the friendly road(友好的路)-第8章
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living at a distance from what would be their more congenial and
agreeable dwelling…placein the midst of nature； free and unrestrained。'〃
〃That's it；〃 I exclaimed； 〃and the old Chinaman was right！ A garden
excuses civilization。〃
〃It's what brought us here；〃 said Mrs。 Vedder。
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With that we fell into the liveliest discussion of gardening and farming
and country life in all their phases； resolving that while there were bugs
and blights； and droughts and floods； yet upon the whole there was no life
so completely satisfying as life in which one may watch daily the
unfolding of natural life。
A hundred things we talked about freely that had often risen dimly in
my own mind almost to the pointbut not quiteof spilling over into
articulate form。 The marvellous thing about good conversation is that it
brings to birth so many half…realized thoughts of our ownbesides sowing
the seed of innumerable other thought…plants。 How they enjoyed their
garden； those two； and not only the garden itself； but all the lore and
poetry of gardening！
We had been talking thus an hour or more when； quite unexpectedly； I
had what was certainly one of the most amusing adventures of my whole
life。 I can scarcely think of it now without a thrill of pleasure。 I have had
pay for my work in many but never such a reward as this。
〃By the way；〃 said Mr。 Vedder； 〃I have recently come across a book
which is full of the spirit of the garden as we have long known it； although
the author is not treating directly of gardens； but of farming and of human
nature。〃
〃It is really all one subject；〃 I interrupted。
〃Certainly；〃 said Mr。 Vedder； 〃but many gardeners are nothing but
gardeners。 Well； the book to which I refer is called 'Adventures in
Contentment；' and is byWhy； a man of your own name！〃
With that Mr。 Vedder reached for a booka familiar…looking bookon
the table； but Mrs。 Vedder looked at me。 I give you my word； my heart
turned entirely over； and in a most remarkable way righted itself again；
and I saw Roman candles and Fourth of July rockets in front of my eyes。
Never in all my experience was I so completely bowled over。 I felt like a
small boy who has been caught in the pantry with one hand in the jam…pot…
…and plenty of jam on his nose。 And like that small boy I enjoyed the jam；
but did not like being caught at it。
Mr。 Vedder had no sooner got the book in his hand than I saw Mrs。
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Vedder rising as though she had seen a spectre； and pointing dramatically
at me； she exclaimed：
〃You are David Grayson！〃
I can say truthfully now that I know how the prisoner at the bar must
feel when the judge； leaning over his desk； looks at him sternly and says：
〃I declare you guilty of the offence as charged； and sentence you〃
and so on； and so on。
Mr。 Vedder stiffened up； and I can see him yet looking at me through
his glasses。 I must have looked as foolishly guilty as any man ever looked；
for Mr。 Vedder said promptly：
〃Let me take you by the hand； sir。 We know you； and have known you
for a long time。〃
I shall not attempt to relate the conversation which followed； nor tell
of the keen joy I had in itafter the first cold plunge。 We found that we
had a thousand common interests and enthusiasms。 I had to tell them of
my farm； and why I had left it temporarily； and of the experiences on the
road。 No sooner had I related what had befallen me at the Stanleys' than
Mrs。 Vedder disappeared into the house and came out again presently with
a tray loaded with cold meat； bread； a pitcher of fine milk； and other good
things。
〃I shall not offer any excuses；〃 said I； 〃I'm hungry；〃 and with that I laid
in； Mr。 Vedder helping with the milk； and all three of us talking as fast as
ever we could。
It was nearly midnight when at last Mr。 Vedder led the way to the
immaculate little bedroom where I spent the night。
The next morning I awoke early； and quietly dressing； slipped down to
the garden and walked about among the trees and the shrubs and the
flower…beds。 The sun was just coming up over the hill； the air was full of
the fresh odours of morning； and the orioles and cat…birds were singing。
In the back of the garden I found a charming rustic arbour with seats
around a little table。 And here I sat down to listen to the morning concert；
and I saw； cut or carved upon the table； this verse； which so pleased me
that I copied it in my book：
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A garden is a lovesome thing； God wot！ Rose plot； Fringed pool；
