elinor wyllys-2-第35节

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〃Thank　you；　I　have　no　doubt　of　it。　I　feel　perfect　confidence　in　Mr。　Hubbard；　he　is　a　man　so　much　older　than　myself；　and　so　much　more　experienced；　that　I　shall　be　entirely　guided　in　future　by　his　counsel　and　advice。〃

Miss　Agnes　had　some　difficulty　in　repressing　a　smile　and　a　sigh。

〃Of　course；　I　am　well　aware　that　many　people　will　think　I　am　taking　a　foolish　step；〃　continued　Mrs。　Wyllys。　Hubbard's　connexions；　are　generally　not　thought　agreeable；　perhaps；　he　has　very　little　property；　and　no　profession。　I　am　not　blinded；　you　see；　but　I　am　very　indifferent　as　to　the　opinion　of　the　world　in　general；　I　am　very　independent　of　all　but　my　immediate　friends；　as　you　well　know；　Agnes。〃

Miss　Wyllys　was　silent。

〃In　fact；　my　attention　was　first　fixed　upon　Mr。　Hubbard；　by　finding　how　little　he　was　appreciated　and　understood　by　others；　I　regretted　that　I　had　at　first　allowed　myself　to　be　guided　by　general　opinion。　Now　I　think　it　very　possible　that；　although　Mr。　Hubbard　has　been　your　neighbour　for　years；　even　you；　Agnes；　may　have　a　very　mistaken　opinion　of　him；　you　may　have　underrated　his　talents；　his　strong　affections；　and　energetic　character。　I　was　surprised　myself　to　find；　what　a　very　agreeable　companion　he　is！〃

〃I　have　always　believed　Mr。　James　Hubbard　a　man　of　kind　feelings；　as　you　observe；　and　a　man　of　good　principles；　two　important　points；　certainly。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　do　him　justice。　But　you　are　not　aware　perhaps；　what　a　very　pleasant　companion　he　is；　where　he　feels　at　his　ease；　and　knows　that　he　is　understood。〃

'That　is　to　say；　where　he　can　doze；　while　another　person　thinks　and　talks　for　him；'　thought　Miss　Agnes。

〃The　time　is　fixed　I　suppose　for　the　wedding；　Harriet？〃　she　inquired　aloud；　with　a　smile。

〃Nearly　so；　I　believe。　I　told　Mr。　Hubbard　that　I　should　be　just　as　ready　to　marry　him　next　week；　as　next　year；　we　agreed　that　when　two　persons　of　our　ages　had　come　to　an　understanding；　they　might　as　well　settle　the　matter　at　once。　We　shall　be　married；　I　fancy；　in　the　morning；　in　church；　with　only　two　or　three　friends　present。　I　hope；　Agnes；　that　your　father　and　yourself　will　be　with　me。　You　know　that　I　should　never　have　taken　this　step；　if　you　had　not　agreed　with　me　in　thinking　it　for　the　good　of　my　children。〃

〃Thank　you；　Harriet；　of　course　we　shall　be　present；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃Certainly　I　wish　it。　I　shall　always　look　upon　you　as　my　best　friends　and　advisers。〃

〃Next　to　Mr。　Hubbard；　in　future；〃　replied　Miss　Agnes；　smiling。

〃When　you　know　him　better；　you　will　confess　that　he　deserves　a　high　place　in　my　confidence。　You　have　no　idea　how　much　his　brother　and　nieces　think　of　him；　but　that　is　no　wonder；　for　they　know　his　good　sense；　and　his　companionable　qualities。　He　is　really　a　very　agreeable　companion；　Agnes；　for　a　rational　woman；　quite　a　cultivated　mind；　too。〃

Visions　of　cabbages　and　turnips　rose　in　Miss　Agnes's　mind；　as　the　only　cultivation　ever　connected；　till　now；　with　Uncle　Dozie's　name。

〃We　passed　last　evening　charmingly；　I　read　the　Lay　of　the　Last　Minstrel　aloud　to　him；　and　he　seemed　to　enjoy　it　very　much；〃　continued　Mrs。　Wyllys。

