rudder grange-第33部分

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one　side　of　it；　as　he　approached；　and　then；　as　he　passed　it；　he
actually　pulled　up　to　read　the　other　side。

〃All　right！〃　he　called　out；　as　he　drove　off。　　〃All　right！　　All
right！〃

Euphemia　didn't　like　the　way　he　said　〃all　right。〃　　It　seemed　to
her；　she　said；　as　if　he　intended　to　do　something　which　would　be　all
right　for　him；　but　not　at　all　so　for　us。　　I　saw　she　was　nervous
about　it；　for　that　evening　she　began　to　ask　me　questions　about　the
traveling　propensities　of　soap…makers；　upholsterers；　and　dentists。

〃Do　not　think　anything　more　about　that；　my　dear；〃　I　said。　　〃I　will
take　the　sign　down　in　the　morning。　　We　are　here　to　enjoy　ourselves；
and　not　to　be　worried。〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　she；　〃it　would　worry　me　to　think　that　that　driver
frightened　us　into　taking　down　the　sign。　　I　tell　you　what　I　wish
you　would　do。　　Paint　out　those　names；　and　let　me　make　a　sign。　　Then
I　promise　you　I　will　not　be　worried。〃

The　next　day；　therefore；　I　took　down　the　sign　and　painted　out　my
inscriptions。　　It　was　a　good　deal　of　trouble；　for　my　letters　were
fresh；　but　it　was　a　rainy　day；　and　I　had　plenty　of　time；　and
succeeded　tolerably　well。　　Then　I　gave　Euphemia　the　black…paint　pot
and　the　freedom　of　the　sign。

I　went　down　to　the　creek　to　try　a　little　fishing　in　wet　weather；
and　when　I　returned　the　new　sign　was　done。　　On　one　side　it　read：


　　　　　FLIES'
　　　　　　AND
　　　　　WASPS'
　　　　　HOTEL。


On　the　other：


　　HUNDRED…LEGGERS'
　　　　　　　AND
　　　　　RED…ANTS'
　　　　　　HOUSE。


〃You　see；〃　said　euphemia；　〃if　any　individuals　mentioned　thereon
apply　for　accommodation；　we　can　say　we　are　full。〃

This　sign　hung　triumphantly　for　several　days；　when　one　morning；
just　as　we　had　finished　breakfast；　we　were　surprised　to　hear　the
stage　stop　at　the　door；　and　before　we　could　go　out　to　see　who　had
arrived；　into　the　room　came　our　own　stage…driver；　as　we　used　to
call　him。　　He　had　actually　left　his　team　to　come　and　see　us。

〃I　just　thought　I'd　stop　an'　tell　ye；〃　said　he；　〃that　ef　ye　don't
look　out；　Bill'll　get　ye　inter　trouble。　　He's　bound　to　git　the　best
o'　ye；　an'　I　heared　this　mornin'；　at　Lowry's；　that　he's　agoin'　to
bring　the　county　clerk　up　here　to…morrow；　to　see　about　yer　license
fur　keepin'　a　hotel。　　He　says　ye　keep　changin'　yer　signs；　but　that
don't　differ　to　him；　for　he　kin　prove　ye've　kept　travelers
overnight；　an'　ef　ye　haven't　got　no　license　he'll　make　the　county
clerk　come　down　on　ye　heavy；　I'm　sure　o'　that；　fur　I　know　Bill。
An'　so；　I　thought　I'd　stop　an'　tell　ye。〃

I　thanked　him；　and　admitted　that　this　was　a　rather　serious　view　of
the　case。　　Euphemia　pondered　a　moment。　　Then　said　she：

〃I　don't　see　why　we　should　stay　here　any　longer。　　It's　going　to
rain　again；　and　our　vacation　is　up　to…morrow；　anyway。　　Could　you
wait　a　little　while；　while　we　pack　up？〃　she　said　to　the　driver。

〃Oh　yes！〃　he　replied。　　〃I　kin　wait；　as　well　as　not。　　I've　only　got
one　passenger；　an'　he's　on　top；　a…holdin'　the　horses。　　He　aint　in
any　hurry；　I　know；　an'　I'm　ahead　o'　time。〃

In　less　than　twenty　minutes　we　had　packed　our　trunk；　locked　up　the
house；　and　were　in　the　stage；　and；　as　we　drove　away；　we　cast　a　last
admiring　look　at　Euphemia's　sign；　slowly　swinging　in　the　wind。　　I
would　much　like　to　know　if　it　is　swinging　there　yet。　　I　feel
certain　there　has　been　no　lack　of　custom。

