Look，youhavecastoutLove！WhatGodsaretheseYoubidmeplease？
TheThreeinOne，theOneinThree？Notso！
TomyownGodsIgo。
ItmaybetheyshallgivemegreatereaseThanyourcoldChristandtangledTrinities。
THECONVERT。
ShewasthedaughterofSonoo，aHill-man，andJadehhiswife。
Oneyeartheirmaizefailed，andtwobearsspentthenightintheironlypoppy-fieldjustabovetheSutlejValleyontheKotgarthside；
so，nextseason，theyturnedChristian，andbroughttheirbabytotheMissiontobebaptizedTheKotgarthChaplainchristenedherElizabeth，and“Lispeth“istheHillorpaharipronunciation。
Later，choleracameintotheKotgarthValleyandcarriedoffSonooandJadeh，andLispethbecamehalf-servant，half-companiontothewifeofthethenChaplainofKotgarthThiswasafterthereignoftheMoravianmissionaries，butbeforeKotgarthhadquiteforgottenhertitleof“MistressoftheNorthernHills。”
WhetherChristianityimprovedLispeth，orwhetherthegodsofherownpeoplewouldhavedoneasmuchforherunderanycircumstances，Idonotknow；butshegrewverylovelyWhenaHillgirlgrowslovely，sheisworthtravelingfiftymilesoverbadgroundtolookuponLispethhadaGreekface——oneofthosefacespeoplepaintsooften，andseesoseldomShewasofapale，ivorycolorand，forherrace，extremelytallAlso，shepossessedeyesthatwerewonderful；and，hadshenotbeendressedintheabominableprint-
clothsaffectedbyMissions，youwould，meetingheronthehill-
sideunexpectedly，havethoughthertheoriginalDianaoftheRomansgoingouttoslay。
LispethtooktoChristianityreadily，anddidnotabandonitwhenshereachedwomanhood，asdosomeHillgirlsHerownpeoplehatedherbecauseshehad，theysaid，becomeamemsahibandwashedherselfdaily；andtheChaplain’swifedidnotknowwhattodowithherSomehow，onecannotaskastatelygoddess，fivefootteninhershoes，tocleanplatesanddishesSosheplayedwiththeChaplain’schildrenandtookclassesintheSundaySchool，andreadallthebooksinthehouse，andgrewmoreandmorebeautiful，likethePrincessesinfairytalesTheChaplain’swifesaidthatthegirloughttotakeserviceinSimlaasanurseorsomething“genteel。”ButLispethdidnotwanttotakeserviceShewasveryhappywhereshewas。
Whentravellers——therewerenotmanyinthoseyears——cametoKotgarth，LispethusedtolockherselfintoherownroomforfeartheymighttakeherawaytoSimla，orsomewhereoutintotheunknownworld。
Oneday，afewmonthsaftershewasseventeenyearsold，LispethwentoutforawalkShedidnotwalkinthemannerofEnglishladies——amileandahalfout，andaridebackagainShecoveredbetweentwentyandthirtymilesinherlittleconstitutionals，allaboutandabout，betweenKotgarthandNarkundaThistimeshecamebackatfulldusk，steppingdownthebreakneckdescentintoKotgarthwithsomethingheavyinherarmsTheChaplain’swifewasdozinginthedrawing-roomwhenLispethcameinbreathinghardandveryexhaustedwithherburdenLispethputitdownonthesofa，andsaidsimply：
“ThisismyhusbandIfoundhimontheBagiRoadHehashurthimselfWewillnursehim，andwhenheiswell，yourhusbandshallmarryhimtome。”
ThiswasthefirstmentionLispethhadevermadeofhermatrimonialviews，andtheChaplain’swifeshriekedwithhorrorHowever，themanonthesofaneededattentionfirstHewasayoungEnglishman，andhisheadhadbeencuttothebonebysomethingjagged。
Lispethsaidshehadfoundhimdownthekhud，soshehadbroughthimin。
Hewasbreathingqueerlyandwasunconscious。
HewasputtobedandtendedbytheChaplain，whoknewsomethingofmedicine；andLispethwaitedoutsidethedoorincaseshecouldbeusefulSheexplainedtotheChaplainthatthiswasthemanshemeanttomarry；andtheChaplainandhiswifelecturedherseverelyontheimproprietyofherconductLispethlistenedquietly，andrepeatedherfirstpropositionIttakesagreatdealofChristianitytowipeoutuncivilizedEasterninstincts，suchasfallinginloveatfirstsightLispeth，havingfoundthemansheworshipped，didnotseewhysheshouldkeepsilentastoherchoiceShehadnointenti...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：