the queen of hearts-第6部分

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little　county　town　last　night；　and　the　night　before　I　missed　a
steamer　or　a　train；　I　forget　which；　and　slept　at　Bristol；　and
that's　how　I　got　here。　And；　now　I　am　here；　I　ought　to　give　my
guardian　a　kissoughtn't　I？　Shall　I　call　you　papa？　I　think　I
will。　And　shall　I　call　_you_　uncle；　sir；　and　give　you　a　kiss　too？
We　shall　come　to　it　sooner　or　latershan't　we？and　we　may　as
well　begin　at　once；　I　suppose。〃

Her　fresh　young　lips　touched　my　old　withered　cheek　first；　and
then　Owen's；　a　soft；　momentary　shadow　of　tenderness；　that　was
very　pretty　and　becoming；　passing　quickly　over　the　sunshine　and
gayety　of　her　face　as　she　saluted　us。　The　next　moment　she　was　on
her　feet　again；　inquiring　〃who　the　wonderful　man　was　who　built
The　Glen　Tower；〃　and　wanting　to　go　all　over　it　immediately　from
top　to　bottom。

As　we　took　her　into　the　house；　I　made　the　necessary　apologies　for
the　miserable　condition　of　the　lean…to；　and　assured　her　that；　ten
days　later；　she　would　have　found　it　perfectly　ready　to　receive
her。　She　whisked　into　the　roomslooked　all　round　themwhisked
out　againdeclared　she　had　come　to　live　in　the　old　Tower；　and
not　in　any　modern　addition　to　it；　and　flatly　declined　to　inhabit
the　lean…to　on　any　terms　whatever。　I　opened　my　lips　to　state
certain　objections；　but　she　slipped　away　in　an　instant　and　made
straight　for　the　Tower　staircase。

〃Who　lives　here？〃　she　asked；　calling　down　to　us；　eagerly；　from
the　first…floor　landing。

〃I　do；〃　said　Owen；　〃but；　if　you　would　like　me　to　move　out〃

She　was　away　up　the　second　flight　before　he　could　say　any　more。
The　next　sound　we　heard；　as　we　slowly　followed　her；　was　a
peremptory　drumming　against　the　room　door　of　the　second　story。

〃Anybody　here？〃　we　heard　her　ask　through　the　door。

I　called　up　to　her　that；　under　ordinary　circumstances；　I　was
there；　but　that；　like　Owen；　I　should　be　happy　to　move　out

My　polite　offer　was　cut　short　as　my　brother's　had　been。　We　heard
more　drumming　at　the　door　of　the　third　story。　There　were　two
rooms　here　alsoone　perfectly　empty；　the　other　stocked　with　odds
and　ends　of　dismal；　old…fashioned　furniture　for　which　we　had　no
use；　and　grimly　ornamented　by　a　life…size　basket　figure
supporting　a　complete　suit　of　armor　in　a　sadly　rusty　condition。
When　Owen　and　I　got　to　the　third…floor　landing；　the　door　was
open；　Miss　Jessie　had　taken　possession　of　the　rooms；　and　we　found
her　on　a　chair；　dusting　the　man　in　armor　with　her　cambric
pocket…handkerchief。

〃I　shall　live　here；〃　she　said；　looking　round　at　us　briskly　over
her　shoulder。

We　both　remonstrated；　but　it　was　quite　in　vain。　She　told　us　that
she　had　an　impulse　to　live　with　the　man　in　armor；　and　that　she
would　have　her　way；　or　go　back　immediately　in　the　post…chaise；
which　we　pleased。　Finding　it　impossible　to　move　her；　we　bargained
that　she　should；　at　least；　allow　the　new　bed　and　the　rest　of　the
comfortable　furniture　in　the　lean…to　to　be　moved　up　into　the
empty　room　for　her　sleeping　accommodation。　She　consented　to　this
condition；　protesting；　however；　to　the　last　against　being
compelled　to　sleep　in　a　bed；　because　it　was　a　modern
conventionality；　out　of　all　harmony　with　her　place　of　residence
and　her　friend　in　armor。

