the holly-tree(圣树)-第6章
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expounding the resources of the establishment； as to gentlemen's morning…
room； sir； ladies' morning…room； sir； gentlemen's evening…room； sir； ladies'
evening…room； sir； ladies' and gentlemen's evening reuniting…room； sir；
music…room； sir； reading…room； sir； over four hundred sleeping… rooms； sir；
and the entire planned and finited within twelve calendar months from the
first clearing off of the old encumbrances on the plot； at a cost of five
hundred thousand dollars； sir。 Again I found； as to my individual way of
thinking； that the greater； the more gorgeous； and the more dollarous the
establishment was； the less desirable it was。 Nevertheless； again I drank
my cobbler； julep； sling； or cocktail； in all good…will； to my friend the
General； and my friends the Majors； Colonels； and civilians all； full well
knowing that； whatever little motes my beamy eyes may have descried in
theirs； they belong to a kind； generous； large…hearted； and great people。
I had been going on lately at a quick pace to keep my solitude out of
my mind； but here I broke down for good； and gave up the subject。 What
was I to do？ What was to become of me？ Into what extremity was I
submissively to sink？ Supposing that； like Baron Trenck； I looked out
for a mouse or spider； and found one； and beguiled my imprisonment by
training it？ Even that might be dangerous with a view to the future。 I
might be so far gone when the road did come to be cut through the snow；
that； on my way forth； I might burst into tears； and beseech； like the
prisoner who was released in his old age from the Bastille； to be taken
back again to the five windows； the ten curtains； and the sinuous drapery。
A desperate idea came into my head。 Under any other circumstances
I should have rejected it； but； in the strait at which I was； I held it fast。
Could I so far overcome the inherent bashfulness which withheld me from
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the landlord's table and the company I might find there； as to call up the
Boots； and ask him to take a chair；and something in a liquid form；and
talk to me？ I could； I would； I did。
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SECOND BRANCHTHE BOOTS
Where had he been in his time？ he repeated； when I asked him the
question。 Lord； he had been everywhere！ And what had he been？ Bless
you； he had been everything you could mention a'most！
Seen a good deal？ Why； of course he had。 I should say so； he could
assure me； if I only knew about a twentieth part of what had come in his
way。 Why； it would be easier for him； he expected； to tell what he hadn't
seen than what he had。 Ah！ A deal； it would。
What was the curiousest thing he had seen？ Well！ He didn't know。
He couldn't momently name what was the curiousest thing he had seen… …
unless it was a Unicorn； and he see him once at a Fair。 But supposing a
young gentleman not eight year old was to run away with a fine young
woman of seven； might I think that a queer start？ Certainly。 Then that
was a start as he himself had had his blessed eyes on； and he had cleaned
the shoes they run away inand they was so little that he couldn't get his
hand into 'em。
Master Harry Walmers' father； you see； he lived at the Elmses； down
away by Shooter's Hill there； six or seven miles from Lunnon。 He was a
gentleman of spirit； and good…looking； and held his head up when he
walked； and had what you may call Fire about him。 He wrote poetry； and
he rode； and he ran； and he cricketed； and he danced； and he acted； and he
done it all equally beautiful。 He was uncommon proud of Master Harry
as was his only child； but he didn't spoil him neither。 He was a
gentleman that had a will of his own and a eye of his own； and that would
be minded。 Consequently； though he made quite a companion of the fine
bright boy； and was delighted to see him so fond of reading his fairy books；
and was never tired of hearing him say my name is Norval； or hearing him
sing his songs about Young May Moons is beaming love； and When he as
adores thee has left but the name； and that； still he kept the command over
the child； and the child was a child； and it's to be wished more of 'em was！
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How did Boots happen to know all this？ Why； through being under…
gardener。 Of course he couldn't be under…gardener； and be always about；
in the summer…time； near the windows on the lawn； a mowing； and
sweeping； and weeding； and pruning； and this and that； without getting
acquainted with the ways of the family。 Even supposing Master Harry
hadn't come to him one morning early； and said； 〃Cobbs； how should you
spell Norah； if you was asked？〃 and then began 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
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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；
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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？
