the peterkin papers-第26节

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y　wanted　to　put　their　boots　directly　on　for　exploration　round　　the　house）；　that　it　was　somewhat　inconvenient　to　have　to　begin　to　unpack　　directly；　and　scarcely　room　enough　could　be　found　for　all　the　contents　in　the　　small　chamber　allotted　to　them。

There　was　no　room　in　the　house　for　the　electrical　machine　and　camera。　Elizabeth　　Eliza　thought　the　other　boarders　were　afraid　of　the　machine　going　off；　so　an　　out…house　was　found　for　them；　where　Agamemnon　and　Solomon　John　could　arrange　　them。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　much　pleased　with　the　old…fashioned　porch　and　low…studded　　rooms；　though　the　sleeping…rooms　seemed　a　little　stuffy　at　first。

　Mr。　Peterkin　was　delighted　with　the　admirable　order　in　which　the　farm　was　　evidently　kept。　From　the　first　moment　he　arrived　he　gave　himself　to　examining　　the　well…stocked　stables　and　barns；　and　the　fields　and　vegetable　gardens；　which　　were　shown　to　him　by　a　highly　intelligent　person；　a　Mr。　Atwood；　who　devoted　　himself　to　explaining　to　Mr。　Peterkin　all　the　details　of　methods　in　the　farming。

　The　rest　of　the　family　were　disturbed　at　being　so　far　from　the　sea；　when　they　　found　it　would　take　nearly　all　the　afternoon　to　reach　the　beach。　The　　advertisements　had　surely　stated　that　the　〃Old　Farm〃　was　directly　on　the　shore；　　and　that　sea…bathing　would　be　exceedingly　convenient；　which　was　hardly　the　case　　if　it　took　you　an　hour　and　a　half　to　walk　to　it。

Mr。　Peterkin　declared　there　were　always　such　discrepancies　between　the　　advertisements　of　seaside　places　and　the　actual　facts；　but　he　was　more　than　　satisfied　with　the　farm　part；　and　was　glad　to　remain　and　admire　it；　while　the　　rest　of　the　family　went　to　find　the　beach；　starting　off　in　a　wagon　large　enough　　to　accommodate　them；　Agamemnon　driving　the　one　horse。

Solomon　John　had　depended　upon　taking　the　photographs　of　the　family　in　a　row　on　　the　beach；　but　he　decided　not　to　take　his　camera　out　the　first　afternoon。

This　was　well；　as　the　sun　was　already　setting　when　they　reached　the　beach。

〃If　this　wagon　were　not　so　shaky；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin　〃we　might　drive　over　every　　morning　for　our　bath。　The　road　is　very　straight；　and　I　suppose　Agamemnon　can　　turn　on　the　beach。〃

〃We　should　have　to　spend　the　whole　day　about　it；〃　said　Solomon　John；　in　a　　discouraged　tone；　〃unless　we　can　have　a　quicker　horse。〃

〃Perhaps　we　should　prefer　that；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　a　little　gloomily；　〃to　　staying　at　the　house。〃

She　had　been　a　little　disturbed　to　find　there　were　not　more　elegant　and　　fashionable…looking　boarders　at　the　farm；　and　she　was　disappointed　that　the　　Sylvesters　had　not　arrived；　who　would　understand　the　ways　of　the　place。　Yet；　　again；　she　was　somewhat　relieved；　for　if　their　trunks　did　not　come　till　the　next　　day；　as　was　feared；　she　should　have　nothing　but　her　travelling　dress　to　wear；　　which　would　certainly　answer　for　to…night。

She　had　been　busy　all　the　early　summer　in　preparing　her　dresses　for　this　very　　watering…place；　and；　as　far　as　appeared；　she　would　hardly　need　them；　and　was　　disappointed　to　have　no　chance　to　display　them。　But　of　course；　when　the　　Sylvesters　and　Ann　Maria　came；　all　would　be　different；　but　they　would　surely　be　　wasted　on　the　two　old　ladies　she　had　seen；　and　on　the　old　men　who　had　lounged　　about　the　porch；　there　surely　was　not　a　gentleman　among　them。

Agamemnon　assured　her　she　could　not　tell　at　the　seaside；　as　gentlemen　wore　their　　exercise　dress；　and　took　a　pride　in　going　around　in　shocking　hats　and　flannel　　suits。　Doubtless　they　would　be　dressed　for　dinner　on　their　return。

On　their　arrival　they　had　been　shown　to　a　room　to　have　their　meals　by　　themselves；　and　could　not　decide　whether　they　were　eating　dinner　or　lunch。　There　　was　a　variety　of　meat；　vegetables；　and　pie；　that　might　come　under　either　name；　　but　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　were　well　pleased。

〃I　had　no　idea　we　should　have　really　farm…fare；〃　Mrs。　Peterkin　said。　〃I　have　not　　drunk　such　a　tumbler　of　milk　since　I　was　young。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　concluded　they　ought　not　to　judge　from　a　first　meal；　as　　evidently　their　arrival　had　not　been　fully　prepared　for；　in　spite　of　the　　numerous　letters　that　had　been　exchanged。

The　little　boys　were；　however；　perfectly　satisfied　from　the　moment　of　their　　arrival；　and　one　of　them　had　stayed　at　the　farm；　declining　to　go　to　the　beach；　　as　he　wished　to　admire　the　pigs；　cows；　and　horses；　and　all　the　way　over　to　the　　beach　the　other　little　boys　were　hopping　in　and　out　of　the　wagon；　which　never　　went　too　fast；　to　pick　long　mullein…stalks；　for　whips　to　urge　on　the　reluctant　　horse　with；　or　to　gather　huckleberries；　with　which　they　were　rejoiced　to　find　　the　fields　were　filled；　although；　as　yet；　the　berries　were　very　green。

