the diary of a goose girl-第6部分

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and　occasionally　run　in；　a　being　possessed　of　no　moral　sense；　a
being　likely　to　set　a　bad　example；　inculcate　vicious　habits　among
her　innocent　sisters；　and　lower　the　standard　of　an　entire　poultry…
yard。　　The　Young　Poultry　Keeper's　Friend　gives　us　no　advice　on　this
topic；　and　we　do　not　know　whether　to　treat　Cannibal　Ann　as　the
victim　of　a　disease；　or　as　a　confirmed　criminal；　whether　to
administer　remedies　or　cut　her　off　in　the　flower　of　her　youth。

We　have　had　a　sad　scene　to…night。　　A　chick　has　been　ailing　all　day；
and　when　we　shut　up　the　brood　we　found　him　dead　in　a　corner。

Phoebe　put　him　on　the　ground　while　she　busied　herself　about　the
coop。　　The　other　chicks　came　out　and　walked　about　the　dead　one
again　and　again；　eyeing　him　curiously。

〃Poor　little　chap！〃　said　Phoebe。　　〃E's　never　'ad　a　mother！　　'E　was
an　incubytor　chicken；　and　wherever　I　took　'im　'e　was　picked　at。
There　was　somethink　wrong　with　'im；　'e　never　was　a　fyvorite！〃

I　put　the　fluffy　body　into　a　hole　in　the　turf；　and　strewed　a
handful　of　grass　over　him。　　〃Sad　little　epitaph！〃　I　thought。　　〃He
never　was　a　fyvorite！〃



CHAPTER　VIII



July　13th。

I　like　to　watch　the　Belgian　hares　eating　their　trifolium　or　pea…
pods　or　grass；　graceful；　gentle　things　they　are；　crowding　about　Mr。
Heaven；　and　standing　prettily；　not　greedily；　on　their　hind　legs；　to
reach　for　the　clover；　their　delicate　nostrils　and　whiskers　all　a…
quiver　with　excitement。

As　I　look　out　of　my　window　in　the　dusk　I　can　see　one　of　the　mothers
galloping　across　the　enclosure；　the　soft　white　lining　of　her　tail
acting　as　a　beacon…light　to　the　eight　infant　hares　following　her；　a
quaint　procession　of　eight　white　spots　in　it　glancing　line。　　In　the
darkest　night　those　baby　creatures　could　follow　their　mother
through　grass　or　hedge　or　thicket；　and　she　would　need　no　warning
note　to　show　them　where　to　flee　in　case　of　danger。　　〃All　you　have
to　do　is　to　follow　the　white　night…light　that　I　keep　in　the　lining
of　my　tail；〃　she　says；　when　she　is　giving　her　first　maternal
lectures；　and　it　seems　a　beneficent　provision　of　Nature。　　To　be
sure；　Mr。　Heaven　took　his　gun　and　went　out　to　shoot　wild　rabbits
to…day；　and　I　noted　that　he　marked　them　by　those　same　self…
betraying　tails；　as　they　scuttled　toward　their　holes　or　leaped
toward　the　protecting　cover　of　the　hedge；　so　it　does　not　appear
whether　Nature　is　on　the　side　of　the　farmer　or　the　rabbit　。　。　。

There　is　as　much　comedy　and　as　much　tragedy　in　poultry　life　as
anywhere；　and　already　I　see　rifts　within　lutes。　　We　have　in　a　cage
a　French　gentleman　partridge　married　to　a　Hungarian　lady　of
defective　sight。　　He　paces　back　and　forth　in　the　pen　restlessly；
anything　but　content　with　the　domestic　fireside。　　One　can　see
plainly　that　he　is　devoted　to　the　Boulevards；　and　that　if　left　to
his　own　inclinations　he　would　never　have　chosen　any　spouse　but　a
thorough　Parisienne。

The　Hungarian　lady　is　blind　of　one　eye；　from　some　stray　shot；　I
suppose。　　She　is　melancholy　at　all　times；　and　occasionally　goes　so
far　as　to　beat　her　head　against　the　wire　netting。　　If　liberated；
Mr。　Heaven　says　that　her　blindness　would　only　expose　her　to　death
at　the　hands　of　the　first　sportsman；　and　it　always　seems　to　me　as
if　she　knows　this；　and　is　ever　trying　to　decide　whether　a　loveless
marriage　is　any　better　than　the　tomb。

