marm lisa-第12部分

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　firm　line　of　Rhoda's　lip　as　she　bore　down　upon　the　destructive　urchin。　　She　could　almost　hear　the　bright　challenging　tone　as　Rhoda　would　say：　　'Now；　Atlantic；　let　us　see　what　we　can　do！　　Cut　off　the　chewed　edges　with　these　scissors；　paste　these　thin　pieces　of　paper　over　the　torn　places；　and　rub　the　card　with　this　crust　of　bread。　　A　new　one？　Certainly　NOT；　my　young　friend！'

Lisa　took　the　poor　little　object　in　her　hand；　and；　seeing　Mistress　Mary's　white　apron；　pressed　her　cheek　against　it　in　a　transport　of　tenderness　and　hung　it　over　her　arm。　　Just　then　she　caught　sight　of　the　clay　bird's…nest　that　Pacific　had　modelledsuch　a　lovely　bird's…　nest　that　it　had　been　kept　for　the　cabinet。　　She　carried　her　treasures　over　to　the　old…fashioned　lounge　where　the　babies　took　their　occasional　nap；　put　them　carefully　in　a　small　red　chair　close　beside　it；　and　then；　stretching　her　weary　length　on　the　cushions；　she　kissed　the　smooth　folds　of　the　apron；　and　clasped　it　in　her　arms。

Mistress　Mary　would　come　soon。　　She　would　come　in　her　cloud　of　white；　and　her　steel　fillet　would　gleam　and　shine　when　the　sunshine　fell　upon　it；　and　make　star…rays　and　moonbeams　and　lightning…flashes；　and　the　tiny　points　would　twinkle　and　wink　and　laugh　and　blink　whenever　she　turned　her　head。　　She　would　smile；　and　everything　would　suddenly　be　clear；　she　would　speak；　and　the　weary　buzzing　of　windmills　in　the　brain　would　be　hushed。　　Under　her　touch　the　darkness　and　heaviness　would　vanish；　and　there　would　be　no　more　night　thereno　more　night。

As　these　healing　visions　stole　upon　Marm　Lisa；　the　torture　and　the　anguish；　the　long　hours　of　bewilderment；　faded　little　by　little；　little　by　little；　till　at　length　a　blessed　sleep　crept　over　her　eyelids；　blotting　into　a　merciful　nothingness　the　terror　and　the　misery　of　the　day。



CHAPTER　XTHE　TWINS　JOIN　THE　CELESTIALS



Meanwhile；　Atlantic　and　Pacific　had　been　enjoying　themselves　even　unto　the　verge　of　delirium。　　In　the　course　of　their　wanderings　they　had　come　upon　a　Chinaman　bearing　aloft　a　huge　red　silken　banner　crowned　by　a　badger's　tail。　　Everything　young　that　had　two　legs　was　following　him；　and　they　joined　the　noble　army　of　followers。　　As　they　went　on；　other　Chinamen　with　other　banners　came　from　the　side…alleys；　and　all　at　once　the　small　procession　thus　formed　turned　a　corner　and　came　upon　the　parent　body；　a　sight　that　fairly　stunned　them　by　its　Oriental　magnificence。　　It　was　the　four　thousandth　anniversary　of　the　birth　of　Yeong　Wo；　had　the　children　realised　it　（and　that　may　have　been　the　reason　that　they　awoke　in　a　fever　of　excitement）Yeong　Wo；　statesman；　philanthropist；　philosopher；　and　poet；　and　the　great　day　had　been　chosen　to　dedicate　the　new　temple　and　install　in　it　a　new　joss；　and　to　exhibit　a　monster　dragon　just　arrived　from　China。　　The　joss　had　been　sitting　in　solemn　state　in　his　sanctum　sanctorum　for　a　week；　while　the　priests　appeased　him　hourly　with　plenteous　libations　of　rice　brandy；　sacrifices　of　snow…white　pigeons；　and　offerings　of　varnished　pork。　　Clouds　of　incense　had　regaled　his　expansive　mahogany　nostrils；　while　his　ears　of　ivory　inlaid　with　gold　and　bronze　had　been　stimulated　with　the　ceaseless　clashing　of　gongs　and　wailings　of　Chinese　fiddles。　　Such　homage　and　such　worship　would　have　touched　a　heart　of　stone；　and　that　of　the　joss　was　penetrable　sandalwood；　so　as　the　days　of　preparation　wore　away　the　smile　on　the　teakwood　lips　of　the　idol　certainly　became　more　propitious。　　This　was　greatly　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　augurs　and　the　high　priest；　for　a　mighty　joss　is　not　always　in　a　sunny　humour　on　feast…days；　and　to　parade　a　sulky　god　through　the　streets　is　a　very　depressing　ceremony；　foretelling　to　the　initiated　a　season　of　dire　misfortune。　　So　his　godship　smiled　and　shook　his　plume　of　peacock　feathers　benignantly　on　Yeong　Wo's　birthday；　and　therefore　the　pageant　in　which　Atlantic　and　Pacific　bore　a　part　was　more　gorgeous　than　anything　that　ever　took　place　out　of　the　Flowery　Kingdom　itself。

