stories by modern american authors-第32部分

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development　of　this　one　noble　vegetable；　and　to　this　concentration

of　intellect　may　doubtless　be　ascribed　the　prodigious　renown　to

which　the　Webber　cabbages　attained。



The　Webber　dynasty　continued　in　uninterrupted　succession；　and　never

did　a　line　give　more　unquestionable　proofs　of　legitimacy。　　The

eldest　son　succeeded　to　the　looks　as　well　as　the　territory　of　his

sire；　and　had　the　portraits　of　this　line　of　tranquil　potentates

been　taken；　they　would　have　presented　a　row　of　heads　marvelously

resembling；　in　shape　and　magnitude；　the　vegetables　over　which　they

reigned。



The　seat　of　government　continued　unchanged　in　the　family　mansion；

a　Dutch…built　house；　with　a　front；　or　rather　gable　end；　of　yellow

brick；　tapering　to　a　point；　with　the　customary　iron　weathercock　at

the　top。　　Everything　about　the　building　bore　the　air　of　long…

settled　ease　and　security。　　Flights　of　martins　peopled　the　little

coops　nailed　against　its　walls；　and　swallows　built　their　nests

under　the　eaves；　and　everyone　knows　that　these　house…loving　birds

bring　good　luck　to　the　dwelling　where　they　take　up　their　abode。　　In

a　bright　summer　morning　in　early　summer；　it　was　delectable　to　hear

their　cheerful　notes　as　they　sported　about　in　the　pure；　sweet　air；

chirping　forth；　as　it　were；　the　greatness　and　prosperity　of　the

Webbers。



Thus　quietly　and　comfortably　did　this　excellent　family　vegetate

under　the　shade　of　a　mighty　buttonwood　tree；　which　by　little　and

little　grew　so　great　as　entirely　to　overshadow　their　palace。　　The

city　gradually　spread　its　suburbs　round　their　domain。　　Houses

sprang　up　to　interrupt　their　prospects。　　The　rural　lanes　in　the

vicinity　began　to　grow　into　the　bustle　and　populousness　of　streets；

in　short；　with　all　the　habits　of　rustic　life　they　began　to　find

themselves　the　inhabitants　of　a　city。　　Still；　however；　they

maintained　their　hereditary　character　and　hereditary　possessions；

with　all　the　tenacity　of　petty　German　princes　in　the　midst　of　the

empire。　　Wolfert　was　the　last　of　the　line；　and　succeeded　to　the

patriarchal　bench　at　the　door；　under　the　family　tree；　and　swayed

the　scepter　of　his　fathers；a　kind　of　rural　potentate　in　the　midst

of　the　metropolis。



To　share　the　cares　and　sweets　of　sovereignty　he　had　taken　unto

himself　a　helpmate；　one　of　that　excellent　kind　called　〃stirring

women〃；　that　is　to　say；　she　was　one　of　those　notable　little

housewives　who　are　always　busy　where　there　is　nothing　to　do。　　Her

activity；　however；　took　one　particular　direction；her　whole　life

seemed　devoted　to　intense　knitting；　whether　at　home　or　abroad；

walking　or　sitting；　her　needles　were　continually　in　motion；　and　it

is　even　affirmed　that　by　her　unwearied　industry　she　very　nearly

supplied　her　household　with　stockings　throughout　the　year。　　This

worthy　couple　were　blessed　with　one　daughter　who　was　brought　up

with　great　tenderness　and　care；　uncommon　pains　had　been　taken　with

her　education；　so　that　she　could　stitch　in　every　variety　of　way；

make　all　kinds　of　pickles　and　preserves；　and　mark　her　own　name　on　a

sampler。　　The　influence　of　her　taste　was　seen　also　in　the　family

garden；　where　the　ornamental　began　to　mingle　with　the　useful；　whole

rows　of　fiery　marigolds　and　splendid　hollyhocks　bordered　the

