elizabeth and her german garden-第18节

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ered；　his　holes　were　prepared　with　the　tenderest　care；　he　was　given　the　most　dainty　mixture　of　compost；　clay；　and　manure；　he　was　watered　assiduously　all　through　the　drought　when　more　willing　flowers　got　nothing；　and　he　refused　to　do　anything　but　look　black　and　shrivel。　He　did　not　die；　but　neither　did　he　livehe　just　existed；　and　at　the　end　of　the　summer　not　one　of　him　had　a　scrap　more　shoot　or　leaf　than　when　he　was　first　put　in　in　April。　It　would　have　been　better　if　he　had　died　straight　away；　for　then　I　should　have　known　what　to　do；　as　it　is；　there　he　is　still　occupying　the　best　place；　wrapped　up　carefully　for　the　winter；　excluding　kinder　roses；　and　probably　intending　to　repeat　the　same　conduct　next　year。　　Well；　trials　are　the　portion　of　mankind；　and　gardeners　have　their　share；　and　in　any　case　it　is　better　to　be　tried　by　plants　than　persons；　seeing　that　with　plants　you　know　that　it　is　you　who　are　in　the　wrong；　and　with　persons　it　is　always　the　other　way　aboutand　who　is　there　among　us　who　has　not　felt　the　pangs　of　injured　innocence；　and　known　them　to　be　grievous？

I　have　two　visitors　staying　with　me；　though　I　have　done　nothing　to　provoke　such　an　infliction；　and　had　been　looking　forward　to　a　happy　little　Christmas　alone　with　the　Man　of　Wrath　and　the　babies。　Fate　decreed　otherwise。　　Quite　regularly；　if　I　look　forward　to　anything；　Fate　steps　in　and　decrees　otherwise；　I　don't　know　why　it　should；　but　it　does。　I　had　not　even　invited　these　good　ladieslike　greatness　on　the　modest；　they　were　thrust　upon　me。　　One　is　Irais；　the　sweet　singer　of　the　summer；　whom　I　love　as　she　deserves；　but　of　whom　I　certainly　thought　I　had　seen　the　last　for　at　least　a　year；　when　she　wrote　and　asked　if　I　would　have　her　over　Christmas；　as　her　husband　was　out　of　sorts；　and　she　didn't　like　him　in　that　state。　　Neither　do　I　like　sick　husbands；　so；　full　of　sympathy；　I　begged　her　to　come；　and　here　she　is。　　And　the　other　is　Minora。

Why　I　have　to　have　Minora　I　don't　know；　for　I　was　not　even　aware　of　her　existence　a　fortnight　ago。　Then　coming　down　cheerfully　one　morning　to　breakfast　it　was　the　very　day　after　my　return　from　England　I　found　a　letter　from　an　English　friend；　who　up　till　then　had　been　perfectly　innocuous；　asking　me　to　befriend　Minora。　I　read　the　letter　aloud　for　the　benefit　of　the　Man　of　Wrath；　who　was　eating　Spickgans；　a　delicacy　much　sought　after　in　these　parts。　　　〃Do；　my　dear　Elizabeth；〃　wrote　my　friend；　〃take　some　notice　of　the　poor　thing。　　She　is　studying　art　in　Dresden；　and　has　nowhere　literally　to　go　for　Christmas。　She　is　very　ambitious　and　hardworking〃

〃Then；〃　interrupted　the　Man　of　Wrath；〃　she　is　not　pretty。　〃Only　ugly　girls　work　hard。〃

〃and　she　is　really　very　clever〃

〃I　do　not　like　clever　girls；　they　are　so　stupid；〃　again　interrupted　the　Man　of　Wrath。

〃and　unless　some　kind　creature　like　yourself　takes　pity　on　her　she　will　be　very　lonely。〃

〃Then　let　her　be　lonely。〃

〃Her　mother　is　my　oldest　friend；　and　would　be　greatly　distressed　to　think　that　her　daughter　should　be　alone　in　a　foreign　town　at　such　a　season。〃

