april hopes-第15部分

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that　this　haunt　has　not　acquired　that　air　of　repulsive　custom　which　the
egg　shells　and　broken　bottles　and　sardine　boxes　of　many　seasons　give。　　Or
perhaps　the　winter　tempests　heap　the　tides　of　the　bay　over　the　ledge；　and
wash　it　clean　of　these　vulgar　traces　of　human　resort；　and　enable　it　to
offer　as　fresh　a　welcome　to　the　picnics　of　each　successive　summer　as　if
there　had　never　been　a　picnic　in　that　place　before。

This　was　the　sense　that　Mavering　professed　to　have　received　from　it；　when
he　jumped　out　of　the　beach　wagon　in　which　he　had　preceded　the　other
carriages　through　the　weird　forest　lying　between　the　fringe　of　farm
fields　and　fishing…villages　on　the　western　shore　of　the　island　and　these
lonely　coasts　of　the　bay。　　As　far　as　the　signs　of　settled　human
habitation　last；　tho　road　is　the　good　hard　country　road　of　New　England；
climbing　steep　little　hills；　and　presently　leading　through　long　tracts　of
woodland。　　But　at　a　certain　point　beyond　the　furthest　cottage　you　leave
it；　and　plunge　deep　into　the　heart　of　the　forest；　vaguely　traversed　by
the　wheel…path　carried　through　since　the　island　was　opened　to　summer
sojourn。　　Road　you　can　hardly　call　it；　remembering　its　curious　pauses　and
hesitations　when　confronted　with　stretches　of　marshy　ground；　and　its
staggering　progress　over　the　thick　stubble　of　saplings　through　which　it
is　cut。　　The　progress　of　teams　over　it　is　slow；　but　there　is　such　joy　of
wildness　in　the　solitudes　it　penetrates　that；　if　the　horses　had　any　gait
slower　than　a　walk；　one　might　still　wish　to　stay　them。　　It　is　a　Northern
forest；　with　the　air　of　having　sprang　quickly　up　in　the　fierce　heat　and
haste　of　the　Northern　summers。　　The　small　firs　are　set　almost　as　dense　as
rye　in　a　field；　and　in　their　struggle　to　the　light　they　have　choked　one
another　so　that　there　is　a　strange　blight　of　death　and　defeat　on　all　that
vigour　of　life。　　Few　of　the　trees　have　won　any　lofty　growth；　they　seem　to
have　died　and　fallen　when　they　were　about　to　outstrip　the　others　in　size；
and　from　their　decay　a　new　sylvan　generation　riots　rankly　upward。　　The
surface　of　the　ground　is　thinly　clothed　with　a　deciduous　undergrowth；
above　which　are　the　bare；　spare　stems　of　the　evergreens；　and　then　their
limbs　thrusting　into　one　another　in　a　sombre　tangle；　with　locks　of　long
yellowish…white　moss；　like　the　grey　pendants　of　the　Southern　pines；
dripping　from　them　and　draining　their　brief　life。

In　such　a　place　you　must　surrender　yourself　to　its　influences；　profoundly
yet　vaguely　melancholy；　or　you　must　resist　them　with　whatever　gaiety　is
in　you；　or　may　be　conjured　out　of　others。　　It　was　conceded　that　Mavering
was　the　life　of　the　party；　as　the　phrase　goes。　　His　light…heartedness；　as
kindly　and　sympathetic　as　it　was　inexhaustible；　served　to　carry　them　over
the　worst　places　in　the　road　of　itself。　　He　jumped　down　and　ran　back；
when　he　had　passed　a　bad　bit；　to　see　if　the　others　were　getting　through
safely；　the　least　interesting　of　the　party　had　some　proof　of　his
impartial　friendliness；　he　promised　an　early　and　triumphant　emergence
from　all　difficulties；　he　started　singing；　and　sacrificed　himself　in
several　tunes；　for　he　could　not　sing　well；　his　laugh　seemed　to　be　always
coming　back　to　Alice；　where　she　rode　late　in　the　little　procession；
several　times；　with　the　deference　which　he　delicately　qualified　for　her；
he　came　himself　to　see　if　he　could　not　do　something　for　her。

