the peterkin papers- 第8部分

〃What　if　father　really　has　asked　everybody？〃　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　to　herself；　　pressing　her　head　again　with　her　hand。

There　were　the　cow　and　the　pig。　But　if　they　all　took　tea　or　coffee；　or　both；　the　　cups　could　not　go　round。

Agamemnon　returned　in　the　midst　of　her　agony。

　MRS。　PETERKIN'S　TEA…PARTY。　He　had　not　been　able　to　count　the　guests；　they　moved　about　so；　they　talked　so；　　and　it　would　not　look　well　to　appear　to　count。

〃What　shall　we　do？〃　exclaimed　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃We　are　not　a　family　for　an　emergency；〃　said　Agamemnon。

〃What　do　you　suppose　they　did　in　Philadelphia　at　the　Exhibition；　when　there　were　　more　people　than　cups　and　saucers？〃　asked　Elizabeth　Eliza。　〃Could　not　you　go　and　　inquire？　I　know　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　is　talking　about　the　Exhibition；　and　　telling　how　she　stayed　at　home　to　receive　friends。　And　they　must　have　had　　trouble　there！　Could　not　you　go　in　and　ask；　just　as　if　you　wanted　to　know？〃

Agamemnon　looked　into　the　room；　but　there　were　too　many　talking　with　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia。

〃If　we　could　only　look　into　some　book；〃　he　said；…〃the　encyclopaedia　or　the　　dictionary；　they　are　such　a　help　sometimes！〃

At　this　moment　he　thought　of　his　〃Great　Triumphs　of　Great　Men；〃　that　he　was　　reading　just　now。　He　had　not　reached　the　lives　of　the　Stephensons；　or　any　of　the　　men　of　modern　times。　He　might　skip　over　to　them；…he　knew　they　were　men　for　　emergencies。

He　ran　up　to　his　room；　and　met　Solomon　John　coming　down　with　chairs。

〃That　is　a　good　thought；〃　said　Agamemnon。　〃I　will　bring　down　more　upstairs　　chairs。〃

〃No；〃　said　Solomon　John；　〃here　are　all　that　can　come　down；　the　rest　of　the　　bedroom　chairs　match　bureaus；　and　they　never　will　do！〃

Agamemnon　kept　on　to　his　own　room；　to　consult　his　books。　If　only　he　could　invent　　something　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；…a　set　of　bedroom　furniture；　that　in　an　　emergency　could　be　turned　into　parlor　chairs！　It　seemed　an　idea；　and　he　sat　　himself　down　to　his　table　and　pencils；　when　he　was　interrupted　by　the　little　　boys；　who　came　to　tell　him　that　Elizabeth　Eliza　wanted　him。

The　little　boys　had　been　busy　thinking。　They　proposed　that　the　tea…table；　with　　all　the　things　on；　should　be　pushed　into　the　front　room；　where　the　company　were；　　and　those　could　take　cups　who　could　find　cups。

But　Elizabeth　Eliza　feared　it　would　not　be　safe　to　push　so　large　a　table；　it　　might　upset；　and　break　what　china　they　had。

Agamemnon　came　down　to　find　her　pouring　out　tea；　in　the　back　room。　She　called　to　　him：…　　〃Agamemnon；　you　must　bring　Mary　Osborne　to　help；　and　perhaps　one　of　the　Gibbons　　boys　would　carry　round　some　of　the　cups。〃

And　so　she　began　to　pour　out　and　to　send　round　the　sandwiches；　and　the　tea；　and　　the　coffee。　Let　things　go　as　far　as　they　would！

The　little　boys　took　the　sugar　and　cream。

〃As　soon　as　they　have　done　drinking　bring　back　the　cups　and　saucers　to　be　　washed；〃　she　said　to　the　Gibbons　boys　and　the　little　boys。

This　was　an　idea　of　Mary　Osborne's。

But　what　was　their　surprise；　that　the　more　they　poured　out；　the　more　cups　they　　seemed　to　have！　Elizabeth　Eliza　took　the　coffee；　and　Mary　Osborne　the　tea。

Amanda　brought　fresh　cups　from　the　kitchen。

〃I　can't　understand　it；〃　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　to　Amanda。　〃Do　they　come　back　to　　you；　round　through　the　piazza？　Surely　there　are　more　cups　than　there　were！〃

Her　surprise　was　greater　when　some　of　them　proved　to　be　coffee…cups　that　matched　　the　set！　And　they　never　had　had　coffee…cups。

