the golden road-第5部分

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t　I　could　not　screw　my　courage　to　the　sticking　point。　　How　I　envied　Peter　his　easy；　insouciant　manner！　　I　could　not　emulate　him；　so　Dan　and　Felix　and　Cecily　and　the　Story　Girl　and　I　all　walked　hand　in　hand；　huddling　a　little　closer　together　as　we　went　through　James　Frewen's　woodsfor　there　are　strange　harps　in　a　fir　grove；　and　who　shall　say　what　fingers　sweep　them？　Mighty　and　sonorous　was　the　music　above　our　heads　as　the　winds　of　the　night　stirred　the　great　boughs　tossing　athwart　the　starlit　sky。　　Perhaps　it　was　that　aeolian　harmony　which　recalled　to　the　Story　Girl　a　legend　of　elder　days。

〃I　read　such　a　pretty　story　in　one　of　Aunt　Olivia's　books　last　night；〃　she　said。　　〃It　was　called　'The　Christmas　Harp。'　Would　you　like　to　hear　it？　　It　seems　to　me　it　would　just　suit　this　part　of　the　road。〃

〃There　isn't　anything　aboutabout　ghosts　in　it；　is　there？〃　said　Cecily　timidly。

〃Oh；　no；　I　wouldn't　tell　a　ghost　story　here　for　anything。　　I'd　frighten　myself　too　much。　　This　story　is　about　one　of　the　shepherds　who　saw　the　angels　on　the　first　Christmas　night。　　He　was　just　a　youth；　and　he　loved　music　with　all　his　heart；　and　he　longed　to　be　able　to　express　the　melody　that　was　in　his　soul。　　But　he　could　not；　he　had　a　harp　and　he　often　tried　to　play　on　it；　but　his　clumsy　fingers　only　made　such　discord　that　his　companions　laughed　at　him　and　mocked　him；　and　called　him　a　madman　because　he　would　not　give　it　up；　but　would　rather　sit　apart　by　himself；　with　his　arms　about　his　harp；　looking　up　into　the　sky；　while　they　gathered　around　their　fire　and　told　tales　to　wile　away　their　long　night　vigils　as　they　watched　their　sheep　on　the　hills。　　But　to　him　the　thoughts　that　came　out　of　the　great　silence　were　far　sweeter　than　their　mirth；　and　he　never　gave　up　the　hope；　which　sometimes　left　his　lips　as　a　prayer；　that　some　day　he　might　be　able　to　express　those　thoughts　in　music　to　the　tired；　weary；　forgetful　world。　　On　the　first　Christmas　night　he　was　out　with　his　fellow　shepherds　on　the　hills。　　It　was　chill　and　dark；　and　all；　except　him；　were　glad　to　gather　around　the　fire。　　He　sat；　as　usual；　by　himself；　with　his　harp　on　his　knee　and　a　great　longing　in　his　heart。　　And　there　came　a　marvellous　light　in　the　sky　and　over　the　hills；　as　if　the　darkness　of　the　night　had　suddenly　blossomed　into　a　wonderful　meadow　of　flowery　flame；　and　all　the　shepherds　saw　the　angels　and　heard　them　sing。　　And　as　they　sang；　the　harp　that　the　young　shepherd　held　began　to　play　softly　by　itself；　and　as　he　listened　to　it　he　realized　that　it　was　playing　the　same　music　that　the　angels　sang　and　that　all　his　secret　longings　and　aspirations　and　strivings　were　expressed　in　it。　　From　that　night；　whenever　he　took　the　harp　in　his　hands；　it　played　the　same　music；　and　he　wandered　all　over　the　world　carrying　it；　wherever　the　sound　of　its　music　was　heard　hate　and　discord　fled　away　and　peace　and　good…will　reigned。　　No　one　who　heard　it　could　think　an　evil　thought；　no　one　could　feel　hopeless　or　despairing　or　bitter　or　angry。　　When　a　man　had　once　heard　that　music　it　entered　into　his　soul　and　heart　and　life　and　became　a　part　of　him　for　ever。　　Years　went　by；　the　shepherd　grew　old　and　bent　and　feeble；　but　still　he　roamed　over　land　and　sea；　that　his　harp　might　carry　the　message　of　the　Christmas　night　and　the　angel　song　to　all　mankind。　　At　last　his　strength　failed　him　and　he　fell　by　the　wayside　in　the　darkness；　but　his　harp　played　as　his　spirit　passed；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　a　Shining　One　stood　by　him；　with　wonderful　starry　eyes；　and　said　to　him；　'Lo；　the　music　thy　harp　has　played　for　so　many　years　has　been　but　the　echo　of　the　love　and　sympathy　and　purity　and　beauty　in　thine　own　soul；　and　if　at　any　time　in　the　wanderings　thou　hadst　opened　the　door　of　that　soul　to　evil　or　envy　or　selfishness　thy　harp　would　have　ceased　to　play。　　Now　thy　life　is　ended；　but　what　thou　hast　given　to　mankind　has　no　end；　and　as　long　as　the　world　lasts；　so　long　will　the　heavenly　music　of　the　Christmas　harp　ring　in　the　ears　of　men。'　When　the　sun　rose　the　old　shepherd　lay　dead　by　the　roadside；　with　a　smile　on　his　face；　and　in　his　hands　was　a　harp　with　all　its　strings　broken。〃

