elizabeth and her german garden-第14节

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〃I　saythis　is　jolly〃　she　jerked　out。

〃But　why　need　we　run　to　the　same　place？〃　　I　breathlessly　asked；　in　the　vain　hope　of　getting　rid　of　her。　　　〃Oh；　yesthat's　justthe　fun。　　We'd　get　ontogetheryou　and　I〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　I；　decided　on　this　point；　bewildered　though　I　was。

〃I　can't　stand　washingeitherit's　awfulin　winter　and　makes　one　havechaps。〃

〃But　I　don't　mind　it　in　the　least；〃　I　protested　faintly；　not　having　any　energy　left。

〃Oh；　I　say！〃　said　the　little　girl；　looking　at　my　face；　and　making　the　sound　known　as　a　guffaw。　　The　familiarity　of　this　little　girl　was　wholly　revolting。

We　had　got　safely　through　the　door；　round　the　corner　past　the　radishes；　and　were　in　the　shrubbery。　　I　knew　from　experience　how　easy　it　was　to　hide　in　the　tangle　of　little　paths；　and　stopped　a　moment　to　look　round　and　listen。　　The　little　girl　opened　her　mouth　to　speak。　　With　great　presence　of　mind　I　instantly　put　my　muff　in　front　of　it　and　held　it　there　tight；　while　I　listened。　Dead　silence；　except　for　the　laboured　breathing　and　struggles　of　the　little　girl。

〃I　don't　hear　a　sound；〃　I　whispered；　letting　her　go　again。　〃Now　what　did　you　want　to　say？〃　　I　added；　eyeing　her　severely。

〃I　wanted　to　say；〃　she　panted；　〃that　it's　no　good　pretending　you　wash　with　a　nose　like　that。〃

〃A　nose　like　that！　　A　nose　like　what？〃　　I　exclaimed；　greatly　offended；　and　though　I　put　up　my　hand　and　very　tenderly　and　carefully　felt　it；　I　could　find　no　difference　in　it。　〃I　am　afraid　poor　Miss　Robinson　must　have　a　wretched　life；〃　I　said；　in　tones　of　deep　disgust。

The　little　girl　smiled　fatuously；　as　though　I　were　paying　her　compliments。　　〃It's　all　green　and　brown；〃　she　said；　pointing。　〃Is　it　always　like　that？〃

Then　I　remembered　the　wet　fir　tree　near　the　gate；　and　the　enraptured　kiss　it　had　received；　and　blushed。

〃Won't　it　come　off？〃　persisted　the　little　girl。

〃Of　course　it　will　come　off；〃　I　answered；　frowning。

〃Why　don't　you　rub　it　off？　〃

Then　I　remembered　the　throwing　away　of　the　handkerchief；　and　blushed　again。

〃Please　lend　me　your　handkerchief；〃　I　said　humbly；　〃II　have　lost　mine。〃

There　was　a　great　fumbling　in　six　different　pockets；　and　then　a　handkerchief　that　made　me　young　again　merely　to　look　at　it　was　produced。　I　took　it　thankfully　and　rubbed　with　energy；　the　little　girl；　intensely　interested；　watching　the　operation　and　giving　me　advice。　〃Thereit's　all　right　nowa　little　more　on　the　rightthere　now　it's　all　off。〃

〃Are　you　sure？　　No　green　left？〃　　I　anxiously　asked。

〃No；　it's　red　all　over　now；〃　she　replied　cheerfully。　〃Let　me　get　home；〃　thought　I；　very　much　upset　by　this　information；　〃let　me　get　home　to　my　dear；　uncritical；　admiring　babies；　who　accept　my　nose　as　an　example　of　what　a　nose　should　be；　and　whatever　its　colour　think　it　beautiful。〃　　And　thrusting　the　handkerchief　back　into　the　little　girl's　hands；　I　hurried　away　down　the　path。　She　packed　it　away　hastily；　but　it　took　some　seconds　for　it　was　of　the　size　of　a　small　sheet；　and　then　came　running　after　me。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　she　asked　surprised；　as　I　turned　down　the　path　leading　to　the　gate。

