旧式女孩 英文版 An Old-fashioned Girl
露意莎.梅.奥尔科特 Louisa May Alcott
CHAPTER VI GRANDMA Page 2
"We were just beginning on the cake when the loud scratching of arat disturbed us.
" 'The signal! fly! run! hide! Hush, don't laugh!' cried severalvoices, and we scuttled into bed as rapidly and noiselessly aspossible, with our mouths and hands full.
"A long pause, broken by more scratching; but as no one came, wedecided on sending to inquire what it meant. I went and foundMary, the picket guard half asleep, and longing for her share of thefeast.
" 'It was a real rat; I 've not made a sound. Do go and finish; I 'mtired of this,' said Mary, slapping away at the mosquitoes.
"Back I hurried with the good news. Every one flew up, briskly.We lighted the candle again, and returned to our revel. Therefreshments were somewhat injured by Sally's bouncing in amongthem, bit we did n't care, and soon finished the cake.
" 'Now let 's have the nuts,' I said, groping for the paper bag.
" 'They are almonds and peanuts, so we can crack them with ourteeth. Be sure you get the bag by the right end,' said Sally.
" 'I know what I 'm about,' and to show her that it was all right, Igave the bag a little shake, when out flew the nuts, rattling like ahail-storm all over the uncarpeted floor.
" 'Now you 've done it,' cried Sally, as Mary scratched like a madrat, and a door creaked below, for Miss Cotton was not deaf.
"Such a flurry as we were in! Out went the candle, and each onerushed away with as much of the feast as she could seize in herhaste. Sally dived into her bed, recklessly demolishing the last pie,and scattering the candy far and wide.
"Poor Mary was nearly caught for Miss Cotton was quicker thanBetsey, and our guard had to run for her life.
"Our room was the first, and was in good order, though the twoflushed faces on the pillows were rather suspicious. Miss Cottonstood staring about her, looking so funny, without her cap, that mybedfellow would have gone off in a fit of laughter, if I had notpinched her warningly.
" 'Young ladies, what is this unseemly noise?' "No answer from usbut a faint snore. Miss Cotton marched into the next room, put thesame question and received the same reply.
"In the third chamber lay Sally, and we trembled as the old ladywent in. Sitting up, we peeped and listened breathlessly.
" 'Sarah, I command you to tell me what this all means?' "But Sallyonly sighed in her sleep, and muttered, wickedly, 'Ma, take mehome. I 'm starved at Cotton's.' " 'Mercy on me! is the child goingto have a fever?' cried the old lady, who did not observe the telltale nuts at her feet.
" 'So dull, so strict! O take me home!' moaned Sally, tossing herarms and gurgling, like a naughty little gypsy.
"That last bit of acting upset the whole concern, for as she tossedher arms she showed the big red cushion on her breast.Near-sighted as she was, that ridiculous object could not escapeMiss Cotton, neither did the orange that rolled out from the pillow,nor the boots appearing at the foot of the bed.
"With sudden energy the old lady plucked off the cover, and therelay Sally with her hair dressed . la Topsy, her absurd breast-pinand her dusty boots, among papers of candy, bits of pie and cake,oranges and apples, and a candle upside down burning a hole inthe sheet.
"At the sound of Miss Cotton's horrified exclamation Sally wokeup, and began laughing so merrily that none of us could resistfollowing her example, and the rooms rang with merriment farmany minutes. I really don't know when we should have stopped ifSally had not got choked with the nut she had in her mouth, and sofrightened us nearly out of our wits."
"What became of the things, and how were you punished?" askedFan, in the middle of her laughter.
"The remains of the feast went to the pig, and we were kept onbread and water for three days."
"Did that cure you?"
"Oh, dear, no! we had half a dozen other frolics that very summer;and although I cannot help laughing at the remembrance of this,you must not think, child, that I approve of such conduct, orexcuse it. No, no, my dear, far from it."
"I call that a, tip-top story! Drive on, grandma, and tell one aboutboys," broke in a new voice, and there was Tom astride of a chairlistening and laughing with all his might, for his book had come toan end, and he had joined the party unobserved.
