over the teacups- 第38部分

must　devote　a　little　space。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Delilah。



I　must　call　her　by　the　name　we　gave　her　after　she　had　trimmed　the

Samson　locks　of　our　Professor。　　Delilah　is　a　puzzle　to　most　of　us。

A　pretty　creature；　dangerously　pretty　to　be　in　a　station　not　guarded

by　all　the　protective　arrangements　which　surround　the　maidens　of　a

higher　social　order。　　It　takes　a　strong　cage　to　keep　in　a　tiger　or　a

grizzly　bear；　but　what　iron　bars；　what　barbed　wires；　can　keep　out　the

smooth　and　subtle　enemy　that　finds　out　the　cage　where　beauty　is

imprisoned？　　Our　young　Doctor　is　evidently　attracted　by　the　charming

maiden　who　serves　him　and　us　so　modestly　and　so　gracefully。

Fortunately；　the　Mistress　never　loses　sight　of　her。　　If　she　were　her

own　daughter；　she　could　not　be　more　watchful　of　all　her　movements。

And　yet　I　do　not　believe　that　Delilah　needs　all　this　overlooking。　　If

I　am　not　mistaken；　she　knows　how　to　take　care　of　herself；　and　could

be　trusted　anywhere；　in　any　company；　without　a　duenna。　　She　has　a

history；I　feel　sure　of　it。　　She　has　been　trained　and　taught　as

young　persons　of　higher　position　in　life　are　brought　up；　and　does　not

belong　in　the　humble　station　in　which　we　find　her。　　But　inasmuch　as

the　Mistress　says　nothing　about　her　antecedents；　we　do　not　like　to　be

too　inquisitive。　　The　two　Annexes　are；　it　is　plain；　very　curious

about　her。　　I　cannot　wonder。　　They　are　both　good…looking　girls；　but

Delilah　is　prettier　than　either　of　them。　　My　sight　is　not　so　good　as

it　was；　but　I　can　see　the　way　in　which　the　eyes　of　the　young　people

follow　each　other　about　plainly　enough　to　set　me　thinking　as　to　what

is　going　on　in　the　thinking　marrow　behind　them。　　The　young　Doctor's

follow　Delilah　as　she　glides　round　the　table；they　look　into　hers

whenever　they　get　a　chance；　but　the　girl's　never　betray　any

consciousness　of　it；　so　far　as　I　can　see。　　There　is　no　mistaking　the

interest　with　which　the　two；　Annexes　watch　all　this。　　Why　shouldn't

they；　I　should　like　to　know？　　The　Doctor　is　a　bright　young　fellow；

and　wants　nothing　but　a　bald　spot　and　a　wife　to　find　himself　in　a

comfortable　family　practice。　　One　of　the　Annexes；　as　I　have　said；。

has　had　thoughts　of　becoming　a　doctress。　　I　don't　think　the　Doctor

would　want　his　wife　to　practise　medicine；　for　reasons　which　I　will

not　stop　to　mention。　　Such　a　partnership　sometimes　works　wonderfully

well；　as　in　one　well…known　instance　where　husband　and　wife　are　both

eminent　in　the　profession；　but　our　young　Doctor　has　said　to　me　that

he　had　rather　see　his　wife；if　he　ever　should　have　one；at　the

piano　than　at　the　dissecting…table。　　Of　course　the　Annexes　know

nothing　about　this；　and　they　may　think；　as　he　professed　himself

willing　to　lecture　on　medicine　to　women；　he　might　like　to　take　one　of

his　pupils　as　a　helpmeet。



If　it　were　not　for　our　Delilah's　humble　position；　I　don't　see　why　she

would　not　be　a　good　match　for　any　young　man。　　But　then　it　is　so　hard

to　take　a　young　woman　from　so　very　lowly　a　condition　as　that　of　a

〃waitress〃　that　it　would　require　a　deal　of　courage　to　venture　on　such

a　step。　　If　we　could　only　find　out　that　she　is　a　princess　in

disguise；　so　to　speak；that　is；　a　young　person　of　presentable

connections　as　well　as　pleasing　looks　and　manners；　that　she　has　had

