the peterkin papers-第23部分

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Solomon　John　went　over　to　〃the　young　man；〃　who　agreed　to　go　up　to　the　house　as　　soon　as　he　had　closed　the　shop；　fit　a　key；　and　open　the　door；　and　come　back　to　　them　on　his　way　home。　Solomon　John　came　back　to　the　station；　for　it　was　now　cold　　and　windy　in　the　deserted　streets。　The　family　made　themselves　as　comfortable　as　　possible　by　the　stove；　sending　Solomon　John　out　occasionally　to　look　for　the　　young　man。　But　somehow　Solomon　John　missed　him；　the　lights　were　out　in　the　　locksmith's　shop；　so　he　followed　along　to　the　house；　hoping　to　find　him　there。

But　he　was　not　there！　He　came　back　to　report。　Perhaps　the　young　man　had　opened　　the　door　and　gone　on　home。　Solomon　John　and　Agamemnon　went　back　together；　but　　they　could　not　get　in。　Where　was　the　young　man？　He　had　lately　come　to　town；　and　　nobody　knew　where　he　lived；　for　on　the　return　of　Solomon　John　and　Agamemnon　it　　had　been　proposed　to　go　to　the　house　of　the　young　man。　The　night　was　wearing　on。

The　midnight　train　had　come　and　gone。　The　passengers　who　came　and　went　looked　　with　wonder　at　Mrs。　Peterkin；　nodding　in　her　turban；　as　she　sat　by　the　stove；　on　　a　corner　of　a　long　bench。　At　last　the　station…master　had　to　leave；　for　a　short　　rest。　He　felt　obliged　to　lock　up　the　station；　but　he　promised　to　return　at　an　　early　hour　to　release　them。

〃Of　what　use；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃if　we　cannot　even　then　get　into　our　own　　house？〃

Mr。　Peterkin　thought　the　matter　appeared　bad；　if　the　locksmith　had　left　town。　He　　feared　the　young　man　might　have　gone　in；　and　helped　himself　to　spoons；　and　left。

Only　they　should　have　seen　him　if　he　had　taken　the　midnight　train。　Solomon　John　　thought　he　appeared　honest。　Mr。　Peterkin　only　ventured　to　whisper　his　　suspicions；　as　he　did　not　wish　to　arouse　Mrs。　Peterkin；　who　still　was　nodding　in　　the　corner　of　the　long　bench。

Morning　did　come　at　last。　The　family　decided　to　go　to　their　home；　perhaps　by　　some　effort　in　the　early　daylight　they　might　make　an　entrance。

On　the　way　they　met　with　the　night…policeman；　returning　from　his　beat。　He　　stopped　when　he　saw　the　family。

　〃Ah　！　that　accounts；〃　he　said；　〃you　were　all　out　last　night；　and　the　burglars　　took　occasion　to　make　a　raid　on　your　house。　I　caught　a　lively　young　man　in　the　　very　act；　box　of　tools　in　his　hand！　If　I　had　been　a　minute　late　he　would　have　　made　his　way　in〃…　　The　family　then　tried　to　interrupt…to　explain…　　〃Where　is　he？〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Peterkin。

〃Safe　in　the　lock…up；〃　answered　the　policeman。

〃But　he　is　the　locksmith！〃　interrupted　Solomon　John。

〃We　have　no　key！〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃if　you　have　locked　up　the　locksmith　we　　can　never　get　in。〃

The　policeman　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　smiling　slightly　when　he　understood　　the　case。

〃The　locksmith！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃he　is　a　new　fellow；　and　I　did　not　recognize　him；　　and　arrested　him！　Very　well；　I　will　go　and　let　him　out；　that　he　may　let　you　in！〃

and　he　hurried　away；　surprising　the　Peterkin　family　with　what　seemed　like　　insulting　screams　of　laughter。

〃It　seems　to　me　a　more　serious　case　than　it　appears　to　him；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。

Mrs。　Peterkin　did　not　understand　it　at　all。　Had　burglars　entered　the　house？　Did　　the　policeman　say　they　had　taken　spoons　？　And　why　did　he　appear　so　pleased？　She　　was　sure　the　old　silver　teapot　was　locked　up　in　the　closet　of　their　room。　Slowly　　the　family　walked　towards　the　house；　and；　almost　as　soon　as　they；　the　policeman　　appeared　with　the　released　locksmith；　and　a　few　boys　from　the　street；　who　　happened　to　be　out　early。

