samantha at saratoga-第38节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
se their senses； or is there a sacredness in the strains of that fiddle； that makes immodesty modest； indecency decent； and immorality moral？〃 And agin I sithe heavy and gin 3 deep groans。 And I see Josiah gin in。 All the sound reasons weighed as nothin' with him； but 2 or 3 groans； and a few sithes settled the matter。 Truly Love is a mighty conqueror。 And anon Josiah spoke and sez； 〃Wall； I s'pose I can gin it all up； if you feel so about it； but we shall act like fools； Samantha； and look like 'em。〃 Sez I sternly； 〃Better be fools than naves； Josiah Allen！ if we have got to be one or the other； but we haint。 We are a standin' on firm ground； Josiah Allen；〃 sez I。 〃The platform made of the boards of consistency； and common sense； and decency； is one that will never break down and let you through it； into gulfs and abysses。 And on that platform we will both stand to…night； dear Josiah。〃 I think it is always best when a pardner has gin in and you have had a triumph of principle； to be bland； blander than common to him。 I always love at such times to round my words to him with a sweet affectionateness of mean。 I love to； and he loves it。 We sot out in good season for the Garden party。 And it wuz indeed a sight to behold！ But I did not at that first minute have a chance to sense it； for Miss Flamm sent her hired girl out to ask me to come to her room for a few minutes。 Miss Flamm's house is a undergoin' repairs for a few weeks； sunthin' had gin out in the water works； so she and her hired girl have been to this tarven for the time bein'。 The hired girl got us some good seats and tellin' Josiah to keep one on 'em for me； I follered the girl； or 〃maid；〃 as Miss Flamm calls her。 But good land！ if she is a old maid； I don't see where the young ones be。 Miss Flamm had sent for me； so she said； to see if I wanted to ride out the next day； and what time would be the most convenient to me； and also； to see how I liked her dress。 She didn't know as she should see me down below； in the crowd； and she wanted me to see it。 （Miss Flamm uses me dretful well； but I s'pose 2/3ds of it； is on Thomas J's account。 Some folks think she is goin' to have another lawsuit； and I am glad enough to have him convey her lawsuits； for they are good； honerable ones； and she pays him splendid for carryin' 'em。） Wall； she had her skirts all on when I went in； all a foamin' and a shinin'； down onto the carpet； in a glitterin' pile of pink satin and white lace and posys。 Gorgus enough for a princess。 And I didn't mind it much； bein' only females present； if she wuz exposin' of herself a good deal。 I kinder blushed a little as I looked at her； and kep' my eyes down on her skirts all I could； and thinkses I to myself； 〃What if G。 Washington should come in？ I shouldn't know which way to look。〃 But then the very next minute； I says to myself； 〃Of course he won't be in till she gets her waist on。 I'm a borrowin' trouble for nothin'。〃 At last Miss Flamm spoke and says she； as she kinder craned herself before the glass； a lookin' at her back （most the hull length on it bare； as I am a livin' creeter）； and says she；；〃 How do you like my dress？〃 〃Oh；〃 says I； wantin' to make myself agreeable （both on account of principle； and the lawsuit）； 〃the skirts are beautiful but I can't judge how the hull dress looks； you know； till you get your waist on。〃 〃My waist？〃 says she。 〃Yes；〃 says I。 〃I have got it on；〃 says she。 〃Where is it？〃 says I； a lookin' at her closer through my specks； 〃Where is the waist？〃 〃Here；〃 says she； a pintin' to a pink belt ribbon； and a string of beads over each shoulder。 Says I； 〃Miss Flamm； do you call that a waist？〃 〃Yes；〃 says she； and she balanced herself on her little pink tottlin' slippers。 She couldn't walk in 'em a good honerable walk to save her life。 How could she； with the instep not over two inches acrost； and the heels right under the middle of her foot； more'n a finger high？ Good land； they wuz enuff to lame a Injun savage； and curb him in。 But she sort o' balanced herself unto 'em； the best she could； and put her hands round her waist it wuzn't much bigger than a pipe…stem； and sort o' bulgin' out both ways； above and below； some like a string tied tight round a piller； … and says she complacently； 〃I don't believe there will be a dress shown to…night more stylish and beautiful than mine。〃 Says I； 〃Do you tell me； Miss Flamm； that you are a goin' down into that crowd of promiscus men and women； with nothin' but them strings on to cover you？〃 Says I； 〃Do you tell me that； and you a perfesser and a Christian？