novel notes-第13节

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We　held　our　next　business　meeting　on　my　houseboat。　　Brown　was　opposed　at　first　to　my　going　down　to　this　houseboat　at　all。　　He　thought　that　none　of　us　should　leave　town　while　the　novel　was　still　on　hand。

MacShaughnassy；　on　the　contrary；　was　of　opinion　that　we　should　work　better　on　a　houseboat。　　Speaking　for　himself；　he　said　he　never　felt　more　like　writing　a　really　great　work　than　when　lying　in　a　hammock　among　whispering　leaves；　with　the　deep　blue　sky　above　him；　and　a　tumbler　of　iced　claret　cup　within　easy　reach　of　his　hand。　　Failing　a　hammock；　he　found　a　deck　chair　a　great　incentive　to　mental　labour。　In　the　interests　of　the　novel；　he　strongly　recommended　me　to　take　down　with　me　at　least　one　comfortable　deck　chair；　and　plenty　of　lemons。

I　could　not　myself　see　any　reason　why　we　should　not　be　able　to　think　as　well　on　a　houseboat　as　anywhere　else；　and　accordingly　it　was　settled　that　I　should　go　down　and　establish　myself　upon　the　thing；　and　that　the　others　should　visit　me　there　from　time　to　time；　when　we　would　sit　round　and　toil。

This　houseboat　was　Ethelbertha's　idea。　　We　had　spent　a　day；　the　summer　before；　on　one　belonging　to　a　friend　of　mine；　and　she　had　been　enraptured　with　the　life。　　Everything　was　on　such　a　delightfully　tiny　scale。　　You　lived　in　a　tiny　little　room；　you　slept　on　a　tiny　little　bed；　in　a　tiny；　tiny　little　bedroom；　and　you　cooked　your　little　dinner　by　a　tiny　little　fire；　in　the　tiniest　little　kitchen　that　ever　you　did　see。　　〃Oh；　it　must　be　lovely；　living　on　a　houseboat；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　with　a　gasp　of　ecstasy；　〃it　must　be　like　living　in　a　doll's　house。〃

Ethelbertha　was　very　youngridiculously　young；　as　I　think　I　have　mentioned　beforein　those　days　of　which　I　am　writing；　and　the　love　of　dolls；　and　of　the　gorgeous　dresses　that　dolls　wear；　and　of　the　many…windowed　but　inconveniently　arranged　houses　that　dolls　inhabit…　…or　are　supposed　to　inhabit；　for　as　a　rule　they　seem　to　prefer　sitting　on　the　roof　with　their　legs　dangling　down　over　the　front　door；　which　has　always　appeared　to　me　to　be　unladylike：　　but　then；　of　course；　I　am　no　authority　on　doll　etiquettehad　not　yet；　I　think；　quite　departed　from　her。　　Nay；　am　I　not　sure　that　it　had　not？　Do　I　not　remember；　years　later；　peeping　into　a　certain　room；　the　walls　of　which　are　covered　with　works　of　art　of　a　character　calculated　to　send　any　aesthetic　person　mad；　and　seeing　her；　sitting　on　the　floor；　before　a　red　brick　mansion；　containing　two　rooms　and　a　kitchen；　and　are　not　her　hands　trembling　with　delight　as　she　arranges　the　three　real　tin　plates　upon　the　dresser？　　And　does　she　not　knock　at　the　real　brass　knocker　upon　the　real　front　door　until　it　comes　off；　and　I　have　to　sit　down　beside　her　on　the　floor　and　screw　it　on　again？

