RosesredandroseswhitePluckedIformylove’sdelight。
Shewouldnoneofallmyposies，——
Bademegatherherblueroses。
HalftheworldIwanderedthrough，Seekingwheresuchflowersgrew；
HalftheworlduntomyquestAnsweredbutwithlaughandjest。
ItmaybebeyondthegraveSheshallfindwhatshewouldhave。
Minewasbutanidlequest，——
Roseswhiteandredarebest！——
BlueRoses-
THESEAhadnotchangedItswaterswerelowonthemud-banks，andtheMarazionBell-buoyclankedandswunginthetide-wayOnthewhitebeach-sanddriedstumpsofsea-poppyshiveredandchattered。
’Idon’tseetheoldbreakwater，’saidMaisie，underherbreath。
’Let’sbethankfulthatwehaveasmuchaswehaveIdon’tbelievethey’vemountedasinglenewgunonthefortsincewewerehere。
Comeandlook。’
TheycametotheglacisofFortKeeling，andsatdowninanookshelteredfromthewindunderthetarredthroatofaforty-poundercannon。
’Now，ifAmmomawereonlyhere！’saidMaisie。
ForalongtimebothweresilentThenDicktookMaisie’shandandcalledherbyhername。
Sheshookherheadandlookedouttosea。
’Maisie，darling，doesn’titmakeanydifference？’
’No！’betweenclenchedteeth’I’d——I’dtellyouifitdid；butitdoesn’t，Oh，Dick，pleasebesensible。’
’Don’tyouthinkthatiteverwill？’
’No，I’msureitwon’t。’
’Why？’
Maisierestedherchinonherhand，and，stillregardingthesea，spokehurriedly——
’Iknowwhatyouwantperfectlywell，butIcan’tgiveittoyou，DickItisn’tmyfault；indeed，itisn’tIfIfeltthatIcouldcareforanyone——
ButIdon’tfeelthatIcareIsimplydon’tunderstandwhatthefeelingmeans。’
’Isthattrue，dear？’
’You’vebeenverygoodtome，Dickie；andtheonlywayIcanpayyoubackisbyspeakingthetruthIdaren’ttellafibIdespisemyselfquitenoughasitis。’
’Whatintheworldfor？’
’Because——becauseItakeeverythingthatyougivemeandIgiveyounothinginreturnIt’smeanandselfishofme，andwheneverIthinkofititworriesme。’
’Understandonceforall，then，thatIcanmanagemyownaffairs，andifI
choosetodoanythingyouaren’ttoblameYouhaven’tasinglethingtoreproachyourselfwith，darling。’
’Yes，Ihave，andtalkingonlymakesitworse。’
’Thendon’ttalkaboutit。’
’HowcanIhelpmyself？Ifyoufindmealoneforaminuteyouarealwaystalkingaboutit；andwhenyouaren’tyoulookitYoudon’tknowhowI
despisemyselfsometimes。’
’Greatgoodness！’saidDick，nearlyjumpingtohisfeet’Speakthetruthnow，Maisie，ifyouneverspeakitagain！DoI——doesthisworryingboreyou？’
’NoItdoesnot。’
’You’dtellmeifitdid？’
’Ishouldletyouknow，Ithink。’
’ThankyouTheotherthingisfatalButyoumustlearntoforgiveamanwhenhe’sinloveHe’salwaysanuisanceYoumusthaveknownthat？’
Maisiedidnotconsiderthelastquestionworthanswering，andDickwasforcedtorepeatit。
’Therewereothermen，ofcourseTheyalwaysworriedjustwhenI
wasinthemiddleofmywork，andwantedmetolistentothem。’
’Didyoulisten？’
’Atfirst；andtheycouldn’tunderstandwhyIdidn’tcareAndtheyusedtopraisemypictures；andIthoughttheymeantitIusedtobeproudofthepraise，andtellKami，and——Ishallneverforget——onceKamilaughedatme。’
’Youdon’tlikebeinglaughedat，Maisie，doyou？’
’IhateitIneverlaughatotherpeopleunless——unlesstheydobadwork。
Dick，tellmehonestlywhatyouthinkofmypicturesgenerally，——ofeverythingofminethatyou’veseen。’
’“Honest，honest，andhonestover！”’quotedDickfromacatchwordoflongago’TellmewhatKamialwayssays。’
Maisiehesitated’He——hesaysthatthereisfeelinginthem。’
’Howdareyoutellmeafiblikethat？Remember，IwasunderKamifortwoyearsIknowexactlywhathesays。’
’Itisn’tafib。’
’It’sworse；it’sahalf-truthKamisays，whenheputshisheadononeside，——so，——“Ilyadusentiment，maisiln’yapasdepartipris。”’Herolledtherthreateningly，asKamiusedtodo。
’Yes，thatiswhathesays；andI’mbeginningtothinkthatheisright。’
’Certainlyheis。’DickadmittedthattwopeopleintheworldcoulddoandsaynowrongKamiwastheman。
’AndnowyousaythesamethingIt’ssodisheartening。’
’I’msorry，butyo...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：