elizabeth and her german garden-第17节
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ers； thrown under doors； and even fastened to his own garden wall。 The peasant hereabouts is past belief low and animal； and a sensitive； intellectual parson among them is really a pearl before swine。 For years he has gone on unflinchingly； filled with the most living faith and hope and charity； and I sometimes wonder whether they are any better now in his parish than they were under his predecessor； a man who smoked and drank beer from Monday morning to Saturday night； never did a stroke of work； and often kept the scanty congregation waiting on Sunday afternoons while he finished his postprandial nap。 It is discouraging enough to make most men give in； and leave the parish to get to heaven or not as it pleases； but he never seems discouraged； and goes on sacrificing the best part of his life to these people when all his tastes are literary； and all his inclinations towards the life of the student。 His convictions drag him out of his little home at all hours to minister to the sick and exhort the wicked； they give him no rest； and never let him feel he has done enough； and when he comes home weary； after a day's wrestling with his parishioners' souls； he is confronted on his doorstep by filthy abuse pasted up on his own front door。 He never speaks of these things； but how shall they be hid？ Everybody here knows everything that happens before the day is over； and what we have for dinner is of far greater general interest than the most astounding political earthquake。 They have a pretty； roomy cottage； and a good bit of ground adjoining the churchyard。 His predecessor used to hang out his washing on the tombstones to dry； but then he was a person entirely lost to all sense of decency； and had finally to be removed； preaching a farewell sermon of a most vituperative description； and hurling invective at the Man of Wrath； who sat up in his box drinking in every word and enjoying himself thoroughly。 The Man of Wrath likes novelty； and such a sermon had never been heard before。 It is spoken of in the village to this day with bated breath and awful joy。
December 22nd。Up to now we have had a beautiful winter。 Clear skies； frost； little wind； and； except for a sharp touch now and then； very few really cold days。 My windows are gay with hyacinths and lilies of the valley； and though； as I have said； I don't admire the smell of hyacinths in the spring when it seems wanting in youth and chastity next to that of other flowers； I am glad enough now to bury my nose in their heavy sweetness。 In December one cannot afford to be fastidious； besides； one is actually less fastidious about everything in the winter。 The keen air braces soul as well as body into robustness； and the food and the perfume disliked in the summer are perfectly welcome then。
I am very busy preparing for Christmas； but have often locked myself up in a room alone； shutting out my unfinished duties； to study the flower catalogues and make my lists of seeds and shrubs and trees for the spring。 It is a fascinating occupation； and acquires an additional charm when you know you ought to be doing something else； that Christmas is at the door； that children and servants and farm hands depend on you for their pleasure； and that； if you don't see to the decoration of the trees and house； and the buying of the presents； nobody else will。 The hours fly by shut up with those catalogues and with Duty snarling on the other side of the door。 I don't like Duty everything in the least disagreeable is always sure to be one's duty。 Why cannot it be my duty to make lists and plans for the dear garden？ 〃And so it is；〃 I insisted to the Man of Wrath； when he protested against what he called wasting my time upstairs。 〃No；〃 he replied sagely； 〃your garden is not your duty； because it is your Pleasure。〃
What a comfort it is to have such wells of wisdom constantly at my disposal！ Anybody can have a husband； but to few is it given to have a sage； and the combination of both is as rare as it is useful。 Indeed； in its practical utility the only thing I ever saw to equal it is a sofa my neighbour has bought as a Christmas surprise for her husband； and which she showed me the last time I called therea beautiful invention； as she explained； combining a bedstead； a sofa； and a chest of drawers； and into which you put your clothes； and on top of which you put yourself； and if anybody calls in the middle of the night and you happen to be using the drawing…room as a bedroom； you just pop the bedclothes inside； and there you are discovered sitting on your sofa and looking for all the world as though you had been expecting visitors for hours。
