Читать книгу A West Point Treasure; Or, Mark Mallory's Strange Find онлайн

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“It’s the foot of the cliff,” responded Mark. “Do you see it?”

The Parson turned away with a grieved look and fell to chipping at the rock. The rest roared with laughter, for which the geologist saw no cause.

“Gentlemen,” said he at last, “allow me to remind you of a line from Goldsmith’s ‘Deserted Village’:

“‘And the loud laugh that shows the empty mind.’”

Whereupon Dewey muttered an excited “B’gee.” Dewey had been so awed by his companion’s learning that he hadn’t told a story for an hour; but here the temptation was too great.

“B’gee!” he cried. “That reminds me of a story I once heard. There was a fellow had a girl by the name of Auburn. He wanted to write her a love poem, b’gee, and he didn’t know how to begin. That poem—the ‘Deserted Village’—begins:

“‘Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain.’

“So, b’gee, this fellow thought that would do first rate for a starter.

“He wrote to her:

“‘Sweet Auburn, loveliest of the plain,’ an’ b’gee, she wouldn’t speak to him for a month!”

Every one joined in the laugh that followed except the Parson; the Parson was still busily chipping rocks with his “astrology” hammer.