rudder grange-第8部分

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in　the　water　and　sometimes　out　of　it。　　I　got　the　dining…room　door
open　and　set　her　on　the　stairs。　　They　were　in　a　topsy…turvy
condition；　but　they　were　dry。　　I　found　a　lantern　which　hung　on　a
nail；　with　a　match…box　under　it；　and　I　struck　a　light。　　Then　I
scrambled　back　and　brought　her　some　clothes。

All　this　time　the　boarder　was　yelling　and　pounding　at　the　door。
When　Euphemia　was　ready　I　opened　the　door　and　took　her　out。

〃You　go　dress　yourself；〃　said　the　boarder。　　〃I'll　hold　her　here
until　you　come　back。〃

I　left　her　and　found　my　clothes　（which；　chair　and　all；　had　tumbled
against　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　so　had　not　gone　into　the　water）；
and　soon　reappeared　on　deck。　　The　wind　was　blowing　strongly；　but　it
did　not　now　seem　to　be　very　cold。　　The　deck　reminded　me　of　the
gang…plank　of　a　Harlem　steamboat　at　low　tide。　　It　was　inclined　at
an　angle　of　more　than　forty…five　degrees；　I　am　sure。　　There　was
light　enough　for　us　to　see　about　us；　but　the　scene　and　all　the
dreadful　circumstances　made　me　feel　the　most　intense　desire　to　wake
up　and　find　it　all　a　dream。　　There　was　no　doubt；　however；　about　the
boarder　being　wide　awake。

〃Now　then；〃　said　he；　〃take　hold　of　her　on　that　side　and　we'll　help
her　over　here。　　You　scramble　down　on　that　side；　it's　all　dry　just
there。　　The　boat's　turned　over　toward　the　water；　and　I'll　lower　her
down　to　you。　　I'll　let　a　rope　over　the　sides。　　You　can　hold　on　to
that　as　you　go　down。〃

I　got　over　the　bulwarks　and　let　myself　down　to　the　ground。　　Then
the　boarder　got　Euphemia　up　and　slipped　her　over　the　side；　holding
to　her　hands；　and　letting　her　gently　down　until　I　could　reach　her。
She　said　never　a　word；　but　screamed　at　times。　　I　carried　her　a
little　way　up　the　shore　and　set　her　down。　　I　wanted　to　take　her　up
to　a　house　near　by；　where　we　bought　our　milk；　but　she　declined　to
go　until　we　had　saved　Pomona。

So　I　went　back　to　the　boat；　having　carefully　wrapped　up　Euphemia；
to　endeavor　to　save　the　girl。　　I　found　that　the　boarder　had　so
arranged　the　gang…plank　that　it　was　possible；　without　a　very　great
exercise　of　agility；　to　pass　from　the　shore　to　the　boat。　　When　I
first　saw　him；　on　reaching　the　shelving　deck；　he　was　staggering　up
the　stairs　with　a　dining…room　chair　and　a　large　framed　engraving　of
Raphael's　Dantean　ugly　picture；　but　full　of　true　feeling；　at
least　so　Euphemia　always　declared；　though　I　am　not　quite　sure　that
I　know　what　she　meant。

〃Where　is　Pomona？〃　I　said；　endeavoring　to　stand　on　the　hill…side　of
the　deck。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　he；　〃but　we　must　get　the　things　out。　　The
tide's　rising　and　the　wind's　getting　up。　　The　boat　will　go　over
before　we　know　it。〃

〃But　we　must　find　the　girl；〃　I　said。　　〃She　can't　be　left　to　drown。〃

〃I　don't　think　it　would　matter　much；〃　said　he；　getting　over　the
side　of　the　boat　with　his　awkward　load。　　〃She　would　be　of　about　as
much　use　drowned　as　any　other　way。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　that　hole
she　cut　in　the　side　of　the　boat；　this　would　never　have　happened。〃

〃You　don't　think　it　was　that！〃　I　said；　holding　the　picture　and　the
chair　while　he　let　himself　down　to　the　gang…plank。

〃Yes；　it　was；〃　he　replied。　　〃The　tide's　very　high；　and　the　water
got　over　that　hole　and　rushed　in。　　The　water　and　the　wind　will
finish　this　old　craft　before　very　long。〃

