elizabeth and her german garden-第25部分

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　the　disc　of　the　moon　with　loud　cacklings。

〃Before　dark？〃　echoed　Irais；　〃I　should　think　not。　It　is　dark　now　nearly　in　the　forest；　and　we　shall　have　the　loveliest　moonlight　drive　back。〃

〃But　it　is　surely　very　dangerous　to　let　a　man　who　goes　to　sleep　drive　you；〃　said　Minora　apprehensively。

〃But　he's　such　an　old　dear；〃　I　said。

〃Yes；　yes；　no　doubt；〃　she　replied　tastily；　；〃but　there　are　wakeful　old　dears　to　be　had；　and　on　a　box　they　are　preferable。〃

Irais　laughed。　　〃You　are　growing　quite　amusing；　Miss　Minora；〃　she　said。

〃He　isn't　on　a　box　to…day；〃　said　I；　〃and　I　never　knew　him　to　go　to　sleep　standing　up　behind　us　on　a　sleigh。〃　　　But　Minora　was　not　to　be　appeased；　and　muttered　something　about　seeing　no　fun　in　foolhardiness；　which　shows　how　alarmed　she　was；　for　it　was　rude。

Peter；　however；　behaved　beautifully　on　the　way　home；　and　Irais　and　I　at　least　were　as　happy　as　possible　driving　back；　with　all　the　glories　of　the　western　sky　flashing　at　us　every　now　and　then　at　the　end　of　a　long　avenue　as　we　swiftly　passed；　and　later　on；　when　they　had　faded；　myriads　of　stars　in　the　narrow　black　strip　of　sky　over　our　heads。　　It　was　bitterly　cold；　and　Minora　was　silent；　and　not　in　the　least　inclined　to　laugh　with　us　as　she　had　been　six　hours　before。

〃Have　you　enjoyed　yourself；　Miss　Minora？'　inquired　Irais；　as　we　got　out　of　the　forest　on　to　the　chaussee；　and　the　lights　of　the　village　before　ours　twinkled　in　the　distance。

〃How　many　degrees　do　you　suppose　there　are　now？〃　was　Minora's　reply　to　this　question。

〃Degrees？Of　frost？　　Oh；　dear　me；　are　you　cold；〃　cried　Irais　solicitously。

〃Well；　it　isn't　exactly　warm；　is　it？〃　said　Minora　sulkily；　and　Irais　pinched　me。　　〃Well；　but　think　how　much　colder　you　would　have　been　without　all　that　fur　you　ate　for　lunch　inside　you；〃　she　said。　　　〃And　what　a　nice　chapter　you　will　be　able　to　write　about　the　Baltic；〃　said　I。　〃Why；　it　is　practically　certain　that　you　are　the　first　English　person　who　has　ever　been　to　just　this　part　of　it。〃

〃Isn't　there　some　English　poem；〃　said　Irais；　〃about　being　the　first　who　ever　burst〃

〃'Into　that　silent　sea；'〃　finished　Minora　hastily。　〃You　can't　quote　that　without　its　context；　you　know。〃

〃But　I　wasn't　going　to；〃　said　Irais　meekly；　〃I　only　paused　to　breathe。　I　must　breathe；　or　perhaps　I　might　die。〃

The　lights　from　my　energetic　friend's　Schloss　shone　brightly　down　upon　us　as　we　passed　round　the　base　of　the　hill　on　which　it　stands；　she　is　very　proud　of　this　hill；　as　well　she　may　be；　seeing　that　it　is　the　only　one　in　the　whole　district。

〃Do　you　never　go　there？〃　asked　Minora；　jerking　her　head　in　the　direction　of　the　house。

〃Sometimes。　She　is　a　very　busy　woman；　and　I　should　feel　I　was　in　the　way　if　I　went　often。〃

〃It　would　be　interesting　to　see　another　North　German　interior；〃　said　Minora；　〃and　I　should　be　obliged　if　you　would　take　me。

〃But　I　can't　fall　upon　her　suddenly　with　a　strange　girl；〃　I　protested；　〃and　we　are　not　at　all　on　such　intimate　terms　as　to　justify　my　taking　all　my　visitors　to　see　her。〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　see　another　interior　for？〃　asked　Irais。　〃I　can　tell　you　what　it　is　like；　and　if　you　went　nobody　would　speak　to　you；　and　if　you　were　to　ask　questions；　and　began　to　take　notes；　the　good　lady　would　stare　at　you　in　the　frankest　amazement；　and　think　Elizabeth　had　brought　a　young　lunatic　out　for　an　airing。　Everybody　is　not　as　patient　as　Elizabeth；〃　added　Irais；　anxious　to　pay　off　old　scores。

