rudder grange-第2部分

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we　talked　a　great　deal　about　our　project　and　our　friends　became
greatly　interested　in　it；　and；　of　course；　too；　they　gave　us　a　great
deal　of　advice；　but　we　didn't　mind　that。　　We　were　philosophical
enough　to　know　that　you　can't　have　shad　without　bones。　　They　were
good　friends　and；　by　being　careful　in　regard　to　the　advice；　it
didn't　interfere　with　our　comfort。

We　were　beginning　to　be　discouraged；　at　least　Euphemia　was。　　Her
discouragement　is　like　water…cresses；　it　generally　comes　up　in　a
very　short　time　after　she　sows　her　wishes。　　But　then　it　withers
away　rapidly；　which　is　a　comfort。　　One　evening　we　were　sitting；
rather　disconsolately；　in　our　room；　and　I　was　reading　out　the
advertisements　of　country　board　in　a　newspaper；　when　in　rushed　Dr。
Heareone　of　our　old　friends。　　He　was　so　full　of　something　that　he
had　to　say　that　he　didn't　even　ask　us　how　we　were。　　In　fact；　he
didn't　appear　to　want　to　know。

〃I　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　found　just　the　very　thing
you　want。〃

〃A　canal…boat？〃　I　cried。

〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃a　canal…boat。〃

〃Furnished？〃　asked　Euphemia；　her　eyes　glistening。

〃Well；　no；〃　answered　the　doctor；　〃I　don't　think　you　could　expect
that。〃

〃But　we　can't　live　on　the　bare　floor；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃our　house
MUST　be　furnished。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　suppose　this　won't　do；〃　said　the　doctor；　ruefully；
〃for　there　isn't　so　much　as　a　boot…jack　in　it。　　It　has　most　things
that　are　necessary　for　a　boat；　but　it　hasn't　anything　that　you
could　call　house…furniture；　but；　dear　me；　I　should　think　you　could
furnish　it　very　cheaply　and　comfortably　out　of　your　book。〃

〃Very　true；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃if　we　could　pick　out　the　cheapest
things　and　then　get　some　folks　to　buy　a　lot　of　the　books。〃

〃We　could　begin　with　very　little；〃　said　I；　trying　hard　to　keep
calm。

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃you　need　make　no　more　rooms；　at
first；　than　you　could　furnish。〃

〃Then　there　are　no　rooms；〃　said　Euphemia。

〃No；　there　is　nothing　but　one　vast　apartment　extending　from　stem　to
stern。〃

〃Won't　it　be　glorious！〃　said　Euphemia　to　me。　　〃We　can　first　make　a
kitchen；　and　then　a　dining…room；　and　a　bedroom；　and　then　a　parlor
just　in　the　order　in　which　our　book　says　they　ought　to　be
furnished。〃

〃Glorious！〃　I　cried；　no　longer　able　to　contain　my　enthusiasm；　〃I
should　think　so。　　Doctor；　where　is　this　canal…boat？〃

The　doctor　then　went　into　a　detailed　statement。　　The　boat　was
stranded　on　the　shore　of　the　Scoldsbury　river　not　far　below　Ginx's。
We　knew　where　Ginx's　was；　because　we　had　spent　a　very　happy　day
there；　during　our　honeymoon。

The　boat　was　a　good　one；　but　superannuated。　　That；　however；　did　not
interfere　with　its　usefulness　as　a　dwelling。　　We　could　get　itthe
doctor　had　seen　the　ownerfor　a　small　sum　per　annum；　and　here　was
positively　no　end　to　its　capabilities。

We　sat　up　until　twenty　minutes　past　two；　talking　about　that　house。
We　ceased　to　call　it　a　boat　at　about　a　quarter　of　eleven。

The　next　day　I　〃took〃　the　boat　and　paid　a　month's　rent　in　advance。
Three　days　afterward　we　moved　into　it。

