novel notes-第14节

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…show。　But　the　day　of　the　flower…show　was　a　wet　day；　so　she　wore　an　old　frock　instead。　　And　all　the　fete　days　for　quite　a　long　while　were　wet　days；　and　she　feared　she　would　never　have　a　chance　of　wearing　her　pretty　white　dress。　　But　at　last　there　came　a　fete　day　morning　that　was　bright　and　sunny；　and　then　the　little　girl　clapped　her　hands　and　ran　upstairs；　and　took　her　new　frock　（which　had　been　her　〃new　frock〃　for　so　long　a　time　that　it　was　now　the　oldest　frock　she　had）　from　the　box　where　it　lay　neatly　folded　between　lavender　and　thyme；　and　held　it　up；　and　laughed　to　think　how　nice　she　would　look　in　it。

But　when　she　went　to　put　it　on；　she　found　that　she　had　out…grown　it；　and　that　it　was　too　small　for　her　every　way。　　So　she　had　to　wear　a　common　old　frock　after　all。

Things　happen　that　way；　you　know；　in　this　world。　　There　were　a　boy　and　girl　once　who　loved　each　other　very　dearly。　　But　they　were　both　poor；　so　they　agreed　to　wait　till　he　had　made　enough　money　for　them　to　live　comfortably　upon；　and　then　they　would　marry　and　be　happy。　It　took　him　a　long　while　to　make；　because　making　money　is　very　slow　work；　and　he　wanted；　while　he　was　about　it；　to　make　enough　for　them　to　be　very　happy　upon　indeed。　　He　accomplished　the　task　eventually；　however；　and　came　back　home　a　wealthy　man。

Then　they　met　again　in　the　poorly…furnished　parlour　where　they　had　parted。　　But　they　did　not　sit　as　near　to　each　other　as　of　old。　　For　she　had　lived　alone　so　long　that　she　had　grown　old…maidish；　and　she　was　feeling　vexed　with　him　for　having　dirtied　the　carpet　with　his　muddy　boots。　　And　he　had　worked　so　long　earning　money　that　he　had　grown　hard　and　cold　like　the　money　itself；　and　was　trying　to　think　of　something　affectionate　to　say　to　her。

So　for　a　while　they　sat；　one　each　side　of　the　paper　〃fire…stove　ornament；〃　both　wondering　why　they　had　shed　such　scalding　tears　on　that　day　they　had　kissed　each　other　good…bye；　then　said　〃good…bye〃　again；　and　were　glad。

There　is　another　tale　with　much　the　same　moral　that　I　learnt　at　school　out　of　a　copy…book。　　If　I　remember　rightly；　it　runs　somewhat　like　this：…

Once　upon　a　time　there　lived　a　wise　grasshopper　and　a　foolish　ant。　All　through　the　pleasant　summer　weather　the　grasshopper　sported　and　played；　gambolling　with　his　fellows　in　and　out　among　the　sun…beams；　dining　sumptuously　each　day　on　leaves　and　dew…drops；　never　troubling　about　the　morrow；　singing　ever　his　one　peaceful；　droning　song。

But　there　came　the　cruel　winter；　and　the　grass…hopper；　looking　around；　saw　that　his　friends；　the　flowers；　lay　dead；　and　knew　thereby　that　his　own　little　span　was　drawing　near　its　close。

Then　he　felt　glad　that　he　had　been　so　happy；　and　had　not　wasted　his　life。　　〃It　has　been　very　short；〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃but　it　has　been　very　pleasant；　and　I　think　I　have　made　the　best　use　of　it。　　I　have　drunk　in　the　sunshine；　I　have　lain　on　the　soft；　warm　air；　I　have　played　merry　games　in　the　waving　grass；　I　have　tasted　the　juice　of　the　sweet　green　leaves。　　I　have　done　what　I　could。　　I　have　spread　my　wings；　I　have　sung　my　song。　　Now　I　will　thank　God　for　the　sunny　days　that　are　passed；　and　die。〃

