奇书网>那些岁月作文 > 暖暖的河流 Warm River（第1页）
暖暖的河流 Warm River（第1页）
暖暖的河流WarmRiver
厄斯金·考德威尔ErskineCaldwell
Thedriverstoppedatthesuspebridgeaomethehouseacrosstheriver。Ipaidhimthequarterfarefortheridefromthestationtwomilesaedfromthecar。AfterhehadgoneIwasaloheightaar-poistwinklinginthevalleyandthebroadgreenriverflome。Allarouainsroselikeblackthenight，andonlybylhtheavenwardcouldIseeanythierglowofsu。
ThegfeswayedwiththerhythmofmystrideaumofitsswingsoonovercamemypalybywalkingfasterandfastercouldIgtothependulumasitswunginitswidearcovertheriver。WhenatlastIcouldseetheotherside，wherethemountainabruptlyandsliduer，Igrippedmyhandbagtighterandranwithallmymight。
&heermyfeethadthegravelpath，Iwasafraid。IkbydayImightwalkthebridgewithoutfear，butatnight，inastrary，withdarkmountainstallaroundmeandabroadgreenriverflowihme，Iyhandsfrafrompoundingagai。
Ifoundthehouseeasily，amyselffruhehousewasthefirstoerleavibridge，andevenifIshouldhavemissedit，Gretwould，havecalledme。Shewasthereoheporgforme。WhenIheardherfamiliarvoigmyname，Iwasashamedofmyselffbeehemountainsandthebrbelow。
Sherandoathtomeetme。
“Didthefhtenyou，Richard?”sheaskedexyarmwithbothofherhandsandguidihepathtothehouse。
“Ithinkitdid，Gret，”Isaid:“butIhopeIoutranit。”
&riestodothatatfirst，butaftergoio’slikewalkingatight-rope。Iusedtowalktight-ropeswhenIwassmall-didn’tyoudothat，too，Richard？estretchedacrossthefloorofourbarntopra。”
“Idid，too，butIt’sbeensolongagottenhowtodoitnow。”
&hestepsaretetothedoor。Someohehousewasbringingalampintothehall，andwiththeiIsawGretstwosistersstandingjustiheopendoor。
“Thisismylittlesister，Asaid。“AndthisisMary。”
Ispoketothemintilesemi-darkness，aothehall。Gretsfatherwasstaableholdingthelampalittletooheyfaotmethimbefore。
“Thisismyfather，”Gretsaid。“Hewasafraidyouwouldofindourhouseintiledark。”
“IwahtdownteaGretsaidyouwouldgetherewithoutanytrouble。Didyougetlost?Icouldhavebroughtalanterndownwithall。”
IshookhandswithhimandtoldhimhoweasilyIhadfoundtheplace。
“Thehackdriverpoiomethehousefromtheothersideoftheriver，andIneveronyeyesfromthelight。IfIhadlostsightofthelight，Idprobablybestumblingaroundsomewherenowinthedarkdreadytofallier。”
Helaughedatmefafraidoftileriver。
“Youwouldnthavemiheriveriswarm。Evehereisiowuheriverisaswarmasafortableroom。Allofusherelovethewaterdownthere。”
“No，Richard，youwouldnthavefallesaid，layingherhandinmine。“Isawyouthemomentyougotoutofthehadifyouhadgohewroiooruntoyou。”
Iwishedtothafthat，butalreadyshewasgoiothefloorabove，andgme。Iweingmyhandbaginfrohere，lightedbutturnedlow，otheendoftheupperball，andshepickeditupaaheadihefrontrooms。
&oodforamomentlookiher，a。
“Thereisfreshwatericher，Richard。Ifthereisanythingelseyouwouldliketohave，pleasetellme。Itriednottooverlookanything。”
“Dret，”Itoldher。“I’twishfmore。It’senoughjusttobeherewithyou，ahingelseIcarefor。”
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，wouldntyou？”
“Oh，butFatherusedtoliveinNretsaid。“Didntyou，Father？”
“Ilivedthereforhreeyears。”