〃I　would　do　a　great　deal　for　you；　Miss　Minora；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　can't　do　that。〃

〃If　we　went；〃　said　Irais；　〃Elizabeth　and　I　would　be　placed　with　great　ceremony　on　a　sofa　behind　a　large；　polished　oval　table　with　a　crochetmat　in　the　centre　it　has　got　a　crochet…mat　in　the　centre；　hasn't　it。？〃　I　nodded。　〃And　you　would　sit　on　one　of　the　four　little　podgy；　buttony；　tasselly　red　chairs　that　are　ranged　on　the　other　side　of　the　table　facing　the　sofa。　　They　are　red；　Elizabeth？〃　　Again　I　nodded。　〃The　floor　is　painted　yellow；　and　there　is　no　carpet　except　a　rug　in　front　of　the　sofa。　　The　paper　is　dark　chocolate　colour；　almost　black；　that　is　in　order　that　after　years　of　use　the　dirt　may　not　show；　and　the　room　need　not　be　done　up。　Dirt　is　like　wickedness；　you　see；　Miss　Minoraits　being　there　never　matters；　it　is　only　when　it　shows　so　much　as　to　be　apparent　to　everybody　that　we　are　ashamed　of　it。　At　intervals　round　the　high　walls　are　chairs；　and　cabinets　with　lamps　on　them；　and　in　one　corner　is　a　great　white　cold　stove　or　is　it　majolica？〃　she　asked；　turning　to　me。

〃No；　it　is　white。〃

〃There　are　a　great　many　lovely　big　windows；　all　ready　to　let　in　the　air　and　the　sun；　but　they　are　as　carefully　covered　with　brown　lace　curtains　under　heavy　stuff　ones　as　though　a　whole　row　of　houses　were　just　opposite；　with　peering　eyes　at　every　window　trying　to　look　in；　instead　of　there　only　being　fields；　and　trees；　and　birds。　　No　fire；　no　sunlight；　no　books；　no　flowers；　but　a　consoling　smell　of　red　cabbage　coming　up　under　the　door；　mixed；　in　due　season；　with　soapsuds。〃

〃When　did　you　go　there？〃　asked　Minora。

〃Ah；　when　did　I　go　there　indeed？　　When　did　I　not　go　there？　I　have　been　calling　there　all　my　life。〃

Minora's　eyes　rolled　doubtfully　first　at　me　then　at　Irais　from　the　depths　of　her　head…wrappings；　they　are　large　eyes　with　long　dark　eyelashes；　and　far　be　it　from　me　to　deny　that　each　eye　taken　by　itself　is　fine；　but　they　are　put　in　all　wrong。

〃The　only　thing　you　would　learn　there；〃　went　on　Irais；　〃would　be　the　significance　of　sofa　corners　in　Germany。　　If　we　three　went　there　together；　I　should　be　ushered　into　the　right…hand　corner　of　the　sofa；　because　it　is　the　place　of　honour；　and　I　am　the　greatest　stranger；　Elizabeth　would　be　invited　to　seat　herself　in　the　left…hand　corner；　as　next　in　importance；　the　hostess　would　sit　near　us　in　an　arm…chair；　and　you；　as　a　person　of　no　importance　whatever；　would　either　be　left　to　sit　where　you　could；　or　would　be　put　on　a　chair　facing　us；　and　with　the　entire　breadth　of　the　table　between　us　to　mark　the　immense　social　gulf　that　separates　the　married　woman　from　the　mere　virgin。　These　sofa　corners　make　the　drawing　of　nice　distinctions　possible　in　a　way　that　nothing　else　could。　　The　world　might　come　to　an　end；　and　create　less　sensation　in　doing　it；　than　you　would；　Miss　Minora；　if　by　any　chance　you　got　into　the　right…hand　corner　of　one。　That　you　are　put　on　a　chair　on　the　other　side　of　the　table　places　you　at　once　in　the　scale　of　precedence；　and　exactly　defines　your　social　position；　or　rather　your　complete　want　of　a　social　position。〃　And　Irais　tilted　her　nose　ever　so　little　heavenwards。

