the holly-tree-第6部分

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cutting　it　in　print　all　over　the　fence。



He　couldn't　say　he　had　taken　particular　notice　of　children　before

that；　but　really　it　was　pretty　to　see　them　two　mites　a　going　about

the　place　together；　deep　in　love。　　And　the　courage　of　the　boy！

Bless　your　soul；　he'd　have　throwed　off　his　little　hat；　and　tucked　up

his　little　sleeves；　and　gone　in　at　a　Lion；　he　would；　if　they　had

happened　to　meet　one；　and　she　had　been　frightened　of　him。　　One　day

he　stops；　along　with　her；　where　Boots　was　hoeing　weeds　in　the

gravel；　and　says；　speaking　up；　〃Cobbs；〃　he　says；　〃I　like　you。〃　　〃Do

you；　sir？　　I'm　proud　to　hear　it。〃　　〃Yes；　I　do；　Cobbs。　　Why　do　I　like

you；　do　you　think；　Cobbs？〃　　〃Don't　know；　Master　Harry；　I　am　sure。〃

〃Because　Norah　likes　you；　Cobbs。〃　　〃Indeed；　sir？　　That's　very

gratifying。〃　　〃Gratifying；　Cobbs？　　It's　better　than　millions　of　the

brightest　diamonds　to　be　liked　by　Norah。〃　　〃Certainly；　sir。〃

〃You're　going　away；　ain't　you；　Cobbs？〃　　〃Yes；　sir。〃　　〃Would　you　like

another　situation；　Cobbs？〃　　〃Well；　sir；　I　shouldn't　object；　if　it

was　a　good　Inn。〃　　〃Then；　Cobbs；〃　says　he；　〃you　shall　be　our　Head

Gardener　when　we　are　married。〃　　And　he　tucks　her；　in　her　little　sky…

blue　mantle；　under　his　arm；　and　walks　away。



Boots　could　assure　me　that　it　was　better　than　a　picter；　and　equal　to

a　play；　to　see　them　babies；　with　their　long；　bright；　curling　hair；

their　sparkling　eyes；　and　their　beautiful　light　tread；　a　rambling

about　the　garden；　deep　in　love。　　Boots　was　of　opinion　that　the　birds

believed　they　was　birds；　and　kept　up　with　'em；　singing　to　please

'em。　　Sometimes　they　would　creep　under　the　Tulip…tree；　and　would　sit

there　with　their　arms　round　one　another's　necks；　and　their　soft

cheeks　touching；　a　reading　about　the　Prince　and　the　Dragon；　and　the

good　and　bad　enchanters；　and　the　king's　fair　daughter。　　Sometimes　he

would　hear　them　planning　about　having　a　house　in　a　forest；　keeping

bees　and　a　cow；　and　living　entirely　on　milk　and　honey。　　Once　he　came

upon　them　by　the　pond；　and　heard　Master　Harry　say；　〃Adorable　Norah；

kiss　me；　and　say　you　love　me　to　distraction；　or　I'll　jump　in　head…

foremost。〃　　And　Boots　made　no　question　he　would　have　done　it　if　she

hadn't　complied。　　On　the　whole；　Boots　said　it　had　a　tendency　to　make

him　feel　as　if　he　was　in　love　himselfonly　he　didn't　exactly　know

who　with。



〃Cobbs；〃　said　Master　Harry；　one　evening；　when　Cobbs　was　watering　the

flowers；　〃I　am　going　on　a　visit；　this　present　Midsummer；　to　my

grandmamma's　at　York。〃



〃Are　you　indeed；　sir？　　I　hope　you'll　have　a　pleasant　time。　　I　am

going　into　Yorkshire；　myself；　when　I　leave　here。〃



〃Are　you　going　to　your　grandmamma's；　Cobbs？〃



〃No；　sir。　　I　haven't　got　such　a　thing。〃



〃Not　as　a　grandmamma；　Cobbs？〃



〃No；　sir。〃



The　boy　looked　on　at　the　watering　of　the　flowers　for　a　little　while；

and　then　said；　〃I　shall　be　very　glad　indeed　to　go；　Cobbs；Norah's

going。〃



〃You'll　be　all　right　then；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃with　your　beautiful

sweetheart　by　your　side。〃



〃Cobbs；〃　returned　the　boy；　flushing；　〃I　never　let　anybody　joke　about

it；　when　I　can　prevent　them。〃



〃It　wasn't　a　joke；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs；　with　humility；〃wasn't　so