Saying　which；　he　crawled　under　a　brown　leaf；　and　met　his　fate　in　the　way　that　all　brave　grasshoppers　should；　and　a　little　bird　that　was　passing　by　picked　him　up　tenderly　and　buried　him。

Now　when　the　foolish　ant　saw　this；　she　was　greatly　puffed　up　with　Pharisaical　conceit。　　〃How　thankful　I　ought　to　be；〃　said　she；　〃that　I　am　industrious　and　prudent；　and　not　like　this　poor　grasshopper。　While　he　was　flitting　about　from　flower　to　flower；　enjoying　himself；　I　was　hard　at　work；　putting　by　against　the　winter。　　Now　he　is　dead；　while　I　am　about　to　make　myself　cosy　in　my　warm　home；　and　eat　all　the　good　things　that　I　have　been　saving　up。〃

But；　as　she　spoke；　the　gardener　came　along　with　his　spade；　and　levelled　the　hill　where　she　dwelt　to　the　ground；　and　left　her　lying　dead　amidst　the　ruins。

Then　the　same　kind　little　bird　that　had　buried　the　grasshopper　came　and　picked　her　out　and　buried　her　also；　and　afterwards　he　composed　and　sang　a　song；　the　burthen　of　which　was；　〃Gather　ye　rosebuds　while　ye　may。〃　　It　was　a　very　pretty　song；　and　a　very　wise　song；　and　a　man　who　lived　in　those　days；　and　to　whom　the　birds；　loving　him　and　feeling　that　he　was　almost　one　of　themselves；　had　taught　their　language；　fortunately　overheard　it　and　wrote　it　down；　so　that　all　may　read　it　to　this　day。

Unhappily　for　us；　however；　Fate　is　a　harsh　governess；　who　has　no　sympathy　with　our　desire　for　rosebuds。　　〃Don't　stop　to　pick　flowers　now；　my　dear；〃　she　cries；　in　her　sharp；　cross　tones；　as　she　seizes　our　arm　and　jerks　us　back　into　the　roadway；　〃we　haven't　time　to…day。　We　will　come　back　again　to…morrow；　and　you　shall　pick　them　then。〃

And　we　have　to　follow　her；　knowing；　if　we　are　experienced　children；　that　the　chances　are　that　we　shall　never　come　that　way　to…morrow；　or　that；　if　we　do；　the　roses　will　be　dead。

Fate　would　not　hear　of　our　having　a　houseboat　that　summer；which　was　an　exceptionally　fine　summer；but　promised　us　that　if　we　were　good　and　saved　up　our　money；　we　should　have　one　next　year；　and　Ethelbertha　and　I；　being　simple…minded；　inexperienced　children；　were　content　with　the　promise；　and　had　faith　in　its　satisfactory　fulfilment。

As　soon　as　we　reached　home　we　informed　Amenda　of　our　plan。　　The　moment　the　girl　opened　the　door；　Ethelbertha　burst　out　with：…　〃Oh！　can　you　swim；　Amenda？〃

〃No；　mum；〃　answered　Amenda；　with　entire　absence　of　curiosity　as　to　why　such　a　question　had　been　addressed　to　her；　〃I　never　knew　but　one　girl　as　could；　and　she　got　drowned。〃

〃Well；　you'll　have　to　make　haste　and　learn；　then；〃　continued　Ethelbertha；　〃because　you　won't　be　able　to　walk　out　with　your　young　man；　you'll　have　to　swim　out。　　We're　not　going　to　live　in　a　house　any　more。　　We're　going　to　live　on　a　boat　in　the　middle　of　the　river。〃

Ethelbertha's　chief　object　in　life　at　this　period　was　to　surprise　and　shock　Amenda；　and　her　chief　sorrow　that　she　had　never　succeeded　in　doing　so。　　She　had　hoped　great　things　from　this　announcement；　but　the　girl　remained　unmoved。　　〃Oh；　are　you；　mum；〃　she　replied；　and　went　on　to　speak　of　other　matters。

