旧式女孩 英文版 An Old-fashioned Girl
露意莎.梅.奥尔科特 Louisa May Alcott
CHAPTER VIII SIX YEARS AFTERWARD Page 2
"I say, Polly, won't you give some of us fellows music lessons?Somebody wants me to play, and I 'd rather learn of you than anySenor Twankydillo," said Tom, who did n't find the conversationinteresting.
"Oh, yes; if any of you boys honestly want to learn, and willbehave yourselves, I 'll take you; but I shall charge extra,"answered Polly, with a wicked sparkle of the eye, though her facewas quite sober, and her tone delightfully business-like.
"Why, Polly, Tom is n't a boy; he 's twenty, and he says I must treathim with respect. Besides, he 's engaged, and does put on suchairs," broke in Maud who regarded her brother as a venerablebeing.
"Who is the little girl?" asked Polly taking the news as a joke.
"Trix; why, did n't you know it?" answered Maud, as if it had beenan event of national importance.
"No! is it true, Fan?" and Polly turned to her friend with a face fullof surprise, while Tom struck an imposing attitude, and affectedabsence of mind.
"I forgot to tell you in my last letter; it 's just out, and we don't likeit very well," observed Fanny, who would have preferred to beengaged first herself.
"It 's a very nice thing, and I am perfectly satisfied," announcedMrs. Shaw, rousing from a slight doze.
"Polly looks as if she did n't believe it. Have n't I the appearance of'the happiest man alive'?" asked Tom, wondering if it could be pitywhich he saw in the steady eyes fixed on him.
"No, I don't think you have," she said, slowly.
"How the deuce should a man look, then?" cried Tom, rathernettled at her sober reception of the grand news.
"As if he had learned to care for some one a great deal more thanfor himself," answered Polly, with sudden color in her cheeks, anda sudden softening of the voice, as her eyes turned away fromTom, who was the picture of a complacent dandy, from thetopmost curl of his auburn head to the tips of his aristocratic boots.
"Tommy 's quenched; I agree with you, Polly; I never liked Trix,and I hope it 's only a boy-and-girl fancy, that will soon die anatural death," said Mr. Shaw, who seemed to find it difficult tohelp falling into a brown study, in spite of the lively chatter goingon about him.
Shaw, Jr., being highly incensed at the disrespectful manner inwhich his engagement was treated, tried to assume a superb air ofindifference, and finding that a decided failure, was about to strollout of the room with a comprehensive nod, when his mother calledafter him: "Where are you going, dear?"
"To see Trix, of course. Good-by, Polly," and Mr. Thomasdeparted, hoping that by the skillful change of tone, from ardentimpatience to condescending coolness, he had impressed onehearer at least with the fact that he regarded Trix as the star of hisexistence, and Polly as a presuming little chit.
If he could have heard her laugh, and Fanny's remarks, his wrathwould have boiled over; fortunately he was spared the trial, andwent away hoping that the coquetries of his Trix would make himforget Polly's look when she answered his question.
"My dear, that boy is the most deluded creature you ever saw,"began Fanny, as soon as the front door banged. "Belle and Trixboth tried to catch him, and the slyest got him; for, in spite of hisairs, he is as soft-hearted as a baby. You see Trix has broken offtwo engagements already, and the third time she got jilted herself.Such a fuss as she made! I declare, it really was absurd. But I dothink she felt it very much, for she would n't go out at all, and gotthin, and pale, and blue, and was really quite touching. I pitied her,and had her here a good deal, and Tom took her part; he alwaysdoes stand up for the crushed ones, and that 's good of him, Iallow. Well, she did the forsaken very prettily; let Tom amuse her,and led him on till the poor fellow lost his wits, and finding hercrying one day (about her hat, which was n't becoming), he thoughtshe was mourning for Mr. Banks, and so, to comfort her, the gooseproposed. That was all she wanted; she snapped him up at once,and there he is in a nice scrape; for since her engagement she is asgay as ever, flirts awfully with any one who comes along, andkeeps Tom in a fume all the time. I really don't think he cares forher half as much as he makes believe, but he 'll stand by herthrough thick and thin, rather than do as Banks did."
"Poor Tom!" was all Polly said, when Fan had poured the storyinto her ear, as they sat whispering in the sofa corner.
"My only consolation is that Trix will break off the affair beforespring; she always does, so that she may be free for the summercampaign. It won't hurt Tom, but I hate to have him make a fool ofhimself out of pity, for he is more of a man than he seems, and Idon't want any one to plague him."
"No one but yourself," said Polly, smiling.
"Well, that 's all fair; he is a torment sometimes, but I 'm ratherfond of him in spite of it. I get so tired of the other fellows, theyare such absurd things and when Tom is in his good mood he isvery nice and quite refreshing."
"I 'm glad to hear it," said Polly, making a mental note of the fact.
"Yes, and when grandma was ill he was perfectly devoted. I did n'tknow the boy had so much gentleness in him. He took her deathsadly to heart, for, though he did n't say much, he was very graveand steady for a long time. I tried to comfort him, and we had twoor three real sweet little talks together, and seemed to getacquainted for the first time. It was very nice, but it did n't last;good times never do with us. We soon got back into the old way,and now we hector one another just as before."
Fanny sighed, then yawned, and fell into her usual listless attitude,as if the brief excitement of Polly's coming had begun to subside.
"Walk home with me and see my funny little room. It 's brightnow, and the air will do you good. Come, both of you, and have afrolic as we used to," said Polly, for the red sunset now burning inthe west seemed to invite them out.
