the peterkin papers-第15部分

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e　across　the　Atlantic；　and　she　was　sure　it　did　not　　look　like　it　now。

Agamemnon　said　there　was　no　knowing。　There　was　something　new　every　day；　and　a　　bridge　was　surely　not　harder　to　invent　than　a　telephone；　for　they　had　bridges　in　　the　very　earliest　days。

Then　came　up　the　question　of　the　teachers。　Probably　these　could　be　found　in　　Boston。　If　they　could　all　come　the　same　day；　three　could　be　brought　out　in　the　　carryall。　Agamemnon　could　go　in　for　them；　and　could　learn　a　little　on　the　way　　out　and　in。

Mr。　Peterkin　made　some　inquiries　about　the　Oriental　languages。　He　was　told　that　　Sanscrit　was　at　the　root　of　all。　So　he　proposed　they　should　all　begin　with　　Sanscrit。　They　would　thus　require　but　one　teacher；　and　could　branch　out　into　the　　other　languages　afterward。

But　the　family　preferred　learning　the　separate　languages。　Elizabeth　Eliza　　already　knew　something　of　the　French。　She　had　tried　to　talk　it；　without　much　　success；　at　the　Centennial　Exhibition；　at　one　of　the　side…stands。　But　she　found　　she　had　been　talking　with　a　Moorish　gentleman　who　did　not　understand　French。　Mr。

Peterkin　feared　they　might　need　more　libraries；　if　all　the　teachers　came　at　the　　same　hour；　but　Agamemnon　reminded　him　that　they　would　be　using　different　　dictionaries。　And　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　something　might　be　learned　by　having　them　　all　at　once。　Each　one　might　pick　up　something　beside　the　language　he　was　　studying；　and　it　was　a　great　thing　to　learn　to　talk　a　foreign　language　while　　others　were　talking　about　you。　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　afraid　it　would　be　like　the　　Tower　of　Babel；　and　hoped　it　was　all　right。

Agamemnon　brought　forward　another　difficulty。　Of　course　they　ought　to　have　　foreign　teachers；　who　spoke　only　their　native　languages。　But；　in　this　case；　how　　could　they　engage　them　to　come；　or　explain　to　them　about　the　carryall；　or　　arrange　the　proposed　hours？　He　did　not　understand　how　anybody　ever　began　with　a　　foreigner；　because　he　could　not　even　tell　him　what　he　wanted。

Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　a　great　deal　might　be　done　by　signs　and　pantomime。

Solomon　John　and　the　little　boys　began　to　show　how　it　might　be　done。　Elizabeth　　Eliza　explained　how　〃langues　〃　meant　both　〃languages〃　and　〃tongues；〃　and　they　　could　point　to　their　tongues。　For　practice；　the　little　boys　represented　the　　foreign　teachers　talking　in　their　different　languages；　and　Agamemnon　and　Solomon　　John　went　to　invite　them　to　come　out；　and　teach　the　family　by　a　series　of　signs。

　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　their　success　was　admirable；　and　that　they　might　almost　go　　abroad　without　any　study　of　the　languages；　and　trust　to　explaining　themselves　by　　signs。　Still；　as　the　bridge　was　not　yet　made；　it　might　be　as　well　to　wait　and　　cultivate　the　languages。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　afraid　the　foreign　teachers　might　imagine　they　were　invited　　out　to　lunch。　Solomon　John　had　constantly　pointed　to　his　mouth　as　he　opened　it　　and　shut　it；　putting　out　his　tongue；　and　it　looked　a　great　deal　more　as　if　he　　were　inviting　them　to　eat；　than　asking　them　to　teach。　Agamemnon　suggested　that　　they　might　carry　the　separate　dictionaries　when　they　went　to　see　the　teachers；　　and　that　would　show　that　they　meant　lessons；　and　not　lunch。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　not　sure　but　she　ought　to　prepare　a　lunch　for　them；　if　they　　had　come　all　that　way；　but　she　certainly　did　not　know　what　they　were　accustomed　　to　eat。

