the little white bird-第4部分

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joy　of　Mary's　childhood；　it　had　now　been　sold　by　her　that　she

might　get　married。



〃Lately　purchased　by　us；〃　said　the　shopwoman；　seeing　me　look　at

the　toy；　〃from　a　lady　who　has　no　further　use　for　it。〃



I　think　I　have　seldom　been　more　indignant　with　Mary。　　I　bought

the　doll's　house；　and　as　they　knew　the　lady's　address　（it　was　at

this　shop　that　I　first　learned　her　name）　I　instructed　them　to

send　it　back　to　her　with　the　following　letter；　which　I　wrote　in

the　shop：　〃Dear　madam；　don't　be　ridiculous。　　You　will　certainly

have　further　use　for　this。　　I　am；　etc。；　the　Man　Who　Dropped　the

Letter。〃



It　pained　me　afterward；　but　too　late　to　rescind　the　order；　to

reflect　that　I　had　sent　her　a　wedding　present；　and　when　next　I

saw　her　she　had　been　married　for　some　months。　　The　time　was　nine

o'clock　of　a　November　evening；　and　we　were　in　a　street　of　shops

that　has　not　in　twenty　years　decided　whether　to　be　genteel　or

frankly　vulgar；　here　it　minces　in　the　fashion；　but　take　a　step

onward　and　its　tongue　is　in　the　cup　of　the　ice…cream　man。　　I

usually　rush　this　street；　which　is　not　far　from　my　rooms；　with

the　glass　down；　but　to…night　I　was　walking。　　Mary　was　in　front　of

me；　leaning　in　a　somewhat　foolish　way　on　the　haw…er；　and　they

were　chatting　excitedly。　　She　seemed　to　be　remonstrating　with　him

for　going　forward；　yet　more　than　half　admiring　him　for　not

turning　back；　and　I　wondered　why。



And　after　all　what　was　it　that　Mary　and　her　painter　had　come　out

to　do？　　To　buy　two　pork　chops。　　On　my　honour。　　She　had　been

trying　to　persuade　him；　I　decided；　that　they　were　living　too

lavishly。　That　was　why　she　sought　to　draw　him　back。　　But　in　her

heart　she　loves　audacity；　and　that　is　why　she　admired　him　for

pressing　forward。



No　sooner　had　they　bought　the　chops　than　they　scurried　away　like

two　gleeful　children　to　cook　them。　　I　followed；　hoping　to　trace

them　to　their　home；　but　they　soon　out…distanced　me；　and　that

night　I　composed　the　following　aphorism：　It　is　idle　to　attempt　to

overtake　a　pretty　young　woman　carrying　pork　chops。　　I　was　now

determined　to　be　done　with　her。　　First；　however；　to　find　out

their　abode；　which　was　probably　within　easy　distance　of　the　shop。

　I　even　conceived　them　lured　into　taking　their　house　by　the

advertisement；　〃Conveniently　situated　for　the　Pork　Emporium。〃



Well；　one　daynow　this　really　is　romantic　and　I　am　rather　proud

of　it。　　My　chambers　are　on　the　second　floor；　and　are　backed　by　an

anxiously　polite　street　between　which　and　mine　are　little　yards

called；　I　think；　gardens。　　They　are　so　small　that　if　you　have　the

tree　your　neighbour　has　the　shade　from　it。　　I　was　looking　out　at

my　back　window　on　the　day　we　have　come　to　when　whom　did　I　see　but

the　whilom　nursery　governess　sitting　on　a　chair　in　one　of　these

gardens。　　I　put　up　my　eye…glass　to　make　sure；　and　undoubtedly　it

was　she。　　But　she　sat　there　doing　nothing；　which　was　by　no　means

my　conception　of　the　jade；　so　I　brought　a　fieldglass　to　bear　and

discovered　that　the　object　was　merely　a　lady's　jacket。　　It　hung

on　the　back　of　a　kitchen　chair；　seemed　to　be　a　furry　thing；　and；

I　must　suppose；　was　suspended　there　for　an　airing。



I　was　chagrined；　and　then　I　insisted　stoutly　with　myself　that；　as