We　left　the　fir　woods　as　the　tale　was　ended；　and　on　the　opposite　hill　was　home。　　A　dim　light　in　the　kitchen　window　betokened　that　Aunt　Janet　had　no　idea　of　going　to　bed　until　all　her　young　fry　were　safely　housed　for　the　night。

〃Ma's　waiting　up　for　us；〃　said　Dan。　　〃I'd　laugh　if　she　happened　to　go　to　the　door　just　as　Felicity　and　Peter　were　strutting　up。　　I　guess　she'll　be　cross。　　It's　nearly　twelve。〃

〃Christmas　will　soon　be　over；〃　said　Cecily；　with　a　sigh。　　〃Hasn't　it　been　a　nice　one？　　It's　the　first　we've　all　spent　together。　　Do　you　suppose　we'll　ever　spend　another　together？〃

〃Lots　of　'em；〃　said　Dan　cheerily。　　〃Why　not？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　answered　Cecily；　her　footsteps　lagging　somewhat。　　〃Only　things　seem　just　a　little　too　pleasant　to　last。〃

〃If　Willy　Fraser　had　had　as　much　spunk　as　Peter；　Miss　Cecily　King　mightn't　be　so　low　spirited；〃　quoth　Dan；　significantly。

Cecily　tossed　her　head　and　disdained　reply。　　There　are　really　some　remarks　a　self…respecting　young　lady　must　ignore。



CHAPTER　IV

NEW　YEAR　RESOLUTIONS


If　we　did　not　have　a　white　Christmas　we　had　a　white　New　Year。　　Midway　between　the　two　came　a　heavy　snowfall。　　It　was　winter　in　our　orchard　of　old　delights　then；so　truly　winter　that　it　was　hard　to　believe　summer　had　ever　dwelt　in　it；　or　that　spring　would　ever　return　to　it。　　There　were　no　birds　to　sing　the　music　of　the　moon；　and　the　path　where　the　apple　blossoms　had　fallen　were　heaped　with　less　fragrant　drifts。　　But　it　was　a　place　of　wonder　on　a　moonlight　night；　when　the　snowy　arcades　shone　like　avenues　of　ivory　and　crystal；　and　the　bare　trees　cast　fairy…like　traceries　upon　them。　　Over　Uncle　Stephen's　Walk；　where　the　snow　had　fallen　smoothly；　a　spell　of　white　magic　had　been　woven。　　Taintless　and　wonderful　it　seemed；　like　a　street　of　pearl　in　the　new　Jerusalem。