We　stopped　at　Mrs。　Carson's；　paid　her　what　we　owed　her；　and　engaged
her　to　go　up　to　the　tavern　and　put　things　in　order。　　She　was　very
sorry　we　were　going；　but　hoped　we　would　come　back　again　some　other
summer。　　We　said　that　it　was　quite　possible　that　we　might　do　so；
but　that；　next　time；　we　did　not　think　we　would　try　to　have　a　tavern
of　our　own。



CHAPTER　XIX。

THE　BABY　AT　RUDDER　GRANGE。


For　some　reason；　not　altogether　understood　by　me；　there　seemed　to
be　a　continued　series　of　new　developments　at　our　home。　　I　had
supposed；　when　the　events　spoken　of　in　the　last　chapter　had　settled
down　to　their　proper　places　in　our　little　history；　that　our　life
would　flow　on　in　an　even；　commonplace　way；　with　few　or　no　incidents
worthy　of　being　recorded。　　But　this　did　not　prove　to　be　the　case。
After　a　time；　the　uniformity　and　quiet　of　our　existence　was
considerably　disturbed。

This　disturbance　was　caused　by　a　baby；　not　a　rude；　imperious　baby；
but　a　child　who　was　generally　of　a　quiet　and　orderly　turn　of　mind。
But　it　disarranged　all　our　plans；　all　our　habits；　all　the　ordinary
disposition　of　things。

It　was　in　the　summer…time；　during　my　vacation；　that　it　began　to
exert　its　full　influence　upon　us。　　A　more　unfortunate　season　could
not　have　been　selected。　　At　first；　I　may　say　that　it　did　not　exert
its　full　influence　upon　me。　　I　was　away；　during　the　day；　and；　in
the　evening；　its　influence　was　not　exerted；　to　any　great　extent；
upon　anybody。　　As　I　have　said；　its　habits　were　exceedingly　orderly。
But；　during　my　vacation；　the　things　came　to　pass　which　have　made
this　chapter　necessary。

I　did　not　intend　taking　a　trip。　　As　in　a　former　vacation；　I
proposed　staying　at　home　and　enjoying　those　delights　of　the　country
which　my　business　in　town　did　not　allow　me　to　enjoy　in　the　working
weeks　and　months　of　the　year。　　I　had　no　intention　of　camping　out；
or　of　doing　anything　of　that　kind；　but　many　were　the　trips；　rides；
and　excursions　I　had　planned。

I　found；　however；　that　if　I　enjoyed　myself　in　this　wise；　I　must　do
it；　for　the　most　part；　alone。　　It　was　not　that　Euphemia　could　not
go　with　methere　was　really　nothing　to　preventit　was　simply　that
she　had　lost；　for　the　time；　her　interest　in　everything　except　that
baby。

She　wanted　me　to　be　happy；　to　amuse　myself；　to　take　exercise；　to　do
whatever　I　thought　was　pleasant；　but　she；　herself；　was　so　much
engrossed　with　the　child；　that　she　was　often　ignorant　of　what　I
intended　to　do；　or　had　done。　　She　thought　she　was　listening　to　what
I　said　to　her；　but；　in　reality；　she　was　occupied；　mind　and　body；
with　the　baby；　or　listening　for　some　sound　which　should　indicate
that　she　ought　to　go　and　be　occupied　with　it。

I　would　often　say　to　her：　〃Why　can't　you　let　Pomona　attend　to　it？
You　surely　need　not　give　up　your　whole　time　and　your　whole　mind　to
the　child。〃

But　she　would　always　answer　that　Pomona　had　a　great　many　things　to
do；　and　that　she　couldn't；　at　all　times；　attend　to　the　baby。
Suppose；　for　instance；　that　she　should　be　at　the　barn。

I　once　suggested　that　a　nurse　should　be　procured；　but　at　this　she
laughed。

〃There　is　very　little　to　do；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　really　like　to　do
it。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃but　you　spend　so　much　of　your　time　in　thinking　how
glad　you　will　be　to　do　that　little；　when　it　is　to　be　done；　that　you
can't　give　me　any　attention；　at　all。〃

〃Now　you　have　no　cause　to　say　that；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You　know　very
well；　there！〃　and　away　she　ran。　　It　had　just　begun　to　cry！

