samantha at saratoga-第11部分

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uz　fairly　beginnin'　to　talk　high　learnt；　and　classical。　　But　I　didn't　say　nothin'　to　break　it　up；　and　tied　on　my　bonnet　with　calmness　（and　a　double　bow　knot）　and　we　sallied　out。　Soon；　or　mebby　a　little　after；　for　we　didn't　walk　fast　on　account　of　my　deep　tucker；　we　stood　in　front　of　what　seemed　to　be　one　hull　side　of　a　long　street；　all　full　of　orniments　and　open　work；　and　pillows；　and　flowers；　and　carvin's；　and　scallops；　and　down　between　every　scollop　hung　a　big　basket　full　of　posys；　of　every　beautiful　color　under　the　heavens。　　And　over　all；　and　way　back　as　fur　as　we　could　see；　wuz　innumerable　lights　of　every　color；　gorgeousness　a　shinin'　down　on　gorgeousness；　glory　above；　a　shinin'　down　on　glory　below。　　And　sweet　strains　of　music　wuz　a　floatin；　out　from　somewhere；　a　shinin'　somewhere；　renderin'　the　seen　fur　more　beautiful　to　all　4　of　our　wraptured　ears。　And　Josiah　sez；　as　we　stood　there　nearly　rooted　to　the　place　by　our　motions；　and　a　picket　fence；　sez　he　dreamily；　〃I　almost　feel　as　if　we　had　made　a　mistake；　and　that　this　is　the　land　of　Beuler。〃　　And　he　murmured　to　himself　some　words　of　the　old　him：　〃Oh　Beuler　land！　Sweet　Beuler　land！〃　And　I　whispered　back　to　him　and　sez　…　〃Hush　they　don't　have　brass　bands　in　Beulah　land。〃　And　he　sez；　〃How　do　you　know　what　they　have　in　Beuler？〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　〃'taint　likely　they　do。〃　But　I　don't　know　as　I　felt　like　blamin'　him；　for　it　did　seem　to　me　to　be　the　most　beautiful　place　that　I　ever　sot　my　eyes　on。　　And　it　did　seem　fairly　as　if　them　long　glitterin'　chains　and　links　of　colored　lights；　a　stretchin'　fur　back　into　the　distance　sort　a　begoned　for　us　to　enter　into　a　land　of　perfect　beauty　and　Pure　Delight。　And　then　them　glitterin'　chains　of　light　would　jine　onto　other　golden；　and　crimson；　and　orange；　and　pink；　and　blue；　and　amber　links　of　glory　and　hang　there　all　drippin'　with　radiance；　and　way　back　as　fur　as　we　could　see。　　And　away　down　under　the　shinin'　lanes　the　white　statues　stood；　beautiful　snow…white　females；　a　lookin'　as　if　they　enjoyed　it　all。　　And　the　lake　mirrowed　back　all　of　the　beauty。　Right　out　onto　the　lake　stood　a　fairy…like　structure　all　glowin'　with　big　drops　of　light　and　every　glitterin'　drop　reflected　down　in　the　water　and　the　fountain　a　sprayin'　up　on　each　side。　　Why　it　sprayed　up　floods　of　diamonds；　and　rubys；　and　sapphires；　and　topazzes；　and　turkeys；　and　pearls；　and　opals；　and　sparklin'　'em　right　back　into　the　water　agin。　And　right　while　we　stood　there；　neerly　rooted　to　the　spot　and　gazin'　through　extacy　and　2　pickets；　the　band　gin　a　loud　burst　of　melody　and　then　stopped；　and　after　a　minute　of　silence；　we　hearn　a　voice　angel…sweet　a　risin'　up；　up；　like　a　lark；　a　tender…hearted；　golden…throated　lark。　High；　high　above　all　the　throngs　of　human　folks　who　wuz　cheerin'　her　down　below　…　up　above　the　sea　of　glitterin'　light　…　up　above　the　bendin'　trees　that　clasped　their　hands　together　in　silent　applaudin'　above　her；　up；　up；　into　the　clear　heavens；　rose　that　glorious　voice　a　singin'　some　song　about　love；　love　that　wuz　deathless；　eternal。　Why　it　seemed　as　if　the　very　clouds　wuz　full　of　shadowy　faces　a　bendin'　down　to　hear　it；　and　the　new　moon；　shaped　just　like　a　boat；　had　glided　down；　down　the　sky　to　listen。　If　the　man　of　the　moon　was　there　he　wuz　a　layin'　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　he　wuzn't　in　sight。　　