岩岛奇遇 An Adventure on Island Rock（第1页）

岩岛奇遇AureonIslandRock

露西·莫德·蒙哥马利Luery

露西·莫德·蒙哥马利（Luery，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。”

&Hughes，thethanboywhomUncle“boardedahechoreshedid，suddeing。

“Oh，Mr。LawsoingtosellLaddie！”hecriedgly。

UncleRichardstaredathim。Neverbefore，ihatErhadlivedwithhim，hadthequietlittlefellowspokenwithoutbeio，muchlessveestagainstanythingUncleRichardmightdo。

&ainlyIam。”atercurtly。“Bobofferedmetwentyd，andhesingafterhimweek。”

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

“Whathis?”saidUncleRichardsharply。Hewasamanwhobrookednooppositionfromanybody，andwhedhismiwasoncemadeup。

“DontsellLaddie！”pleadedErmiserably。“Heistheonlyfrie。I‘tliveifLaddiegoesaway。Oh，don’tsellhim，Mr。Lawson！”

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

&forthefirsttimedidnotobey。Hesnatchedhisthebackofhischair，dasheditdownoverhiseyes，andrawithasobghisbreath。UncleRichardlookedangry，butAuehehim。

“Doheboy，Richard，”shesaid。“YouknowheisveryfondofLaddie。He‘shadtodowithhimeversincehe，andnodoubthefeelsbadlyatthethoughtoflosinghim。I’mrathersorrymyselfthatyouhavesoldthedog。”

“Well，heissoldandthere‘sa。Idon’tsaybutthatthedogisagooddog。Butheisofous，aydollarswillightyhandyjusththattoBob，forheisagoodwatchdog，sowe’vebothmadeafairbargain。”

NothingmorewassaidaboutErorLaddie。Ihadtakennopartinthedis，forIfelterestier。Laddiewasawasaquiet，ilefellow，fveyearsyouhawasallIthoughtabouteitherofthem。

IendingmyvaatUncleRichardsfarmontheNovaSBayofFundyshore。IwasagreatfavouritewithUncleRichard，partlybecausehehadbeenmuchattaother，hisolybeystroohisonlyson，whohaddiedseveralyearsbefore。UncleRichardwasasteriveman，butIkheeainedadeepaionforme，andIalwaysenjoyedmyvasojournsathisplace。

“Whatareyougoingtodothisafternoon，Ned?”heasked，afterthedisturbancecausedbyErbreakhadquieteddown。

“IthinkIllrowouttoIslandRock，”Ireplied。“Iwanttotakesomeviewsoftheshorefromit。”

UncleRiodded。Hewasmuterestedinmyne>

“Ifyou‘reonitaboutfouro’clock，you‘llgetafheHoleintheWall’whenthesuoshihroughit，”hesaid。“Iveoftenthoughtitwouldmakeahaure。”

“AfterI‘vefakiures，IthinkI’llgodowoUncleAdamsandstayallnight，”Isaid。“Jimsdarkroomismoretthanmine，andhehassomepicturesheisgoionight，too。”

Istartedfortheshoreabouttwoo‘estwassittingontheassedthroughtheyard，withhisarmsaboutLaddie’snedhisfaceburiedinLaddiescurlyhair。Laddiewasahaelligentblad-whiteNewfoundland，withamag。Heaweregreatchums。Ifeltsorryfortheboywhowastolosehispet。

“Dosohard，Ern，”Isaid，tryingto。“Unclewilllikelygetanotherpup。”

“Idontwantanyotherpup！”Eredout。“Oh，youtryandcoaxyouruosellhim?Perhapshe’dlistentoyou。”

Ishookmyhead。IknewUncleRichardtoowelltohopethat。

“Notinthis，”Isaid。“Hewouldsayitdidnote，andyouknownothingmoveshimwheermihing。You‘llhavetorecileyourselftolosingLaddie，I’mafraid。”

&ow-colouredheadwentdownonLaddie’sne，ahattherewasnouseinsayinganythingmore，proceededtowardstheshore，whiilefromUncleRichard‘shouse。Thebeaghisfarmandforseveralfarmsalongshorewasaloedohefisher-folkalllivedtwomilesfurtherdown，atRowley’sCove。AboutthreehundredyardsfromtheshoreeationknownasIslandRock。Thiswasalargerockthatstoodabruptlyupoutofthewater。Below，abouttheusualwater-liwasseamedassummitroseupinanarroedpeak。Atlowtidetwewasabovewater，butathightideitwassixfeetandoftenmoreuer。

IpushedUncleRichardssmallflatdhpathaoIslandRthere，Ithrustthepaioahiswastheusualwayit，andnodoubtofitssafetyoe。

Iscrambleduptherodarouerhereacefandfromwhiecapitalviewscouldbeobtaiheseaabouttherockwascalm，buttherewasquiteaswellonandanoff-shorebreezewasblowing。Therewerenoboatsvisible。Thetidewaslow，leavihecuriousdheadlandsalongshore，andIseumberofexapshots。ItwasnowthreeoustwaitanotherhouryetbeforeIcouldgetthebestviewofthe“HoleintheWall”-ahuge，arch-likeopeningthroughajuttiothewestofme。Iwentaroundtolookatit，whenIsawasightthatmademestopshortindismay。Thiswashefat，driftingoutwardarouheswellandsuofthewateraroundtherockmusthavepulledherloose-andIrisomyonlyfeelingwasoneofahenathoughtfashedintomymindthatmademedizzywithfear。Thetidewouldbehighthatnight。IfIotesIslandRockIwouldiablybedrowned。