〃Through　this　gate；〃　I　replied　with　decision。

〃But　you　mustn'twe're　not　allowed　to　go　through　there　〃

So　strong　was　the　force　of　old　habits　in　that　place　that　at　the　words　not　allowed　my　hand　dropped　of　itself　from　the　latch；　and　at　that　instant　a　voice　calling　quite　close　to　us　through　the　mist　struck　me　rigid。

〃Elizabeth！　Elizabeth！〃　called　the　voice；　〃Come　in　at　once　to　your　lessonsElizabeth！　　Elizabeth！〃

〃It's　Miss　Robinson；〃　whispered　the　little　girl；　twinkling　with　excitement；　then；　catching　sight　of　my　face；　she　said　once　more　with　eager　insistence；　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃Oh；　I'm　a　ghost！〃　　I　cried　with　conviction；　pressing　my　hands　to　my　forehead　and　looking　round　fearfully。

〃Pooh；〃　said　the　little　girl。

It　was　the　last　remark　I　heard　her　make；　for　there　was　a　creaking　of　approaching　boots　in　the　bushes；　and　seized　by　a　frightful　panic　I　pulled　the　gate　open　with　one　desperate　pull；　flung　it　to　behind　me；　and　fled　out　and　away　down　the　wide；　misty　fields。

The　Gotha　Almanach　says　that　the　reigning　cousin　married　the　daughter　of　a　Mr。　Johnstone；　an　Englishman；　in　1885；　and　that　in　1886　their　only　child　was　born；　Elizabeth。　　　November　20th。Last　night　we　had　ten　degrees　of　frost　（Fahrenheit）；　and　I　went　out　the　first　thing　this　morning　to　see　what　had　become　of　the　tea…roses；　and　behold；　they　were　wide　awake　and　quite　cheerfulcovered　with　rime　it　is　true；　but　anything　but　black　and　shrivelled。　　Even　those　in　boxes　on　each　side　of　the　verandah　steps　were　perfectly　alive　and　full　of　buds；　and　one　in　particular；　a　Bouquet　d'Or；　is　a　mass　of　buds；　and　would　flower　if　it　could　get　the　least　encouragement。　I　am　beginning　to　think　that　the　tenderness　of　tea…roses　is　much　exaggerated；　and　am　certainly　very　glad　I　had　the　courage　to　try　them　in　this　northern　garden。　But　I　must　not　fly　too　boldly　in　the　face　of　Providence；　and　have　ordered　those　in　the　boxes　to　be　taken　into　the　greenhouse　for　the　winter；　and　hope　the　Bouquet　d'Or；　in　a　sunny　place　near　the　glass；　may　be　induced　to　open　some　of　those　buds。　The　greenhouse　is　only　used　as　a　refuge；　and　kept　at　a　temperature　just　above　freezing；　and　is　reserved　entirely　for　such　plants　as　cannot　stand　the　very　coldest　part　of　the　winter　out　of　doors。　I　don't　use　it　for　growing　anything；　because　I　don't　love　things　that　will　only　bear　the　garden　for　three　or　four　months　in　the　year　and　require　coaxing　and　petting　for　the　rest　of　it。　Give　me　a　garden　full　of　strong；　healthy　creatures；　able　to　stand　roughness　and　cold　without　dismally　giving　in　and　dying。　I　never　could　see　that　delicacy　of　constitution　is　pretty；　either　in　plants　or　women。　　No　doubt　there　are　many　lovely　flowers　to　be　had　by　heat　and　constant　coaxing；　but　then　for　each　of　these　there　are　fifty　others　still　lovelier　that　will　gratefully　grow　in　God's　wholesome　air　and　are　blessed　in　return　with　a　far　greater　intensity　of　scent　and　colour。

