rudder grange-第5部分

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my　mind　that　Euphemia　must　have　a　servant。

She　agreed　quite　readily　when　I　proposed　the　plan；　and　she　urged　me
to　go　and　see　the　carpenter　that　very　day；　and　get　him　to　come　and
partition　off　a　little　room　for　the　girl。

It　was　some　time；　of　course；　before　the　room　was　made　（for　who　ever
heard　of　a　carpenter　coming　at　the　very　time　he　was　wanted？）　and；
when　it　was　finished；　Euphemia　occupied　all　her　spare　moments　in
getting　it　in　nice　order　for　the　servant　when　she　should　come。　　I
thought　she　was　taking　too　much　trouble；　but　she　had　her　own　ideas
about　such　things。

〃If　a　girl　is　lodged　like　a　pig；　you　must　expect　her　to　behave　like
a　pig；　and　I　don't　want　that　kind。〃

So　she　put　up　pretty　curtains　at　the　girl's　window；　and　with　a　box
that　she　stood　on　end；　and　some　old　muslin　and　a　lot　of　tacks；　she
made　a　toilet…table　so　neat　and　convenient　that　I　thought　she　ought
to　take　it　into　our　room　and　give　the　servant　our　wash…stand。

But　all　this　time　we　had　no　girl；　and　as　I　had　made　up　my　mind
about　the　matter；　I　naturally　grew　impatient；　and　at　last　I
determined　to　go　and　get　a　girl　myself。

So；　one　day　at　lunch…time；　I　went　to　an　intelligence　office　in　the
city。　　There　I　found　a　large　room　on　the　second　floor；　and　some
ladies；　and　one　or　two　men；　sitting　about；　and　a　small　room；　back
of　it；　crowded　with　girls　from　eighteen　to　sixty…eight　years　old。
There　were　also　girls　upon　the　stairs；　and　girls　in　the　hall　below；
besides　some　girls　standing　on　the　sidewalk　before　the　door。

When　I　made　known　my　business　and　had　paid　my　fee；　one　of　the
several　proprietors　who　were　wandering　about　the　front　room　went
into　the　back　apartment　and　soon　returned　with　a　tall　Irishwoman
with　a　bony　weather…beaten　face　and　a　large　weather…beaten　shawl。
This　woman　was　told　to　take　a　chair　by　my　side。　　Down　sat　the　huge
creature　and　stared　at　me。　　I　did　not　feel　very　easy　under　her
scrutinizing　gaze；　but　I　bore　it　as　best　I　could；　and　immediately
began　to　ask　her　all　the　appropriate　questions　that　I　could　think
of。　　Some　she　answered　satisfactorily；　and　some　she　didn't　answer
at　all；　but　as　soon　as　I　made　a　pause；　she　began　to　put　questions
herself。

〃How　many　servants　do　you　kape？〃　she　asked。

I　answered　that　we　intended　to　get　along　with　one；　and　if　she
understood　her　business；　I　thought　she　would　find　her　work　very
easy；　and　the　place　a　good　one。

She　turned　sharp　upon　me　and　said：

〃Have　ye　stationary　wash…tubs？〃

I　hesitated。　　I　knew　our　wash…tubs　were　not　stationary；　for　I　had
helped　to　carry　them　about。　　But　they　might　be　screwed　fast　and
made　stationary　if　that　was　an　important　object。　　But；　before
making　this　answer；　I　thought　of　the　great　conveniences　for　washing
presented　by　our　residence；　surrounded　as　it　was；　at　high　tide；　by
water。

〃Why；　we　live　in　a　stationary　wash…tub；〃　I　said；　smiling。

The　woman　looked　at　me　steadfastly　for　a　minute；　and　then　she　rose
to　her　feet。　　Then　she　called　out；　as　if　she　were　crying　fish　or
strawberries：

〃Mrs。　Blaine！〃

The　female　keeper　of　the　intelligence　office；　and　the　male　keeper；
and　a　thin　clerk；　and　all　the　women　in　the　back　room；　and　all　the
patrons　in　the　front　room；　jumped　up　and　gathered　around　us。

Astonished　and　somewhat　disconcerted；　I　rose　to　my　feet　and
confronted　the　tall　Irishwoman；　and　stood　smiling　in　an　uncertain
sort　of　a　way；　as　if　it　were　all　very　funny；　but　I　couldn't　see　the
point。　　I　think　I　must　have　impressed　the　people　with　the　idea　that
I　wished　I　hadn't　come。

