marm lisa-第1部分

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Marm　Lisa

by　Kate　Douglas　Wiggin





CHAPTER　IEDEN　PLACE



Eden　Place　was　a　short　street　running　at　right　angles　with　Eden　Square；　a　most　unattractive　and　infertile　triangle　of　ground　in　a　most　unattractive　but　respectable　quarter　of　a　large　city。　　It　was　called　a　square；　not　so　much；　probably；　because　it　was　triangular　in　shape；　as　because　it　was　hardly　large　enough　to　be　designated　as　a　park。　　As　to　its　being　called　'Eden；'　the　origin　of　that　qualifying　word　is　enveloped　in　mystery；　but　it　is　likely　that　the　enthusiastic　persons　who　projected　it　saw　visions　and　dreamed　dreams　of　green　benches　under　umbrageous　trees；　of　a　green　wire　fence；　ever　green；　and　of　plots　of　blossoming　flowers　filling　the　grateful　air　with　unaccustomed　fragrance。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　trees　had　always　been　stunted　and　stubby；　the　plants　had　never　been　tended；　and　all　the　paint　had　been　worn　off　the　benches　by　successive　groups　of　working…men　out　of　work。　　As　for　the　wire　fence；　it　had　been　much　used　as　a　means　of　ingress　and　egress　by　the　children　of　the　neighbourhood；　who　preferred　it　to　any　of　the　gateways；　which　they　considered　hopelessly　unimaginative　and　commonplace；　offering　no　resistance　to　the　budding　man　of　valour　or　woman　of　ambition。

Eden　Place　was　frequented　mostly　by　the　children；　who　found　it　an　admirable　spot　to　squabble；　to　fight；　and　to　dig　up　the　hapless　earth；　and　after　them；　by　persons　out　of　suits　with　fortune。　　These　（generally　men）　adorned　the　shabby　benches　at　all　times；　sleeping；　smoking；　reading　newspapers；　or　tracing　uncertain　patterns　in　the　gravel　with　a　stick；patterns　as　uncertain　and　aimless　as　themselves。　　There　were　fewer　women；　because　the　unemployed　woman　of　this　class　has　an　old…fashioned　habit；　or　instinct；　of　seeking　work　by　direct　assault；　the　method　of　the　male　being　rather　to　sit　on　a　bench　and　discuss　the　obstacles；　the　injustices；　and　the　unendurable　insults　heaped　by　a　plutocratic　government　in　the　path　of　the　honest　son　of　toil。

The　corner　house　of　Eden　Place　was　a　little　larger　than　its　neighbours　in　the　same　row。　　Its　side　was　flanked　by　a　sand…lot；　and　a　bay　window；　with　four　central　panes　of　blue　glass；　was　the　most　conspicuous　feature　of　its　architecture。　　In　the　small　front　yard　was　a　microscopic　flower…bed；　there　were　no　flowers　in　it；　but　the　stake　that　held　up　a　stout　plant　in　the　middle　was　surmounted　by　a　neat　wooden　sign　bearing　the　inscription；　'No　Smoking　on　these　Premises。'　The　warning　seemed　superfluous；　as　no　man　standing　in　the　garden　could　have　put　his　pipe　in　his　mouth　without　grazing　either　the　fence　or　the　house；　but　the　owner　of　the　'premises'　possibly　wished　to　warn　the　visitor　at　the　very　threshold。

All　the　occupied　houses　in　Eden　Place　were　cheerful　and　hospitable　in　their　appearance；　and　were　marked　by　an　air　of　liveliness　and　good…　fellowship。　　Bed　linen　hung　freely　from　all　the　windows；　for　there　was　no　hard　and　fast　law　about　making　up　beds　at　any　special　hour；　though　a　remnant　of　superstition　still　existed　that　it　was　a　good　thing　to　make　up　a　bed　before　you　slept　in　it。　　There　were　more　women　on　their　respective　front　steps；　and　fewer　in　their　respective　kitchens；　in　Eden　Place　than　in　almost　any　other　locality　in　the　city。　　That　they　lived　for　the　most　part　in　close　and　friendly　relations　could　be　seen　from　the　condition　of　the　fences　between　the　front　yards；　whose　upper　rails　fairly　sagged　with　the　weight　of　gossip。