And　then　he　took　his　load　from　me　and　dashed　down　the　gang…plank。
I　went　below　to　look　for　Pomona。　　The　lantern　still　hung　on　the
nail；　and　I　took　it　down　and　went　into　the　kitchen。　　There　was
Pomona；　dressed；　and　with　her　hat　on；　quietly　packing　some　things
in　a　basket。

〃Come；　hurry　out　of　this；〃　I　cried。　　〃Don't　you　know　that　this
housethis　boat；　I　mean；　is　a　wreck？〃

〃Yes；　sma'amsir；　I　meanI　know　it；　and　I　suppose　we　shall　soon
be　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves。〃

〃Well；　then；　go　as　quickly　as　you　can。　　What　are　you　putting　in
that　basket？〃

〃Food；〃　she　said。　　〃We　may　need　it。〃

I　took　her　by　the　shoulder　and　hurried　her　on　deck；　over　the
bulwark；　down　the　gang…plank；　and　so　on　to　the　place　where　I　had
left　Euphemia。

I　found　the　dear　girl　there；　quiet　and　collected；　all　up　in　a
little　bunch；　to　shield　herself　from　the　wind。　　I　wasted　no　time；
but　hurried　the　two　women　over　to　the　house　of　our　milk…merchant。
There；　with　some　difficulty；　I　roused　the　good　woman；　and　after
seeing　Euphemia　and　Pomona　safely　in　the　house；　I　left　them　to　tell
the　tale；　and　ran　back　to　the　boat。

The　boarder　was　working　like　a　Trojan。　　He　had　already　a　pile　of
our　furniture　on　the　beach。

I　set　about　helping　him；　and　for　an　hour　we　labored　at　this　hasty
and　toilsome　moving。　　It　was　indeed　a　toilsome　business。　　The
floors　were　shelving；　the　stairs　leaned　over　sideways；　ever　so　far；
and　the　gang…plank　was　desperately　short　and　steep。

Still；　we　saved　quite　a　number　of　household　articles。　　Some　things
we　broke　and　some　we　forgot；　and　some　things　were　too　big　to　move
in　this　way；　but　we　did　very　well；　considering　the　circumstances。

The　wind　roared；　the　tide　rose；　and　the　boat　groaned　and　creaked。
We　were　in　the　kitchen；　trying　to　take　the　stove　apart　（the　boarder
was　sure　we　could　carry　it　up；　if　we　could　get　the　pipe　out　and　the
legs　and　doors　off）；　when　we　heard　a　crash。　　We　rushed　on　deck　and
found　that　the　garden　had　fallen　in！　　Making　our　way　as　well　as　we
could　toward　the　gaping　rent　in　the　deck；　we　saw　that　the　turnip…
bed　had　gone　down　bodily　into　the　boarder's　room。　　He　did　not
hesitate；　but　scrambled　down　his　narrow　stairs。　　I　followed　him。
He　struck　a　match　that　he　had　in　his　pocket；　and　lighted　a　little
lantern　that　hung　under　the　stairs。　　His　room　was　a　perfect　rubbish
heap。　　The　floor；　bed；　chairs；　pitcher；　basineverything　was
covered　or　filled　with　garden　mold　and　turnips。　　Never　did　I　behold
such　a　scene。　　He　stood　in　the　midst　of　it；　holding　his　lantern
high　above　his　head。　　At　length　he　spoke。

〃If　we　had　time；〃　he　said；　〃we　might　come　down　here　and　pick　out　a
lot　of　turnips。〃

〃But　how　about　your　furniture？〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Oh；　that's　ruined！〃　he　replied。

So　we　did　not　attempt　to　save　any　of　it；　but　we　got　hold　of　his
trunk　and　carried　that　on　shore。

When　we　returned；　we　found　that　the　water　was　pouring　through　his
partition；　making　the　room　a　lake　of　mud。　　And；　as　the　water　was
rising　rapidly　below；　and　the　boat　was　keeling　over　more　and　more；
we　thought　it　was　time　to　leave；　and　we　left。

It　would　not　do　to　go　far　away　from　our　possessions；　which　were
piled　up　in　a　sad…looking　heap　on　the　shore；　and　so；　after　I　had
gone　over　to　the　milk…woman's　to　assure　Euphemia　of　our　safety；　the
boarder　and　I　passed　the　rest　of　the　nightthere　was　not　much　of
it　leftin　walking　up　and　down　the　beach　smoking　some　cigars　which
he　fortunately　had　in　his　pocket。