〃I　do　not　mind　the　distress　of　the　mother。〃

〃Oh；　dear　me；〃　I　exclaimed　impatiently；　〃I　shall　have　to　ask　her　to　come！〃

〃If　you　should　be　inclined；〃　the　letter　went　on；　〃to　play　the　good　Samaritan；　dear　Elizabeth；　I　am　positive　you　would　find　Minora　a　bright；　intelligent　companion〃

〃Minora？〃　questioned　the　Man　of　Wrath。

The　April　baby；　who　has　had　a　nursery　governess　of　an　altogether　alarmingly　zealous　type　attached　to　her　person　for　the　last　six　weeks；　looked　up　from　her　bread　and　milk。

〃It　sounds　like　islands；〃　she　remarked　pensively。

The　governess　coughed。

〃Majora；　Minora；　Alderney；　and　Sark；〃　explained　her　pupil。

I　looked　at　her　severely。

〃If　you　are　not　careful；　April；〃　I　said；　〃you'll　be　a　genius　when　you　grow　up　and　disgrace　your　parents。〃

Miss　Jones　looked　as　though　she　did　not　like　Germans。　I　am　afraid　she　despises　us　because　she　thinks　we　are　foreigners　an　attitude　of　mind　quite　British　and　wholly　to　her　credit；　but　we；　on　the　other　hand；　regard　her　as　a　foreigner；　which；　of　course；　makes　things　complicated。

〃Shall　I　really　have　to　have　this　strange　girl？〃　I　asked；　addressing　nobody　in　particular　and　not　expecting　a　reply。

〃You　need　not　have　her；〃　said　the　Man　of　Wrath　composedly；　〃but　you　will。　　You　will　write　to…day　and　cordially　invite　her；　and　when　she　has　been　here　twenty…four　hours　you　will　quarrel　with　her。　I　know　you；　my　dear。〃

〃Quarrel！　I？　　With　a　little　art…student？〃　　Miss　Jones　cast　down　her　eyes。　　She　is　perpetually　scenting　a　scene；　and　is　always　ready　to　bring　whole　batteries　of　discretion　and　tact　and　good　taste　to　bear　on　us；　and　seems　to　know　we　are　disputing　in　an　unseemly　manner　when　we　would　never　dream　it　ourselves　but　for　the　warning　of　her　downcast　eyes。　I　would　take　my　courage　in　both　hands　and　ask　her　to　go；　for　besides　this　superfluity　of　discreet　behaviour　she　is；　although　only　nursery；　much　too　zealous；　and　inclined　to　be　always　teaching　and　never　playing；　but；　unfortunately；　the　April　baby　adores　her　and　is　sure　there　never　was　any　one　so　beautiful　before。　She　comes　every　day　with　fresh　accounts　of　the　splendours　of　her　wardrobe；　and　feeling　descriptions　of　her　umbrellas　and　hats；　and　Miss　Jones　looks　offended　and　purses　up　her　lips。　In　common　with　most　governesses；　she　has　a　little　dark　down　on　her　upper　lip；　and　the　April　baby　appeared　one　day　at　dinner　with　her　own　decorated　in　faithful　imitation；　having　achieved　it　after　much　struggling；　with　the　aid　of　a　lead　pencil　and　unbounded　love。　　Miss　Jones　put　her　in　the　corner　for　impertinence。　　I　wonder　why　governesses　are　so　unpleasant。　The　Man　of　Wrath　says　it　is　because　they　are　not　married。　Without　venturing　to　differ　entirely　from　the　opinion　of　experience；　I　would　add　that　the　strain　of　continually　having　to　set　an　example　must　surely　be　very　great。　　It　is　much　easier；　and　often　more　pleasant；　to　be　a　warning　than　an　example；　and　governesses　are　but　women；　and　women　are　sometimes　foolish；　and　when　you　want　to　be　foolish　it　must　be　annoying　to　have　to　be　wise。

Minora　and　Irais　arrived　yesterday　together；　or　rather；　when　the　carriage　drove　up；　Irais　got　out　of　it　alone；　and　informed　me　that　there　was　a　strange　girl　on　a　bicycle　a　little　way　behind。　I　sent　back　the　carriage　to　pick　her　up；　for　it　was　dusk　and　the　roads　are　terrible。

