the friendly road- 第7部分

It　was　a　shot　in　the　airbut　I　knew　from　what　I　had　seen　that　they　must　be　enthusiastic　gardeners。　The　man　glanced　around　at　the　magnolia　with　evident　pride；　and　was　about　to　answer　when　the　woman　rose　and　with　a　pleasant；　quiet　cordiality　said：

〃Won't　you　step　up　and　have　a　chair？〃

I　swung　my　bag　from　my　shoulder　and　took　the　proffered　seat。　As　I　did　so　I　saw；　on　the　table　just　behind　me　a　number　magazines　and　booksbooks　of　unusual　sizes　and　shapes；　indicating　that　they　were　not　mere　summer　novels。

〃They　like　books！〃　I　said　to　myself；　with　a　sudden　rise　of　spirits。

〃I　have　tried　magnolias；　too；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　this　is　the　only　one　that　has　been　really　successful。　It　is　a　Chinese　white　magnolia。〃

〃The　one　Downing　describes？〃　I　asked。

This　was　also　a　random　shot；　but　I　conjectured　that　if　they　loved　both　books　gardens　they　would　know　DowningBible　of　the　gardener。　And　if　they　did；　we　belonged　to　the　same　church。

〃The　very　same；〃　exclaimed　the　woman；　〃it　was　Downing's　enthusiasm　for　the　Chinese　magnolia　which　led　us　first　to　try　it。〃

With　that；　like　true　disciples；　we　fell　into　great　talk　of　Downing；　at　first　all　in　praise　of　him；　and　laterfor　may　not　the　faithful　be　permitted　latitude　in　their　comments　so　long　as　it　is　all　within　the　cloister？we　indulged　in　a　bit　of　higher　criticism。

〃It　won't　do；〃　said　the　man；　〃to　follow　too　slavishly　every　detail　of　practice　as　recommended　by　Downing。　We　have　learned　a　good　many　things　since　the　forties。〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　I　said；　〃no　literal…minded　man　should　be　trusted　with　Downing。〃

〃Any　more　than　with　the　Holy　Scriptures；〃　exclaimed　the　woman。

〃Exactly！〃　I　responded　with　the　greatest　enthusiasm；　〃exactly！　We　go　to　him　for　inspiration；　for　fundamental　teachings；　for　the　great　literature　and　poetry　of　the　art。　Do　you　remember；〃　I　asked；　〃that　passage　in　which　Downing　quotes　from　some　old　Chinaman　upon　the　true　secret　of　the　pleasures　of　a　garden？〃

〃Do　we？〃　exclaimed　the　man；　jumping　up　instantly；　〃do　we？　Just　let　me　get　the　book〃

With　that　he　went　into　the　house　and　came　back　immediately　bringing　a　lamp　in　one　handfor　it　had　grown　pretty　darkand　a　familiar；　portly；　blue…bound　book　in　the　other。　While　he　was　gone　the　woman　said：

〃You　have　touched　Mr。　Vedder　in　his　weakest　spot。〃

〃I　know　of　no　combination　in　this　world；〃　said　I；　〃so　certain　to　produce　a　happy　heart　as　good　books　and　a　farm　or　garden。〃

Mr。　Vedder；　having　returned；　slipped　on　his　spectacles；　sat　forward　on　the　edge　of　his　rocking…chair；　and　opened　the　book　with　pious　hands。

〃I'll　find　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　put　my　finger　right　on　it。〃

〃You'll　find　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Vedder；　〃in　the　chapter　on　'Hedges。'〃

〃You　are　wrong；　my　dear；〃　he　responded；　〃it　is　in　'Mistakes　of　Citizens　in　Country　Life。〃


He　turned　the　leaves　eagerly。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃here　it　is　in　'Rural　Taste。'　Let　me　read　you　the　passage；　Mr。〃

〃Grayson。〃

〃Mr。　Grayson。　The　Chinaman's　name　was　Lieu…tscheu。　'What　is　it；'　asks　this　old　Chinaman；　'that　we　seek　in　the　pleasure　of　a　garden？　It　has　always　been　agreed　that　these　plantations　should　make　men　amends　for　living　at　a　distance　from　what　would　be　their　more　congenial　and　agreeable　dwelling…placein　the　midst　of　nature；　free　and　unrestrained。'〃

〃That's　it；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃and　the　old　Chinaman　was　right！　A　garden　excuses　civilization。〃

〃It's　what　brought　us　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Vedder。

