samantha at saratoga-第25章

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　my　corns　ache　feerful。〃　　（His　boots　wuz　that　small　that　they　wuz　sights　to　behold；　sights！）　　〃We　probably　shan't　walk　fur；〃　says　he。　I　see　how　'twuze　in　a　minute。　　That　English　girl　had　asked　him　to　walk　with　her；　and　my　pardner　had　broken　a　solemn　engagement　with　Ezra　and　Druzilla　Balch　to　go　a　walkin'　with　her。　　I　see　how　'twuz；　but　I　sot　in　silence　and　one　of　the　big　rockin'　chairs；　and　didn't　say　nothin'。　Finally　he　says；　with　a　sort　of　a　anxious　look　onto　his　foreward：　〃You　don't　feel　bad；　do　you　Samantha？　　You　haint　jealous；　are　you？〃　〃Jealous！〃　says　I；　a　lookin'　him　calmly　over　from　head　to　feet　　it　wuz　a　witherin'　look；　and　yet　pitiful；　that　took　in　the　hull　body　and　soul；　and　weighed　'em　in　the　balances　of　common　sense；　and　pity；　and　justice。　　It　wuz　a　look　that　seemed　to　envelop　him　all　to　one　time；　and　took　him　all　in；　his　bald　head；　his　vest；　and　his　boots；　and　his　mind　（what　he　had）；　and　his　efforts　to　be　fashionable；　and　his　trials　and　tribulations　at　it；　and　　and　everything。　　I　give　him　that　one　long　look；　and　then　I　says：　〃Jealous？　　No；　I　haint　jealous。〃　Then　silence　rained　again　about　us；　and　Josiah　spoke　out　（his　conscience　was　a　troublin'　him）；　and　he　says：　〃You　know　in　fashionable　life；　Samantha；　you　have　to　do　things　which　seem　unkind；　and　Ezra；　though　a　good；　worthy　man；　can't　understand　these　things　as　I　do。〃　Says　I：　〃Josiah　Allen；　you'll　see　the　day　that　you'll　be　sorry　for　your　treatment　of　Druzilla　Balch；　and　Ezra。〃　〃Oh　wall；〃　says　he；　pullin'　up　his　collar；　〃I'm　bound　to　be　fashionable。　　While　I　can　go　with　the　upper　10；　it　is　my　duty　and　my　privilege　to　go　with　'em；　and　not　mingle　in　the　lower　classes　like　the　Balches。〃　Says　I　firmly；　〃You　look　out；　or　some　of　them　10　will　be　the　death　of　you；　and　you　may　see　the　day　that　you　will　be　glad　to　leave　'em；　the　hull　10　of　em；　and　go　back　to　Druzilla　and　Ezra　Balch。〃　But　what　more　words　might　have　passed　between　us；　wuz　cut　short　by　the　arrival　of　Ezra　and　Druzilla　in　a　good　big　carriage；　with　Miss　Balch　on　the　back　seat；　and　Ezra　acrost　from　her；　and　a　man　up　in　front　a　drivin'。　　It　wuz　a　good　lookin'　sight；　and　I　hastened　down　the　steps；　Josiah　disappearin'　inside　jest　as　quick　as　he　ketched　sight　of　their　heads。　They　asked　me　anxiously　〃where　Josiah　wuz　and　why　he　didn't　come？〃　And　I　told　'em；　〃that　Josiah　had　told　me　that　mornin'　that　he　felt　manger；　and　he　had　some　corns　that　wuz　a　achin'。〃　So　much　wuz　truth；　and　I　told　it；　and　then　moved　off　the　subject；　and　they　seein'　my　looks；　didn't　pursue　it　any　further。　　They　proposed　to　go　back　to　their　boardin'　place；　and　take　in　Deacon　Balch；　Ezra's　brother　from　Chicago；　who　wuz　stayin'　there　a　few　days　to　recooperate　his　energies；　and　get　help　for　tizick。　　So　they　did。　　He　wuz　a　widowed　man。　　Yes；　he　was　the　widower　of　Cornelia　Balch　who　I　used　to　know　well；　a　good　lookin'　and　a　good　actin'　man。　　And　he　seemed　to　like　my　appeerance　pretty　well；　though　I　am　fur　from　bein'　the　one　that　ort　to　say　it。　And　as　we　rolled　on　over　the　broad　beautiful　road　towards　Saratoga　Lake；　I　begun　to　feel　better　in　my　mind。　The　Deacon　wuz　edifyin'　in　conversation；　and　he　thought；　and　said；　〃that　my　mind　was　the　heftiest　one　that　he　had　ever　met；　and　he　had　met　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　'em。〃　　He　meant　it；　you　could　see　that；　he　meant　every　word　he　said。　　And　it　wuz　kind　of　comfortin'　to　hear　the　Deacon　say　so；　for　I　respected　the　Deacon；　and　I　knew　he　meant　just　what　he　said。　He　said；　and　believed；　though　it　haint　so；　but　the　Deacon　believed　it；　〃that　I　looked　younger　than　I　did　the　day　I　wuz　married。