Solomon　John　came　in　at　this　moment；　breathless　with　triumph。

〃Solomon　John！〃　Elizabeth　Eliza　exclaimed；　〃I　cannot　understand　the　cups！〃

〃It　is　my　doing；〃　said　Solomon　John；　with　an　elevated　air。　〃I　went　to　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia；　in　the　midst　of　her　talk。　'What　do　you　do　in　Philadelphia；　　when　you　haven't　enough　cups？'　'Borrow　of　my　neighbors；'　she　answered；　as　quick　　as　she　could。〃

〃She　must　have　guessed；〃　interrupted　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃That　may　be；〃　said　Solomon　John。　〃But　I　whispered　to　Ann　Maria　Bromwick；…she　　was　standing　by；…and　she　took　me　straight　over　into　their　closet；　and　old　Mr。

Bromwick　bought　this　set　just　where　we　bought　ours。　And　they　had　a　coffee…set；　　too〃…　　〃You　mean　where　our　father　and　mother　bought　them。　We　were　not　born；〃　said　　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃It　is　all　the　same；〃　said　Solomon　John。　〃They　match　exactly。〃

So　they　did；　and　more　and　more　came　in。

Elizabeth　Eliza　exclaimed：

〃And　Agamemnon　says　we　are　not　a　family　for　emergencies！〃

〃Ann　Maria　was　very　good　about　it；〃　said　Solomon　John；　〃and　quick；　too。　And　old　　Mrs。　Bromwick　has　kept　all　her　set　of　two　dozen　coffee　and　tea　cups！〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　was　ready　to　faint　with　delight　and　relief。　She　told　the　Gibbons　　boys；　by　mistake；　instead　of　Agamemnon；　and　the　little　boys。　She　almost　let　fall　　the　cups　and　saucers　she　took　in　her　hand。

〃No　trouble　now！〃

She　thought　of　the　cow；　and　she　thought　of　the　pig；　and　she　poured　on。

No　trouble；　except　about　the　chairs。　She　looked　into　the　room；　all　seemed　to　be　　sitting　down；　even　her　mother。　No；　her　father　was　standing；　talking　to　Mr。

Jeffers。　But　he　was　drinking　coffee；　and　the　Gibbons　boys　were　handing　things　　around。

The　daughters　of　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　were　sitting　on　shawls　on　the　edge　　of　the　window　that　opened　upon　the　piazza。　It　was　a　soft；　warm　evening；　and　some　　of　the　young　people　were　on　the　piazza。　Everybody　was　talking　and　laughing；　　except　those　who　were　listening。

Mr。　Peterkin　broke　away；　to　bring　back　his　cup　and　another　for　more　coffee。

　〃It's　a　great　success；　Elizabeth　Eliza；〃　he　whispered。　〃The　coffee　is　　admirable；　and　plenty　of　cups。　We　asked　none　too　many。　I　should　not　mind　having　　a　tea…party　every　week。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　sighed　with　relief　as　she　filled　his　cup。　It　was　going　off　well。

There　were　cups　enough；　but　she　was　not　sure　she　could　live　over　another　such　　hour　of　anxiety；　and　what　was　to　be　done　after　tea？

　THE　PETERKINS　TOO　LATE　FOR　THE　EXHIBITION。　Dramatis　Person？。　…Amanda　（friend　of　Elizabeth　Eliza）；　Amanda's　mother；　　girls　of　the　graduating　class；　Mrs。　Peterkin；　Elizabeth　Eliza。　AMANDA　＇coming　in　with　a　few　graduates　＇。

　MOTHER；　the　exhibition　is　over；　and　I　have　brought　the　whole　class　home　to　the　　collation。

MOTHER。…　The　whole　class！　I　But　I　only　expected　a　few。

AMANDA。…　The　rest　are　coming。　I　brought　Julie；　and　Clara；　and　Sophie　with　me。　＇A　　voice　is　heard。　＇　Here　are　the　rest。

MOTHER。…　Why；　no。　It　is　Mrs。　Peterkin　and　Elizabeth　Eliza！

AMANDA。…　Too　late　for　the　exhibition。　Such　a　shame！　But　in　time　for　the　　collation。

MOTHER　＇to　herself　＇。…　If　the　ice…cream　will　go　round。

AMANDA。…　But　what　made　you　so　late？　Did　you　miss　the　train？　This　is　Elizabeth　　Eliza；　girls…you　have　heard　me　speak　of　her。　What　a　pity　you　were　too　late！