But　if　he　heard　that　music　I'll　bet　he　would　say　he　wuzn't　in　the　practice　of　hearin'　any　better。　　And　Josiah　stood　stun　still　till　she　had　got　done；　and　then　he　sort　a　sithed　out：　〃Oh；　it　seems　as　if　it　must　be　Beuler　land！　　Do　you　s'pose；　Samantha；　Beuler　land　is　any　more　beautiful？〃　And　I　sez；　〃I　haint　a　thinkin'　about　Beulah。〃　　I　sez　it　pretty　middlin'　tart；　partly　to　hide　my　own　feelin's；　which　wuz　perfectly　rousted　up；　and　partly　from　principle；　and　sez　I；　〃Don't　for　mercy's　sake　call　it　Beuler。〃　Josiah　always　will　call　it　so。　　I've　got　a　4th　cousin；　Beulah　Smith　（my　own　age　and　unmarried　up　to　date）；　and　he　always　did　and　would　call　her　Beuler。　　Truly　in　some　things　a　pardner's　influence　and　encouragement　fails　to　accomplish　the　ends　aimed　at。　Wall；　it　wuz　after　some　words　that　I　drew　Josiah　away　from　that　seen　of　enchantment　…　or　he　me；　I　don't　exactly　know　which　way　it　wuz　…　and　we　wended　onwards　in　our　walk。　The　hull　broad　streets　wuz　full　of　folks；　full　as　they　could　be；　all　on　'em　perfect　strangers　to　us　and　who　knew　what　motives　or　weapons　they　wuz　a　carryin'　with　'em；　but　we　knew　we　wuz　safe；　Josiah　and　me　did；　for　way　up　over　all　our　heads；　stood　a　big　straight　soldier；　a　volunteer　volunteerin；　to　see　to　the　hull　crew　on　'em　below；　a　seein'　that　they　behaved　themselves。　　His　age　wuz　seventy…seven　as　near　as　I　could　make　out　but　he　didn't　look　more'n　half　that。　　He　had　kep'　his　age　remarkable。　Wall；　it　wuz；　if　I　remember　right；　jest　about　now　that　we　see　a　glitterin'　high　up　over　our　heads　some　writen　in　flame。　　I　never　see　such　brilliant　writin；　before　nor　don't　know　as　I　ever　shall　ag'in。　And　Josiah　stopped　stun　still；　and　stood　a　lookin'　perfectly　dumfoundered　at　it。　　And　finally　he　sez；　〃I'd　give　a　dollar　bill　if　I　could　write　like　that。〃　I　see　he　wuz　deeply　rousted　up　for　2　cents　is　as　high　as　he　usually　goes　in　betted。　　I　see　he　felt　deep　and　I　didn't　blame　him。　　Why；〃　sez　he；　〃jest　imagine；　Samantha；　a　hull　letter　wrote　like　that！　how　I'd　love　to　send　one　back　to　Uncle　Nate　Gowdey。　〃How　Uncle　Nate's　eyes　would　open；　and　he　wouldn't　want　no　spectacles　nor　nothin'　to　read　it　with；　would　he？　　I　wonder　if　I　could　do　it；〃　sez　he；　a　beginnin'　to　be　all　rousted　up。　But　I　sez；　〃Be　calm；〃　for　so　deep　is　my　mind　that　I　grasped　the　difficuties　of　the　undertaken'　at　once。　　〃How　could　yon　send　it；　Josiah　Allen？　　Where　would　you　get　a　envelop？　　How　could　you　get　it　into　the　mail　bag？〃　　Sez　I；　〃When　anybody　would　send　a　letter　wrote　like　that；　they　would　want　to　write　it　on　sheets　of　lightnin'；　and　fold　it　up　in　the　envelopin'　clouds　of　the　skies；　and　it　should　be　received　by　a　kneelin'　and　reverent　soul。　　Who　is　Uncle　Nate　that　he　should　get　it？　　He　has　not　a　reverent　Soul　and　he　has　also　rheumatiz　in　his　legs。〃　And　then　I　thought；　so　quick　and　active　is　my　mind　when　it　gets　to　startin'　off　on　a　tower；　I　thought　of　what　I　had　hearn　a　few　days　before；　of　how　the　secret　had　been　learnt　by　somebody　who　lived　right　there　in　the　village；　of　floatin'　letters　up　at　sea　from　one　ship　to　another；　sigualin'　out　in　letters　of　flame　…　〃Help！　　I'm　a　sinkin'！〃　or　〃Danger　ahead！　　Look　out！〃　And　I　thought　what　it　must　be　to　stand　on　a　dusky　night　on　a　lone　deck　and　see　up　on　the　broad；　dark；　lonesome　sky　above；　a　sudden　message；　a　flash　of　vivid　lightnin'；　takin'　to　itself　the　form　of　language。　　