those extraordinary twins-第7章

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Suppose　one　of　you　wants　to　borrow　the　legs　a　minute　from　the　one　that's
got　them；　could　he　let　him？〃

〃Yes；　but　we　hardly　ever　do　that。　　There　were　disagreeable　results；
several　times；　and　so　we　very　seldom　ask　or　grant　the　privilege；
nowadays；　and　we　never　even　think　of　such　a　thing　unless　the　case　is
extremely　urgent。　　Besides；　a　week's　possession　at　a　time　seems　so　little
that　we　can't　bear　to　spare　a　minute　of　it。　　People　who　have　the　use　of
their　legs　all　the　time　never　think　of　what　a　blessing　it　is；　of　course。
It　never　occurs　to　them；　it's　just　their　natural　ordinary　condition；
and　so　it　does　not　excite　them　at　all。　　But　when　I　wake　up；　on　Sunday
morning；　and　it's　my　week　and　I　feel　the　power　all　through　me；　oh；　such　a
wave　of　exultation　and　thanksgiving　goes　surging　over　me；　and　I　want　to
shout　'I　can　walk！　　I　can　walk！'　　Madam；　do　you　ever；　at　your　uprising；
want　to　shout　'I　can　walk！　　I　can　walk！'？〃

〃No；　you　poor　unfortunate　cretur'；　but　I'll　never　get　out　of　my　bed　again
without　doing　it！　　Laws；　to　think　I've　had　this　unspeakable　blessing　all
my　long　life　and　never　had　the　grace　to　thank　the　good　Lord　that　gave　it
to　me！〃

Tears　stood　in　the　eyes　of　both　the　old　ladies　and　the　widow　said；
softly：

〃Betsy　Hale；　we　have　learned　something；　you　and　me。〃

The　conversation　now　drifted　wide；　but　by　and　by　floated　back　once　more
to　that　admired　detail；　the　rigid　and　beautiful　impartiality　with　which
the　possession　of　power　had　been　distributed；　between　the　twins。　　Aunt
Betsy　saw　in　it　a　far　finer　justice　than　human　law　exhibits　in　related
cases。　　She　said：

〃In　my　opinion　it　ain't　right　no；　and　never　has　been　right；　the　way　a
twin　born　a　quarter　of　a　minute　sooner　than　the　other　one　gets　all　the
land　and　grandeurs　and　nobilities　in　the　old　countries　and　his　brother
has　to　go　bare　and　be　a　nobody。　　Which　of　you　was　born　first？〃

Angelo's　head　was　resting　against　Luigi's；　weariness　had　overcome　him；
and　for　the　past　five　minutes　he　had　been　peacefully　sleeping。　　The　old
ladies　had　dropped　their　voices　to　a　lulling　drone；　to　help　him　to　steal
the　rest　his　brother　wouldn't　take　him　up…stairs　to　get。　　Luigi　listened
a　moment　to　Angelo's　regular　breathing；　then　said　in　a　voice　barely
audible：

〃We　were　both　born　at　the　same　time；　but　I　am　six　months　older　than　he
is。〃

〃For　the　land's　sake！〃

〃'Sh！　　don't　wake　him　up；　he　wouldn't　like　my　telling　this。　　It　has
always　been　kept　secret　till　now。〃

〃But　how　in　the　world　can　it　be？　　If　you　were　both　born　at　the　same　time；
how　can　one　of　you　be　older　than　the　other？〃

〃It　is　very　simple；　and　I　assure　you　it　is　true。　　I　was　born　with　a　full
crop　of　hair；　he　was　as　bald　as　an　egg　for　six　months。　　I　could　walk　six
months　before　he　could　make　a　step。　　I　finished　teething　six　months　ahead
of　him。　　I　began　to　take　solids　six　months　before　he　left　the　breast。
I　began　to　talk　six　months　before　he　could　say　a　word。　　Last；　and
absolutely　unassailable　proof；　the　sutures　in　my　skull　closed　six　months
ahead　of　his。　　Always　just　that　six　months'　difference　to　a　day。　　Was
that　accident？　　Nobody　is　going　to　claim　that；　I'm　sure。　　It　was　ordained
it　was　law　it　had　its　meaning；　and　we　know　what　that　meaning　was。　　Now
what　does　this　overwhelming　body　of　evidence　establish？　　It　establishes
just　one　thing；　and　that　thing　it　establishes　beyond　any　peradventure
whatever。　　Friends；　we　would　not　have　it　known　for　the　world；　and　I　must
beg　you　to　keep　it　strictly　to　yourselves；　but　the　truth　is；　we　are　no
more　twins　than　you　are。〃

The　two　old　ladies　were　stunned；　paralyzed…petrified；　one　may　almost　say
and　could　only　sit　and　gaze　vacantly　at　each　other　for　some　moments；
then　Aunt　Betsy　Hale　said　impressively：

〃There's　no　getting　around　proof　like　that。　　I　do　believe　it's　the　most
amazing　thing　I　ever　heard　of。〃　　She　sat　silent　a　moment　or　two　and
breathing　hard　with　excitement；　then　she　looked　up　and　surveyed　the
strangers　steadfastly　a　little　while；　and　added：　〃Well；　it　does　beat　me；
but　I　would　have　took　you　for　twins　anywhere。〃

