登陆注册
25540700000004

第4章 "What Kind of Shoes Are the Shoes You Wear?"(4)

Linda stood looking at the roadster, jacked up and tucked under a heavy canvas tent that she and her father had used on their hunting and fishing trips. After a long time she laid strong hands on the canvas and dragged it to one side. She looked the car over carefully and then, her face very white and her hands trembling, she climbed into it and slowly and mechanically went through the motions of starting it. For another intent period she sat with her hands on the steering gear, staring straight ahead, and then she said slowly: "Something has got to be done.

It's not going to be very agreeable, but I am going to do it.

Eileen: has had things all her own way long enough. I am getting such a big girl I ought to have a few things in my life as I want them. Something must be done."Then Linda proceeded to do something. What she did was to lean forward, rest her head upon the steering wheel and fight to keep down deep, pitiful sobbing until her whole slender body twisted in the effort.

She was yielding to a breaking up after four years of endurance, for the greater part in silence. As the months of the past year had rolled their deliberate way, Linda had begun to realize that the course her elder sister had taken was wholly unfair to her, and slowly a tumult of revolt was growing in her soul. Without a doubt the culmination had resulted from her few minutes' talk with Donald Whiting in the hall that morning. It had started Linda to thinking deeply, and the more deeply she thought the clearly she saw the situation. Linda was a loyal soul and her heart was honest. She was quite willing that Eileen should :

exercise her rights as head of the family, that she should take the precedence to which she was entitled by her four years'

seniority, that she should spend the money which accrued monthly from their father's estate as she saw fit, up to a certain point.

That point was where things ceased to be fair or to be just. If there had been money to do no more for Eileen than had been done for Linda, it would not have been in Linda's heart to utter a complaint. She could have worn scuffed shoes and old dresses, and gone her way with her proud young head held very high and a jest on her lips; but when her mind really fastened on the problem and she began to reason, she could not feel that Eileen was just to her or that she was fair in her administration of the money which should have been divided more nearly equally between them, after the household expenses had been paid. Once rebellion burned in her heart the flames leaped rapidly, and Linda began to remember a thousand small things that she had scarcely noted at the time of their occurrence.

She was leaning on the steering wheel, tired with nerve strain, when she heard Katy calling her, and realized that she was needed in the kitchen. As a matter of economy Eileen, after her parents' passing, had dismissed the housemaid, and when there were guests before whom she wished to make a nice appearance Linda had been impressed either to wait on the table or to help in the kitchen in order that Katy might attend the dining room, so Linda understood what was wanted when Katy called her. She ran her fingers over the steering wheel, worn bright by the touch of her father's and her own hands, and with the buoyancy of youth, found comfort. Once more she mechanically went through the motions of starting the car, then she stepped down, closed the door, and stood an instant thinking.

"You're four years behind the times," she said slowly. "No doubt there's a newer and a better model; I suspect the tires are rotten, but the last day I drove you for Daddy you purred like a kitten, and ran like a clock, and if you were cleaned and oiled and put in proper shape, there's no reason in the world why Ishould not drive you again, as I have driven you hundreds of miles when Daddy was tired or when he wanted to teach me the rules of good motoring, and the laws of the road. I can do it all right. I have got to do it, but it will be some time before I'll care to tackle the mountains."Leaving the cover on the floor, she locked the door and returned to the kitchen.

"All right, Katy, what is the programme?" she inquired as lightly as she could.

Katy had been cook in the Strong family ever since they had moved to Lilac Valley. She had obeyed Mrs. Strong and Eileen.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 编辑小语

    编辑小语

    本书为“鄞州作家文丛”之一,是一部散文作品集。本书分为两部分,一部分是作者在《梁祝》担任编辑工作的七年中所写的编辑后记、编辑随记等;另一部分主要是一些应人应时的应约之作。本书是作者对自身编辑工作与文学生涯的一次梳理与总结,富有真知灼见,亦有一定的文学价值。
  • 若爱,伴我一生

    若爱,伴我一生

    爱情是什么?是一场,既然开始就不要停的恋爱……前世的分别,换来今世的永生……亲爱的,你可否愿意等?……宝贝,你我的爱,缠绵不断……即使我们深受重伤,是否也愿意不离不弃…………涵儿,这样不堪的我,你还要吗?……飞/原,你是我的!……亲爱的,若爱,伴我一生……
  • 幻想转生

    幻想转生

    没有完结的旅途,探索自我的道路……也许终有一天将立足巅峰?或者只是笑话而已?
  • 霸宋

    霸宋

    一次不经意的时空之旅,让他来到了北宋末年。一连串的生活,让他成了奸臣的女婿,步入了朝堂,感受到了大宋的腐败,萌发了心中志向。一次围剿,让他不费一兵一卒收服了梁山好汉,从而渐渐地步入了危机之中。一次战争,让他成为了替罪羊,不能返回大宋,在绝境中求生存,他毅然带领着少许的部下横穿西夏国境到达中亚。
  • 没有不可能

    没有不可能

    "奥斯卡·皮斯托瑞斯天生没有腓骨,11个月大时,截掉了膝盖以下的腿部。但怀揣对体育的热爱,他不断尝试着各种运动,拳击、橄榄球、水球、网球,不可思议的刻苦训练,常人无法忍受的艰辛付出,最终帮助他迈入了短跑的赛场。作者在《人生没有不可能》中不仅分享了他成长的人生故事,更在以自身为例,传播坚持梦想、乐观面对、勇敢拼搏的正能量。在他看来,只要你在梦想的路上一直前进,人生便没有不可能。..."
  • 废弃女帝:强势回归玩转江山

    废弃女帝:强势回归玩转江山

    她是当今令人闻风丧胆“魅色血”组织的顶级杀手,冷酷狠绝,行动从未失手的夜寂冷。一朝穿越成了叶曦国集万千宠爱于一身的七公主叶冷凝。可上天却玩笑似的让她失忆,推她至万劫不复之地。他是江湖上令人丧胆亡魂“殇谷”的少主,玩世不恭,邪魅迷人的柳陌绯。为达到目的不惜以另一种身份接近“他”。当发现“他”的真实身份,不为情谊所羁绊的他对“他”动了心。可他却伤“他”至深。“你若再跟着我,小心看不见明日的太阳。”她挑眉望着眼前跟踪她许久的男子。“那怎么行?没了我,娘子岂不是要成了寡妇。”男子含着笑,戏谑地凝视着女子。女子刚想发话,身旁可爱的男童扯了扯她的裙角,白嫩的手指向男子“娘亲,他是我爹爹吗?”
  • 强婚密爱:宠妻上瘾

    强婚密爱:宠妻上瘾

    家里一朝被人阴谋陷害以致破产,她遇上那个如冰块的男人。一夜的抵死缠绵,男人却给她一份关于情妇的合约。为了报复,她甘愿签下,只为报仇!万万没想到自己原来只是个替身,多年后,当她携恨归来,一切能否有所不同?
  • 黄粱梦寂之前世今生

    黄粱梦寂之前世今生

    他的威风。她的倾国倾天下。他们的故事才刚刚开始。
  • 佛说濡首菩萨无上清净分卫经

    佛说濡首菩萨无上清净分卫经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 远来是你

    远来是你

    第一眼,乔静楠就爱上了这个有着完美侧脸与温和笑容的男生!一场暗恋,长达十年,当她疲惫不堪地停下追逐的脚步,当她认命地靠近他人的胸膛,她才发现那个心心念念地背影,也缓缓停下,告诉她:“现在,换我来,请你给我十年,或者更长,直到一生。”