They　wanted　to　stay　longer　on　the　beach；　when　they　finally　reached　it；　but　Mrs。

Peterkin　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　insisted　upon　turning　directly　back；　as　it　was　not　　fair　to　be　late　to　dinner　the　very　first　night。

On　the　whole　the　party　came　back　cheerful；　yet　hungry。　They　found　the　same　old　　men；　in　the　same　costume；　standing　against　the　porch。

〃A　little　seedy；　I　should　say；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃Smoking　pipes；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃I　believe　that　is　the　latest　style。〃

〃The　smell　of　their　tobacco　is　not　very　agreeable；〃　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　forced　to　　say。

There　seemed　the　same　uncertainty　on　their　arrival　as　to　where　they　were　to　be　　put；　and　as　to　their　meals。

Elizabeth　Eliza　tried　to　get　into　conversation　with　the　old　ladies；　who　were　　wandering　in　and　out　of　a　small　sitting…room。　But　one　of　them　was　very　deaf；　and　　the　other　seemed　to　be　a　foreigner。　She　discovered　from　a　moderately　tidy　maid；　　by　the　name　of　Martha；　who　seemed　a　sort　of　factotum；　that　there　were　other　　ladies　in　their　rooms；　too　much　of　invalids　to　appear。

〃Regular　bed…ridden；〃　Martha　had　described　them；　which　Elizabeth　Eliza　did　not　　consider　respectful。

Mr。　Peterkin　appeared　coming　down　the　slope　of　the　hill　behind　the　house；　very　　cheerful。　He　had　made　the　tour　of　the　farm；　and

found　it　in　admirable　order。

Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　it　time　to　ask　Martha　about　the　next　meal；　and　ventured　to　　call　it　supper；　as　a　sort　of　compromise　between　dinner　and　tea。　If　dinner　were　　expected　she　might　offend　by　taking　it　for　granted　that　it　was　to　be　〃tea；〃　and　　if　they　were　unused　to　a　late　dinner　they　might　be　disturbed　if　they　had　only　　provided　a　〃tea。〃

So　she　asked　what　was　the　usual　hour　for　supper；　and　was　surprised　when　Martha　　replied；　〃The　lady　must　say；〃　nodding　to　Mrs。　Peterkin。　〃She　can　have　it　just　　when　she　wants；　and　just　what　she　wants！〃

This　was　an　unexpected　courtesy。

Elizabeth　Eliza　asked　when　the　others　had　their　supper。

〃Oh；　they　took　it　a　long　time　ago；〃　Martha　answered。　〃If　the　lady　will　go　out　　into　the　kitchen　she　can　tell　what　she　wants。〃

〃Bring　us　in　what　you　have；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　himself　quite　hungry。　〃If　you　　could　cook　us　a　fresh　slice　of　beefsteak　that　would　be　well。〃

〃Perhaps　some　eggs；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Peterkin。

〃Scrambled；〃　cried　one　of　the　little　boys。

〃Fried　potatoes　would　not　be　bad；〃　suggested　Agamemnon。

〃Couldn't　we　have　some　onions？〃　asked　the　little　boy　who　had　stayed　at　home；　and　　had　noticed　the　odor　of　onions　when　the　others　had　their　supper。

〃A　pie　would　come　in　well；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃And　some　stewed　cherries；〃　said　the　other　little　boy。

Martha　fell　to　laying　the　table；　and　the　family　was　much　pleased；　when；　in　the　　course　of　time；　all　the　dishes　they　had　recommended　appeared。　Their　appetites　　were　admirable；　and　they　pronounced　the　food　the　same。

〃This　is　true　Arab　hospitality；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　as　he　cut　his　juicy　　beefsteak。

〃I　know　it；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　whose　spirits　began　to　rise。　〃We　have　not　　even　seen　the　host　and　hostess。〃

She　would；　indeed；　have　been　glad　to　find　some　one　to　tell　her　when　the　　Sylvesters　were　expected；　and　why　they　had　not　arrived。　Her　room　was　in　the　　wing；　far　from　that　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin；　and　near　the　aged　deaf　and　foreign　　ladies；　and　she　was　kept　awake　for　some　time　by　perplexed　thoughts。

She　was　sure　the　lady　from　Philadelphia；　under　such　circumstances；　would　have　　written　to　somebody。　But　ought　she　to　write　to　Ann　Maria　or　the　Sylvesters？　And；　　if　she　did　write；　which　had　she　better　write　to？　She　fully　determined　to　write；　　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　to　both　parties。　But　how　should　she　address　her　　letters　？　Would　there　be　any　use　in　sending　to　the　Sylvesters'　usual　address；　　which　she　knew　well　by　this　time；　merely　to　say　they　had　not　come？　Of　course　the　　Sylvesters　would　know　they　had　not　come。　It　would　be　the　same　with　Ann　Maria。

She　might；　indeed；　inclose　her　letters　to　their　several　postmasters。　Postmasters　　were　always　so　obliging；　and　always　knew　where　people　were　going　to；　and　where　　to　send　their　letters。　She　might；　at　least；　write　two　letters；　to　say　that　　they…the　Peterkins…had　arrived；　and　were　disappointed　not　to　find　the　　Sylvesters。　And　she　could　add　that　their　trunks　had　not　arrived；　and　perhaps　　their　friends　might　look　out　for　them　on　their　way。　It　really　seemed　a　good　plan　　to　write。　Yet　another　question　came　up；　as　to　how　she　would　get　her　letters　to　　the　post…office；　as　she　had　already　learned　it　was　at　quite　a　distance；　and　in　a　　different　direction　from　the　station；　where　th