samantha at saratoga-第4章

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the　side　of　a　canal；　and　had　two　good；　cisterns　on　the　place；　and　a　well；　they　didn't　see　why　I　should　feel　in　a　sufferin'　condition　for　any　more　water；　and　if　I　did；　why　didn't　I　ketch　rain　water？　Such　wuz　some　of　the　deep　arguments　they　brung　up　aginst　my　embarkin'　on　this　enterprise；　they　talked　about　it　sights　and　sights；　　why；　it　lasted　the　neighbors　for　a　stiddy　conversation；　till　along　about　the　middle　of　the　winter。　　Then　the　Minister's　wife　bought　a　new　alpacky　dress　　unbeknown　to　the　church　till　it　wuz　made　up　　and　that　kind　o'　drawed　their　minds　off　o'　me　for　a　spell。　Aunt　Polly　Pixley　wuz　the　only　one　who　received　the　intelligence　gladly。　　And　she　thought　she　would　go　too。　　She　had　been　kinder　run　down　and　most　bed　rid　for　years。　　And　she　had　a　idee　the　water　might　help　her。　　And　I　encouraged　Aunt　Polly　in　the　idee；　for　she　wuz　well　off。　　Yes；　Mr。　and　Miss　Pixley　wuz　very　well　off　though　they　lived　in　a　little　mite　of　a　dark；　low；　lonesome　house；　with　some　tall　Pollard　willows　in　front　of　the　door　in　a　row；　and　jest　acrost　the　road　from　a　grave…yard。　Her　husband　had　been　close　and　wuzn't　willin'　to　have　any　other　luxury　or　means　of　recreation　in　the　house　only　a　bass　viol；　that　had　been　his　father's　　he　used　to　play　on　that　for　hours　and　hours。　　I　thought　that　wuz　one　reason　why　Polly　wuz　so　nervous。　　I　said　to　Josiah　that　it　would　have　killed　me　outright　to　have　that　low　grumblin'　a　goin'　on　from　day　to　day；　and　to　look　at　them　tall　lonesome　willows　and　grave　stuns。　But；　howsumever；　Polly's　husband　had　died　durin'　the　summer；　and　Polly　parted　with　the　bass　viol　the　day　after　the　funeral。　　She　got　out　some　now；　and　wuz　quite　wrought　up　with　the　idee　of　goin'　to　Saratoga。　But　Sister　Minkley；　sister　in　the　church　and　sister…in…law　by　reason　of　Wbitefield；　sez　to　me；　that　she　should　think　I　would　think　twice　before　I　danced　and　waltzed　round　waltzes。　And　I　sez；　〃I　haint　thought　of　doin'　it；　I　haint　thought　of　dancin'　round　or　square　or　any　other　shape。〃　Sez　she；　〃You　have　got　to；　if　you　go　to　Saratoga。〃　Sez　I；　〃Not　while　life　remains　in　this　frame。〃　And　old　Miss　Bobbet　came　up　that　minute　　it　wuz　in　the　store　that　we　were　a　talkin'　　and　sez　she；　〃It　seems　to　me；　Josiah　Allen's　wife；　that　you　are　too　old　to　wear　low…necked　dresses　and　short　sleeves。〃　〃And　I　should　think　you'd　take　cold　a　goin'　bareheaded；〃　sez　Miss　Luman　Spink　who　wuz　with　her。　Sez　I；　lookin'　at　'em　coldly；　〃Are　you　lunys　or　has　softness　begun　on　your　brains？〃　〃Why；〃　sez　they；　〃you　are　talking　about　goin'　to　Saratoga；　hain't　you？〃　〃Yes；〃　sez　I。　〃Well　then　you　have　got　to　wear　'em；〃　says　Miss　Bobbet。　　〃They　don't　let　anybody　inside　of　the　incorporation　without　they　have　got　on　a　low…necked　dress　and　short　sleeves。〃　〃And　bare…headed；〃　sez　Miss　Spink；　〃if　they　have'　got　a　thing　on　their　heads　they　won't　let　'em　in。〃　Sez　I；　〃I　don't　believe　it〃　Sez　Miss　Bobbet；　〃It　is　so；　for　I　hearn　it；　and　hearn　it　straight。　James　Robbets's　wife's　sister　had　a　second　cousin　who　lived　neighbor　to　a　woman　whose　niece　had　been　there；　been　right　there　on　the　spot。　　And　Celestine　Bobbet；　Uncle　Ephraim's　Celestine；　hearn　it　from　James'es　wife　when　she　wuz　up　there　last　spring；　it　come　straight。　　They　all　have　to　go　in　low　necks。〃　〃And　not　a　mite　of　anything　on　their　heads；〃　says　Miss　Spink。　Sez　I　in　sarcastical　axents；　〃Do　men　have　to　go　in　low　necks　too？〃　〃No；〃　says　Miss　Bobbet。　　〃But　they　have　to　have　the　tails　of　their　coats　kinder　pinted。　　