’Oh！itisgoodtohearyoumovingabout，’saidDick，rubbinghishands。
’Tellusallaboutyourbarsuccesses，Bessie，andthewayyoulivenow。’
’NevermindthatI’mquiterespectable，asyou’dseebylookingatme。
Youdon’tseemtolivetoowellWhatmadeyougoblindthatsudden？
Whyisn’tthereanyonetolookafteryou？’
Dickwastoothankfulforthesoundofhervoicetoresentthetoneofit。
’Iwascutacrosstheheadalongtimeago，andthatruinedmyeyes。
I
don’tsupposeanybodythinksitworthwhiletolookaftermeanymore。
Whyshouldthey？——andMrBeetonreallydoeseverythingIwant。’
’Don’tyouknowanygentlemenandladies，then，whileyouwas——well？’
’Afew，butIdon’tcaretohavethemlookingatme。’
’Isupposethat’swhyyou’vegrowedabeardTakeitoff，itdon’tbecomeyou。’
’Goodgracious，child，doyouimaginethatIthinkofwhatbecomesofmethesedays？’
’YououghtGetthattakenoffbeforeIcomehereagainIsupposeIcancome，can’tI？’
’I’dbeonlytoogratefulifyoudidIdon’tthinkItreatedyouverywellintheolddaysIusedtomakeyouangry。’
’Veryangry，youdid。’
’I’msorryforit，thenComeandseemewhenyoucanandasoftenasyoucanGodknows，thereisn’tasoulintheworldtotakethattroubleexceptyouandMrBeeton。’
’Alotoftroublehe’stakingandshetoo。’Thiswithatossofthehead。
’They’veletyoudoanyhowandtheyhaven’tdoneanythingforyou。
I’veonlytolookandseethatmuchI’llcome，andI’llbegladtocome，butyoumustgoandbeshaved，andyoumustgetsomeotherclothes——thoseonesaren’tfittobeseen。’
’Ihaveheapssomewhere，’hesaidhelplessly。
’IknowyouhaveTellMrBeetontogiveyouanewsuitandI’llbrushitandkeepitcleanYoumaybeasblindasabarn-door，MrHeldar，butitdoesn’texcuseyoulookinglikeasweep。’
’DoIlooklikeasweep，then？’
’Oh，I’msorryforyouI’mthatsorryforyou！’shecriedimpulsively，andtookDick’shandsMechanically，heloweredhisheadasiftokiss——shewastheonlywomanwhohadtakenpityonhim，andhewasnottooproudforalittlepitynowShestooduptogo。
’Nothingo’thatkindtillyoulookmorelikeagentlemanIt’squiteeasywhenyougetshaved，andsomeclothes。’
Hecouldhearherdrawingonherglovesandrosetosaygood-bye。
Shepassedbehindhim，kissedhimaudaciouslyonthebackoftheneck，andranawayasswiftlyasonthedaywhenshehaddestroyedtheMelancolia。
’TothinkofmekissingMrHeldar，’shesaidtoherself，’afterallhe’sdonetomeandall！Well，I’msorryforhim，andifhewasshavedhewouldn’tbesobadtolookat，butOhthemBeetons，howshamefulthey’vetreatedhim！IknowBeeton’swearinghisshirtonhisbackto-dayjustaswellasifI’daireditTo-morrow，I’llseeIwonderifhehasmuchofhisownItmightbeworthmorethanthebar——Iwouldn’thavetodoanywork——andjustasrespectableasifnooneknew。’
DickwasnotgratefultoBessieforherpartinggiftHewasacutelyconsciousofitinthenapeofhisneckthroughoutthenight，butitseemed，amongverymanyotherthings，toenforcethewisdomofgettingshaved。
Hewasshavedaccordinglyinthemorning，andfeltthebetterforitA
freshsuitofclothes，whitelinen，andtheknowledgethatsomeoneintheworldsaidthatshetookaninterestinhispersonalappearancemadehimcarryhimselfalmostupright；forthebrainwasrelievedforawhilefromthinkingofMaisie，who，underothercircumstances，mighthavegiventhatkissandamillionothers。
’Letusconsider，’saidhe，afterlunch’Thegirlcan’tcare，andit’satoss-upwhethershecomesagainornot，butifmoneycanbuyhertolookaftermesheshallbeboughtNobodyelseintheworldwouldtakethetrouble，andIcanmakeitworthherwhileShe’sachildofthegutterholdingbrevetrankasabarmaid；sosheshallhaveeverythingshewantsifshe’llonlycomeandtalkandlookafterme。’Herubbedhisnewlyshornchinandbegantoperplexhimselfwiththethough...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：