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！
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 instance； that you want to
build a house worthwell； say twenty thousand dollars； in some
pretty town near the city。〃
〃I would rather figure on a cheaper house than that for a country
place；〃 I interrupted。
〃Well then； say two thousand dollars。 You get masons； and
carpenters； and people to dig the cellar； and you engage them to
build your house。 You needn't pay them until it's done； of course。
Then when it's all finished； borrow two thousand dollars and give
the house as security。 After that you see； you have only to pay
the interest on the borrowed money。 When you save enough money to
pay back the loan； the house is your own。 Now； isn't that a good
plan？〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃if there could be found people who would build your
house and wait for their money until some one would lend you its
full value on a mortgage。〃
〃Well；〃 said Euphemia； 〃I guess they could be found if you would
only look for them。〃
〃I'll look for them； when I go to heaven；〃 I said。
We gave up for the present； the idea of building or bu