They agreed, and soon the three were walking briskly away toPolly's new home, in a quiet street, where a few old trees rustled inthe summer, and the morning sun shone pleasantly in winter time.
"The way into my parlor Is up a winding stair."
sang Polly, running up two flights of broad, old-fashioned steps,and opening the door of a back room, out of which streamed thewelcome glow of firelight.
"These are my pets, Maud," she added, pausing on the threshold,and beckoning the girls to look in quietly.
On the rug, luxuriously basking in the warmth, lay a gray kitten,and close by, meditatively roosting on one leg, stood a plumpcanary, who cocked his bright eye at the new-comers, gave a loudchirp as if to wake his comrade, and then flew straight to Polly'sshoulder, where he broke into a joyful song to welcome hismistress home.
"Allow me to introduce my family," said Polly; "this noisy littlechap the boys named Nicodemus; and this dozy cat is calledAshputtel, because the joy of her life is to get among the cinders.Now, take off your things, and let me do the honors, for you are tostop to tea, and the carriage is to come for you at eight. I arrangedit with your mother while you were up-stairs."
"I want to see everything," said Maud, when the hats were off, andthe hands warmed.
"So you shall; for I think my housekeeping arrangements willamuse you."
Then Polly showed her kingdom, and the three had a merry timeover it. The big piano took up so much room there was no placefor a bed; but Polly proudly displayed the resources of herchintz-covered couch, for the back let down, the seat lifted up, andinside were all the pillows and blankets. "So convenient, you see,and yet out of the way in the daytime, for two or three of my pupilscome to me," explained Polly.
Then there was a bright drugget over the faded carpet, the littlerocking-chair and sewing-table stood at one window, the ivy ranall over the other, and hid the banqueting performances whichwent on in that corner. Book-shelves hung over the sofa, a pictureor two on the walls, and a great vase of autumn leaves and grassesbeautified the low chimney-piece. It was a very humble littleroom, but Polly had done her best to make it pleasant, and italready had a home-like look, with the cheery fire, and thehousehold pets chirping and purring confidingly on the rug.
"How nice it is!" exclaimed Maud, as she emerged from the bigcloset where Polly kept her stores. "Such a cunning teakettle andsaucepan, and a t^te-.-t^te set, and lots of good things to eat. Dohave toast for tea, Polly, and let me make it with the new toastingfork; it 's such fun to play cook."
Fanny was not so enthusiastic as her sister, for her eyes saw manytraces of what seemed like poverty to her; but Polly was so gay, sosatisfied with her small establishment, so full of happy hopes andplans, that her friend had not the heart to find a fault or suggest animprovement, and sat where she was told, laughing and talkingwhile the others got tea.
"This will be a country supper, girls," said Polly, bustling about."Here is real cream, brown bread, home-made cake, and honeyfrom my own beehives. Mother fitted me out with such a supply, I'm glad to have a party, for I can't eat it all quick enough. Butterthe toast, Maudie, and put that little cover over it. Tell me whenthe kettle boils, and don't step on Nicodemus, whatever you do."
"What a capital house-keeper you will make some day," saidFanny, as she watched Polly spread her table with a neatness anddespatch which was pleasant to behold.
"Yes, it 's good practice," laughed Polly, filling her tiny teapot, andtaking her place behind the tray, with a matronly air, which wasthe best joke of the whole.
"This is the most delicious party I ever went to," observed Maud,with her mouth full of honey, when the feast was well under way."I do wish I could have a nice room like this, and a cat and a birdthat would n't eat each other up, and a dear little teakettle, andmake just as much toast as I like."
Such a peal of laughter greeted Maud's pensive aspiration, thatMiss Mills smiled over her solitary cup of tea, and little Nick burstinto a perfect ecstasy of song, as he sat on the sugar-bowl helpinghimself.
"I don't care for the toast and the kettle, but I do envy you yourgood spirits, Polly," said Fanny, as the merriment subsided. "I 'mso tired of everybody and everything, it seems sometimes as if Ishould die of ennui. Don't you ever feel so?"
"Things worry me sometimes, but I just catch up a broom andsweep, or wash hard, or walk, or go at something with all mymight, and I usually find that by the time I get through the worry isgone, or I 've got courage enough to bear it without grumbling,"answered Polly, cutting the brown loaf energetically.
"I can't do those things, you know; there 's no need of it, and I don'tthink they 'd cure my worrying," said Fanny, languidly feedingAshputtel, who sat decorously beside her, at the table, winking atthe cream pot.
"A little poverty would do you good, Fan; just enough necessity tokeep you busy till you find how good work is; and when you oncelearn that, you won't complain of ennui any more," returned Polly,who had taken kindly the hard lesson which twenty years ofcheerful poverty had taught her.
"Mercy, no, I should hate that; but I wish some one would invent anew amusement for rich people. I 'm dead sick of parties, andflirtations, trying to out-dress my neighbors, and going the sameround year after year, like a squirrel in a cage."
Fanny's tone was bitter as well as discontented, her face sad aswell as listless, and Polly had an instinctive feeling that sometrouble, more real than any she had ever known before, was lyingheavy at her friend's heart. That was not the time to speak of it, butPolly resolved to stand ready to offer sympathy, if nothing more,whenever the confidential minute came; and her manner was sokind, so comfortable, that Fanny felt its silent magic, grew morecheerful in the quiet atmosphere of that little room, and when theysaid good-night, after an old-time gossip by the fire, she kissed herhostess warmly, saying, with a grateful look, "Polly, dear, I shallcome often, you do me so much good."