elizabeth and her german garden-第24部分

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ors　who　have　been　taken　there　for　a　treat　have　invariably　lost　their　tempers；　and　made　the　quiet　shores　ring　with　their　wailing　and　lamentations。　These　despicable　but　irritating　insects　don't　seem　to　have　anything　to　do　but　to　sit　in　multitudes　on　the　sand；　waiting　for　any　prey　Providence　may　send　them；　and　as　soon　as　the　carriage　appears　they　rise　up　in　a　cloud；　and　rush　to　meet　us；　almost　dragging　us　out　bodily；　and　never　leave　us　until　we　drive　away　again。　The　sudden　view　of　the　sea　from　the　messy；　pine…covered　height　directly　above　it　where　we　picnic；　the　wonderful　stretch　of　lonely　shore　with　the　forest　to　the　water's　edge；　the　coloured　sails　in　the　blue　distance；　the　freshness；　the　brightness；　the　vastnessall　is　lost　upon　the　picnickers；　and　made　worse　than　indifferent　to　them；　by　the　perpetual　necessity　they　are　under　of　fighting　these　horrid　creatures。　It　is　nice　being　the　only　person　who　ever　goes　there　or　shows　it　to　anybody；　but　if　more　people　went；　perhaps　the　mosquitoes　would　be　less　lean；　and　hungry；　and　pleased　to　see　us。　It　has；　however；　the　advantage　of　being　a　suitable　place　to　which　to　take　refractory　visitors　when　they　have　stayed　too　long；　or　left　my　books　out　in　the　garden　all　night；　or　otherwise　made　their　presence　a　burden　too　grievous　to　be　borne；　then　one　fine　hot　morning　when　they　are　all　looking　limp；　I　suddenly　propose　a　picnic　on　the　Baltic。　I　have　never　known　this　proposal　fail　to　be　greeted　with　exclamations　of　surprise　and　delight。

〃The　Baltic！　　You　never　told　us　you　were　within　driving　distance？　How　heavenly　to　get　a　breath　of　sea　air　on　a　day　like　this！　The　very　thought　puts　new　life　into　one！　　And　how　delightful　to　see　the　Baltic！　　Oh；　please　take　us！〃　　And　then　I　take　them。

But　on　a　brilliant　winter's　day　my　conscience　is　as　clear　as　the　frosty　air　itself；　and　yesterday　morning　we　started　off　in　the　gayest　of　spirits；　even　Minora　being　disposed　to　laugh　immoderately　on　the　least　provocation。　Only　our　eyes　were　allowed　to　peep　out　from　the　fur　and　woollen　wrappings　necessary　to　our　heads　if　we　would　come　back　with　our　ears　and　noses　in　the　same　places　they　were　in　when　we　started；　and　for　the　first　two　miles　the　mirth　created　by　each　other's　strange　appearance　was　uproarious；　a　fact　I　mention　merely　to　show　what　an　effect　dry；　bright；　intense　cold　produces　on　healthy　bodies；　and　how　much　better　it　is　to　go　out　in　it　and　enjoy　it　than　to　stay　indoors　and　sulk。　As　we　passed　through　the　neighbouring　village　with　cracking　of　whip　and　jingling　of　bells；　heads　popped　up　at　the　windows　to　stare；　and　the　only　living　thing　in　the　silent；　sunny　street　was　a　melancholy　fowl　with　ruffled　feathers；　which　looked　at　us　reproachfully；　as　we　dashed　with　so　much　energy　over　the　crackling　snow。

〃Oh；　foolish　bird！〃　　Irais　called　out　as　we　passed；　〃you'll　be　indeed　a　cold　fowl　if　you　stand　there　motionless；　and　every　one　prefers　them　hot　in　weather　like　this！〃

And　then　we　all　laughed　exceedingly；　as　though　the　most　splendid　joke　had　been　made；　and　before　we　had　done　we　were　out　of　the　village　and　in　the　open　country　beyond；　and　could　see　my　house　and　garden　far　away　behind；　glittering　in　the　sunshine；　and　in　front　of　us　lay　the　forest；　with　its　vistas　of　pines　stretching　away　into　infinity；　and　a　drive　through　it　of　fourteen　miles　before　we　reached　the　sea。　It　was　a　hoar…frost　day；　and　the　forest　was　an　enchanted　forest　leading　into　fairyland；　and　though　Irais　and　I　have　been　there　often　before；　and　always　thought　it　beautiful；　yet　yesterday　we　stood　under　the　final　arch　of　frosted　trees；　struck　silent　by　the　sheer　loveliness　of　the　place。　For　a　long　way　out　the　sea　was　frozen；　and　then　there　was　a　deep　blue　line；　and　a　cluster　of　motionless　orange　sails；　at　our　feet　a　narrow　strip　of　pale　yellow　sand；　right　and　left　the　line　of　sparkling　forest；　and　we　ourselves　standing　in　a　world　of　white　and　diamond　traceries。　The　stillness　of　an　eternal　Sunday　lay　on　the　place　like　a　benediction。

