the diary of a goose girl(牧鹅女日记)-第7章
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！
does not appear whether Nature is on the side of the farmer or the
rabbit 。 。 。
There is as much comedy and as much tragedy in poultry life as
anywhere； and already I see rifts within lutes。 We have in a cage a
French gentleman partridge married to a Hungarian lady of defective sight。
He paces back and forth in the pen restlessly； anything but content with the
domestic fireside。 One can see plainly that he is devoted to the
Boulevards； and that if left to his own inclinations he would never have
chosen any spouse but a thorough Parisienne。
The Hungarian lady is blind of one eye； from some stray shot； I
suppose。 She is melancholy at all times； and occasionally goes so far as
to beat her head against the wire netting。 If liberated； Mr。 Heaven says
that her blindness would only expose her to death at the hands of the first
sportsman； and it always seems to me as if she knows this； and is ever
28
… Page 29…
The Diary of a Goose Girl
trying to decide whether a loveless marriage is any better than the tomb。
Then； again； the great； grey gander is； for some mysterious reason； out
of favour with the entire family。 He is a noble and amiable bird； by far
the best all…round character in the flock； for dignity of mien and large…
minded common…sense。 What is the treatment vouchsafed to this
blameless husband and father？ One that puts anybody out of sorts with
virtue and its scant rewards。 To begin with； the others will not allow him
to go into the pond。 There is an organised cabal against it； and he sits
solitary on the bank； calm and resigned； but； naturally； a trifle hurt。 His
favourite retreat is a tiny sort of island on the edge of the pool under the
alders； where with his bent head； and red…rimmed philosophic eyes he
regards his own breast and dreams of happier days。 When the others
walk into the country twenty…three of them keep together； and Burd Alane
（as I have named him from the old ballad） walks by himself。 The lack of
harmony is so evident here； and the slight so intentional and direct； that it
almost moves me to tears。 The others walk soberly； always in couples；
but even Burd Alane's rightful spouse is on the side of the majority； and
avoids her consort。
What is the nature of his offence？ There can be no connubial
jealousies； I judge； as geese are strictly monogamous； and having chosen a
partner of their joys and sorrows they cleave to each other until death or
some other inexorable circumstance does them part。 If they are ever
mistaken in their choice； and think they might have done better； the world
is none the wiser。 Burd Alane looks in good condition； but Phoebe thinks
he is not quite himself； and that some day when he is in greater strength he
will turn on his foes and rend them； regaining thus his lost prestige； for
formerly he was king of the flock。
* * *
Phoebe has not a vestige of sentiment。 She just asked me if I would
have a duckling or a gosling for dinner； that there were two quite ready
the brown and yellow duckling； that is the last to leave the water at night；
and the white gosling that never knows his own 'ouse。 Which would I
'ave； and would I 'ave it with sage and onion？
Now； had I found a duckling on the table at dinner I should have eaten
29
… Page 30…
The Diary of a Goose Girl
it without thinking at all； or with the thought that it had come from
Barbury Green。 But eat a duckling that I have stoned out of the pond；
pursued up the bank； chased behind the wire netting； caught； screaming； in
a corner； and carried struggling to his bed？ Feed upon an idiot gosling that
I have found in nine different coops on nine successive nightsin with the
newly…hatched chicks； the half…grown pullets； the setting hen； the
〃invaleed goose；〃 the drake with the gapes； the old ducks in the pen？Eat
a gosling that I have caught and put in with his brothers and sisters （whom
he never recognises） so frequently and regularly that I am familiar with
every joint in his body？
In the first place； with my own small bump of locality and lack of
geography； I would never willingly consume a creature who might； by
some strange process of assimilation； make me worse in this respect； in
the second place； I should have to be ravenous indeed to sit down
deliberately and make a meal of an intimate friend； no matter if I had not a
high opinion of his intelligence。 I should as soon think of eating the
Square Baby； stuffed with sage and onion and garnished with green apple…