The　locksmith　was　not　in　very　good　humor；　and　took　ill　the　jokes　of　the　　policeman。　Mr。　Peterkin；　fearing　he　might　not　consent　to　open　the　door；　pressed　　into　his　hand　a　large　sum　of　money。　The　door　flew　open；　the　family　could　go　in。

Amanda　arrived　at　the　same　moment。　There　was　hope　of　breakfast。　Mrs。　Peterkin　　staggered　towards　the　stairs。　〃I　shall　never　go　to　another　carnival！〃　she　　exclaimed。

　THE　PETERKINS　AT　THE　FARM。　　YES；　at　last　they　had　reached　the　seaside；　after　much　talking　and　deliberation；　　and　summer　after　summer　the　journey　had　been　constantly　postponed。

But　here　they　were　at　last；　at　the　〃Old　Farm；〃　so　called；　where　seaside　　attractions　had　been　praised　in　all　the　advertisements。　And　here　they　were　to　　meet　the　Sylvesters；　who　knew　all　about　the　place；　cousins　of　Ann　Maria　　Bromwick。　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　astonished　not　to　find　them　there；　though　she　had　　not　expected　Ann　Maria　to　join　them　till　the　very　next　day。

Their　preparations　had　been　so　elaborate　that　at　one　time　the　whole　thing　had　　seemed　hopeless；　yet　here　they　all　were。　Their　trunks；　to　be　sure；　had　not　　arrived；　but　the　wagon　was　to　be　sent　back　for　them；　and；　wonderful　to　tell；　　they　had　all　their　hand…baggage　safe。

Agamemnon　had　brought　his　Portable　Electrical　Machine　and　Apparatus；　and　the　　volumes　of　the　Encyclop？dia　that　might　tell　him　how　to　manage　it；　and　Solomon　　John　had　his　photograph　camera。　The　little　boys　had　used　their　india…rubber　　boots　as　portmanteaux；　filling　them　to　the　brim；　and　carrying　one　in　each　　hand；…a　very　convenient　way　for　travelling　they　considered　it；　but　they　found　on　　arriving　（when　they　wanted　to　put　their　boots　directly　on　for　exploration　round　　the　house）；　that　it　was　somewhat　inconvenient　to　have　to　begin　to　unpack　　directly；　and　scarcely　room　enough　could　be　found　for　all　the　contents　in　the　　small　chamber　allotted　to　them。

There　was　no　room　in　the　house　for　the　electrical　machine　and　camera。　Elizabeth　　Eliza　thought　the　other　boarders　were　afraid　of　the　machine　going　off；　so　an　　out…house　was　found　for　them；　where　Agamemnon　and　Solomon　John　could　arrange　　them。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　much　pleased　with　the　old…fashioned　porch　and　low…studded　　rooms；　though　the　sleeping…rooms　seemed　a　little　stuffy　at　first。

　Mr。　Peterkin　was　delighted　with　the　admirable　order　in　which　the　farm　was　　evidently　kept。　From　the　first　moment　he　arrived　he　gave　himself　to　examining　　the　well…stocked　stables　and　barns；　and　the　fields　and　vegetable　gardens；　which　　were　shown　to　him　by　a　highly　intelligent　person；　a　Mr。　Atwood；　who　devoted　　himself　to　explaining　to　Mr。　Peterkin　all　the　details　of　methods　in　the　farming。

　The　rest　of　the　family　were　disturbed　at　being　so　far　from　the　sea；　when　they　　found　it　would　take　nearly　all　the　afternoon　to　reach　the　beach。　The　　advertisements　had　surely　stated　that　the　〃Old　Farm〃　was　directly　on　the　shore；　　and　that　sea…bathing　would　be　exceedingly　convenient；　which　was　hardly　the　case　　if　it　took　you　an　hour　and　a　half　to　walk　to　it。

Mr。　Peterkin　declared　there　were　always　such　discrepancies　between　the　　advertisements　of　seaside　places　and　the　actual　facts；　but　he　was　more　than　　satisfied　with　the　farm　part；　and　was　glad　to　remain　and　admire　it；　while　the　　rest　of　the　family　went　to　find　the　beach；　starting　off　in　a　wagon　large　enough　　to　accommodate　them；　Agamemnon　driving　the　one　horse。

