave of anger that had come over her when she had reached out her hand and silenced the clock that night three months before.

　　It had been silent ever since and it should remain silent, too. Of what possible use were the hours it would tick away now? As if anything mattered, with little Kathleen lying out there white and still under the black earth!

　　"Muvver!"

　　The Lady in Black moved restlessly and looked toward the closed door. Behind it, she knew, was a little boy with wide blue eyes who wanted her. But she wished he would not call her by that name.

　　It only reminded her of those other little lips--silent now.

　　"Muvver!" The voice was more demanding.

　　The Lady in Black did not answer. He might go away, she thought, if she did not answer.

　　There was a short silence, and then the door opened slowly.

　　"Pe-eek!" It was a cry of joyful discovery, but it was followed almost immediately by silence. The unsmiling woman did not invite him to come near. The boy was unsteady at his first step.

　　He paused, then spoke carefully, "I's--here."

　　It was maybe the worst thing he could have said. To the Lady in Black it was a yet more painful reminder of that other one who was not there. She gave a sharp cry and covered her face with her hands.

　　"Bobby, Bobby" she cried out, in a release of unreasoning sadness. "Go away! Go away! I want to be alone--alone!"

　　All the brightness fled from the boy's face. His eyes showed a feeling of deep hurt. He waited, but she did not move. Then, with a half-quieted cry, he left the room.

　　Long minutes afterward, the Lady in Black raised her head and saw him through the window. He was in the yard with his father, playing under the apple tree.

　　Playing!

　　The Lady in Black looked at them with serious eyes, and her mouth hardened at the corners.

　　Bobby had someone to play with him, someone to love him and care for him, while out there on the hillside Kathleen was alone--all alone.

　　With a little cry the Lady in Black sprang to her feet and hurried into her own room. Her hands shook as she pinned on her hat and covered herself with her black veil. But her step was firm as she walked downstairs and out through the hall.

　　The man under the apple tree rose hurriedly and came forward.

　　"Helen, dearest,--not again, today!" he begged. "Darling, it can't do any good!"

　　"But she's alone--all alone. You don't seem to think! No one thinks--no one knows how I feel. You don't understand. If you did, you'd come with me. You wouldn't ask me to stay--here!" choked the woman.

　　"I have been with you, dear," said the man gently. "I've been with you today, and every day, almost, since--since she left us.

　　But it can't do any good--this continuous mourning over her grave.

　　It only makes more sadness for you, for me, and for Bobby. Bobby is--here, you know, dear!"

　　"No, no, don't say it," cried the woman wildly. "You don't understand! You don't understand!" And she turned and hurried away, followed by the worried eyes of the man, and the sad eyes of the boy.

　　It was not a long walk to the burial place. The Lady in Black knew the way. Yet, she stumbled and reached out blindly. She fell before a little stone marked "Kathleen." Near her a gray-haired woman, with her hands full of pink and white roses, watched her sympathetically. The gray-haired woman paused and opened her lips as if she would speak. Then she turned slowly and began to arrange her flowers on a grave nearby.

　　The Lady in Black raised her head. For a time she watched in silence. Then she threw back her veil and spoke, “You care, too," she said softly. "You understand. I've seen you here before, I'm sure. And was yours --a little girl?"

　　The gray-haired woman shook her head. “No, dearie, it's a little boy--or he was a little boy forty years ago."

　　"Forty years--so long! How could you have lived forty years--without him?"

　　Again the little woman shook her head."One has to--sometimes, dearie, but this little boy wasn't mine.

　　"But you care. You understand. I've seen you here so often before."

　　"Yes. You see, there's no one else to care. But there was once, and I'm caring now, for her sake."

　　"For her?"

　　"His mother."

　　"Oh-h!" It was a tender little cry, full of quick sympathy. The eyes of the Lady in Black were on the stone marked "Kathleen."

　　"It ain't as if I didn't know how she'd feel," said the gray-haired woman. "You see, I was nurse to the boy when it happened, and for years afterward I worked in the family. So I know. I saw the

　　whole thing from the beginning, from the very day when the little boy here met with the accident."

　　"Accident!" It was a cry of concern and sympathy from Kathleen's mother.

　　"Yes. It was a runaway and he didn't live two days."

　　"I know! I know!& …… 此处隐藏：6497字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……