"Wait for your turn, Tommy. Now, Polly, dear, what will youhave?" said grandma, looking, so lively and happy, that it was veryevident "reminiscing" did her good.
"Let mine come last, and tell one for Tom next," said Polly,looking round, and beckoning him nearer.
He came and sat himself cross-legged on the floor, before thelower drawer of the cabinet, which grandma opened for him,saying, with a benign stroke of the curly head, "There, dear, that 'swhere I keep the little memorials of my brother Jack. Poor lad, hewas lost at sea, you know. Well, choose anything you like, and I 'lltry to remember a story about it."
Tom made a rapid rummage, and fished up a little broken pistol.
"There, that 's the chap for me! Wish it was n't spoilt, then we 'dhave fun popping away at the cats in the yard. Now, then,grandma."
white palmyrine, my hair bowed high, thebeautiful!
"I remember one of Jack's pranks, when that was used with greateffect," said grandma, after a thoughtful pause, during which Tomteased the girls by snapping the lock of the pistol in their faces.
"We lived just out of town, in a lonely place; the house was old,with convenient little back windows, and five outside doors. Jackwas the only man about the place, and he was barely thirteen.Mother and aunt were very timid, and the children weren't oldenough to be of any use, so Jack and I were the home-guard, andvowed to defend the family manfully."
"Good for you! Hope the fellows came!" cried Tom, charmed withthis opening.
"One day, an ill-looking man came in and asked for food,"continued grandma, with a mysterious nod; "and while he ate, Isaw him glance sharply about from the wooden buttons on theback-doors, to the silver urn and tankards on the dining-roomsideboard. A strong suspicion took possession of me, and Iwatched him as a cat does a mouse.
"'He came to examine the premises, I 'm sure of it, but we will beready for him,' I said, fiercely, as I told the family about him.
"This fancy haunted us all, and our preparations were very funny.Mother borrowed a rattle, and kept it under her pillow. Aunt took abig bell to bed with her; the children had little Tip, the terrier, tosleep in their room; while Jack and I mounted guard, he with thepistol, and I with a hatchet, for I did n't like fire-arms. Biddy, whoslept in the attic, practised getting out on the shed roof, so that shemight run away at the first alarm. Every night we arranged pit-fallsfor the robbers, and all filed up to bed, bearing plate, money,weapons, and things to barricade with, as if we lived in war times.
"We waited a week and no one came, so we began to feel ratherslighted, for other people got 'a scare,' as Tom says, and after allour preparations we really felt a trifle disappointed that we had hadno chance to show our courage. At last a black mark was foundupon our door, and a great panic ensued, for we felt that now ourtime had come.
"That night we put a tub of water at the bottom of the back-stairs,and a pile of tin pans at the top of the front stairs, so that anyattempt to come up would produce a splash or a rattle. Bells werehung on door handles, sticks of wood piled up in dark corners forrobbers to fall over, and the family retired, all armed and allprovided with lamps and matches.
"Jack and I left our doors open, and kept asking one another if wedid n't hear something, till he fell asleep. I was wakeful and laylistening to the crickets till the clock struck twelve; then I gotdrowsy, and was just dropping off when the sound of steps outsidewoke me up staring wide awake. Creeping to the window I was intime to see by the dim moonlight a shadow glide round the cornerand disappear. A queer little thrill went over me, but I resolved tokeep quiet till I was sure something was wrong, for I had given somany false alarms, I did n't want Jack to laugh at me again.Popping my head out of the door, I listened, and presently heard ascraping sound near the shed.
" 'There they are; but I won't rouse the house till the bell rings orthe pans fall. The rogues can't go far without a clatter of some sort,and if we could only catch one of them we should get the rewardand a deal of glory,' I said to myself, grasping my hatchet firmly.
"A door closed softly below, and a step came creeping towards theback-stairs. Sure now of my prey, I was just about to scream 'Jack!'when something went splash into the tub at the foot of theback-stairs.
