samantha at saratoga-第15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！


　by　a　second　cousin　of　her　father's　brother's　wife's　aunt。　　It　wuz　her　father's　request　that　she　should　get　her　board　there　on　account　of　its　bein'　in　the　family。　　He　loved　〃to　see　relations　hang　together；〃　so　he　said；　and　〃get　their　boards　of　each　other。〃　　But　I　thought　then；　and　I　think　now；　that　it　wuz　because　they　asked　less　for　the　board。　Deacon　Tutt　is　close。　　But　howsumever　Ardelia　went　there；　and　my　companion　and　me　arrove　at　the　abode　where　we　wuz　to　abide；　with　no　eppisode　only　the　triflin'　one　of　the　driver　bein'　dretful　mistook　as　to　the　price　he　asked　to　take　us　there。　I　thought；　and　Josiah　thought；　that　50　cents　wuz　the　outlay　of　expendatur　he　required　to　carry　us　where　we　would　be；　it　wuz　but　a　short　distance。　　But　no！　　He　said　that　5　dollars　wuz　what　he　said；　that　is；　if　we　heard　anything　about　a　5。　　But　he　thought　we　wuz　deef；　and　dident　hear　him。　　He　thought　he　spoke　plain；　and　said　4　dollars　for　the　trip。　And　on　that　price　he　sot　down　immovible。　　They　arged；　and　Josiah　Allen　even　went　so　far　as　to　use　language　that　grated　on　my　nerve；　it　wuz　so　voyalent　and　vergin'　on　the　profane。　　But　there　the　man　sot；　right　onto　that　price；　and　he　had　to　me　the　appeerance　of　one　who　wuz　goin'　to　sot　there　on　it　all　night。　　And　so　rather　than　to　spend　the　night　out　doors；　in　conversation　with　him；　he　a　settin'　on　that　price；　and　Josiah　a　shakin'　his　fist　at　it；　and　a　jawin'　at　it；　I　told　Josiah　that　he　had　better　pay　it。　　And　finally　he　did；　with　groanin's　that　could　hardly　be　uttered。　Wall；　after　supper　（a　good　supper　and　enough　on't）；　Josiah　proposed　that　we　should　take　a　short　walk；　we　two　alone；　for　Ardelia　wuz　afar　from　us；　most　to　the　other　end　of　the　village；　either　asleep　or　a　writin'　poetry；　I　didn't　know　which；　but　I　knew　it　wuz　one　or　the　other　of　'em。　　And　I　wuz　tired　enough　myself　to　lay　my　head　down　and　repose　in　the　arms　of　sleep；　and　told　my　companion　so；　but　he　said：　〃Oh　shaw！　　Let　old　Morpheus　wait　for　us　till　we　get　back；　there'll　be　time　enough　to　rest　then。〃　Josiah　felt　so　neat；　that　he　wuz　fairly　beginnin'　to　talk　high　learnt；　and　classical。　　But　I　didn't　say　nothin'　to　break　it　up；　and　tied　on　my　bonnet　with　calmness　（and　a　double　bow　knot）　and　we　sallied　out。　Soon；　or　mebby　a　little　after；　for　we　didn't　walk　fast　on　account　of　my　deep　tucker；　we　stood　in　front　of　what　seemed　to　be　one　hull　side　of　a　long　street；　all　full　of　orniments　and　open　work；　and　pillows；　and　flowers；　and　carvin's；　and　scallops；　and　down　between　every　scollop　hung　a　big　basket　full　of　posys；　of　every　beautiful　color　under　the　heavens。　　And　over　all；　and　way　back　as　fur　as　we　could　see；　wuz　innumerable　lights　of　every　color；　gorgeousness　a　shinin'　down　on　gorgeousness；　glory　above；　a　shinin'　down　on　glory　below。　　And　sweet　strains　of　music　wuz　a　floatin；　out　from　somewhere；　a　shinin'　somewhere；　renderin'　the　seen　fur　more　beautiful　to　all　4　of　our　wraptured　ears。　And　Josiah　sez；　as　we　stood　there　nearly　rooted　to　the　place　by　our　motions；　and　a　picket　fence；　sez　he　dreamily；　〃I　almost　feel　as　if　we　had　made　a　mistake；　and　that　this　is　the　land　of　Beuler。〃　　And　he　murmured　to　himself　some　words　of　the　old　him：　〃Oh　Beuler　land！　Sweet　Beuler　land！〃　And　I　whispered　back　to　him　and　sez　…　〃Hush　they　don't　have　brass　bands　in　Beulah　land。〃　And　he　sez；　〃How　do　you　know　what　they　have　in　Beuler？〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　〃'taint　likely　they　do。〃　But　I　don't　know　as　I　felt　like　blamin'　him；　for　it　did　seem　to　me　to　be　the　most　beautiful　place　that　I　ever　sot　my　eyes　on。　　