｛〃Lay　of　the　Last　Minstrel〃　=　long　narrative　poem　（1805）　by　Sir　Walter　Scott　（1771…1832）｝

'He　took　a　nap；　I　suppose；'　thought　Miss　Agnes。　〃He　ought　to　be　well　pleased　to　have　a　fair　lady　read　aloud　to　him；〃　she　replied；　smiling。

〃The　better　I　know　him；　the　more　satisfied　I　am　with　my　choice。　I　have：　found　a　man　upon　whom　I　can　depend　for　support　and　adviceand　one　who　is　at　the　same　time　a　very　pleasant　companion。　Do　you　know；　he　sometimes　reminds　me　of　our　excellent　father；〃

This　was　really　going　too　far；　in　Miss　Agnes's　opinion；　she　quite　resented　a　comparison　between　Uncle　Dozie　and　Mr。　Wyllys。　The　widow；　however；　was　too　much　occupied　with　her　own　affairs；　to　notice　Miss　Agnes's　expression。

〃I　find；　indeed；　that　the　whole　family　are　more　agreeable　than　I　had　supposed；　but　you　rather　gave　me　a　prejudice　against　them。　The　young　ladies　improve　on　acquaintance；　they　are　pretty；　amiable　young　women；　I　have　seen　them　quite　often　since　we　have　been　near　neighbours。　Well；　I　must　leave　you；　for　Mr。　Hubbard　dines　with　me　to…day。　In　the　mean　time；　Agnes；　I　commit　my　affairs　to　your　hands。　Since　I　did　not　find　your　father　at　home；　I　shall　write　to　him　this　evening。〃

The　ladies　parted；　and　as　Mrs。　Wyllys　passed　out　of　the　room；　she　met　Elinor。

〃Good　morning；　Elinor；〃　she　said；　〃your　aunt　has　news　for　you；　which　I　would　tell　you　myself　if　I　had　time：〃　then　nodding；　she　left　the　house；　and　had　soon　driven　off。　〃My　dear　Aunt；　what　is　this　news？〃　asked　Elinor。

Miss　Agnes　looked　a　little　annoyed；　a　little　mortified；　and　a　little　amused。

When　the　mystery　was　explained；　Elinor's　amazement　was　great。

〃It　is　incredible！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃My　Aunt　Wyllys　actually　going　to　marry　that　prosing；　napping　Mr。　Hubbard；　Uncle　Dozie！〃

〃When　I　remember　her　husband；〃　said　Miss　Agnes；　with　feeling；　〃it　does　seem　incredible；　my　dear；　warm…hearted；　handsome；　animated　brother　George！〃

〃How　extraordinary！〃　said　Elinor；　who　could　do　nothing　but　exclaim。

〃No；　not　in　the　least　extraordinary；〃　added　Miss　Agnes；　〃such　marriages；　dear；　seem　quite　common。〃　Mr。　Wyllys　was　not　at　all　astonished　at　the　intelligence。

〃I　have　expected　that　Harriet　would　marry；　all　along；　she　has　a　great　many　good　intentions；　and　some　good　qualities；　but　I　knew　she　would　not　remain　a　widow。　It　is　rather　strange　that　she　should　have　chosen　James　Hubbard；　but　she　might　have　done　worse。〃

With　these　philosophical　reflections；　Mrs。　Wyllys's　friends　looked　forward　to　the　happy　event　which　was　soon　to　take　place。　The　very　same　morning　that　Miss　Agnes　was　taken　into　the　confidence　of　the　bride；　the　friends　of　the　groom　also　learned　the　news；　but　in　a　more　indirect　manner。

