友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
热门书库 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

rudder grange-第14章

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!



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 buying a house;
and determined to rent a small place in the country; and then; as
Euphemia wisely said; if we liked it; we might buy it。  After she
had dropped her building projects she thought that one ought to
know just how a house would suit before having it on one's hands。

We could afford something better than a canal…boat now; and
therefore we were not so restricted as in our first search for a
house。  But; the one thing which troubled my wifeand; indeed;
caused me much anxious thought; was that scourge of almost all
rural localitiestramps。  It would be necessary for me to be away
all day;and we could not afford to keep a man;so we must be
careful to get a house somewhere off the line of ordinary travel;
or else in a well…settled neighborhood; where there would be some
one near at hand in case of unruly visitors。

〃A village I don't like;〃 said Euphemia: 〃there is always so much
gossip; and people know all about what you have; and what you do。
And yet it would be very lonely; and perhaps dangerous; for us to
live off somewhere; all by ourselves。  And there is another
objection to a village。  We don't want a house with a small yard
and a garden at the back。  We ought to have a dear little farm;
with some fields for corn; and a cow; and a barn and things of that
sort。  All that would be lovely。  I'll tell you what we want;〃 she
cried; seized with a sudden inspiration; 〃we ought to try to get
the end…house of a village。  Then our house could be near the
neighbors; and our farm could stretch out a little way into the
country beyond us。  Let us fix our minds upon such a house and I
believe we can get it。〃

So we fixed our minds; but in the course of a week or two we
unfixed them several times to allow the consideration of places;
which otherwise would have been out of range; and during one of
these intervals of mental disfixment we took a house。

It was not the end…house of a village; but it was in the outskirts
of a very small rural settlement。  Our nearest neighbor was within
vigorous shouting distance; and the house suited us so well in
other respects; that we concluded that this would do。  The house
was small; but large enough。  There were some trees around it; and
a little lawn in front。  There was a garden; a small barn and
stable; a pasture field; and land enough besides for small patches
of corn and potatoes。  The rent was low; the water good; and no one
can imagine how delighted we were。

We did not furnish the whole house at first; but what mattered it?
We had no horse or cow; but the pasture and barn were ready for
them。  We did not propose to begin with everything at once。

Our first evening in that house was made up of hours of unalloyed
bliss。  We walked from room to room; we looked out on the garden
and the lawn; we sat on the little porch while I smoked。

〃We were happy at Rudder Grange;〃 said Euphemia; 〃but that was only
a canal…boat; and could not; in the nature of things; have been a
permanent home。〃

〃No;〃 said I; 〃it could not have been permanent。  But; in many
respects; it was a delightful home。  The very name of it brings
pleasant thoughts。〃

〃It was a nice name;〃 said Euphemia; 〃and I'll tell you what we
might do:  Let us call this place Rudder Grangethe New Rudder
Grange!  The name will do just as well for a house as for a boat。〃

I agreed on the spot; and the house was christened。

Our household was small; we had a servanta German woman; and we
had ourselves; that was all。

I did not do much in the garden; it was too late in the season。
The former occupant had planted some corn and potatoes; with a few
other vegetables; and these I weeded and hoed; working early in the
morning and when I came home in the afternoon。  Euphemia tied up
the rose…vines; trimmed the bushes; and with a little rake and hoe
she prepared a flower…bed in front of the parlor…window。  This
exercise gave us splendid appetites; and we loved our new home more
and more。

Our German girl did not suit us exactly at first; and day by day
she grew to suit us less。  She was a quiet; kindly; pleasant
creature; and delighted in an out…of…door life。  She was as willing
to weed in the garden as she was to cook or wash。  At first I was
very much pleased with this; because; as I remarked to Euphemia;
you can find very few girls who would be willing to work in the
garden; and she might be made very useful。

But; after a time; Euphemia began to get a little out of patience
with her。  She worked out…of…doors entirely too much。  And what she
did there; as well as some of her work in the house; was very much
like certain German literatureyou did not know how it was done;
or what it was for。

One afternoon I found Euphemia quite annoyed。

〃Look here;〃 she said; 〃and see what that girl has been at work at;
nearly all this afternoon。  I was upstairs sewing and thought she
was ironing。  Isn't it too provoking?〃

It WAS provoking。  The contemplative German had collected a lot of
short ham…boneswhere she found them I cannot imagineand had
made of them a border around my wife's flower…bed。  The bones stuck
up straight a few inches above the ground; all along the edge of
the bed; and the marrow cavity of each one was filled with earth in
which she had planted seeds。

〃'These;' she says; 'will spring up and look beautiful;'〃 said
Euphemia; 〃they have that style of thing in her country。〃

〃Then let her take them off with her to her country;〃 I exclaimed。

〃No; no;〃 said Euphemia; hurriedly; 〃don't kick them out。  It would
only wound her feelings。  She did it all for the best; and thought
it would please me to have such a border around my bed。  But she is
too independent; and neglects her proper work。  I will give her a
week's notice and get another servant。  When she goes we can take
these horrid bones away。  But I hope nobody will call on us in the
meantime。〃

〃Must we keep these things here a whole week?〃 I asked。

〃Oh; I can't turn her away without giving her a fair notice。  That
would be cruel。〃

I saw the truth of the remark; and determined to bear with the
bones and her rather than be unkind。

That night Euphemia informed the girl of her decision; and the next
morning; soon after I had left; the good German appeared with her
bonnet on and her carpet…bag in her hand; to take leave of her
mistress。

〃What!〃 cried Euphemia。  〃You are not going to…day?〃

〃If it is goot to go at all it is goot to go now;〃 said the girl。

〃And you will go off and leave me without any one in the house;
after my putting myself out to give you a fair notice?  It's
shameful!〃

〃I think it is very goot for me to go now;〃 quietly replied the
girl。  〃This house is very loneful。  I will go to…morrow in the
city to see your husband for my money。  Goot morning。〃  And off she
trudged to the station。

Before I reached the house that afternoon; Euphemia rushed out to
tell this story。  I would not like to say how far I kicked those
ham…bones。

This German girl had several successors; and some of them suited as
badly an
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!