old christmas-第4节

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the　appellation　of　'The　Squire；'　a　title　which　has　been　accorded　to　the　head　of　the　family　since　time　immemorial。　　I　think　it　best　to　give　you　these　hints　about　my　worthy　old　father；　to　prepare　you　for　any　little　eccentricities　that　might　otherwise　appear　absurd。〃


*　Peacham's　〃Complete　Gentleman；〃　1622。


We　had　passed　for　some　time　along　the　wall　of　a　park；　and　at　length　the　chaise　stopped　at　the　gate。　　It　was　in　a　heavy；　magnificent　old　style；　of　iron　bars；　fancifully　wrought　at　top　into　flourishes　and　flowers。　　The　huge　square　columns　that　supported　the　gate　were　surmounted　by　the　family　crest。　　Close　adjoining　was　the　porter's　lodge；　sheltered　under　dark　fir…trees；　and　almost　buried　in　shrubbery。

The　post…boy　rang　a　large　porter's　bell；　which　resounded　through　the　still；　frosty　air；　and　was　answered　by　the　distant　barking　of　dogs；　with　which　the　mansion…house　seemed　garrisoned。　　An　old　woman　immediately　appeared　at　the　gate。　　As　the　moonlight　fell　strongly　upon　her；　I　had　full　view　of　a　little　primitive　dame；　dressed　very　much　in　the　antique　taste；　with　a　neat　kerchief　and　stomacher；　and　her　silver　hair　peeping　from　under　a　cap　of　snowy　whiteness。　　She　came　curtseying　forth；　with　many　expressions　of　simple　joy　at　seeing　her　young　master。　　Her　husband；　it　seems；　was　up　at　the　house　keeping　Christmas　eve　in　the　servants'　hall；　they　could　not　do　without　him；　as　he　was　the　best　hand　at　a　song　and　story　in　the　household。

My　friend　proposed　that　we　should　alight　and　walk　through　the　park　to　the　hall；　which　was　at　no　great　distance；　while　the　chaise　should　follow　on。　　Our　road　wound　through　a　noble　avenue　of　trees；　among　the　naked　branches　of　which　the　moon　glittered　as　she　rolled　through　the　deep　vault　of　a　cloudless　sky。　　The　lawn　beyond　was　sheeted　with　a　slight　covering　of　snow；　which　here　and　there　sparkled　as　the　moonbeams　caught　a　frosty　crystal；　and　at　a　distance　might　be　seen　a　thin；　transparent　vapour；　stealing　up　from　the　low　grounds；　and　threatening　gradually　to　shroud　the　landscape。

My　companion　looked　round　him　with　transport：〃How　often；〃　said　he；　〃have　I　scampered　up　this　avenue；　on　returning　home　on　school　vacations！　　How　often　have　I　played　under　these　trees　when　a　boy！　I　feel　a　degree　of　filial　reverence　for　them；　as　we　look　up　to　those　who　have　cherished　us　in　childhood。　　My　father　was　always　scrupulous　in　exacting　our　holidays；　and　having　us　around　him　on　family　festivals。　　He　used　to　direct　and　superintend　our　games　with　the　strictness　that　some　parents　do　the　studies　of　their　children。　He　was　very　particular　that　we　should　play　the　old　English　games　according　to　their　original　form　and　consulted　old　books　for　precedent　and　authority　for　every　'merrie　disport；'　yet　I　assure　you　there　never　was　pedantry　so　delightful。　　It　was　the　policy　of　the　good　old　gentleman　to　make　his　children　feel　that　home　was　the　happiest　place　in　the　world；　and　I　value　this　delicious　home…　feeling　as　one　of　the　choicest　gifts　a　parent　can　bestow。〃

We　were　interrupted　by　the　clangour　of　a　troop　of　dogs　of　all　sorts　and　sizes；　〃mongrel；　puppy；　whelp；　and　hound；　and　curs　of　low　degree；〃　that；　disturbed　by　the　ringing　of　the　porter's　bell；　and　the　rattling　of　the　chaise；　came　bounding；　open…mouthed；　across　the　lawn。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃The　little　dogs　and　all；　　　　　Tray；　Blanch；　and　Sweetheartsee；　they　bark　at　me！〃


cried　Bracebridge；　laughing。　　At　the　sound　of　his　voice　the　bark　was　changed　into　a　yelp　of　delight；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　surrounded　and　almost　overpowered　by　the　caresses　of　the　faithful　animals。

We　had　now　come　in　full　view　of　the　old　family　mansion；　partly　thrown　in　deep　shadow；　and　partly　lit　up　by　the　cold　moonshine。　　It　was　an　irregular　building　of　some　magnitude；　and　seemed　to　be　of　the　architecture　of　different　periods。　　One　wing　was；　evidently　very　ancient；　with　heavy　stone…shafted　bow　windows　jutting　out　and　overrun　with　ivy；　from　among　the　foliage　of　which　the　small　diamond…shaped　panes　of　glass　glittered　with　the　moonbeams。　　The　rest　of　the　house　was　in　the　French　taste　of　Charles　the　Second's　time；　having　been　repaired　and　altered；　as　my　friend　told　me；　by　one　of　his　ancestors；　who　returned　with　that　monarch　at　the　Restoration。　　The　grounds　about　the　house　were　laid　out　in　the　old　formal　manner　of　artificial　flower…beds；　clipped　shrubberies；　raised　terraces；　and　heavy　stone　balustrades；　ornamented　with　urns；　a　leaden　statue　or　two；　and　a　jet　of　water。　　The　old　gentleman；　I　was　told；　was　extremely　careful　to　preserve　this　obsolete　finery　in　all　its　original　state。　　He　admired　this　fashion　in　gardening；　it　had　an　air　of　magnificence；　was　courtly　and　noble；　and　befitting　good　old　family　style。　　The　boasted　imitation　of　nature　in　modern　gardening　had　sprung　up　with　modern　republican　notions；　but　did　not　suit　a　monarchical　government；　it　smacked　of　the　levelling　system。　I　could　not　help　smiling　at　this　introduction　of　politics　into　gardening；　though　I　expressed　some　apprehension　that　I　should　find　the　old　gentleman　rather　intolerant　in　his　creed。　　Frank　assured　me；　however；　that　it　was　almost　the　only　instance　in　which　he　had　ever　heard　his　father　meddle　with　politics；　and　he　believed　that　he　had　got　this　notion　from　a　member　of　Parliament　who　once　passed　a　few　weeks　with　him。　　The　Squire　was　glad　of　any　argument　to　defend　his　clipped　yew…trees　and　formal　terraces；　which　had　been　occasionally　attacked　by　modern　landscape　gardeners。

