下载辰思小说免费APP
ThelastdaysofAugustcame，andwiththemthelastweekoftheholiday。Alreadytherewasascentofautumnintheair，leaveswereturninggoldandred，andtheeveningscamecoolandsudden，uponthehotsummerafternoons。Marywasnotverywell；shehadcaughtacoldsomewhere，andexistedintheirritatingconditionofgoingoutonedayandbeingheldindoorsthenext。Thisupsethertemper，andatnightshehadnightmares，inwhichshesawcloudsofsmokecrawlinginatherwindow，snakesonthefloor，andcrimsonflamesdartingatherfromtheceiling。ItwasbecauseshewasinanabnormalconditionofhealththattheideaofdoingsomethingwithHamlethadgainedsuchaholduponher。Sheconsideredthematterfromeverypointofview。Shedidnotwanttobecrueltothedog；
shesupposedthatafteraweekortwohewouldbequitehappywithhisnewmaster，and，inanycase，hehadstrolledinsocasuallyupontheColefamilythathewasaccustomedtoawanderinglife。
Shedidnotintendthatanyoneshouldknow。Itwastobeadeepsecretallofherown。
JeremywasgoingtoschoolinSeptember，andbeforethenshemustmakehimfriendlytoheragain。Shesawstretchinginfrontofherallthelonelyautumnwithouthimandherownmemoriesofthemiserablesummertomakeherwretched。Shewasanextremelysentimentallittlegirl。
Asalwayshappenswhenoneismeditatingwithaplacatedconscienceawickeddeed，theopportunitywassuddenlyofferedtoMaryofachievingherpurpose。OnemorningJeremy，afterrefusingtolistentooneofMary’slongromances，losthistemper。
“Ican’tstop，“hesaid。“Youbotherandbotherandbother。AuntAmysaysyounearlymakehermad。“
“Idon’tcarewhatAuntAmysays，“Maryontheedgeoftearsreplied。
“HamletandIaregoingout。AndI’msickofyoursillyoldstories。“ThenhesuddenlystoppedandgazedatMary，whowasbeginning，asusual，toweep。
“Lookhere，Mary，what’sbeenthematterwithyoulately？You’realwayscryingnoworsomething。AndyoulookatmeasthoughI’ddonesomethingdreadful。Ihaven’tdoneanything。“
“I——never——saidyou——had，“Marygulpedout。Herubbedhisnoseinawaythathehadwhenhewaspuzzled。
“Ifit’sanythingIdo，tellme。It’ssosillyalwayscrying。Theholidayswillbeoversoon，andyou’vedonenothingbutcry。“
“You’re——never——withme——now，“Marysobbed。
“Well，I’vebeenbusy。“
“Youhaven’t。Youcan’tbebusyall——byyourself。“
“Oh，yes，youcan。“Hewasgettingimpatient。“Anyway，youmightletHamletandmealone。You’realwaysbotheringoneofus。“
“No，I’mnot。“Shechokedanenormoussobandburstoutwith：“It’salwaysHamletnow。Iwishhe’dnever——come。Itwasmuchnicerbefore。“
Thenhelosthistemper。“Oh，you’reababy！I’msickofyouandyournonsense，“hecried，andstampedoff。
InMary’sred-rimmedeyes，asshewatchedhimgo，determinationgrew。
IthappenedthatupontheafternoonofthatsamedayMissJonesannouncedthatshewouldtakeMaryforawalk；then，justastheypassedthroughthefarmgates，Hamlet，rushingout，joinedthem。Hedidnotoftenhonourthemwithhiscompany，despisingwomenmostespeciallywhentheywalked，butto-dayhismasterwasbusydiggingforwormsinthevegetablegarden，and，afteraquarterofanhour’scontemplationofthisfascinatingoccupation，hehadwanderedoffinsearchofaliveliergame。HedecidedtojoinMissJones；hecoulddowhathepleased，hecouldamusehimselfwithherineffectualattemptstokeephiminorder，andhecouldirritateMary；sohedancedalong，withhistailintheair，barkingatimaginaryratsandpokinghisnoseintohedges。
Mary，withasuddentightenedclutchingoftheheart，realisedthatherhourwasuponher。Shefeltsowickedassherealisedthisthatshewonderedthatthegrounddidn’topenupandsw