Minora　broke　the　silence　by　remarking　that　Dresden　was　pretty；　but　she　thought　this　beat　it　almost。

〃I　don't　quite　see；〃　said　Irais　in　a　hushed　voice；　as　though　she　were　in　a　holy　place；〃how　the　two　can　be　compared。〃

〃Yes；　Dresden　is　more　convenient；　of　course；〃　replied　Minora；　after　which　we　turned　away　and　thought　we　would　keep　her　quiet　by　feeding　her；　so　we　went　back　to　the　sleigh　and　had　the　horses　taken　out　and　their　cloths　put　on；　and　they　were　walked　up　and　down　a　distant　glade　while　we　sat　in　the　sleigh　and　picnicked。　It　is　a　hard　day　for　the　horses；nearly　thirty　miles　there　and　back　and　no　stable　in　the　middle；　but　they　are　so　fat　and　spoiled　that　it　cannot　do　them　much　harm　sometimes　to　taste　the　bitterness　of　life。　I　warmed　soup　in　a　little　apparatus　I　have　for　such　occasions；　which　helped　to　take　the　chilliness　off　the　sandwiches；this　is　the　only　unpleasant　part　of　a　winter　picnic；　the　clammy　quality　of　the　provisions　just　when　you　most　long　for　something　very　hot。　Minora　let　her　nose　very　carefully　out　of　its　wrappings；　took　a　mouthful；　and　covered　it　up　quickly　again。　　She　was　nervous　lest　it　should　be　frost…nipped；　and　truth　compels　me　to　add　that　her　nose　is　not　a　bad　nose；　and　might　even　be　pretty　on　anybody　else；　but　she　does　not　know　how　to　carry　it；　and　there　is　an　art　in　the　angle　at　which　one's　nose　is　held　just　as　in　everything　else；　and　really　noses　were　intended　for　something　besides　mere　blowing。

It　is　the　most　difficult　thing　in　the　world　to　eat　sandwiches　with　immense　fur　and　woollen　gloves　on；　and　I　think　we　ate　almost　as　much　fur　as　anything；　and　choked　exceedingly　during　the　process。　Minora　was　angry　at　this；　and　at　last　pulled　off　her　glove；　but　quickly　put　it　on　again。

〃How　very　unpleasant；〃　she　remarked　after　swallowing　a　large　piece　of　fur。

〃It　will　wrap　round　your　pipes；　and　keep　them　warm；〃　said　Irais。

〃Pipes！〃　echoed　Minora；　greatly　disgusted　by　such　vulgarity。

〃I'm　afraid　I　can't　help　you；〃　I　said；　as　she　continued　to　choke　and　splutter；　〃we　are　all　in　the　same　case；　and　I　don't　know　how　to　alter　it。〃　　　〃There　are　such　things　as　forks；　I　suppose；〃　snapped　Minora。

〃That's　true；〃　said　I；　crushed　by　the　obviousness　of　the　remedy；　but　of　what　use　are　forks　if　they　are　fifteen　miles　off？　So　Minora　had　to　continue　to　eat　her　gloves。

By　the　time　we　had　finished；　the　sun　was　already　low　behind　the　trees　and　the　clouds　beginning　to　flush　a　faint　pink。　The　old　coachman　was　given　sandwiches　and　soup；　and　while　he　led　the　horses　up　and　down　with　one　hand　and　held　his　lunch　in　the　other；　we　packed　upor；　to　be　correct；　I　packed；　and　the　others　looked　on　and　gave　me　valuable　advice。

