下载辰思小说免费APP
InstantlyMrs。Coleknewthatshehadforgottenit。ShecouldseeherselfstandingthereinMrs。Monk’skitchenforgettingit。Howcouldshe？AndMrs。Monk，howcouldSHE？Ithadneverbeenforgottenbefore。
“Oh，no，“shesaidwildly。“Oh，no！I’msureIcan’thaveforgottenit。“
Sheplungedabout，herredfaceallcreasedwithanxiety，herhatononeside，herhandssearchingeverywhere，underthetablecloth，inthebasket，amongsttheknivesandforks。
“Jim，youhaven’tdroppedanything？“
“No，mum。Beggin’yourpardon，mum，thebasketwasclosed，sotospeak——closeditwas。“
No，sheknewthatshehadforgottenit。
“I’msosorry，Mrs。LePage，I’mafraid——“
“MydearMrs。Cole！Whatdoesitmatter？Notintheleast，Iassureyou。Inthisheatit’simpossibletofeelhungry，isn’tit？IassureyouIdon’tfeelasthoughIcouldtouchathing。Alittlefruit，perhaps——anappleorapeach——“
Fruit？Whyhadn’tMrs。Colebroughtfruit？Shemightsoeasilyhavedoneso，andshehadneverthoughtaboutit。Theythemselveswererathertiredoffruit，andso——
“I’mafraidwe’venofruit，butanegg-sandwich——“
“Eggsneedsalt，don’tyouthink？Notthatitmattersintheveryleast，butsothatyoushouldn’tthinkmefussy。Really，dearMrs。
Cole，Ineverfeltlesshungryinmylife。JustadropofmilkandI’mperfectlysatisfied。“
“Jeremyshallrunuptothefarmforthemilk。Youdon’tmind，Jeremydear，doyou？It’sonlyastep。Justtakethissixpence，dear，andsaywe’llsendthejugbackthisafternoonifthey’llspareone。“
Jeremydidmind。Hewasenjoyinghisluncheon，andhewasgazingatCharlotte，andhewasteasingHamletwithscraps——hewasveryhappy。
Nevertheless，hestartedoff。
Sosoonasheleftthesandsthenoiseoftheseawasshutofffromhim，andhewasclimbingthelittlegreenpathupwhichtheScarletAdmiralhadoncestalked。
Suddenlyheremembered——inhisexcitementaboutCharlottehehadforgottentheAdmiral。Hestoodforamoment，listening。Thegreenhedgeshutoffthenoiseofthesea——onlyabovehisheadsomebirdsweretwittering。Hefanciedthatheheardfootsteps，thenthatbeyondthehedgesomethingwasmoving。Itseemedtohimthatthebirdswerealsolisteningforsomething。“Well，it’sthemiddleoftheafternoon，anyway。“Hethoughttohimself，“Henevercomesthere——onlyinthemorningorevening，“buthehurriedforwardafterthat，wishingthathehadcalledtoHamlettoaccompanyhim。Itwasapleasantclimbtothefarmthroughthegreenorchard，andhefoundatthefarmdooranagreeablewomanwhosmiledathimwhenshegavehimthemilk。Hehadtocomedownthehillcarefully，lestthemilkshouldbespilt。Hewalkedalongveryhappily，hummingtohimselfandthinkinginaconfusedsummerafternoonkindofmannerofCharlotte，Hamlet，Mrs。LePageandhimself。“ShallIgiveherthethimbleorshan’tI？Icouldtakehertothepoolswherethelittlecrabsare。She’dlikethem。Iwonderwhetherwe’regoingtobathe。
Mrs。LePagewilllookfunnybathing……“Thenhewasinthegreenlaneagain，andatoncehisdiscomfortreturnedtohim，andhelookedaroundhisshoulderandintothehedges，andstoppedonceandagaintolisten。Therewasnosound。Thebirds，itseemed，hadallfallentosleep。Thehedges，hethought，werecloserabouthim。Itwasveryho