Fortune　smiled　upon　the　naughty　creatures　at　the　very　outset；　for　Pacific　picked　up　a　stick　of　candy　in　the　street；　and　gave　half　of　it　to　a　pretty　Chinese　maiden　whose　name　in　English　would　have　been　Spring　Blossom；　and　who　looked；　in　any　language；　like　a　tropical　flower；　in　her　gown　of　blue…and…gold…embroidered　satin　and　the　sheaf　of　tiny　fans　in　her　glossy　black　hair。　　Spring　Blossom　accepted　the　gift　with　enthusiasm；　since　a　sweet　tooth　is　not　a　matter　of　nationality；　and　ran　immediately　to　tell　her　mother；　a　childish　instinct　also　of　universal　distribution。　　She　climbed；　as　nimbly　as　her　queer　little　shoes　would　permit；　a　flight　of　narrow　steps　leading　to　a　balcony；　while　the　twins　followed　close　at　her　heels；　and　wedged　their　way　through　a　forest　of　Mongolian　legs　till　they　reached　the　front；　where　they　peeped　through　the　spaces　of　the　railings　with　Spring　Blossom；　Fairy　Foot；　Dewy　Rose；　and　other　Celestial　babies；　quite　overlooked　in　the　crowd　and　excitement　and　jollity。　　Such　a　very　riot　of　confusion　there　was；　it　seemed　as　if　Confucius　might　have　originally　spelled　his　name　with　an　s　in　the　middle；　for　every　window　was　black　with　pigtailed　highbinders；　cobblers；　pork　butchers；　and　pawnbrokers。　　The　narrow　streets　and　alleys　became　one　seething　mass　of　Asiatic　humanity；　while　the　painted　belles　came　out　on　their　balconies　like　butterflies；　sitting　among　a　wealth　of　gaudy　paper　flowers　that　looked　pale　in　comparison　with　the　daubs　of　vermilion　on　their　cheeks　and　the　rainbow　colours　of　their　silken　tunics。

At　last　the　pageant　had　gathered　itself　together；　and　came　into　full　view　in　all　its　magnificence。　　There　were　pagodas　in　teakwood　inlaid　with　gold；　and　resting　on　ebony　poles；　and　behind　them；　on　a　very　tame　Rosinante　decked　with　leopard　skins　and　gold　bullion　fringes；　a　Chinese　maiden　dressed　to　represent　a　queen　of　Celestial　mythology。　Then　came　more　pagodas；　and　companies　of　standard…bearers　in　lavender　tunics；　red　sashes；　green　and　orange　leggings　and　slippers；　more　and　more　splendid　banners；　painted　with　dragons　sprawling　in　distressed　attitudes；　litters　containing　minor　gods　and　the　paraphernalia　they　were　accustomed　to　need　on　a　journey　like　this；　more　litters　bearing　Chinese　orchestras；　gongs　going　at　full　blast；　fiddles　squeaking；　drums　rumbling；　trumpets　shrieking；　cymbals　clashing；just　the　sort　of　Babel　that　the　twins　adored。

