第25章你可听见我心动（11）
现在距离不伦瑞克还有20英里，年轻人都聚集到车右边靠窗子的座位，等着大橡树的出现。紧张的气氛顿时笼罩了整个车厢。温哥没有勇气望窗外，紧绷着脸，尽量掩饰自己内心的不安，他像惊1 之鸟一样，做好了失望的心理准备。
还有10英里，5英里了突然，所有的年轻人都从座位上站了起来，尖叫着，呼喊着，欢呼雀跃不已，只有温哥例外。
温哥木讷地坐在那里，望着橡树。树上挂满了黄手帕——20条，30条，或许足有数百条。这棵树像面旗帜一样，站在那儿，ó 风招展，似乎在欢ó 他的归来。在那些年轻人的欢呼声中，这位刚出狱的人从座位上站了起来，走到车门，准备下车回家了。
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？"sheaskedexcitedly，holdingmyarmwithbothofherhandsandguidihepathtothehouse。
"Ithinkitdid，Gret，"Isaid："butIhopeIoutranit。"
"Everyohatatfirst，butaftergoio'slikewalkingatight-rope。Iusedtowalktight-ropeswhenIwassmall—didn'tyoudothat，too，Richard？estretchedacrossthefloorofourbarntopra。"
"Idid，too，butit'sbeensolongagoI&#ottenhowtodoitnow。"
&hestepsaretetothedoor。Someohehousewasbringingalampintothehall，andwiththeiIsawGret'stwosistersstandingjustiheopendoor。
"Thisismylittlesister，A;Gretsaid。"AndthisisMary。"
Ispoketothemintilesemi-darkness，aothehall。Gret'sfatherwasstaableholdingthelampalittletooheyface。Ihadhimbefore。
"Thisismyfather，"Gretsaid。"Hewasafraidyouwouldn'tbeabletofindourhouseintiledark。"
"Iwahtdownteayou，butGretsaidyouwouldgetherewithoutanytrouble。Didyougetlost？Icouldhavebroughtalanterndownwithall。"
IshookhandswithhimandtoldhimhoweasilyIhadfoundtheplace。
"Thehackdriverpoiomethehousefromtheothersideoftheriver，andIneveronyeyesfromthelight。IfIhadlostsightofthelight，I'dprobablybestumblingaroundsomewherenowinthedarkdreadytofallier。"
Helaughedatmefafraidoftileriver。
"Youwouldn'thavemiheriveriswarm。Evehereisiowuheriverisaswarmasafortableroom。Allofusherelovethewaterdow;
"No，Richard，youwouldn'thavefallenin，"Gretsaid，layingherha;Isawyouthemomentyougotoutofthehadifyouhadgohewroion，Iwasreadytoruntoyou。"
Iwishedtothafthat，butalreadyshewasgoiothefloorabove，andgme。Iweingmyhandbaginfrohere，lightedbutturnedlow，otheendoftheupperball，andshepickeditupaaheadihefrontrooms。
&oodforamomentlookiher，a。
"Thereisfreshwatericher，Richard。Ifthereisanythingelseyouwouldliketohave，pleasetellme。Itriednottooverlookanything。"
"Don&#ret，"Itoldher。"I'twishfmore。It'senoughjusttobeherewithyou，anyway。There'snothingelseIcarefor。"
Shelookedatmequidthensheloweredhereyes。Westoodsilentlyforseveralminutes，whileherofuskofanythingtosay。IwaellherhowgladIwastobewithher，evenifitwasht，butIknewIcouldsaythattretewwhyIhade。
"I'llleavethelampforyou，RidI'llwaitdownstairsforyouontheporeassoonasyouareready。"
&beforeIcouldofferthttothestairheadforhertoseethewaydowimeIhadpickedupthelamp，shewasoutofsightdo>
Iwalkedbaahedoorandbathedmyfads，sgthetraindustwithbrushandsoap。Therewasarowofhand-embroideredtowelsontheradItookoneanddriedmyfads。AfterthatIyhair，andfoundafreshhahehandbag。Thehedooraairstofi。
&herwasontheporchwithher。Whehroughthedotupandgavemeachairbetweepulledheriougmyarmwithherhand。