And　it　did　seem　fairly　as　if　them　long　glitterin'　chains　and　links　of　colored　lights；　a　stretchin'　fur　back　into　the　distance　sort　a　begoned　for　us　to　enter　into　a　land　of　perfect　beauty　and　Pure　Delight。　And　then　them　glitterin'　chains　of　light　would　jine　onto　other　golden；　and　crimson；　and　orange；　and　pink；　and　blue；　and　amber　links　of　glory　and　hang　there　all　drippin'　with　radiance；　and　way　back　as　fur　as　we　could　see。　　And　away　down　under　the　shinin'　lanes　the　white　statues　stood；　beautiful　snow…white　females；　a　lookin'　as　if　they　enjoyed　it　all。　　And　the　lake　mirrowed　back　all　of　the　beauty。　Right　out　onto　the　lake　stood　a　fairy…like　structure　all　glowin'　with　big　drops　of　light　and　every　glitterin'　drop　reflected　down　in　the　water　and　the　fountain　a　sprayin'　up　on　each　side。　　Why　it　sprayed　up　floods　of　diamonds；　and　rubys；　and　sapphires；　and　topazzes；　and　turkeys；　and　pearls；　and　opals；　and　sparklin'　'em　right　back　into　the　water　agin。　And　right　while　we　stood　there；　neerly　rooted　to　the　spot　and　gazin'　through　extacy　and　2　pickets；　the　band　gin　a　loud　burst　of　melody　and　then　stopped；　and　after　a　minute　of　silence；　we　hearn　a　voice　angel…sweet　a　risin'　up；　up；　like　a　lark；　a　tender…hearted；　golden…throated　lark。　High；　high　above　all　the　throngs　of　human　folks　who　wuz　cheerin'　her　down　below　…　up　above　the　sea　of　glitterin'　light　…　up　above　the　bendin'　trees　that　clasped　their　hands　together　in　silent　applaudin'　above　her；　up；　up；　into　the　clear　heavens；　rose　that　glorious　voice　a　singin'　some　song　about　love；　love　that　wuz　deathless；　eternal。　Why　it　seemed　as　if　the　very　clouds　wuz　full　of　shadowy　faces　a　bendin'　down　to　hear　it；　and　the　new　moon；　shaped　just　like　a　boat；　had　glided　down；　down　the　sky　to　listen。　If　the　man　of　the　moon　was　there　he　wuz　a　layin'　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　he　wuzn't　in　sight。　　But　if　he　heard　that　music　I'll　bet　he　would　say　he　wuzn't　in　the　practice　of　hearin'　any　better。　　And　Josiah　stood　stun　still　till　she　had　got　done；　and　then　he　sort　a　sithed　out：　〃Oh；　it　seems　as　if　it　must　be　Beuler　land！　　Do　you　s'pose；　Samantha；　Beuler　land　is　any　more　beautiful？〃　And　I　sez；　〃I　haint　a　thinkin'　about　Beulah。〃　　I　sez　it　pretty　middlin'　tart；　partly　to　hide　my　own　feelin's；　which　wuz　perfectly　rousted　up；　and　partly　from　principle；　and　sez　I；　〃Don't　for　mercy's　sake　call　it　Beuler。〃　Josiah　always　will　call　it　so。　　I've　got　a　4th　cousin；　Beulah　Smith　（my　own　age　and　unmarried　up　to　date）；　and　he　always　did　and　would　call　her　Beuler。　　Truly　in　some　things　a　pardner's　influence　and　encouragement　fails　to　accomplish　the　ends　aimed　at。　Wall；　it　wuz　after　some　words　that　I　drew　Josiah　away　from　that　seen　of　enchantment　…　or　he　me；　I　don't　exactly　know　which　way　it　wuz　…　and　we　wended　onwards　in　our　walk。　The　hull　broad　streets　wuz　full　of　folks；　full　as　they　could　be；　all　on　'em　perfect　strangers　to　us　and　who　knew　what　motives　or　weapons　they　wuz　a　carryin'　with　'em；　but　we　knew　we　wuz　safe；　Josiah　and　me　did；　for　way　up　over　all　our　heads；　stood　a　big　straight　soldier；　a　volunteer　volunteerin；　to　see　to　the　hull　crew　on　'em　below；　a　seein'　that　they　behaved　themselves。　　His　age　wuz　seventy…seven　as　near　as　I　could　make　out　but　he　didn't　look　more'n　half　that。　　He　had　kep'　his　age　remarkable。　Wall；　it　wuz；　if　I　remember　right；　jest　about　now　that　we　see　a　glitterin'　high　up　over　our　heads　some　writen　in　flame。　　I　never　see　such　brilliant　writin；　before　nor　don't　know　as　I　ever　shall　ag'in。　And　Josiah　stopped　stun　still；　and　stood　a　lookin'　perfectly　dumfoundered　at　it。　　And　finally　he　sez；　〃I'd　give　a　dollar　bill　if　I　could　write　like　that。〃　I　see　he　wuz　deeply　rousted　up　for　2　cents　is　as　high　as　he　usually　goes　in　betted。　　I　see　he　felt　deep　and　I　didn't　bl