下载辰思小说免费APP
“WhathaveIdonethat’srude？“
“Youmustn’tspeaktomelikethat。Isthatthewayyouspeaktoyourmother？“
“No，AuntAmy。“
“Well，then，ifyoudon’tspeaktoyourmotherlikethat，youmustn’tspeaktomelikethat，either。“
“No，AuntAmy。“
“Well，then……“
Thishatredwasquitenewtohim。Hehadonce，yearsago，hatedablack-faceddollthathadbeengiventohim。Hehadnotknownwhyhehatedit，butthereithadbeen。Hehadthrownitoutofthewindow，andthegardenerhadfounditandbroughtitintothehouseagain，batteredandbruised，butstillalive，withitshorridredsmile，andthishadterrifiedhim……Hehadbeguntoburnit，andthenursehadcaughthimandslappedhim。Hehadbeguntocutitwithscissors，andwhenthesawdustflowedhewasmoreterrifiedthanever。ButthatdollwasquitedifferentfromAuntAmy。Hewasnotterrifiedofheratall。Hehatedher。Hatedthefringeofherblackhair，theheavyeyelashes，thethindownonherupperlip，thewaythatthegoldcrossfellupanddownonherbreast，herthin，blue-
veinedhands，herblackshoes。Shewashisfirstenemy，andhewaited，asanambushhidesandwatches，forhisopportunity……
II
Oneofournicestoldmaids，MissMaddison，gaveeveryyearwhatshecalledher“earlysummerparty。“Thiswasdifferentfromallourotherparties，becauseitoccurredneitherinthesummernorinthewinter，butalwaysduringthosewonderfuldayswhenthespringfirstbegantofadeintothehighbrightcolours，thedrywarmth，thedeepgreenshadowsoftheheatoftheyear。ItwasearlyinMaythatMissMaddisonhadherparty，andweplayedgamesonherlittleslopinggreenlawn，andpeeredoverherpink-brickwalldownontothebrownroofsofthehousesbelowtheClose，andhadatremendousteaofeverykindofcakeandeverykindofjaminherwainscoteddining-roomthatlookedoutthroughitstallopenwindowsontothegarden。Thoseoldhousesthatruninahalf-moonroundtheClose，andfacethegreenswardandthegreatwesterndooroftheCathedral，aretheveryheartofPolchester。Walkingdownthecobbledstreet，onemaystillto-daylookthroughtheopendoor，downtheduskylineofthelittlehall，outintotheswimmingcolourofthegardenbeyond。Intheselittlegardens，whatdidnotgrow？
Hollyhocks，pinks，tulips，nasturtiums，pansies，liliesofthevalley，roses，honeysuckle，sweet-williams，stocks——Irememberthemallattheirdifferentseasonsinthatmuddled，absurdprofusion。I
cansmellthemnow，canseethemintheirflutteringcolours，thegreatgreywalloftheCathedral，withitshighcarveddoorandwatchingsaintsbehindme，thesunbeatingontothecobbles，themuffledbeatofthesummerday，thesleepynoisesofthetown，thepigeonscuttingthethin，paperyblueintoarcsandcurvesandcircles，thelittlelattice-windowedhouses，withcrookedchimneysandshiningdoors，smilingdownuponme。Icansmell，too，thatespecialsmellthatbelongedtothosesummerhours，asmellofdriedblotting-paper，ofcornandpoppiesfromthefields，ofcobble-
stonesandnew-bakedbreadandlemonade；andbehindthewarmthandcolourthecoolnoteoftheCathedralbellechoedthroughthetown，downtheHighStreet，overthemeads，acrosstheriver，outintotheheartofthedarkwoodsandthelongspacesofthesummerfields。I
canseemyself，too，toilinguptheHighStreet，mycaponthebackofmyhead，littlebeadsofperspirationonmyforehead，andmyeyesalwaysgazingintotheair，sothatIstumbledoverthecobblesandknockedagainstdoorsteps。AllthesethingshadtodowithMissMaddison’sparly，anditwasalwaysherpartythatmarkedthebeginningofthemforus；shewaitedforthefineweather，andsosoonasitcametheinvitationsweresentout，theflower-bedsweretrimmed，thelittlegreenwoodenseatsunderthemulberrytreewerecleaned，andPoupee，theblackpoodle，wasclipped。
IthappenedthisyearthatMissMaddisongaveherpartyduringtheveryweekthatMr。andMrs。ColewenttoDrymouth。Shesentoutherinvitationsonlythreedaysbeforethegreatevent，becausethesummerhadcomewithsofinearush。“MasterJeremyandtheMissesCole……WouldtheygiveMissMaddisonthepleasure……？“Yes，