Then；　again；　the　great；　grey　gander　is；　for　some　mysterious　reason；
out　of　favour　with　the　entire　family。　　He　is　a　noble　and　amiable
bird；　by　far　the　best　all…round　character　in　the　flock；　for　dignity
of　mien　and　large…minded　common…sense。　　What　is　the　treatment
vouchsafed　to　this　blameless　husband　and　father？　　One　that　puts
anybody　out　of　sorts　with　virtue　and　its　scant　rewards。　　To　begin
with；　the　others　will　not　allow　him　to　go　into　the　pond。　　There　is
an　organised　cabal　against　it；　and　he　sits　solitary　on　the　bank；
calm　and　resigned；　but；　naturally；　a　trifle　hurt。　　His　favourite
retreat　is　a　tiny　sort　of　island　on　the　edge　of　the　pool　under　the
alders；　where　with　his　bent　head；　and　red…rimmed　philosophic　eyes
he　regards　his　own　breast　and　dreams　of　happier　days。　　When　the
others　walk　into　the　country　twenty…three　of　them　keep　together；
and　Burd　Alane　（as　I　have　named　him　from　the　old　ballad）　walks　by
himself。　　The　lack　of　harmony　is　so　evident　here；　and　the　slight　so
intentional　and　direct；　that　it　almost　moves　me　to　tears。　　The
others　walk　soberly；　always　in　couples；　but　even　Burd　Alane's
rightful　spouse　is　on　the　side　of　the　majority；　and　avoids　her
consort。

What　is　the　nature　of　his　offence？　　There　can　be　no　connubial
jealousies；　I　judge；　as　geese　are　strictly　monogamous；　and　having
chosen　a　partner　of　their　joys　and　sorrows　they　cleave　to　each
other　until　death　or　some　other　inexorable　circumstance　does　them
part。　　If　they　are　ever　mistaken　in　their　choice；　and　think　they
might　have　done　better；　the　world　is　none　the　wiser。　　Burd　Alane
looks　in　good　condition；　but　Phoebe　thinks　he　is　not　quite　himself；
and　that　some　day　when　he　is　in　greater　strength　he　will　turn　on
his　foes　and　rend　them；　regaining　thus　his　lost　prestige；　for
formerly　he　was　king　of　the　flock。

*　*　*

Phoebe　has　not　a　vestige　of　sentiment。　　She　just　asked　me　if　I
would　have　a　duckling　or　a　gosling　for　dinner；　that　there　were　two
quite　readythe　brown　and　yellow　duckling；　that　is　the　last　to
leave　the　water　at　night；　and　the　white　gosling　that　never　knows
his　own　'ouse。　　Which　would　I　'ave；　and　would　I　'ave　it　with　sage
and　onion？

Now；　had　I　found　a　duckling　on　the　table　at　dinner　I　should　have
eaten　it　without　thinking　at　all；　or　with　the　thought　that　it　had
come　from　Barbury　Green。　　But　eat　a　duckling　that　I　have　stoned　out
of　the　pond；　pursued　up　the　bank；　chased　behind　the　wire　netting；
caught；　screaming；　in　a　corner；　and　carried　struggling　to　his　bed？
Feed　upon　an　idiot　gosling　that　I　have　found　in　nine　different
coops　on　nine　successive　nightsin　with　the　newly…hatched　chicks；
the　half…grown　pullets；　the　setting　hen；　the　〃invaleed　goose；〃　the
drake　with　the　gapes；　the　old　ducks　in　the　pen？Eat　a　gosling　that
I　have　caught　and　put　in　with　his　brothers　and　sisters　（whom　he
never　recognises）　so　frequently　and　regularly　that　I　am　familiar
with　every　joint　in　his　body？

In　the　first　place；　with　my　own　small　bump　of　locality　and　lack　of
geography；　I　would　never　willingly　consume　a　creature　who　might；　by
some　strange　process　of　assimilation；　make　me　worse　in　this
respect；　in　the　second　place；　I　should　have　to　be　ravenous　indeed
to　sit　down　deliberately　and　make　a　meal　of　an　intimate　friend；　no
matter　if　I　had　not　a　high　opinion　of　his　intelligence。　　I　should
as　soon　think　of　eating　the　Square　Baby；　stuffed　with　sage　and
onion　and　garnished　with　green　apple…sauce；　as　the　yellow　duckling
or　the　idiot　gosling。

