a new england girlhood-第3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！



〃The　cheerfu'　supper　done；　wi'　serious　face　They　round　the　ingle　form　a　circle　wide：　The　sire　turns　o'er；　wi'　patriarchal　grace；　The　big　ha'　Bible；　ance　his　father's　pride。〃

A　grave；　thoughtful　face　his　was；　lifted　up　so　grandly　amid　that　blooming　semicircle　of　boys　and　girls；　all　gathered　silently　in　the　glow　of　the　ruddy　firelight！　The　great　family　Bible　had　the　look　upon　its　leathern　covers　of　a　book　that　bad　never　been　new；　and　we　honored　it　the　more　for　its　apparent　age。　Its　companion　was　the　Westminster　Assembly's　and　Shorter　Catechism；　out　of　which　my　father　asked　us　questions　on　Sabbath　afternoons；　when　the　tea…table　had　been　cleared。　He　ended　the　exercise　with　a　prayer；　standing　up　with　his　face　turned　toward　the　wall。　My　most　vivid　recollection　of　his　living　face　is　as　I　saw　it　reflected　in　a　mirror　while　he　stood　thus　praying。　His　closed　eyes；　the　paleness　and　seriousness　of　his　countenance；　awed　me。　I　never　forgot　that　look。　I　saw　it　but　once　again；　when；　a　child　of　six　or　seven　years；　I　was　lifted　to　a　footstool　beside　his　coffin　to　gaze　upon　his　face　for　the　last　time。　It　wore　the　same　expression　that　it　did　in　prayer；　paler；　but　no　longer　care…worn；　so　peaceful；　so　noble！　They　left　me　standing　there　a　long　time；　and　I　could　not　take　my　eyes　away。　I　had　never　thought　my　father's　face　a　beautiful　one　until　then；　but　I　believe　it　must　have　been　so；　always。

I　know　that　he　was　a　studious　man；　fond　of　what　was　called　〃solid　reading。〃　He　delighted　in　problems　of　navigation　（he　was　for　many　years　the　master　of　a　merchant…vessel　sailing　to　various　European　ports）；　in　astronomical　calculations　and　historical　computations。　A　rhyming　genius　in　the　town；　who　undertook　to　hit　off　the　peculiarities　of　well…known　residents；　characterized　my　father　as

〃Philosophic　Ben；　Who；　pointing　to　the　stars；　cries；　Land　ahead！〃

His　reserved；　abstracted　manner；though　his　gravity　concealed　a　fund　of　rare　humor；kept　us　children　somewhat　aloof　from　him；　but　my　mother's　temperament　formed　a　complete　contrast　to　his。　She　was　chatty　and　social；　rosy…cheeked　and　dimpled；　with　bright　blue　eyes　and　soft；　dark；　curling　hair；　which　she　kept　pinned　up　under　her　white　lace　cap…border。　Not　even　the　eldest　child　remembered　her　without　her　cap；　and　when　some　of　us　asked　her　why　she　never　let　her　pretty　curls　be　visible；　she　said；　〃Your　father　liked　to　see　me　in　a　cap。　I　put　it　on　soon　after　we　were　married；　to　please　him；　I　always　have　worn　it；　and　I　always　shall　wear　it；　for　the　same　reason。〃

My　mother　had　that　sort　of　sunshiny　nature　which　easily　shifts　to　shadow；　like　the　atmosphere　of　an　April　day。　Cheerfulness　held　sway　with　her；　except　occasionally；　when　her　domestic　cares　grew　too　overwhelming；　but　her　spirits　rebounded　quickly　from　discouragement。

Her　father　was　the　only　one　of　our　grandparents　who　had　survived　to　my　time；of　French　descent；　piquant；　merry；　exceedingly　polite；　and　very　fond　of　us　children；　whom　be　was　always　treating　to　raisins　and　peppermints　and　rules　for　good　behavior。　He　had　been　a　soldier　in　the　Revolutionary　War；the　greatest　distinction　we　could　imagine。　And　he　was　also　the　sexton　of　the　oldest　church　in　town；the　Old　South；and　had　charge　of　the　winding…up　of　the　town　clock；　and　the　ringing　of　the　bell　on　week…days　and　Sundays；　and　the　tolling　for　funerals；into　which　mysteries　he　sometimes　allowed　us　youngsters　a　furtive　glimpse。　I　did　not　believe　that　there　was　another　grandfather　so　delightful　as　ours　in　all　the　world。