This　coachman；　Peter　by　name；　is　seventy　years　old；　and　was　born　on　the　place；　and　has　driven　its　occupants　for　fifty　years；　and　I　am　nearly　as　fond　of　him　as　I　am　of　the　sun…dial；　indeed；　I　don't　know　what　I　should　do　without　him；　so　entirely　does　he　appear　to　understand　and　approve　of　my　tastes　and　wishes。　No　drive　is　too　long　or　difficult　for　the　horses　if　I　want　to　take　it；　no　place　impossible　to　reach　if　I　want　to　go　to　it；　no　weather　or　roads　too　bad　to　prevent　my　going　out　if　I　wish　to：　to　all　my　suggestions　he　responds　with　the　readiest　cheerfulness；　and　smoothes　away　all　objections　raised　by　the　Man　of　Wrath；　who　rewards　his　alacrity　in　doing　my　pleasure　by　speaking　of　him　as　an　alter　Esel。　　In　the　summer；　on　fine　evenings；　I　love　to　drive　late　and　alone　in　the　scented　forests；　and　when　I　have　reached　a　dark　part　stop；　and　sit　quite　still；　listening　to　the　nightingales　repeating　their　little　tune　over　and　over　again　after　interludes　of　gurgling；　or　if　there　are　no　nightingales；　listening　to　the　marvellous　silence；　and　letting　its　blessedness　descend　into　my　very　soul。　The　nightingales　in　the　forests　about　here　all　sing　the　same　tune；　and　in　the　same　key　of　（E　flat）。

I　don't　know　whether　all　nightingales　do　this；　or　if　it　is　peculiar　to　this　particular　spot。　　When　they　have　sung　it　once；　they　clear　their　throats　a　little；　and　hesitate；　and　then　do　it　again；　and　it　is　the　prettiest　little　song　in　the　world。　　How　could　I　indulge　my　passion　for　these　drives　with　their　pauses　without　Peter？　He　is　so　used　to　them　that　he　stops　now　at　the　right　moment　without　having　to　be　told；　and　he　is　ready　to　drive　me　all　night　if　I　wish　it；　with　no　sign　of　anything　but　cheerful　willingness　on　his　nice　old　face。　The　Man　of　Wrath　deplores　these　eccentric　tastes；　as　he　calls　them；　of　mine；　but　has　given　up　trying　to　prevent　my　indulging　them　because；　while　he　is　deploring　in　one　part　of　the　house；　I　have　slipped　out　at　a　door　in　the　other；　and　am　gone　before　he　can　catch　me；　and　have　reached　and　am　lost　in　the　shadows　of　the　forest　by　the　time　he　has　discovered　that　I　am　nowhere　to　be　found。

The　brightness　of　Peter's　perfections　are　sullied　however　by　one　spot；　and　that　is；　that　as　age　creeps　upon　him；　he　not　only　cannot　hold　the　horses　in　if　they　don't　want　to　be　held　in；　but　he　goes　to　sleep　sometimes　on　his　box　if　I　have　him　out　too　soon　after　lunch；　and　has　upset　me　twice　within　the　last　year　once　last　winter　out　of　a　sleigh；　and　once　this　summer；　when　the　horses　shied　at　a　bicycle；　and　bolted　into　the　ditch　on　one　side　of　the　chaussee　（German　for　high　road）；　and　the　bicycle　was　so　terrified　at　the　horses　shying　that　it　shied　too　into　the　ditch　on　the　other　side；　and　the　carriage　was　smashed；　and　the　bicycle　was　smashed；　and　we　were　all　very　unhappy；　except　Peter；　who　never　lost　his　pleasant　smile；　and　looked　so　placid　that　my　tongue　clave　to　the　roof　of　my　mouth　when　I　tried　to　make　it　scold　him。

〃But　I　should　think　he　ought　to　have　been　thoroughly　scolded　on　an　occasion　like　that；〃　said　Minora；　to　whom　I　had　been　telling　this　story　as　we　wandered　on　the　yellow　sands　while　the　horses　were　being　put　in　the　sleigh；　and　she　glanced　nervously　up　at　Peter；　whose　mild　head　was　visible　between　the　bushes　above　us。　〃Shall　we　get　home　before　dark？〃　she　asked。

The　sun　had　altogether　disappeared　behind　the　pines　and　only　the　very　highest　of　the　little　clouds　were　still　pink；　out　at　sea　the　mists　were　creeping　up；　and　the　sails　of　the　fishing…smacks　had　turned　a　dull　brown；　a　flight　of　wild　geese　passed　across　the　disc　of　the　moon　with　loud　cacklings。

〃Before　dark？〃　echoed　Irais；　〃I　should　think　not。　It　i