"Some one brought a lamp, and we peeped anxiously down, to seeour own stupid Biddy sitting in the tub wringing her hands andwailing dismally.
" 'Och, murther, and it 's kilt I am! The saints be about us! how iverdid I come forninst this say iv wather, just crapin in quiet afther abit iv sthroll wid Mike Mahoney, me own b'y, that 's to marry meintirely, come Saint Patrick's day nixt.' "We laughed so we couldhardly fish the poor thing up, or listen while she explained that shehad slipped out of her window for a word with Mike, and found itfastened when she wanted to come back, so she had sat on theroof, trying to discover the cause of this mysterious barring out, tillshe was tired, when she prowled round the house till she found acellar window unfastened, after all our care, and got in quitecleverly, she thought; but the tub was a new arrangement whichshe knew nothing about; and when she fell into the 'say,' she wasbewildered and could only howl.
"This was not all the damage either, for aunt fainted with thefright, mother cut her hand with a broken lamp, the children tookcold hopping about on the wet stairs, Jip barked himself sick, Isprained my ankle, and Jack not only smashed a looking-glass withhis bullets, but spoilt his pistol by the heavy charge put in it. Afterthe damages were repaired and the flurry was well over, Jackconfessed that he had marked the door for fun, and shut Biddy outas a punishment for 'gallivanting,' of which he did n't approve.Such a rogue as that boy was!' "
"But did n't the robbers ever come?" cried Tom, enjoying the joke,but feeling defrauded of the fight.
"Never, my dear; but we had our 'scare,' and tested our courage,and that was a great satisfaction, of course," answered grandma,placidly.
"Well, I think you were the bravest of the lot. I 'd like to have seenyou flourishing round there with your hatchet," added Tom,admiringly, and the old lady looked as much pleased with thecompliment as if she had been a girl.
"I choose this," said Polly, holding up a long white kid glove,shrunken and yellow with time, but looking as if it had a history.
"Ah, that now has a story worth telling!" cried grandma; adding,proudly, "Treat that old glove respectfully, my children, forLafayette's honored hand has touched it."
"Oh, grandma, did you wear it? Did you see him? Do tell us allabout it, and that will be the best of the whole," cried Polly, wholoved history, and knew a good deal about the gallant Frenchmanand his brave life.
Grandma loved to tell this story, and always assumed her mostimposing air to do honor to her theme. Drawing herself up,therefore, she folded her hands, and after two or three little"hems," began with an absent look, as if her eyes beheld afar-away time, which brightened as she gazed.
"The first visit of Lafayette was before my time, of course, but Iheard so much about it from my grandfather that I really felt as if I'd seen it all. Our Aunt Hancock lived in the Governor's house, onBeacon Hill, at that time." Here the old lady bridled up still more,for she was very proud of "our aunt." "Ah, my dears, those werethe good old times!" she continued, with a sigh. "Such dinners andtea parties, such damask table cloths and fine plate, such solid,handsome furniture and elegant carriages; aunt's was lined withred silk velvet, and when the coach was taken away from her at theGovernor's death, she just ripped out the lining. and we girls hadspencers made of it. Dear heart, how well I remember playing inaunt's great garden, and chasing Jack up and down those windingstairs; and my blessed father, in his plum-colored coat and kneebuckles, and the queue I used to tie up for him every day, handingaunt in to dinner, looking so dignified and splendid."
"Well, as I was saying, the Governor wanted to give a breakfast tothe French officers, and Madam, who was a hospitable soul, got upa splendid one for them. But by some mistake, or accident, it wasdiscovered at the last minute that there was no milk.
"A great deal was needed, and very little could be bought orborrowed, so despair fell upon the cooks and maids, and the greatbreakfast would have been a failure, if Madam, with the presenceof mind of her sex, had not suddenly bethought herself of the cowsfeeding on the Common.