And　now　came　the　chariot　and　throne　of　the　great　joss　himself；　and　just　behind　him　a　riderless　bay　horse；　intended　for　his　imperial　convenience　should　he　tire　of　being　swayed　about　on　the　shoulders　of　his　twelve　bearers；　and　elect　to　change　his　method　of　conveyance。　Behind　this　honoured　steed　came　a　mammoth　rock…cod　in　a　pagoda　of　his　own；　and　then；　heralded　by　a　fusilade　of　fire…crackers；　the　new　dragon　itself；　stretching　and　wriggling　its　monster　length　through　one　entire　block。　　A　swarm　of　men　cleared　the　way　for　it；　gesticulating　like　madmen　in　their　zeal　to　get　swimming…room　for　the　sacred　monster。　　Never　before　in　her　brief　existence　had　Pacific　Simonson　been　afraid　of　anything；　but　if　she　had　been　in　the　street；　and　had　so　much　as　caught　the　wink　of　the　dragon's　eye；　or　a　wave　of　its　consecrated　fin；　she　would　have　dropped　senseless　to　the　earth；　as　it　was；　she　turned　her　back　to　the　procession；　and；　embracing　with　terror…stricken　fervour　the　legs　of　the　Chinaman　standing　behind　her；　made　up　her　mind　to　be　a　better　girl　in　the　future。　　The　monster　was　borne　by　seventy…four　coolies　who　furnished　legs　for　each　of　the　seventy…four　joints　of　its　body；　while　another　concealed　in　its　head　tossed　it　wildly　about。　　Little　pigtailed　boys　shrieked　as　they　looked　at　its　gaping　mouth　that　would　have　shamed　a　man…eating　shark；　at　the　huge　locomotive　headlights　that　served　for　its　various　sets　of　eyes；　at　the　horns　made　of　barber　poles；　and　the　moustache　of　twisted　hogshead　hoops。　　Behind　this　baleful　creature　came　other　smaller　ones；　and　more　flags；　and　litters　with　sacrificial　offerings；　and　more　musicians；　till　all　disappeared　in　the　distance；　and　the　crowd　surged　in　the　direction　of　the　temple。

There　was　no　such　good　fortune　for　the　twins　as　an　entrance　into　this　holy　of　holies；　for　it　held　comparatively　few　besides　the　dignitaries；　aristocrats；　and　wealthy　merchants　of　the　colony；　but　there　was　still　ample　material　for　entertainment；　and　they　paid　no　heed　to　the　going　down　of　the　sun。　　Why　should　they；　indeed；　when　there　were　fascinating　opium　dens　standing　hospitably　open；　where　they　could　have　the　excitement　of　entrance　even　if　it　were　followed　by　immediate　ejectment？　　As　it　grew　darker；　the　scene　grew　more　weird　and　fairylike；　for　the　scarlet；　orange；　and　blue　lanterns　began　to　gleam　one　by　one　in　the　narrow　doorways；　and　from　the　shadowy　corners　of　the　rooms　behind　them。　　In　every　shop　were　tables　laden　with　Chinese　delicacies；fish；　flesh；　fowl；　tea；　rice；　whisky；　lichee　nuts；　preserved　limes；　ginger；　and　other　sweetmeats；　all　of　which；　when　not　proffered；　could　be　easily　purloined；　for　there　was　no　spirit　of　parsimony　or　hostility　afloat　in　the　air。　　In　cubby…holes　back　of　the　counters；　behind　the　stoves；　wherever　they　could　find　room　for　a　table；　groups　of　moon…eyed　men　began　to　congregate　for　their　nightly　game　of　fan…tan；　some　of　the　players　and　onlookers　smoking；　while　others　chewed　lengths　of　peeled　sugar…cane。

In　the　midst　of　festivities　like　these　the　twins　would　have　gone　on　from　bliss　to　bliss　without　consciousness　of　time　or　place；　had　not　hunger　suddenly　descended　upon　them　and　sleep　begun　to　tug　at　their　eyelids；　changing　in　a　trice　their　joy　into　sorrow　and　their　mirth　into　mourning。　　Not　that　they　were　troubled　with　any　doubts；　fears；　or　perplexities。　　True；　they　had　wandered　away　from　Eden　Place；　and　had　not　the　slightest　idea　of　their　whereabouts。　　If　they　had　been　a　couple　of　babes　in　a　wood；　or　any　two　respectable　lost　children　of　romance；　memories　of　lullabies　and　prayers　at　mother's　knee　would　have　precipitated　them　at　this　juncture　into　floods　of　tears；　but　home　to　them　was　simply　supper　and　bed。　　The　situation　did　not　seem　complex　to　their　minds；　the　only　plan　was；　of　course；　to　howl；　and　to　do　it　thoroughly；stand　in　a　corner　of　the　market…place；　and　howl　in　such　a　manner　that　there　could　be　no　mistake　as　to　the　significance　of　the　proceedi