elizabeth and her german garden-第19节

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〃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　a　bore　among　good　friends；　but　one　can　generally　manage　her。　But　a　girl　who　writes　bookswhy；　it　isn't　respectable！　And　you　can't　snub　that　sort　of　people；　they're　unsnubbable。〃

〃Oh；　but　we'll　try！〃　　I　cried；　with　such　heartiness　that　we　both　laughed。

The　hall　and　the　library　struck　Minora　most；　indeed；　she　lingered　so　long　after　dinner　in　the　hall；　which　is　cold；　that　the　Man　of　Wrath　put　on　his　fur　coat　by　way　of　a　gentle　hint。　His　hints　are　always　gentle。

She　wanted　to　hear　the　whole　story　about　the　chapel　and　the　nuns　and　Gustavus　Adolphus；　and　pulling　out　a　fat　note…book　began　to　take　down　what　I　said。　　I　at　once　relapsed　into　silence。

〃Well？〃　she　said。

〃That's　all。〃

〃Oh；　but　you've　only　just　begun。〃

〃It　doesn't　go　any　further。　　Won't　you　come　into　the　library？　〃

In　the　library　she　again　took　up　her　stand　before　the　fire　and　warmed　herself；　and　we　sat　in　a　row　and　were　cold。　She　has　a　wonderfully　good　profile；　which　is　irritating。　The　wind；　however；　is　tempered　to　the　shorn　lamb　by　her　eyes　being　set　too　closely　together。

Irais　lit　a　cigarette；　and　leaning　back　in　her　chair；　contemplated　her　critically　beneath　her　long　eyelashes。　〃You　are　writing　a　book？〃　she　asked　presently。

〃Wellyes；　I　suppose　I　may　say　that　I　am。　　Just　my　impressions；　you　know；　of　your　country。　　Anything　that　strikes　me　as　curious　or　amusingI　jot　it　down；　and　when　I　have　time　shall　work　it　up　into　something；　I　daresay。〃

〃Are　you　not　studying　painting？　〃

〃Yes；　but　I　can't　study　that　for　ever。　　We　have　an　English　proverb：　'Life　is　short　and　Art　is　long'too　long；　I　sometimes　think　and　writing　is　a　great　relaxation　when　I　am　tired。〃

〃What　shall　you　call　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　thought　of　calling　it　Journeyings　in　Germany。　It　sounds　well；　and　would　be　correct。　　Or　Jottings　from　German　Journeyings；I　haven't　quite　decided　yet　which。〃

〃By　the　author　of　Prowls　in　Pomerania；　you　might　add；〃　suggested　Irais。

〃And　Drivel　from　Dresden；〃　said　I。　

〃And　Bosh　from　Berlin；〃　added　Irais。

Minora　stared。　　〃I　don't　think　those　two　last　ones　would　do；〃　she　said；　〃because　it　is　not　to　be　a　facetious　book。　But　your　first　one　is　rather　a　good　title；〃　she　added；　looking　at　Irais　and　drawing　out　her　note…book。　〃I　think　I'll　just　jot　that　down。〃

〃If　you　jot　down　all　we　say　and　then　publish　it；　will　it　still　be　your　book？〃　asked　Irais。

But　Minora　was　so　busy　scribbling　that　she　did　not　hear。

〃And　have　you　no　suggestions　to　make；　Sage？〃　asked　Irais；　turning　to　the　Man　of　Wrath；　who　was　blowing　out　clouds　of　smoke　in　silence。

〃Oh；　do　you　call　him　Sage？〃　cried　Minora；　〃and　always　in　English？〃

Irais　and　I　looked　at　each　other。　　We　knew　what　we　did　call　him；　and　were　afraid　Minora　would　in　time　ferret　it　out　and　enter　it　in　her　note…book。　The　Man　of　Wrath　looked　none　too　well　pleased　to　be　alluded　to　under　his　very　nose　by　our　new　guest　as　〃him。〃