On　New　Year's　Eve　we　were　all　together　in　Uncle　Alec's　kitchen；　which　was　tacitly　given　over　to　our　revels　during　the　winter　evenings。　　The　Story　Girl　and　Peter　were　there；　of　course；　and　Sara　Ray's　mother　had　allowed　her　to　come　up　on　condition　that　she　should　be　home　by　eight　sharp。　　Cecily　was　glad　to　see　her；　but　the　boys　never　hailed　her　arrival　with　over…much　delight；　because；　since　the　dark　began　to　come　down　early；　Aunt　Janet　always　made　one　of　us　walk　down　home　with　her。　　We　hated　this；　because　Sara　Ray　was　always　so　maddeningly　self…conscious　of　having　an　escort。　　We　knew　perfectly　well　that　next　day　in　school　she　would　tell　her　chums　as　a　〃dead〃　secret　that　〃So…and…So　King　saw　her　home〃　from　the　hill　farm　the　night　before。　　Now；　seeing　a　young　lady　home　from　choice；　and　being　sent　home　with　her　by　your　aunt　or　mother　are　two　entirely　different　things；　and　we　thought　Sara　Ray　ought　to　have　sense　enough　to　know　it。

Outside　there　was　a　vivid　rose　of　sunset　behind　the　cold　hills　of　fir；　and　the　long　reaches　of　snowy　fields　glowed　fairily　pink　in　the　western　light。　　The　drifts　along　the　edges　of　the　meadows　and　down　the　lane　looked　as　if　a　series　of　breaking　waves　had；　by　the　lifting　of　a　magician's　wand；　been　suddenly　transformed　into　marble；　even　to　their　toppling　curls　of　foam。

Slowly　the　splendour　died；　giving　place　to　the　mystic　beauty　of　a　winter　twilight　when　the　moon　is　rising。　　The　hollow　sky　was　a　cup　of　blue。　　The　stars　came　out　over　the　white　glens　and　the　earth　was　covered　with　a　kingly　carpet　for　the　feet　of　the　young　year　to　press。

〃I'm　so　glad　the　snow　came；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃If　it　hadn't　the　New　Year　would　have　seemed　just　as　dingy　and　worn　out　as　the　old。　　There's　something　very　solemn　about　the　idea　of　a　New　Year；　isn't　there？　　Just　think　of　three　hundred　and　sixty…five　whole　days；　with　not　a　thing　happened　in　them　yet。〃

〃I　don't　suppose　anything　very　wonderful　will　happen　in　them；〃　said　Felix　pessimistically。　　To　Felix；　just　then；　life　was　flat；　stale　and　unprofitable　because　it　was　his　turn　to　go　home　with　Sara　Ray。

〃It　makes　me　a　little　frightened　to　think　of　all　that　may　happen　in　them；〃　said　Cecily。　　〃Miss　Marwood　says　it　is　what　we　put　into　a　year；　not　what　we　get　out　of　it；　that　counts　at　last。〃

〃I'm　always　glad　to　see　a　New　Year；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃I　wish　we　could　do　as　they　do　in　Norway。　　The　whole　family　sits　up　until　midnight；　and　then；　just　as　the　clock　is　striking　twelve；　the　father　opens　the　door　and　welcomes　the　New　Year　in。　　Isn't　it　a　pretty　custom？〃

〃If　ma　would　let　us　stay　up　till　twelve　we　might　do　that　too；〃　said　Dan；　〃but　she　never　will。　　I　call　it　mean。〃

〃If　I　ever　have　children　I'll　let　them　stay　up　to　watch　the　New　Year　in；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　decidedly。

〃So　will　I；〃　said　Peter；　〃but　other　nights　they'll　have　to　go　to　bed　at　seven。〃

〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed；　speaking　of　such　things；〃　said　Felicity；　with　a　scandalized　face。

Peter　shrank　into　the　background　abashed；　no　doubt　believing　that　he　had　broken　some　Family　Guide　precept　all　to　pieces。

〃I　didn't　know　it　wasn't　proper　to　mention　children；〃　he　muttered　apologetically。

〃We　ought　to　make　some　New　Year　resolutions；〃　suggested　the　Story　Girl。　　〃New　Year's　Eve　is　the　time　to　make　them。〃

〃I　can't　think　of　any　resolutions　I　w