meant。〃



〃I　am　glad　of　that；　Cobbs；　because　I　like　you；　you　know；　and　you're

going　to　live　with　us。Cobbs！〃



〃Sir。〃



〃What　do　you　think　my　grandmamma　gives　me　when　I　go　down　there？〃



〃I　couldn't　so　much　as　make　a　guess；　sir。〃



〃A　Bank　of　England　five…pound　note；　Cobbs。〃



〃Whew！〃　says　Cobbs；　〃that's　a　spanking　sum　of　money；　Master　Harry。〃



〃A　person　could　do　a　good　deal　with　such　a　sum　of　money　as　that；

couldn't　a　person；　Cobbs？〃



〃I　believe　you；　sir！〃



〃Cobbs；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I'll　tell　you　a　secret。　　At　Norah's　house；

they　have　been　joking　her　about　me；　and　pretending　to　laugh　at　our

being　engaged；pretending　to　make　game　of　it；　Cobbs！〃



〃Such；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃is　the　depravity　of　human　natur。〃



The　boy；　looking　exactly　like　his　father；　stood　for　a　few　minutes

with　his　glowing　face　towards　the　sunset；　and　then　departed　with；

〃Good…night；　Cobbs。　　I'm　going　in。〃



If　I　was　to　ask　Boots　how　it　happened　that　he　was　a…going　to　leave

that　place　just　at　that　present　time；　well；　he　couldn't　rightly

answer　me。　　He　did　suppose　he　might　have　stayed　there　till　now　if　he

had　been　anyways　inclined。　　But；　you　see；　he　was　younger　then；　and

he　wanted　change。　　That's　what　he　wanted；change。　　Mr。　Walmers；　he

said　to　him　when　he　gave　him　notice　of　his　intentions　to　leave；

〃Cobbs；〃　he　says；　〃have　you　anythink　to　complain　of？　　I　make　the

inquiry　because　if　I　find　that　any　of　my　people　really　has　anythink

to　complain　of；　I　wish　to　make　it　right　if　I　can。〃　　〃No；　sir。〃　says

Cobbs；　〃thanking　you；　sir；　I　find　myself　as　well　sitiwated　here　as　I

could　hope　to　be　anywheres。　　The　truth　is；　sir；　that　I'm　a…going　to

seek　my　fortun'。〃　　〃O；　indeed；　Cobbs！〃　he　says；　〃I　hope　you　may　find

it。〃　　And　Boots　could　assure　mewhich　he　did；　touching　his　hair

with　his　bootjack；　as　a　salute　in　the　way　of　his　present　calling

that　he　hadn't　found　it　yet。



Well；　sir！　　Boots　left　the　Elmses　when　his　time　was　up；　and　Master

Harry；　he　went　down　to　the　old　lady's　at　York；　which　old　lady　would

have　given　that　child　the　teeth　out　of　her　head　（if　she　had　had

any）；　she　was　so　wrapped　up　in　him。　　What　does　that　Infant　do；for

Infant　you　may　call　him　and　be　within　the　mark；but　cut　away　from

that　old　lady's　with　his　Norah；　on　a　expedition　to　go　to　Gretna

Green　and　be　married！



Sir；　Boots　was　at　this　identical　Holly…Tree　Inn　（having　left　it

several　times　since　to　better　himself；　but　always　come　back　through

one　thing　or　another）；　when；　one　summer　afternoon；　the　coach　drives

up；　and　out　of　the　coach　gets　them　two　children。　　The　Guard　says　to

our　Governor；　〃I　don't　quite　make　out　these　little　passengers；　but

the　young　gentleman's　words　was；　that　they　was　to　be　brought　here。〃

The　young　gentleman　gets　out；　hands　his　lady　out；　gives　the　Guard

something　for　himself；　says　to　our　Governor；　〃We're　to　stop　here　to…

night；　please。　　Sitting…room　and　two　bedrooms　will　be　required。

Chops　and　cherry…pudding　for　two！〃　and　tucks　her；　in　her　sky…blue

mantle；　under　his　arm；　and　walks　into　the　house　much　bolder　than

Brass。



Boots　leaves　me　to　judge　what　the　amazement　of　that　establishment

was；　when　these　two　tiny　creatures　all　alone　by　themselves　was

marched　into　the　Angel；much　more　so；　when　he；　who　had　seen　them

without　their　seeing　him；　give　the　Governor　his　views　of　the

expedition　they　was　upon。　　〃Cobbs；〃　says　the　Governor；　〃if　this　is

so；　I　must　set　off　myself　to　York；　and　quiet　their　friends'　minds。

In　which　case　you　must　keep　your　eye　upon　'em；　and　humour　'em；　till

I　come　back。　　But　before　I　take　these　measures；　Cobbs；　I　should　wish

you　to　find　from　themselves　whether　your　opinion　is　correct。〃　　〃Sir；

to　you；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃that　shall　be　done　directly。〃