Fortunately　for　the　repose　of　Morgan；　who；　under　other
circumstances；　would　have　discovered　on　the　very　first　day　that
his　airy　retreat　was　by　no　means　high　enough　to　place　him　out　of
Jessie's　reach；　the　idea　of　settling　herself　instantly　in　her　new
habitation　excluded　every　other　idea　from　the　mind　of　our　fair
guest。　She　pinned　up　the　nankeen…colored　traveling　dress　in
festoons　all　round　her　on　the　spot；　informed　us　that　we　were　now
about　to　make　acquaintance　with　her　in　the　new　character　of　a
woman　of　business；　and　darted　downstairs　in　mad　high　spirits；
screaming　for　Matilda　and　the　trunks　like　a　child　for　a　set　of
new　toys。　The　wholesome　protest　of　Nature　against　the　artificial
restraints　of　modern　life　expressed　itself　in　all　that　she　said
and　in　all　that　she　did。　She　had　never　known　what　it　was　to　be
happy　before；　because　she　had　never　been　allowed；　until　now；　to
do　anything　for　herself。　She　was　down　on　her　knees　at　one　moment；
blowing　the　fire；　and　telling　us　that　she　felt　like　Cinderella；
she　was　up　on　a　table　the　next；　attacking　the　cobwebs　with　a　long
broom；　and　wishing　she　had　been　born　a　housemaid。　As　for　my
unfortunate　friend；　the　upholsterer；　he　was　leveled　to　the　ranks
at　the　first　effort　he　made　to　assume　the　command　of　the　domestic
forces　in　the　furniture　department。　She　laughed　at　him；　pushed
him　about；　disputed　all　his　conclusions；　altered　all　his
arrangements；　and　ended　by　ordering　half　his　bedroom　furniture　to
be　taken　back　again；　for　the　one　unanswerable　reason　that　she
meant　to　do　without　it。

As　evening　approached；　the　scene　presented　by　the　two　rooms
became　eccentric　to　a　pitch　of　absurdity　which　is　quite
indescribable。　The　grim；　ancient　walls　of　the　bedroom　had　the
liveliest　modern　dressing…gowns　and　morning…wrappers　hanging　all
about　them。　The　man　in　armor　had　a　collection　of　smart　little
boots　and　shoes　dangling　by　laces　and　ribbons　round　his　iron
legs。　A　worm…eaten；　steel…clasped　casket；　dragged　out　of　a
corner；　frowned　on　the　upholsterer's　brand…new　toilet…table；　and
held　a　miscellaneous　assortment　of　combs；　hairpins；　and　brushes。
Here　stood　a　gloomy　antique　chair；　the　patriarch　of　its　tribe；
whose　arms　of　blackened　oak　embraced　a　pair　of　pert；　new　deal
bonnet…boxes　not　a　fortnight　old。　There；　thrown　down　lightly　on　a
rugged　tapestry　table…cover；　the　long　labor　of　centuries　past；
lay　the　brief；　delicate　work　of　a　week　ago　in　the　shape　of　silk
and　muslin　dresses　turned　inside　out。　In　the　midst　of　all　these
confusions　and　contradictions；　Miss　Jessie　ranged　to　and　fro；　the
active　center　of　the　whole　scene　of　disorder；　now　singing　at　the
top　of　her　voice；　and　now　declaring　in　her　lighthearted　way　that
one　of　us　must　make　up　his　mind　to　marry　her　immediately；　as　she
was　determined　to　settle　for　the　rest　of　her　life　at　The　Glen
Tower。

She　followed　up　that　announcement；　when　we　met　at　dinner；　by
inquiring　if　we　quite　understood　by　this　time　that　she　had　left
her　〃company　manners〃　in　London；　and　that　she　meant　to　govern　us
all　at　her　absolute　will　and　pleasure；　throughout　the　whole
period　of　her　stay。　Having　thus　provided　at　the　outset　for　the
due　recognition　of　her　authority　by　the　household　generally　and
individually　having　briskly　planned　out　all　her　own　forthcoming
occupations　and　amusements　over　the　wine　and　fruit　at　dessert；
and　having　positively　settled；　between　her　first　and　second　cups
of　tea；　where　our　connection　with　them　was　to　begin　and　where　it
was　to　end；　she　had　actually　succeeded；　when　the　time　came　to
separate　for　the　night；　in　setting　us　as　much　at　our　ease；　and　in
making　herself　as　completely　a　necessary　part　of　our　household　as
if　she　had　lived　among　us　for　years　and　years　　past。