〃Husbands　are　always　sages；〃　said　I　gravely。

〃Though　sages　are　not　always　husbands；〃　said　Irais　with　equal　gravity。　〃Sages　and　husbandssage　and　husbands〃　she　went　on　musingly；　〃what　does　that　remind　you　of；　Miss　Minora？〃

〃Oh；　I　know；how　stupid　of　me！〃　cried　Minora　eagerly；　her　pencil　in　mid…air　and　her　brain　clutching　at　the　elusive　recollection；　〃sage　and；　why；yes；no；yes；　of　courseoh；〃　disappointedly；　〃but　that's　vulgar　I　can't　put　it　in。〃

〃What　is　vulgar？〃　　I　asked。

〃She　thinks　sage　and　onions　is　vulgar；〃　said　Irais　languidly；　〃but　it　isn't；　it　is　very　good。〃　　She　got　up　and　walked　to　the　piano；　and；　sitting　down；　began；　after　a　little　wandering　over　the　keys；　to　sing。

〃Do　you　play？〃　　I　asked　Minora。

〃Yes；　but　I　am　afraid　I　am　rather　out　of　practice。〃

I　said　no　more。　　I　know　what　that　sort　of　playing　is。

〃When　we　were　lighting　our　bedroom　candles　Minora　began　suddenly　to　speak　in　an　unknown　tongue。　　We　stared。　〃What　is　the　matter　with　her？〃　murmured　Irais。

〃I　thought；　perhaps；〃　said　Minora　in　English；　you　might　prefer　to　talk　German；　and　as　it　is　all　the　same　to　me　what　I　talk〃　　〃Oh；　pray　don't　trouble；〃　said　Irais。　　〃We　like　airing　our　English　don't　we；　Elizabeth？〃

〃I　don't　want　my　German　to　get　rusty　though；〃　said　Minora；　〃I　shouldn't　like　to　forget　it。〃

〃Oh；　but　isn't　there　an　English　song；〃　said　Irais；　twisting　round　her　neck　as　she　preceded　us　upstairs；　〃''Tis　folly　to　remember；　'tis　wisdom　to　forget'？〃

〃You　are　not　nervous　sleeping　alone；　I　hope；〃　I　said　hastily。

〃What　room　is　she　in？〃　asked　Irais。

〃No。　12。〃

〃Oh！do　you　believe　in　ghosts？〃

Minora　turned　pale。

〃What　nonsense；〃　said　I；　〃we　have　no　ghosts　here。　Good…night。　If　you　want　anything；　mind　you　ring。〃

〃And　if　you　see　anything　curious　in　that　room；〃　called　Irais　from　her　bedroom　door；　〃mind　you　jot　it　down。〃


December　27thIt　is　the　fashion；　I　believe；　to　regard　Christmas　as　a　bore　of　rather　a　gross　description；　and　as　a　time　when　you　are　invited　to　over…eat　yourself；　and　pretend　to　be　merry　without　just　cause。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　is　one　of　the　prettiest　and　most　poetic　institutions　possible；　if　observed　in　the　proper　manner；　and　after　having　been　more　or　less　unpleasant　to　everybody　for　a　whole　year；　it　is　a　blessing　to　be　forced　on　that　one　day　to　be　amiable；　and　it　is　certainly　delightful　to　be　able　to　give　presents　without　being　haunted　by　the　conviction　that　you　are　spoiling　the　recipient；　and　will　suffer　for　it　afterward。　Servants　are　only　big　children；　and　are　made　just　as　happy　as　children　by　little　presents　and　nice　things　to　eat；　and；　for　days　beforehand；　every　time　the　three　babies　go　into　the　garden　they　expect　to　meet　the　Christ　Child　with　His　arms　full　of　gifts。　They　firmly　believe　that　it　is　thus　their　presents　are　brought；　and　it　is　such　a　charming　idea　that　Christmas　would　be　worth　celebrating　for　its　sake　alone。