In　the　morning　I　took　Euphemia　to　the　hotel；　about　a　mile　awayand
arranged　for　the　storage　of　our　furniture　there；　until　we　could
find　another　habitation。　　This　habitation；　we　determined；　was　to　be
in　a　substantial　house；　or　part　of　a　house；　which　should　not　be
affected　by　the　tides。

During　the　morning　the　removal　of　our　effects　was　successfully
accomplished；　and　our　boarder　went　to　town　to　look　for　a　furnished
room。　　He　had　nothing　but　his　trunk　to　take　to　it。

In　the　afternoon　I　left　Euphemia　at　the　hotel；　where　she　was　taking
a　nap　（she　certainly　needed　it；　for　she　had　spent　the　night　in　a
wooden　rocking…chair　at　the　milk…woman's）；　and　I　strolled　down　to
the　river　to　take　a　last　look　at　the　remains　of　old　Rudder　Grange。

I　felt　sadly　enough　as　I　walked　along　the　well…worn　path　to　the
canal…boat；　and　thought　how　it　had　been　worn　by　my　feet　more　than
any　other's；　and　how　gladly　I　had　walked　that　way；　so　often　during
that　delightful　summer。　　I　forgot　all　that　had　been　disagreeable；
and　thought　only　of　the　happy　times　we　had　had。

It　was　a　beautiful　autumn　afternoon；　and　the　wind　had　entirely　died
away。　　When　I　came　within　sight　of　our　old　home；　it　presented　a
doleful　appearance。　　The　bow　had　drifted　out　into　the　river；　and
was　almost　entirely　under　water。　　The　stern　stuck　up　in　a　mournful
and　ridiculous　manner；　with　its　keel；　instead　of　its　broadside；
presented　to　the　view　of　persons　on　the　shore。　　As　I　neared　the
boat　I　heard　a　voice。　　I　stopped　and　listened。　　There　was　no　one　in
sight。　　Could　the　sounds　come　from　the　boat？　　I　concluded　that　it
must　be　so；　and　I　walked　up　closer。　　Then　I　heard　distinctly　the
words：

〃He　grasp　ed　her　by　the　thro　at　and　yell　ed；　swear　to　me　thou　nev
er　wilt　re　veal　my　se　cret；　or　thy　hot　heart's　blood　shall　stain
this　mar　bel　fib　or；　she　gave　one　gry　vy　ous　gasp　and〃

It　was　Pomona！

Doubtless　she　had　climbed　up　the　stern　of　the　boat　and　had
descended　into　the　depths　of　the　wreck　to　rescue　her　beloved　book；
the　reading　of　which　had　so　long　been　interrupted　by　my　harsh
decrees。　　Could　I　break　in　on　this　one　hour　of　rapture？　　I　had　not
the　heart　to　do　it；　and　as　I　slowly　moved　away；　there　came　to　me
the　last　words　that　I　ever　heard　from　Rudder　Grange：

〃And　with　one　wild　shry　ik　to　heav　en　her　heart's　blo　od　spat　ter
ed　that　prynce　ly　home　of　woe〃



CHAPTER　VI。

THE　NEW　RUDDER　GRANGE。


I　have　before　given　an　account　of　the　difficulties　we　encountered
when　we　started　out　house…hunting；　and　it　was　this　doleful
experience　which　made　Euphemia　declare　that　before　we　set　out　on　a
second　search　for　a　residence；　we　should　know　exactly　what　we
wanted。

To　do　this；　we　must　know　how　other　people　live；　we　must　examine
into　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　the　various　methods　of
housekeeping；　and　make　up　our　minds　on　the　subject。

When　we　came　to　this　conclusion　we　were　in　a　city　boarding…house；
and　were　entirely　satisfied　that　this　style　of　living　did　not　suit
us　at　all。

At　this　juncture　I　received　a　letter　from　the　gentleman　who　had
boarded　with　us　on　the　canal…boat。　　Shortly　after　leaving　us　the
previous　fall；　he　had　married　a　widow　lady　with　two　children；　and
was　now　keeping　house　in　a　French　flat　in　the　upper　part　of　the
city。　　We　had　called　upon　the　happy　couple　soon　after　their
marriage；　and　the　letter；　now　received；　contained　an　invitation　for
us　to　come　and　dine；　and　spend　the　night。

〃We'll　go；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃There's　nothing　I　want　so　much　as　to
see　how　people　keep　hous