〃So　would　I；　so　would　I；〃　said　Aunt　Patsy　with　the　emphasis　of　a
certainty　that　is　not　impaired　by　any　shade　of　doubt。

〃Anybody　would…anybody　in　the　world；　I　don't　care　who　he　is；〃　said　Aunt
Betsy　with　decision。

〃You　won't　tell；〃　said　Luigi；　appealingly。

〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃　answered　both　ladies　promptly；　〃you　can　trust　us；　don't
you　be　afraid。〃

〃That　is　good　of　you；　and　kind。　　Never　let　on；　treat　us　always　as　if　we
were　twins。〃

〃You　can　depend　on　us；〃　said　Aunt　Betsy；　〃but　it　won't　be　easy；　because
now　that　I　know　you　ain't　you　don't　seem　so。〃

Luigi　muttered　to　himself　with　satisfaction：　〃That　swindle　has　gone
through　without　change　of　cars。〃

It　was　not　very　kind　of　him　to　load　the　poor　things　up　with　a　secret　like
that；　which　would　be　always　flying　to　their　tongues'　ends　every　time　they
heard　any　one　speak　of　the　strangers　as　twins；　and　would　become　harder
and　harder　to　hang　on　to　with　every　recurrence　of　the　temptation　to　tell
it；　while　the　torture　of　retaining　it　would　increase　with　every　new
strain　that　was　applied；　but　he　never　thought　of　that；　and　probably　would
not　have　worried　much　about　it　if　he　had。

A　visitor　was　announcedsome　one　to　see　the　twins。　　They　withdrew　to　the
parlor；　and　the　two　old　ladies　began　to　discuss　with　interest　the　strange
things　which　they　had　been　listening　to。　　When　they　had　finished　the
matter　to　their　satisfaction；　and　Aunt　Betsy　rose　to　go；　she　stopped　to
ask　a　question：

〃How　does　things　come　on　between　Roweny　and　Tom　Driscoll？〃

〃Well；　about　the　same。　　He　writes　tolerable　often；　and　she　answers
tolerable　seldom。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃In　St。　Louis；　I　believe；　though　he's　such　a　gadabout　that　a　body　can't
be　very　certain　of　him；　I　reckon。〃

〃Don't　Roweny　know？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　like　enough。　　I　haven't　asked　her　lately。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　him　and　the　judge　are　getting　along　now？〃

〃First　rate；　I　believe。　　Mrs。　Pratt　says　so；　and　being　right　in　the
house；　and　sister　to　the　one　and　aunt　to　t'other；　of　course　she　ought　to
know。　　She　says　the　judge　is　real　fond　of　him　when　he's　away；　but　frets
when　he's　around　and　is　vexed　with　his　ways；　and　not　sorry　to　have　him　go
again。　　He　has　been　gone　three　weeks　this　timea　pleasant　thing　for　both
of　them；　I　reckon。〃

〃Tom's　rather　harum…scarum；　but　there　ain't　anything　bad　in　him；　I
guess。〃

〃Oh；　no；　he's　just　young；　that's　all。　　Still；　twenty…three　is　old；　in　one
way。　　A　young　man　ought　to　be　earning　his　living　by　that　time。　　If　Tom
were　doing　that；　or　was　even　trying　to　do　it；　the　judge　would　be　a　heap
better　satisfied　with　him。　　Tom's　always　going　to　begin；　but　somehow　he
can't　seem　to　find　just　the　opening　he　likes。〃

〃Well；　now；　it's　partly　the　judge's　own　fault。　　Promising　the　boy　his
property　wasn't　the　way　to　set　him　to　earning　a　fortune　of　his　own。　　But
what　do　you　think　is　Roweny　beginning　to　lean　any　toward　him；　or　ain't
she？〃

Aunt　Patsy　had　a　secret　in　her　bosom；　she　wanted　to　keep　it　there；　but
nature　was　too　strong　for　her。　　She　drew　Aunt　Betsy　aside；　and　said　in
her　most　confidential　and　mysterious　manner：

〃Don't　you　breathe　a　syllable　to　a　soulI'm　going　to　tell　you　something。
In　my　opinion　Tom　Driscoll's　chances　were　considerable　better　yesterday
than　they　are　to…day。〃

〃Patsy　Cooper；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃It's　so；　as　sure　as　you're　born。　　I　wish　you　could　'a'　been　at　breakfast
and　seen　for　yourself。〃

〃You　don't　mean　it！〃

〃Well；　if　I'm　any　judge；　there's　a　leaningthere's　a　leaning；　sure。〃

〃My　land！　　Which　one　of　'em　is　it？〃

〃I　can't　say　for　certain；　but　I　think　it's　the　youngest　oneAnjy。〃

Then　there　were　hand…shakings；　and　congratulations；　and　hopes；　and　so　on；
and　the　old　ladies　parted；　perfectly　happythe　one　in　knowing　something
which　the　rest　of　the　town　didn't；　and　the　other　in　having　been　the　sole
person　able　to　furnish　that　knowledge。

The　visitor　who　had　called　to　see　the　twins　was　the　Rev。　Mr。　Hotchkiss；
pastor　of　the　Baptist　church。　　At　the　reception　Angelo　had　told　him　he
had　lately　experienced　a　change　in　his　religious　views；　and　was　now
desirous　of　becoming　a　Baptist；　and　would　immediately　join　Mr。
Hotchkiss's