And　I　wondered　to　myself　if　in　the　future　we　should　use　the　great　pages　of　the　night…sky　to　write　messages　from　one　city　to　another；　or　from　sea　to　land；　of　danger　and　warnin'；　and　then　I　thought　to　myself；　if　souls　clog…bound　to　earth　are　able　to　accomplish　so　much；　who　knows　but　the　freed　soul　goin'　outward　and　onward　from　height　to　height　of　wisdom　may　yet　be　able　to　signal　down　from　the　Safe　Land　messages　of　help　and　warnin'　to　the　souls　it　loved　below。　The　souls　a　sailin'　and　a　driftin'　through　the　dark　night　of　despair　…　a　dashin'　along　through　fog　and　mist　and　darkness　aginst　rocks。　　What　it　would　be　to　one　kneelin'　in　the　lonesome　night　watches　by　a　grave；　if　the　dark　sky　could　grow　luminous　and　he　could　read；　…　〃Do　not　despair！　　I　am　alive！　　I　love　you！〃　Or；　in　the　hour　of　the　blackest　temptation　and　dread；　when　the　earth　is　hollow　and　the　sky　a　black　vault；　and　the　only　way　of　happiness　on　God's　earth　seems　down　the　dangerous；　beautiful　way；　God…forbidden；　what　would　it　be　to　have　the　empty　vault　lit　up　with　〃Danger　ahead！　　We　will　help　you！　be　patient　a　little　longer！〃　Oh　how　fur　my　thoughts　wuz　a　travellin'；　and　at　what　a　good　jog；　but　not　one　trace　did　my　companion　see　on　my　forward　of　these　thoughts　that　wuz　a　passin'　through　my　foretop：　and　at　that　very　minute；　we　came　up　nigh　enough　to　see　that　right　back　of　the　glitterin'　language　overhead；　went　a　long　line　of　big；　glowin'　stars　of　glory　way　up　over　our　heads；　and　leadin'　down　a　gentle　declivity　and　Josiah　sez；　〃Let's　foller　on；　and　see　what　it　will　lead　us　to；　Samantha。〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　〃light　is　pretty　generally；　safe　to　foller；　Josiah　Allen。〃　　And　so　we　meandered　along；　keepin'　our　2　heads　as　nigh　as　we　could　under　that　long　glitterin'　chain　of　golden　drops　that　wuz　high　overhead。　　And　on；　and　on；　we　follered　it　dilligently；　till　for　the　land's　sake！　if　it　didn't　lead　us　to　another　one　of　them　openwork　buildin's；　fixed　off　beautiful；　and　we　could　see　inside　2　big　wells　like；　with　acres　of　floor　seemin'ly　on　each　side　of　'em；　and　crowds　of　folks　a　walkin'　about　and　settin'　at　little　tables　and　most　all　of　'em　a　drinkin'。　The　water　they　drinked　we　could　see　wuz　a　bubblin'　up　and　a　runnin'　over　all　the　time；　in　big　round　crystal　globes。　　And　up；　up　on　a　slender　pole　way　up　over　one　of　the　wells　hung　another　one　of　them　crystal　bowls；　a　bubblin'　over　with　the　water　and　sparklin'。　And　ag'in　Josiah　asked　me　if　I　thought　Beuler　land　could　compare　with　it？　And　I　told　him　ag'in　kinder　sharp；　That　I　wuzn't　a　thinkin'　about　Beuler；　I　didn't　know　any　sech　a　place　or　name。　　I　wish　he　would　call　things　right。　Wall；　he　wuz　so　dead　tired　by　this　time；　that　we　sot　sail　homewards；　that　is；　my　feet　wuz　tired；　and　my　bones；　but　my　mind　seemed　more　rousted　up　than　common。


VI。　SARATOGA　BY　DAYLIGHT。

Wall；　the　next　mornin'　Josiah　and　me　sallied　out　middlin'　early　to　explore　still　further　the　beauties　and　grandness　of　Saratoga。　　I　had　on　a　black　straw　bonnet；　a　green　vail；　and　a　umbrell。　　I　also　have　my　black　alpacky；　that　good　moral　dress。　My　dress　bein'　such　a　high　mission　one　choked　me。　　It　wuz　so　high　in　the　neck　it　held　my　chin　up　in　a　most　uncomfortable　position；　but　sort　a　grand　and　lofty　lookin'。　　My　sleeves　wuz　so　long　that　more'n　half　the　time　my　hand　wuz　covered　up　by　'em　and　I　wuz　too　honerable　to　wear　'em　for　mits；　no；　in　the　name　of　principle　I　wore　'em　for　sleeves；　good　long　sleeves；　a　pattern　to　other　grandmas　that　I　might　meet。　I　felt　that　when　they　see　me　and　see　what　I　wuz　a　doin'　and　endurin'　fur　the　cause　of　female　dressin'　they　would　pause　in　their　wild　career；　and　cover　up　their　necks　and　pull　their　sleeves　down。　Wall；　it　haint　to　be　ex