the peterkin papers-第13部分

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！



John　Osborne　said　it　was　time　for　conundrums；　and　asked：　〃Why　is　a　pastoral　　musical　play　better　than　the　music　we　have　here？　Because　one　is　a　grasshopper；　　and　the　other　is　a　grass…opera！〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　said　she　knew　a　conundrum；　a　very　funny　one；　one　of　her　friends　　in　Boston　had　told　her。　It　was；　〃Why　is…〃　It　began；　〃Why　is　something　like…〃

…no；　〃Why　are　they　different？〃　It　was　something　about　an　old　woman；　or　else　it　　was　something　about　a　young　one。　It　was　very　funny；　if　she　could　only　think　what　　it　was　about；　or　whether　it　was　alike　or　different。

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　was　proposing　they　should　guess　Elizabeth　Eliza's　　conundrum；　first　the　question；　and　then　the　answer；　when　one　of　the　Tremletts　　came　running　down　the　hill；　and　declared　she　had　just　discovered　a　very　　threatening　cloud；　and　she　was　sure　it　was　going　to　rain　down　directly。

Everybody　started　up；　though　no　cloud　was　to　be　seen。

There　was　a　great　looking　for　umbrellas　and　water…proofs。　Then　it　appeared　that　　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　left　hers；　after　all；　though　she　had　gone　back　for　it　twice。

Mr。　Peterkin　knew　he　had　not　forgotten　his　umbrella；　because　he　had　put　the　　whole　umbrella…stand　into　the　wagon；　and　it　had　been　brought　up　the　hill；　but　it　　proved　to　hold　only　the　family　canes！

　There　was　a　great　cry　for　the　〃emergency　basket；〃　that　had　not　been　opened　yet。

Mrs。　Peterkin　explained　how　for　days　the　family　had　been　putting　into　it　what　　might　be　needed；　as　soon　as　anything　was　thought　of。　Everybody　stopped　to　see　　its　contents。　It　was　carefully　covered　with　newspapers。　First　came　out　a　　backgammon…board。　〃That　would　be　useful；〃　said　Ann　Maria；　〃if　we　have　to　spend　　the　afternoon　in　anybody's　barn。〃　Next；　a　pair　of　andirons。　〃What　were　they　　for？〃　〃In　case　of　needing　a　fire　in　the　woods；〃　explained　Solomon　John。　Then　　came　a　volume　of　the　Encyclop？dia。　But　it　was　the　first　volume；　Agamemnon　now　　regretted；　and　contained　only　A　and　a　part　of　B；　and　nothing　about　rain　or　　showers。　Next；　a　bag　of　pea…nuts；　put　in　by　the　little　boys；　and　Elizabeth　　Eliza's　book　of　poetry；　and　a　change　of　boots　for　Mr。　Peterkin；　a　small　foot…rug　　in　case　the　ground　should　be　damp；　some　paint…boxes　of　the　little　boys'；　　a　box　　of　fish…hooks　for　Solomon　John；　an　ink…bottle；　carefully　done　up　in　a　great　deal　　of　newspaper；　which　was　fortunate；　as　the　ink　was　oozing　out；　some　old　　magazines；　and　a　blacking…bottle；　and　at　the　bottom；　a　sun…dial。　It　was　all　very　　entertaining；　and　there　seemed　to　be　something　for　every　occasion　but　the　　present。　Old　Mr。　Bromwick　did　not　wonder　the　basket　was　so　heavy。　It　was　all　so　　interesting　that　nobody　but　the　Tremletts　went　down　to　the　carriages。

The　sun　was　shining　brighter　than　ever；　and　Ann　Maria　insisted　on　setting　up　the　　sun…dial。　Certainly　there　was　no　danger　of　a　shower；　and　they　might　as　well　go　　on　with　the　picnic。　But　when　Solomon　John　and　Ann　Maria　had　arranged　the　　sun…dial；　they　asked　everybody　to　look　at　their　watches；　so　that　they　might　see　　if　it　was　right。　And　then　came　a　great　exclamation　at　the　hour：　〃It　was　time　　they　were　all　going　home！〃

