按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the mountains freed from winter； the new flights and songs of birds；
all the odorous； enchanted； restless Spring。
There suddenly appeared through the doorway a white rough…haired
terrier dog； black…marked about the face； with shaggy tan eyebrows。
He sniffed at Harz； showed the whites round his eyes； and uttered a
sharp bark。 A young voice called：
〃Scruff！ Thou naughty dog！〃 Light footsteps were heard on the
stairs； from the distance a thin； high voice called：
〃Greta！ You mustn't go up there！〃
A little girl of twelve； with long fair hair under a wide…brimmed
hat； slipped in。
Her blue eyes opened wide； her face flushed up。 That face was not
regular； its cheek…bones were rather prominent； the nose was
flattish； there was about it an air； innocent； reflecting； quizzical；
shy。
〃Oh！〃 she said。
Harz smiled： 〃Good…morning！ This your dog？〃
She did not answer； but looked at him with soft bewilderment； then
running to the dog seized him by the collar。
〃Scr…ruff！ Thou naughty dog…the baddest dog！〃 The ends of her hair
fell about him； she looked up at Harz； who said：
〃Not at all！ Let me give him some bread。〃
〃Oh no！ You must notI will beat himand tell him he is bad； then
he shall not do such things again。 Now he is sulky； he looks so
always when he is sulky。 Is this your home？〃
〃For the present； I am a visitor。〃
〃But I think you are of this country； because you speak like it。〃
〃Certainly； I am a Tyroler。〃
〃I have to talk English this morning； but I do not like it very much…
…because； also I am half Austrian； and I like it best； but my sister；
Christian； is all English。 Here is Miss Naylor； she shall be very
angry with me。〃
And pointing to the entrance with a rosy…tipped forefinger； she again
looked ruefully at Harz。
There came into the room with a walk like the hopping of a bird an
elderly； small lady； in a grey serge dress； with narrow bands of
claret…coloured velveteen； a large gold cross dangled from a steel
chain on her chest； she nervously twisted her hands； clad in black
kid gloves； rather white about the seams。
Her hair was prematurely grey； her quick eyes brown； her mouth
twisted at one corner； she held her face； kind…looking； but long and
narrow； rather to one side； and wore on it a look of apology。 Her
quick sentences sounded as if she kept them on strings； and wanted to
draw them back as soon as she had let them forth。
〃Greta； how can； you do such things？ I don't know what your father
would say！ I am sure I don't know how toso extraordinary〃
〃Please！〃 said Harz。
〃You must come at onceso very sorryso awkward！〃 They were
standing in a ring： Harz with his eyebrows working up and down； the
little lady fidgeting her parasol； Greta； flushed and pouting； her
eyes all dewy； twisting an end of fair hair round her finger。
〃Oh； look！〃 The coffee had boiled over。 Little brown streams
trickled spluttering from the pan； the dog； with ears laid back and
tail tucked in； went scurrying round the room。 A feeling of
fellowship fell on them at once。
〃Along the wall is our favourite walk； and Scruffso awkward； so
unfortunatewe did not think any one lived herethe shutters are
cracked； the paint is peeling off so dreadfully。 Have you been long
in Botzen？ Two months？ Fancy！ You are not English？ You are
Tyrolese？ But you speak English so wellthere for seven years？
Really？ So fortunate！It is Greta's day for English。〃
Miss Naylor's eyes darted bewildered glances at the roof where the
crossing of the beams made such deep shadows； at the litter of
brushes； tools； knives； and colours on a table made out of packing…
cases； at the big window； innocent of glass； and flush with the
floor； whence dangled a bit of rusty chainrelic of the time when
the place had been a store…loft； her eyes were hastily averted from
an unfnished figure of the nude。
Greta； with feet crossed； sat on a coloured blanket； dabbling her
fnger in a little pool of coffee； and gazing up at Harz。 And he
thought： 'I should like to paint her like that。 〃A forget…me…not。〃'
He took out his chalks to make a sketch of her。
〃Shall you show me？〃 cried out Greta； scrambling to her feet。
〃'Will；' Greta'will'； how often must I tell you？ I think we should
be goingit is very lateyour fatherso very kind of you； but I
think we should be going。 Scruff！〃 Miss Naylor gave the floor two
taps。 The terrier backed into a plaster cast which came down on his
tail； and sent him flying through the doorway。 Greta followed
swiftly； crying：
〃Ach！ poor Scrufee！〃
Miss Naylor crossed the room； bowing； she murmured an apology； and
also disappeared。
Harz was left alone； his guests were gone； the little girl with the
fair hair and the eyes like forget…me…nots； the little lady with
kindly gestures and bird…like walk； the terrier。 He looked round
him； the room seemed very empty。 Gnawing his moustache； he muttered
at the fallen cast。
Then taking up his brush； stood before his picture； smiling and
frowning。 Soon he had forgotten it all in his work。
II
It was early morning four days later； and Harz was loitering
homewards。 The shadows of the clouds passing across the vines were
vanishing over the jumbled roofs and green…topped spires of the town。
A strong sweet wind was blowing from the mountains； there was a stir
in the branches of the trees； and flakes of the late blossom were
drifting down。 Amongst the soft green pods of a kind of poplar
chafers buzzed； and numbers of their little brown bodies were strewn
on the path。
He passed a bench where a girl sat sketching。 A puff of wind whirled
her drawing to the ground； Harz ran to pick it up。 She took it from
him with a bow； but； as he turned away； she tore the sketch across。
〃Ah！〃 he said； 〃why did you do that？〃
This girl； who stood with a bit of the torn sketch in either hand；
was slight and straight； and her face earnest and serene。 She gazed
at Harz with large； clear； greenish eyes； her lips and chin were
defiant； her forehead tranquil。
〃I don't like it。〃
〃Will you let me look at it？ I am a painter。〃
〃It isn't worth looking at； butif you wish〃
He put the two halves of the sketch together。
〃You see！〃 she said at last； 〃I told you。〃
Harz did not answer； still looking at the sketch。 The girl frowned。
Harz asked her suddenly：
〃Why do you paint？〃
She coloured； and said：
〃Show me what is wrong。〃
〃I cannot show you what is wrong； there is nothing wrongbut why do
you paint？〃
〃I don't understand。〃
Harz shrugged his shoulders。
〃You've no business to do that；〃 said the girl in a hurt voice； 〃I
want to know。〃
〃Your heart is not in it；〃 said Harz。
She looked at him； startled； her eyes had grown thoughtful。
〃I suppose that is it。 There are so many other things〃