the peterkin papers-第10章
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liza wanted him。
The little boys had been busy thinking。 They proposed that the tea…table； with all the things on； should be pushed into the front room； where the company were； and those could take cups who could find cups。
But Elizabeth Eliza feared it would not be safe to push so large a table； it might upset； and break what china they had。
Agamemnon came down to find her pouring out tea； in the back room。 She called to him：… 〃Agamemnon； you must bring Mary Osborne to help； and perhaps one of the Gibbons boys would carry round some of the cups。〃
And so she began to pour out and to send round the sandwiches； and the tea； and the coffee。 Let things go as far as they would！
The little boys took the sugar and cream。
〃As soon as they have done drinking bring back the cups and saucers to be washed；〃 she said to the Gibbons boys and the little boys。
This was an idea of Mary Osborne's。
But what was their surprise； that the more they poured out； the more cups they seemed to have！ Elizabeth Eliza took the coffee； and Mary Osborne the tea。
Amanda brought fresh cups from the kitchen。
〃I can't understand it；〃 Elizabeth Eliza said to Amanda。 〃Do they come back to you； round through the piazza？ Surely there are more cups than there were！〃
Her surprise was greater when some of them proved to be coffee…cups that matched the set！ And they never had had coffee…cups。
Solomon John came in at this moment； breathless with triumph。
〃Solomon John！〃 Elizabeth Eliza exclaimed； 〃I cannot understand the cups！〃
〃It is my doing；〃 said Solomon John； with an elevated air。 〃I went to the lady from Philadelphia； in the midst of her talk。 'What do you do in Philadelphia； when you haven't enough cups？' 'Borrow of my neighbors；' she answered； as quick as she could。〃
〃She must have guessed；〃 interrupted Elizabeth Eliza。
〃That may be；〃 said Solomon John。 〃But I whispered to Ann Maria Bromwick；…she was standing by；…and she took me straight over into their closet； and old Mr。
Bromwick bought this set just where we bought ours。 And they had a coffee…set； too〃… 〃You mean where our father and mother bought them。 We were not born；〃 said Elizabeth Eliza。
〃It is all the same；〃 said Solomon John。 〃They match exactly。〃
So they did； and more and more came in。
Elizabeth Eliza exclaimed：
〃And Agamemnon says we are not a family for emergencies！〃
〃Ann Maria was very good about it；〃 said Solomon John； 〃and quick； too。 And old Mrs。 Bromwick has kept all her set of two dozen coffee and tea cups！〃
Elizabeth Eliza was ready to faint with delight and relief。 She told the Gibbons boys； by mistake； instead of Agamemnon； and the little boys。 She almost let fall the cups and saucers she took in her hand。
〃No trouble now！〃
She thought of the cow； and she thought of the pig； and she poured on。
No trouble； except about the chairs。 She looked into the room； all seemed to be sitting down； even her mother。 No； her father was standing； talking to Mr。
Jeffers。 But he was drinking coffee； and the Gibbons boys were handing things around。
The daughters of the lady from Philadelphia were sitting on shawls on the edge of the window that opened upon the piazza。 It was a soft； warm evening； and some of the young people were on the piazza。 Everybody was talking and laughing； except those who were listening。
Mr。 Peterkin broke away； to bring back his cup and another for more coffee。
〃It's a great success； Elizabeth Eliza；〃 he whispered。 〃The coffee is admirable； and plenty of cups。 We asked none too many。 I should not mind having a tea…party every week。〃
Elizabeth Eliza sighed with relief as she filled his cup。 It was going off well。
There were cups enough； but she was not sure she could live over another such hour of anxiety； and what was to be done after tea？
THE PETERKINS TOO LATE FOR THE EXHIBITION。 Dramatis Person？。 …Amanda （friend of Elizabeth Eliza）； Amanda's mother； girls of the graduating class； Mrs。 Peterkin； Elizabeth Eliza。 AMANDA ＇coming in with a few graduates ＇。
MOTHER； the exhibition is over； and I have brought the whole class home to the collation。
MOTHER。… The whole class！ I But I only expected a few。
