rudder grange-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃We'll　go；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃There's　nothing　I　want　so　much　as　to
see　how　people　keep　house　in　a　French　flat。　　Perhaps　we'll　like　it。
And　I　must　see　those　children。〃　　So　we　went。

The　house；　as　Euphemia　remarked；　was　anything　but　flat。　　It　was
very　tall　indeedthe　tallest　house　in　the　neighborhood。　　We
entered　the　vestibule；　the　outer　door　being　open；　and　beheld；　on
one　side　of　us；　a　row　of　bell…handles。　　Above　each　of　these　handles
was　the　mouth　of　a　speaking…tube；　and　above　each　of　these；　a　little
glazed　frame　containing　a　visiting…card。

〃Isn't　this　cute？〃　said　Euphemia；　reading　over　the　cards。　　〃Here's
his　name　and　this　is　his　bell　and　tube！　　Which　would　you　do　first；
ring　or　blow？〃

〃My　dear；〃　said　I；　〃you　don't　blow　up　those　tubes。　　We　must　ring
the　bell；　just　as　if　it　were　an　ordinary　front…door　bell；　and
instead　of　coming　to　the　door；　some　one　will　call　down　the　tube　to
us。〃

I　rang　the　bell　under　the　boarder's　name；　and　very　soon　a　voice　at
the　tube　said：

〃Well？〃

Then　I　told　our　names；　and　in　an　instant　the　front　door　opened。

〃Why；　their　flat　must　be　right　here；〃　whispered　Euphemia。　　〃How
quickly　the　girl　came！〃

And　she　looked　for　the　girl　as　we　entered。　　But　there　was　no　one
there。

〃Their　flat　is　on　the　fifth　story；〃　said　I。　　〃He　mentioned　that　in
his　letter。　　We　had　better　shut　the　door　and　go　up。〃

Up　and　up　the　softly　carpeted　stairs　we　climbed；　and　not　a　soul　we
saw　or　heard。

〃It　is　like　an　enchanted　cavern；〃　said　Euphemia。　　〃You　say　the
magic　word；　the　door　in　the　rock　opens　and　you　go　on；　and　on；
through　the　vaulted　passages〃

〃Until　you　come　to　the　ogre；〃　said　the　boarder；　who　was　standing　at
the　top　of　the　stairs。　　He　did　not　behave　at　all　like　an　ogre；　for
he　was　very　glad　to　see　us；　and　so　was　his　wife。　　After　we　had
settled　down　in　the　parlor　and　the　boarder's　wife　had　gone　to　see
about　something　concerning　the　dinner；　Euphemia　asked　after　the
children。

〃I　hope　they　haven't　gone　to　bed；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　do　so　want　to
see　the　dear　little　things。〃

The　ex…boarder；　as　Euphemia　called　him；　smiled　grimly。

〃They're　not　so　very　little；〃　he　said。　　〃My　wife's　son　is　nearly
grown。　　He　is　at　an　academy　in　Connecticut；　and　he　expects　to　go
into　a　civil　engineer's　office　in　the　spring。　　His　sister　is　older
than　he　is。　　My　wife　marriedin　the　first　instancewhen　she　was
very　youngvery　young　in　deed。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Euphemia；　and　then；　after　a　pause；　〃And　neither　of　them
is　at　home　now？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　ex…boarder。　　〃By　the　way；　what　do　you　think　of　this
dado？　　It　is　a　portable　one；　I　devised　it　myself。　　You　can　take　it
away　with　you　to　another　house　when　you　move。　　But　there　is　the
dinner…bell。　　I'll　show　you　over　the　establishment　after　we　have
had　something　to　eat。〃

After　our　meal　we　made　a　tour　of　inspection。　　The　flat；　which
included　the　whole　floor；　contained　nine　or　ten　rooms；　of　all
shapes　and　sizes。　　The　corners　in　some　of　the　rooms　were　cut　off
and　shaped　up　into　closets　and　recesses；　so　that　Euphemia　said　the
corners　of　every　room　were　in　some　other　room。

Near　the　back　of　the　flat　was　a　dumb…waiter；　with　bells　and
speaking…tubes。　　When　the　butcher；　the　baker；　or　the　kerosene…lamp
maker；　came　each　morning；　he　rang　the　bell；　and　called　up　the　tube
to　know　what　was　wanted。　　The　order　was　called　down；　and　he　brought
the　things　in　the　afternoon。

