samantha at saratoga-第7部分

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ful　secret；　while　the　silver　shallop　of　the　moon　is　becalmed　over　the　high　northern　mountains；　as　if　a　fleet　of　heavenly　guests　had　floated　down　through　the　clear　ocean　waves　of　the　sky　to　listen　too　…　to　hear　the　wonderful　heavenly　secret　revealed　to　man　…　and　a　clear　star　looks　out　over　the　glowing　rose　of　the　western　heavens；　looking　down　like　God's　eye；　searching　his　soul；　searching　if　it　be　worthy　of　the　great　trust。　Maybe　it　will　be　in　the　fresh　dawning　of　the　day；　that　the　great　secret　will　grow　bright　and　clear　and　luminous；　as　the　dawning　of　the　light。　Maybe　it　will　be　in　the　midst　of　the　storm　…　a　mighty　voice　borne　along　by　the　breath　of　the　wind　and　the　thunder；　clamoring　and　demanding　the　hearer　to　listen。　Oh！　if　we　were　only　good　enough；　only　pure　enough；　what　might　not　our　rapt　vision　discern？　But　we　know　not　where　or　when　the　time　shall　be　fully　come；　but　who；　who；　shall　be　the　happy　soul　that　shall；　at　the　time；　be　listening？　Oh！　how　deep；　how　strange　the　waters　wuz；　and　how　I　floated　away　on　'em；　and　how　I　didn't。　　For　there　I　wuz　a　settin　in　my　own　rockin'　chair　and　there　opposite　me　sot　my　own　Josiah　a　whittlin'；　for　the　〃World〃　hadn't　come；　and　he　wuz　restless　and　ill　at　ease；　and　time　hung　heavy　on　his　hands。　There　I　sot　the　same　Samantha　…　and　the　thought　of　the　Smedleys；　the　same　old　Smedleys；　was　a　hantin'　of　me；　the　same　old　hant；　and　I　says　to　my　Josiah；　says　I：　〃Josiah；　I　can't　help　thinkin'　about　the　Smedleys；〃　says　I。　　〃What　do　you　think　about　havin'　a　pound　party　for　'em；　and　will　you　take　holt；　and　do　your　part？〃　〃Good　land；　Samantha！　　Are　you　crazy？　　Crazy　as　a　loon？　　What　under　the　sun　do　you　want　to　pound　the　Smedleys　for？　　I　should　think　they　had　trouble　enough　without　poundin'　'em。　　Why；〃　says　he；　〃the　old　woman　couldn't　stand　any　poundin'　at　all；　without　killin'　her　right　out　and　out；　and　the　childern　haint　over　tough　any　of　'em。　　Why；　what　has　got　into　you？　　I　never　knew　you　to　propose　anything　of　that　wicked　kind　before。　　I　sha'n't　have　anything　to　do　with　it。　　If　you　want　'em　pounded　you　must　get　your　own　club　and　do　your　own　poundin'。〃　Says　I；　〃I　don't　mean　poundin'　'em　with　a　club；　but　let　folks　buy　a　pound　of　different　things　to　eat　and　drink　and　carry　it　to　'em；　and　we　can　try　and　raise　a　little　money　to　get　a　warmer　horse　for　'em　to　stay　in　the　coldest　of　the　weather。〃　〃Oh！〃　says　he；　with　a　relieved　look。　　〃That's　a　different　thing。　I　am　willin'　to　do　that。　　I　don't　know　about　givin'　'em　any　money　towards　gettin'　'em　a　home；　but　I'll　carry　'em　a　pound　of　crackers　or　a　pound　of　flour；　and　help　it　along　all　I　can。〃　Josiah　is　a　clever　creeter　（though　close）；　and　he　never　made　no　more　objections　towards　havin'　it。　Wall；　the　next　day　I　put　on　my　shawl　and　hood　（a　new　brown　hood　knit　out　of　zephyr　worsted；　very　nice；　a　present　from　our　daughter　Maggie；　our　son　Thomas　Jefferson's　wife）；　and　sallied　out　to　see　what　the　neighbor's　thought　about　it。　The　first　woman　I　called　on　wuz　Miss　Beazley；　a　new　neighbor　who　had　just　moved　into　the　neighborhood。　　They　are　rich　as　they　can　be；　and　I　expected　at　least　to　get　a　pound　of　tea　out　of　her。　She　said　it　wuz　a　worthy　object；　and　she　would　love　to　help　it　along；　but　they　had　so　many　expenses　of　their　own　to　grapple　with；　that　she　didn't　see　her　way　clear　to　promise　to　do　anything。　　