When I was young, I went looking for gold in
California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a
beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had
bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the
time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good
luck didn’t last.
Then, I realized I was not alone after all.
A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his
little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White
curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.
Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit
seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.
And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of
flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart
showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said
affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”
One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He
went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was
straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained,
“It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has
brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”
As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf
that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There
was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the
picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see
her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she
is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be
back on Saturday, in the evening.”
That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was
Henry.
Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We
just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh
yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet
and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his
friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands
away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you
mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any
little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”
Saturday finally came.
I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with
guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers
they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.
Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey.
When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop
that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had
hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew pale
and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.”
Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.
In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and
tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said,
“Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced
at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen
years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.
“She went to see her folks half a year after she got
married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost
here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane.
But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here,
three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the
letter. Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done
it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but
only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for
another year.”
The two old men opened the door and disappeared into
the darkness of Stanislau.
1.You can sense the existence of a woman from the
following sentences EXCEPT “______”.
A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau.
B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.
C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of
flowers.
D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a
woman.
2.Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter,
because ______.
A. he was getting older and older
B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter
C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife
D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive
so late
3.Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.
A. there was not enough whiskey for Henry B.
he didn’t want me to get drunk
C. that glass of whiskey was drugged D.
it was for Henry’s wife
4.The underlined word “insane” probably means
“______”.
A. depressed B.
disappointed C.
mad D.
sick
5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen
B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times
C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was
lost
D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past
memories
6.The story is mainly about ______.
A. ever-lasting love B.
lifelong friendship
C. an unforgettable experience D.
charming Stanislau