"To be sure, they belonged to her neighbors, and there was no timeto ask leave, but it was a national affair; our allies must be fed; andfeeling sure that her patriotic friends would gladly lay their cowson the altar of their country, Madam Hancock covered herself withglory, by calmly issuing the command, 'Milk 'em!' "It was done, tothe great astonishment of the cows, and the entire satisfaction ofthe guests, among whom was Lafayette.
"This milking feat was such a good joke, that no one seems to haveremembered much about the great man, though one of his officers,a count, signalized himself by getting very tipsy, and going to bedwith his boots and spurs on, which caused the destruction of aunt'sbest yellow damask coverlet, for the restless sleeper kicked it intorags by morning.
"Aunt valued it very much, even in its tattered condition, and keptit a long while, as a memorial of her distinguished guests.
"The time when I saw Lafayette was in 1825, and there were notipsy counts then. Uncle Hancock (a sweet man, my dears, thoughsome call him mean now-a-days) was dead, and aunt had marriedCaptain Scott.
"It was not at all the thing for her to do; however, that 's neitherhere nor there. She was living in Federal Street at the time, a mostaristocratic street then, children, and we lived close by.
"Old Josiah Quincy was mayor of the city, and he sent aunt wordthat the Marquis Lafayette wished to pay his respects to her.
"Of course she was delighted, and we all flew about to make readyfor him. Aunt was an old lady, but she made a grand toilet, andwas as anxious to look well as any girl."
"What did she wear?" asked Fan, with interest.
"She wore a steel-colored satin, trimmed with black lace, and onher cap was pinned a Lafayette badge of white satin.
"I never shall forget how b-e-a-utifully she looked as she sat instate on the front parlor sophy, right under a great portrait of herfirst husband; and on either side of her sat Madam Storer andMadam Williams, elegant to behold, in their stiff silks, rich lace,and stately turbans. We don't see such splendid old ladiesnow-a-days "
"I think we do sometimes," said Polly, slyly.
Grandma shook her head, but it pleased her very much to beadmired, for she had been a beauty in her day.
"We girls had dressed the house with flowers; old Mr. Coolidgesent in a clothes-basket full. Joe Joy provided the badges, and auntgot out some of the Revolutionary wine from the old Beacon Streetcellar.
"I wore my green and white palmyrine, my hair bowed high, thebeautiful leg-o'-mutton sleeves that were so becoming, and thesevery gloves.
"Well, by-and-by the General, escorted by the Mayor, drove up.Dear me, I see him now! a little old man in nankeen trousers andvest, a long blue coat and ruffled shirt, leaning on his cane, for hewas lame, and smiling and bowing like a true Frenchman.
"As he approached, the three old ladies rose, and courtesied withthe utmost dignity. Lafayette bowed first to the Governor's picture,then to the Governor's widow, and kissed her hand.
"That was droll; for on the back of her glove was stampedLafayette's likeness, and the gallant old gentleman kissed his ownface.
"Then some of the young ladies were presented, and, as if toescape any further self-salutations, the marquis kissed the prettygirls on the cheek.
"Yes, my dears, here is just the spot where the dear old mansaluted me. I 'm quite as proud of it now as I was then, for he was abrave, good man, and helped us in our trouble.
"He did not stay long, but we were very merry, drinking his health,receiving his compliments, and enjoying the honor he did us.
"Down in the street there was a crowd, of course, and when he leftthey wanted to take out the horses and drag him home in triumph.But he did n't wish it; and while that affair was being arranged, wegirls had been pelting him with the flowers which we tore from thevases, the walls, and our own topknots, to scatter over him.
Poor Mary was nearly caught for Miss !
"He liked that, and laughed, and waved his hand to us, while weran, and pelted, and begged him to come again.
"We young folks quite lost our heads that night, and I have n't avery clear idea of how I got home. The last thing I remember washanging out of the window with a flock of girls, watching thecarriage roll away, while the crowd cheered as if they were mad.
"Bless my heart, it seems as if I heard 'em now! 'Hurrah forLafayette and Mayor Quincy! Hurrah for Madam Hancock and thepretty girls! Hurrah for Col. May!' 'Three cheers for Boston! Now,then! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!' "