下载辰思小说免费APP
Afteramoment’spausesheputherarmroundhim——so，holdinghim，shestared，defiantlyandcrossly，upontheworld。
CHAPTERVII
RELIGION
I
AlwaysinafteryearsJeremyrememberedthatpartyofMissMaddison’s，notbecauseithadbeentherethathehadwonhisfirstfight，butforthedeeperreasonthatfromthatdayhislifereceivedanewcolour，wovenintothetextureofit；evennowwhenhethinksofthosehoursthatfollowedMissMaddison’spartyhecatcheshisbreathandglancesaroundhimtoseewhethereverythingissafe。Thechildren，onarrivinghomethatevening，foundthattheirfatherandmotherhadalreadyreturnedfromDrymouth。Jeremy，sleepythoughhewas，rushedtohismother，heldherhand，explainedhisblackeye，andthensuddenly，inawaythathehad，fellasleep，thereashewas，andhadtobecarrieduptobed。
Whenheawokenextmorninghisfirstthoughtwasofhismother。Hedidnotknowwhy；shewassodefinitelypartofthebackgroundofhisdailylifethathefelttoosureofhercontinualandabidingpresencetoneeddeliberatethoughtofher。Butthismorninghewantedtogetupquicklyandfindher。Perhapsherabsencehadmadehimfeelmoreinsecure，buttherehadalsobeensomethingthatnight，somethinginherface，somethinginthetouchofherhand。
Andtheotherthingthatherealisedwasthatsummerhadtrulycome。
Heknewatoncethathotsmellthatpressedeventhroughtheclosedwindow-panesofhisroom；thebarsandsquaresoflightonthefloorwhenhejumpedoutofbedandstooduponthemseemedtoburnthesolesofhisfeet，andtheraysoflightontheceilingquiveredasonlysummersunlightcanquiver。ThetwowindowsofhisbedroomlookedbackbehindPolchesteroverfieldsandhedgestoadimpurplelineofwood。Atinystreamranthroughthefirsttwofields，andthislittleriverwasshiningnowwithawhitehotlightthathadyetthebreezeofthemorningrufflingit。Herantohiswindowandopenedit。Beyondthewallthatborderedtheirhousewasalittlebrownpath，anddownthispath，evenashewatched，acompanyofcowswereslowlywanderingalong。Alreadytheywereflappingtheirearslazilyinanticipationoftheflies，andtheboywhowasdrivingthemwaswhistlingasoneonlywhistlesonasummermorning。
Hecouldseethebuttercups，too，inthenearestfield；theyseemedtohavesprungtolifeinthespaceofanight。Someonewaspullingtheropeofawellsomewhereandsomeoneelsewaspouringwateroutuponsomestonecourt。Evenashewatched，abeecameblunderinguptohiswindow，hesitatedforamoment，andthenwentwhirringoffagain，andthroughallthesunandglitterandthesparkleofthelittlerivertherewasascentofpinks，andmignonette，andeven，althoughitcouldnotreallybeso，ofthegorse。Theskywasapalewhiteblue，sopalethatitwasscarcelyanycolouratallandafewpuffsofclouds，deadwhitelikethepurestsmoke，hoveredindancingprocession，abovethepurplewood。Thesunburntuponhisbarefeetandhisheadandhishands。
Thiscomingofsummermeantsomuchmoretohimthanmerelytheimmediatejoyofit——itmeantRafielandCowFarmandtheCoveandgreenpoolswithcrabsinthem，andshrimpingandpaddlingandridinghomeintheeveningonhaycarts，anddrinkingmilkoutoftincans，andcowsandsmallpigs，andpeelingsticksandapples，andcollectingshells，andfishermen’snets，andsandwiches，andsaffronbunsmixedwithsand，andhotgingerbeer，andone’searspeelingwiththesun，andchurchonSundaywiththeRafielsheepcroppingthegrassjustoutsidethechurchdoor，andDickMarriott，thefisherman，andslippingalong