Mr。　Peterkin　thought　this　would　be　a　good　thing　to　learn　of　the　foreigners。　It　　would　be　a　good　preparation　for　going　abroad；　and　they　might　get　used　to　the　　dishes　before　starting。　The　little　boys　were　delighted　at　the　idea　of　having　new　　things　cooked。　Agamemnon　had　heard　that　beer…soup　was　a　favorite　dish　with　the　　Germans；　and　he　would　inquire　how　it　was　made　in　the　first　lesson。　Solomon　John　　had　heard　they　were　all　very　fond　of　garlic；　and　thought　it　would　be　a　pretty　　attention　to　have　some　in　the　house　the　first　day；　that　they　might　be　cheered　by　　the　odor。

Elizabeth　Eliza　wanted　to　surprise　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　by　her　knowledge　　of　French；　and　hoped　to　begin　on　her　lessons　before　the　Philadelphia　family　　arrived　for　their　annual　visit。

There　were　still　some　delays。　Mr。　Peterkin　was　very　anxious　to　obtain　teachers　　who　had　been　but　a　short　time　in　this　country。　He　did　not　want　to　be　tempted　to　　talk　any　English　with　them。　He　wanted　the　latest　and　freshest　languages；　and　at　　last　came　home　one　day　with　a　list　of　〃brand…new　foreigners。〃

They　decided　to　borrow　the　Bromwicks'　carryall　to　use；　beside　their　own；　for　the　　first　day；　and　Mr。　Peterkin　and　Agamemnon　drove　into　town　to　bring　all　the　　teachers　out。　One　was　a　Russian　gentleman；　travelling；　who　came　with　no　idea　of　　giving　lessons；　but　perhaps　he　would　consent　to　do　so。　He　could　not　yet　speak　　English。

Mr。　Peterkin　had　his　card…case；　and　the　cards　of　the　several　gentlemen　who　had　　recommended　the　different　teachers；　and　he　went　with　Agamemnon　from　hotel　to　　hotel　collecting　them。　He　found　them　all　very　polite；　and　ready　to　come；　after　　the　explanation　by　signs　agreed　upon。　The　dictionaries　had　been　forgotten；　but　　Agamemnon　had　a　directory；　which　looked　the　same；　and　seemed　to　satisfy　the　　foreigners。

　Mr。　Peterkin　was　obliged　to　content　himself　with　the　Russian　instead　of　one　who　　could　teach　Sanscrit；　as　there　was　no　new　teacher　of　that　language　lately　　arrived。

But　there　was　an　unexpected　difficulty　in　getting　the　Russian　gentleman　into　the　　same　carriage　with　the　teacher　of　Arabic；　for　he　was　a　Turk；　sitting　with　a　fez　　on　his　head；　on　the　back　seat！　They　glared　at　each　other；　and　began　to　assail　　each　other　in　every　language　they　knew；　none　of　which　Mr。　Peterkin　could　　understand。　It　might　be　Russian；　it　might　be　Arabic。　It　was　easy　to　understand　　that　they　would　never　consent　to　sit　in　the　same　carriage。　Mr。　Peterkin　was　in　　despair；　he　had　forgotten　about　the　Russian　war！　What　a　mistake　to　have　invited　　the　Turk！

　Quite　a　crowd　collected　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　hotel。　But　the　French　　gentleman　politely；　but　stiffly；　invited　the　Russian　to　go　with　him　in　the　first　　carryall。　Here　was　another　difficulty。　For　the　German　professor　was　quietly　　ensconced　on　the　back　seat！　As　soon　as　the　French　gentleman　put　his　foot　on　the　　step　and　saw　him；　he　addressed　him　in　such　forcible　language　that　the　German　　professor　got　out　of　the　door　the　other　side；　and　came　round　on　the　sidewalk；　　and　took　him　by　the　collar。　Certainly　the　German　and　French　gentlemen　could　not　　be　put　together；　and　more　crowd　collected！

　Agamemnon；　however；　had　happily　studied　up　the　German　word　〃Herr；〃　and　he　　applied　it　to　the　German；　inviting　him　by　signs　to　take　a　seat　in　the　other　　carryall。　The　German　consented　to　sit　by　the　Turk；　as　they　neither　of　them　could　　understand　the　other；　and　at　last　they　started；　Mr。　Peterkin　with　the　Italian　by　　his　side；　and　the　French　and　Russian　teachers　behind；　vociferating　to　each　other　　in　languages　unknown　to　Mr。　Peterkin；　while　he　feared　they　were　not　perfectly　in　　harmony；　so　he　drove　home　as　fast　as　possible。　Agamemnon　had　a　silent　party。　The　　Spaniard　by　his　side　was　a　little　moody；　while　the　Turk　and　the　German　behind　　did　not　utter　a　word。