One　woman；　living　in　the　middle　of　the　row；　evidently　possessed　somewhat　different　views；　for　she　had　planted　vines　on　each　of　her　division　fences；　rented　her　parlour　to　a　lodger　who　only　slept　there；　kept　all　her　front　curtains　drawn；　and　stayed　in　the　hack　of　her　house。　　Such　retribution　as　could　legally　be　wreaked　upon　this　offensive　and　exclusive　person　was　daily　administered　by　her　two　neighbours；　who　stood　in　their　doors　on　either　side　and　conversed　across　her　house　and　garden　with　much　freedom　and　exuberance。　　They　had　begged　the　landlord　to　induce　her　to　take　up　her　abode　elsewhere；　but　as　she　was　the　only　tenant　who　paid　her　rent　regularly；　he　refused　to　part　with　her。

Any　one　passing　the　'No　Smoking'　sign　and　entering　the　front　door　of　Mrs。　Grubb's　house；　on　the　corner；　would　have　turned　off　the　narrow　uncarpeted　hall　into　the　principal　room；　and；　if　he　were　an　observing　person；　would　have　been　somewhat　puzzled　by　its　appearance。　　There　were　seven　or　eight　long　benches　on　one　side；　yet　it　had　not　the　slightest　resemblance　to　a　schoolroom。　　The　walls　were　adorned　with　a　variety　of　interesting　objects。　　There　was　a　chart　showing　a　mammoth　human　hand；　the　palm　marked　with　myriads　of　purple　lines。　　There　were　two　others　displaying　respectively　the　interior　of　the　human　being　in　the　pink…and…white　purity　of　total　abstinence；　and　the　same　interior　after　years　of　intemperance　had　done　their　fatal　work；　a　most　valuable　chart　this　last；　and　one　that　had　quenched　the　thirst　of　many　a　man。

The　words　'Poverty　Must　Go'　were　wrought　in　evergreen　letters　over　the　bay　window；　and　various　texts　were　printed　in　red　and　black　and　tacked　to　the　wall　in　prominent　places。　　These　were　such　as　…

To　be　a　Flesh…Eater　is　to　be　a　Shedder　of　Blood　and　a　Destroyer　of　God's　Innocent　Creatures。'

'Now　that　Man　has　Begun　to　Ascend　in　the　Scale　of　Being；　let　Woman　Reach　Down　a　Strong；　Tender　Hand　and　Aid　him　in　his　Struggle　for　Moral　and　Spiritual　Elevation。'

'Let　the　Pleasure　Field　be　as　Large　as　Possible。　　Pains　and　Fears　Lessen　Growth。'

'I　Believe　that　to　Burden；　to　Bond；　to　Tax；　to　Tribute；　to　Impoverish；　to　Grind；　to　Pillage；　to　Oppress；　to　Afflict；　to　Plunder；　to　Vampire　the　Life　Labouring　to　Create　Wealth　is　the　Unpardonable　Sin。'

Over　the　mantel…shelf　was　a　seaweed　picture　in　a　frame　of　shells；　bearing　the　inscription；　'Unity　Hall；　Meeting…Place　of　the　Order　of　Present　Perfection。'　　On　a　table；　waiting　to　be　hung　in　place；　was　an　impressive　sort　of　map　about　four　feet　square。　　This；　like　many　of　the　other　ornaments　in　the　room；　was　a　trifle　puzzling；　and　seemed　at　first；　from　its　plenitude　of　coloured　spots；　to　be　some　species　of　moral　propaganda　in　a　state　of　violent　eruption。　　It　proved；　however；　on　closer　study；　to　be　an　ingenious　pictorial　representation　of　the　fifty　largest　cities　of　the　world；　with　the　successful　establishment　of　various　regenerating　ideas　indicated　by　coloured　discs　of　paper　neatly　pasted　on　the　surface。　　The　key　in　the　right…hand　corner　read　…

Temperance　　　　　　　　　　　Blue。　Single　Tax　　　　　　　　　　　Green。　Cremation　　　　　　　　　　　　Orange。　Abolition　of　War　　　　　Red。　Vegetarianism　　　　　　　　Purple。　Hypnotism　　　　　　　　　　　　Yellow。　　Dress　Reform　　　　　　　　　Black。　　Social　Purity　　　　　　　　Blush　Rose。　　Theosophy　　　　　　　　　　　　Silver。　Religious　Liberty　　　　Magenta。　Emancipation　of　　　｝　　Crushed　Strawberry。　Woman　　　　　　　　　　　　　｝

