samantha at saratoga-第42章

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　slept　peaceful　agin；　but　chilly；　till　anon；　or　about　that　time；　I　beard　a　strange　sound　and　I　waked　up　with　a　start。　　It　wuz　in　the　first　faint　glow　of　mornin'　twilight。　　But　as　faint　as　the　light　wuz；　for　the　eye　of　love　is　keen；　I　missed　my　beloved　pardner's　head　from　the　opposite　pillow；　and　I　riz　up　in　wild　agitation　and　thinkses　I；　〃Has　rapine　took　place　here；　has　Josiah　Allen　been　abducted　away　from　me？　　Is　he　a　kidnapped　Josiah？〃　At　that　fearful　thought　my　heart　begun　to　beat　so　voyalently　as　to　almost　stop　my　breath；　and　I　felt　I　wuz　growin'　pale　and　wan；　wanner；　fur　wanner　than　I　had　been　sense　I　came　to　Saratoga。　　I　love　Josiah　Allen；　he　is　dear　to　me。　And　I　riz　up　feelin'　that　I　would　find　that　dear　man　and　rescue　him　or　perish　in　the　attempt。　　Yes；　I　felt　that　I　must　perish　if　I　did　not　find　him。　　What　would　life　be　to　me　without　him？　　And　as　I　thought　that　thought　the　light　of　the　day　that　wuz　a　breakin'；　looked　sort　of　a　faint　to　me；　and　sickish。　　And　like　a　flash　it　came　to　me；　the　thought　that　that　light　seemed　like　the　miserable　dawns　of　wretched　days　without　him；　a　pale　light　with　no　warmth　or　brightness　in　it。　But　at　that　very　minute　I　heard　a　noise　outside　the　door；　and　I　heard　that　beloved　voice　a　sayin'　in　low　axents　the　words　I　had　so　often　heard　him　speak；　words　I　had　oft　rebuked　him　for；　but　now；　so　weak　will　human　love　make　one；　now；　I　welcome　them　gladly　　they　sounded　exquisitely　sweet　to　me。　　The　words　wuz；　〃Dumb　'em！〃　And　I　joyfully　opened　the　door。　　But　oh！　what　a　sight　met　my　eye。　There　stood　Josiah　Allen；　arrayed　in　a　blanket　he　had　took　from　our　bed　（that　accounted　for　my　cold　feelin'　in　my　dream）。　　The　blanket　wuz　white；　with　a　gay　border　of　red　and　yellow。　　He　had　fixed　it　onto　him　in　a　sort　of　a　dressy　way；　and　strapped　it　round　the　waist　with　my　shawl　strap。　　And　he　had　took　a　bright　yeller　silk　handkerchief　of　hisen；　and　had　wrapped　it　round　his　head　so's　it　hung　down　some　like　a　cap；　and　he　wuz　a　tryin'　to　fasten　it　round　his　forward　with　one　of　my　stockin'　supporters。　He　couldn't　buckle　it；　and　that　is　what　called　forth　his　exclamations。　　At　his　feet；　partly　upon　the　stairs；　wuz　the　bolster　from　our　bed　（that　accounted　for　the　log　that　had　gin　way）。　　And　he　had　spread　a　little　red　shawl　of　mine　over　the　top　on't；　and　as　I　opened　the　door　he　wuz　jest　ready　to　embark　on　the　bolster；　he　waz　jest　a　steppin'　onto　it。　　But　as　he　see　me　he　paused；　and　I　sez　in　low　axents；　〃What　are　you　a　goin'　to　do；　Josiah　Allen？〃　〃I'm　a　goin'　to　Toboggen；〃　sez　he。　Sez　I；　〃Do　you　stop　at　once；　and　come　back　into　your　room。〃　〃No；　no！〃　sez　he　firmly；　and　preparin'　to　embark　on　the　bolster；　〃I　am　a　goin'　to　Toboggen。　　And　you　come　and　go　to。　　It　is　so　fashionable；〃　sez　he；　〃such　a　genteel　diversion。〃　Sez　I；　〃Do　you　stop　it　at　once；　and　come　back　to　your　room。　Why；〃　sez　I；　〃the　hull　house　will　be　routed　up；　and　be　up　here　in　a　minute。〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　he；　〃they'll　see　fun　if　they　do　and　fashion。　　I　am　a　goin'；　Samantha！〃　and　be　stepped　forward。　Sez　I；　〃They'll　see　sunthin'　else　that　begins　with　a　f；　but　it　haint　fun　or　fashion。'　　And　agin　I　sez；　〃Do　you　come　back；　Josiah　Allen。　　You'll　break　your　neck　and　rout　up　the　house；　and　be　called　a　fool。〃　〃Oh　no；　Samantha！　I　must　Toboggen。　　I　must　go　down　the　slide　once。〃　　And　he　fixed　the　bolster　more　firmly　on　the　top　stair。　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　feelin'　that　I　wuz　drove　to　my　last　ambush　by　him；　sez　I；　〃probably　five　dollars　won't　make　the　expenses　good；　besides　your　doctor's　bill；　and　my　mornin'。　　And　I　shall　put　on　the　deepest　of　crape；　Josiah　Allen；〃　sez　I。　