〃Note　it；〃　she　added；　〃as　the　heading　of　your　next　chapter。〃

〃Note　what？〃　asked　Minora　impatiently。

〃Why；'The　Subtle　Significance　of　Sofas'；　of　course；〃　replied　Irais。　〃If；〃　she　continued；　as　Minora　made　no　reply　appreciative　of　this　suggestion；　〃you　were　to　call　unexpectedly；　the　bad　luck　which　pursues　the　innocent　would　most　likely　make　you　hit　on　a　washing…day；　and　the　distracted　mistress　of　the　house　would　keep　you　waiting　in　the　cold　room　so　long　while　she　changed　her　dress；　that　you　would　begin　to　fear　you　were　to　be　left　to　perish　from　want　and　hunger；　and　when　she　did　appear；　would　show　by　the　bitterness　of　her　welcoming　smile　the　rage　that　was　boiling　in　her　heart。〃

〃But　what　has　the　mistress　of　the　house　to　do　with　washing？　〃

〃What　has　she　to　do　with　washing？　　Oh；　you　sweet　innocent　pardon　my　familiarity；　but　such　ignorance　of　country…life　customs　is　very　touching　in　one　who　is　writing　a　book　about　them。　　〃

〃Oh；　I　have　no　doubt　I　am　very　ignorant；〃　said　Minora　loftily。

〃Seasons　of　washing；〃　explained　Irais；　〃are　seasons　set　apart　by　the　Hausfrau　to　be　kept　holy。　　They　only　occur　every　two　or　three　months；　and　while　they　are　going　on　the　whole　house　is　in　an　uproar；　every　other　consideration　sacrificed；　husband　and　children　sunk　into　insignificance；　and　no　one　approaching；　or　interfering　with　the　mistress　of　the　house　during　these　days　of　purification；　but　at　their　peril。〃

〃You　Don't　Really　Mean；〃　Said　Minora；　〃that　You　Only　Wash　Your　Clothes　Four　Times　A　Year？

〃Yes；　I　do　mean　it；〃　replied　Irais。

〃Well；　I　think　that　is　very　disgusting；〃　said　Minora　emphatically。

Irais　raised　those　pretty；　delicate　eyebrows　of　hers。　〃Then　you　must　take　care　and　not　marry　a　German；〃　she　said。

〃But　what　is　the　object　of　it？〃　went　on　Minora。

〃Why；　to　clean　the　linen；　I　suppose。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　but　why　only　at　such　long　intervals？〃

〃It　is　an　outward　and　visible　sign　of　vast　possessions　in　the　shape　of　linen。　　If　you　were　to　want　to　have　your　clothes　washed　every　week；　as　you　do　in　England；　you　would　be　put　down　as　a　person　who　only　has　just　enough　to　last　that　length　of　time；　and　would　be　an　object　of　general　contempt。〃

〃But　I　should　be　a　clean　object；〃　cried　Minora；　〃and　my　house　would　not　be　full　of　accumulated　dirt。〃

We　said　nothingthere　was　nothing　to　be　said。

〃It　must　be　a　happy　land；　that　England　of　yours；〃　Irais　remarked　after　a　while　with　a　sigha　beatific　vision　no　doubt　presenting　itself　to　her　mind　of　a　land　full　of　washerwomen　and　agile　gentlemen　darting　at　door…handles。

〃It　is　a　clean　land；　at　any　rate；〃　replied　Minora。

〃I　don't　want　to　go　and　live　in　it；〃　I　saidfor　we　were　driving　up　to　the　house；　and　a　memory　of　fogs　and　umbrellas　came　into　my　mind　as　I　looked　up　fondly　at　its　dear　old　west　front；　and　I　felt　that　what　I　want　is　to　live　and　die　just　here；　and　that　there　never　was　such　a　happy　woman　as　Elizabeth。


April　18th。I　have　been　so　busy　ever　since　Irais　and　Minora　left　that　I　can　hardly　believe　the　spring　is　here；　and　the　garden　hurrying　on　its　green　and　flowered　petticoatonly　its　petticoat　as　yet；　for　though　the　underwood　is　a　fairyland　of　tender　little　leaves；　the　trees　above　are　still　quite　bare。

February　was　gone　before　I　well　knew　that　it　had　come；　so　deeply　was　I　engaged　in　making　hot…beds；　and　having　them　sown　with　petunias；　verbenas；　and　nicotina　affinis；　while　no　less　than　thirty　are　dedicated　solely　to　vegetables；　it　having　been　borne　in　upon　me　lately　that　vegetables　must　be　interesting　things　to　grow；　besides　possessing　solid　virtues　not　given　to　flowers；　and　that　I　might　as　well　take　the　orchard　and　kitchen　garden　under　my　wing。　So　I　have　rushed　in　with　all　the　zeal　of　utter　in