cabbage　beds；　and　gigantic　sunflowers　lolled　their　broad；　jolly

faces　over　the　fences；　seeming　to　ogle　most　affectionately　the

passers…by。



Thus　reigned　and　vegetated　Wolfert　Webber　over　his　paternal　acres；

peacefully　and　contentedly。　　Not　but　that；　like　all　other

sovereigns；　he　had　his　occasional　cares　and　vexations。　　The　growth

of　his　native　city　sometimes　caused　him　annoyance。　　His　little

territory　gradually　became　hemmed　in　by　streets　and　houses；　which

intercepted　air　and　sunshine。　　He　was　now　and　then　subjected　to　the

eruptions　of　the　border　population　that　infest　the　streets　of　a

metropolis；　who　would　make　midnight　forays　into　his　dominions；　and

carry　off　captive　whole　platoons　of　his　noblest　subjects。　　Vagrant

swine　would　make　a　descent；　too；　now　and　then；　when　the　gate　was

left　open；　and　lay　all　waste　before　them；　and　mischievous　urchins

would　decapitate　the　illustrious　sunflowers；　the　glory　of　the

garden；　as　they　lolled　their　heads　so　fondly　over　the　walls。　　Still

all　these　were　petty　grievances；　which　might　now　and　then　ruffle

the　surface　of　his　mind；　as　a　summer　breeze　will　ruffle　the　surface

of　a　mill　pond；　but　they　could　not　disturb　the　deep…seated　quiet　of

his　soul。　　He　would　but　seize　a　trusty　staff　that　stood　behind　the

door；　issue　suddenly　out；　and　anoint　the　back　of　the　aggressor；

whether　pig　or　urchin；　and　then　return　within　doors；　marvelously

refreshed　and　tranquilized。



The　chief　cause　of　anxiety　to　honest　Wolfert；　however；　was　the

growing　prosperity　of　the　city。　　The　expenses　of　living　doubled　and

trebled；　but　he　could　not　double　and　treble　the　magnitude　of　his

cabbages；　and　the　number　of　competitors　prevented　the　increase　of

price；　thus；　therefore；　while　everyone　around　him　grew　richer；

Wolfert　grew　poorer；　and　he　could　not；　for　the　life　of　him；

perceive　how　the　evil　was　to　be　remedied。



This　growing　care；　which　increased　from　day　to　day；　had　its　gradual

effect　upon　our　worthy　burgher；　insomuch　that　it　at　length

implanted　two　or　three　wrinkles　in　his　brow；　things　unknown　before

in　the　family　of　the　Webbers；　and　it　seemed　to　pinch　up　the　corners

of　his　cocked　hat　into　an　expression　of　anxiety　totally　opposite　to

the　tranquil；　broad…brimmed；　low…crowned　beavers　of　his　illustrious

progenitors。



Perhaps　even　this　would　not　have　materially　disturbed　the　serenity

of　his　mind　had　he　had　only　himself　and　his　wife　to　care　for；　but

there　was　his　daughter　gradually　growing　to　maturity；　and　all　the

world　knows　that　when　daughters　begin　to　ripen；　no　fruit　nor　flower

requires　so　much　looking　after。　　I　have　no　talent　at　describing

female　charms；　else　fain　would　I　depict　the　progress　of　this　little

Dutch　beauty：　how　her　blue　eyes　grew　deeper　and　deeper；　and　her

cherry　lips　redder　and　redder；　and　how　she　ripened　and　ripened；　and

rounded　and　rounded；　in　the　opening　breath　of　sixteen　summers；

until；　in　her　seventeenth　spring；　she　seemed　ready　to　burst　out　of

her　bodice；　like　a　half…blown　rosebud。



Ah；　well…a…day！　　Could　I　but　show　her　as　she　was　then；　tricked　out

on　a　Sunday　morning　in　the　hereditary　finery　of　the　old　Dutch

clothespress；　of　which　her　mother　had　confided　to　her　the　key！　　The

wedding　dress　of　her　grandmother；　modernized　for　use；　with　sundry

ornaments；　handed　down　as　heirlooms　in　the　family。　　Her　pale　brown

hair　smoothed　with　buttermilk　in　flat；　waving　lines　on　each　side　of

