novel notes-第3节

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ggestions　of　hers　that　she　occasionally　threw　out　for　us　to　accept　or　not；　as　we　chose。

〃Maybe；〃　said　she；　〃I'd　better　light　it　in　the　old　way　just　for　to…　day。〃

〃Do；　Amenda；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　rising。　　And　then　she　added；　〃I　think　we'll　always　have　them　lighted　in　the　old　way；　Amenda；　if　you　please。〃

Another　time　he　showed　us　how　to　make　coffeeaccording　to　the　Arabian　method。　　Arabia　must　be　a　very　untidy　country　if　they　made　coffee　often　over　there。　　He　dirtied　two　saucepans；　three　jugs；　one　tablecloth；　one　nutmeg…grater；　one　hearthrug；　three　cups；　and　himself。　　This　made　coffee　for　twowhat　would　have　been　necessary　in　the　case　of　a　party；　one　dares　not　think。

That　we　did　not　like　the　coffee　when　made；　MacShaughnassy　attributed　to　our　debased　tastethe　result　of　long　indulgence　in　an　inferior　article。　　He　drank　both　cups　himself；　and　afterwards　went　home　in　a　cab。

He　had　an　aunt　in　those　days；　I　remember；　a　mysterious　old　lady；　who　lived　in　some　secluded　retreat　from　where　she　wrought　incalculable　mischief　upon　MacShaughnassy's　friends。　　What　he　did　not　knowthe　one　or　two　things　that　he　was　NOT　an　authority　uponthis　aunt　of　his　knew。　　〃No；〃　he　would　say　with　engaging　candour〃no；　that　is　a　thing　I　cannot　advise　you　about　myself。　　But；〃　he　would　add；　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do。　　I'll　write　to　my　aunt　and　ask　her。〃　　And　a　day　or　two　afterwards　he　would　call　again；　bringing　his　aunt's　advice　with　him；　and；　if　you　were　young　and　inexperienced；　or　a　natural　born　fool；　you　might　possibly　follow　it。

She　sent　us　a　recipe　on　one　occasion；　through　MacShaughnassy；　for　the　extermination　of　blackbeetles。　　We　occupied　a　very　picturesque　old　house；　but；　as　with　most　picturesque　old　houses；　its　advantages　were　chiefly　external。　　There　were　many　holes　and　cracks　and　crevices　within　its　creaking　framework。　　Frogs；　who　had　lost　their　way　and　taken　the　wrong　turning；　would　suddenly　discover　themselves　in　the　middle　of　our　dining…room；　apparently　quite　as　much　to　their　own　surprise　and　annoyance　as　to　ours。　　A　numerous　company　of　rats　and　mice；　remarkably　fond　of　physical　exercise；　had　fitted　the　place　up　as　a　gymnasium　for　themselves；　and　our　kitchen；　after　ten　o'clock；　was　turned　into　a　blackbeetles'　club。　　They　came　up　through　the　floor　and　out　through　the　walls；　and　gambolled　there　in　their　light…hearted；　reckless　way　till　daylight。

The　rats　and　mice　Amenda　did　not　object　to。　　She　said　she　liked　to　watch　them。　　But　against　the　blackbeetles　she　was　prejudiced。　Therefore；　when　my　wife　informed　her　that　MacShaughnassy's　aunt　had　given　us　an　infallible　recipe　for　their　annihilation；　she　rejoiced。

We　purchased　the　materials；　manufactured　the　mixture；　and　put　it　about。　　The　beetles　came　and　ate　it。　　They　seemed　to　like　it。　　They　finished　it　all　up；　and　were　evidently　vexed　that　there　was　not　more。　　But　they　did　not　die。

We　told　these　facts　to　MacShaughnassy。　　He　smiled；　a　very　grim　smile；　and　said　in　a　low　tone；　full　of　meaning；　〃Let　them　eat！〃