it　was　not　Mary；　it　must　be　Mary's　jacket。　　I　had　never　seen　her

wear　such　a　jacket；　mind　you；　yet　I　was　confident；　I　can't　tell

why。　　Do　clothes　absorb　a　little　of　the　character　of　their

wearer；　so　that　I　recognised　this　jacket　by　a　certain　coquetry？　

If　she　has　a　way　with　her　skirts　that　always　advertises　me　of　her

presence；　quite　possibly　she　is　as　cunning　with　jackets。　　Or

perhaps　she　is　her　own　seamstress；　and　puts　in　little　tucks　of

herself。



Figure　it　what　you　please；　but　I　beg　to　inform　you　that　I　put　on

my　hat　and　five　minutes　afterward　saw　Mary　and　her　husband　emerge

from　the　house　to　which　I　had　calculated　that　garden　belonged。

Now　am　I　clever；　or　am　I　not？



When　they　had　left　the　street　I　examined　the　house　leisurely；　and

a　droll　house　it　is。　　Seen　from　the　front　it　appears　to　consist

of　a　door　and　a　window；　though　above　them　the　trained　eye　may

detect　another　window；　the　air…hole　of　some　apartment　which　it

would　be　just　like　Mary's　grandiloquence　to　call　her　bedroom。　

The　houses　on　each　side　of　this　bandbox　are　tall；　and　I

discovered　later　that　it　had　once　been　an　open　passage　to　the

back　gardens。　　The　story　and　a　half　of　which　it　consists　had　been

knocked　up　cheaply；　by　carpenters　I　should　say　rather　than

masons；　and　the　general　effect　is　of　a　brightly　coloured　van　that

has　stuck　for　ever　on　its　way　through　the　passage。



The　low　houses　of　London　look　so　much　more　homely　than　the　tall

ones　that　I　never　pass　them　without　dropping　a　blessing　on　their

builders；　but　this　house　was　ridiculous；　indeed　it　did　not　call

itself　a　house；　for　over　the　door　was　a　board　with　the

inscription　〃This　space　to　be　sold；〃　and　I　remembered；　as　I　rang

the　bell；　that　this　notice　had　been　up　for　years。　　On　avowing

that　I　wanted　a　space；　I　was　admitted　by　an　elderly；　somewhat

dejected　looking　female；　whose　fine　figure　was　not　on　scale　with

her　surroundings。　Perhaps　my　face　said　so；　for　her　first　remark

was　explanatory。



〃They　get　me　cheap；〃　she　said；　〃because　I　drink。〃



I　bowed；　and　we　passed　on　to　the　drawing…room。　　I　forget　whether

I　have　described　Mary's　personal　appearance；　but　if　so　you　have　a

picture　of　that　sunny　drawing…room。　　My　first　reflection　was；　How

can　she　have　found　the　money　to　pay　for　it　all！　which　is　always

your　first　reflection　when　you　see　Mary　herself　a…tripping　down

the　street。



I　have　no　space　（in　that　little　room）　to　catalogue　all　the　whim…

whams　with　which　she　had　made　it　beautiful；　from　the　hand…sewn

bell…rope　which　pulled　no　bell　to　the　hand…painted　cigar…box　that

contained　no　cigars。　　The　floor　was　of　a　delicious　green　with

exquisite　oriental　rugs；　green　and　white；　I　think；　was　the　lady's

scheme　of　colour；　something　cool；　you　observe；　to　keep　the　sun

under。　　The　window…curtains　were　of　some　rare　material　and　the

colour　of　the　purple　clematis；　they　swept　the　floor　grandly　and

suggested　a　picture　of　Mary　receiving　visitors。　　The　piano　we　may

ignore；　for　I　knew　it　to　be　hired；　but　there　were　many　dainty

pieces；　mostly　in　green　wood；　a　sofa；　a　corner　cupboard；　and　a

most　captivating　desk；　which　was　so　like　its　owner　that　it　could

have　sat　down　at　her　and　dashed　off　a　note。　　The　writing　paper　on

this　desk　had　the　word　Mary　printed　on　it；　implying　that　if　there

were　other　Marys　they　didn't　count。　　There　were　many　oil…