Mrs。　Heaven　has　just　called　me　into　her　sitting…room；　ostensibly　to
ask　me　to　order　breakfast；　but　really　for　the　pleasure　of
conversation。　　Why　she　should　inquire　whether　I　would　relish　some
gammon　of　bacon　with　eggs；　when　she　knows　that　there　has　not　been；
is　not　now；　and　never　will　be；　anything　but　gammon　of　bacon　with
eggs；　is　more　than　I　can　explain。

〃Would　you　like　to　see　my　flowers；　miss？〃　she　asks；　folding　her
plump　hands　over　her　white　apron。　　〃They　are　looking　beautiful　this
morning。　　I　am　so　fond　of　potted　plants；　of　plants　in　pots。　　Look
at　these　geraniums！　　Now；　I　consider　that　pink　one　a　perfect　bloom；
yes；　a　perfect　bloom。　　This　is　a　fine　red　one；　is　it　not；　miss？
Especially　fine；　don't　you　think？　　The　trouble　with　the　red　variety
is　that　they're　apt　to　get　〃bobby〃　and　have　to　be　washed　regularly；
quite　bobby　they　do　get　indeed；　I　assure　you。　　That　white　one　has
just　gone　out　of　blossom；　and　it　was　really　wonderful。　　You　could
'ardly　have　told　it　from　a　paper　flower；　miss；　not　from　a　white
paper　flower。　　My　plants　are　my　children　nowadays；　since　Albert
Edward　is　my　only　care。　　I　have　been　the　mother　of　eleven　children；
miss；　all　of　them　living；　so　far　as　I　know；　I　know　nothing　to　the
contrary。　　I　'ope　you　are　not　wearying　of　this　solitary　place；
miss？　　It　will　grow　upon　you；　I　am　sure；　as　it　did　upon　Mrs。
Pollock；　with　all　her　peculiar　fancies；　and　as　it　'as　grown　upon
us。We　formerly　had　a　butcher's　shop　in　Buffington；　and　it　was
naturally　a　great　responsibility。　　Mr。　Heaven's　nerves　are　not
strong；　and　at　last　he　wanted　a　life　of　more　quietude；　more
quietude　was　what　he　craved。　　The　life　of　a　retail　butcher　is　a
most　exciting　and　wearying　one。　　Nobody　satisfied　with　their　meat；
as　if　it　mattered　in　a　world　of　change！　　Everybody　complaining　of
too　much　bone　or　too　little　fat；　nobody　wishing　tough　chops　or
cutlets；　but　always　seeking　after　fine　joints；　when　it's　against
reason　and　nature　that　all　joints　should　be　juicy　and　all　cutlets
tender；　always　complaining　if　livers　are　not　sent　with　every　fowl；
always　asking　you　to　remember　the　trimmin's；　always　wanting　their
beef　well　'ung；　and　then　if　you　'ang　it　a　minute　too　long；　it's
left　on　your　'ands！　　I　often　used　to　say　to　Mr。　Heaven；　yes　many's
the　time　I've　said　it；　that　if　people　would　think　more　of　the　great
'ereafter　and　less　about　their　own　little　stomachs；　it　would　be　a
deal　better　for　them；　yes；　a　deal　better；　and　make　it　much　more
comfortable　for　the　butchers！〃

*　*　*

Burd　Alane　has　had　a　good　quarter　of　an　hour　to…day。

His　spouse　took　a　brief　promenade　with　him。　　To　be　sure；　it　was
during　an　absence　of　the　flock　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge　so
that　the　moral　effect　of　her　spasm　of　wifely　loyalty　was　quite　lost
upon　them。　　I　strongly　suspect　that　she　would　not　have　granted
anything　but　a　secret　interview。　　What　a　petty；　weak；　ignoble
character！　　I　really　don't　like　to　think　so　badly　of　any　fellow…
creature　as　I　am　forced　to　think　of　that　politic；　time…serving；
pusillanimous　goose。　　I　believe　she　laid　the　egg　that　produced　the
idiot　gosling！



CHAPTER　IX



Here　follows　the　true　story　of　Sir　Muscovy　Drake；　the　Lady　Blanche；
and　Miss　Malardina　Crippletoes。

Phoebe's　flock　consisted　at　first　mostly　of　Brown　Mallards；　but　a
friend　gave　her　a　sitting　of　eggs　warranted　to　produce　a　most
beautiful　variety　of　white　ducks。　　They　were　hatched　in　due　time；
but　proved　hard　to　ra