We　had　not　much　to　move；　which　was　a　comfort；　looking　at　it　from
one　point　of　view。　　A　carpenter　had　put　up　two　partitions　in　it
which　made　three　roomsa　kitchen；　a　dining…room　and　a　very　long
bedroom；　which　was　to　be　cut　up　into　a　parlor；　study；　spare…room；
etc。；　as　soon　as　circumstances　should　allow；　or　my　salary　should　be
raised。　　Originally；　all　the　doors　and　windows　were　in　the　roof；　so
to　speak；　but　our　landlord　allowed　us　to　make　as　many　windows　to
the　side　of　the　boat　as　we　pleased；　provided　we　gave　him　the　wood
we　cut　out。　　It　saved　him　trouble；　he　said；　but　I　did　not
understand　him　at　the　time。　　Accordingly；　the　carpenter　made
several　windows　for　us；　and　put　in　sashes；　which　opened　on　hinges
like　the　hasp　of　a　trunk。　　Our　furniture　did　not　amount　to　much；　at
first。　　The　very　thought　of　living　in　this　independent；　romantic
way　was　so　delightful；　Euphemia　said；　that　furniture　seemed　a　mere
secondary　matter。

We　were　obliged　indeed　to　give　up　the　idea　of　following　the　plan
detailed　in　our　book；　because　we　hadn't　the　sum　upon　which　the
furnishing　of　a　small　house　was　therein　based。

〃And　if　we　haven't　the　money；〃　remarked　Euphemia；　〃it　would　be　of
no　earthly　use　to　look　at　the　book。　　It　would　only　make　us　doubt
our　own　calculations。　　You　might　as　well　try　to　make　brick　without
mortar；　as　the　children　of　Israel　did。〃

〃I　could　do　that　myself；　my　dear；〃　said　I；　〃but　we　won't　discuss
that　subject　now。　　We　will　buy　just　what　we　absolutely　need；　and
then　work　up　from　that。〃

Acting　on　this　plan；　we　bought　first　a　small　stove；　because
Euphemia　said　that　we　could　sleep　on　the　floor；　if　it　were
necessary；　but　we　couldn't　make　a　fire　on　the　floorat　least　not
often。　　Then　we　got　a　table　and　two　chairs。　　The　next　thing　we
purchased　was　some　hanging　shelves　for　our　books；　and　Euphemia
suddenly　remembered　the　kitchen　things。　　These；　which　were　few；
with　some　crockery；　nearly　brought　us　to　the　end　of　our　resources；
but　we　had　enough　for　a　big　easy…chair　which　Euphemia　was
determined　I　should　have；　because　I　really　needed　it　when　I　came
home　at　night；　tired　with　my　long　day's　work　at　the　office。　　I　had
always　been　used　to　an　easy…chair；　and　it　was　one　of　her　most
delightful　dreams　to　see　me　in　a　real　nice　one；　comfortably　smoking
my　pipe　in　my　own　house；　after　eating　my　own　delicious　little
supper　in　company　with　my　own　dear　wife。　　We　selected　the　chair；
and　then　we　were　about　to　order　the　things　sent　out　to　our　future
home；　when　I　happened　to　think　that　we　had　no　bed。　　I　called
Euphemia's　attention　to　the　fact。

She　was　thunderstruck。

〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　she　said。　　〃We　shall　have　to　give　up　the
stove。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　I；　〃we　can't　do　that。　　We　must　give　up　the　easy…
chair。〃

〃Oh；　that　would　be　too　bad；〃　said　she。　　〃The　house　would　seem　like
nothing　to　me　without　the　chair！〃

〃But　we　must　do　without　it；　my　dear；〃　said　I；　〃at　least　for　a
while。　　I　can　sit　out　on　deck　and　smoke　of　an　evening；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃You　can　sit　on　the　bulwarks　and　I　can　sit
by　you。　　That　will　do　very　well。　　I'm　sure　I'm　glad　the　boat　has
bulwarks。〃

So　we　resigned　the　easy…chair　and　bought　a　bedstead　and　some　very
plain　bedding。　　The　bedstead　was　what　is　sometimes　called　a
〃scissors…bed。〃　　We　could　shut　it　up　when　we　did　not　want　to　sleep
in　it；　and　stand　it　against　the　wall。

When　we　packed　up　our　trunks　and　left　the　boarding…house　Euphemia
fairly　skipped　with　joy。

We　went　down　to　Ginx's　in　the　first　boat；　having　arranged　that　our
furniture　should　be　sent　to　us　in　the　afternoon。　　We　wanted　to　be
there　to　receive　it。　　The　trip　was　just　wildly　delirious。　　The　air
was　charming。　　The　sun　was　bright；　and　I　had　a　whole　holiday。　　When
we　reached　Ginx's　we　found　that　the　best　way　to　get　our　trunks　and
ourselves　to　our　house　was　to　take　a　carriage；　and　so　we　took　one。
I　told　the　driver　to　drive　along　the　river　road　and　I　would　tell
him　where　to　stop。

