the peterkin papers-第26章

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　or　she　would　meet　them　if　they　were　on　their　　return。

She　mounted　the　seat　with　the　expressman；　and　slowly　they　took　their　way；　　stopping　for　occasional　parcels　as　they　left　the　village。

But　much　to　Elizabeth　Eliza's　dismay；　they　turned　off　from　the　main　road　on　　leaving　the　village。　She　remonstrated；　but　the　driver　insisted　he　must　go　round　　by　Millikin's　to　leave　a　bedstead。　They　went　round　by　Millikin's；　and　then　had　　further　turns　to　make。　Elizabeth　Eliza　explained　that　in　this　way　it　would　be　　impossible　for　her　to　find　her　parents　and　family；　and　at　last　he　proposed　to　　take　her　all　the　way　with　her　trunk。　She　remembered　with　a　shudder　that　when　she　　had　first　asked　about　her　trunk；　he　had　promised　it　should　certainly　be　　delivered　the　next　morning。　Suppose　they　should　have　to　be　out　all　night？　Where　　did　express…carts　spend　the　night？　She　thought　of　herself　in　a　lone　wood；　in　an　　express…wagon！　She　could　hardly　bring　herself　to　ask；　before　assenting；　when　he　　should　arrive。

〃He　guessed　he　could　bring　up　before　night。〃

And　so　it　happened　that　as　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　in　the　late　sunset　were　looking　　down　the　hill；　wondering　what　they　should　do　about　the　lost　Elizabeth　Eliza；　　they　saw　an　express　wagon　approaching。　A　female　form　sat　upon　the　front　seat。

〃She　has　decided　to　come　by　express；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。　〃It　is…it　is…Elizabeth　　Eliza！〃

　THE　PETERKINS　AT　THE　〃CARNIVAL　OF　AUTHORS〃　IN　BOSTON。　　THE　Peterkins　were　in　quite　a　muddle　（for　them）　about　the　carnival　of　authors；　　to　be　given　in　Boston。　As　soon　as　it　was　announced；　their　interests　were　　excited；　and　they　determined　that　all　the　family　should　go。

But　they　conceived　a　wrong　idea　of　the　entertainment；　as　they　supposed　that　　every　one　must　go　in　costume。　Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　their　lessons　in　the　　foreign　languages　would　help　them　much　in　conversing　in　character。

As　the　carnival　was　announced　early　Solomon　John　thought　there　would　be　time　to　　read　up　everything　written　by　all　the　authors；　in　order　to　be　acquainted　with　　the　characters　they　introduced。　Mrs。　Peterkin　did　not　wish　to　begin　too　early　　upon　the　reading；　for　she　was　sure　she　should　forget　all　that　the　different　　authors　had　written　before　the　day　came。

But　Elizabeth　Eliza　declared　that　she　should　hardly　have　time　enough；　as　it　was；　　to　be　acquainted　with　all　the　authors。　She　had　given　up　her　French　lessons；　　after　taking　six；　for　want　of　time；　and　had；　indeed；　concluded　she　had　learned　　in　them　all　she　should　need　to　know　of　that　language。　She　could　repeat　one　or　　two　pages　of　phrases；　and　she　was　astonished　to　find　how　much　she　could　　understand　already　of　what　the　French　teacher　said　to　her；　and　he　assured　her　　that　when　she　went　to　Paris　she　could　at　least　ask　the　price　of　gloves；　or　of　　some　other　things　she　would　need；　and　he　taught　her；　too；　how　to　pronounce　　〃gar？on；〃　in　calling　for　more。

Agamemnon　thought　that　different　members　of　the　family　might　make　themselves　　familiar　with　different　authors；　the　little　boys　were　already　acquainted　with　　〃Mother　Goose。〃　Mr。　Peterkin　had　read　the　〃Pickwick　Papers；〃　and　Solomon　John　　had　actually　seen　Mr。　Longfellow　getting　into　a　horse…car。

Elizabeth　Eliza　suggested　that　they　might　ask　the　Turk　to　give　lectures　upon　the　　〃Arabian　Nights。〃　Everybody　else　was　planning　something　of　the　sort；　to　〃raise　　funds〃　for　some　purpose；　and　she　was　sure　they　ought　not　to　be　behindhand。　Mrs。

Peterkin　approved　of　this。　It　would　be　excellent　if　they　could　raise　funds　　enough　to　pay　for　their　own　tickets　to　the　carnival；　then　they　could　go　every　　night。

Elizabeth　Eliza　was　uncertain。　She　thought　it　was　usual　to　use　the　funds　for　　some　object。　Mr。　Peterkin　said　that　if　they　gained　funds　enough　they　might　　arrange　a　booth　of　their　own；　and　sit　in　it；　and　take　the　carnival　comfortably。

But　Agamemnon　reminded　him　that　none　of　the　family　were　authors；　and　only　　authors　had　booths。　Solomon　John；　indeed；　had　once　started　upon　writing　a　book；　　but　he　was　not　able　to　think　of　anything　to　put　in　it；　and　nothing　had　occurred　　to　him　yet。