paintings　on　the　walls；　mostly　without　frames；　and　I　must　mention

the　chandelier；　which　was　obviously　of　fabulous　worth；　for　she

had　encased　it　in　a　holland　bag。



〃I　perceive；　ma'am；〃　said　I　to　the　stout　maid；　〃that　your　master

is　in　affluent　circumstances。〃



She　shook　her　head　emphatically；　and　said　something　that　I　failed

to　catch。



〃You　wish　to　indicate；〃　I　hazarded；　〃that　he　married　a　fortune。〃



This　time　I　caught　the　words。　　They　were　〃Tinned　meats；〃　and

having　uttered　them　she　lapsed　into　gloomy　silence。



〃Nevertheless；〃　I　said；　〃this　room　must　have　cost　a　pretty

penny。〃



〃She　done　it　all　herself；〃　replied　my　new　friend；　with

concentrated　scorn。



〃But　this　green　floor；　so　beautifully　stained〃



〃Boiling　oil；〃　said　she；　with　a　flush　of　honest　shame；　〃and　a

shillingsworth　o'　paint。〃



〃Those　rugs〃



〃Remnants；〃　she　sighed；　and　showed　me　how　artfully　they　had　been

pieced　together。



〃The　curtains〃



〃Remnants。〃



〃At　all　events　the　sofa〃



She　raised　its　drapery；　and　I　saw　that　the　sofa　was　built　of

packing　cases。



〃The　desk〃



I　really　thought　that　I　was　safe　this　time；　for　could　I　not　see

the　drawers　with　their　brass　handles；　the　charming　shelf　for

books；　the　pigeon…holes　with　their　coverings　of　silk？



〃She　made　it　out　of　three　orange　boxes；〃　said　the　lady；　at　last　a

little　awed　herself。



I　looked　around　me　despairingly；　and　my　eye　alighted　on　the

holland　covering。　　〃There　is　a　fine　chandelier　in　that　holland

bag；〃　I　said　coaxingly。



She　sniffed　and　was　raising　an　untender　hand；　when　I　checked　her。

〃Forbear；　ma'am；〃　I　cried　with　authority；　〃I　prefer　to　believe　in

that　bag。　　How　much　to　be　pitied；　ma'am；　are　those　who　have　lost

faith　in　everything。〃　　I　think　all　the　pretty　things　that　the

little　nursery　governess　had　made　out　of　nothing　squeezed　my　hand

for　letting　the　chandelier　off。



〃But；　good　God；　ma'am；〃　said　I　to　madam；　〃what　an　exposure。〃



She　intimated　that　there　were　other　exposures　upstairs。



〃So　there　is　a　stair；〃　said　I；　and　then；　suspiciously；　〃did　she

make　it？〃



No；　but　how　she　had　altered　it。



The　stair　led　to　Mary's　bedroom；　and　I　said　I　would　not　look　at

that；　nor　at　the　studio；　which　was　a　shed　in　the　garden。



〃Did　she　build　the　studio　with　her　own　hands？〃



No；　but　how　she　had　altered　it。



〃How　she　alters　everything；〃　I　said。　　〃Do　you　think　you　are　safe；

ma'am？〃



She　thawed　a　little　under　my　obvious　sympathy　and　honoured　me

with　some　of　her　views　and　confidences。　　The　rental　paid　by　Mary

and　her　husband　was　not；　it　appeared；　one　on　which　any　self…

respecting　domestic　could　reflect　with　pride。　　They　got　the　house

very　cheap　on　the　understanding　that　they　were　to　vacate　it

promptly　if　anyone　bought　it　for　building　purposes；　and　because

they　paid　so　little　they　had　to　submit　to　the　indignity　of　the

notice…board。　　Mary　A　detested　the　words　〃This　space　to　be

sold；〃　and　had　been　known　to　shake　her　fist　at　them。　　She　was　as

elated　about　her　house　as　if　it　were　a　real　house；　and　always

trembled　when　any　possible　purchaser　of　spaces　called。



As　I　have　told　you　my　own　aphorism　I　feel　I　ought　in　fairness　to

record　that　of　this　aggrieved　servant。　　It　was　on　the　subject　of

art。　　〃The　difficulty；〃　she　said；　〃is　not　to　paint　pictures；　but

to　get　frames　for　them。〃　　A　ho