　At　last　they　reached　the　house；　and　were　greeted　by　Mrs。　Peterkin　and　Elizabeth　　Eliza；　Mrs。　Peterkin　with　her　llama　lace　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　as　a　tribute　　to　the　Spanish　teacher。　Mr。　Peterkin　was　careful　to　take　his　party　in　first；　and　　deposit　them　in　a　distant　part　of　the　library；　far　from　the　Turk　or　the　German；　　even　putting　the　Frenchman　and　Russian　apart。

Solomon　John　found　the　Italian　dictionary；　and　seated　himself　by　his　Italian；　　Agamemnon；　with　the　German　dictionary；　by　the　German。　The　little　boys　took　their　　copy　of　the　〃Arabian　Nights〃　to　the　Turk。　Mr。　Peterkin　attempted　to　explain　to　　the　Russian　that　he　had　no　Russian　dictionary；　as　he　had　hoped　to　learn　Sanscrit　　of　him；　while　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　trying　to　inform　her　teacher　that　she　had　no　　books　in　Spanish。　She　got　over　all　fears　of　the　Inquisition；　he　looked　so　sad；　　and　she　tried　to　talk　a　little；　using　English　words；　but　very　slowly；　and　　altering　the　accent　as　far　as　she　knew　how。　The　Spaniard　bowed；　looked　gravely　　interested；　and　was　very　polite。

　Elizabeth　Eliza；　meanwhile；　was　trying　her　grammar　phrases　with　the　Parisian。

She　found　it　easier　to　talk　French　than　to　understand　him。　But　he　understood　　perfectly　her　sentences。　She　repeated　one　of　her　vocabularies；　and　went　on　　with…〃J'ai　le　livre。〃　〃As…tu　le　pain？　〃　〃L'enfant　a　une　poire。〃　He　listened　with　　great　attention；　and　replied　slowly。　Suddenly　she　started　after　making　out　one　　of　his　sentences；　and　went　to　her　mother　to　whisper；　〃They　have　made　the　mistake　　you　feared。　They　think　they　are　invited　to　lunch！　He　has　just　been　thanking　me　　for　our　politeness　in　inviting　them　to　déje？ner；…that　means　breakfast！〃

〃They　have　not　had　their　breakfast！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Peterkin；　looking　at　her　　Spaniard；　〃he　does　look　hungry！　What　shall　we　do？〃

　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　consulting　her　father。　What　should　they　do？　How　should　they　　make　them　understand　that　they　invited　them　to　teach；　not　lunch。　Elizabeth　Eliza　　begged　Agamemnon　to　look　out　〃apprendre　〃　in　the　dictionary。　It　must　mean　to　　teach。　Alas；　they　found　it　means　both　to　teach　and　to　learn！　What　should　they　　do？　The　foreigners　were　now　sitting　silent　in　their　different　corners。　The　　Spaniard　grew　more　and　more　sallow。　What　if　he　should　faint？　The　Frenchman　was　　rolling　up　each　of　his　mustaches　to　a　point　as　he　gazed　at　the　German。　What　if　　the　Russian　should　fight　the　Turk？　What　if　the　German　should　be　exasperated　by　　the　airs　of　the　Parisian？

〃We　must　give　them　something　to　eat；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　in　a　low　tone。　〃It　　would　calm　them。〃

〃If　I　only　knew　what　they　were　used　to　eating；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。

Solomon　John　suggested　that　none　of　them　knew　what　the　others　were　used　to　　eating；　and　they　might　bring　in　anything。

Mrs。　Peterkin　hastened　out　with　hospitable　intents。　Amanda　could　make　good　　coffee。　Mr。　Peterkin　had　suggested　some　American　dish。　Solomon　John　sent　a　　little　boy　for　some　olives。

It　was　not　long　before　the　coffee　came　in；　and　a　dish　of　baked　beans。　Next；　some　　olives　and　a　loaf　of　bread；　and　some　boiled　eggs；　and　some　bottles　of　beer。　The　　effect　was　astonishing。　E