We　have　been　very　busy　till　now　getting　the　permanent　beds　into　order　and　planting　the　new　tea…roses；　and　I　am　looking　forward　to　next　summer　with　more　hope　than　ever　in　spite　of　my　many　failures。　I　wish　the　years　would　pass　quickly　that　will　bring　my　garden　to　perfection！　The　Persian　Yellows　have　gone　into　their　new　quarters；　and　their　place　is　occupied　by　the　tearose　Safrano；　all　the　rose　beds　are　carpeted　with　pansies　sown　in　July　and　transplanted　in　October；　each　bed　having　a　separate　colour。　The　purple　ones　are　the　most　charming　and　go　well　with　every　rose；　but　I　have　white　ones　with　Laurette　Messimy；　and　yellow　ones　with　Safrano；　and　a　new　red　sort　in　the　big　centre　bed　of　red　roses。　Round　the　semicircle　on　the　south　side　of　the　little　privet　hedge　two　rows　of　annual　larkspurs　in　all　their　delicate　shades　have　been　sown；　and　just　beyond　the　larkspurs；　on　the　grass；　is　a　semicircle　of　standard　tea　and　pillar　roses。

In　front　of　the　house　the　long　borders　have　been　stocked　with　larkspurs；　annual　and　perennial；　columbines；　giant　poppies；　pinks；　Madonna　lilies；　wallflowers；　hollyhocks；　perennial　phloxes；　peonies；　lavender；　starworts；　cornflowers；　Lychnis　chalcedonica；　and　bulbs　packed　in　wherever　bulbs　could　go。　　These　are　the　borders　that　were　so　hardly　used　by　the　other　gardener。　　The　spring　boxes　for　the　verandah　steps　have　been　filled　with　pink　and　white　and　yellow　tulips。　　I　love　tulips　better　than　any　other　spring　flower；　they　are　the　embodiment　of　alert　cheerfulness　and　tidy　grace；　and　next　to　a　hyacinth　look　like　a　wholesome；　freshly　tubbed　young　girl　beside　a　stout　lady　whose　every　movement　weighs　down　the　air　with　patchouli。　　Their　faint；　delicate　scent　is　refinement　itself；　and　is　there　anything　in　the　world　more　charming　than　the　sprightly　way　they　hold　up　their　little　faces　to　the　sun。　　I　have　heard　them　called　bold　and　flaunting；　but　to　me　they　seem　modest　grace　itself；　only　always　on　the　alert　to　enjoy　life　as　much　as　they　can　and　not　afraid　of　looking　the　sun　or　anything　else　above　them　in　the　face。　On　the　grass　there　are　two　beds　of　them　carpeted　with　forget…me…nots；　and　in　the　grass；　in　scattered　groups；　are　daffodils　and　narcissus。　Down　the　wilder　shrubbery　walks　foxgloves　and　mulleins　will　（I　hope）　shine　majestic；　and　one　cool　corner；　backed　by　a　group　of　firs；　is　graced　by　Madonna　lilies；　white　foxgloves；　and　columbines。

In　a　distant　glade　I　have　made　a　spring　garden　round　an　oak　tree　that　stands　alone　in　the　sungroups　of　crocuses；　daffodils；　narcissus；　hyacinths；　and　tulips；　among　such　flowering　shrubs　and　trees　as　Pirus　Malus　spectabilis；　floribunda；　and　coronaria；　Prunus　Juliana；　Mahaleb；　serotina；　triloba；　and　Pissardi；　Cydonias　and　Weigelias　in　every　colour；　and　several　kinds　of　Crataegus　and　other　May　lovelinesses。　　If　the　weather　behaves　itself　nicely；　and　we　get　gentle　rains　in　due　season；　I　think　this　little　corner　will　be　beautifulbut　what　a　big　〃if〃　it　is！　Drought　is　our　great　enemy；　and　the　two　last　summers　each　contained　five　weeks　of　blazing；　cloudless　heat　when　all　the　ditches　dried　up　and　the　soil　was　like　hot　pastry。　At　such　times　the　watering　is　naturally　quite　beyond　the　strength　of　two　men；　but　as　a　garden　is　a　place　to　be　happy　in；　and　not　one　where　you　want　to　meet　a　dozen　curious　ey