With　that　we　fell　into　the　liveliest　discussion　of　gardening　and　farming　and　country　life　in　all　their　phases；　resolving　that　while　there　were　bugs　and　blights；　and　droughts　and　floods；　yet　upon　the　whole　there　was　no　life　so　completely　satisfying　as　life　in　which　one　may　watch　daily　the　unfolding　of　natural　life。

A　hundred　things　we　talked　about　freely　that　had　often　risen　dimly　in　my　own　mind　almost　to　the　pointbut　not　quiteof　spilling　over　into　articulate　form。　The　marvellous　thing　about　good　conversation　is　that　it　brings　to　birth　so　many　half…realized　thoughts　of　our　ownbesides　sowing　the　seed　of　innumerable　other　thought…plants。　How　they　enjoyed　their　garden；　those　two；　and　not　only　the　garden　itself；　but　all　the　lore　and　poetry　of　gardening！

We　had　been　talking　thus　an　hour　or　more　when；　quite　unexpectedly；　I　had　what　was　certainly　one　of　the　most　amusing　adventures　of　my　whole　life。　I　can　scarcely　think　of　it　now　without　a　thrill　of　pleasure。　I　have　had　pay　for　my　work　in　many　but　never　such　a　reward　as　this。

〃By　the　way；〃　said　Mr。　Vedder；　〃I　have　recently　come　across　a　book　which　is　full　of　the　spirit　of　the　garden　as　we　have　long　known　it；　although　the　author　is　not　treating　directly　of　gardens；　but　of　farming　and　of　human　nature。〃

〃It　is　really　all　one　subject；〃　I　interrupted。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Mr。　Vedder；　〃but　many　gardeners　are　nothing　but　gardeners。　Well；　the　book　to　which　I　refer　is　called　'Adventures　in　Contentment；'　and　is　byWhy；　a　man　of　your　own　name！〃

With　that　Mr。　Vedder　reached　for　a　booka　familiar…looking　bookon　the　table；　but　Mrs。　Vedder　looked　at　me。　I　give　you　my　word；　my　heart　turned　entirely　over；　and　in　a　most　remarkable　way　righted　itself　again；　and　I　saw　Roman　candles　and　Fourth　of　July　rockets　in　front　of　my　eyes。　Never　in　all　my　experience　was　I　so　completely　bowled　over。　I　felt　like　a　small　boy　who　has　been　caught　in　the　pantry　with　one　hand　in　the　jam…potand　plenty　of　jam　on　his　nose。　And　like　that　small　boy　I　enjoyed　the　jam；　but　did　not　like　being　caught　at　it。

Mr。　Vedder　had　no　sooner　got　the　book　in　his　hand　than　I　saw　Mrs。　Vedder　rising　as　though　she　had　seen　a　spectre；　and　pointing　dramatically　at　me；　she　exclaimed：

〃You　are　David　Grayson！〃

I　can　say　truthfully　now　that　I　know　how　the　prisoner　at　the　bar　must　feel　when　the　judge；　leaning　over　his　desk；　looks　at　him　sternly　and　says：

〃I　declare　you　guilty　of　the　offence　as　charged；　and　sentence　you〃　and　so　on；　and　so　on。

Mr。　Vedder　stiffened　up；　and　I　can　see　him　yet　looking　at　me　through　his　glasses。　I　must　have　looked　as　foolishly　guilty　as　any　man　ever　looked；　for　Mr。　Vedder　said　promptly：

〃Let　me　take　you　by　the　hand；　sir。　We　know　you；　and　have　known　you　for　a　long　time。〃

I　shall　not　attempt　to　relate　the　conversation　which　followed；　nor　tell　of　the　keen　joy　I　had　in　itafter　the　first　cold　plunge。　We　found　that　we　had　a　thousand　common　interests　and　enthusiasms。　I　had　to　tell　them　of　my　farm；　and　why　I　had　left　it　temporarily；　and　of　the　experiences　on　the　road。　No　sooner　had　I　related　what　had　befallen　me　at　the　Stanleys'　than　Mrs。　Vedder　disappeared　into　the　house　and　came　out　again　presently　with　a　tray　loaded　with　cold　meat；　bread；　a　pitcher　of　fine　milk；　and　other　good　things。

〃I　shall　not　offer　any　excuses；〃　said　I；　〃I'm　hungry；〃　and　with　that　I　laid　in；　Mr。　Vedder　helping　with　the　milk；　and　all　three　of　us　talking　as　fast　as　ever　we　could。

