LITTLE WOMEN - Complete Edition: Little Women, Good Wives, Little Men & Jo's Boys. Луиза Мэй Олкотт

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СКАЧАТЬ always at his post,

       With reverence we greet,

       As, spectacles on nose, he reads

       Our well-filled weekly sheet.

      Although he suffers from a cold,

       We joy to hear him speak,

       For words of wisdom from him fall,

       In spite of croak or squeak.

      Old six-foot Snodgrass looms on high,

       With elephantine grace,

       And beams upon the company,

       With brown and jovial face.

      Poetic fire lights up his eye,

       He struggles ‘gainst his lot.

       Behold ambition on his brow,

       And on his nose, a blot.

      Next our peaceful Tupman comes,

       So rosy, plump, and sweet,

       Who chokes with laughter at the puns,

       And tumbles off his seat.

      Prim little Winkle too is here,

       With every hair in place,

       A model of propriety,

       Though he hates to wash his face.

      The year is gone, we still unite

       To joke and laugh and read,

       And tread the path of literature

       That doth to glory lead.

      Long may our paper prosper well,

       Our club unbroken be,

       And coming years their blessings pour

       On the useful, gay ‘P. C.’.

       A. SNODGRASS

      ________

      THE MASKED MARRIAGE

       (A Tale Of Venice)

      Gondola after gondola swept up to the marble

       steps, and left its lovely load to swell the

       brilliant throng that filled the stately halls of Count

       Adelon. Knights and ladies, elves and pages, monks

       and flower girls, all mingled gaily in the dance.

       Sweet voices and rich melody filled the air, and so

       with mirth and music the masquerade went on.

       “Has your Highness seen the Lady Viola tonight?”

       asked a gallant troubadour of the fairy queen who

       floated down the hall upon his arm.

      “Yes, is she not lovely, though so sad! Her

       dress is well chosen, too, for in a week she weds

       Count Antonio, whom she passionately hates.”

      “By my faith, I envy him. Yonder he comes,

       arrayed like a bridegroom, except the black mask.

       When that is off we shall see how he regards the

       fair maid whose heart he cannot win, though her

       stern father bestows her hand,” returned the troubadour.

      “Tis whispered that she loves the young English

       artist who haunts her steps, and is spurned by the

       old Count,” said the lady, as they joined the dance.

       The revel was at its height when a priest

       appeared, and withdrawing the young pair to an alcove,

       hung with purple velvet, he motioned them to kneel.

       Instant silence fell on the gay throng, and not a

       sound, but the dash of fountains or the rustle of

       orange groves sleeping in the moonlight, broke the

       hush, as Count de Adelon spoke thus:

      “My lords and ladies, pardon the ruse by which

       I have gathered you here to witness the marriage of

       my daughter. Father, we wait your services.”

       All eyes turned toward the bridal party, and a

       murmur of amazement went through the throng, for

       neither bride nor groom removed their masks. Curiosity

       and wonder possessed all hearts, but respect restrained

       all tongues till the holy rite was over. Then the

       eager spectators gathered round the count, demanding

       an explanation.

      “Gladly would I give it if I could, but I only

       know that it was the whim of my timid Viola, and I

       yielded to it. Now, my children, let the play end.

       Unmask and receive my blessing.”

      But neither bent the knee, for the young bridegroom

       replied in a tone that startled all listeners

       as the mask fell, disclosing the noble face of Ferdinand

       Devereux, the artist lover, and leaning on the

       breast where now flashed the star of an English earl

       was the lovely Viola, radiant with joy and beauty.

      “My lord, you scornfully bade me claim your

       daughter when I could boast as high a name and vast a

       fortune as the Count Antonio. I can do more, for even

       your ambitious soul cannot refuse the Earl of Devereux

       and De Vere, when he gives his ancient name and boundless

       wealth in return for the beloved hand of this fair lady,

       now my wife.”

      The count stood like one changed to stone, and

       СКАЧАТЬ