All　this　greatly　charmed　Euphemia。　　It　was　so　cute；　so　complete。
There　were　no　interviews　with　disagreeable　trades…people；　none　of
the　ordinary　annoyances　of　housekeeping。　　Everything　seemed　to　be
done　with　a　bell；　a　speaking…tube　or　a　crank。

〃Indeed；〃　said　the　ex…boarder；　〃if　it　were　not　for　people　tripping
over　the　wires；　I　could　rig　up　attachments　by　which　I　could　sit　in
the　parlor；　and　by　using　pedals　and　a　key…board；　I　could　do　all　the
work　of　this　house　without　getting　out　of　my　easy…chair。〃

One　of　the　most　peculiar　features　of　the　establishment　was　the
servant's　room。　　This　was　at　the　rear　end　of　the　floor；　and　as
there　was　not　much　space　left　after　the　other　rooms　had　been　made；
it　was　very　small；　so　small；　indeed；　that　it　would　accommodate　only
a　very　short　bedstead。　　This　made　it　necessary　for　our　friends　to
consider　the　size　of　the　servant　when　they　engaged　her。

〃There　were　several　excellent　girls　at　the　intelligence　office
where　I　called；〃　said　the　ex…boarder；　〃but　I　measured　them；　and
they　were　all　too　tall。　　So　we　had　to　take　a　short　one；　who　is　only
so　so。　　There　was　one　big　Scotch　girl　who　was　the　very　person　for
us；　and　I　would　have　taken　her　if　my　wife　had　not　objected　to　my
plan　for　her　accommodation。

〃What　was　that？〃　I　asked。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　first　thought　of　cutting　a　hole　in　the
partition　wall　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　for　her　to　put　her　feet
through。〃

〃Never！〃　said　his　wife；　emphatically。　　〃I　would　never　have　allowed
that。〃

〃And　then；〃　continued　he；　〃I　thought　of　turning　the　bed　around；　and
cutting　a　larger　hole；　through　which　she　might　have　put　her　head
into　the　little　room　on　this　side。　　A　low　table　could　have　stood
under　the　hole；　and　her　head　might　have　rested　on　a　cushion　on　the
table　very　comfortably。〃

〃My　dear；〃　said　his　wife；　〃it　would　have　frightened　me　to　death　to
go　into　that　room　and　see　that　head　on　a　cushion　on　a　table〃

〃Like　John　the　Baptist；〃　interrupted　Euphemia。

〃Well；〃　said　our　ex…boarder；　〃the　plan　would　have　had　its
advantages。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Euphemia；　looking　out　of　a　back　window。　　〃What　a　lovely
little　iron　balcony！　　Do　you　sit　out　there　on　warm　evenings？〃

〃That's　a　fire…escape；〃　said　the　ex…boarder。　　〃We　don't　go　out
there　unless　it　is　very　hot　indeed；　on　account　of　the　house　being
on　fire。　　You　see　there　is　a　little　door　in　the　floor　of　the
balcony　and　an　iron　ladder　leading　to　the　balcony　beneath；　and　so
on；　down　to　the　first　story。〃

〃And　you　have　to　creep　through　that　hole　and　go　down　that　dreadful
steep　ladder　every　time　there　is　a　fire？〃　said　Euphemia。

〃Well；　I　guess　we　would　never　go　down　but　once；〃　he　answered。

〃No；　indeed；〃　said　Euphemia；　〃you'd　fall　down　and　break　your　neck
the　first　time；〃　and　she　turned　away　from　the　window　with　a　very
grave　expression　on　her　face。

Soon　after　this　our　hostess　conducted　Euphemia　to　the　guest…
chamber；　while　her　husband　and　I　finished　a　bed…time　cigar。

When　I　joined　Euphemia　in　her　room；　she　met　me　with　a　mysterious
expression　on　her　face。　　She　shut　the　door；　and　then　said　in　a　very
earnest　tone：