Uncles；　aunts；　and　cousins　were　plentiful　in　the　family；　but　they　did　not　live　near　enough　for　us　to　see　them　very　often；　excepting　one　aunt；　my　father's　sister；　for　whom　I　was　named。　She　was　fair；　with　large；　clear　eyes　that　seemed　to　look　far　into　one's　heart；　with　an　expression　at　once　penetrating　and　benignant。　To　my　childish　imagination　she　was　an　embodiment　of　serene　and　lofty　goodness。　I　wished　and　hoped　that　by　bearing　her　baptismal　name　I　might　become　like　her；　and　when　I　found　out　its　signification　（I　learned　that　〃Lucy〃　means　〃with　light〃）；　I　wished　it　more　earnestly　still。　For　her　beautiful　character　was　just　such　an　illumination　to　my　young　life　as　I　should　most　desire　mine　to　be　to　the　lives　of　others。

My　aunt；　like　my　father；　was　always　studying　something。　Some　map　or　book　always　lay　open　before　her；　when　I　went　to　visit　her；　in　her　picturesque　old　house；　with　its　sloping　roof　and　tall　well…　sweep。　And　she　always　brought　out　some　book　or　picture　for　me　from　her　quaint　old…fashioned　chest　of　drawers。　I　still　possess　the　〃　Children　in　the　Wood；〃　which　she　gave　me；　as　a　keepsake；　when　I　was　about　ten　years　old。

Our　relatives　form　the　natural　setting　of　our　childhood。　We　understand　ourselves　best　and　are　best　understood　by　others　through　the　persons　who　came　nearest　to　us　in　our　earliest　years。　Those　larger　planets　held　our　little　one　to　its　orbit；　and　lent　it　their　brightness。　Happy　indeed　is　the　infancy　which　is　surrounded　only　by　the　loving　and　the　good！

Besides　those　who　were　of　my　kindred；　I　had　several　aunts　by　courtesy；　or　rather　by　the　privilege　of　neighborhood；　who　seemed　to　belong　to　my　babyhood。　Indeed；　the　family　hearthstone　came　near　being　the　scene　of　a　tragedy　to　me；　through　the　blind　fondness　of　one　of　these。

The　adjective　is　literal。　This　dear　old　lady；　almost　sightless；　sitting　in　a　low　chair　far　in　the　chimney　corner；　where　she　had　been　placed　on　her　first　call　to　see　the　new　baby；　took　me　upon　her　lap；　andso　they　sayunconsciously　let　me　slip　off　into　the　coals。　I　was　rescued　unsinged；　however；　and　it　was　one　of　the　earliest　accomplishments　of　my　infancy　to　thread　my　poor；　half…　blind　Aunt　Stanley's　needles　for　her。　We　were　close　neighbors　and　gossips　until　my　fourth　year。　Many　an　hour　I　sat　by　her　side　drawing　a　needle　and　thread　through　a　bit　of　calico；　under　the　delusion　that　I　was　sewing；　while　she　repeated　all　sorts　of　juvenile　singsongs　of　which　her　memory　seemed　full；　for　my　entertainment。　There　used　to　be　a　legend　current　among　my　brothers　and　sisters　that　this　aunt　unwittingly　taught　me　to　use　a　reprehensible　word。　One　of　her　ditties　began　with　the　lines：

〃Miss　Lucy　was　a　charming　child；　She　never　said；　'I　won't。'〃

After　bearing　this　once　or　twice；　the　willful　negative　was　continually　upon　my　lips；　doubtless　a　symptom　of　what　was　dormant　withina　will　perhaps　not　quite　so　aggressive　as　it　was　obstinate。　But　she　meant　only　to　praise　me　and　please　me；　and　dearly　I　loved　to　stay　with　her　in　her　cozy　up…stairs　room　across　the　lane；　that　the　sun　looked　into　nearly　all　day。

Another　adopted　aunt　lived　down…stairs　in　the　same　house。　This　one　was　a　sober　woman；　life　meant　business　to　her；　and　she　taught　me　to　sew　in　earnest；　with　a　knot　in　the　end　of　my　thread；　although　it　was　only　upon　clothing　for　my　ragchildren　…　absurd　creatures　of　my　own　invention；　limbless　and　destitute　of　features；　except　as　now　and　then　one　of　my　older　sisters　would；　upon　my　earnest　petition；　outline　a　face　for　one　of　them；　with　pen　and　ink。　I　loved　them；　nevertheless；　far　better　than　I　did　the　London　doll　that　lay　in　waxen　state　in　an　upper　drawer　at　home；the　fine　lady　that　did　not　wish　to　be　played　with；　but　only　to　be　looked　at　and　admired。

This　latter　aunt　I　regarded　as　a　woman　of　great　possessions。　She　owned　the　land　beside　us　and　opposite　us。　Her　well　was　close　to　our　door；　a　well　of　the　coldest　and　clearest　water　I　ever　drank；　and　it　abundantly　supplied　the　whole　neighborhood。