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　had　been　wrapping　her　shawl　about　her；　as　she　felt　　the　sun　was　low。　But　nobody　had　any　idea　it　was　so　late！　Well；　they　had　left　　late；　and　went　back　a　great　many　times；　had　stopped　sometimes　to　consult；　and　　had　been　long　on　the　road；　and　it　had　taken　a　long　time　to　fetch　up　the　things；　　so　it　was　no　wonder　it　was　time　to　go　away。　But　it　had　been　a　delightful　picnic；　　after　all。

　THE　PETERKINS'　CHARADES。　　EVER　since　the　picnic　the　Peterkins　had　been　wanting　to　have　〃something〃　at　　their　house　in　the　way　of　entertainment。　The　little　boys　wanted　to　get　up　a　　〃great　Exposition；〃　to　show　to　the　people　of　the　place。　But　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　　it　too　great　an　effort　to　send　to　foreign　countries　for　〃exhibits；〃　and　it　was　　given　up。

There　was；　however；　a　new　water…trough　needed　on　the　town　common；　and　the　ladies　　of　the　place　thought　it　ought　to　be　something　handsome；…something　more　than　a　　common　trough；…and　they　ought　to　work　for　it。

Elizabeth　Eliza　had　heard　at　Philadelphia　how　much　women　had　done；　and　she　felt　　they　ought　to　contribute　to　such　a　cause。　She　had　an　idea；　but　she　would　not　　speak　of　it　at　first；　not　until　after　she　had　written　to　the　lady　from　　Philadelphia。　She　had　often　thought；　in　many　cases；　if　they　had　asked　her　advice　　first；　they　might　have　saved　trouble。

　Still；　how　could　they　ask　advice　before　they　themselves　knew　what　they　wanted？

It　was　very　easy　to　ask　advice；　but　you　must　first　know　what　to　ask　about。　And　　again：　Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　you　might　have　ideas；　but　you　could　not　always　put　　them　together。　There　was　this　idea　of　the　water…trough；　and　then　this　idea　of　　getting　some　money　for　it。　So　she　began　with　writing　to　the　lady　from　　Philadelphia。　The　little　boys　believed　she　spent　enough　for　it　in　postage…stamps　　before　it　all　came　out。

But　it　did　come　out　at　last　that　the　Peterkins　were　to　have　some　charades　at　　their　own　house　for　the　benefit　of　the　needed　water…trough；…tickets　sold　only　to　　especial　friends。　Ann　Maria　Bromwick　was　to　help　act；　because　she　could　bring　　some　old　bonnets　and　gowns　that　had　been　worn　by　an　aged　aunt　years　ago；　and　　which　they　had　always　kept。　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　that　Solomon　John　would　have　to　　be　a　Turk；　and　they　must　borrow　all　the　red　things　and　cashmere　scarfs　in　the　　place。　She　knew　people　would　be　willing　to　lend　things。

Agamemnon　thought　you　ought　to　get　in　something　about　the　Hindoos；　they　were　　such　an　odd　people。　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　you　must　not　have　it　too　odd；　or　people　　would　not　understand　it；　and　she　did　not　want　anything　to　frighten　her　mother。

She　had　one　word　suggested　by　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　in　her　letters；…the　one　　that　had　〃Turk〃　in　it；…but　they　ought　to　have　two　words　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Ann　Maria　said；　〃you　must　have　two　words；　if　the　people　paid　for　　their　tickets　they　would　want　to　get　their　money's　worth。〃

Solomon　John　thought　you　might　have　〃Hindoos〃；　the　little　boys　could　color　their　　faces　brown；　to　look　like　Hindoos。　You　could　have　the　first　scene　an　Irishman　　catching　a　hen；　and　then　paying　the　water…taxes　for　〃dues；〃　and　then　have　the　　little　boys　for　Hindoos。

