elizabeth and her german garden-第27节
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〃I don't quite see；〃 said Irais in a hushed voice； as though she were in a holy place；〃how the two can be compared。〃
〃Yes； Dresden is more convenient； of course；〃 replied Minora； after which we turned away and thought we would keep her quiet by feeding her； so we went back to the sleigh and had the horses taken out and their cloths put on； and they were walked up and down a distant glade while we sat in the sleigh and picnicked。 It is a hard day for the horses；nearly thirty miles there and back and no stable in the middle； but they are so fat and spoiled that it cannot do them much harm sometimes to taste the bitterness of life。 I warmed soup in a little apparatus I have for such occasions； which helped to take the chilliness off the sandwiches；this is the only unpleasant part of a winter picnic； the clammy quality of the provisions just when you most long for something very hot。 Minora let her nose very carefully out of its wrappings； took a mouthful； and covered it up quickly again。 She was nervous lest it should be frost…nipped； and truth compels me to add that her nose is not a bad nose； and might even be pretty on anybody else； but she does not know how to carry it； and there is an art in the angle at which one's nose is held just as in everything else； and really noses were intended for something besides mere blowing。
It is the most difficult thing in the world to eat sandwiches with immense fur and woollen gloves on； and I think we ate almost as much fur as anything； and choked exceedingly during the process。 Minora was angry at this； and at last pulled off her glove； but quickly put it on again。
〃How very unpleasant；〃 she remarked after swallowing a large piece of fur。
〃It will wrap round your pipes； and keep them warm；〃 said Irais。
〃Pipes！〃 echoed Minora； greatly disgusted by such vulgarity。
〃I'm afraid I can't help you；〃 I said； as she continued to choke and splutter； 〃we are all in the same case； and I don't know how to alter it。〃 〃There are such things as forks； I suppose；〃 snapped Minora。
〃That's true；〃 said I； crushed by the obviousness of the remedy； but of what use are forks if they are fifteen miles off？ So Minora had to continue to eat her gloves。
By the time we had finished； the sun was already low behind the trees and the clouds beginning to flush a faint pink。 The old coachman was given sandwiches and soup； and while he led the horses up and down with one hand and held his lunch in the other； we packed upor； to be correct； I packed； and the others looked on and gave me valuable advice。
This coachman； Peter by name； is seventy years old； and was born on the place； and has driven its occupants for fifty years； and I am nearly as fond of him as I am of the sun…dial； indeed； I don't know what I should do without him； so entirely does he appear to understand and approve of my tastes and wishes。 No drive is too long or difficult for the horses if I want to take it； no place impossible to reach if I want to go to it； no weather or roads too bad to prevent my going out if I wish to： to all my suggestions he responds with the readiest cheerfulness； and smoothes away all objections raised by the Man of Wrath； who rewards his alacrity in doing my pleasure by speaking of him as an alter Esel。 In the summer； on fine evenings； I love to drive late and alone in the scented forests； and when I have reached a dark part stop； and sit quite still； listening to the nightingales repeating their little tune over and over again after interludes of gurgling； or if there are no nightingales； listening to the marvellous silence； and letting its blessedness descend into my very soul。 The nightingales in the forests about here all sing the same tune； and in the same key of （E flat）。
I don't know whether all nightingales do this； or if it is peculiar to this particular spot。 When they have sung it once； they clear their throats a little； and hesitate； and then do it again； and it is the prettiest little song in the world。 How could I indulge my passion for these drives with their pauses without Peter？ He is so used to them that he stops now at the right moment without having to be told； and he is ready to drive me all night if I wish it； with no sign of anything but cheerful willingness on his nice old face。 The Man of Wrath deplores these eccentric tastes； as he calls them； of mine； but has given up trying to prevent my indulging them because； while he is deploring in one part of the house； I have slipped out at a door in the other； and am gone before he can catch me； and have reached and am lost in the shadows of the forest by the time he has discovered that I am nowhere to be found。