〃He　says；〃　exclaimed　the　woman；　as　if　some　other　huckster　were
crying　fish　on　the　other　side　of　the　street〃he　says　he　lives　in　a
wash…toob。〃

〃He's　crazy！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Blaine；　with　an　air　that　indicated
〃policeman〃　as　plainly　as　if　she　had　put　her　thought　into　words。

A　low　murmur　ran　through　the　crowd　of　women；　while　the　thin　clerk
edged　toward　the　door。

I　saw　there　was　no　time　to　lose。　　I　stepped　back　a　little　from　the
tall　savage；　who　was　breathing　like　a　hot…air　engine　in　front　of
me；　and　made　my　explanations　to　the　company。　　I　told　the　tale　of
〃Rudder　Grange；〃　and　showed　them　how　it　was　like　to　a　stationary
wash…tubat　certain　stages　of　the　tide。

I　was　listened　to　with　great　attention。　　When　I　had　finished；　the
tall　woman　turned　around　and　faced　the　assemblage。

〃An'　he　wants　a　cook　to　make　soup！　　In　a　canal…boat！〃　said　she；　and
off　she　marched　into　the　back…room；　followed　closely　by　all　the
other　women。

〃I　don't　think　we　have　any　one　here　who　would　suit　you；〃　said　Mrs。
Blaine。

I　didn't　think　so　either。　　What　on　earth　would　Euphemia　have　done
with　that　volcanic　Irishwoman　in　her　little　kitchen！　　I　took　up　my
hat　and　bade　Mrs。　Blaine　good　morning。

〃Good　morning；〃　said　she；　with　a　distressing　smile。

She　had　one　of　those　mouths　that　look　exactly　like　a　gash　in　the
face。

I　went　home　without　a　girl。　　In　a　day　or　two　Euphemia　came　to　town
and　got　one。　　Apparently　she　got　her　without　any　trouble；　but　I　am
not　sure。

She　went　to　a　〃Home〃Saint　Somebody's　Homea　place　where　they
keep　orphans　to　let；　so　to　speak。　　Here　Euphemia　selected　a　light…
haired；　medium…sized　orphan；　and　brought　her　home。

The　girl's　name　was　Pomona。　　Whether　or　not　her　parents　gave　her
this　name　is　doubtful。　　At　any　rate；　she　did　not　seem　quite　decided
in　her　mind　about　it　herself；　for　she　had　not　been　with　us　more
than　two　weeks　before　she　expressed　a　desire　to　be　called　Clare。
This　longing　of　her　heart；　however；　was　denied　her。　　So　Euphemia；
who　was　always　correct；　called　her　Pomona。　　I　did　the　same　whenever
I　could　think　not　to　say　Bolognawhich　seemed　to　come　very　pat　for
some　reason　or　other。

As　for　the　boarder；　he　generally　called　her　Altoona；　connecting　her
in　some　way　with　the　process　of　stopping　for　refreshments；　in　which
she　was　an　adept。

She　was　an　earnest；　hearty　girl。　　She　was　always　in　a　good　humor；
and　when　I　asked　her　to　do　anything；　she　assented　in　a　bright；
cheerful　way；　and　in　a　loud　tone　full　of　good…fellowship；　as　though
she　would　say：

〃Certainly；　my　high　old　cock！　　To　be　sure　I　will。　　Don't　worry
about　itgive　your　mind　no　more　uneasiness　on　that　subject。　　I'll
bring　the　hot　water。〃

She　did　not　know　very　much；　but　she　was　delighted　to　learn；　and　she
was　very　strong。　　Whatever　Euphemia　told　her　to　do；　she　did
instantly　with　a　bang。　　What　pleased　her　better　than　anything　else
was　to　run　up　and　down　the　gang…plank；　carrying　buckets　of　water　to
water　the　garden。　　She　delighted　in　out…door　work；　and　sometimes
dug　so　vigorously　in　our　garden　that　she　brought　up　pieces　of　the
deck…planking　with　every　shovelful。

Our　boarder　took　the　greatest　interest　in　her；　and　sometimes
watched　her　movements　so　intently　that　he　let　his　pipe　go　out。

〃What　a　whacking　girl　that　would　be　to　tread　out　grapes　in　the
vineyards　of　Italy！　　She'd　make　wine　cheap；〃　he　once　remarked。