Perhaps；　however；　it　is　unwise　for　me　to　recall　these　things；　and　bring　them　forward　thus　in　evidence　against　her；　for　cannot　she　in　turn　laugh　at　me？　　Did　not　I　also　assist　in　the　arrangement　and　appointment　of　that　house　beautiful？　　We　differed　on　the　matter　of　the　drawing…room　carpet；　I　recollect。　　Ethelbertha　fancied　a　dark　blue　velvet；　but　I　felt　sure；　taking　the　wall…paper　into　consideration；　that　some　shade　of　terra…cotta　would　harmonise　best。　She　agreed　with　me　in　the　end；　and　we　manufactured　one　out　of　an　old　chest　protector。　　It　had　a　really　charming　effect；　and　gave　a　delightfully　warm　tone　to　the　room。　　The　blue　velvet　we　put　in　the　kitchen。　　I　deemed　this　extravagance；　but　Ethelbertha　said　that　servants　thought　a　lot　of　a　good　carpet；　and　that　it　paid　to　humour　them　in　little　things；　when　practicable。

The　bedroom　had　one　big　bed　and　a　cot　in　it；　but　I　could　not　see　where　the　girl　was　going　to　sleep。　　The　architect　had　overlooked　her　altogether：　　that　is　so　like　an　architect。　　The　house　also　suffered　from　the　inconvenience　common　to　residences　of　its　class；　of　possessing　no　stairs；　so　that　to　move　from　one　room　to　another　it　was　necessary　to　burst　your　way　up　through　the　ceiling；　or　else　to　come　outside　and　climb　in　through　a　window；　either　of　which　methods　must　be　fatiguing　when　you　come　to　do　it　often。

Apart　from　these　drawbacks；　however；　the　house　was　one　that　any　doll　agent　would　have　been　justified　in　describing　as　a　〃most　desirable　family　residence〃；　and　it　had　been　furnished　with　a　lavishness　that　bordered　on　positive　ostentation。　　In　the　bedroom　there　was　a　washing…stand；　and　on　the　washing…stand　there　stood　a　jug　and　basin；　and　in　the　jug　there　was　real　water。　　But　all　this　was　as　nothing。　I　have　known　mere　ordinary；　middle…class　dolls'　houses　in　which　you　might　find　washing…stands　and　jugs　and　basins　and　real　wateray；　and　even　soap。　　But　in　this　abode　of　luxury　there　was　a　real　towel；　so　that　a　body　could　not　only　wash　himself；　but　wipe　himself　afterwards；　and　that　is　a　sensation　that；　as　all　dolls　know；　can　be　enjoyed　only　in　the　very　first…class　establishments。

Then；　in　the　drawing…room；　there　was　a　clock；　which　would　tick　just　so　long　as　you　continued　to　shake　it　（it　never　seemed　to　get　tired）；　also　a　picture　and　a　piano；　and　a　book　upon　the　table；　and　a　vase　of　flowers　that　would　upset　the　moment　you　touched　it；　just　like　a　real　vase　of　flowers。　　Oh；　there　was　style　about　this　room；　I　can　tell　you。

But　the　glory　of　the　house　was　its　kitchen。　　There　were　all　things　that　heart　could　desire　in　this　kitchen；　saucepans　with　lids　that　took　on　and　off；　a　flat…iron　and　a　rolling…pin。　　A　dinner　service　for　three　occupied　about　half　the　room；　and　what　space　was　left　was　filled　up　by　the　stovea　REAL　stove！　　Think　of　it；　oh　ye　owners　of　dolls'　houses；　a　stove　in　which　you　could　burn　real　bits　of　coal；　and　on　which　you　could　boil　real　bits　of　potato　for　dinnerexcept　when　people　said　you　mustn't；　because　it　was　dangerous；　and　took　the　grate　away　from　you；　and　blew　out　the　fire；　a　thing　that　hampers　a　cook。

I　never　saw　a　house　more　complete　in　all　its　details。　　Nothing　had　been　overlooked；　not　even　the　family。　　It　lay　on　its　back；　just　outside　the　front　door；　proud　but　calm；　waiting　to　be　put　into　possession。　　It　was　not　an　extensive　family。　　It　consisted　of　four　papa；　and　mamma；　and　baby；　and　the　hired　girl；　just　the　family　for　a　beginner。