The　charms　of　a　parterre　are　daily　be…rhymed　in　verse；　and　vaunted　in　prose；　but　the　beauties　of　a　vegetable　garden　seldom　meet　with　the　admiration　they　might　claim。　If　you　talk　of　beets；　people　fancy　them　sliced　with　pepper　and　vinegar；　if　you　mention　carrots；　they　are　seen　floating　in　soup；　cabbage　figures　in　the　form　of　cold…slaw；　or　disguised　under　drawn…butter；　if　you　refer　to　corn；　it　appears　to　the　mind's　eye　wrapt　in　a　napkin　to　keep　it　warm；　or　cut　up　with　beans　in　a　succatash　｛sic｝。　Half　the　people　who　see　these　good　things　daily　spread　on　the　board　before　them；　are　only　acquainted　with　vegetables　after　they　have　been　mutilated　and　disguised　by　cookery。　They　would　not　know　the　leaf　of　a　beet　from　that　of　the　spinach；　the　green　tuft　of　a　carrot　from　the　delicate　sprigs　of　parsley。　Now；　a　bouquet　of　roses　and　pinks　is　certainly　a　very　beautiful　object；　but　a　collection　of　fine　vegetables；　with　the　rich　variety　of　shape　and　colour；　in　leaf；　fruit；　and　root；　such　as　nature　has　given　them　to　us；　is　a　noble　sight。　So　thought　Uncle　Dozie；　at　least。　The　rich　texture　and　shading　of　the　common　cabbage…leaf　was　no　novelty　to　him；　he　had　often　watched　the　red；　coral…like　veins　in　the　glossy　green　of　the　beet；　the　long；　waving　leaf　of　the　maize；　with　the　silky　tassels　of　its　ears；　were　beautiful　in　his　eyes；　and　so　were　the　rich；　white　heads　of　the　cauliflower；　delicate　as　carved　ivory；　the　feathery　tuft　of　the　carrot；　the　purple　fruit　of　the　egg…plant；　and　the　brilliant　scarlet　tomato。　He　came　nearer　than　most　Christians；　out　of　Weathersfield；　to　sympathy　with　the　old　Egyptians　in　their　onion…worship。

｛〃parterre〃　=　ornamental　flower　garden；　〃out　of　Weathersfield〃　=　Wethersfield　（the　modern　spelling）；　Connecticut；　was　famous　for　its　onions　（there　is　still　a　red　onion　called　〃Red　Weathersfield〃）；　until　struck　by　a　blight　about　1840；　〃old　Egyptians〃　=　ancient　Egypt　was　proverbial　for　worshiping　the　onion｝

With　such　tastes　and　partialities；　Uncle　Dozie　was　generally　to　be　found　in　his　garden；　between　the　hours　of　sun…rise　and　sun…set；　gardening　having　been　his　sole　occupation　for　nearly　forty　years。　His　brother；　Mr。　Joseph　Hubbard；　having　something　to　communicate；　went　there　in　search　of　him；　on　the　morning　to　which　we　refer。　But　Uncle　Dozie　was　not　to　be　found。　The　gardener；　however；　thought　that　he　could　not　have　gone　very　far；　for　he　had　passed　near　him　not　five　minutes　before；　and　he　suggested　that；　perhaps　Mr。　Hubbard　was　going　out　somewhere；　for　〃he　looked　kind　o'　spruce　and　drest　up。〃　Mr。　Hubbard　expected　his　brother　to　dine　at　home；　and　thought　the　man　mistaken。　In　passing　an　arbour；　however；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　individual　he　was　looking　for；　and　on　coming　nearer；　he　found　Uncle　Dozie；　dressed　in　a　new　summer　suit；　sitting　on　the　arbour　seat　taking　a　nap；　while　at　his　feet　was　a　very　fine　basket　of　vegetables；　arranged　with　more　than　usual　care。　Unwilling　to　disturb　him；　his　brother；　who　knew　that　his　naps　seldom　lasted　more　than　a　few　minutes　at　a　time；　took　a　turn　in　the　garden；　waiting　for　him　to　awake。　He　had　hardly　left　the　arbour　however；　before　he　heard　Uncle　Dozie　moving；　turning　in　that　direction；　he　was　going　to　join　him；　when；　to　his　great　astonishment；　he　saw　his　brother　steal　from　the　arbour；　with　the　basket　of　vegetables　on　his　arm；　and　disappear　between　two　rows　of　pea…brush。

〃James！I　say；　James！Where　are　you　going？　Stop　a　minute；　I　want　to　speak　to　you！〃　cried　Mr。　Joseph　Hubbard。

He　received　no　answer。