her　fair　forehead。　　The　chain　of　yellow；　virgin　gold　that　encircled

her　neck；　the　little　cross　that　just　rested　at　the　entrance　of　a

soft　valley　of　happiness；　as　if　it　would　sanctify　the　place。　　The

but　pooh！　it　is　not　for　an　old　man　like　me　to　be　prosing　about

female　beauty；　suffice　it　to　say；　Amy　had　attained　her　seventeenth

year。　　Long　since　had　her　sampler　exhibited　hearts　in　couples

desperately　transfixed　with　arrows；　and　true　lovers'　knots　worked

in　deep　blue　silk；　and　it　was　evident　she　began　to　languish　for

some　more　interesting　occupation　than　the　rearing　of　sunflowers　or

pickling　of　cucumbers。



At　this　critical　period　of　female　existence；　when　the　heart　within

a　damsel's　bosom；　like　its　emblem；　the　miniature　which　hangs

without；　is　apt　to　be　engrossed　by　a　single　image；　a　new　visitor

began　to　make　his　appearance　under　the　roof　of　Wolfert　Webber。

This　was　Dirk　Waldron；　the　only　son　of　a　poor　widow；　but　who　could

boast　of　more　fathers　than　any　lad　in　the　province；　for　his　mother

had　had　four　husbands；　and　this　only　child；　so　that；　though　born　in

her　last　wedlock；　he　might　fairly　claim　to　be　the　tardy　fruit　of　a

long　course　of　cultivation。　　This　son　of　four　fathers　united　the

merits　and　the　vigor　of　all　his　sires。　　If　he　had　not　had　a　great

family　before　him　he　seemed　likely　to　have　a　great　one　after　him；

for　you　had　only　to　look　at　the　fresh；　buxom　youth　to　see　that　he

was　formed　to　be　the　founder　of　a　mighty　race。



This　youngster　gradually　became　an　intimate　visitor　of　the　family。

He　talked　little；　but　he　sat　long。　　He　filled　the　father's　pipe

when　it　was　empty；　gathered　up　the　mother's　knitting　needle；　or

ball　of　worsted；　when　it　fell　to　the　ground；　stroked　the　sleek　coat

of　the　tortoise…shell　cat；　and　replenished　the　teapot　for　the

daughter　from　the　bright　copper　kettle　that　sang　before　the　fire。

All　these　quiet　little　offices　may　seem　of　trifling　import；　but

when　true　love　is　translated　into　Low　Dutch　it　is　in　this　way　that

it　eloquently　expresses　itself。　　They　were　not　lost　upon　the　Webber

family。　　The　winning　youngster　found　marvelous　favor　in　the　eyes　of

the　mother；　the　tortoise…shell　cat；　albeit　the　most　staid　and

demure　of　her　kind；　gave　indubitable　signs　of　approbation　of　his

visits；　the　teakettle　seemed　to　sing　out　a　cheering　note　of　welcome

at　his　approach；　and　if　the　sly　glances　of　the　daughter　might　be

rightly　read；　as　she　sat　bridling　and　dimpling；　and　sewing　by　her

mother's　side；　she　was　not　a　whit　behind　Dame　Webber；　or　grimalkin；

or　the　teakettle；　in　good　will。



Wolfert　alone　saw　nothing　of　what　was　going　on。　　Profoundly　wrapt

up　in　meditation　on　the　growth　of　the　city　and　his　cabbages；　he　sat

looking　in　the　fire；　and　puffing　his　pipe　in　silence。　　One　night；

however；　as　the　gentle　Amy；　according　to　custom；　lighted　her　lover

to　the　outer　door；　and　he；　according　to　custom；　took　his　parting

salute；　the　smack　resounded　so　vigorously　through　the　long；　silent

entry　as　to　startle　even　the　dull　ear　of　Wolfert。　　He　was　slowly

roused　to　a　new　source　of　anxiety。　　It　had　never　entered　into　his

head　that　this　mere　child；　who；　as　it　seemed；　but　the　other　day　had

been　climbing　about　his　knees　and　playing　with　dolls　and　baby

houses；　could　all　at　once　be　thinking　of　lovers　and　matrimony。　　He

rubbed　his　eyes；　exam