〃Pray； does he wear pyjamas？〃 I inquired。
But she had never heard of pyjamas。
It takes a long time to make my spring lists。 I want to have a border all yellow； every shade of yellow from fieriest orange to nearly white； and the amount of work and studying of gardening books it costs me will only be appreciated by beginners like myself。 I have been weeks planning it； and it is not nearly finished。 I want it to be a succession of glories from May till the frosts； and the chief feature is to be the number of 〃ardent marigolds〃 flowers that I very tenderly loveand nasturtiums。 The nasturtiums are to be of every sort and shade； and are to climb and creep and grow in bushes； and show their lovely flowers and leaves to the best advantage。 Then there are to be eschscholtzias； dahlias； sunflowers； zinnias； scabiosa； portulaca； yellow violas； yellow stocks； yellow sweet…peas； yellow lupinseverything that is yellow or that has a yellow variety。 The place I have chosen for it is a long； wide border in the sun； at the foot of a grassy slope crowned with lilacs and pines； and facing southeast。 You go through a little pine wood； and； turning a corner； are to come suddenly upon this bit of captured morning glory。 I want it to be blinding in its brightness after the dark； cool path through the wood。
That is the idea。 Depression seizes me when I reflect upon the probable difference between the idea and its realisation。 I am ignorant； and the gardener is； I do believe； still more so； for he was forcing some tulips； and they have all shrivelled up and died； and he says he cannot imagine why。 Besides； he is in love with the cook； and is going to marry her after Christmas； and refuses to enter into any of my plans with the enthusiasm they deserve； but sits with vacant eye dreamily chopping wood from morning till night to keep the beloved one's kitchen fire well supplied。 I cannot understand any one preferring cooks to marigolds； those future marigolds； shadowy as they are； and whose seeds are still sleeping at the seedsman's； have shone through my winter days like golden lamps。
I wish with all my heart I were a man； for of course the first thing I should do would be to buy a spade and go and garden； and then I should have the delight of doing everything for my flowers with my own hands and need not waste time explaining what I want done to somebody else。 It is dull work giving orders and trying to describe the bright visions of one's brain to a person who has no visions and no brain； and who thinks a yellow bed should be calceolarias edged with blue。
I have taken care in choosing my yellow plants to put down only those humble ones that are easily pleased and grateful for little； for my soil is by no means all that it might be； and to most plants the climate is rather trying。 I feel really grateful to any flower that is sturdy and willing enough to flourish here。 Pansies seem to like the place and so do sweet…peas； pinks don't； and after much coaxing gave hardly any flowers last summer。 Nearly all the roses were a success； in spite of the sandy soil； except the tea…rose Adam； which was covered with buds ready to open； when they suddenly turned brown and died； and three standard Dr。 Grills which stood in a row and simply sulked。 I had been very excited about Dr。 Grill； his description in the catalogues being specially fascinating； and no doubt I deserved the snubbing I got。 〃Never be excited； my dears； about anything；〃 shall be the advice I will give the three babies when the time comes to take them out to parties； 〃or； if you are； don't show it。 If by nature you are volcanoes； at least be only smouldering ones。 Don't look pleased； don't look interested； don't； above all things； look eager。 Calm indifference should be written on every feature of your faces。 Never show that you like any one person； or any one thing。 Be cool； languid； and reserved。 If you don't do as your mother tells you and are just gushing； frisky； young idiots； snubs will be your portion。 If you do as she tells you； you'll marry princes and live happily ever after。〃
Dr。 Grill must be a German rose。 In this part of the world the more you are pleased to see a person the less is he pleased to see you； whereas； if you are disagreeable； he will grow pleasant visibly； his countenance expanding into wider amiability the more your own is stiff and sour。 But I was not Prepared for that sort of thing in a rose； and was disgusted with Dr。 Grill。 He had the best place in the gardenwarm； sunny； and sheltered； his holes were prepared with the tenderest care； he was given the most dainty mixture of compo