It　was　nearly　midnight　when　at　last　Mr。　Vedder　led　the　way　to　the　immaculate　little　bedroom　where　I　spent　the　night。

The　next　morning　I　awoke　early；　and　quietly　dressing；　slipped　down　to　the　garden　and　walked　about　among　the　trees　and　the　shrubs　and　the　flower…beds。　The　sun　was　just　coming　up　over　the　hill；　the　air　was　full　of　the　fresh　odours　of　morning；　and　the　orioles　and　cat…birds　were　singing。

In　the　back　of　the　garden　I　found　a　charming　rustic　arbour　with　seats　around　a　little　table。　And　here　I　sat　down　to　listen　to　the　morning　concert；　and　I　saw；　cut　or　carved　upon　the　table；　this　verse；　which　so　pleased　me　that　I　copied　it　in　my　book：

A　garden　is　a　lovesome　thing；　God　wot！　Rose　plot；　Fringed　pool；　Ferned　grot　The　veriest　school　of　peace；　and　yet　the　fool　Contends　that　God　is　not　Not　God！　in　gardens？　when　the　even　is　cool？　Nay；　but　I　have　a　sign；　'Tis　very　sure　God　walks　in　mine。

I　looked　about　after　copying　this　verse；　and　said　aloud：

〃I　like　this　garden：　I　like　these　Vedders。〃

And　with　that　I　had　a　moment　of　wild　enthusiasm。

〃I　will　come；〃　I　said；　〃and　buy　a　little　garden　next　them；　and　bring　Harriet；　and　we　will　live　here　always。　What's　a　farm　compared　with　a　friend？〃

But　with　that　I　thought　of　the　Scotch　preacher；　and　of　Horace；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Starkweather；　and　I　knew　I　could　never　leave　the　friends　at　home。

〃It's　astonishing　how　many　fine　people　there　are　in　this　world；〃　I　said　aloud；　〃one　can't　escape　them！〃

〃Good　morning；　David　Grayson；〃　I　heard　some　one　saying；　and　glancing　up　I　saw　Mrs。　Vedder　at　the　doorway。　〃Are　you　hungry？〃

〃I　am　always　hungry；〃　I　said。

Mr。　Vedder　came　out　and　linking　his　arm　in　mine　and　pointing　out　various　spireas　and　Japanese　barberries；　of　which　he　was　very　proud；　we　walked　into　the　house　together。

I　did　not　think　of　it　especially　at　timeHarriet　says　I　never　see　anything　really　worth　while；　by　which　she　means　dishes；　dresses；　doilies；　and　such　like　but　as　I　remembered　afterward　the　table　that　Mrs。　Vedder　set　was　wonderfully　daintydainty　not　merely　with　flowers　（with　which　it　was　loaded）；　but　with　the　quality　of　the　china　and　silver。　It　was　plainly　the　table　of　no　ordinary　gardener　or　caretakerbut　this　conclusion　did　not　come　to　me　until　afterward；　for　as　I　remember　it；　we　were　in　a　deep　discussion　of　fertilizers。

Mrs。　Vedder　cooked　and　served　breakfast　herself；　and　did　it　with　a　skill　almost　equal　to　Harriet'sso　skillfully　that　the　talk　went　on　and　we　never　once　heard　the　machinery　of　service。

After　breakfast　we　all　went　out　into　the　garden；　Mrs。　Vedder　in　an　old　straw　hat　and　a　big　apron；　and　Mr。　Vedder　in　a　pair　of　old　brown　overalls。　Two　men　had　appeared　from　somewhere；　and　were　digging　in　the　vegetable　garden。　After　giving　them　certain　directions　Mr。　Vedder　and　I　both　found　five…tined　forks　and　went　into　the　rose　garden　and　began　turning　over　the　rich　soil；　while　Mrs。　Vedder；　with　pruning…shears；　kept　near　us；　cutting　out　the　dead　wood。

It　was　one　of　the　charming　forenoons　of　my　life。　This　pleasant　work；　spiced　with　the　most　interesting　conversation　and　interrupted　by　a　hundred　little　excursions　into　other　parts　of　the　garden；　to　see　this　or　that　wonder　of　vegetation；　brought　us　to　dinner…time　before　we　fairly　knew　it。

About　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　I　made　the　next　discovery。　I　heard　first　the　choking　cough　of　a　big　motor…car　in　the　country　road；　and　a　moment　later　it　stopped　at　our　gate。　I　thought　I　saw　the