As　great　secrecy　is　observed；　the　preparations　devolve　entirely　on　me；　and　it　is　not　very　easy　work；　with　so　many　people　in　our　own　house　and　on　each　of　the　farms；　and　all　the　children；　big　and　little；　expecting　their　share　of　happiness。　The　library　is　uninhabitable　for　several　days　before　and　after；　as　it　is　there　that　we　have　the　trees　and　presents。　All　down　one　side　are　the　trees；　and　the　other　three　sides　are　lined　with　tables；　a　separate　one　for　each　person　in　the　house。　When　the　trees　are　lighted；　and　stand　in　their　radiance　shining　down　on　the　happy　faces；　I　forget　all　the　trouble　it　has　been；　and　the　number　of　times　I　have　had　to　run　up　and　down　stairs；　and　the　various　aches　in　head　and　feet；　and　enjoy　myself　as　much　as　anybody。　　First　the　June　baby　is　ushered　in；　then　the　others　and　ourselves　according　to　age；　then　the　servants；　then　come　the　head　inspector　and　his　family；　the　other　inspectors　from　the　different　farms；　the　mamsells；　the　bookkeepers　and　secretaries；　and　then　all　the　children；　troops　and　troops　of　them　the　big　ones　leading　the　little　ones　by　the　hand　and　carrying　the　babies　in　their　arms；　and　the　mothers　peeping　round　the　door。　As　many　as　can　get　in　stand　in　front　of　the　trees；　and　sing　two　or　three　carols；　then　they　are　given　their　presents；　and　go　off　triumphantly；　making　room　for　the　next　batch。　My　three　babies　sang　lustily　too；　whether　they　happened　to　know　what　was　being　sung　or　not。　　They　had　on　white　dresses　in　honour　of　the　occasion；　and　the　June　baby　was　even　arrayed　in　a　low…necked　and　short…sleeved　garment；　after　the　manner　of　Teutonic　infants；　whatever　the　state　of　the　thermometer。　Her　arms　are　like　miniature　prize…fighter's　armsI　never　saw　such　things；　they　are　the　pride　and　joy　of　her　little　nurse；　who　had　tied　them　up　with　blue　ribbons；　and　kept　on　kissing　them。　I　shall　certainly　not　be　able　to　take　her　to　balls　when　she　grows　up；　if　she　goes　on　having　arms　like　that。

When　they　came　to　say　good…night；　they　were　all　very　pale　and　subdued。　The　April　baby　had　an　exhausted…looking　Japanese　doll　with　her；　which　she　said　she　was　taking　to　bed；　not　because　she　liked　him；　but　because　she　was　so　sorry　for　him；　he　seemed　so　very　tired。　They　kissed　me　absently；　and　went　away；　only　the　April　baby　glancing　at　the　trees　as　she　passed　and　making　them　a　curtesy。

〃Good…bye；　trees；〃　I　heard　her　say；　and　then　she　made　the　Japanese　doll　bow　to　them；　which　he　did；　in　a　very　languid　and　blase　fashion。　〃You'll　never　see　such　trees　again；〃　she　told　him；　giving　him　a　vindictive　shake；　〃for　you'll　be　brokened　long　before　next　time。〃

She　went　out；　but　came　back　as　though　she　had　forgotten　something。

〃Thank　the　Christkind　so　much；　Mummy；　won't　you；　for　all　the　lovely　things　He　brought　us。　　I　suppose　you're　writing　to　Him　now；　isn't　you？〃

I　cannot　see　that　there　was　anything　gross　about　our　Christmas；　and　we　were　perfectly　merry　without　any　need　to　pretend；　and　for　at　least　two　days　it　brought　us　a　little　nearer　together；　and　made　us　kind。　Happiness　is　so　wholesome；　it　invigorates　and　warms　me　into　piety　far　more　effectually　than　any　amount　of　trials　and　griefs；　and　an　unexpected　pleasure　is　the　surest　means　of　bringing　me　to　my　knees。　In　spite　of　the　protestations　of　some　peculiarly　constructed　persons　that　they　are　the　better　for　trials；　I　don't　believe