I　see　he　wavered　and　I　pressed　the　charge　home。　　Sez　I；　〃That　bolster　is　thin　cloth；　Josiah　Allen；　and　you'll　probably　have　to　pay　now　for　draggin'　it　all　over　the　floor。　　If　anybody　should　see　you　with　it　there；　that　bolster　would　be　charged　in　your　bill。　　And　how　would　it　look　to　the　neighbors　to　have　a　bolster　charged　in　your　bill？　　And　I　should　treasure　it；　Josiah　Allen；　as　bein'　the　last　bill　you　made　before　you　broke　your　neck　！〃　〃Oh；　wall；〃　sez　he；　〃I　s'pose　I　can　put　the　bolster　back。〃　　But　he　wuz　snappish；　and　he　kep'　snappish　all　day。　He　wuzn't　quelled。　　Though　he　had　gin　in　for　the　time　bein'　I　see　he　wuzn't　quelled　down。　　He　acted　dissatisfied　and　highheaded；　and　I　felt　worried　in　my　mind；　not　knowin'　what　his　next　move　would　be。　Oh！　the　tribulations　it　makes　a　woman　to　take　care　of　a　man。　　But　then　it　pays。　　After　all；　in　the　deepest　of　my　tribulations　I　feel；　I　do　the　most　of　the　time　feel；　that　it　pays。　　When　he　is　good　he　is　dretful　good。　Wall；　I　went　over　to　see　Polly　Pixley　the　next　night；　and　when　I　got　back　to　my　room；　there　stood　Josiah　Allen　with　both　of　his　feet　sort　a　bandaged　and　tied　down　onto　sumthin'；　which　I　didn't　at　first　recognize。　　It　waz　big　and　sort　a　egg　shaped；　and　open　worked；　and　both　his　feet　wuz　strapped　down　tight　onto　it；　and　he　wuz　a　pushin'　himself　round　the　room　with　his　umberell。　And　I　sez；　〃What　is　the　matter　now；　Josiah　Allen；　what　are　you　a　doin'　now？〃　〃Oh　I　am　a　walkin'　on　snow…shoes；　Samantha！　　But　I　don't　see；〃　sez　he　a　stoppin'　to　rest；　for　he　seemed　tuckered　out；　〃I　don't　see　how　the　savages　got　round　as　they　did　and　performed　such　journeys。　　You　put　'em　on；　Samantha；〃　sez　he；　〃and　see　if　you　can　get　on　any　faster　in　'em。〃　Sez　I；　coldly；　〃The　savages　probable　did'nt　have　both　feet　on　one　shoe；　Josiah　Allen；　as　you　have。　　I　shall　put　on　no　snowshoes　in　the　middle　of　July；　but　if　I　did；　I　should　put　'em　on　accordin'　to　a　little　mite　of　sense。　　I　should　try　to　use　as　much　sense　as　a　savage　any　way。〃　〃Why；　how　it　would　look　to　have　one　foot　on　that　great　big　snow…shoe。　　I　always　did　like　a　good　close　fit　in　my　shoes。　　And　you　see　I　have　room　enough　and　to　spare　for　both　on　'em　on　this。　Why　it　wouldn't　look　dressy　at　all；　Samantha；　to　put　'em　on　as　you　say。〃　Sez　I　very　coldly；　〃I　don't　see　anything　over　and　above　dressy　in　your　looks　now；　Josiah　Allen；　with　both　of　your　feet　tied　down　onto　that　one　shoe；　and　you　a　tryin'　to　move　off　when　you　can't。　I　can't　see　anything　over　and　above　ornamental　in　it；　Josiah　Allen。〃　〃Oh！　you　are　never　willin'　to　give　in　that　I　look　dressy；　Samantha。　　But　I　s'pose　I　can　put　my　feet　where　you　say。　　You　are　so　sot；　but　they　are　too　big　for　me　　I　shall　look　like　a　fool。〃　I　looked　at　him　calmly　over　my　specks；　and　sez　I；　〃I　guess　I　sha'n't　notice　the　difference　or　realize　the　change。　　I　wonder；〃　sez　I；　in　middlin'　cold　axents；　〃how　you　think　you　are　a　lookin'　now；　Josiah　Allen。〃　〃Oh！　keep　a　naggin'　at　me！〃　sez　he。　　But　I　see　he　wuz　a　gittin'　kinder　sick　of　the　idee。　〃What　you　mean　by　puttin'　'em　on　at　all　is　more　than　I　can　say；〃　sez　I；　〃a　tryin　to　walk　on　snowshoes　right　in　dog…days。〃　〃I　put　'em　on；〃　Samantha；　sez　he；　a　beginnin'　to　unstrap　'em；　〃I　put　'em　on　because　I　wanted　to　feel　like　a　savage。〃　〃Wall；〃　sez　I；　〃I　have　seen　you　at　times　durin'　the　last　20　years；　when　I　thought　you　realized　how　they　felt　without　snow…shoes　on；　either。〃　（These　little　interchanges　of　confidence　will　take　place　in　every…day　life。）　　But　at　that　very　minute　Ardelia　Tutt　rapped　at　the　door；　and　Josiah　hustled　them　snow…shoes　into　the　closet；　and　that　wuz　the　last　trial　I　had　with　him　about　'em。　　He　had　borrowed　'em。　Wall；　Ardelia　wuz　dretful　pensive；　and　soft　actin'　tha