The　hill　behind　her　house　was　our　general　playground；　and　I　supposed　she　owned　that；　too；　since　through　her　dooryard；　and　over　her　stone　wall；　was　our　permitted　thoroughfare　thither。　I　imagined　that　those　were　her　buttercups　that　we　gathered　when　we　got　over　the　wall；　and　held　under　each　other's　chin；　to　see；　by　the　reflection；　who　was　fond　of　butter；　and　surely　the　yellow　toadflax　（we　called　it　〃lady's　slipper〃）　that　grew　in　the　rock…　crevices　was　hers；　for　we　found　it　nowhere　else。

The　blue　gill…over…the…ground　unmistakably　belonged　to　her；　for　it　carpeted　an　unused　triangular　corner　of　her　garden　inclosed　by　a　leaning　fence　gray　and　gold　with　sea…side　lichens。　Its　blue　was　beautiful；　but　its　pungent　earthy　odorI　can　smell　it　now　　repelled　us　from　the　damp　corner　where　it　grew。　It　made　us　think　of　graves　and　ghosts；　and　I　think　we　were　forbidden　to　go　there。　We　much　preferred　to　sit　on　the　sunken　curbstones；　in　the　shade　of　the　broad…leaved　burdocks；　and　shape　their　spiny　balls　into　chairs　and　cradles　and　sofas　for　our　dollies；　or　to　〃play　school〃　on　the　doorsteps；　or　to　climb　over　the　wall　1；　and　to　feel　the　freedom　of　the　hill。

We　were　a　neighborhood　of　large　families；　and　most　of　us　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　〃a　little　wholesome　neglect。〃　Our　tether　was　a　long　one；　and　when；　grown　a　little　older；　we　occasionally　asked　to　have　it　lengthened；　a　maternal　〃I　don't　care〃　amounted　to　almost　unlimited　liberty。

The　hill　itself　was　well…nigh　boundless　in　its　capacities　for　juvenile　occupation。　Besides　its　miniature　precipices；　that　walled　in　some　of　the　neighbors'　gardens；　and　its　slanting　slides；　worn　smooth　by　the　feet　of　many　childish　generations；　there　were　partly　quarried　ledges；　which　had　shaped　themselves　into　rock…stairs；　carpeted　with　lovely　mosses；　in　various　patterns。　These　were　the　winding　ways　up　our　castle…towers；　with　breakfast…rooms　and　boudoirs　along　the　landings；　where　we　set　our　tables　for　expected　guests　with　bits　of　broken　china；　and　left　our　numerous　rag…children　tucked　in　asleep　under　mullein　blankets　or　plantain…coverlets；　while　we　ascended　to　the　topmost　turret　to　watch　for　our　ships　coming　in　from　sea。

For　leagues　of　ocean　were　visible　from　the　tiptop　of　the　ledge；　a　tiny　cleft　peak　that　held　always　little　rain…pool　for　thirsty　birds　that　now　and　then　stopped　as　they　flew　over；　to　dip　their　beaks　and　glance　shyly　at　us；　as　if　they　wished　to　share　our　games。　We　could　see　the　steeples　and　smokes　of　Salem　in　the　distance；　and　the　bill；　as　it　desended；　lost　itself　in　mowing　fields　that　slid　again　into　the　river。　Beyond　that　was　Rial　Side　and　Folly　Hill；　and　they　looked　so　very　far　off！

They　called　it　〃over　to　Green's〃　across　the　river。　I　thought　it　was　because　of　the　thick　growth　of　dark　green　junipers；　that　covered　the　cliff…side　down　to　the　water's　edge；　but　they　were　only　giving　the　name　of　the　farmer　who　owned　the　land；　Whenever　there　was　an　unusual　barking　of　dogs　in　the　distance；　they　said　it　was　〃over　to　Green's。〃　That　barking　of　dogs　made　the　place　seem　very　mysterious　to　me。

Our　lane　ran　parallel　with　the　hill　and　the　mowing　fields；　and　down　our　lane　we　were　always　free　to　go。　It　was　a　genuine　lane；　all　ups　and　downs；　and　too　narrow　for　a　street；　although　at　last　they　have　leveled　it　and　widened　it；　and　made　a　commonplace　thoroughfare　of　it。　I　am　glad　that　my　baby　life　knew　it　in　all　its　queer；　original　irregularities；　for　it　seemed　to　have　a　character　of　its　own；　like　many　of　its　inhabitants；　all　the　more　charming　because　it　was　unlike　anything　but　itself。　The　hill；　too；　is　lost　now；　buried　under　houses。

Our　lane　came　to　an　end　at　some　bars　that　let　us　into　another　lane；or　rather　a　footpath　or　cowpath；　bordered　with　cornfields　and　orchards。　We　were　still　on　home　ground；　for　my　father's　vegetable　garden　and　orchard　were　here。　After　a　long　straight　stretch