〃 〃Yes；〃 says she； 〃I paid 300 dollars for this dress； and it haint likely I am goin' to miss the chance of showin' it off to the other wimmen who will envy me the possession of it。 To be sure；〃 says she； 〃it is a little lower than Americans usually wear。 But in fashion； as in anything else； somebody has got to go ahead。 This is the very heighth of fashion；〃 says she。 Says I in witherin' and burnin' skorn； 〃It is the heighth of immodesty。〃 And I jest turned my back right ont' her； and sailed out of the room。 I wuzn't a a goin' to stand that； lawsuit or no lawsuit。 I wuz all worked up in my mind； and by the side of myself； and I didn't get over it for some time； neither。 Wall； I found my companion seated in that comfertable place； and a keepin' my chair for me； and so I sot down by him； and truly we sot still； and see the glory； and the magnificence on every side on us。 There wuz 3 piazzas about as long as from our house to Jonesville； or from Jonesville to Loontown； all filled with folks magnificently dressed； and a big garden layin' between 'em about as big as from our house to Miss Gowdey's； and so round crossways to Alminy Hagidone's brother's； and back agin'。 It wuz full as fur as that； and you know well that that is a great distance。 There wuz some big noble trees； all twinklin' full of lights； of every coler； and rows of shinin' lights； criss…crossed every way； or that is； every beautiful way； from the high ornimental pillers of the immense house； that loomed up in the distance round us on every side； same as the mountains loom up round Loontown。 There wuz a big platform built in the middle of the garden； with sweet music discoursin' from it the most enchantin' strains。 And the fountains wuz sprayin' out the most beautiful colers you ever see in your life； and fallin' down in pink； and yellow； and gold； and green； and amber； and silver water； sparklin' down onto the green beautiful ferns and flowers that loved to grow round the big marble basin which shone white； risin' out of the green velvet of the grass。 Josiah looked at that water； and sez he； 〃Samantha； I'd love to get some of that water to pass round evenin's when we have company。〃 Sez he； 〃It would look so dressy and fashionable to pass round pink water； or light blue； or light yeller。 How it would make Uncle Nate Gowdey open his eyes。 I believe I shall buy some bottles of it； Samantha； to take home。 What do you say？ I don't suppose it would cost such a dretful sight； do you？〃 Sez he； 〃I s'pose all they have to do is to put pumps down into a pink spring； or a yeller one； as the case may be； and pump。 And I would be willin' to pump it up myself； if it would come cheaper。〃 But my companion soon forgot to follow up the theme in lookin' about him onto the magnificent； seen； and a seein' the throngs of men and wimmen growin' more and more denser； and every crowd on 'em that swept by us； and round us； and before us； a growin' more gorgus in dress； or so it seemed to us。 Gemms of every gorgus coler under the heavens and some jest the coler of the heavens when it is blue and shinin' or when it is purplish dark in the night time； or when it is full of white fleecy clouds； or when it is a shinin' with stars。 Why； one woman had so many diamonds on that she had a detective follerin' her all round wherever she went。 She wuz a blaze of splendor and so wuz lots of 'em； though like the stars； they differed from each other in glory。 But whatever coler their gowns wuz； in one thing they wuz most all alike most all of 'em had waists all drawed in tight； but a bulgin' out on each side； more or less as the case might be。 Why some of them waists wuzn't much bigger than pipe's tails and so I told Josiah。 And he whispered back to me； and sez he； 〃I wonder if them wimmen with wasp waists； think that we men like the looks on 'em。 They make a dumb mistake if they do。 Why；〃 sez he； 〃we men know what they be； we know they are nothin' but crushed bones and flesh。〃 Sez he； 〃I could make my own waist look jest like 'em； if I should take a rope and strap myself down。〃 〃Wall；〃 sez I； in agitated axents； 〃don't you try to go into no such enterprise； Josiah Allen。〃 I remembered the eppisode of the afternoon； and I sez in anxins axents； and affectionate； 〃Besides not lookin' well； it is dangerous； awful dangerous。 And how I should blush；〃 sez I； 〃if I wuz to see you with a leather strap or a rope round your waist under your coat； a drawin' you in ； a changin' your good honerable shape。 And God made men's and wimmen's waists jest alike in the first place； and it is jest as smart for men to deform themselves in that way as it is for wimmen。 But oh； the agony of my soul if I sh
