samantha at saratoga-第31章

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　up　to　me　once　that　it　made　her　feel　queer　to　be　a　walkin'　'round　her　room　with　not　much　on　only　her　bunnet　all　trimmed　off　with　high　feathers　and　artificial　flowers。　But　she　said　she　wuz　willing　to　do　anythin'　necessary；　and　she　felt　that　she　must　have　her　waist　taper；　no　matter　what　stood　in　the　way　on't。　　She　loves　the　looks　of　a　waist　that　tapers。　　That　wuz　all　the　fault　she　found　with　the　Goddus　of　Liberty　enlightenin'　the　world　in　New　York　Harber。　　We　got　to　talkin'　about　it　and　she　said；　〃If　that　Goddus　only　had　corsets　on；　and　sleeves　that　wuz　skin　tight；　and　her　overskirt　looped　back　over　a　bustle；　it　would　be　perfect！〃　But　I　told　her　I　liked　her　looks　as　well　ag'in　as　she　wuz。　　〃Why；〃　sez　I；　〃How　could　she　lift　her　torch　above　her　head？　　And　how　could　she　ever　enlighten　the　world；　if　she　wuz　so　held　down　by　her　corsets　and　sleeves　that　she　couldn't　wave　her　torch？〃　She　see　in　a　minute　that　it　couldn't　be　done。　　She　owned　up　that　she　couldn't　enlighten　the　world　in　that　condition；　but　as　fur　as　looks　went；　it　would　be　perfectly　beautiful。　But　I　don't　think　so　at　all。　　But；　as　I　say；　Miss　Flamm　has　a　real　hard　time　on't；　all　bard　down　as　she　is；　and　takin'　all　the　care　of　that　dog；　day　and　night。　　She　is　jest　devoted　to　it。　Why　jest　before　we　started　a　little　lame　girl　with　a　shabby　dress；　but　a　face　angel　sweet；　came　to　the　side　of　the　carriage　to　sell　some　water　lilies。　　Her　face　looked　patient；　and　wistful；　and　she　jest　held　out　her　flowers　silently；　and　stood　with　her　bare　feet　on　the　wet　ground　and　her　pretty　eyes　lookin'　pitifully　into　our'n。　　She　wanted　to　sell　'em　awfully；　I　could　see。　　And　I　should　have　bought　the　hull　of　'em　immegitly；　my　feelin's　was　sech；　but　onfortionably　I　had　left　my　port…money　in　my　other　pocket；　and　Josiah　said　he　had　left　his　（mebby　he　had）。　　But　Miss　Flamm　would　have　bought　'em　in　a　minute；　I　knew；　the　child's　face　looked　so　mournful　and　appealin'；　she　would　have　bought　'em；　but　she　wuz　so　engrossed　by　the　dog；　she　wuz　a　holdin'　him　up　in　front　of　her　a　admirin'　and　carressin'　of　him；　so's　she　never　ketched　sight　of　the　lame　child。　No　body；　not　the　best　natured　creeter　in　the　world；　can　see　through　a　dog　when　it　is　held　clost　up　to　the　eye；　closer　than　anything　else。　Wall；　we　drove　down　to　what　they　called　Vichy　Spring　and　there　on　a　pretty　pond　clost　to　the　springhouse；　we　see　a　boat　with　a　bycycle　on　it；　and　a　boy　a　ridin'　it。　　The　boat　wuz　rigged　out　to　look　like　a　swan　with　its　wings　a　comin'　up　each　side　of　the　boy。　And　down　on　the　water；　a　sailin'　along　closely　and　silently　wuz　another　swan；　a　shadow　swan；　a　follerin'　it　right　along。　　It　wuz　a　fair　seen。　And　Josiah　sez　to　me；　〃He　should　ride　that　boat　before　he　left　Saratoga；　he　said　that　wuz　a　undertakin'　that　a　man　might　be　proud　to　accomplish。〃　Sez　I；　〃Josiah　Allen；　don't　you　do　anything　of　the　kind。〃　〃I　MUST；　Samantha；〃　sez　he。　　And　then　he　got　all　animated　about　fixin'　up　a　boat　like　it　at　home。　　Sez　he；　〃Don't　you　think　it　would　be　splendid　to　have　one　on　the　canal　jest　beyond　the　orchard？〃　　And　sez　he；　〃Mebby；　bein'　on　a　farm；　it　would　be　more　appropriate　to　have　a　big　goose　sculptured　out　on　it；　don't　you　think　so？〃　Sez　I；　〃Yes；　it　would　be　fur　more　appropriate；　and　a　goose　a　ridin'　on　it。　　But；〃　sez　I；　〃you　will　never　go　into　that　undertakin'　with　my　consent；　Josiah　Allen。〃　〃Why；〃　sez　he；　〃it　would　be　a　beautiful　recreation；　so　uneek。〃　But　at　that　minute　Miss　Flamm　gin　the　order　to　turn　round　and　start　for　the　Moon；　or　that　is　how　I　understood　her；　and　I　whispered　to　Josiah　and　sez；　〃She　means　to　go　in　the　buggy；　for　the　land's　sake！