　A　great　many　other　words　were　talked　of；　but　nothing　seemed　to　suit。　There　was　　a　curtain；　too；　to　be　thought　of；　because　the　folding…doors　stuck　when　you　tried　　to　open　and　shut　them。　Agamemnon　said　that　the　Pan…Elocutionists　had　a　curtain　　they　would　probably　lend　John　Osborne；　and　so　it　was　decided　to　ask　John　Osborne　　to　help。

If　they　had　a　curtain　they　ought　to　have　a　stage。　Solomon　John　said　he　was　sure　　he　had　boards　and　nails　enough；　and　it　would　be　easy　to　make　a　stage　if　John　　Osborne　would　help　put　it　up。

All　this　talk　was　the　day　before　the　charades。　In　the　midst　of　it　Ann　Maria　went　　over　for　her　old　bonnets　and　dresses　and　umbrellas；　and　they　spent　the　evening　　in　trying　on　the　various　things；…such　odd　caps　and　remarkable　bonnets　！　Solomon　　John　said　they　ought　to　have　plenty　of　bandboxes；　if　you　only　had　bandboxes　　enough　a　charade　was　sure　to　go　off　well；　he　had　seen　charades　in　Boston。　Mrs。

Peterkin　said　there　were　plenty　in　their　attic；　and　the　little　boys　brought　down　　piles　of　them；　and　the　back　parlor　was　filled　with　costumes。

Ann　Maria　said　she　could　bring　over　more　things　if　she　only　knew　what　they　were　　going　to　act。　Elizabeth　Eliza　told　her　to　bring　anything　she　had；…it　would　all　　come　of　use。

The　morning　came；　and　the　boards　were　collected　for　the　stage。　Agamemnon　and　　Solomon　John　gave　themselves　to　the　work；　and　John　Osborne　helped　zealously。　He　　said　the　Pan…Elocutionists　would　lend　a　scene　also。　There　was　a　great　clatter　of　　bandboxes；　and　piles　of　shawls　in　corners；　and　such　a　piece　of　work　in　getting　　up　the　curtain！　In　the　midst　of　it　came　in　the　little　boys；　shouting；　〃All　the　　tickets　are　sold；　at　ten　cents　each　！〃

〃Seventy　tickets　sold！〃　exclaimed　Agamemnon。

〃Seven　dollars　for　the　water…trough！〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃And　we　do　not　know　yet　what　we　are　going　to　act！〃　exclaimed　Ann　Maria。

But　everybody's　attention　had　to　be　given　to　the　scene　that　was　going　up　in　the　　background；　borrowed　from　the　Pan…Elocutionists。　It　was　magnificent；　and　　represented　a　forest。

〃Where　are　we　going　to　put　seventy　people？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Peterkin；　venturing；　　dismayed；　into　the　heaps　of　shavings；　and　boards；　and　litter。

The　little　boys　exclaimed　that　a　large　part　of　the　audience　consisted　of　boys；　　who　would　not　take　up　much　room。　But　how　much　clearing　and　sweeping　and　moving　　of　chairs　was　necessary　before　all　could　be　made　ready！　It　was　late；　and　some　of　　the　people　had　already　come　to　secure　good　seats；　even　before　the　actors　had　　assembled。

〃What　are　we　going　to　act？〃　asked　Ann　Maria。

〃I　have　been　so　torn　with　one　thing　and　another；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃I　　haven't　had　time　to　think！〃

〃Haven't　you　the　word　yet？〃　asked　John　Osborne；　for　the　audience　was　flocking　　in；　and　the　seats　were　filling　up　rapidly。

〃I　have　got　one　word　in　my　pocket；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃in　the　letter　from　　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。　She　sent　me　the　parts　of　the　word。　Solomon　John　is　　to　be　a　Turk；　but　I　don't　yet　understan