A　small　gold　star；　added　to　the　coloured　spot；　hovering　over　the　name　of　a　city；　was　explained；　in　the　lower　left…hand　corner；　as　denoting　the　fact　that　the　Eldorado　face…powder　was　exclusively　used　there；　and　that　S。　Cora　Grubb　was　the　sole　agent　for　the　Pacific　coast。

Joseph's　coat　faded　into　insignificance　in　comparison　with　the　city　of　Mrs。　Grubb's　present　residence；　which　appeared　to　be　a　perfect　hot…bed　of　world…saving　ideas；　and　was　surrounded　by　such　a　halo　of　spots　that　it　would　have　struck　the　unregenerate　observer　as　an　undesirable　place　in　which　to　live；　unless　one　wished　to　be　broken　daily　on　the　rack　of　social　progress。

This　front　room　was　Mrs。　Grubb's　only　parlour。　　The　seven　benches　were　rather　in　the　way　and　seemingly　unnecessary；　as　the　lady　attended　meetings　morning；　noon；　and　night　in　halls　hired　for　that　purpose；　but　they　gave　her　a　feeling　of　security；　as；　in　case　one　of　her　less　flourishing　societies　should　be　ejected　from　its　hall；　or　in　case　she　should　wake　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　want　to　hold　a　meeting　of　any　club　when　all　the　halls　were　closed；　the　benches　in　the　parlour　would　make　it　possible　without　a　moment's　loss　of　time。

The　room　connecting　with　this　was　the　family　banquet…hall　and　kitchen　in　one；　and　as　Mrs。　Grubb's　opinions　on　diet　were　extremely　advanced；　it　amply　served　the　purpose。

There　were　three　bedrooms　upstairs；　and　the　whole　establishment　was　rather　untidy　in　its　aspect；　but；　though　it　might　have　been　much　cleaner；　it　is　only　fair　to　say　that　it　might　also　have　been　much　dirtier。

The　house　was　deserted。　　The　only　sound　came　from　the　back　yard；　and　it　was　the　echo　of　children's　voices。　　It　was　not　at　all　a　merry　prattle；　it　was　a　steady　uproar　interrupted　by　occasional　shrieks　and　yells；　a　clatter　of　falling　blocks；　beatings　of　a　tin　pan；　a　scramble　of　feet；　a　tussle；　with　confusion　of　blows　and　thumps；　and　then　generally　a　temporary　lull　in　the　proceedings；　evidently　brought　about　by　some　sort　of　outside　interference。　　If　you　had　pushed　open　the　wire　door；　you　would　have　seen　two　children　of　four　or　five　years　disporting　themselves　in　a　sand…heap。　　One　was　a　boy　and　one　a　girl；　and　though　they　were　not　at　all　alike　in　feature　or　complexion；　there　was　an　astonishing　resemblance　between　them　in　size；　in　figure；　in　voice；　in　expression；　and；　apparently；　in　disposition。

Sitting　on　a　bench；　watching　them　as　a　dog　watches　its　master's　coat；　was　a　girl　of　some　undeterminable　age；perhaps　of　ten　or　twelve　years。　　She　wore　a　shapeless　stout　gingham　garment；　her　shoes　were　many　sizes　too　large　for　her；　and　the　laces　were　dangling。　　Her　nerveless　hands　and　long　arms　sprawled　in　her　lap　as　if　they　had　no　volition　in　them。　　She　sat　with　her　head　slightly　drooping；　her　knees　apart；　and　her　feet　aimlessly　turned　in。　　Her　lower　lip　hung　a　little；　but　only　a　little；　loosely。　　She　looked　neither　at　earth　nor　at　sky；　but　straight　at　the　two　belligerents；　with　whose　bloodthirsty　play　she　was　obliged　to　interfere　at　intervals。　　She　held　in　her　lap　a　doll　made　of　a　roll　of　brown　paper；　with　a　waist　and　a　neck　indicated　by　gingham　strings。　　Pieces　of　ravelled　rope　were　pinned　on　the　head　part；　but　there　was　no　other　attempt　to　assist　the　imagination。　　She　raised　her　dull　eyes；　they　seemed　to　hold　in　their　depths　a　knowledge　of　aloofness　from　the　happier　world；　and　their　dumb　sorrow　pierced　your　very　heart；　while　it　gave　you　an　irresistible　sense　of　aversion。　　She　smiled；