〃Do　you　see　that　little　bedstead　in　the　corner？　　I　did　not　notice
it　until　I　came　in　just　now；　and　then；　being　quite　astonished；　I
said；　'Why　here's　a　child's　bed；　who　sleeps　here？'　　'Oh；'　says　she；
'that's　our　little　Adele's　bedstead。　　We　have　it　in　our　room　when
she's　here。'　　'Little　Adele！'　said　I；　'I　didn't　know　she　was
littlenot　small　enough　for　that　bed；　at　any　rate。'　　'Why；　yes；'
said　she；　'Adele　is　only　four　years　old。　　The　bedstead　is　quite
large　enough　for　her。'　　'And　she　is　not　here　now？'　I　said；　utterly
amazed　at　all　this。　　'No；'　she　answered；　'she　is　not　here　now；　but
we　try　to　have　her　with　us　as　much　as　we　can；　and　always　keep　her
little　bed　ready　for　her。'　　'I　suppose　she's　with　her　father's
people；'　I　said；　and　she　answered；　'Oh　yes；'　and　bade　me　good…
night。　　What　does　all　this　mean？　　Our　boarder　told　us　that　the
daughter　is　grown　up；　and　here　his　wife　declares　that　she　is　only
four　years　old！　　I　don't　know　what　in　the　world　to　make　of　this
mystery！〃

I　could　give　Euphemia　no　clue。　　I　supposed　there　was　some　mistake；
and　that　was　all　I　could　say；　except　that　I　was　sleepy；　and　that　we
could　find　out　all　about　it　in　the　morning。　　But　Euphemia　could　not
dismiss　the　subject　from　her　mind。　　She　said　no　more；but　I　could
seeuntil　I　fell　asleepthat　she　was　thinking　about　it。

It　must　have　been　about　the　middle　of　the　night；　perhaps　later；
when　I　was　suddenly　awakened　by　Euphemia　starting　up　in　the　bed；
with　the　exclamation：

〃I　have　it！〃

〃What？〃　I　cried；　sitting　up　in　a　great　hurry。　　〃What　is　it？　　What
have　you　got？　　What's　the　matter？〃

〃I　know　it！〃　she　said；　〃I　know　it。　　Our　boarder　is　a　GRANDFATHER！
Little　Adele　is　the　grown…up　daughter's　child。　　He　was　quite
particular　to　say　that　his　wife　married　VERY　young。　　Just　to　think
of　it！　　So　short　a　time　ago；　he　was　living　with　usa　bachelorand
now；　in　four　short　months；　he　is　a　grandfather！〃

Carefully　propounded　inquiries；　in　the　morning；　proved　Euphemia's
conclusions　to　be　correct。

The　next　evening；　when　we　were　quietly　sitting　in　our　own　room；
Euphemia　remarked　that　she　did　not　wish　to　have　anything　to　do　with
French　flats。

〃They　seem　to　be　very　convenient；〃　I　said。

〃Oh　yes；　convenient　enough；　but　I　don't　like　them。　　I　would　hate　to
live　where　everything　let　down　like　a　table…lid；　or　else　turned
with　a　crank。　　And　when　I　think　of　those　fire…escapes；　and　the
boarder's　grandchild；　it　makes　me　feel　very　unpleasantly。〃

〃But　the　grandchild　don't　follow　as　a　matter　of　course；〃　said　I。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I　shall　never　like　French　flats。〃

And　we　discussed　them　no　more。

For　some　weeks　we　examined　into　every　style　of　economic　and
respectable　housekeeping；　and　many　methods　of　living　in　what
Euphemia　called　〃imitation　comfort〃　were　set　aside　as　unworthy　of
consideration。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Euphemia；　one　evening；　〃what　we　really　ought　to　do
is　to　build。　　Then　we　would　have　exactly　the　house　we　want。〃

〃Very　true；〃　I　replied；　〃but　to　build　a　house；　a　man　must　have
money。〃

〃Oh　no！〃　said　she；　〃or　at　least　not　much。　　For　one　thing；　you　might
join　a　building　association。　　In　some　of　those　societies　I　know
that　you　only　have　to　pay　a　dollar　a　week。〃

〃But　do　you　suppose　the　association　builds　houses　for　all　its
members？〃　I　asked。

〃Of　course　I　suppose　so。　　Else　why　is　it　called　a　building
association？〃

I　had　read　a　good　deal　about　these　organizations；　and　I　explained
to　Euphemia　that　a　dollar　a　week　was　never　received　by　any　of　them
in　payment　for　a　new　house。

〃Then　build　yourself；〃　she　said；　〃I　know　how　that　can　be　done。〃

〃Oh；　it's　easy　enough；〃　I　remarked；　〃if　you　have　the　money。〃

〃No；　you　needn't　have　any　money；〃　said　Euphemia；　rather　hastily。
〃Just　let　me　show　you。　　Supposing；　for　inst