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第12章 暖暖的河流（第4页）

"Youwouldn'thavemiheriveriswarm。Evehereisiowuheriverisaswarmasafortableroom。Allofusherelovethewaterdow;

"No，Richard，youwouldn'thavefallenin。"Gretsaid，layingherha;Isawyouthemomentyougotoutofthehadifyouhadgohewroion，Iwasreadytoruntoyou。"

Iwishedtothafthat，butalreadyshewasgoiothefloorabove，andgme。Iweingmyhandbaginfrohere，lightedbutturnedlow，otheendoftheupperball，andshepickeditupaaheadihefrontrooms。

&oodforamomentlookiher，a。

"Thereisfreshwatericher，Richard。Ifthereisanythingelseyouwouldliketohave，pleasetellme。Itriednottooverlookanything。"

"Don&#ret，"Itoldher，"I'twishfmore。It'senoughjusttobeherewithyou，anyway。There'snothingelseIcarefor。"

Shelookedatmequidthensheloweredhereyes。Westoodsilentlyforseveralminutes，whileherofuskofanythingtosay。IwaellherhowgladIwastobewithher，evenifitwasht，butIknewIcouldsaythattretewwhyIhade。

"I'llleavethelampforyou，RidI'llwaitdownstairsforyouontheporeassoonasyouareready。"

&beforeIcouldofferthttothestairheadforhertoseethewaydowimeIhadpickedupthelamp，shewasoutofsightdo>

Iwalkedbaahedoorandbathedmyfads，sgthetraindustwithbrushandsoap。Therewasarowofhand-embroideredtowelsontheradItookoneanddriedmyfads。AfterthatIyhair，andfoundafreshhahehandbag。Thehedooraairstofi。

&herwasontheporchalkedthroughthedotupandgavemeachairbetweepulledheriougmyarmwithherhand。

"Isthisthefirsttimeyouhavebeehemountains，Richard？"herfatheraskedme，turninginhise。

"I'vehinahundredmilesofherebefore，sir。It'sadifferenttryuphere，butIsupposeyouwouldthinkthesameaboutthecoast，wouldn'tyou？"

"Oh，butFatherusedtoliveinNorfolk，"Gretsaid。"Didn'tyou，Father？"

"Ilivedthereforhreeyears。"

Therewassomethingelsehewouldsay，andbothofuswaitedforhimtoue。

"Fatherisamastermeic，"Gretwhisperedtome，"Heworksintherailroadshops。"

"Yes，"hesaidafterawhile。"I'velivedinmahereiswhereIwishtostay。"

Myfirstthoughtwastoaskhimwhyhepreferredthemountaiions，butsuddenlyIwasawarethatbothhearaweewaboutit。

Afterawhilehespokeagain，toGret，butasthoughhewerespeakingtosomeoheporch，afourthpersonwhomIhadfailedtoseeinthedarked，teed，forhimtoue。

&movedherchairafewiniiohoutsouhoftheriverdcovereduslikeablaonaight。

&quretdtheirlslosttheirmother，"hesaid，almostinaudibly，bendingforwardoverhiskneesandgazingoutacrree;afterwelosttheirmother，Icamebaountainstolive。I'tstayinNorfolk，andI'tstanditinBaltimore。ThiswastheohwhereIdpeace。Gretremembershermother，butherofyouderstandhowitiswithme。HermotherandIwereborhemountains，aogetherforalmosttwehenaftersheleftus，Imovedaway，foolishlybelievingthatIcet。ButIwaswrong。OfcourseIwaswrong。Aman&#etthemotherofhis，eventhoughheknowshewillneverseeheragain。"

&ede，andIyeyesfromherdarklyframedprofilebesideme。Theriverbelowusmadenosound，butthewarmthofitsvaporwouldhatitwasstillthere。

&herhadbentfartherforwardinhistilhisarmswererestingonhisknees，atoseesomeohersidehoaintopaboveit。Hiseyesstraiheshaftoflightthatcamethroughtheopendooronthemahere。Tearsfellfromhisfacelikefragmentsofstars，burningintohisquiveringhandsuntiltheywereoutofsight。

&illiupahroughthedoorway。Hishugeshadowfellupodmeashestoodtheremomentarilybefiurnedaowardhimbut，eventhoughheassingfromsight，Iyeyesuponhim。

&edclainstme，squeezingherfihehollowofmyhandandtougmyshoulderwithhercheeksasthoughsheweretryihingfromthem。Herfather'sfootstepsgrewfailastweolongerhearhim。

Somewherebelowus，alongthebankoftheriver，araihevalley，gahroughthenight。Oallyitslightsflashedthroughtheopeningsinthedarkness，danthebroadgreenriverlikephtsih，aallicechoofitssteelrumbledagainstthehighwallsofthemouclaspedherhandstightlyovermyhaertips。

"Richard，whydidyoue？"

Hervoigledwiththesgmetallicechoofthetrainthatnowseemedfaroff。

Ihadexpectedtupintomyface，butwheoher，Isawthatshewasgazingfardownintothevalley，dowersoftheriver。SheknewwhyIhade，butshedidnotwishtohearmesay>

IdidnotknowwhyIhadetoseeher，now。IhadlikedGretdIhaddesiredheraboveanyoneelseIkIottellherthatIlovedher，afterhavingheardherfatherspeakoflove。IwassorryIhade，nheardhimspeakofGretotherashedid。Ikwouldgiveherselftome，becauseshelovedme；butIhadnothingtogiveheriurn。Shewasbeautiful，verybeautiful，andIhaddesiredher。Thatwasbefore。IeveragainthinkofherasIhadeprepared。

"Whydidyoue，Richard？"

"Why？"

"Yes，Richard，why？"

MyeyesdwhatIfeltwasthememoryofthestar-poistwinklingdowninthevalleyahoftheriverflowihecaressersasshetouchedmyarm。

"Richard，pleasetellmewhyyoucame。"

"Idon'tknowwhyIcame，Gret。"