Such　was　our　first　day's　experience　of　the　formidable　guest　whose
anticipated　visit　had　so　sorely　and　so　absurdly　discomposed　us
all。　I　could　hardly　believe　that　I　had　actually　wasted　hours　of
precious　time　in　worrying　myself　and　everybody　else　in　the　house
about　the　best　means　of　laboriously　entertaining　a　lively；
high…spirited　girl；　who　was　perfectly　capable；　without　an　effort
on　her　own　part　or　on　ours；　of　entertaining　herself。

Having　upset　every　one　of　our　calculations　on　the　first　day　of
her　arrival；　she　next　falsified　all　our　predictions　before　she
had　been　with　us　a　week。　Instead　of　fracturing　her　skull　with　the
pony；　as　Morgan　had　prophesied；　she　sat　the　sturdy；　sure…footed；
mischievous　little　brute　as　if　she　were　part　and　parcel　of
himself。　With　an　old　water…proof　cloak　of　mine　on　her　shoulders；
with　a　broad…flapped　Spanish　hat　of　Owen's　on　her　head；　with　a
wild　imp　of　a　Welsh　boy　following　her　as　guide　and　groom　on　a
bare…backed　pony；　and　with　one　of　the　largest　and　ugliest
cur…dogs　in　England　（which　she　had　picked　up；　lost　and　starved　by
the　wayside）　barking　at　her　heels；　she　scoured　the　country　in　all
directions；　and　came　back　to　dinner；　as　she　herself　expressed　it；
〃with　the　manners　of　an　Amazon；　the　complexion　of　a　dairy…maid；
and　the　appetite　of　a　wolf。〃

On　days　when　incessant　rain　kept　her　indoors；　she　amused　herself
with　a　new　freak。　Making　friends　everywhere；　as　became　The　Queen
of　Hearts；　she　even　ingratiated　herself　with　the　sour　old
housekeeper；　who　had　predicted　so　obstinately　that　she　was
certain　to　run　away。　To　the　amazement　of　everybody　in　the　house；
she　spent　hours　in　the　kitchen；　learning　to　make　puddings　and
pies；　and　trying　all　sorts　of　recipes　with　very　varying　success；
from　an　antiquated　cookery　book　which　she　had　discovered　at　the
back　of　my　bookshelves。　At　other　times；　when　I　expected　her　to　be
upstairs；　languidly　examining　her　finery；　and　idly　polishing　her
trinkets；　I　heard　of　her　in　the　stables；　feeding　the　rabbits；　and
talking　to　the　raven；　or　found　her　in　the　conservatory；
fumigating　the　plants；　and　half　suffocating　the　gardener；　who　was
trying　to　moderate　her　enthusiasm　in　the　production　of　smoke。

Instead　of　finding　amusement；　as　we　had　expected；　in　Owen's
studio；　she　puckered　up　her　pretty　face　in　grimaces　of　disgust　at
the　smell　of　paint　in　the　room；　and　declared　that　the　horrors　of
the　Earthquake　at　Lisbon　made　her　feel　hysterical。　Instead　of
showing　a　total　want　of　interest　in　my　business　occupations　on
the　estate；　she　destroyed　my　dignity　as　steward　by　joining　me　in
my　rounds　on　her　pony；　with　her　vagabond　retinue　at　her　heels。
Instead　of　devouring　the　novels　I　had　ordered　for　her；　she　left
them　in　the　box；　and　put　her　feet　on　it　when　she　felt　sleepy
after　a　hard　day's　riding。　Instead　of　practicing　for　hours　every
evening　at　the　piano；　which　I　had　hired　with　such　a　firm
conviction　of　her　using　it；　she　showed　us　tricks　on　the　cards；
taught　us　new　games；　initiated　us　into　the　mystics　of　dominoes；
challenged　us　with　riddles；　an　even　attempted　to　stimulate　us
into　acting　charadesin　short；　tried　every　evening　amusement　in
the　whole　category　except　the　amusement　of　music。　Every　new
aspect　of　her　character　was　a　new　surprise　to　us；　and　every　fresh
occupation　that　she　chose　was　a　fresh　contradiction　to　our