AMANDA。… The rest are coming。 I brought Julie； and Clara； and Sophie with me。 ＇A voice is heard。 ＇ Here are the rest。
MOTHER。… Why； no。 It is Mrs。 Peterkin and Elizabeth Eliza！
AMANDA。… Too late for the exhibition。 Such a shame！ But in time for the collation。
MOTHER ＇to herself ＇。… If the ice…cream will go round。
AMANDA。… But what made you so late？ Did you miss the train？ This is Elizabeth Eliza； girls…you have heard me speak of her。 What a pity you were too late！
MRS。 PETERKIN。… We tried to come； we did our best。
MOTHER。… Did you miss the train？ Didn't you get my postal…card？
MRS。 PETERKIN。… We had nothing to do with the train。
AMANDA。… You don't mean you walked？
MRS。 PETERKIN。… O no； indeed！
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… We came in a horse and carryall。
JULIA。… I always wondered how anybody could come in a horse！
AMANDA。… You are too foolish； Julia。 They came in the carryall part。 But didn't you start in time？
MRS。 PETERKIN。… It all comes from the carryall being so hard to turn。 I told Mr。
Peterkin we should get into trouble with one of those carryalls that don't turn easy。
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… They turn easy enough in the stable； so you can't tell。
MRS。 PETERKIN。… Yes； we started with the little boys and Solomon John on the back seat； and Elizabeth Eliza on the front。 She was to drive； and I was to see to the driving。 But the horse was not faced toward Boston。
MOTHER。… And you tipped over in turning round！ Oh； what an accident！
AMANDA。… And the little boys…where are they？ Are they killed？
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… The little boys are all safe。 We left them at the Pringles'； with Solomon John。
MOTHER。… But what did happen？
MRS。 PETERKIN。… We started the wrong way。
MOTHER。… You lost your way； after all？
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… No； we knew the way well enough。
AMANDA。… It's as plain as a pikestaff！
MRS。 PETERKIN。… No； we had the horse faced in the wrong direction；…toward Providence。
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… And mother was afraid to have me turn； and we kept on and on till we should reach a wide place。
MRS。 PETERKIN。… I thought we should come to a road that would veer off to the right or left； and bring us back to the right direction。
MOTHER。… Could not you all get out and turn the thing round？
MRS。 PETERKIN。… Why； no； if it had broken down we should not have been in anything； and could not have gone anywhere。
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… Yes； I have always heard it was best to stay in the carriage； whatever happens。
JULIA。… But nothing seemed to happen。
MRS。 PETERKIN。… O yes； we met one man after another； and we asked the way to Boston。
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… And all they would say was； 〃Turn right round…you are on the road to Providence。〃
MRS。 PETERKIN。… As if we could turn right round！ That was just what we couldn't。
MOTHER。… You don't mean you kept on all the way to Providence？
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… O dear； no！ We kept on and on； till we met a man with a black hand…bag…black leather I should say。
JULIA。… He must have been a book…agent。
MRS。 PETERKIN。… I dare say he was； his bag seemed heavy。 He set it on a stone。
MOTHER。… I dare say it was the same one that came here the other day。 He wanted me to buy the 〃History of the Aborigines； Brought up from Earliest Times to the Present Date；〃 in four volumes。 I told him I hadn't time to read so much。 He said that was no matter； few did； and it wasn't much worth it…they bought books for the look of the thing。
AMANDA。… Now； that was illiterate； he never could have graduated。 I hope； Elizabeth Eliza； you had nothing to do with that man。
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… Very likely it was not the same one。
MOTHER。… Did he have a kind of pepper…and…salt suit； with one of the buttons worn？
MRS。 PETERKIN。… I noticed one of the buttons was off。
AMANDA。… We're off the subject。 Did you buy his book？
ELIZABETH ELIZA。… He never offered us his book。
MRS。 PETERKIN。… He told us the same story；…we were going to Providence； if we wanted to g
