下载辰思小说免费APP
hercheekswerepinkandhereyeswereblue，andshewassobeautifullydressedthatyoucouldnottakeindetailsbutmustsimplysurrenderyourselftoacloudyfilmofwhiteorblue，witheverythingsoperfectlyinitsplacethatitseemedtotheroughandreadyJeremyquiteunearthly。Ofcourseshehadtobeverycarefulhowshewalked，whenshesatdown，inwhatwayshemovedherhandsandfeet，andhowsheblewhernose。Itwaswonderfultoseeherdothesethings，shedidthemsonaturallyandyetalwayswithasenseofaneffortovercomeforthegoodofhumanity。Hermotherneverceasedtoemptypraisesatherfeet，appealingtovisitorswith：
“Isn’tCharlottetoolovelyto-day？“or“Really，Mrs。Cole，didyoueverseeanythinglikeCharlotte’shair？“or“Justamoment，Mrs。
Cole，I’msureyou’veneverseensuchhandsandfeetonanyhumanbeingbefore！“——anditwasimpossibletotellwhetherornoCharlottewasmovedbythesepraises，becausesheneversaidanythingatall。Shewasalmostcompletelysilent，andonce，atthetea-gatheringinCowFarm，whenshesuddenlysaid：“I’mtired，Mama，“Jeremynearlyjumpedfromhischair，soastonishedhewas。
Jeremyhad，duringtheyearthatintervenedbetweenthatvisitandthis，sometimesthoughtofCharlotte，andhehadlookedbackuponher，notasalittlegirlbutassomethingstrange，fantastic，wonderfullycoloured，whomitwouldbeinterestingtoseeagain。HewonderedwhyMaryandHelencouldnotbelikethat，insteadofrunningaboutandscreamingandbecomingredintheface。HesaidoncetoMarythatsheshouldimitateCharlotte，andthescenethatfollowedwasterrible。Mary，fromthatmoment，hatedCharlottewithanoverpoweringhatred。
Herethisyeartheywereagain。Mrs。LePagewithherlongneck，herbeautifulpearlear-rings，herpalewateryeyesandhertaperingfingers；Charlottejustasbefore，silent，beautifulandprecious。
Therewasagainatea-partyatCowFarm，andonthisoccasionJeremywasaskedtoshowHamlet。ButHamletbehavedbadly，tryingtojumpuponCharlotte’swhitefrockandsoilherblueribbons。
Charlottescreamedexactlyasadollscreamswhenyoupressitinthestomach，andHamletwassodeeplyastonishedattheunexpectednoisethathestoppedhisbadbehaviour，satonhishindlegs，andgazedupatherwithananxiouswonderingexpression。Inspiteofthisunfortunateincident，thevisitwentoffwell，andMrs。ColesaidthatshehadneverseenanythingsolovelyasCharlotte，andMrs。LePagesaid，“No，hadanyoneever？“andCharlotteneverturnedahair。Thefinalarrangementwasthatthereshouldbeapicnicandsoon，because“Mr。LePagehastoreturntoWarwickshiretolookaftertheEstate——sotiresome，butI’venodoubtit’sallgoingtowrackandruinwithouthim。“
AfterthepicnichadbeenarrangedtheColeswere，frankly，alittleuneasy。ThefamilyofLePagewasnottheeasiestintheworldtoentertain，andthethoughtofawholedaywithMr。LePage，whowasaveryblack，verysilentgentlemanandlookedasthoughhewerealwayscountingsumsoverinhishead，wastrulyalarming。Moreover，intheordinaryway，apicnic，whichdependedsoentirelyforitssuccessontheweather，wasnogreatrisk，becausetheColeswereindifferenttorain，asalltrueGlebeshirepeoplemustbe。ButthattheLePagesshouldbewetwasquiteanotheraffair；thethoughtofadrippingMrs。LePagewasintolerable，butofadrippingCharlottequiteimpossible；moreover，theplainbutexcellentfood——pasties，saffroncake，applesandgingerbeer——enjoyedbytheColesseemedquitetooterrestrialfortheLePages。Mrs。LePageandgingerbeer！Charlotteandpasties！……nevertheless，theinvitationhadbeengivenandaccepted。TheColescouldbutanxiouslyinspectthesky……
II
TherewasanotherreasonwhyJeremylookedforwardtothepicnicwithimpatience。Afunnyoldlady，namedMissHenhouse，wholivednearCowFarminalittlecottageallbyherself，calledsometimesupontheColesandtoldthemstoriesaboutthepeopleandtheplace，whichmadethem“situpintheirchairs。“Shewasanoldladywithsharpeyes，ablackmoustacheandadoublechin，woreanoldshabbybonnet，gr