As　we　approached　the　house；　we　heard　the　sound　of　music；　and　now　and　then　a　burst　of　laughter　from　one　end　of　the　building。　　This；　Bracebridge　said；　must　proceed　from　the　servants'　hall；　where　a　great　deal　of　revelry　was　permitted；　and　even　encouraged；　by　the　Squire　throughout　the　twelve　days　of　Christmas；　provided　everything　was　done　comformably　to　ancient　usage。　　Here　were　kept　up　the　old　games　of　hoodman　blind；　shoe　the　wild　mare；　hot　cockles；　steal　the　white　loaf；　bob　apple　and　snapdragon：　the　Yule　log　and　Christmas　candle　were　regularly　burnt；　and　the　mistletoe；　with　its　white　berries；　hung　up　to　the　imminent　peril　of　all　the　pretty　housemaids。*


*　See　Note　A。


So　intent　were　the　servants　upon　their　sports；　that　we　had　to　ring　repeatedly　before　we　could　make　ourselves　heard。　　On　our　arrival　being　announced；　the　Squire　came　out　to　receive　us；　accompanied　by　his　two　other　sons；　one　a　young　officer　in　the　army；　home　on　leave　of　absence；　the　other　an　Oxonian；　just　from　the　University。　　The　Squire　was　a　fine；　healthy…looking　old　gentleman；　with　silver　hair　curling　lightly　round　an　open；　florid　countenance；　in　which　a　physiognomist；　with　the　advantage；　like　myself；　of　a　previous　hint　or　two；　might　discover　a　singular　mixture　of　whim　and　benevolence。

The　family　meeting　was　warm　and　affectionate；　as　the　evening　was　far　advanced；　the　Squire　would　not　permit　us　to　change　our　travelling　dresses；　but　ushered　us　at　once　to　the　company；　which　was　assembled　in　a　large　old…fashioned　hall。　　It　was　composed　of　different　branches　of　a　numerous　family　connection；　where　there　were　the　usual　proportion　of　old　uncles　and　aunts；　comfortably　married　dames；　superannuated　spinsters；　blooming　country　cousins；　half…fledged　striplings；　and　bright…eyed　boarding…school　hoydens。　They　were　variously　occupied；　some　at　a　round　game　of　cards；　others　conversing　around　the　fireplace；　at　one　end　of　the　hall　was　a　group　of　the　young　folks；　some　nearly　grown　up；　others　of　a　more　tender　and　budding　age；　fully　engrossed　by　a　merry　game；　and　a　profusion　of　wooden　horses；　penny　trumpets；　and　tattered　dolls；　about　the　floor；　showed　traces　of　a　troop　of　little　fairy　beings；　who；　having　frolicked　through　a　happy　day；　had　been　carried　off　to　slumber　through　a　peaceful　night。

While　the　mutual　greetings　were　going　on　between　Bracebridge　and　his　relatives；　I　had　time　to　scan　the　apartment。　　I　have　called　it　a　hall；　for　so　it　had　certainly　been　in　old　times；　and　the　Squire　had　evidently　endeavoured　to　restore　it　to　something　of　its　primitive　state。　　Over　the　heavy　projecting　fireplace　was　suspended　a　picture　of　a　warrior　in　armour　standing　by　a　white　horse；　and　on　the　opposite　wall　hung　helmet；　buckler；　and　lance。　　At　one　end　an　enormous　pair　of　antlers　were　inserted　in　the　wall；　the　branches　serving　as　hooks　on　which　to　suspend　hats；　whips；　and　spurs；　and　in　the　corners　of　the　apartment　were　fowling…pieces；　fishing…rods；　and　other　sporting　implements。　　The　furniture　was　of　the　cumbrous　workmanship　of　former　days；　though　some　articles　of　modern　convenience　had　been　added；　and　the　oaken　floor　had　been　carpeted；　so　that　the　whole　presented　an　odd　mixture　of　parlour　and　hall。

The　grate　had　been　removed　from　the　wide　overwhelming　fireplace；　to　make　way　for　a　fire　of　wood；　in　the　midst　of　which　was　an　enormous　log　glowing　and　blazing；　and　sending　forth　a　vast　volume　of　light　and　heat；　this　I　understood　was　the　Yule…log；　which　the　Squire　was　particular　in　having　brought　in　and　illumined　on　a　Christmas　eve；　according　to　ancient　custom。*


*　See　Note　B。


It　was　really　delightful　to　see　the　old　Squire　seated　in　his　hereditary　elbow…chair　by　the　hospitable　fireside　of　his　ancestors；　and　looking　around　him　like　the　sun　of　a　system；　beaming　warmth　and　gladness　to　every　heart。　　Even　the　very　dog　that　lay　stret