第26章你可听见我心动（12）
"Isthisthefirsttimeyouhavebeehemountains，Richard?"herfatheraskedme，turninginhise。
"I'vehinahundredmilesofherebefore，sir。It'sadifferenttryuphere，butIsupposeyouwouldthinkthesameaboutthecoast，wouldn'tyou？"
"Oh，butFatherusedtoliveinNorfolk，"Gretsaid。"Didn'tyou，Father？"
"Ilivedthereforhreeyears。"
Therewassomethingelsehewouldsay，andbothofuswaitedforhimtoue。
"Fatherisamastermeic，"Gretwhisperedtome。"Heworksintherailroadshops。"
"Yes，"hesaidafterawhile。"I'velivedinmahereiswhereIwishtostay。"
Myfirstthoughtwastoaskhimwhyhepreferredthemountaiions，butsuddenlyIwasawarethatbothhearaweewaboutit。
Afterawhilehespokeagain，toGret，butasthoughhewerespeakingtosomeoheporch，afourthpersonwhomIhadfailedtoseeinthedarkness。Iwaited，teed，forhimtoue。
&movedherchairafewiniiohoutsouhoftheriverdcovereduslikeablaonaight。
&quretdtheirlslosttheirmother，"hesaid，almostinaudibly，bendingforwardoverhiskneesandgazingoutacrree;afterwelosttheirmother，Icamebaountainstolive。I'tstayinNorfolk，andI'tstanditinBaltimore。ThiswastheohwhereIdpeace。Gretremembershermother，butherofyouderstandhowitiswithme。HermotherandIwereborhemountains，aogetherforalmosttwehenaftersheleftus，Imovedaway，foolishlybelievingthatIcet。ButIwaswrong。OfcourseIwaswrong。Aman&#etthemotherofhis，eventhoughheknowshewillneverseeheragain。"
&ede，andIyeyesfromherdarklyframedprofilebesideme。Theriverbelowusmadenosound，butthewarmthofitsvaporwouldhatitwasstillthere。
&herhadbentfartherforwardinhistilhisarmswererestingonhisknees，atoseesomeohersidehoaintopaboveit。Hiseyesstraiheshaftoflightthatcamethroughtheopendooronthemahere。Tearsfellfromhisfacelikefragmentsofstars，burningintohisquiveringhandsuntiltheywereoutofsight。
&illiupahroughthedoorway。Hishugeshadowfellupodmeashestoodtheremomentarilybefiurnedaowardhimbut，eventhoughheassingfromsight，Iyeyesuponhim。
&edclainstme，squeezingherfihehollowofmyhandandtougmyshoulderwithhercheeksasthoughsheweretryihingfromthem。Herfather'sfootstepsgrewfailastweolongerhearhim。
Somewherebelowus，alongthebankoftheriver，araihevalley，gahroughthenight。Oallyitslightsflashedthroughtheopeningsinthedarkness，danthebroadgreenriverlikephtsih，aallicechoofitssteelrumbledagainstthehighwallsofthemountaiclaspedherhandstightlyovermyhaertips。
"Richard，whydidyoue?"
Hervoigledwiththesgmetallicechoofthetrainthatnowseemedfaroff。
Ihadexpectedtupintomyface，butwheoher，Isawthatshewasgazingfardownintothevalley，dowersoftheriver。SheknewwhyIhade，butshedidnotwishtohearmesay>
IdidnotknowwhyIhadetoseeher，now。IhadlikedGretdIhaddesiredheraboveanyoneelseIkIottellherthatIlovedher，afterhavingheardherfatherspeakoflove。IwassorryIhade，nheardhimspeakofGretotherashedid。Ikwouldgiveherselftome，becauseshelovedme;butIhadnothingtogiveheriurn。Shewasbeautiful，verybeautiful，andIhaddesiredher。Thatwasbefore。IeveragainthinkofherasIhadeprepared。
"Whydidyoue，Richard？"
"Why?"
"Yes，Richard;why?"
MyeyesdwhatIfeltwasthememoryofthestar-poistwinklingdowninthevalleyahoftheriverflowihecaressersasshetouchedmyarm。
"Richard，pleasetellmewhyyoucame。"
"Idon'tknowwhyIcame，Gret。"
"Ifyouonlylovedme。asIloveyou，Richard，youhy。"
Herfirembledinmyhand。Iknewshelovedme。Therehadbeennodoubtinmymindfrrete。
"PerhapsIshouldnothavee，"Isaid。"Imadeamistake，Gret。Ishouldhavestayedaway。"
"Butyouwillbehereht，Richard。Yearlyinthem。Youaren'tsorrythatyoucame，forjustthisshorttime，areyou，Richard?"
"I'mnotsorrythatIamhere，Gret，butIshouldnothavee。Ididn'tknoasdoianyrighttoehere。Peoplewholoveeachotheraretheo;
"Butyoudolovemejustalittle，don'tyou，Richard?You'tpossiblylovemenearlysomuchasIloveyou，but'tyoutellmethatyoudolovemejustalittle?I'llfeelmuchhappierafteryouhavegone，Richard。"
"Idon'tknow，"Isaid，trembling。
"Richard，please—"