It　was　a　well…dressed　family　toonot　merely　with　grand　clothes　outside；　covering　a　shameful　condition　of　things　beneath；　such　as；　alas！　is　too　often　the　case　in　doll　society；　but　with　every　article　necessary　and　proper　to　a　lady　or　gentleman；　down　to　items　that　I　could　not　mention。　　And　all　these　garments；　you　must　know；　could　be　unfastened　and　taken　off。　　I　have　known　dollsstylish　enough　dolls；　to　look　at；　some　of　themwho　have　been　content　to　go　about　with　their　clothes　gummed　on　to　them；　and；　in　some　cases；　nailed　on　with　tacks；　which　I　take　to　be　a　slovenly　and　unhealthy　habit。　　But　this　family　could　be　undressed　in　five　minutes；　without　the　aid　of　either　hot　water　or　a　chisel。

Not　that　it　was　advisable　from　an　artistic　point　of　view　that　any　of　them　should。　　They　had　not　the　figure　that　looks　well　in　its　natural　statenone　of　them。　　There　was　a　want　of　fulness　about　them　all。　Besides；　without　their　clothes；　it　might　have　been　difficult　to　distinguish　the　baby　from　the　papa；　or　the　maid　from　the　mistress；　and　thus　domestic　complications　might　have　arisen。

When　all　was　ready　for　their　reception　we　established　them　in　their　home。　　We　put　as　much　of　the　baby　to　bed　as　the　cot　would　hold；　and　made　the　papa　and　mamma　comfortable　in　the　drawing…room；　where　they　sat　on　the　floor　and　stared　thoughtfully　at　each　other　across　the　table。　　（They　had　to　sit　on　the　floor　because　the　chairs　were　not　big　enough。）　　The　girl　we　placed　in　the　kitchen；　where　she　leant　against　the　dresser　in　an　attitude　suggestive　of　drink；　embracing　the　broom　we　had　given　her　with　maudlin　affection。　　Then　we　lifted　up　the　house　with　care；　and　carried　it　cautiously　into　another　room；　and　with　the　deftness　of　experienced　conspirators　placed　it　at　the　foot　of　a　small　bed；　on　the　south…west　corner　of　which　an　absurdly　small　somebody　had　hung　an　absurdly　small　stocking。

To　return　to　our　own　doll's　house；　Ethelbertha　and　I；　discussing　the　subject　during　our　return　journey　in　the　train；　resolved　that；　next　year；　we　ourselves　would　possess　a　houseboat；　a　smaller　houseboat；　if　possible；　than　even　the　one　we　had　just　seen。　　It　should　have　art…muslin　curtains　and　a　flag；　and　the　flowers　about　it　should　be　wild　roses　and　forget…me…nots。　　I　could　work　all　the　morning　on　the　roof；　with　an　awning　over　me　to　keep　off　the　sun；　while　Ethelbertha　trimmed　the　roses　and　made　cakes　for　tea；　and　in　the　evenings　we　would　sit　out　on　the　little　deck；　and　Ethelbertha　would　play　the　guitar　（she　would　begin　learning　it　at　once）；　or　we　could　sit　quiet　and　listen　to　the　nightingales。

For；　when　you　are　very；　very　young　you　dream　that　the　summer　is　all　sunny　days　and　moonlight　nights；　that　the　wind　blows　always　softly　from　the　west；　and　that　roses　will　thrive　anywhere。　　But；　as　you　grow　older；　you　grow　tired　of　waiting　for　the　gray　sky　to　break。　　So　you　close　the　door　and　come　in；　and　crouch　over　the　fire；　wondering　why　the　winds　blow　ever　from　the　east：　　and　you　have　given　up　trying　to　rear　roses。

I　knew　a　little　cottage　girl　who　saved　up　her　money　for　months　and　months　so　as　to　buy　a　new　frock　in　which　to　go　to　a　flower…show。　But　t