Why；〃　sez　she；　〃I　hearn　of　a　man　that　had　got　clear　to　the　incorporation　and　they　wouldn't　let　him　in　because　his　coat　kinder　rounded　off　round　the　bottom；　so　he　went　out　by　the　side　of　the　road　and　pinned　up　his　coat　tails；　into　a　sort　of　a　pinted　shape；　and　good　land　the　incorporation　let　him　right　in；　and　never　said　a　word。〃　I　contended　that　these　things　wuzn't　so；　but　I　found　it　wuz　the　prevailin'　opinion。　　For　when　I　went　to　see　the　dressmaker　about　makin'　me　a　dress　for　the　occasion；　I　see　she　felt　just　like　the　rest　about　it。　　My　dress　wuz　a　good　black　alpacky。　　I　thought　I　would　have　it　begun　along　in　the　edge　of　the　winter；　when　she　didn't　have　so　much　to　do；　and　also　to　have　it　done　on　time。　　We　laid　out　to　start　on　the　follerin'　July；　and　I　felt　that　I　wanted　everything　ready。　I　bought　the　dress　the　7th　day　of　November　early　in　the　forenoon；　the　next　day　after　my　pardner　consented　to　go；　and　give　65　cents　a　yard　for　it；　double　wedth。　　I　thought　I　could　get　it　done　on　time；　dressmakers　are　drove　a　good　deal。　　But　I　felt　that　a　dressmaker　could　commence　a　dress　in　November　and　get　it　done　the　follerin'　July；　without　no　great　strain　bein'　put　onto　her；　and　I　am　fur　from　bein'　the　one　to　put　strains　onto　wimmen；　and　hurry　'em　beyend　their　strength。　　But　I　felt　Almily　had　time　to　make　it　on　honor　and　with　good　buttonholes。　〃Well；〃　she　sez；　the　first　thing　after　she　had　unrolled　the　alpacky；　and　held　it　up　to　the　light　to　see　if　it　was　firm　　sez　she：　〃I　s'pose　you　are　goin'　to　have　it　made　with　a　long　train；　and　low　neck　and　short　sleeves；　and　the　waist　all　girted　down　to　a　taper？〃　I　wuz　agast　at　the　idee；　and　to　think　Alminy　should　broach　it　to　me；　and　I　give　her　a　piece　of　my　mind　that　must　have　lasted　her　for　days　and　days。　　It　wuz　a　long　piece；　and　firm　as　iron。　　But　she　is　a　woman　who　likes　to　have　the　last　word　and　carry　out　her　own　idees；　and　she　insisted　that　nobody　was　allowed　in　Saratoga　　that　they　wuz　outlawed；　and　laughed　at　if　they　didn't　have　trains　and　low　necks；　and　little　mites　of　waists　no　bigger　than　pipe…stems。　Sez　I；　〃Alminy　Hagidone；　do　you　s'pose　that　I；　a　woman　of　my　age；　and　a　member　of　the　meetin'　house；　am　a　goin'　to　wear　a　low…necked　dress？〃　〃Why　not？；〃　sez　she；　〃it　is　all　the　fashion　and　wimmen　as　old　agin　as　you　be　wear　'em。〃　Well；　sez　I；　〃It　is　a　shame　and　a　disgrace　if　they　do；　to　say　nothin'　of　the　wickedness　of　it。　　Who　do　you　s'pose　wants　to　see　their　old　skin　and　bones？　　It　haint　nothin'　pretty　anyway。　　And　as　fer　the　waists　bein'　all　girted　up　and　drawed　in；　that　is　nothin'　but　crushed　bones　and　flesh　and　vitals；　that　is　just　crowdin'　down　your　insides　into　a　state　o'　disease　and　deformity；　torturin'　your　heart　down　so's　the　blood　can't　circulate；　and　your　lungs　so's　you　can't　breathe；　it　is　nothin'　but　slow　murder　anyway；　and　if　I　ever　take　it　into　my　head　to　kill　myself；　Alminy　Hagidone；　I　haint　a　goin'　to　do　it　in　a　way　of　perfect　torture　and　torment　to　me；　I'd　ruther　be　drownded。〃　She　quailed；　and　I　sez；　〃I　am　one　that　is　goin'　to　take　good　long　breaths　to　the　very　last。〃　　She　see　I　wuz　like　iron　aginst　the　idee　of　bein'　drawed　in；　and　tapered；　and　she　desisted。　　I　s'pose　I　did　look　skairful。　　But　she　seemed　still　to　cling　to　the　idee　of　low　necks　and　trains；　and　she　sez　sort　a　rebukingly：　〃You　ortn't　to　go　to　Saratoga　if　you　haint　willin'　to　do　as　the　rest　do。　　I　spose；〃　sez　she　dreamily；　〃the　streets　are　full　of　wimmen　a　walkin'　up　and　down　with　long　trains　a　hangin'　down　and　sweepin'　the　streets；　and　ev'ry　one　on　'em　with　low　necks　and　short　sleeves；　and　all　on　'em　a　flirting　with　some　man〃　〃Truly；〃　sez　I；　〃if　that　is　so；　that　is　why　the　idee　come　to　me。　I　am　needed　there。　　I　have　a　high　mission　to　perform　about。　　But　I　don't　believe　it　is　so。〃　〃Then　you　won't　have　it　made　with　a　long　train？〃