rudder grange-第35部分

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severely：　〃Hush…h！〃　　But　the　moment　she　saw　me；　she　disappeared
from　the　window　and　came　down…stairs　on　the　run。　　She　met　me；　just
as　I　entered　the　dining…room。

〃What　IN　the　world！〃　she　breathlessly　exclaimed。

〃This；〃　said　I；　taking　Pat　into　a　better　position　in　my　arms；　〃is
my　baby。〃

〃Yourbaby！〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃Where　did　you　get　it？　what　are　you
going　to　do　with　it？〃

〃I　got　it　in　New　Dublin；〃　I　replied；　〃and　I　want　it　to　amuse　and
occupy　me　while　I　am　at　home。　　I　haven't　anything　else　to　do；
except　things　that　take　me　away　from　you。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Euphemia。

At　this　moment；　little　Pat　gave　his　first　whimper。　　Perhaps　he　felt
the　searching　glance　that　fell　upon　him　from　the　lady　in　the　middle
of　the　room。

I　immediately　began　to　walk　up　and　down　the　floor　with　him；　and　to
sing　to　him。　　I　did　not　know　any　infant　music；　but　I　felt　sure　that
a　soothing　tune　was　the　great　requisite；　and　that　the　words　were　of
small　importance。　　So　I　started　on　an　old　Methodist　tune；　which　I
remembered　very　well；　and　which　was　used　with　the　hymn　containing
the　lines：


　　　　　〃Weak　and　wounded；　sick　and　sore；〃


and　I　sang；　as　soothingly　as　I　could：


　　　　〃Lit…tle　Pat…sy；　Wat…sy；　Sat…sy；
　　　　　Does　he　feel　a　lit…ty　bad？
　　　　　Me　will　send　and　get　his　bot…tle
　　　　　He　sha'n't　have　to　cry…wy…wy。〃


〃What　an　idiot！〃　said　Euphemia；　laughing　in　spite　of　her　vexation。


　　　　〃No；　we　aint　no　id…i…otses
　　　　　What　we　want's　a　bot…ty　mik。〃


So　I　sang　as　I　walked　to　the　kitchen　door；　and　sent　Jonas　to　the
barn　for　the　bottle。

Pomona　was　in　spasms　of　laughter　in　the　kitchen；　and　Euphemia　was
trying　her　best　not　to　laugh　at　all。

〃Who's　going　to　take　care　of　it；　I'd　like　to　know？〃　she　said；　as
soon　as　she　could　get　herself　into　a　state　of　severe　inquiry。


　　　　〃Some…times　me；　and　some…times　Jonas；〃


I　sang；　still　walking　up　and　down　the　room　with　a　long；　slow　step；
swinging　the　baby　from　side　to　side；　very　much　as　if　it　were　grass…
seed　in　a　sieve；　and　I　were　sowing　it　over　the　carpet。

When　the　bottle　came；　I　took　it；　and　began　to　feed　little　Pat。
Perhaps　the　presence　of　a　critical　and　interested　audience
embarrassed　us；　for　Jonas　and　Pomona　were　at　the　door；　with
streaming　eyes；　while　Euphemia　stood　with　her　handkerchief　to　the
lower　part　of　her　face；　or　it　may　have　been　that　I　did　not
understand　the　management　of　bottles；　but；　at　any　rate；　I　could　not
make　the　thing　work；　and　the　disappointed　little　Pat　began　to　cry；
just　as　the　whole　of　our　audience　burst　into　a　wild　roar　of
laughter。

〃Here！　　Give　me　that　child！〃　cried　Euphemia；　forcibly　taking　Pat
and　the　bottle　from　me。　　〃You'll　make　it　swallow　the　whole　affair；
and　I'm　sure　its　mouth's　big　enough。〃

〃You　really　don't　think；〃　she　said；　when　we　were　alone；　and　little
Pat；　with　his　upturned　blue　eyes　serenely　surveying　the　features　of
the　good　lady　who　knew　how　to　feed　him；　was　placidly　pulling　away
at　his　india…rubber　tube；　〃that　I　will　consent　to　your　keeping　such
a　creature　as　this　in　the　house？　　Why；　he's　a　regular　little　Paddy！
If　you　kept　him　he'd　grow　up　into　a　hod…carrier。〃

〃Good！〃　said　I。　　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　　What　a　novel　thing　it
would　be　to　witness　the　gradual　growth　of　a　hod…carrier！　　I'll　make
him　a　little　hod；　now；　to　begin　with。　　He　couldn't　have　a　more
suitable　toy。〃