Mr。　Peterkin　urged　him　to　make　one　more　effort。　If　his　book　could　come　out　　before　the　carnival　he　could　go　as　an　author；　and　might　have　a　booth　of　his　own；　　and　take　his　family。

But　Agamemnon　declared　it　would　take　years　to　become　an　author。　You　might　indeed　　publish　something；　but　you　had　to　make　sure　that　it　would　be　read。　Mrs。

Peterkin；　on　the　other　hand；　was　certain　that　libraries　were　filled　with　books　　that　never　were　read；　yet　authors　had　written　them。　For　herself；　she　had　not　　read　half　the　books　in　their　own　library。　And　she　was　glad　there　was　to　be　a　　Carnival　of　Authors；　that　she　might　know　who　they　were。

Mr。　Peterkin　did　not　understand　why　they　called　them　a　〃Carnival〃；　but　he　　supposed　they　should　find　out　when　they　went　to　it。

Mrs。　Peterkin　still　felt　uncertain　about　costumes。　She　proposed　looking　over　the　　old　trunks　in　the　garret。　They　would　find　some　suitable　dresses　there；　and　these　　would　suggest　what　characters　they　should　take。　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　pleased　with　　this　thought。　She　remembered　an　old　turban　of　white　mull　muslin；　in　an　old　　bandbox；　and　why　should　not　her　mother　wear　it？

　Mrs。　Peterkin　supposed　that　she　should　then　go　as　her　own　grandmother。

Agamemnon　did　not　approve　of　this。　Turbans　are　now　worn　in　the　East；　and　Mrs。

Peterkin　could　go　in　some　Eastern　character。　Solomon　John　thought　she　might　be　　Cleopatra；　and　this　was　determined　on。　Among　the　treasures　found　were　some　old　　bonnets；　of　large　size；　with　waving　plumes。　Elizabeth　Eliza　decided　upon　the　　largest　of　these。

　She　was　tempted　to　appear　as　Mrs。　Columbus；　as　Solomon　John　was　to　take　the　　character　of　Christopher　Columbus；　but　he　was　planning　to　enter　upon　the　stage　　in　a　boat；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　a　little　afraid　of　sea…sickness；　as　he　had　　arranged　to　be　a　great　while　finding　the　shore。

Solomon　John　had　been　led　to　take　this　character　by　discovering　a　coal…hod　that　　would　answer　for　a　helmet；　then；　as　Christopher　Columbus　was　born　in　Genoa；　he　　could　use　the　phrases　in　Italian　he　had　lately　learned　of　his　teacher。

As　the　day　approached　the　family　had　their　costumes　prepared。

Mr。　Peterkin　decided　to　be　Peter　the　Great。　It　seemed　to　him　a　happy　thought；　　for　the　few　words　of　Russian　he　had　learned　would　come　in　play；　and　he　was　quite　　sure　that　his　own　family　name　made　him　kin　to　that　of　the　great　Czar。　He　studied　　up　the　life　in　the　Encyclop？dia；　and　decided　to　take　the　costume　of　a　　ship…builder。　He　visited　the　navy…yard　and　some　of　the　docks；　but　none　of　them　　gave　him　the　true　idea　of　dress　for　ship…building　in　Holland　or　St。　Petersburg。

But　he　found　a　picture　of　Peter　the　Great；　representing　him　in　a　broad…brimmed　　hat。　So　he　assumed　one　that　he　found　at　a　costumer's；　and　with　Elizabeth　Eliza's　　black　waterproof　was　satisfied　with　his　own　appearance。

Elizabeth　Eliza　wondered　if　she　could　not　go　with　her　father　in　some　Russian　　character。　She　would　have　to　lay　aside　her　large　bonnet；　but　she　had　seen　　pictures　of　Russian　ladies；　with　fur　muffs　on　their　heads；　and　she　might　wear　　her　own　muff。

Mrs。　Peterkin；　as　Cleopatra；　wore　the　turban；　with　a　little　row　of　false　curls　　in　front；　and　a　white　embroidered　muslin　shawl　crossed　over　her　black　silk　　dress。　The　little　boys　thought　she　looked　much　like　the　picture　of　their　　great…grandmother。　But　doubtless　Cleopatra　resembled　this　picture；　as　it　was　all　　so　long　ago；　so　the　rest　of　the　family　decided。

Agamemnon　determined　to　go　as　Noah。　The　costume；　as　represented　in　one　of　the　　little　boys'　arks；　was　simple。　His　father's　red…lined　dressing　gown；　turned　　inside　out；　permitted　it　easily。

Elizabeth　Eliza　was　now　anxious　to　be　Mrs。　Shem；　and　make　a　long　dress　of　yellow　　flannel；　and　appear　with　Agamemnon　and　the　little　boys。　For　the　little　boys　were　　to　represent　two　doves　and　a　raven。　There　were　feather…dusters　enough　in　the　　family　for　their　costumes；　which　would　be　then　complete　with　their　india…rubber　　boots。

Solomon　John　carried　out　in　detail　his　idea　of　Christopher　Columbus。　He　had　a　　number　of　eggs　boiled　hard　to　take　in　his　pocket；　proposing　to　repeat；　through　　the　evening；　the　scene　of　setting　the　egg　on　its　end。　He　g