the peterkin papers-第8章

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e　was　to　stand。

This　would　make　a　hump；　to　be　sure；　in　Elizabeth　Eliza's　room；　but　it　would　go　　across　the　whole　room。

Elizabeth　Eliza　said　she　would　not　mind　that。　It　would　be　like　the　cuddy　thing　　that　comes　up　on　the　deck　of　a　ship；　that　you　sit　against；　only　here　you　would　　not　have　the　sea…sickness。　She　thought　she　should　like　it；　for　a　rarity。　She　　might　use　it　for　a　divan。

Mrs。　Peterkin　thought　it　would　come　in　the　worn　place　of　the　carpet；　and　might　　be　a　convenience　in　making　the　carpet　over。

Agamemnon　was　afraid　there　would　be　trouble　in　keeping　the　matter　secret；　for　it　　would　be　a　long　piece　of　work　for　a　carpenter；　but　Mr。　Peterkin　proposed　having　　the　carpenter　for　a　day　or　two；　for　a　number　of　other　jobs。

　One　of　them　was　to　make　all　the　chairs　in　the　house　of　the　same　height；　for　　Mrs。　Peterkin　had　nearly　broken　her　spine　by　sitting　down　in　a　chair　that　she　　had　supposed　was　her　own　rocking…chair；　and　it　had　proved　to　be　two　inches　　lower。　The　little　boys　were　now　large　enough　to　sit　in　any　chair；　so　a　medium　　was　fixed　upon　to　satisfy　all　the　family；　and　the　chairs　were　made　uniformly　of　　the　same　height。

On　consulting　the　carpenter；　however；　he　insisted　that　the　tree　could　be　cut　off　　at　the　lower　end　to　suit　the　height　of　the　parlor；　and　demurred　at　so　great　a　　change　as　altering　the　ceiling。　But　Mr。　Peterkin　had　set　his　mind　upon　the　　improvement；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　cut　her　carpet　in　preparation　for　it。

　So　the　folding…doors　into　the　back　parlor　were　closed；　and　for　nearly　a　　fortnight　before　Christmas　there　was　great　litter　of　fallen　plastering；　and　　laths；　and　chips；　and　shavings；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza's　carpet　was　taken　up；　and　　the　furniture　had　to　be　changed；　and　one　night　she　had　to　sleep　at　the　　Bromwicks'；　for　there　was　a　long　hole　in　her　floor　that　might　be　dangerous。

All　this　delighted　the　little　boys。　They　could　not　understand　what　was　going　on。

Perhaps　they　suspected　a　Christmas…tree；　but　they　did　not　know　why　a　　Christmas…tree　should　have　so　many　chips；　and　were　still　more　astonished　at　the　　hump　that　appeared　in　Elizabeth　Eliza's　room。　It　must　be　a　Christmas　present；　or　　else　the　tree　in　a　box。

Some　aunts　and　uncles；　too；　arrived　a　day　or　two　before　Christmas；　with　some　　small　cousins。　These　cousins　occupied　the　attention　of　the　little　boys；　and　　there　was　a　great　deal　of　whispering　and　mystery；　behind　doors；　and　under　the　　stairs；　and　in　the　corners　of　the　entry。

Solomon　John　was　busy；　privately　making　some　candles　for　the　tree。　He　had　been　　collecting　some　bayberries；　as　he　understood　they　made　very　nice　candles；　so　　that　it　would　not　be　necessary　to　buy　any。

The　elders　of　the　family　never　all　went　into　the　back　parlor　together；　and　all　　tried　not　to　see　what　was　going　on。　Mrs。　Peterkin　would　go　in　with　Solomon　John；　　or　Mr。　Peterkin　with　Elizabeth　Eliza；　or　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　Agamemnon　and　　Solomon　John。　The　little　boys　and　the　small　cousins　were　never　allowed　even　to　　look　inside　the　room。

Elizabeth　Eliza　meanwhile　went　into　town　a　number　of　times。　She　wanted　to　　consult　Amanda　as　to　how　much　ice…cream　they　should　need；　and　whether　they　could　　make　it　at　home；　as　they　had　cream　and　ice。　She　was　pretty　busy　in　her　own　room；　　the　furniture　had　to　be　changed；　and　the　carpet　altered。　The　〃hump〃　was　higher　　than　she　expected。　There　was　danger　of　bumping　her　own　head　whenever　she　crossed　　it。　She　had　to　nail　some　padding　on　the　ceiling　for　fear　of　accidents。

The　afternoon　before　Christmas；　Elizabeth　Eliza；　Solomon　John；　and　their　father　　collected　in　the　back　parlor　for　a　council。　The　carpenters　had　done　their　work；　　and　the　tree　stood　at　its　full　height　at　the　back　of　the　room；　the　top　　stretching　up　into　the　space　arranged　for　it。　All　the　chips　and　shavings　were　　cleared　away；　and　it　stood　on　a　neat　box。

But　what　were　they　to　put　upon　the　tree？

　Solomon　John　had　brought　in　his　supply　of　candles；　but　they　proved　to　be　very　　〃stringy〃　and　very　few　of　them。　It　was　strange　how　many　bayberries　it　took　to　　make　a　few　candles！　The　little　boys　had　helped　him；　and　he　had　gathered　as　much　　as　a　bushel　of　bayberries。　He　had　put　them　in　water；　and　skimmed　off　the　wax；　　according　to　the　directions；　but　there　was　so　little　wax！