〃Miss　Pasmer；〃　croaked　her　friend　Miss　Anderson；　who　always　began　in　that
ceremonious　way　with　her；　and　got　to　calling　her　Alice　further　along　in
the　conversation；　〃if　you　don't　drop　something　for　that　poor　fellow　to
run　back　two　or　three　miles　and　get；　pretty　soon；　I'll　do　it　myself。
It's　peyfectly　disheaytening　to　see　his　disappointment　when　you　tell　him
theye's　nothing　to　be　done。〃

〃He　seems　to　get　over　it；〃　said　Alice　evasively。　　She　smiled　with
pleasure　in　Miss　Anderson's　impeachment；　however。

〃Oh；　he　keeps　coming；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　　But　do　drop　an　umbrella；
or　a　rubber；　or　something；　next　time；　just　to　show　a　proper
appreciation。〃

But　Mavering　did　not　come　any　more。　　Just　before　they　got　to　the　cove；
Miss　Anderson　leaned　over　again　to　whisper　in　Alice's　ear；　〃I　told　you　he
was　huyt。　　Now　you　must　be　very　good　to　him　the　rest　of　the　time。〃

Upon　theory　a　girl　of　Alice　Pasmer's　reserve　ought　to　have　resented　this
intervention；　but　it　is　not　probable　she　did。　　She　flushed　a　little；　but
not　with　offence；　apparently；　and　she　was　kinder　to　Mavering；　and　let　him
do　everything　for　her　that　he　could　invent　in　transferring　the　things
from　the　wagons　to　the　rocks。

The　party　gave　a　gaiety　to　the　wild　place　which　accented　its　proper
charm；　as　they　scattered　themselves　over　the　ledges　on　the　bright　shawls
spread　upon　the　level　spaces。　　On　either　hand　craggy　bluffs　hemmed　the
cove　in；　but　below　the　ledge　it　had　a　pebbly　beach　strewn　with　drift…
wood；　and　the　Bay　of　Fundy　gloomed　before　it　with　small　fishing　craft
tipping　and　tilting　on　the　swell　in　the　foreground；　and　dim　sail　melting
into　the　dun　fog　bank　at　the　horizon's　edge。

The　elder　ladies　of　the　party　stood　up；　or　stretched　themselves　on　the
shawls；　as　they　found　this　or　that　posture　more　restful　after　their　long
drive；　one；　who　was　skilled　in　making　coffee；　had　taken　possession　of　the
pot；　and　was　demanding　fire　and　water　for　it。　　The　men　scattered
themselves　over　the　beach；　and　brought　her　drift　enough　to　roast　an　ox；
two　of　them　fetched　water　from　the　spring　at　the　back　of　the　ledge；
whither　they　then　carried　the　bottles　of　ale　to　cool　in　its　thrilling
pool。　　Each　after　his　or　her　fashion　symbolised　a　return　to　nature　by
some　act　or　word　of　self…abandon。

〃You　ought　to　have　brought　heavier　shoes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　with　a
serious　glance　at　her　daughter's　feet。　　〃　Well；　never　mind；〃　she　added。
〃It　doesn't　matter　if　you　do　spoil　them。〃

〃Really；〃　cried　Mrs　Brinkley；　casting　her　sandals　from　her；　〃I　will　not
be　enslaved　to　rubbers　in　such　a　sylvan　scene　as　this；　at　any　rate。〃

〃Look　at　Mrs。　Stamwell！〃　said　Miss　Cotton。　　〃She's　actually　taken　her　hat
off。〃

Mrs。　Stamwell　had　not　only　gone　to　this　extreme；　but　had　tied　a　lightly
fluttering　handkerchief　round　her　hair。　　She　said　she　should　certainly
not　put　on　that　heavy　thing　again　till　she　got　in　sight　of　civilisation。

At　these　words　Miss　Cotton　boldly　drew　off　her　gloves；　and　put　them　in
her　pocket。

The　young　girls；　slim　in　their　blues　flannel　skirts　and　their　broad　white
canvas　belts；　went　and　came　over　the　rocks。　　There　were　some　children　in
the　party；　who　were　allowed　to　scream　uninterruptedly　in　the　games　which
they　began　to　play　as　soon　as　they　found　their　feet　after　getting　out　of
the　wagons。

Some　of　the　gentlemen　drove　a　stake　into　the　beach；　and　threw　stones　at
it；　to　see　which　could　knock　off　the　pebble　balanced　on　its　top。　　Several
of　the　ladies　joined　them　in　the　sport；　and　shrieked　and　laughed　when
they　made　wild　shots　with　the　missiles　the　men　politely　gathered　for
them。

