’I’mverycramped，andI’mfeelingalittlecoldGoodgracious！thecloakisallwhite，andsoisyourmoustache！Ineverknewitwassochilly。’
AlightfrostlaywhiteontheshoulderofDick’sulsterHe，too，hadforgottenthestateoftheweatherTheylaughedtogether，andwiththatlaughendedallseriousdiscourse。
Theyraninlandacrossthewastetowarmthemselves，thenturnedtolookatthegloryofthefulltideunderthemoonlightandtheintenseblackshadowsofthefurzebushesItwasanadditionaljoytoDickthatMaisiecouldseecolourevenashesawit，——couldseetheblueinthewhiteofthemist，thevioletthatisingraypalings，andallthingselseastheyare，——notofonehue，butathousandAndthemoonlightcameintoMaisie’ssoul，sothatshe，usuallyreserved，chatteredofherselfandofthethingsshetookinterestin，——ofKami，wisestofteachers，andofthegirlsinthestudio，——ofthePoles，whowillkillthemselveswithoverworkiftheyarenotchecked；oftheFrench，whotalkatgreatlengthofmuchmorethantheywilleveraccomplish；oftheslovenlyEnglish，whotoilhopelesslyandcannotunderstandthatinclinationdoesnotimplypower；
oftheAmericans，whoseraspingvoicesinthehushofahotafternoonstraintense-drawnnervestobreaking-point，andwhosesuppersleadtoindigestion；oftempestuousRussians，neithertoholdnortobind，whotellthegirlsghost-storiestillthegirlsshriek；ofstolidGermans，whocometolearnonething，and，havingmasteredthatmuch，stolidlygoawayandcopypicturesforevermoreDicklistenedenrapturedbecauseitwasMaisiewhospokeHeknewtheoldlife。
’Ithasn’tchangedmuch，’hesaid’Dotheystillstealcoloursatlunch-time？’
’NotstealAttractisthewordOfcoursetheydoI’mgood——Ionlyattractultramarine；buttherearestudentswho’dattractflake-white。’
’I’vedoneitmyselfYoucan’thelpitwhenthepalettesarehungup。
Everycolouriscommonpropertyonceitrunsdown，——eventhoughyoudostartitwithadropofoilItteachespeoplenottowastetheirtubes。’
’Ishouldliketoattractsomeofyourcolours，DickPerhapsImightcatchyoursuccesswiththem。’
’Imustn’tsayabadword，butIshouldliketoWhatintheworld，whichyou’vejustmissedalovelychanceofseeing，doessuccessorwantofsuccess，orathree-storiedsuccess，mattercomparedwith——No，I
won’topenthatquestionagainIt’stimetogobacktotown。’
’I’msorry，Dick，but——’
’You’remuchmoreinterestedinthatthanyouareinme。’
’Idon’tknow，Idon’tthinkIam。’
’WhatwillyougivemeifItellyouasureshort-cuttoeverythingyouwant，——thetroubleandthefussandthetangleandalltherest？Willyoupromisetoobeyme？’
’Ofcourse。’
’Inthefirstplace，youmustneverforgetamealbecauseyouhappentobeatworkYouforgotyourlunchtwicelastweek，’saidDick，ataventure，forheknewwithwhomhewasdealing。’
’No，no，——onlyonce，really。’
’That’sbadenoughAndyoumustn’ttakeacupofteaandabiscuitinplaceofaregulardinner，becausedinnerhappenstobeatrouble。’
’You’remakingfunofme！’
’IneverwasmoreinearnestinmylifeOh，mylove，mylove，hasn’titdawnedonyouyetwhatyouaretome？Here’sthewholeearthinaconspiracytogiveyouachill，orrunoveryou，ordrenchyoutotheskin，orcheatyououtofyourmoney，orletyoudieofoverworkandunderfeeding，andIhaven’tthemererighttolookafteryouWhy，I
don’tevenknowifyouhavesenseenoughtoputonwarmthingswhentheweather’scold。’
’Dick，you’rethemostawfulboytotalkto——really！HowdoyousupposeI
managedwhenyouwereaway？’
’Iwasn’there，andIdidn’tknowButnowI’mbac...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：