The brightness of Peter's perfections are sullied however by one spot； and that is； that as age creeps upon him； he not only cannot hold the horses in if they don't want to be held in； but he goes to sleep sometimes on his box if I have him out too soon after lunch； and has upset me twice within the last year once last winter out of a sleigh； and once this summer； when the horses shied at a bicycle； and bolted into the ditch on one side of the chaussee （German for high road）； and the bicycle was so terrified at the horses shying that it shied too into the ditch on the other side； and the carriage was smashed； and the bicycle was smashed； and we were all very unhappy； except Peter； who never lost his pleasant smile； and looked so placid that my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth when I tried to make it scold him。
〃But I should think he ought to have been thoroughly scolded on an occasion like that；〃 said Minora； to whom I had been telling this story as we wandered on the yellow sands while the horses were being put in the sleigh； and she glanced nervously up at Peter； whose mild head was visible between the bushes above us。 〃Shall we get home before dark？〃 she asked。
The sun had altogether disappeared behind the pines and only the very highest of the little clouds were still pink； out at sea the mists were creeping up； and the sails of the fishing…smacks had turned a dull brown； a flight of wild geese passed across the disc of the moon with loud cacklings。
〃Before dark？〃 echoed Irais； 〃I should think not。 It is dark now nearly in the forest； and we shall have the loveliest moonlight drive back。〃
〃But it is surely very dangerous to let a man who goes to sleep drive you；〃 said Minora apprehensively。
〃But he's such an old dear；〃 I said。
〃Yes； yes； no doubt；〃 she replied tastily； ；〃but there are wakeful old dears to be had； and on a box they are preferable。〃
Irais laughed。 〃You are growing quite amusing； Miss Minora；〃 she said。
〃He isn't on a box to…day；〃 said I； 〃and I never knew him to go to sleep standing up behind us on a sleigh。〃 But Minora was not to be appeased； and muttered something about seeing no fun in foolhardiness； which shows how alarmed she was； for it was rude。
Peter； however； behaved beautifully on the way home； and Irais and I at least were as happy as possible driving back； with all the glories of the western sky flashing at us every now and then at the end of a long avenue as we swiftly passed； and later on； when they had faded； myriads of stars in the narrow black strip of sky over our heads。 It was bitterly cold； and Minora was silent； and not in the least inclined to laugh with us as she had been six hours before。
〃Have you enjoyed yourself； Miss Minora？' inquired Irais； as we got out of the forest on to the chaussee； and the lights of the village before ours twinkled in the distance。
〃How many degrees do you suppose there are now？〃 was Minora's reply to this question。
〃Degrees？Of frost？ Oh； dear me； are you cold；〃 cried Irais solicitously。
〃Well； it isn't exactly warm； is it？〃 said Minora sulkily； and Irais pinched me。 〃Well； but think how much colder you would have been without all that fur you ate for lunch inside you；〃 she said。 〃And what a nice chapter you will be able to write about the Baltic；〃 said I。 〃Why； it is practically certain that you are the first English person who has ever been to just this part of it。〃
〃Isn't there some English poem；〃 said Irais； 〃about being the first who ever burst〃
〃'Into that silent sea；'〃 finished Minora hastily。 〃You can't quote that without its context； you know。〃
〃But I wasn't going to；〃 said Irais meekly； 〃I only paused to breathe。 I must breathe； or perhaps I might die。〃
The lights from my energetic friend's Schloss shone brightly down upon us as we passed round the base of the hill on which it stands； she is very proud of this hill； as well she may be； seeing that it is the only one in the whole district。
〃Do you never go there？〃 asked Minora； jerking her head in the direction of the house。
〃Sometimes。 She is a very busy woman； and I should feel I was in the way if I went often。〃
〃It would be interesting to see another North German interior；〃 said Minora； 〃and I should be obliged if you would take me。
〃But I can't fall upon her suddenly with a strange girl；〃 I protested； 〃and we are not at all on such intimate terms as to justify my taking all my visitors to see her。〃
〃What do you want to see another interior for？〃 asked Irais。 〃I can tell you what it is like； and if you went nobody wo