She　said　the　girls　had　got　to　have　some　new　velvet　suits；　and　some　sealskin　sacques　this　winter；　and　they　had　got　to　new　furnish　the　parlors；　and　send　their　oldest　boy　to　college；　and　the　girls　wanted　to　have　some　diamond　lockets；　and　ought　to　have　'em　but　she　didn't　know　whether　they　could　manage　to　get　them　or　not；　if　they　did；　they　had　got　to　scrimp　along　every　way　they　could。　　And　then　they　wuz　goin'　to　have　company　from　a　distance；　and　had　got　to　get　another　girl　to　wait　on　'em。　　And　though　she　wished　the　poor　well；　she　felt　that　she　could　not　　dare　to　promise　a　cent　to　'em。　　She　wished　the　Smedley　family　well　　dretful　well　　and　hoped　I　would　get　lots　of　things　for　'em。　　But　she　didn't　really　feel　as　if　it　would　be　safe　for　her　to　promise'em　a　pound　of　anything；　though　mebby　she　might；　by　a　great　effort；　raise　a　pound　of　flour　for　'em；　or　meal。　Says　I　dryly　（dry　as　meal　ever　wuz　in　its　dryest　times）；　〃I　wouldn't　give　too　much。　　Though；〃　says　I；　〃A　pound　of　flour　would　go　a　good　ways　if　it　is　used　right。〃　　And　I　thought　to　myself　that　she　had　better　keep　it　to　make　a　paste　to　smooth　over　things。　Wall；　I　went　from　that　to　Miss　Jacob　Hess'es；　and　Miss　Jacob　Hess　wouldn't　give　anything　because　the　old　lady　wuz　disagreeable；　old　Grandma　Smedley；　and　I　said　to　Miss　Jacob　Hess　that　if　the　Lord　didn't　send　His　rain　and　dew　onto　anybody　only　the　perfectly　agreeable；　I　guessed　there　would　be　pretty　dry　times。　　It　wuz　my　opinion　there　would　be　considerable　of　a　drouth。　There　wuz　a　woman　there　a　visitin'　Miss　Hess　　she　wuz　a　stranger　to　me　and　I　didn't　ask　her　for　anything；　but　she　spoke　up　of　her　own　accord　and　said　she　would　give；　and　give　liberal；　only　she　wuz　hampered。　　She　didn't　say　why；　or　who；　or　when；　but　she　only　sez　this　that　〃she　wuz　hampered；〃　and　I　don't　know　to　this　day　what　her　hamper　wuz；　or　who　hampered　her。　And　then　I　went　to　Ebin　Garven'ses；　and　Miss　Ebin　Garven　wouldn't　help　any　because　she　said　〃Joe　Smedley　had　been　right　down　lazy；　and　she　couldn't　call　him　anything　else。〃　〃But；〃　says　I；　〃Joe　is　dead；　and　why　should　his　children　starve　because　their　pa　wasn't　over　and　above　smart　when　he　wuz　alive？〃　But　she　wouldn't　give。　Wall；　Miss　Whymper　said　she　didn't　approve　of　the　manner　of　giving。　　Her　face　wuz　all　drawed　down　into　a　curious　sort　of　a　long　expression　that　she　called　religus　and　I　called　somethin'　that　begins　with　〃h…y…p…o〃　　and　I　don't　mean　hypoey；　either。　No；　she　couldn't　give；　she　said；　because　she　always　made　a　practise　of　not　lettin'　her　right　hand　know　what　her　left　hand　give。　And　I　said；　for　I　wuz　kinder　took　aback；　and　didn't　think；　I　said　to　her；　a　glancin'　at　her　hands　which　wuz　crossed　in　front　of　her；　that　I　didn't　see　how　she　managed　it；　unless　she　give　when　her　right　hand　was　asleep。　And　she　said　she　always　gave　secret。　And　I　said；　〃So　I　have　always　s'posed　　very　secret。〃　I　s'pose　my　tone　was　some　sarcastic；　for　she　says；　〃Don't　the　Scripter　command　us　to　do　so？〃　Says　I　firmly；　〃I　don't　believe　the　Scripter　means　to　have　us　stand　round　talkin'　Bible；　and　let　the　Smedleys　starve；〃　says　I。　〃I　s'pose　it　means　not　to　boast　of　our　good　deeds。〃　Says　she；　〃I　believe　in　takin'　the　Scripter　literal；　and　if　I　can't　git　my　stuff　there　entirely　unbeknown　to　my　right　hand　I　sha'n't　give。〃　〃Wall；〃　says　I；　gettin'　up　and　movin'　towards　the　door；　〃you　must　do　as　you're　a　mind　to　with　fear　and　tremblin'。〃　I　said　it　pretty　impressive；　for　I　thought　I　would　let　her　see　I　could　quote　Scripter　as　well　as　she　could；　if　I　sot　out。　But　good　land！　I　knew　it　wuz　a　excuse。　　