I　believe　the　result　would　have　been　the　same　if　we　had　told　her　we　were　going　to　live　in　a　balloon。

I　do　not　know　how　it　was；　I　am　sure。　　Amenda　was　always　most　respectful　in　her　manner。　　But　she　had　a　knack　of　making　Ethelbertha　and　myself　feel　that　we　were　a　couple　of　children；　playing　at　being　grown　up　and　married；　and　that　she　was　humouring　us。

Amenda　stayed　with　us　for　nearly　five　yearsuntil　the　milkman；　having　saved　up　sufficient　to　buy　a　〃walk〃　of　his　own；　had　become　practicablebut　her　attitude　towards　us　never　changed。　　Even　when　we　came　to　be　really　important　married　people；　the　proprietors　of　a　〃family；〃　it　was　evident　that　she　merely　considered　we　had　gone　a　step　further　in　the　game；　and　were　playing　now　at　being　fathers　and　mothers。

By　some　subtle　process　she　contrived　to　imbue　the　baby　also　with　this　idea。　　The　child　never　seemed　to　me　to　take　either　of　us　quite　seriously。　　She　would　play　with　us；　or　join　with　us　in　light　conversation；　but　when　it　came　to　the　serious　affairs　of　life；　such　as　bathing　or　feeding；　she　preferred　her　nurse。

Ethelbertha　attempted　to　take　her　out　in　the　perambulator　one　morning；　but　the　child　would　not　hear　of　it　for　a　moment。

〃It's　all　right；　baby　dear；〃　explained　Ethelbertha　soothingly。　〃Baby's　going　out　with　mamma　this　morning。〃

〃Oh　no；　baby　ain't；〃　was　baby's　rejoinder；　in　effect　if　not　in　words。　　〃Baby　don't　take　a　hand　in　experimentsnot　this　baby。　　I　don't　want　to　be　upset　or　run　over。〃

Poor　Ethel！　　I　shall　never　forget　how　heart…broken　she　was。　　It　was　the　want　of　confidence　that　wounded　her。

But　these　are　reminiscences　of　other　days；　having　no　connection　with　the　days　of　which　I　amor　should　bewriting；　and　to　wander　from　one　matter　to　another　is；　in　a　teller　of　tales；　a　grievous　sin；　and　a　growing　custom　much　to　be　condemned。　　Therefore　I　will　close　my　eyes　to　all　other　memories；　and　endeavour　to　see　only　that　little　white　and　green　houseboat　by　the　ferry；　which　was　the　scene　of　our　future　collaborations。

Houseboats　then　were　not　built　to　the　scale　of　Mississippi　steamers；　but　this　boat　was　a　small　one；　even　for　that　primitive　age。　　The　man　from　whom　we　hired　it　described　it　as　〃compact。〃　　The　man　to　whom；　at　the　end　of　the　first　month；　we　tried　to　sub…let　it；　characterised　it　as　〃poky。〃　　In　our　letters　we　traversed　this　definition。　　In　our　hearts　we　agreed　with　it。

At　first；　however；　its　sizeor；　rather；　its　lack　of　sizewas　one　of　its　chief　charms　in　Ethelbertha's　eyes。　　The　fact　that　if　you　got　out　of　bed　carelessly　you　were　certain　to　knock　your　head　against　the　ceiling；　and　that　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　any　man　to　put　on　his　trousers　except　in　the　saloon；　she　regarded　as　a　capital　joke。

That　she　herself　had　to　take　a　looking…glass　and　go　upon　the　roof　to　do　her　back　hair；　she　thought　less　amusing。

Amenda　accepted　her　new　surroundings　with　her　usual　philosophic　indifference。　　On　being　informed　that　what　she　had　mistaken　for　a　linen…press　was　her　bedroom；　she　remarked　that　there　was　one　advantage　about　it；　and　that　was；　that　she　could　not　tumble　out　of　bed；　seeing　there　wa