〃I　was　talking　in　earnest；〃　she　said。　　〃Take　your　baby；　and　please
carry　him　home　as　quick　as　you　can；　for　I　am　certainly　not　going　to
take　care　of　him。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　said　I。　　〃Now　that　I　see　how　it's　done；　I'm　going
to　do　it　myself。　　Jonas　will　mix　his　feed　and　I　will　give　it　to
him。　　He　looks　sleepy　now。　　Shall　I　take　him　upstairs　and　lay　him
on　our　bed？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　cried　Euphemia。　　〃You　can　put　him　on　a　quilt　on　the
floor；　until　after　luncheon；　and　then　you　must　take　him　home。〃

I　laid　the　young　Milesian　on　the　folded　quilt　which　Euphemia
prepared　for　him；　where　he　turned　up　his　little　pug　nose　to　the
ceiling　and　went　contentedly　to　sleep。

That　afternoon　I　nailed　four　legs　on　a　small　packing…box　and　made　a
bedstead　for　him。　　This；　with　a　pillow　in　the　bottom　of　it；　was
very　comfortable；　and　instead　of　taking　him　home；　I　borrowed；　in
the　evening；　some　baby　night…clothes　from　Pomona；　and　set　about
preparing　Pat　for　the　night。

This　Euphemia　would　not　allow；　but　silently　taking　him　from　me；　she
put　him　to　bed。

〃To…morrow；〃　she　said；　〃you　must　positively　take　him　away。　　I　wont
stand　it。　　And　in　our　room；　too。〃

〃I　didn't　talk　in　that　way　about　the　baby　you　adopted；〃　I　said。

To　this　she　made　no　answer；　but　went　away　to　attend；　as　usual；　to
Pomona's　baby；　while　its　mother　washed　the　dishes。

That　night　little　Pat　woke　up；　several　times；　and　made　things
unpleasant　by　his　wails。　　On　the　first　two　occasions；　I　got　up　and
walked　him　about；　singing　impromptu　lines　to　the　tune　of　〃weak　and
wounded；〃　but　the　third　time；　Euphemia　herself　arose；　and　declaring
that　that　doleful　tune　was　a　great　deal　worse　than　the　baby's
crying；　silenced　him　herself；　and　arranging　his　couch　more
comfortably；　he　troubled　us　no　more。

In　the　morning；　when　I　beheld　the　little　pad　of　orange　fur　in　the
box；　my　heart　almost　misgave　me；　but　as　the　day　wore　on；　my　courage
rose　again；　and　I　gave　myself　up；　almost　entirely；　to　my　new
charge；　composing　a　vast　deal　of　blank　verse；　while　walking　him　up
and　down　the　house。

Euphemia　scolded　and　scolded；　and　said　she　would　put　on　her　hat　and
go　for　the　mother。　　But　I　told　her　the　mother　was　dead；　and　that
seemed　to　be　an　obstacle。　　She　took　a　good　deal　of　care　of　the
child；　for　she　said　she　would　not　see　an　innocent　creature
neglected；　even　if　it　was　an　incipient　hod…carrier；　but　she　did　not
relax　in　the　least　in　her　attention　to　Pomona's　baby。

The　next　day　was　about　the　same；　in　regard　to　infantile　incident；
but；　on　the　day　after；　I　began　to　tire　of　my　new　charge；　and　Pat；
on　his　side；　seemed　to　be　tired　of　me；　for　he　turned　from　me　when　I
went　to　take　him　up；　while　he　would　hold　out　his　hands　to　Euphemia；
and　grin　delightedly　when　she　took　him。

That　morning　I　drove　to　the　village　and　spent　an　hour　or　two　there。
On　my　return　I　found　Euphemia　sitting　in　our　room；　with　little　Pat
on　her　lap。　　I　was　astonished　at　the　change　in　the　young　rascal。
He　was　dressed；　from　head　to　foot；　in　a　suit　of　clothes　belonging
to　Pomona's　baby；　the　glowing　fuzz　on　his　head　was　brushed　and　made
as　smooth　as　possible；　while　his　little　muslin　sleeves　were　tied　up
with　blue　ribbon。

I　stood　speechless　at　the　sight。

〃Don't　he　look　nice？〃　said　Euphemia；　standing　him　up　on　her　knees。
〃It　shows　what　good　clothes　will　do。　　I'm　glad　I　helped　Pomona　make
up　so　many。　　He's　getting　ever　so　fond　of　me；　ze　itty　Patsy；　watsy！
See　how　strong　he　is！　　He　can　almost　stand　on　his　legs！　　Look　how
he　laughs！　　He's　just　as　cunning　as　he　can　be。　　And　oh！　I　was　going
to　speak　about　that　box。　　I　wouldn't　have　him　sleep　in　that　old
packing…box。　　There　are　little　wicker　cradles　at　the　storeI　saw
them　last　weekthey　don't　cost　much；　and　you　could　bring　one　up　in
the　carriage。　　There's　the　other　baby；　crying；　and　I　don't　know
where　Pomona　is。　　Just　you　mind　him　a　minute；　please！〃　and　out　she
ran。