an　education　of　some　kind；　as　we　suspected　when　she　blushed　on

hearing　herself　spoken　of　as　a　〃gentille　petite；〃　why；　then

everything　would　be　all　right；　the　young　Doctor　would　have　plain

sailing；that　is；　if　be　is　in　love　with　her；　and　if　she　fancies

him；and　I　should　find　my　love…story；the　one　I　expected；　but　not

between　the　parties　I　had　thought　would　be　mating　with　each　other。



Dear　little　Delilah！　　Lily　of　the　valley；　growing　in　the　shade　now；

perhaps　better　there　until　her　petals　drop；　and　yet　if　she　is　all　I

often　fancy　she　is；　how　her　youthful　presence　would　illuminate　and

sweeten　a　household！　　There　is　not　one　of　us　who　does　not　feel

interested　in　her；not　one　of　us　who　would　not　be　delighted　at　some

Cinderella　transformation　which　would　show　her　in　the　setting　Nature

meant　for　her　favorite。



The　fancy　of　Number　Seven　about　the　witches'　broomsticks　suggested　to

one　of　us　the　following　poem：





　　　　　　　　　　THE　BROOMSTICK　TRAIN；

　　　　　OR；　THE　RETURN　OF　THE　WITCHES。



Lookout！　　Look　out；　boys！　　Clear　the　track！

The　witches　are　here！　　They've　all　come　back！

They　hanged　them　high；No　use！　　No　use！

What　cares　a　witch　for　a　hangman's　noose？

They　buried　them　deep；　but　they　would　n't　lie；　still；

For　cats　and　witches　are　hard　to　kill；

They　swore　they　shouldn't　and　wouldn't　die；

Books　said　they　did；　but　they　lie！　　they　lie！



A　couple　of　hundred　years；　or　so；

They　had　knocked　about　in　the　world　below；

When　an　Essex　Deacon　dropped　in　to　call；

And　a　homesick　feeling　seized　them　all；

For　he　came　from　a　place　they　knew　full　well；

And　many　a　tale　he　had　to　tell。

They　long　to　visit　the　haunts　of　men；

To　see　the　old　dwellings　they　knew　again；

And　ride　on　their　broomsticks　all　around

Their　wide　domain　of　unhallowed　ground。



In　Essex　county　there's　many　a　roof

Well　known　to　him　of　the　cloven　hoof；

The　small　square　windows　are　full　in　view

Which　the　midnight　hags　went　sailing　through；

On　their　well…trained　broomsticks　mounted　high；

Seen　like　shadows　against　the　sky；

Crossing　the　track　of　owls　and　bats；

Hugging　before　them　their　coal…black　cats。



Well　did　they　know；　those　gray　old　wives；

The　sights　we　see　in　our　daily　drives

Shimmer　of　lake　and　shine　of　sea；

Brown's　bare　hill　with　its　lonely　tree；

（It　wasn't　then　as　we　see　it　now；

With　one　scant　scalp…lock　to　shade　its　brow；）

Dusky　nooks　in　the　Essex　woods；

Dark；　dim；　Dante…like　solitudes；

Where　the　tree…toad　watches　the　sinuous　snake

Glide　through　his　forests　of　fern　and　brake；

Ipswich　River；　its　old　stone　bridge；

Far　off　Andover's　Indian　Ridge；

And　many　a　scene　where　history　tells

Some　shadow　of　bygone　terror　dwells；

Of　〃Norman's　Woe〃　with　its　tale　of　dread；

Of　the　Screeching　Woman　of　Marblehead；

（The　fearful　story　that　turns　men　pale

Don't　bid　me　tell　it；my　speech　would　fail。）



Who　would　not；　will　not；　if　he　can；

Bathe　in　the　breezes　of　fair　Cape　Ann；

Rest　in　the　bowers　her　bays　enfold；

Loved　by　the　sachems　and　squaws　of　old？

Home　where　the　white　magnolias　bloom；

Sweet　with　the　bayberry's　chaste　perfume；

Hugged　by　the　woods　and　kissed　by　the　seal

Where　is　the　Eden　like　to　thee？



For　that　〃couple　of　hundred　years；　or　so；〃

There　had　been　no　peace　in　the　world　below；

The　witches　still　grumbling；　〃It　is　n't　fair；