Naturally；　I　was　getting　tired　of　this。　　I　could　never　begin　a
sentence　and　feel　sure　that　I　would　be　allowed　to　finish　it。
Nothing　was　important　enough　to　delay　attention　to　an　infantile
whimper。

Jonas；　too；　was　in　a　state　of　unrest。　　He　was　obliged　to　wear　his
good　clothes；　a　great　part　of　the　time；　for　he　was　continually
going　on　errands　to　the　village；　and　these　errands　were　so
important　that　they　took　precedence　of　everything　else。　　It　gave　me
a　melancholy　sort　of　pleasure；　sometimes；　to　do　Jonas's　work　when
he　was　thus　sent　away。

I　asked　him；　one　day；　how　he　liked　it　all？

〃Well；〃　said　he；　reflectively；　〃I　can't　say　as　I　understand　it；
exactly。　　It　does　seem　queer　to　me　that　such　a　little　thing　should
take　up　pretty　nigh　all　the　time　of　three　people。　　I　suppose；　after
a　while；〃　this　he　said　with　a　grave　smile；　〃that　you　may　be　wanting
to　turn　in　and　help。〃　　I　did　not　make　any　answer　to　this；　for　Jonas
was；　at　that　moment；　summoned　to　the　house；　but　it　gave　me　an　idea。
In　fact；　it　gave　me　two　ideas。

The　first　was　that　Jonas's　remark　was　not　entirely　respectful。　　He
was　my　hired　man；　but　he　was　a　very　respectable　man；　and　an
American　man；　and　therefore　might　sometimes　be　expected　to　say
things　which　a　foreigner；　not　known　to　be　respectable；　would　not
think　of　saying；　if　he　wished　to　keep　his　place。　　The　fact　that
Jonas　had　always　been　very　careful　to　treat　me　with　much　civility；
caused　this　remark　to　make　more　impression　on　me。　　I　felt　that　he
had；　in　a　measure；　reason　for　it。

The　other　idea　was　one　which　grew　and　developed　in　my　mind　until　I
afterward　formed　a　plan　upon　it。　　I　determined；　however；　before　I
carried　out　my　plan；　to　again　try　to　reason　with　Euphemia。

〃If　it　was　our　own　baby；〃　I　said；　〃or　even　the　child　of　one　of　us；
by　a　former　marriage；　it　would　be　a　different　thing；　but　to　give
yourself　up　so　entirely　to　Pomona's　baby；　seems；　to　me；
unreasonable。　　Indeed；　I　never　heard　of　any　case　exactly　like　it。
It　is　reversing　all　the　usages　of　society　for　the　mistress　to　take
care　of　the　servant's　baby。〃

〃The　usages　of　society　are　not　worth　much；　sometimes；〃　said
Euphemia；　〃and　you　must　remember　that　Pomona　is　a　very　different
kind　of　a　person　from　an　ordinary　servant。　　She　is　much　more　like　a
member　of　the　familyI　can't　exactly　explain　what　kind　of　a
member；　but　I　understand　it　myself。　　She　has　very　much　improved
since　she　has　been　married；　and　you　know；　yourself；　how　quiet　and
and；　nice　she　is；　and　as　for　the　baby；　it's　just　as　good　and　pretty
as　any　baby；　and　it　may　grow　up　to　be　better　than　any　of　us。　　Some
of　our　presidents　have　sprung　from　lowly　parents。〃

〃But　this　one　is　a　girl；〃　I　said。

〃Well　then；〃　replied　Euphemia；　〃she　may　be　a　president's　wife。〃

〃Another　thing；〃　I　remarked；　〃I　don't　believe　Jonas　and　Pomona　like
your　keeping　their　baby　so　much　to　yourself。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Euphemia；　〃a　girl　in　Pomona's　position　couldn't
help　being　glad　to　have　a　lady　take　an　interest　in　her　baby；　and
help　bring　it　up。　　And　as　for　Jonas；　he　would　be　a　cruel　man　if　he
wasn't　pleased　and　grateful　to　have　his　wife　relieved　of　so　much
trouble。　　Pomona！　is　that　you？　　You　can　bring　it　here；　now；　if　you
want　to　get　at　your　clear…starching。〃

I　don't　believe　that　Pomona　hankered　after　clear…starching；　but　she
brought　the　baby　and　I　went　away。　　I　could　not　see　any　hope　ahead。
Of　course；　in　time；　it　would　grow　up；　but　then　it　couldn't　grow　up
during　my　vacat