I　looked　out　of　the　window。　　The　horse　still　stood　harnessed　to　the
carriage；　as　I　had　left　him。　　I　saw　Pat's　old　shawl　lying　in　a
corner。　　I　seized　it；　and　rolling　him　in　it；　new　clothes　and　all；　I
hurried　down…stairs；　climbed　into　the　carriage；　hastily　disposed
Pat　in　my　lap；　and　turned　the　horse。　　The　demeanor　of　the　youngster
was　very　different　from　what　it　was　when　I　first　took　him　in　my　lap
to　drive　away　with　him。　　There　was　no　confiding　twinkle　in　his　eye；
no　contented　munching　of　his　little　fists。　　He　gazed　up　at　me　with
wild　alarm；　and　as　I　drove　out　of　the　gate；　he　burst　forth　into
such　a　yell　that　Lord　Edward　came　bounding　around　the　house　to　see
what　was　the　matter。　　Euphemia　suddenly　appeared　at　an　upper　window
and　called　out　to　me；　but　I　did　not　hear　what　she　said。　　I　whipped
up　the　horse　and　we　sped　along　to　New　Dublin。　　Pat　soon　stopped
crying；　but　he　looked　at　me　with　a　tear…stained　and　reproachful
visage。

The　good　women　of　the　settlement　were　surprised　to　see　little　Pat
return　so　soon。

〃An'　wasn't　he　good？〃　said　Mrs。　Hogan　as　she　took　him　from　my
hands。

〃Oh；　yes！〃　I　said。　　〃He　was　as　good　as　he　could　be。　　But　I　have　no
further　need　of　him。〃

I　might　have　been　called　upon　to　explain　this　statement；　had　not
the　whole　party　of　women；　who　stood　around　burst　into　wild
expressions　of　delight　at　Pat's　beautiful　clothes。

〃Oh！　jist　look　at　'em！〃　cried　Mrs。　Duffy。　　〃An'　see　thim　leetle
pittycoots；　thrimmed　wid　lace！　　Oh；　an'　it　was　good　in　ye；　sir；　to
give　him　all　thim；　an'　pay　the　foive　dollars；　too。〃

〃An'　I'm　glad　he's　back；〃　said　the　fostering　aunt；　〃for　I　was　a
coomin'　over　to　till　ye　that　I've　been　hearin'　from　owle　Pat；　his
dad；　an'　he's　a　coomin'　back　from　the　moines；　and　I　don't　know　what
he'd　a'　said　if　he'd　found　his　leetle　Pat　was　rinted。　　But　if　ye
iver　want　to　borry　him；　for　a　whoile；　after　owle　Pat's　gone　back；
ye　kin　have　him；　rint…free；　an'　it's　much　obloiged　I　am　to　ye；　sir；
fur　dressin'　him　so　foine。〃

I　made　no　encouraging　remarks　as　to　future　transactions　in　this
line；　and　drove　slowly　home。

Euphemia　met　me　at　the　door。　　She　had　Pomona's　baby　in　her　arms。
We　walked　together　into　the　parlor。

〃And　so　you　have　given　up　the　little　fellow　that　you　were　going　to
do　so　much　for？〃　she　said。

〃Yes；　I　have　given　him　up；〃　I　answered。

〃It　must　have　been　a　dreadful　trial　to　you；〃　she　continued。

〃Oh；　dreadful！〃　I　replied。

〃I　suppose　you　thought　he　would　take　up　so　much　of　your　time　and
thoughts；　that　we　couldn't　be　to　each　other　what　we　used　to　be；
didn't　you？〃　she　said。

〃Not　exactly；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　only　thought　that　things　promised　to
be　twice　as　bad　as　they　were　before。〃

She　made　no　answer　to　this；　but　going　to　the　back　door　of　the
parlor　she　opened　it　and　called　Pomona。　　When　that　young　woman
appeared；　Euphemia　stepped　toward　her　and　said：　〃Here；　Pomona；　take
your　baby。〃

They　were　simple　words；　but　they　were　spoken　in　such　a　way　that
they　meant　a　good　deal。　　Pomona　knew　what　they　meant。　　Her　eyes
spark