Solomon　John　had　depended　upon　taking　the　photographs　of　the　family　in　a　row　on　　the　beach；　but　he　decided　not　to　take　his　camera　out　the　first　afternoon。

This　was　well；　as　the　sun　was　already　setting　when　they　reached　the　beach。

〃If　this　wagon　were　not　so　shaky；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin　〃we　might　drive　over　every　　morning　for　our　bath。　The　road　is　very　straight；　and　I　suppose　Agamemnon　can　　turn　on　the　beach。〃

〃We　should　have　to　spend　the　whole　day　about　it；〃　said　Solomon　John；　in　a　　discouraged　tone；　〃unless　we　can　have　a　quicker　horse。〃

〃Perhaps　we　should　prefer　that；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　a　little　gloomily；　〃to　　staying　at　the　house。〃

She　had　been　a　little　disturbed　to　find　there　were　not　more　elegant　and　　fashionable…looking　boarders　at　the　farm；　and　she　was　disappointed　that　the　　Sylvesters　had　not　arrived；　who　would　understand　the　ways　of　the　place。　Yet；　　again；　she　was　somewhat　relieved；　for　if　their　trunks　did　not　come　till　the　next　　day；　as　was　feared；　she　should　have　nothing　but　her　travelling　dress　to　wear；　　which　would　certainly　answer　for　to…night。

She　had　been　busy　all　the　early　summer　in　preparing　her　dresses　for　this　very　　watering…place；　and；　as　far　as　appeared；　she　would　hardly　need　them；　and　was　　disappointed　to　have　no　chance　to　display　them。　But　of　course；　when　the　　Sylvesters　and　Ann　Maria　came；　all　would　be　different；　but　they　would　surely　be　　wasted　on　the　two　old　ladies　she　had　seen；　and　on　the　old　men　who　had　lounged　　about　the　porch；　there　surely　was　not　a　gentleman　among　them。

Agamemnon　assured　her　she　could　not　tell　at　the　seaside；　as　gentlemen　wore　their　　exercise　dress；　and　took　a　pride　in　going　around　in　shocking　hats　and　flannel　　suits。　Doubtless　they　would　be　dressed　for　dinner　on　their　return。

On　their　arrival　they　had　been　shown　to　a　room　to　have　their　meals　by　　themselves；　and　could　not　decide　whether　they　were　eating　dinner　or　lunch。　There　　was　a　variety　of　meat；　vegetables；　and　pie；　that　might　come　under　either　name；　　but　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　were　well　pleased。

〃I　had　no　idea　we　should　have　really　farm…fare；〃　Mrs。　Peterkin　said。　〃I　have　not　　drunk　such　a　tumbler　of　milk　since　I　was　young。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　concluded　they　ought　not　to　judge　from　a　first　meal；　as　　evidently　their　arrival　had　not　been　fully　prepared　for；　in　spite　of　the　　numerous　letters　that　had　been　exchanged。

The　little　boys　were；　however；　perfectly　satisfied　from　the　moment　of　their　　arrival；　and　one　of　them　had　stayed　at　the　farm；　declining　to　go　to　the　beach；　　as　he　wished　to　admire　the　pigs；　cows；　and　horses；　and　all　the　way　over　to　the　　beach　the　other　little　boys　were　hopping　in　and　out　of　the　wagon；　which　never　　went　too　fast；　to　pick　long　mullein…stalks；　for　whips　to　urge　on　the　reluctant　　horse　with；　or　to　gather　huckleberries；　with　which　they　were　rejoiced　to　find　　the　fields　were　filled；　although；　as　yet；　the　berries　were　very　green。

They　wanted　to　stay　longer　on　the　beach；　when　they　finally　reached　it；　but　Mrs。

Peterkin　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　insisted　upon　turning　directly　back；　as　it　was　not　　fair　to　be　late　to　dinner　the　very　first　night。

On　the　whole　the　party　came　back　cheerful；　yet　hungry。　They　found　the　same　old　　men；　in　the　same　costume；　standing　against　the　porch。

〃A　little　seedy；　I　should　say；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃Smoking　pipes；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃I　believe　that　is　the　lates