a summer in a canyon-第20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！


just　gaze　upon　that　madrono…tree　in　the　centre；　and　the　oak　on　the
left；　why；　they　are　worth　a　thousand　dollars　for　scenery。'

'Especially　in　the　first　sceneducal　interior；　or　whatever　it　is；'
said　Phil；　disconsolately。

'Jingo！　that　is　a　little　embarrassing；'　groaned　Jack。

'Not　at　all；'　said　Polly；　briskly。　　'There　is　plenty　of　room　to　set
the　interior　in　front　of　those　trees。　　It　can　be　all　fixed
beforehand；　and　just　whisked　away　for　good　at　the　end　of　the　first
act。'

'That's　true；'　said　Geoff；　thoughtfully。　　'But　we　can't　have　any
Adam's　cottage。　　We　talked　it　over　last　night；　and　decided　it
〃couldn't　be　did。〃'

'Did　you　indeed！'　exclaimed　Bell；　sarcastically。　　'Then　allow　me　to
remark　that　you　three　boys　represent　a　very　obtuse　triangle。'

'Thanks；　most　acid　Rosalind！'　murmured　Geoff；　meekly。　　'Could　you
deign；　as　spokesman　of　the　very　acute　triangle；　to　suggest
something？'

'Certainly。　　There　is　the　rear　of　the　brush　kitchen　in　plain　sight；
to　convey　the　idea　of　a　rustic　hut。　　To　be　sure；　it's　a　good　distance
to　the　left；　but　let　the　audience　screw　round　in　their　seats　when
they　hear　the　voices；　and　Adam；　Oliver；　and　Orlando　can　walk　out
carelessly；　and　go　through　their　scene　right　there。'

'Admirable！'　quoth　Geoff。　　'We　bow　to　your　superior　judgment。'

'What　an　inspiration　that　was　to　bring　those　Chinese　lanterns　for　the
Fourth　of　July；　they　have　just　saved　us　from　utter　ruin；'　said
Margery；　who　was　quietly　making　leaf…trimming。

'Yes；　the　effect　is　going　to　be　perfectly　gorgeous！'　exclaimed　Polly；
clasping　her　hands　in　anticipation。　　'How　many　have　we？　　Ten？　　Oh；
that's　splendid；　and　how　many　candles？'

'As　many　as　we　care　to　use；'　Phil　answered；　from　the　top　of　the
ladder　where　he　was　at　work。　　'And　look　at　my　arrangement　for　holding
them　to　these　trees。　　Aren't　they　immense？'

'By　the　way；'　said　Bell；　'don't　forget　the　mossy　banks　under　those
trees；　for　stage　seats；　and　make　me　some　kind　of　a　thing　on　the　left
side；　to　swoon　on　when　I　sniff　Orlando's　gory　handkerchief。'

'A　couple　of　rocks；'　suggested　Jack。

'Not　exactly；'　replied　the　critical　Rosalind；　with　great　dignity。　　'I
am　black　and　blue　already　from　practising　my　faint；　and　I　expect　to
shriek　with　pain　when　I　fall　to…morrow　night。'

'St。　Jacob's　Oil　relieves　stiffened　joints；　smooths　the　wrinkles　from
the　brow　of　care；　soothes　lacerated　feelings；　and　'ushes　the　'owl　of
hinfancy；'　remarked　Geoffrey　serenely；　as　he　prepared　to　build　the
required　mossy　banks。

'My　dear　cousin　（there　are　times　when　I　am　glad　it　is　only　second
cousin）；　have　you　a　secret　contract　to　advertise　a　vulgar　patent
medicine？　or　why　this　eloquence？'　laughed　Bell。

'And；　Jack；'　suggested　Polly；　'you　don't　seem　to　be　doing　anything；
fix　a　stump　for　me　to　sit　on　while　Orlando　and　Rosalind　are　making
love。'

'All　right；　countess。　　I'd　like　to　see　you　stumped　once　in　my　life。
Shall　we　have　the　canvases　brought　for　stage　carpets？'

'We　say　no；'　cried　Rosalind；　firmly。　　'We　shall　be　a　thousand　times
more　awkward　stumbling　over　stiff　billows　of　carpet。　　Let's　sweep　the
ground　as　clean　and　smooth　as　possible；　and　let　it　go　for　all　the
scenes。'

'Yes；　we　shall　then　be　well　GROUNDED　in　our　parts；'　remarked　Phil；
hiding　his　head　behind　a　bunch　of　candles。

'Take　care；　young　man；'　laughed　Polly；　'or　you　may　be　〃run　to　earth〃
instead。'

'Or　be　requested　by　the　audience　to　get　up　and　dust；'　cried　the
irrepressible　Jack；　whose　wit　was　very　apt　to　be　of　a　slangy
character。　　'Now　let　us　settle　the　interior；　or　I　shall　go　mad。'

'Bell　and　I　have　it　all　settled；'　said　Geoffrey；　promptly。　　'The
background　is　to　be　made　of　three　sheets　hung　over　a　line；　and　the
two　sides　will　be　formed　of　canvas　carpets；　the　walls　will　have
Japanese　fans；　parasols；　and'

'Jupiter！'　exclaimed　Jack；　who；　as　knight　of　the　brush；　felt
compelled　to　be　artistic。　　'Imagine　a　ducal　palace；　in　the　year　so
many　hundred　and　something；　decorated　with　Japanese　bric…a…brac！　　I
blush　for　you。'