I　knew　she　wouldn't　give　nothin'　not　if　her　right　hand　had　the　num　palsy；　and　you　could　stick　a　pin　into　it　　no；　she　wouldn't　give；　not　if　her　right　hand　was　cut　off　and　throwed　away。　Wall；　Miss　Bombus；　old　Dr。　Bombus'es　widow；　wouldn't　give　　and　for　all　the　world　　I　went　right　there　from　Miss　Whymper'ses。　Miss　Bombus　wouldn't　give　because　I　didn't　put　the　names　in　the　Jonesville　Augur　or　Gimlet；　for　she　said；　〃Let　your　good　deeds　so　shine。〃　〃Why；〃　says　I；　〃Miss　Whymper　wouldn't　give　because　she　wanted　to　give　secreter；　and　you　won't　give　because　you　want　to　give　publicker；　and　you　both　quote　Scripter；　but　it　don't　seem　to　help　the　Smedleys　much。〃　She　said　that　probably　Miss　Whymper　was　wrestin'　the　Scripter　to　her　own　destruction。〃　〃Wall；〃　says　I；　〃while　you　and　Miss　Whymper　are　a　wrestin'　the　Scripter；　what　will　become　of　the　Smedleys？　　It　don't　seem　right　to　let　them　'freeze　to　death；　and　starve　to　death；　while　we　are　a　debatin'　on　the　ways　of　Providence。〃　But　she　didn't　tell；　and　she　wouldn't　give。　A　woman　wuz　there　a　visitin'；　Miss　Bombus'es　aunt；　I　think；　and　she　spoke　up　and　said　that　she　fully　approved　of　her　niece　Bombus'es　decision。　　And　she　said；　〃As　for　herself；　she　never　give　to　any　subject　that　she　hadn't　thoroughly　canvassed。〃　Says　I；　〃There　they　all　are　in　that　little　hut；　you　can　canvass　them　at　any　time。　　Though；〃　says　I；　thoughtfully；　〃Marvilla　might　give　you　some　trouble。〃　　And　she　asked　why。　And　I　told　her　she　had　the　rickets　so　she　couldn't　stand　still　to　be　canvassed；　but　she　could　probably　follow　her　up　and　canvass　her；　if　she　tried　hard　enough。　　And　says　I；　〃There　is　old　Grandma　Smedley；　over　eighty；　and　five　children　under　eight；　you　can　canvass　them　easy。〃　Says　she；　〃The　Bible　says；　‘Search　the　Sperits。'〃　And　I　was　so　wore　out　a　seein'　how　place　after　place；　for　three　times　a　runnin　the　Bible　was　lifted　up　and　held　as　a　shield　before　stingy　creeters；　to　ward　off　the　criticism　of　the　world　and　their　own　souls；　that　I　says　to　myself　　loud　enough　so　they　could　hear　me；　mebbe；　〃Why　is　it　that　when　anybody　wants　to　do　a　mean；　ungenerous　act；　they　will　try　to　quote　a　verse　of　Scripter　to　uphold　'em；　jest　as　a　wolf　will　pull　a　lock　of　pure　white　wool　over　his　wolfish　foretop；　and　try　to　look　innocent　and　sheepish。〃　I　don't　care　if　they　did　hear　me；　I　wuz　on　the　step　mostly　when　I　thought　it；　pretty　loud。　Wall；　from　Miss　Bombus'es　I　went　to　Miss　Petingill's。　Miss　Petingill　is　a　awful　high…headed　creeter。　　She　come　to　the　door　herself　and　she　said；　I　must　excuse　her　for　answerin'　the　door　herself。　　（I　never　heard　the　door　say　anything　and　don't　believe　she　did；　it　was　jest　one　of　her　ways。）　　But　she　said　I　must　excuse　her　as　her　girl　wuz　busy　at　the　time。　She　never　mistrusted　that　I　knew　her　hired　girl　had　left；　and　she　wuz　doin'　her　work　herself。　　She　had　ketched　off　her　apron　I　knew；　as　she　come　through　the　hall；　for　I　see　it　a　layin'　behind　the　door；　all　covered　with　flour。　　And　after　she　had　took　me　into　the　parlor；　and　we　had　set　down；　she　discovered　some　spots　of　flour　on　her　dress；　and　she　said　she　〃had　been　pastin'　some　flowers　into　a　scrap　book　to　pass　away　the　time。〃　　But　I　knew　she　had　been　bakin'　for　she　looked　tired；　tired　to　death　almost；　and　it　wuz　her　bakin'　day。　　But　she　would　sooner　have　had　her　head　took　right　off　than　to　own　up　that　she　had　been　doin'　housework　　why；　they　say　that　once　when　she　wuz　doin'　her　work　herself；　and　was　ketched　lookin'　awful；　by　a　strange　min