〃Then　I'm　glad　she　isn't　there；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃for　wine　oughtn't
to　be　cheap。〃

Euphemia　was　a　thorough　little　temperance　woman。

The　one　thing　about　Pomona　that　troubled　me　more　than　anything　else
was　her　taste　for　literature。　　It　was　not　literature　to　which　I
objected；　but　her　very　peculiar　taste。　　She　would　read　in　the
kitchen　every　night　after　she　had　washed　the　dishes；　but　if　she　had
not　read　aloud；　it　would　not　have　made　so　much　difference　to　me。
But　I　am　naturally　very　sensitive　to　external　impressions；　and　I　do
not　like　the　company　of　people　who；　like　our　girl；　cannot　read
without　pronouncing　in　a　measured　and　distinct　voice　every　word　of
what　they　are　reading。　　And　when　the　matter　thus　read　appeals　to
one's　every　sentiment　of　aversion；　and　there　is　no　way　of　escaping
it；　the　case　is　hard　indeed。

From　the　first；　I　felt　inclined　to　order　Pomona；　if　she　could　not
attain　the　power　of　silent　perusal；　to　cease　from　reading
altogether；　but　Euphemia　would　not　hear　to　this。

〃Poor　thing！〃　said　she；　〃it　would　be　cruel　to　take　from　her　her
only　recreation。　　And　she　says　she　can't　read　any　other　way。　　You
needn't　listen　if　you　don't　want　to。〃

That　was　all　very　well　in　an　abstract　point　of　view；　but　the　fact
was；　that　in　practice；　the　more　I　didn't　want　to　listen；　the　more　I
heard。

As　the　evenings　were　often　cool；　we　sat　in　our　dining…room；　and　the
partition　between　this　room　and　the　kitchen　seemed　to　have　no
influence　whatever　in　arresting　sound。　　So　that　when　I　was　trying
to　read　or　to　reflect；　it　was　by　no　means　exhilarating　to　my　mind
to　hear　from　the　next　room　that：

〃The　la　dy　ce　sel　i　a　now　si　zed　the　weep　on　and　all　though　the
boor　ly　vil　ly　an　re　tain　ed　his　vy　gor　ous　hold　she　drew　the　blade
through　his　fin　gers　and　hoorl　ed　it　far　be　hind　her　dryp　ping　with
jore。〃

This　sort　of　thing；　kept　up　for　an　hour　or　so　at　a　time；　used　to
drive　me　nearly　wild。　　But　Euphemia　did　not　mind　it。　　I　believe
that　she　had　so　delicate　a　sense　of　what　was　proper；　that　she　did
not　hear　Pomona's　private　readings。

On　one　occasion；　even　Euphemia's　influence　could　scarcely　restrain
me　from　violent　interference。

It　was　our　boarder's　night　out　（when　he　was　detained　in　town　by　his
business）；　and　Pomona　was　sitting　up　to　let　him　in。　　This　was
necessary；　for　our　front…door　（or　main…hatchway）　had　no　night…
latch；　but　was　fastened　by　means　of　a　bolt。　　Euphemia　and　I　used　to
sit　up　for　him；　but　that　was　earlier　in　the　season；　when　it　was
pleasant　to　be　out　on　deck　until　quite　a　late　hour。　　But　Pomona
never　objected　to　sitting　（or　getting）　up　late；　and　so　we　allowed
this　weekly　duty　to　devolve　on　her。

On　this　particular　night　I　was　very　tired　and　sleepy；　and　soon
after　I　got　into　bed　I　dropped　into　a　delightful　slumber。　　But　it
was　not　long　before　I　was　awakened　by　the　fact　that：

〃Sa　rah　did　not　fl　inch　but　gras　ped　the　heat　ed　i　ron　in　her　un　in
jur　ed　hand　and　when　the　ra　bid　an　i　mal　a　proach　ed　she　thr　ust
the　lur　id　po　ker　in　his〃

〃My　conscience！〃　said　I　to　Euphemia；　〃can't　that　girl　be　stopped？〃

〃You　wouldn't　have　her　sit　there　and　do　nothing；　would　you？〃　said
she。

〃No；　but　she　needn't　read　out　that　way。〃

〃She　can't　read　any　other　way；〃　said　Euphemia；　drowsily。

〃Yell　af　ter　yell　res　oun　ded　as　he　wil　dly　spr　rang〃

〃I　can't　stand　that；　and　I　won't；〃　said　I。　　〃Why