'Now；　Jack；　we　might　as　well　drop　the　whole　play　as　begin　to　think　of
the　'nakkeronisms；'　or　whatever　the　word　is。　　I　have　got　to　wear　an
old　white　wrapper　to　the　wrestling…match；　but　I　don't　complain；'　said
Polly。

Just　here　Bell　ran　back　from　the　kitchen；　exclaiming：

'I　have　secured　Pancho　for　Charles　the　Wrestler。　　Oh；　he　was
fearfully　obstinate！　but　when　I　told　him　he　would　only　be　on　the
stage　two　minutes；　and　would　not　have　to　speak　a　word；　but　just　let
Geoff　throw　him；　he　consented。　　Isn't　that　good？　　Did　you　decide
about　the　decorations？'

'It　will　have　to　be　just　as　we　suggested；'　answered　Margery。　　'Fans；
parasols；　flowers；　and　leaves；　with　the　madrono…wood　furniture
scattered　about；　sheep…skins；　etc。'

'A　few　venison　rugs；　I　presume　you　mean；'　said　Geoffrey；　slyly。
'Say；　Polly；　omit　the　cold　cream　for　once；　will　you？　　You　don't　want
to　outshine　everybody。'

'Thank　you；'　she　replied。　　'I　will　endeavour　to　take　care　of　my　own
complexion；　if　you　will　allow　me。　　As　for　yours；　you　look　more　like
Othello　than　Orlando。'

'Come；　come；　girls；'　said　industrious　Margery；　'let　us　go　to　the　tent
and　sew。　　It　is　nothing　but　nonsense　here；　and　we　are　not
accomplishing　anything。'

So　they　wisely　left　the　boys　to　themselves　for　the　entire　day；　and
transformed　their　tent　into　a　mammoth　dressmaking　establishment；　with
clever　Aunt　Truth　as　chief　designer。


The　intervening　hours　had　slipped　quickly　away；　and　now　the　fatal
moment　had　arrived；　and　everything　was　ready　for　the　play。

The　would…be　actresses　were　a　trifle　excited　when　the　Professor　and
his　eight　students　were　brought　up　and　introduced　by　Jack　and　Scott
Burton；　and；　as　if　that　were　not　enough；　who　should　drive　up　at　the
last　moment　but　the　family　from　the　neighbouring　milk　ranch；　and　beg
to　be　allowed　the　pleasure　of　witnessing　the　performance。　　Mr。
Sandford　was　the　gentleman　who　had　sold　Dr。　Winship　his　land；　and　so
they　were　cordially　invited　to　remain。

All　the　cushions　and　shawls　belonging　to　the　camp　were　arranged
carefully　on　the　knoll；　for　audience　seats；　it　was　a　brilliant
moonlight　night；　and　the　stage　assumed　a　very　festive　appearance　with
its　four　pounds　of　candles　and　twelve　Chinese　lanterns。

Meanwhile　the　actors　were　dressing　in　their　respective　tents。　　Bell's
first　dress　was　a　long　pink　muslin　wrapper　of　Mrs。　Burton's；　which
had　been　belted　in　and　artistically　pasted　over　with　bouquets　from
the　cretonne　trunk　covers；　in　imitation　of　flowered　satin；　under　this
she　wore　a　short　blue　lawn　skirt　of　her　own；　catching　up　the　pink
muslin　on　the　left　side　with　a　bouquet　of　wild　roses；　and　producing
what　she　called　a　'positively　Neilson　effect。'

Her　bright　hair　was　tossed　up　into　a　fluffy　knot　on　the　top　of　her
head；　and　with　a　flat　coronet　of　wild　roses　and　another　great　bunch
at　her　belt；　one　might　have　gone　far　and　not　have　found　a　prettier
Rosalind。

'I　declare；　you　are　just　too　lovelyisn't　she；　Laura？'　asked
Margery。

'Yes；　she　looks　quite　well；'　answered　Laura；　abstractedly；　being　much
occupied　in　making　herself　absurdly　beautiful　as　Audrey。　　'Of　course
the　dress　fits　horridly；　but　perhaps　it　won't　show　in　the　dim　light。'

'Oh；　is　it　very　bad？'　sighed　Bell；　plaintively；　'I　can't　see　it　in
this　glass。　　Well；　the　next　one　fits　better；　and　I　have　to　wear　that
the　longest。　　Shall　I　do　your　hair；　Laura？'

'Nothanks；　Margery　has　such　a　capital　knack　at　hair…dressing；　and
she　doesn't　come　on　yet。'

During　this　conversation　Polly　was　struggling　with　Aunt　Truth's
trained　white　wrapper。　　It　was　rather　difficult　to　make　it　look　like
a　court　dress；　but　she　looked　as　fresh　and　radiant　as　a　rose　in　it；
for　the　candle…light　obliterated　every　freckle；　and　one　could　see
nothing　but　a　pair　of　dancing　eyes；　the　pinkest　of　cheeks；　and　a　head
running　over　with　curls　of　ruddy　gold。

'Now；　Bell；　criticise　me！'　she　cried；　taking　a　position　in　the　middle
of　the　tent；　and　turning　round　like　a　wax　figure。　　'I　have　torn　out
my　hair　by　the　roots　to　give　it　a　〃done　up〃　look；　and　have　I
succeeded？　and　shall　I　wear　any　flowers　with　this　lace　surplice？　and
what　on　earth　shall　I　do　with　my　hands？　they're　so　black　they　will
cast　a　gloom　over　the　s