〃But　why　do　you　have　strange　girls　here　at　all？〃　asked　Irais　rather　peevishly；　taking　off　her　hat　in　the　library　before　the　fire；　and　otherwise　making　herself　very　much　at　home；　〃I　don't　like　them。　I'm　not　sure　that　they're　not　worse　than　husbands　who　are　out　of　order。　Who　is　she？　　She　would　bicycle　from　the　station；　and　is；　I　am　sure；　the　first　woman　who　has　done　it。　　The　little　boys　threw　stones　at　her。〃

〃Oh；　my　dear；　that　only　shows　the　ignorance　of　the　little　boys。　Never　mind　her。　　Let　us　have　tea　in　peace　before　she　comes。〃　　　〃But　we　should　be　much　happier　without　her；〃　she　grumbled。　〃Weren't　we　happy　enough　in　the　summer；　Elizabethjust　you　and　I？　〃

〃Yes；　indeed　we　were；〃　I　answered　heartily；　putting　my　arms　round　her。　　The　flame　of　my　affection　for　Irais　burns　very　brightly　on　the　day　of　her　arrival；　besides；　this　time　I　have　prudently　provided　against　her　sinning　with　the　salt…cellars　by　ordering　them　to　be　handed　round　like　vegetable　dishes。　We　had　finished　tea　and　she　had　gone　up　to　her　room　to　dress　before　Minora　and　her　bicycle　were　got　here。　　I　hurried　out　to　meet　her；　feeling　sorry　for　her；　plunged　into　a　circle　of　strangers　at　such　a　very　personal　season　as　Christmas。　But　she　was　not　very　shy；　indeed；　she　was　less　shy　than　I　was；　and　lingered　in　the　hall；　giving　the　servants　directions　to　wipe　the　snow　off　the　tyres　of　her　machine　before　she　lent　an　attentive　ear　to　my　welcoming　remarks。

〃I　couldn't　make　your　man　understand　me　at　the　station；〃　she　said　at　last；　when　her　mind　was　at　rest　about　her　bicycle；　〃I　asked　him　how　far　it　was；　and　what　the　roads　were　like；　and　he　only　smiled。　　Is　he　German？　　But　of　course　he　is　how　odd　that　he　didn't　understand。　　You　speak　English　very　well；　very　well　indeed；　do　you　know。〃　　　By　this　time　we　were　in　the　library；　and　she　stood　on　the　hearth…rug　warming　her　back　while　I　poured　her　out　some　tea。

〃What　a　quaint　room；〃　she　remarked；　looking　round；　〃and　the　hall　is　so　curious　too。　　Very　old；　isn't　it？　There's　a　lot　of　copy　here。〃

The　Man　of　Wrath；　who　had　been　in　the　hall　on　her　arrival　and　had　come　in　with　us；　began　to　look　about　on　the　carpet。　〃Copy〃　he　inquired；　〃Where's　copy？　〃

〃Ohmaterial；　you　know；　for　a　book。　　I'm　just　jotting　down　what　strikes　me　in　your　country；　and　when　I　have　time　shall　throw　it　into　book　form。〃　She　spoke　very　loud；　as　English　people　always　do　to　foreigners。

〃My　dear；〃　I　said　breathlessly　to　Irais；　when　I　had　got　into　her　room　and　shut　the　door　and　Minora　was　safely　in　hers；　〃what　do　you　think　she　writes　books！〃

〃Whatthe　bicycling　girl？〃

〃YesMinoraimagine　it！〃

We　stood　and　looked　at　each　other　with　awestruck　faces。

〃How　dreadful！〃　murmured　Irais。　　〃I　never　met　a　young　girl　who　did　that　before。〃

〃She　says　this　place　is　full　of　copy。〃　　　〃Full　of　what？　〃

〃That's　what　you　make　books　with。〃

〃Oh；　my　dear；　this　is　worse　than　I　expected！　　A　strange　girl　is　always