迪文小说

岩岛奇遇 an adventure n ind rck（第1页）

露西·莫德·蒙哥马利

LucyMaudMontgomery

露西·莫德·蒙哥马利（LucyMaudMontgomery，1874—1942），加拿大作家。露西是个才华横溢的多产作家，创作了500多篇短篇故事、诗和小说，其中最著名的作品《清秀佳人》让她一举成名。

“WhowasthemanIsawtalkingtoyouinthehayfeld?”askedAuntKate，asUncleRichardcametodinner。

“BobMarks，”saidUncleRichardbriefy。“IvesoldLaddietohim。”

ErnestHughes，thetwelve-year-oldorhanboywhomUncle“boardedandket”forthechoreshedid，suddenlystoedeating。

“Oh，Mr。Lawson，yourenotgoingtosellLaddie！”hecriedchokingly。

UncleRichardstaredathim。Neverbefore，inthefveyearsthatErnesthadlivedwithhim，hadthequietlittlefellowsokenwithoutbeingsokento，muchlessventuredtorotestagainstanythingUncleRichardmightdo。

“CertainlyIam。”answeredthelattercurtly。“Bobofferedmetwentydollarsforthedog，andhescomingafterhimnextweek。”

“Oh，Mr。Lawson，”saidErnest，risingtohisfeet，hissmall，freckledfacecrimson。“Oh，don‘tsellLaddie！Please，Mr。Lawson，don’tsellhim！”

“Whatnonsenseisthis?”saidUncleRichardsharly。Hewasamanwhobrookednooositionfromanybody，andwhoneverchangedhismindwhenitwasoncemadeu。

“DontsellLaddie！”leadedErnestmiserably。“HeistheonlyfriendIhavegot。Ican‘tliveifLaddiegoesaway。Oh，don’tsellhim，Mr。Lawson！”

“Sitdownandholdyourtongue。”saidUncleRichardsternly。“Thedogismine，andIshalldowithhimasIthinkft。Heissold，andthatisallthereisaboutit。Goonwithyourdinner。”

ButErnestforthefirsttimedidnotobey。Hesnatchedhiscafromthebackofhischair，dasheditdownoverhiseyes，andranfromthekitchenwithasobchokinghisbreath。UncleRichardlookedangry，butAuntKatehastenedtosoothehim。

“Dontbevexedwiththeboy，Richard，”shesaid。“YouknowheisveryfondofLaddie。He‘shadtodowithhimeversincehewasau，andnodoubthefeelsbadlyatthethoughtoflosinghim。I’mrathersorrymyselfthatyouhavesoldthedog。”

“Well，heissoldandthere‘sanendofit。Idon’tsaybutthatthedogisagooddog。Butheisofnousetous，andtwentydollarswillcomeinmightyhandyjustnow。He‘sworththattoBob，forheisagoodwatchdog，sowe’vebothmadeafairbargain。”

NothingmorewassaidaboutErnestorLaddie。Ihadtakennoartinthediscussion，forIfeltnogreatinterestinthematter。Laddiewasanicedog；Ernestwasaquiet，inoffensivelittlefellow，fveyearsyoungerthanmyself；thatwasallIthoughtabouteitherofthem。

IwassendingmyvacationatUncleRichardsfarmontheNovaScotianBayofFundyshore。IwasagreatfavouritewithUncleRichard，artlybecausehehadbeenmuchattachedtomymother，hisonlysister，artlybecauseofmystrongresemblancetohisonlyson，whohaddiedseveralyearsbefore。UncleRichardwasastern，undemonstrativeman，butIknewthatheentertainedadeeandrealaffectionforme，andIalwaysenjoyedmyvacationsojournsathislace。

“Whatareyougoingtodothisafternoon，Ned?”heasked，afterthedisturbancecausedbyErnestsoutbreakhadquieteddown。

“IthinkIllrowouttoIslandRock，”Irelied。“Iwanttotakesomeviewsoftheshorefromit。”