It　appeared　that　this　was　one　of　those　slow；　insidious　poisons。　　It　did　not　kill　the　beetle　off　immediately；　but　it　undermined　his　constitution。　　Day　by　day　he　would　sink　and　droop　without　being　able　to　tell　what　was　the　matter　with　himself；　until　one　morning　we　should　enter　the　kitchen　to　find　him　lying　cold　and　very　still。

So　we　made　more　stuff　and　laid　it　round　each　night；　and　the　blackbeetles　from　all　about　the　parish　swarmed　to　it。　　Each　night　they　came　in　greater　quantities。　　They　fetched　up　all　their　friends　and　relations。　　Strange　beetlesbeetles　from　other　families；　with　no　claim　on　us　whatevergot　to　hear　about　the　thing；　and　came　in　hordes；　and　tried　to　rob　our　blackbeetles　of　it。　　By　the　end　of　a　week　we　had　lured　into　our　kitchen　every　beetle　that　wasn't　lame　for　miles　round。

MacShaughnassy　said　it　was　a　good　thing。　　We　should　clear　the　suburb　at　one　swoop。　　The　beetles　had　now　been　eating　this　poison　steadily　for　ten　days；　and　he　said　that　the　end　could　not　be　far　off。　　I　was　glad　to　hear　it；　because　I　was　beginning　to　find　this　unlimited　hospitality　expensive。　　It　was　a　dear　poison　that　we　were　giving　them；　and　they　were　hearty　eaters。

We　went　downstairs　to　see　how　they　were　getting　on。　　MacShaughnassy　thought　they　seemed　queer；　and　was　of　opinion　that　they　were　breaking　up。　　Speaking　for　myself；　I　can　only　say　that　a　healthier…　looking　lot　of　beetles　I　never　wish　to　see。

One；　it　is　true；　did　die　that　very　evening。　　He　was　detected　in　the　act　of　trying　to　make　off　with　an　unfairly　large　portion　of　the　poison；　and　three　or　four　of　the　others　set　upon　him　savagely　and　killed　him。

But　he　was　the　only　one；　so　far　as　I　could　ever　discover；　to　whom　MacShaughnassy's　recipe　proved　fatal。　　As　for　the　others；　they　grew　fat　and　sleek　upon　it。　　Some　of　them；　indeed；　began　to　acquire　quite　a　figure。　　We　lessened　their　numbers　eventually　by　the　help　of　some　common　oil…shop　stuff。　　But　such　vast　numbers；　attracted　by　MacShaughnassy's　poison；　had　settled　in　the　house；　that　to　finally　exterminate　them　now　was　hopeless。

I　have　not　heard　of　MacShaughnassy's　aunt　lately。　　Possibly；　one　of　MacShaughnassy's　bosom　friends　has　found　out　her　address　and　has　gone　down　and　murdered　her。　　If　so；　I　should　like　to　thank　him。

I　tried　a　little　while　ago　to　cure　MacShaughnassy　of　his　fatal　passion　for　advice…giving；　by　repeating　to　him　a　very　sad　story　that　was　told　to　me　by　a　gentleman　I　met　in　an　American　railway　car。　　I　was　travelling　from　Buffalo　to　New　York；　and；　during　the　day；　it　suddenly　occurred　to　me　that　I　might　make　the　journey　more　interesting　by　leaving　the　cars　at　Albany　and　completing　the　distance　by　water。　　But　I　did　not　know　how　the　boats　ran；　and　I　had　no　guide…book　with　me。　　I　glanced　about　for　some　one　to　question。　　A　mild…looking；　elderly　gentleman　sat　by　the　next　window　reading　a　book；　the　cover　of　which　was　familiar　to　me。　　I　deemed　him　to　be　intelligent；　and　approached　him。

〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　interrupting　you；〃　I　said；　sitting　down　opposite　to　him；　〃but　could　you　give　me　any　information　about　the　boats　between　Albany　and　New　York？〃

