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！
bottle； freshly filled； for he might need a drink on the way； was
tucked between the cushions on the seat beside me； and taking the
lines in my left hand； while I steadied my charge with the other； I
prepared to drive away。
〃What's his name？〃 I asked。
〃It's Pat；〃 said his aunt； 〃afther his dad； who's away in the
moines。〃
〃But ye kin call him onything ye bike；〃 Mrs。 Duffy remarked； 〃fer
he don't ansther to his name yit。〃
〃Pat will do very well；〃 I said； as I bade the good women farewell；
and carefully guided the horse through the swarms of youngsters who
had gathered around the carriage。
CHAPTER XX。
THE OTHER BABY AT RUDDER GRANGE。
I drove slowly home； and little Pat lay very quiet； looking up
steadily at me with his twinkling blue eyes。 For a time；
everything went very well； but happening to look up； I saw in the
distance a carriage approaching。 It was an open barouche； and I
knew it belonged to a family of our acquaintance； in the village；
and that it usually contained ladies。
Quick as thought； I rolled up Pat in his shawl and stuffed him
under the seat。 Then rearranging the lap…robe over my knees； I
drove on； trembling a little； it is true。
As I supposed； the carriage contained ladies； and I knew them all。
The coachman instinctively drew up； as we approached。 We always
stopped and spoke； on such occasions。
They asked me after my wife； apparently surprised to see me alone；
and made a number of pleasant observations； to all of which I
replied with as unconcerned and easy an air as I could assume。 The
ladies were in excellent spirits； but in spite of this； there
seemed to be an air of repression about them； which I thought of
when I drove on； but could not account for； for little Pat never
moved or whimpered； during the whole of the interview。
But when I took him again in my lap； and happened to turn； as I
arranged the robe； I saw his bottle sticking up boldly by my side
from between the cushions。 Then I did not wonder at the
repression。
When I reached home； I drove directly to the barn。 Fortunately；
Jonas was there。 When I called him and handed little Pat to him I
never saw a man more utterly amazed。 He stood； and held the child
without a word。 But when I explained the whole affair to him； he
comprehended it perfectly； and was delighted。 I think he was just
as anxious for my plan to work as I was myself； although he did not
say so。
I was about to take the child into the house； when Jonas remarked
that it was barefooted。
〃That won't do；〃 I said。 〃It certainly had socks on； when I got
it。 I saw them。〃
〃Here they are；〃 said Jonas； fishing them out from the shawl； 〃he's
kicked them off。〃
〃Well； we must put them on；〃 I said； 〃it won't do to take him in；
that way。 You hold him。〃
So Jonas sat down on the feed…box； and carefully taking little Pat；
he held him horizontally； firmly pressed between his hands and
knees； with his feet stuck out toward me； while I knelt down before
him and tried to put on the little socks。 But the socks were knit
or worked very loosely； and there seemed to be a good many small
holes in them； so that Pat's funny little toes； which he kept
curling up and uncurling； were continually making their appearance
in unexpected places through the sock。 But； after a great deal of
trouble； I got them both on； with the heels in about the right
places。
〃Now they ought to be tied on；〃 I said； 〃Where are his garters？〃
〃I don't believe babies have garters；〃 said Jonas； doubtfully； 〃but
I could rig him up a pair。〃
〃No；〃 said I； 〃we wont take the time for that。 I'll hold his legs
apart； as I carry him in。 It's rubbing his feet together that gets
them off。〃
As I passed the kitchen window； I saw Pomona at work。 She looked
at me； dropped something； and I heard a crash。 I don't know how
much that crash cost me。 Jonas rushed in to tell Pomona about it；
and in a moment I heard a scream of laughter。 At this； Euphemia
appeared at an upper window； with her hand raised and saying；
severely： 〃Hush…h！〃 But the moment she saw me； she disappeared
from the window and came down…stairs on the run。 She met me； just
as I entered the dining…room。
〃What IN the world！〃 she breathlessly exclaimed。
〃This；〃 said I； taking Pat into a better position in my arms； 〃is
my baby。〃
〃Yourbaby！〃 said Euphemia。 〃Where did you get it？ what are you
going to do with it？〃
〃I got it in New Dublin；〃 I replied； 〃and I want it to amuse and
occupy me while I am at home。 I haven't anything else to do；
except things that take me away from you。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Euphemia。
At this moment； little Pat gave his first whimper。 Perhaps he felt
the searching glance that fell upon him from the lady in the middle
of the room。
I immediately began to walk up and down the floor with him； and to
sing to him。 I did not know any infant music； but I felt sure that
a soothing tune was the great requisite； and that the words were of
small importance。 So I started on an old Methodist tune； which I
remembered very well； and which was used with the hymn containing
the lines：
〃Weak and wounded； sick and sore；〃
and I sang； as soothingly as I could：
〃Lit…tle Pat…sy； Wat…sy； Sat…sy；
Does he feel a lit…ty bad？
Me will send and get his bot…tle
He sha'n't have to cry…wy…wy。〃
〃What an idiot！〃 said Euphemia； laughing in spite of her vexation。
〃No； we aint no id…i…otses
What we want's a bot…ty mik。〃
So I sang as I walked to the kitchen door； and sent Jonas to the
barn for the bottle。
Pomona was in spasms of laughter in the kitchen； and Euphemia was
trying her best not to laugh at all。
〃Who's going to take care of it； I'd like to know？〃 she said； as
soon as she could get herself into a state of severe inquiry。
〃Some…times me； and some…times Jonas；〃
I sang； still walking up and down the room with a long； slow step；
swinging the baby from side to side； very much as if it were grass…
seed in a sieve； and I were sowing it over the carpet。
When the bottle came； I took it； and began to feed little Pat。
Perhaps the presence of a critical and interested audience
embarrassed us； for Jonas and Pomona were at the door； with
streaming eyes； while Euphemia stood with her handkerchief to the
lower part of her face； or it may have been that I did not
understand the management of bottles； but； at any rate； I could not
make the thing work； and the disappointed little Pat began to cry；
just as the whole of our audience burst into a wild roar of
laughter。
〃Here！ Give me that child！〃 cried Euphemia； forcibly taking Pat
and the bottle from me。 〃You'll make it swallow the whole affair；
and I'm sure its mouth's big enough。〃
〃You really don't think；〃 she said； when we were alone； and little
Pat； with his upturned blue eyes serenely surveying the features of
the good lady who knew how to feed him； was placidly pulling away
at his india…rubber tube； 〃that I will consent to your keeping such
a creature as this in the house？ Why； he's a regular little Paddy！
If you kept him he'd grow up into a hod…carrier。〃
〃Good！〃 said I。 〃I never thought o