太陽溪農(nóng)場的麗貝卡 節(jié)選

　　Rebecca's hand stirred nervously in her lap and she moved in her seat. "I didn't think I was going to be afraid," she said almost under her breath; "but I guess I am, just a little mite-when you say it's coming so near."　　"Would you go back?" asked Mr. Cobb curiously.　　She fiashed him an intrepid look and then said proudly, "I'd never go back-l might be frightened, but I'd be ashamed to run. Going to aunt Mirandy's is like going down cellar in the dark. There might be ogres and giants under the stairs,-but, as I tell Hannah, there MIGHT be elves and fairies and enchanted frogs!-ls there a main street to the village, like that in Wareham?"　　"I s'pose you might call it a main street, an' your aunt Sawyer lives on it, but there ain't no stores nor mills, an' it's an awful one-horse village! You have to go 'cross the river an' get on to our side if you want to see anything goin' on."　　"I'm almost sorry," she sighed, "because it would be so grand to drive down a real main street, sitting high up like this behind two splendid horses, with my pink sunshade up, and everybody in town wondering who the bunch of lilacs and the hair trunk belongs to. It would be just like the beautiful lady in the parade. Last summer the circus came to Temperance, and they had a procession in the morning. Mother let us all walk in and wheel Mira in the baby carriage, because we couldn't afford to go to the circus in the afternoon. And there were lovely horses and animals in cages, and clowns on horseback; and at the very end came a little red and gold chariot drawn by two ponies, and in it, sitting on a velvet cushion, was the snake charmer, all dressed in satin and spangles. She was so beautiful beyond compare, Mr. Cobb, that you had to swallow lumps in your throat when you looked at her, and little cold feelings crept up and down your back. Don't you know how I mean? Didn't you ever see anybody that made you feel like that?"　　Mr, Cobb was more distinctly uncomfortable at this moment than he had been at any one time during the eventful morning, but he evaded the point dexterously by saying, "There ain't no harm, as I can see, in our makin' the grand entry in the biggest style we can. I'II take the whip out, set up straight, an' drive fast; you hold your bo'quet in your lap, an' open your litt.le red parasol, an' we'lljest make the natives stare!"　　The child's face was radiant for a moment, but the glow faded just as quickly as she said, "I forgot-mother put me inside, and maybe she'd want me to be there when I got to aunt Mirandy's. Maybe I'd be more genteel inside, and then I wouldn't have to be jumped down and my clothes fiy up, but could open the door and step down like a lady pas senger. Would you please stop a minute, Mr. Cobb, and let me change?"　　The stage driver good-naturedly pulled up his horses, lifted the ex cited little creature down, opened the door, and helped her in, putting the lilacs and the pink sunshade beside her.　　……