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　looking　up　with　a　pleasant　smile；　〃there　are　three　lines　of　boats　altogether。　　There　is　the　Heggarty　line；　but　they　only　go　as　far　as　Catskill。　　Then　there　are　the　Poughkeepsie　boats；　which　go　every　other　day。　　Or　there　is　what　we　call　the　canal　boat。〃

〃Oh；〃　I　said。　　〃Well　now；　which　would　you　advise　me　to〃

He　jumped　to　his　feet　with　a　cry；　and　stood　glaring　down　at　me　with　a　gleam　in　his　eyes　which　was　positively　murderous。

〃You　villain！〃　he　hissed　in　low　tones　of　concentrated　fury；　〃so　that's　your　game；　is　it？　　I'll　give　you　something　that　you'll　want　advice　about；〃　and　he　whipped　out　a　six…chambered　revolver。

I　felt　hurt。　　I　also　felt　that　if　the　interview　were　prolonged　I　might　feel　even　more　hurt。　　So　I　left　him　without　a　word；　and　drifted　over　to　the　other　end　of　the　car；　where　I　took　up　a　position　between　a　stout　lady　and　the　door。

I　was　still　musing　upon　the　incident；　when；　looking　up；　I　observed　my　elderly　friend　making　towards　me。　　I　rose　and　laid　my　hand　upon　the　door…knob。　　He　should　not　find　me　unprepared。　　He　smiled；　reassuringly；　however；　and　held　out　his　hand。

〃I've　been　thinking；〃　he　said；　〃that　maybe　I　was　a　little　rude　just　now。　　I　should　like；　if　you　will　let　me；　to　explain。　　I　think；　when　you　have　heard　my　story；　you　will　understand；　and　forgive　me。〃

There　was　that　about　him　which　made　me　trust　him。　　We　found　a　quiet　corner　in　the　smoking…car。　　I　had　a　〃whiskey　sour；〃　and　he　prescribed　for　himself　a　strange　thing　of　his　own　invention。　　Then　we　lighted　our　cigars；　and　he　talked。

〃Thirty　years　ago；〃　said　he；　〃I　was　a　young　man　with　a　healthy　belief　in　myself；　and　a　desire　to　do　good　to　others。　　I　did　not　imagine　myself　a　genius。　　I　did　not　even　consider　myself　exceptionally　brilliant　or　talented。　　But　it　did　seem　to　me；　and　the　more　I　noted　the　doings　of　my　fellow…men　and　women；　the　more　assured　did　I　become　of　it；　that　I　possessed　plain；　practical　common　sense　to　an　unusual　and　remarkable　degree。　　Conscious　of　this；　I　wrote　a　little　book；　which　I　entitled　How　to　be　Happy；　Wealthy；　and　Wise；　and　published　it　at　my　own　expense。　　I　did　not　seek　for　profit。　　I　merely　wished　to　be　useful。

The　book　did　not　make　the　stir　that　I　had　anticipated。　　Some　two　or　three　hundred　copies　went　off；　and　then　the　sale　practically　ceased。

I　confess　that　at　first　I　was　disappointed。　　But　after　a　while；　I　reflected　that；　if　people　would　not　take　my　advice；　it　was　more　their　loss　than　mine；　and　I　dismissed　the　matter　from　my　mind。

One　morning；　about　a　twelvemonth　afterwards；　I　was　sitting　in　my　study；　when　the　servant　entered　to　say　that　there　was　a　man　downstairs　who　wanted　very　much　to　see　me。

〃I　gave　instructions　that　he　should　be　sent　up；　and　up　accordingly　he　came。

〃He　was　a　common　man；　but　he　had　an　open；　intelligent　countenance；　and　his　manner　was　most　respectful。　　I　motioned　him　to　be　seated。　He　selected　a　chair；　and　sat　down　on　the　extreme　edge　of　it。

〃'I　hope　you'll　pard'n　this　intrusion；　sir；'　he　began；　speaking　deliberately；　and　twirling　his　hat　the　while；　'but　I've　come　more'n　two　hundred　miles　to　see　you；　sir。'

〃I　expressed　myself　as　pleased；　and　he　con