Alice　had　remained　with　Mavering　to　help　the　hostess　of　the　picnic　lay
the　tables；　but　her　mother　had　followed　those　who　went　down　to　the　beach。
At　first　Mrs。　Pasmer　looked　on　at　the　practice　of　the　stone…throwers　with
disapproval；　but　suddenly　she　let　herself　go　in　this；　as　she　did　in　other
matters　that　her　judgment　condemned；　and　began　to　throw　stones　herself；
she　became　excited；　and　made　the　wildest　shots　of　any；　accepting　missiles
right　and　left；　and　making　herself　dangerous　to　everybody　within　a　wide
circle。　　A　gentleman　who　had　fallen　a　victim　to　her　skill　said；　〃Just
wait；　Mrs。　Pasmer；　till　I　get　in　front　of　the　stake。〃

The　men　became　seriously　interested；　and　worked　themselves　red　and　hot；
the　ladies　soon　gave　it　up；　and　sat　down　on　the　sand　and　began　to　talk。
They　all　owned　themselves　hungry；　and　from　time　to　time　they　looked　up
anxiously　at　the　preparations　for　lunch　on　the　ledge；　where　white　napkins
were　spread；　with　bottles　at　the　four　corners　to　keep　them　from　blowing
away。　　This　use　of　the　bottles　was　considered　very　amusing；　the　ladies
tried　to　make　jokes　about　it；　and　the　desire　to　be　funny　spread　to
certain　of　the　men　who　had　quietly　left　off　throwing　at　the　stake　because
they　had　wrenched　their　shoulders；　they　succeeded　in　being　merry。　　They
said　they　thought　that　coffee　took　a　long　time　to　boil。

A　lull　of　expectation　fell　upon　all；　even　Mavering　sat　down　on　the　rocks
near　the　fire；　and　was　at　rest　a　few　minutes；　by　order　of　Miss　Anderson；
who　said　that　the　sight　of　his　activity　tired　her　to　death。

〃I　wonder　why　always　boiled　ham　at　a　picnic！〃　said　the　lady　who　took　a
final　plate　of　it　from　a　basket。　　〃Under　the　ordinary　conditions；　few　of
us　can　be　persuaded　to　touch　it。〃

〃It　seems　to　be　dear　to　nature；　and　to　nature's　children；〃　said　Mrs。
Brinkley。　　〃Perhaps　because　their　digestions　are　strong。〃

〃Don't　you　wish　that　something　could　be　substituted　for　it？〃　asked　Miss。
Cotton。

〃There　have　been　efforts　to　replace　it　with　chicken　and　tongue　in
sandwiches；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃but　I　think　they've　only　measurably
succeededabout　as　temperance　drinks　have　in　place　of　the　real　strong
waters。〃

〃On　the　boat　coming　up；〃　said　Mavering；　〃we　had　a　troupe　of　genuine　darky
minstrels。　　One　of　them　sang　a　song　about　ham　that　rather　took　me

〃'Ham；　good　old　ham！
Ham　is　de　best　ob　meat；
It's　always　good　and　sweet；
You　can　bake　it；　you　can　boil　it；
You　can　fry　it；　you　can　broil　it
Ham；　good　old　ham！'〃

〃Oh；　how　good！〃　sighed　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃How　sincere！　　How　native！　　Go　on；
Mr。　Mavering；　for　ever。〃

〃I　haven't　the　materials；〃　said　Mavering；　with　his　laugh。　　〃The　rest　was
da　capo。　　But　there　was　another　song；　about　a　coloured　lady〃

〃'Six　foot　high　and　eight　foot　round；
Holler　ob　her　foot　made　a　hole　in　de　ground。'〃

〃Ah；　that's　an　old　friend；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃I　remember　hearing　of
that　coloured　lady　when　I　was　a　girl。　　But　it's　a　fine　flight　of　the
imagination。　　What　else　did　they　sing？〃

〃I　can't　remember。　　But　there　was　something　they　dancedto　show　how　a
rheumatic　old　coloured　uncle　dances。〃

He　jumped　nimbly　up；　and　sketched　the　stiff　and　limping　figure　he　had
seen。　　It　was　over　in　a　flash。　　He　dropped　down　again；　laughing。