sauce； as the yellow duckling or the idiot gosling。
Mrs。 Heaven has just called me into her sitting…room； ostensibly to ask
me to order breakfast； but really for the pleasure of conversation。 Why
she should inquire whether I would relish some gammon of bacon with
eggs； when she knows that there has not been； is not now； and never will
be； anything but gammon of bacon with eggs； is more than I can explain。
〃Would you like to see my flowers； miss？〃 she asks； folding her plump
hands over her white apron。 〃They are looking beautiful this morning。
I am so fond of potted plants； of plants in pots。 Look at these geraniums！
Now； I consider that pink one a perfect bloom； yes； a perfect bloom。 This
is a fine red one； is it not； miss？ Especially fine； don't you think？ The
trouble with the red variety is that they're apt to get 〃bobby〃 and have to
be washed regularly； quite bobby they do get indeed； I assure you。 That
white one has just gone out of blossom； and it was really wonderful。 You
could 'ardly have told it from a paper flower； miss； not from a white paper
flower。 My plants are my children nowadays； since Albert Edward is my
only care。 I have been the mother of eleven children； miss； all of them
30
… Page 31…
The Diary of a Goose Girl
living； so far as I know； I know nothing to the contrary。 I 'ope you are
not wearying of this solitary place； miss？ It will grow upon you； I am
sure； as it did upon Mrs。 Pollock； with all her peculiar fancies； and as it 'as
grown upon us。We formerly had a butcher's shop in Buffington； and it
was naturally a great responsibility。 Mr。 Heaven's nerves are not strong；
and at last he wanted a life of more quietude； more quietude was what he
craved。 The life of a retail butcher is a most exciting and wearying one。
Nobody satisfied with their meat； as if it mattered in a world of change！
Everybody complaining of too much bone or too little fat； nobody wishing
tough chops or cutlets； but always seeking after fine joints； when it's
against reason and nature that all joints should be juicy and all cutlets
tender； always complaining if livers are not sent with every fowl； always
asking you to remember the trimmin's； always wanting their beef well 'ung；
and then if you 'ang it a minute too long； it's left on your 'ands！ I often
used to say to Mr。 Heaven； yes many's the time I've said it； that if people
would think more of the great 'ereafter and less about their own little
stomachs； it would be a deal better for them； yes； a deal better； and make it
much more comfortable for the butchers！〃
* * *
Burd Alane has had a good quarter of an hour to…day。
His spouse took a brief promenade with him。 To be sure； it was
during an absence of the flock on the other side of the hedge so that the
moral effect of her spasm of wifely loyalty was quite lost upon them。 I
strongly suspect that she would not have granted anything but a secret
interview。 What a petty； weak； ignoble character！ I really don't like to
think so badly of any fellow… creature as I am forced to think of that politic；
time…serving； pusillanimous goose。 I believe she laid the egg that
produced the idiot gosling！
31
… Page 32…
The Diary of a Goose Girl
CHAPTER IX
Here follows the true story of Sir Muscovy Drake； the Lady Blanche；
and Miss Malardina Crippletoes。
Phoebe's flock consisted at first mostly of Brown Mallards； but a
friend gave her a sitting of eggs warranted to produce a most beautiful
variety of white ducks。 They were hatched in due time； but proved hard
to raise； till at length there was only one survivor； of such uncommon
grace and beauty that we called her the Lady Blanche。 Presently a
neighbour sold Phoebe his favourite Muscovy drake； and these two
splendid creatures by 〃natural selection〃 disdained to notice the rest of the
flock； but forming a close friendship； wandered in the pleasant paths of
duckdom together； swimming and eating quite apart from the others。
In the brown flock there was one unfortunate； misshapen from the egg；
quite lame； and with no smoothness of plumage； but on that very account；
apparently； or because she was too weak to resist them； the others treated
her cruelly； biting her and pushing her away from the food。
One day it happened that the two ducksSir Muscovy and Lady
Blanchehad come up from the water before the others； and having taken
their repast were sitting together under the shade of a flowering currant…
bush； when they chanced to see poor Miss Crippletoes very badly used
and crowded away from the dish。 Sir Muscovy rose