〃　I　told　him　〃I　didn't　feel　so　young。〃　〃Wall；〃　he　said；　〃then　my　looks　deceived　me；　for　I　looked　as　young；　if　not　younger。〃　Deacon　Balch　is　a　good；　kind；　Christian　man。　His　conversation　was　very　edifyin'；　and　he　looked　kinder　good；　and　warm…hearted　at　me　out　of　his　eyes；　which　wuz　blue；　some　the　color　of　my　Josiah's。　　But　alas！　　I　felt　that　though　some　comforted　and　edified　by　his　talk；　still；　my　heart　was　not　there；　not　there　in　that　double　buggy　with　2　seats；　but　wuz　afur　off　with　my　pardner。　I　felt　that　Josiah　Allen　wuz　a　carryin'　my　heart　with　him　wherever　he　wuz　a　goin'。　　Curious；　haint　it？　　Now　you　may　set　and　smile；　and　talk；　and　seem　to　be　enjoyin'　yourself　first…rate；　with　agreeable　personages　all　around　you；　and　you　do　enjoy　yourself　with　that　part　of　your　nater。　　But　with　it　all；　down　deep　under　the　laughs；　and　the　bright　words；　the　comfort　you　get　out　of　the　answerin'　laughs；　the　gay　talk；　under　it　all　is　the　steady　consciousness　that　the　real　self　is　fur　away；　the　heart；　the　soul　is　fur　away；　held　by　some　creeter　whether　he　be　high；　or　whether　he　be　low；　it　don't　matter　　there　your　heart　is；　a　goin'　towards　happiness；　or　a　travellin'　towards　pain　as　the　case　may　be　　curious；　haint　it？　Wall；　Ezra　and　Druzilla　wanted　to　go　to　the　Sulphur　Springs　way　beyend　Saratoga　Lake；　and　as　the　Deacon　wuz　agreeable；　and　I　also；　we　sot　out　for　it；　though；　as　we　all　said；　it　wuz　goin'　to　be　a　pretty　long　and　tegus　journey　for　a　hot　day。　　But　we　went　along　the　broad；　beautiful　highway；　by　the　high；　handsome　gates　of　the　Racing　Park；　down；　down；　by　handsome　houses　and　shady　woods；　and　fields　of　bright…colored　wild　flowers　on　each　side　of　the　road；　down　to　the　beautiful　lake；　acrost　it　over　the　long　bridge；　and　then　into　the　long；　cool　shadows　of　the　bendin'　trees　that　bend　over　the　road　on　each　side；　while　through　the　green　boughs；　jest　at　our　side　we　could　ketch　a　sight　of　the　blue；　peaceful　waters；　a　lyin'　calm　and　beautiful　jest　by　the　side　of　us　　on；　on；　through　the　long；　sheltered　pathway；　out　into　the　sunshine　for　a　spell；　with　peaceful　fields　a　layin'　about　us；　and　peaceful　cattle　a　wanderin'　over　'em；　and　then　into　the　shade　agin；　till　at　last　we　see　a　beautiful　mountin'；　with　its　head　held　kinder　high；　crowned　with　ferns　and　hemlocks；　and　its　feet　washed　by　the　cool　water　of　the　beautiful　lake。　The　shadows　of　this　mountin'；　tree　crowned；　lay　on　the　smooth；　placid　wave；　and　a　white　sail　boat　wuz　a　comin'　round　the　side　on't；　and　floatin'　over　the　green；　crystal　branches；　and　golden　shadows。　　It　wuz　a　fair　seen；　seen　for　a　moment；　and　then　away　we　went　into　the　green　shadows　of　the　woods　again；　round　a　corner；　and　here　we　wuz；　at　the　Sulphur　Springs。　It　wuz　a　quiet　peaceful　spot。　　The　house　looked　pleasant；　and　so　did　the　Landlord；　and　Landlady；　and　we　dismounted　and　walked　through　a　long　clean　hall；　and　went　out　onto　a　back　piazza　and　sot　down。　　And　I　thought　as　I　sot　there；　that　I　would　be　glad　enough　to　set　there；　for　some　time。　　Everything　looked　so　quiet　and　serene。　　The　paths　leadin'　up　the　hills　in　different　directions；　out　into　the　green　woods；　looked　quiet；　the　pretty；　grassy　backyard　leadin'　down　to　the　water　side　looked　green　and　peaceable；　and　around　all；　and　beyond　all；　wuz　the　glory　of　the　waters。　　They　lay　stretched　out　beautiful　and　in　heavenly　calm；　and　the　sun；　which　wuz　low　in　the　West；　made　a　gold　path　acrost　'em；　where　it　seemed　as　if　one　could　walk　over　only　a　little　ways；　into　Perfect　Repose。　　The　Lake　somehow　looked　like　a　glowin'　pavement；　it　didn't　look　like　water；　but　it　seemed　like　broad　fields　of　azure　and　palest　lavender；　and　pinky　grey；　and　pearly　white；　and　every　soft　and　delicate　color　that　water　cou