子浪小说

第59部分（第4页）

〃Ursula　Ruth；〃　replied　the　man；　laughing　vainly；　as　pleased

as　if　he　had　found　something。

It　was　now　Ursulas　turn　to　be　confused。

〃It　does　sound　awfully　nice；〃　she　said。　〃I　must　give

her　something。　And　I　havent　got　anything　at　all。〃

She　stood　in　her　white　dress；　wondering；　down　there　in　the

barge。　The　lean　man　sitting　near　to　her　watched　her　as　if　she

were　a　strange　being；　as　if　she　lit　up　his　face。　His　eyes　smiled

on　her；　boldly；　and　yet　with　exceeding　admiration

underneath。

〃Could　I　give　her　my　necklace？〃　she　said。

It　was　the　little　necklace　made　of　pieces　of　amethyst　and

topaz　and　pearl　and　crystal；　strung　at　intervals　on　a　little

golden　chain；　which　her　Uncle　Tom　had　given　her。　She　was　very

fond　of　it。　She　looked　at　it　lovingly；　when　she　had　taken　it

from　her　neck。

〃Is　it　valuable？〃　the　man　asked　her；　curiously。

〃I　think　so；〃　she　replied。

〃The　stones　and　pearl　are　real；　it　is　worth　three　or　four

pounds；〃　said　Skrebensky　from　the　wharf　above。　Ursula　could　tell

he　disapproved　of　her。

〃I　must　give　it　to　your　baby……may　I？〃　she　said　to

the　bargee。

He　flushed；　and　looked　away　into　the　evening。

〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃its　not　for　me　to　say。〃

〃What　would　your　father　and　mother　say？〃　cried　the　woman

curiously；　from　the　door。

〃It　is　my　own；〃　said　Ursula；　and　she　dangled　the　little

glittering　string　before　the　baby。　The　infant　spread　its　little

fingers。　But　it　could　not　grasp。　Ursula　closed　the　tiny　hand

over　the　jewel。　The　baby　waved　the　bright　ends　of　the　string。

Ursula　had　given　her　necklace　away。　She　felt　sad。　But　she　did

not　want　it　back。

The　jewel　swung　from　the　babys　hand　and　fell　in　a　little

heap　on　the　coal…dusty　bottom　of　the　barge。　The　man　groped　for

it；　with　a　kind　of　careful　reverence。　Ursula　noticed　the

coarsened；　blunted　fingers　groping　at　the　little　jewelled　heap。

The　skin　was　red　on　the　back　of　the　hand；　the　fair　hairs

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