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　We　tried　to　come；　we　did　our　best。

MOTHER。…　Did　you　miss　the　train？　Didn't　you　get　my　postal…card？

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　We　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　train。

AMANDA。…　You　don't　mean　you　walked？

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　O　no；　indeed！

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　We　came　in　a　horse　and　carryall。

JULIA。…　I　always　wondered　how　anybody　could　come　in　a　horse！

AMANDA。…　You　are　too　foolish；　Julia。　They　came　in　the　carryall　part。　But　didn't　　you　start　in　time？

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　It　all　comes　from　the　carryall　being　so　hard　to　turn。　I　told　Mr。

Peterkin　we　should　get　into　trouble　with　one　of　those　carryalls　that　don't　turn　　easy。

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　They　turn　easy　enough　in　the　stable；　so　you　can't　tell。

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　Yes；　we　started　with　the　little　boys　and　Solomon　John　on　the　　back　seat；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　on　the　front。　She　was　to　drive；　and　I　was　to　see　　to　the　driving。　But　the　horse　was　not　faced　toward　Boston。

MOTHER。…　And　you　tipped　over　in　turning　round！　Oh；　what　an　accident！

AMANDA。…　And　the　little　boys…where　are　they？　Are　they　killed？

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　The　little　boys　are　all　safe。　We　left　them　at　the　Pringles'；　　with　Solomon　John。

MOTHER。…　But　what　did　happen？

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　We　started　the　wrong　way。

MOTHER。…　You　lost　your　way；　after　all？

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　No；　we　knew　the　way　well　enough。

AMANDA。…　It's　as　plain　as　a　pikestaff！

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　No；　we　had　the　horse　faced　in　the　wrong　direction；…toward　　Providence。

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　And　mother　was　afraid　to　have　me　turn；　and　we　kept　on　and　on　　till　we　should　reach　a　wide　place。

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　I　thought　we　should　come　to　a　road　that　would　veer　off　to　the　　right　or　left；　and　bring　us　back　to　the　right　direction。

MOTHER。…　Could　not　you　all　get　out　and　turn　the　thing　round？

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　Why；　no；　if　it　had　broken　down　we　should　not　have　been　in　　anything；　and　could　not　have　gone　anywhere。

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　Yes；　I　have　always　heard　it　was　best　to　stay　in　the　carriage；　　whatever　happens。

JULIA。…　But　nothing　seemed　to　happen。

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　O　yes；　we　met　one　man　after　another；　and　we　asked　the　way　to　　Boston。

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　And　all　they　would　say　was；　〃Turn　right　round…you　are　on　the　　road　to　Providence。〃

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　As　if　we　could　turn　right　round！　That　was　just　what　we　couldn't。

　MOTHER。…　You　don't　mean　you　kept　on　all　the　way　to　Providence？

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　O　dear；　no！　We　kept　on　and　on；　till　we　met　a　man　with　a　black　　hand…bag…black　leather　I　should　say。

JULIA。…　He　must　have　been　a　book…agent。

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　I　dare　say　he　was；　his　bag　seemed　heavy。　He　set　it　on　a　stone。

MOTHER。…　I　dare　say　it　was　the　same　one　that　came　here　the　other　day。　He　wanted　　me　to　buy　the　〃History　of　the　Aborigines；　Brought　up　from　Earliest　Times　to　the　　Present　Date；〃　in　four　volumes。　I　told　him　I　hadn't　time　to　read　so　much。　He　　said　that　was　no　matter；　few　did；　and　it　wasn't　much　worth　it…they　bought　books　　for　the　look　of　the　thing。

AMANDA。…　Now；　that　was　illiterate；　he　never　could　have　graduated。　I　hope；　　Elizabeth　Eliza；　you　had　nothing　to　do　with　that　man。

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　Very　likely　it　was　not　the　same　one。

MOTHER。…　Did　he　have　a　kind　of　pepper…and…salt　suit；　with　one　of　the　buttons　　worn？

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　I　noticed　one　of　the　buttons　was　off。

AMANDA。…　We're　off　the　subject。　Did　you　buy　his　book？

ELIZABETH　ELIZA。…　He　never　offered　us　his　book。

MRS。　PETERKIN。…　He　told　us　the　same　story；…we　were　going　to　Pro