〃　And　Josiah　sez；　〃Wall；　I　haint　a　goin'　and　you　haint。　　I　won't　let　you　go　into　anythin'　so　dangerus。　　She　will　probably　drive　into　a　baloon　before　long；　and　go　up　in　that　way；　but　jest　before　she　drives　in；　you　and　I　will　get　out；　Samantha；　if　we　have　to　walk　back。〃　〃I　never　heard　of　anybody　goin'　up　in　a　baloon　with　two　horses　and　a　buggy；〃　sez　I。　〃Wall；　new　things　are　a　happenin'　all　the　time；　Samantha。　　And　I　heard　a　feller　a　talkin'　about　it　yesterday。　　You　know　they　are　a　havin'　the　big　political　convention　here；　and　he　said；　（he　wuz　a　real　cute　chap　too；）　he　said；　'if　the　wind　wasted　in　that　convention　could　be　utilized　by　pipes　goin'　up　out　of　the　ruff　of　that　buildin'　where　it　is　held；'　he　said；　'it　would　take　a　man　up　to　the　moon。'　　I　heerd　him　say　it。　　And　now；　who　knows　but　they　have　got　it　all　fixed。　　There　wuz　dretful　windy　speeches　there　this　mornin'。　　I　hearn　'em；　and　I'll　bet　that　is　her　idee；　of　bein'　the　first　one　to　try　it；　she　is　so　fashionable。　　But　I　haint　a　goin'　up　in　no　sech　a　way。〃　〃No；〃　sez　I。　　〃Nor　I　nuther。　　It　would　be　fur　from　my　wishes　to　be　carried　up　to　the　skies　on　the　wind　of　a　political　convention。　〃Though；〃　sez　I　reasonably；　〃I　haint　a　doubt　that　there　wuz　sights；　and　sights　of　it　used　there。〃　But　jest　at　this　minute　Miss　Flamm　got　through　talkin'　with　her　relatives　about　the　road；　and　settled　down　to　caressin'　the　dog　ag'in；　and　Josiah　hadn't　time　to　remark　any　further；　only　to　say；　〃Watch　me；　Samantha；　and　when　I　say　jump；　jump。〃　And　then　we　sot　still　but　watchful。　　And　Miss　Flamm　kissed　the　dog　several　times　and　pressed　him　to　her　heart　that　throbbed　full　of　such　a　boundless　love　for　him。　　And　he　lifted　his　head　and　snapped　at　a　fly；　and　barked　at　my　companion　with　a　renewed　energy；　and　showed　his　intellect　and　delightful　qualities　in　sech　remarkable　ways；　that　filled　Miss　Flamm's　soul　deep　with　a　proud　joy　in　him。　And　then　he　went　to　sleep　a　layin；　down　in　her　lap；　a　mashin'　down　the　delicate　lace　and　embroidery　and　beads。　　He　had　been　a　eating　the　beads；　I　see　him　gnaw　off　more　than　two　dozen　of　'em；　and　I　called　her　attention　to　it；　but　she　said；　〃The　dear　little　darlin'　had　to　have　some　such　recreation。〃　　And　she　let　him　go　on　with　it；　a　mowin'　'em　down；　as　long　as　he　seemed　to　have　a　appetite　for　'em。　And　ag'in　she　called　him　〃angel。〃　　The　idee　of　a　angel　a　gnawin'　off　beads　and　a　yelpin'！　And　I　asked　her；　and　I　couldn't　help　it。　　How　her　baby　wuz　that　afternoon；　and　if　she　ever　took　it　out　to　drive？　And　she　said　she　didn't　really　know　how　it　wuz　this　afternoon；　it　wuzn't　very　well　in　the　mornin'。　　The　nurse　had　it　out　somewhere；　she　didn't　really　know　just　where。　　And　she　said；　no；　she　didn't　take　it　out　with　her　at　all　　fur　she　didn't　feel　equal　to　the　care　of　it；　in　this　hot　weather。　Miss　Flamm　haint　very　well　I　could　see　that。　　The　care　of　that　dog　is　jest　a　killin'　her；　a　carryin'　it　round　with　her　all　the　time　daytimes；　and　a　bein'　up　with　it　so　much　nights。　　She　said　it　had　a　dretful　chill　the　night　before；　and　she　had　to　get　up　to　warm　blankets　to　put　round　it；　〃its　nerves　wuz　so　weak；〃　she　said；　〃and　it　wuz　so　sensative　that　she　could　not　trust　it　to　a　nurse。〃　　She　has　a　hard　time　of　it；　there　haint　a　doubt　of　it。　Wall；　it　wuz　anon；　or　jest　about　anon；　that　Miss　Flamm　turned　to　me　and　sez；　〃Moon's　is　one　of　the　pleasantest　places　on　the　lake。　I　want　you　to　see　it；　folks　drive　out　there　a　sight　from　Saratoga。〃　And　then　I　looked　at　Josiah；　and　Josiah　looked　at　me；　and　peace　and　happiness　settled　down　ag'in　onto　our　hearts。　Wall；　we　got　there　considerably　before　anon　and　we　found　that　Moon's　insted　of　bein'　up　in　another　planet　wuz　a　big；　lo