UncleRichardnodded。Hewasmuchinterestedinmynewcamera。

“Ifyou‘reonitaboutfouro’clock，you‘llgetafneviewoftheHoleintheWall’whenthesunbeginstoshineonthewaterthroughit，”hesaid。“Iveoftenthoughtitwouldmakeahandsomeicture。”

“AfterI‘vefnishedtakingtheictures，IthinkI’llgodownshoretoUncleAdamsandstayallnight，”Isaid。“Jimsdarkroomismoreconvenientthanmine，andhehassomeicturesheisgoingtodevelotonight，too。”

Istartedfortheshoreabouttwoo‘clock。ErnestwassittingonthewoodileasIassedthroughtheyard，withhisarmsaboutLaddie’sneckandhisfaceburiedinLaddiescurlyhair。Laddiewasahandsomeandintelligentblack-and-whiteNewfoundland，withamagnifcentcoat。HeandErnestweregreatchums。Ifeltsorryfortheboywhowastolosehiset。

“Donttakeitsohard，Ern，”Isaid，tryingtocomforthim。“Unclewilllikelygetanotheru。”

“Idontwantanyotheru！”Ernestblurtedout。“Oh，Ned，won‘tyoutryandcoaxyourunclenottosellhim?Perhashe’dlistentoyou。”

Ishookmyhead。IknewUncleRichardtoowelltohoethat。

“Notinthiscase，Ern，”Isaid。“Hewouldsayitdidnotconcernme，andyouknownothingmoveshimwhenhedeterminesonathing。You‘llhavetoreconcileyourselftolosingLaddie，I’mafraid。”

Ernest‘stow-colouredheadwentdownonLaddie’sneckagain，andI，decidingthattherewasnouseinsayinganythingmore，roceededtowardstheshore，whichwasaboutamilefromUncleRichard‘shouse。Thebeachalonghisfarmandforseveralfarmsalongshorewasalonely，untenantedone，forthefisher-folkalllivedtwomilesfurtherdown，atRowley’sCove。AboutthreehundredyardsfromtheshorewastheeculiarformationknownasIslandRock。Thiswasalargerockthatstoodabrutlyuoutofthewater。Below，abouttheusualwater-line，itwasseamedandfssured，butitssummitroseuinanarrow，fat-toedeak。Atlowtidetwentyfeetofitwasabovewater，butathightideitwassixfeetandoftenmoreunderwater。

IushedUncleRichardssmallflatdowntheroughathandrowedouttoIslandRock。Arrivingthere，Ithrusttheainterdeeintoanarrowcleft。Thiswastheusualwayofmooringit，andnodoubtofitssafetyoccurredtome。

Iscrambledutherockandaroundtotheeasternend，wheretherewasabroadersaceforstandingandfromwhichsomecaitalviewscouldbeobtained。Theseaabouttherockwascalm，buttherewasquiteaswellonandanoff-shorebreezewasblowing。Therewerenoboatsvisible。Thetidewaslow，leavingbarethecuriouscavesandheadlandsalongshore，andIsecuredanumberofexcellentsnashots。Itwasnowthreeoclock。ImustwaitanotherhouryetbeforeIcouldgetthebestviewofthe“HoleintheWall”-ahuge，arch-likeoeningthroughajuttingheadlandtothewestofme。Iwentaroundtolookatit，whenIsawasightthatmademestoshortindismay。Thiswasnothinglessthanthefat，driftingoutwardaroundtheoint。Theswellandsuctionofthewateraroundtherockmusthaveulledherloose-andIwasarisoner！Atfrstmyonlyfeelingwasoneofannoyance。Thenathoughtfashedintomymindthatmademedizzywithfear。Thetidewouldbehighthatnight。IfIcouldnotescaefromIslandRockIwouldinevitablybedrowned。

Isatdownlimlyonaledgeandtriedtolookmattersfairlyintheface。Icouldnotswim；callsforhelcouldnotreachanybody；myonlyhoelayinthechanceofsomebodyassingdowntheshoreorofsomeboataearing。