those extraordinary twins-第4章

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way。〃

〃But；　ma；　I　think　it　must　be　a　foreign　custom；　and　it　must　be　right　too；
and　the　best　way；　because　they　have　had　every　opportunity　to　know　what　is
right；　and　it　don't　stand　to　reason　that　with　their　education　they　would
do　anything　but　what　the　highest　musical　authorities　have　sanctioned。
You　can't　help　but　admit　that；　ma。〃

The　argument　was　formidably　strong；　the　old　lady　could　not　find　any　way
around　it；　so；　after　thinking　it　over　awhile　she　gave　in　with　a　sigh　of
discontent；　and　admitted　that　the　daughter's　position　was　probably
correct。　　Being　vanquished；　she　had　no　mind　to　continue　the　topic　at　that
disadvantage；　and　was　about　to　seek　a　change　when　a　change　came　of
itself。　　A　footstep　was　heard　on　the　stairs；　and　she　said：

〃There…he's　coming！〃

〃They；　mayou　ought　to　say　theyit's　nearer　right。〃

The　new　lodger；　rather　shoutingly　dressed　but　looking　superbly　handsome；
stepped　with　courtly　carnage　into　the　trim　little　breakfast…room　and　put
out　all　his　cordial　arms　at　once；　like　one　of　those　pocket…knives　with　a
multiplicity　of　blades；　and　shook　hands　with　the　whole　family
simultaneously。　　He　was　so　easy　and　pleasant　and　hearty　that　all
embarrassment　presently　thawed　away　and　disappeared；　and　a　cheery　feeling
of　friendliness　and　comradeship　took　its　place。　　Heor　preferably　they
were　asked　to　occupy　the　seat　of　honor　at　the　foot　of　the　table。　　They
consented　with　thanks；　and　carved　the　beefsteak　with　one　set　of　their
hands　while　they　distributed　it　at　the　same　time　with　the　other　set。

〃Will　you　have　coffee；　gentlemen；　or　tea？〃

〃Coffee　for　Luigi；　if　you　please；　madam；　tea　for　me。〃

〃Cream　and　sugar？〃

〃For　me；　yes；　madam；　Luigi　takes　his　coffee；　black。　　Our　natures　differ　a
good　deal　from　each　other；　and　our　tastes　also。〃

The　first　time　the　negro　girl　Nancy　appeared　in　the　door　and　saw　the　two
heads　turned　in　opposite　directions　and　both　talking　at　once；　then　saw
the　commingling　arms　feed　potatoes　into　one　mouth　and　coffee　into　the
other　at　the　same　time；　she　had　to　pause　and　pull　herself　out　of　a
faintness　that　came　over　her；　but　after　that　she　held　her　grip　and　was
able　to　wait　on　the　table　with　fair　courage。

Conversation　fell　naturally　into　the　customary　grooves。　　It　was　a　little
jerky；　at　first；　because　none　of　the　family　could　get　smoothly　through　a
sentence　without　a　wabble　in　it　here　and　a　break　there；　caused　by　some
new　surprise　in　the　way　of　attitude　or　gesture　on　the　part　of　the　twins。
The　weather　suffered　the　most。　　The　weather　was　all　finished　up　and
disposed　of；　as　a　subject；　before　the　simple　Missourians　had　gotten
sufficiently　wonted　to　the　spectacle　of　one　body　feeding　two　heads　to
feel　composed　and　reconciled　in　the　presence　of　so　bizarre　a　miracle。
And　even　after　everybody's　mind　became　tranquilized　there　was　still　one
slight　distraction　left：　the　hand　that　picked　up　a　biscuit　carried　it　to
the　wrong　head；　as　often　as　any　other　way；　and　the　wrong　mouth　devoured
it。　　This　was　a　puzzling　thing；　and　marred　the　talk　a　little。　　It
bothered　the　widow　to　such　a　degree　that　she　presently　dropped　out　of　the
conversation　without　knowing　it；　and　fell　to　watching　and　guessing　and
talking　to　herself：

〃Now　that　hand　is　going　to　take　that　coffee　to　no；　it's　gone　to　the　other
mouth；　I　can't　understand　it；　and　how；　here　is　the　dark…complected　hand
with　a　potato　in　its　fork；　I'll　see　what　goes　with　itthere；　the
light…complected　head's　got　it；　as　sure　as　I　live！〃

Finally　Rowena　said：

〃Ma；　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　　Are　you　dreaming　about　something？〃

The　old　lady　came　to　herself　and　blushed；　then　she　explained　with　the
first　random　thing　that　came　into　her　mind：　〃I　saw　Mr。　Angelo　take　up　Mr。
Luigi's　coffee；　and　I　thought　maybe　hesha'n't　I　give　you　a　cup；　Mr。
Angelo？〃

〃Oh　no；　madam；　I　am　very　much　obliged；　but　I　never　drink　coffee；　much　as
I　would　like　to。　　You　did　see　me　take　up　Luigi's　cup；　it　is　true；　but　if
you　noticed；　I　didn't　carry　it　to　my　mouth；　but　to　his。〃