Come；　give　us　a　taste　of　the　upper　air！

We've　had　enough　of　your　sulphur　springs；

And　the　evil　odor　that　round　them　clings；

We　long　for　a　drink　that　is　cool　and　nice；

Great　buckets　of　water　with　Wenham　ice；

We've　served　you　well　up…stairs；　you　know；

You're　a　good　old　…fellowcome；　let　us　go！〃



I　don't　feel　sure　of　his　being　good；

But　he　happened　to　be　in　a　pleasant　mood；

As　fiends　with　their　skins　full　sometimes　are；

（He'd　been　drinking　with　〃roughs〃　at　a　Boston　bar。）

So　what　does　he　do　but　up　and　shout

To　a　graybeard　turnkey；　〃Let　'em　out！〃



To　mind　his　orders　was　all　he　knew；

The　gates　swung　open；　and　out　they　flew。

〃Where　are　our　broomsticks？〃　the　beldams　cried。

〃Here　are　your　broomsticks；〃　an　imp　replied。

〃They've　been　inthe　place　you　knowso　long

They　smell　of　brimstone　uncommon　strong；

But　they've　gained　by　being　left　alone；

Just　look；　and　you'll　see　how　tall　they've　grown。〃

And　where　is　my　cat？　〃a　vixen　squalled。

Yes；　where　are　our　cats？〃　the　witches　bawled；

And　began　to　call　them　all　by　name：

As　fast　as　they　called　the　cats；　they　came

There　was　bob…tailed　Tommy　and　long…tailed　Tim；

And　wall…eyed　Jacky　and　green…eyed　Jim；

And　splay…foot　Benny　and　slim…legged　Beau；

And　Skinny　and　Squally；　and　Jerry　and　Joe；



And　many　another　that　came　at　call；

It　would　take　too　long　to　count　them　all。

All　black；one　could　hardly　tell　which　was　which；

But　every　cat　knew　his　own　old　witch；

And　she　knew　hers　as　hers　knew　her；

Ah；　did　n't　they　curl　their　tails　and　purr！



No　sooner　the　withered　hags　were　free

Than　out　they　swarmed　for　a　midnight　spree；

I　could　n't　tell　all　they　did　in　rhymes；

But　the　Essex　people　had　dreadful　times。

The　Swampscott　fishermen　still　relate

How　a　strange　sea…monster　stole　thair　bait；

How　their　nets　were　tangled　in　loops　and　knots；

And　they　found　dead　crabs　in　their　lobster…pots。

Poor　Danvers　grieved　for　her　blasted　crops；

And　Wilmington　mourned　over　mildewed　hops。

A　blight　played　havoc　with　Beverly　beans；

It　was　all　the　work　of　those　hateful　queans！

A　dreadful　panic　began　at　〃Pride's；〃

Where　the　witches　stopped　in　their　midnight　rides；

And　there　rose　strange　rumors　and　vague　alarms

'Mid　the　peaceful　dwellers　at　Beverly　Farms。



Now　when　the　Boss　of　the　Beldams　found

That　without　his　leave　they　were　ramping　round；

He　called；they　could　hear　him　twenty　miles；

》From　Chelsea　beach　to　the　Misery　Isles；

The　deafest　old　granny　knew　his　tone

Without　the　trick　of　the　telephone。

〃Come　here；　you　witches！　　Come　here！〃　says　he；

〃At　your　games　of　old；　without　asking　me

I'll　give　you　a　little　job　to　do

That　will　keep　you　stirring；　you　godless　crew！〃



They　came；　of　course；　at　their　master's　call；

The　witches；　the　broomsticks；　the　cats；　and　all；

He　led　the　hags　to　a　railway　train

The　horses　were　trying　to　drag　in　vain。

〃Now；　then；〃　says　he；　〃you've　had　your　fun；

And　here　are　the　cars　you've　got　to　run。



The　driver　may　just　unhitch　his　team；

We　don't　want　horses；　we　don't　want　steam；

You　may　keep　your　old　black　cats　to　hug；

But　the　loaded　train　you've　got　to　lug。〃



Since　then　on　many　a　car　you'll　see

A　broomstick　plain　as　plain　can　be；

On　every　stick　there's　a　witch　astride；

The　string　you　see　to　her　leg　is　tied。

She　will　do　a　mischief　if　she　can；

But　the　string　is　held　by　a　careful　man；

And