贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > 28 >

第1章

28-第1章

小说: 28 字数: 每页4000字

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!



            
 
 
 CHAPTER TWENTY…EIGHT 

Like most other young matrons; Meg began her married life with the determination to be a model housekeeper。 John should find home a paradise; he should always see a smiling face; should fare sumptuously every day; and never know the loss of a button。 She brought so much love; energy; and cheerfulness to the work that she could not but succeed; in spite of some obstacles。 Her paradise was not a tranquil one; for the little woman fussed; was over…anxious to please; and bustled about like a true Martha; cumbered with many cares。 She was too tired; sometimes; even to smile; John grew dyspeptic after a course of dainty dishes and ungratefully demanded plain fare。 As for buttons; she soon learned to wonder where they went; to shake her head over the carelessness of men; and to threaten to make him sew them on himself; and see if his work would stand impatient and clumsy fingers any better than hers。 
They were very happy; even after they discovered that they couldn't live on love alone。 John did not find Meg's beauty diminished; though she beamed at him from behind the familiar coffee pot。 Nor did Meg miss any of the romance from the daily parting; when her husband followed up his kiss with the tender inquiry; 〃Shall I send some veal or mutton for dinner; darling?〃 The little house ceased to be a glorified bower; but it became a home; and the young couple soon felt that it was a change for the better。 At first they played keep…house; and frolicked over it like children。 Then John took steadily to business; feeling the cares of the head of a family upon his shoulders; and Meg laid by her cambric wrappers; put on a big apron; and fell to work; as before said; with more energy than discretion。 
While the cooking mania lasted she went through Mrs。 Cornelius's Receipt Book as if it were a mathematical exercise; working out the problems with patience and care。 Sometimes her family were invited in to help eat up a too bounteous feast of successes; or Lotty would be privately dispatched with a batch of failures; which were to be concealed from all eyes in the convenient stomachs of the little Hummels。 An evening with John over the account books usually produced a temporary lull in the culinary enthusiasm; and a frugal fit would ensue; during which the poor man was put through a course of bread pudding; hash; and warmed…over coffee; which tried his soul; although he bore it with praiseworthy fortitude。 Before the golden mean was found; however; Meg added to her domestic possessions what young couples seldom get on long without; a family jar。 
Fired a with housewifely wish to see her storeroom stocked with homemade preserves; she undertook to put up her own currant jelly。 John was requested to order home a dozen or so of little pots and an extra quantity of sugar; for their own currants were ripe and were to be attended to at once。 As John firmly believed that ‘my wife' was equal to anything; and took a natural pride in her skill; he resolved that she should be gratified; and their only crop of fruit laid by in a most pleasing form for winter use。 Home came four dozen delightful little pots; half a barrel of sugar; and a small boy to pick the currants for her。 With her pretty hair tucked into a little cap; arms bared to the elbow; and a checked apron which had a coquettish look in spite of the bib; the young housewife fell to work; feeling no doubts about her success; for hadn't she seen Hannah do it hundreds of times? The array of pots rather amazed her at first; but John was so fond of jelly; and the nice little jars would look so well on the top shelf; that Meg resolved to fill them all; and spend a long day picking; boiling; straining; and fussing over her jelly。 She did her best; she asked advice of Mrs。 Cornelius; she racked her brain to remember what Hannah did that she left undone; she reboiled; resugared; and restrained; but that dreadful stuff wouldn't ‘jell'。 
She longed to run home; bib and all; and ask Mother to lend her a hand; but John and she had agreed that they would never annoy anyone with their private worries; experiments; or quarrels。 They had laughed over that last word as if the idea it suggested was a most preposterous one; but they had held to their resolve; and whenever they could get on without help they did so; and no one interfered; for Mrs。 March had advised the plan。 So Meg wrestled alone with the refractory sweetmeats all that hot summer day; and at five o'clock sat down in her topsy…turvey kitchen; wrung her bedaubed hands; lifted up her voice and wept。 
Now; in the first flush of the new life; she had often said; 〃My husband shall always feel free to bring a friend home whenever he likes。 I shall always be prepared。 There shall be no flurry; no scolding; no discomfort; but a neat house; a cheerful wife; and a good dinner。 John; dear; never stop to ask my leave; invite whom you please; and be sure of a welcome from me。〃 
How charming that was; to be sure! John quite glowed with pride to hear her say it; and felt what a blessed thing it was to have a superior wife。 But; although they had had company from time to time; it never happened to be unexpected; and Meg had never had an opportunity to distinguish herself till now。 It always happens so in this vale of tears; there is an inevitability about such things which we can only wonder at; deplore; and bear as we best can。 
If John had not forgotten all about the jelly; it really would have been unpardonable in him to choose that day; of all the days in the year; to bring a friend home to dinner unexpectedly。 Congratulating himself that a handsome repast had been ordered that morning; feeling sure that it would be ready to the minute; and indulging in pleasant anticipations of the charming effect it would produce; when his pretty wife came running out to meet him; he escorted his friend to his mansion; with the irrepressible satisfaction of a young host and husband。 
It is a world of disappointments; as John discovered when he reached the Dovecote。 the front door usually stood hospitably open。 Now it was not only shut; but locked; and yesterday's mud still adorned the steps。 The parlor windows were closed and curtained; no picture of the pretty wife sewing on the piazza; in white; with a distracting little bow in her hair; or a bright…eyed hostess; smiling a shy welcome as she greeted her guest。 Nothing of the sort; for not a soul appeared but a sanginary…looking boy asleep under the current bushes。 
〃I'm afraid something has happened。 Step into the garden; Scott; while I look up Mrs。 Brooke;〃 said John; alarmed at the silence and solitude。 
Round the house he hurried; led by a pungent smell of burned sugar; and Mr。 Scott strolled after him; with a queer look on his face。 He paused discreetly at a distance when Brooke disappeared; but he could both see and hear; and being a bachelor; enjoyed the prospect mightily。 
In the kitchen reigned confusion and despair。 One edition of jelly was trickled from pot to pot; another lay upon the floor; and a third was burning gaily on the stove。 Lotty; with Teutonic phlegm; was calmly eating bread and currant wine; for the jelly was still in a hopelessly liquid state; while Mrs。 Brooke; with her apron over her head; sat sobbing dismally。 
〃My dearest girl; what is the matter?〃 cried John; rushing in; with awful visions of scalded hands; sudden news of affliction; and secret consternation at the thought of the guest in the garden。 
〃Oh; John; I am so tired and hot and cross and worried! I've been at it till I'm all worn out。 Do come and help me or I shall die!〃 And the exhausted housewife cast herself upon his breast; giving him a sweet welcome in every sense of the word; for her pinafore had been baptized at the same time as the floor。 
〃What worries you dear? Has anything dreadful happened?〃 asked the anxious John; tenderly kissing the crown of the little cap; which was all askew。 
〃Yes;〃 sobbed Meg despairingly。 
〃Tell me quick; then。 Don't cry。 I can bear anything better than that。 Out with it; love。〃 〃The。。。The jelly won't jell and I don't know what to do!〃 
John Brooke laughed then as he never dared to laugh afterward; and the derisive Scott smiled involuntarily as he 

返回目录 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的