When　we　reached　our　boat；　and　had　alighted；　I　said　to　the　driver：

〃You　can　just　put　our　trunks　inside；　anywhere。〃

The　man　looked　at　the　trunks　and　then　looked　at　the　boat。
Afterward　he　looked　at　me。

〃That　boat　ain't　goin'　anywhere；〃　said　he。

〃I　should　think　not；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃We　shouldn't　want　to　live　in
it；　if　it　were。〃

〃You　are　going　to　live　in　it？〃　said　the　man。

〃Yes；〃　said　Euphemia。

〃Oh！〃　said　the　man；　and　he　took　our　trunks　on　board；　without
another　word。

It　was　not　very　easy　for　him　to　get　the　trunks　into　our　new　home。
In　fact　it　was　not　easy　for　us　to　get　there　ourselves。　　There　was　a
gang…plank；　with　a　rail　on　one　side　of　it；　which　inclined　from　the
shore　to　the　deck　of　the　boat　at　an　angle　of　forty…five　degrees；
and　when　the　man　had　staggered　up　this　plank　with　the　trunks
（Euphemia　said　I　ought　to　have　helped　him；　but　I　really　thought
that　it　would　be　better　for　one　person　to　fall　off　the　plank　than
for　two　to　go　over　together）；　and　we　had　paid　him；　and　he　had
driven　away　in　a　speechless　condition；　we　scrambled　up　and　stood
upon　the　threshold；　or；　rather；　the　after…deck　of　our　home。

It　was　a　proud　moment。　　Euphemia　glanced　around；　her　eyes　full　of
happy　tears；　and　then　she　took　my　arm　and　we　went　down　stairsat
least　we　tried　to　go　down　in　that　fashion；　but　soon　found　it
necessary　to　go　one　at　a　time。　　We　wandered　over　the　whole　extent
of　our　mansion　and　found　that　our　carpenter　had　done　his　work
better　than　the　woman　whom　we　had　engaged　to　scrub　and　clean　the
house。　　Something　akin　to　despair　must　have　seized　upon　her；　for
Euphemia　declared　that　the　floors　looked　dirtier　than　on　the
occasion　of　her　first　visit；　when　we　rented　the　boat。

But　that　didn't　discourage　us。　　We　felt　sure　that　we　should　get　it
clean　in　time。

Early　in　the　afternoon　our　furniture　arrived；　together　with　the
other　things　we　had　bought；　and　the　men　who　brought　them　over　from
the　steamboat　landing　had　the　brightest；　merriest　faces　I　ever
noticed　among　that　class　of　people。　　Euphemia　said　it　was　an
excellent　omen　to　have　such　cheerful　fellows　come　to　us　on　the　very
first　day　of　our　housekeeping。

Then　we　went　to　work。　　I　put　up　the　stove；　which　was　not　much
trouble；　as　there　was　a　place　all　ready　in　the　deck　for　the　stove…
pipe　to　be　run　through。　　Euphemia　was　somewhat　surprised　at　the
absence　of　a　chimney；　but　I　assured　her　that　boats　were　very　seldom
built　with　chimneys。　　My　dear　little　wife　bustled　about　and
arranged　the　pots　and　kettles　on　nails　that　I　drove　into　the
kitchen　walls。　　Then　she　made　the　bed　in　the　bed…room　and　I　hung　up
a　looking…glass　and　a　few　little　pictures　that　we　had　brought　in
our　trunks。

Before　four　o'clock　our　house　was　in　order。　　Then　we　began　to　be
very　hungry。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃we　ought　to　have　thought　to　bring
something　to　cook。〃

〃That　is　very　true；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　think　perhaps　we　had　better
walk　up　to　Ginx's　and　get　our　supper　to…night。　　You　see　we　are　so
tired　and　hungry。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Euphemia；　〃go　to　a　hotel　the　very　first　day？　　I　think
it　would　be　dreadful！　　Why；　I　have　been　looking　forward　to　this
first　meal　with　the　greatest　delight。　　You　can　go　up　to　the　little
store　by　the　hotel　and　bu