Solomon　John　had　given　the　little　boys　some　of　the　bits　sawed　off　from　the　legs　　of　the　chairs。　He　had　suggested　that　they　should　cover　them　with　gilt　paper；　to　　answer　for　gilt　apples；　without　telling　them　what　they　were　for。

These　apples；　a　little　blunt　at　the　end；　and　the　candles　were　all　they　had　for　　the　tree！

After　all　her　trips　into　town　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　forgotten　to　bring　anything　　for　it。

〃I　thought　of　candies　and　sugar…plums；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　concluded　if　we　made　　caramels　ourselves　we　should　not　need　them。　But；　then；　we　have　not　made　　caramels。　The　fact　is；　that　day　my　head　was　full　of　my　carpet。　I　had　bumped　it　　pretty　badly；　too。〃

Mr。　Peterkin　wished　he　had　taken；　instead　of　a　fir…tree；　an　apple…tree　he　had　　seen　in　October；　full　of　red　fruit。

〃But　the　leaves　would　have　fallen　off　by　this　time；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

　〃And　the　apples；　too；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃It　is　odd　I　should　have　forgotten；　that　day　I　went　in　on　purpose　to　get　the　　things；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　musingly。　〃But　I　went　from　shop　to　shop；　and　　didn't　know　exactly　what　to　get。　I　saw　a　great　many　gilt　things　for　　Christmas…trees；　but　I　knew　the　little　boys　were　making　the　gilt　apples；　there　　were　plenty　of　candles　in　the　shops；　but　I　knew　Solomon　John　was　making　the　　candles。〃

Mr。　Peterkin　thought　it　was　quite　natural。

Solomon　John　wondered　if　it　were　too　late　for　them　to　go　into　town　now。

Elizabeth　Eliza　could　not　go　in　the　next　morning；　for　there　was　to　be　a　grand　　Christmas　dinner；　and　Mr。　Peterkin　could　not　be　spared；　and　Solomon　John　was　　sure　he　and　Agamemnon　would　not　know　what　to　buy。　Besides；　they　would　want　to　　try　the　candles　to…night。

Mr。　Peterkin　asked　if　the　presents　everybody　had　been　preparing　would　not　　answer。　But　Elizabeth　Eliza　knew　they　would　be　too　heavy。

A　gloom　came　over　the　room。　There　was　only　a　flickering　gleam　from　one　of　　Solomon　John's　candles　that　he　had　lighted　by　way　of　trial。

Solomon　John　again　proposed　going　into　town。　He　lighted　a　match　to　examine　the　　newspaper　about　the　trains。　There　were　plenty　of　trains　coming　out　at　that　hour；　　but　none　going　in　except　a　very　late　one。　That　would　not　leave　time　to　do　　anything　and　come　back。

〃We　could　go　in；　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　I；〃　said　Solomon　John；　〃but　we　should　not　　have　time　to　buy　anything。〃

Agamemnon　was　summoned　in。　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　entertaining　the　uncles　and　aunts　　in　the　front　parlor。　Agamemnon　wished　there　was　time　to　study　up　something　about　　electric　lights。　If　they　could　only　have　a　calcium　light！　Solomon　John's　candle　　sputtered　and　went　out。

At　this　moment　there　was　a　loud　knocking　at　the　front　door。　The　little　boys；　and　　the　small　cousins；　and　the　uncles　and　aunts；　and　Mrs。　Peterkin；　hastened　to　see　　what　was　the　matter。

The　uncles　and　aunts　thought　somebody's　house　must　be　on　fire。　The　door　was　　opened；　and　there　was　a　man；　white　with　flakes；　for　it　was　beginning　to　snow；　　and　he　was　pulling　in　a　large　box。

Mrs。　Peterkin　supposed　it　contained　some　of　Elizabeth　Eliza's　purchases；　so　she　　ordered　it　to　be　pushed　into　the　back　parlor；　and　hastily　called　back　her　guests　　and　the　little　boys　into　the　other　room。　The　little　boys　and　the　small　cousins　　were　sure　they　had　seen　Santa　Claus　himself。

Mr。　Peterkin　lighted　the　gas。　The　box　was　addressed　to　Elizabeth　Eliza。　It　was　　from　the　lady　from　Philadelphia！　She　had　gathered　a　hint　from　Elizabeth　Eliza's　　letters　that　there　was　to　be　a　Christmas…tree；　and　had　filled　this　box　with　all　　that　would　be　needed。

It　was　opened　directly。　There　was　every　kind　of　gilt　hanging…thing；　from　gilt　　pea…pods　to　butterflies　on　springs。　There　were　shining　flags　and　lanterns；　and　　birdcages；　and　nests　with　birds　sitting　on　them；　baskets　of　fruit；　gilt　apples　　and　bunches　of　grapes；　and；　at　the　bottom　of　the　whole；　a　large　box　of　candles　　and　a　box　of　Philadelphia　bonbons！

　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　Solomon　John　could　scarcely　keep　from　screaming。　The　little　　boys　and　the　small　cousi