So　Boots　goes　up…stairs　to　the　Angel；　and　there　he　finds　Master

Harry　on　a　e…normous　sofa；immense　at　any　time；　but　looking　like

the　Great　Bed　of　Ware；　compared　with　him；a　drying　the　eyes　of　Miss

Norah　with　his　pocket…hankecher。　　Their　little　legs　was　entirely　off

the　ground；　of　course；　and　it　really　is　not　possible　for　Boots　to

express　to　me　how　small　them　children　looked。



〃It's　Cobbs！　　It's　Cobbs！〃　cries　Master　Harry；　and　comes　running　to

him；　and　catching　hold　of　his　hand。　　Miss　Norah　comes　running　to　him

on　t'other　side　and　catching　hold　of　his　t'other　hand；　and　they　both

jump　for　joy。



〃I　see　you　a　getting　out；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃I　thought　it　was　you。

I　thought　I　couldn't　be　mistaken　in　your　height　and　figure。　　What's

the　object　of　your　journey；　sir？Matrimonial？〃



〃We　are　going　to　be　married；　Cobbs；　at　Gretna　Green；〃　returned　the

boy。　　〃We　have　run　away　on　purpose。　　Norah　has　been　in　rather　low

spirits；　Cobbs；　but　she'll　be　happy；　now　we　have　found　you　to　be　our

friend。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；　and　thank　you；　miss；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃for　your　good

opinion。　　Did　you　bring　any　luggage　with　you；　sir？〃



If　I　will　believe　Boots　when　he　gives　me　his　word　and　honour　upon

it；　the　lady　had　got　a　parasol；　a　smelling…bottle；　a　round　and　a

half　of　cold　buttered　toast；　eight　peppermint　drops；　and　a　hair…

brush；seemingly　a　doll's。　　The　gentleman　had　got　about　half　a

dozen　yards　of　string；　a　knife；　three　or　four　sheets　of　writing…

paper　folded　up　surprising　small；　a　orange；　and　a　Chaney　mug　with

his　name　upon　it。



〃What　may　be　the　exact　natur　of　your　plans；　sir？〃　says　Cobbs。



〃To　go　on；〃　replied　the　boy；which　the　courage　of　that　boy　was

something　wonderful！〃in　the　morning；　and　be　married　to…morrow。〃



〃Just　so；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃Would　it　meet　your　views；　sir；　if　I

was　to　accompany　you？〃



When　Cobbs　said　this；　they　both　jumped　for　joy　again；　and　cried　out；

〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　Cobbs！　　Yes！〃



〃Well；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃If　you　will　excuse　my　having　the　freedom

to　give　an　opinion；　what　I　should　recommend　would　be　this。　　I'm

acquainted　with　a　pony；　sir；　which；　put　in　a　pheayton　that　I　could

borrow；　would　take　you　and　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；　Junior；　（myself

driving；　if　you　approved；）　to　the　end　of　your　journey　in　a　very

short　space　of　time。　　I　am　not　altogether　sure；　sir；　that　this　pony

will　be　at　liberty　to…morrow；　but　even　if　you　had　to　wait　over　to…

morrow　for　him；　it　might　be　worth　your　while。　　As　to　the　small

account　here；　sir；　in　case　you　was　to　find　yourself　running　at　all

short；　that　don't　signify；　because　I'm　a　part　proprietor　of　this

inn；　and　it　could　stand　over。〃



Boots　assures　me　that　when　they　clapped　their　hands；　and　jumped　for

joy　again；　and　called　him　〃Good　Cobbs！〃　and　〃Dear　Cobbs！〃　and　bent

across　him　to　kiss　one　another　in　the　delight　of　their　confiding

hearts；　he　felt　himself　the　meanest　rascal　for　deceiving　'em　that

ever　was　born。



〃Is　there　anything　you　want　just　at　present；　sir？〃　says　Cobbs；

mortally　ashamed　of　himself。



〃We　should　like