〃Y…es；　I　thought　you　did：　Did　you　mean　to？〃

〃How？〃

The　widow　was　a　little　embarrassed　again。　　She　said：

〃I　don't　know　but　what　I'm　foolish；　and　you　mustn't　mind；　but　you　see；
he　got　the　coffee　I　was　expecting　to　see　you　drink；　and　you　got　a　potato
that　I　thought　he　was　going　to　get。　　So　I　thought　it　might　be　a　mistake
all　around；　and　everybody　getting　what　wasn't　intended　for　him。〃

Both　twins　laughed　and　Luigi　said：

〃Dear　madam；　there　wasn't　any　mistake。　　We　are　always　helping　each　other
that　way。　　It　is　a　great　economy　for　us　both；　it　saves　time　and　labor。
We　have　a　system　of　signs　which　nobody　can　notice　or　understand　but
ourselves。　　If　I　am　using　both　my　hands　and　want　some　coffee；　I　make　the
sign　and　Angelo　furnishes　it　to　me；　and　you　saw　that　when　he　needed　a
potato　I　delivered　it。〃

〃How　convenient！〃

〃Yes；　and　often　of　the　extremest　value。　　Take　the　Mississippi　boats；　for
instance。　　They　are　always　overcrowded。　　There　is　table…room　for　only
half　of　the　passengers；　therefore　they　have　to　set　a　second　table　for　the
second　half。　　The　stewards　rush　both　parties；　they　give　them　no　time　to
eat　a　satisfying　meal；　both　divisions　leave　the　table　hungry。　　It　isn't
so　with　us。　　Angelo　books　himself　for　the　one　table；　I　book　myself　for
the　other。　　Neither　of　us　eats　anything　at　the　other's　table；　but　just
simply　worksworks。　　Thus；　you　see　there　are　four　hands　to　feed　Angelo；
and　the　same　four　to　feed　me。　　Each　of　us　eats　two　meals。〃

The　old　lady　was　dazed　with　admiration；　and　kept　saying；　〃It　is　perfectly
wonderful；　perfectly　wonderful〃　and　the　boy　Joe　licked　his　chops
enviously；　but　said　nothingat　least　aloud。

〃Yes；〃　continued　Luigi；　〃our　construction　may　have　its　disadvantagesin
fact；　has　but　it　also　has　its　compensations　of　one　sort　and　another。　Take
travel；　for　instance。　　Travel　is　enormously　expensive；　in　all　countries；
we　have　been　obliged　to　do　a　vast　deal　of　itcome；　Angelo；　don't　put　any
more　sugar　in　your　tea；　I'm　just　over　one　indigestion　and　don't　want
another　right　awaybeen　obliged　to　do　a　deal　of　it；　as　I　was　saying。
Well；　we　always　travel　as　one　person；　since　we　occupy　but　one　seat；　so　we
save　half　the　fare。〃

〃How　romantic！〃　interjected　Rowena；　with　effusion。

〃Yes；　my　dear　young　lady；　and　how　practical　too；　and　economical。　　In
Europe；　beds　in　the　hotels　are　not　charged　with　the　board；　but
separatelyanother　saving；　for　we　stood　to　our　rights　and　paid　for　the
one　bed　only。　　The　landlords　often　insisted　that　as　both　of　us　occupied
the　bed　we　ought〃

〃No；　they　didn't；〃　said　Angelo。　　〃They　did　it　only　twice；　and　in　both
cases　it　was　a　double　beda　rare　thing　in　Europeand　the　double　bed
gave　them　some　excuse。　　Be　fair　to　the　landlords；　twice　doesn't
constitute　'often。'〃

〃Well；　that　dependsthat　depends。　　I　knew　a　man　who　fell　down　a　well
twice。　　He　said　he　didn't　mind　the　first　time；　but　he　thought　the　second
time　was　once　too　often。　　Have　I　misused　that　word；　Mrs。　Cooper？〃

〃To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　afraid　you　had；　but　it　seems　to　look；　now；　like
you　hadn't。〃　　She　stopped；　and　was　evidently　struggling　with　the
difficult　problem　a　moment；　then　she　added　in　the　tone　of　one　who　is
convinced　without　being　converted；　〃It　seems　so；　but　I　can't　somehow　tell
why。〃

Rowena　thought　Luigi's　retort　was　wonderfully　quick　and　bright；　and　she
remarked　to　herself　with　satisfaction　that　there　wasn't　any　young　native
of　Dawson's　Landing　that　could　have　risen　to　the　occasion　like　that。
Luigi　detected　the　applause　in　her　face；　and　expressed　his　pleasure　and
his　thanks　with　his　eyes；　and　so　eloquently　withal；　that　the　girl　was
proud　and　pleased；　and　hung　out　the　delicate　sign　of　it　on　her　cheeks。
Luigi　went　on；　with　animation：

〃Both　of　us　get　a　bath　for　one　ticket；　theater　seat　for　one　ticket；
pew…rent　is　on　the　same　basis；　but　at　peep…shows　we　pay　double。〃

〃We　have　much　to'　be　thankful　for；〃　said　Angelo；　impressively；　with　a
reverent　light　in　his　eye　and　a　reminiscent　tone　in　his　voice；　〃we　have
been　greatly　blessed。　　As　a　rule；　what　one　of　us　has　lacked；　the　other；
by　the　bounty　of　Providence；　has　been　able　to　supply。　　My　brother　is
hardy；　I　am　not；　he　is　very　masculine；　assertive；　aggressive；　I　am