Ferned grot The veriest school of peace； and yet the fool Contends that
God is not Not God！ in gardens？ when the even is cool？ Nay； but I have
a sign； 'Tis very sure God walks in mine。
I looked about after copying this verse； and said aloud：
〃I like this garden： I like these Vedders。〃
And with that I had a moment of wild enthusiasm。
〃I will come；〃 I said； 〃and buy a little garden next them； and bring
Harriet； and we will live here always。 What's a farm compared with a
friend？〃
But with that I thought of the Scotch preacher； and of Horace； and Mr。
and Mrs。 Starkweather； and I knew I could never leave the friends at
home。
〃It's astonishing how many fine people there are in this world；〃 I said
aloud； 〃one can't escape them！〃
〃Good morning； David Grayson；〃 I heard some one saying； and
glancing up I saw Mrs。 Vedder at the doorway。 〃Are you hungry？〃
〃I am always hungry；〃 I said。
Mr。 Vedder came out and linking his arm in mine and pointing out
various spireas and Japanese barberries； of which he was very proud； we
walked into the house together。
I did not think of it especially at timeHarriet says I never see
anything really worth while； by which she means dishes； dresses； doilies；
and such like but as I remembered afterward the table that Mrs。 Vedder set
was wonderfully daintydainty not merely with flowers （with which it
was loaded）； but with the quality of the china and silver。 It was plainly the
table of no ordinary gardener or caretakerbut this conclusion did not
come to me until afterward； for as I remember it； we were in a deep
discussion of fertilizers。
Mrs。 Vedder cooked and served breakfast herself； and did it with a skill
almost equal to Harriet'sso skillfully that the talk went on and we never
once heard the machinery of service。
After breakfast we all went out into the garden； Mrs。 Vedder in an old
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straw hat and a big apron； and Mr。 Vedder in a pair of old brown overalls。
Two men had appeared from somewhere； and were digging in the
vegetable garden。 After giving them certain directions Mr。 Vedder and I
both found five…tined forks and went into the rose garden and began
turning over the rich soil； while Mrs。 Vedder； with pruning…shears； kept
near us； cutting out the dead wood。
It was one of the charming forenoons of my life。 This pleasant work；
spiced with the most interesting conversation and interrupted by a hundred
little excursions into other parts of the garden； to see this or that wonder of
vegetation； brought us to dinner…time before we fairly knew it。
About the middle of the afternoon I made the next discovery。 I heard
first the choking cough of a big motor…car in the country road； and a
moment later it stopped at our gate。 I thought I saw the Vedders
exchanging significant glances。 A number of merry young people tumbled
out； and an especially pretty girl of about twenty came running through the
garden。
〃Mother；〃 she exclaimed； 〃you MUST come with us！〃
〃I can't； I can't；〃 said Mrs。 Vedder； 〃the roses MUST be prunedand
see！ The azaleas are coming into bloom。〃
With that she presented me to her daughter。
And； then； shortly； for it could no longer be concealed； I learned that
Mr。 and Mrs。 Vedder were not the caretakers but the owners of the estate
and of the great house I had seen on the hill。 That evening； with an air
almost of apology； they explained to me how it all came about。
〃We first came out here；〃 said Mrs。 Vedder； 〃nearly twenty years ago；
and built the big house on the hill。 But the more we came to know of
country life the more we wanted to get down into it。 We found it
impossible up thereso many unnecessary things to see to and care for
and we couldn'twe didn't see〃
〃The fact is；〃 Mr。 Vedder put in； 〃we were losing touch with each
other。〃
〃There is nothing like a big house；〃 said Mrs。 Vedder； 〃to separate a
man and his wife。〃
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〃So we came down here；〃 said Mr。 Vedder； 〃built this little cottage；
and developed this garden mostly with our own hands。 We would have
sold the big house long ago if it hadn't been for our friends。 They like it。〃
〃I have never heard a more truly romantic story；〃 said I。
And it WAS romantic： these fine people escaping from too many
possessions； too much property； to the peace and quietude of a garden
where they could be lovers again。
〃It seems； sometimes；〃 said Mrs。 Vedder； 〃that I never really believed
in God until we came down here〃
〃I saw the verse on the table in the arbour；〃 said I。
〃And it is true；〃 said Mr。 Vedder。 〃We got a long； long way from God
for many years： here we seem to get back to Him。〃
I
