marm lisa-第3部分

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ist　the　irresistible。　Atlantic；　finding　himself　deserted　by　his　comrades；　gave　a　yell　of　baffled　rage；　and　scrambled　up　the　steps　after　them。　　But　his　tears　dried　instantly　at　the　sight　of　the　room　into　which　they　were　ushered；　as　large　as　any　of　the　halls　in　which　Aunt　Cora　spent　her　days；　and　how　much　more　beautiful！　　They　roved　about；　staring　at　the　aquarium；　and　gazing　at　the　rocking…horse；　the　piano；　the　drum；　the　hanging　gardens；　with　speechless　astonishment。　　Lisa　shambled　at　their　heels；　looking　at　nothing　very　long；　and　when　Rhoda　（one　of　the　neophytes）；　full　of　sympathy　at　the　appearance　of　the　wild；　forlorn；　unkempt　trio；　sat　herself　down　on　a　sofa　and　gathered　them　about　a　wonderful　picture…book；　Mistress　Mary's　keen　eyes　saw　that　Lisa's　gaze　wandered　in　a　few　minutes。　　Presently　she　crept　over　the　floor　towards　a　table；　and；　taking　a　string　from　it；　began　to　blow　it　to　and　fro　as　it　hung　from　her　fingers。　　Rhoda's　glance　followed　Mary's；　but　it　was　only　a　fleeting　one；　for　the　four　eyes　of　the　twins　were　riveted　on　hers　with　devouring　eagerness；　while　they　waited　for　her　explanation　of　the　pictures。　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour；　in　which　the　children　had　said　little　or　nothing；　they　had　contrived　to　reveal　so　many　sorrowful　and　startling　details　of　their　mental；　moral；　and　physical　endowment；　that　Mistress　Mary　put　on　her　hat。

'I　will　go　home　with　them；'　she　said。　　'There　is　plenty　of　work　here　for　somebody；　I　could　almost　hope　that　it　won't　prove　ours。'

'It　will；'　replied　Rhoda；　with　a　stifled　sigh。　　'There　is　an　old　Eastern　legend　about　the　black　camel　that　comes　and　lies　down　before　the　door　of　him　upon　whom　Heaven　is　going　to　lay　her　chastening　hand。　Every　time　I　have　seen　that　awful　trio　on　the　fence…top；　they　were　fairly　surrounded　by　black　camels　in　my　imagination。　　Mistress　Mary；　I　am　not　sure　but　that；　in　self…defence；　we　ought　to　become　a　highly　specialised　SOMETHING。　　We　are　now　a　home；　a　mother；　a　nursery；　a　labour　bureau；　a　divorce　court；　a　registry　of　appeals；　a　soup　kitchen；　an　advisory　hoard；　and　a　police　force。　　If　we　take　HER；　what　shall　we　be？'

'We　will　see　first　where　she　belongs；'　smiled　Mary。　　（Nobody　could　help　smiling　at　Rhoda。）　　'Somebody　has　been　neglecting　his　or　her　duty。　　If　we　can　make　that　somebody　realise　his　delinquencies；　all　the　better；　for　the　responsibility　will　not　be　ours。　　If　we　cannot；　why；　the　case　is　clear　enough　and　simple　enough　in　my　mind。　　We　certainly　do　not　want　〃Mene；　mene；　tekel；　upharsin〃　written　over　this；　of　all　doors。'

Rhoda's　hand　went　up　to　an　imaginary　cap　in　a　gesture　of　military　obedience。　　'Very　well；　my　general。　　I　fly　to　prepare　weapons　with　which　to　fight　Satan。　　You；　of　course；　will　take　HER；　oh；　my　dear；　I'm　almost　afraid　you　oughtn't！　　I　choose　the　bullet…headed　blonde　twin　who　says　his　name　is　〃Lanty；〃　and　reserve　for　Edith　the　bursting…with…fat　brunette　twin　who　calls　herself　〃Ciffy。〃　　Edith's　disciplinary　powers　have　been　too　much　vaunted　of　late；　we　shall　see　if　Ciffy　ruffles　her　splendid　serenity。'



CHAPTER　IIIA　FAMILY　POLYGON



Mrs。　Grubb's　family　circle　was　really　not　a　circle　at　all；　it　was　rather　a　polygona　curious　assemblage　of　distinct　personages。

There　was　no　unity　in　it；　no　membership　one　of　another。　　It　was　four　ones；　not　one　four。　　If　some　gatherer　of　statistics　had　visited　the　household；　he　might　have　described　it　thus：…

Mrs。　S。　Cora　Grubb；　widow；　aged　forty　years。

'Alisa　Bennett；　feeble…minded；　aged　ten　or　twelve　years。

'Atlantic　and　Pacific　Simonson；　twins；　aged　four　years。'

The　man　of　statistics　might　seek　in　vain　for　some　principle　of　attraction　or　cohesion　between　these　independent　elements；　but　no　one　who　knew　Mrs。　Grubb　would　have　been　astonished　at　the　sort　of　family　that　had　gathered　itself　about　her。　　Queer　as　it　undoubtedly　was　at　this　period；　it　had；　at　various　times；　been　infinitely　queerer。　There　was　a　certain　memorable　month；　shortly　after　her　husband's　decease；　when　Mrs。　Grubb　allowed　herself　to　be　considered　as　a　compensated　hostess；　though　the　terms　'landlady'　and　'boarder'　were　never　uttered　in　her　hearing。　　She　hired　a　Chinese　cook；　who　slept　at　home；　cleared　out；　for　the　use　of　Lisa　and　the　twins；　a　small　storeroom　in　which　she　commonly　kept　Eldorado　face…powder；　and　herself　occupied　a　sofa　in　the　apartment　of　a　friend　of　humanity　in　the　next　street。　　These　arrangements　enabled　her　to　admit　an　experimenter　on　hypnotism；　a　mental　healer　who　had　been　much　abused　by　the　orthodox　members　of　her　cult；　and　was　evolving　a　method　of　her　own；　an　ostensible　delegate　to　an　Occidental　Conference　of　Religions；　and　a　lady　agent　for　a　flexible　celluloid　undershirt。　　For　a　few　days　Mrs。　Grubb　found　the　society　of　these　persons　very　stimulating　and　agreeable；　but　before　long　the　hypnotist　proved　to　be　an　unscrupulous　gentleman；　who　hypnotised　the　mental　healer　so　that　she　could　not　heal；　and　the　Chinese　cook　so　that　he　could　not　cook。　　When；　therefore；　the　delegate　departed　suddenly　in　company　with　the　celluloid…underwear　lady；　explaining　by　a　hurried　postal　card　that　they　would　'remit'　from　Chicago；　she　evicted　the　other　two　boarders；　and　retired　again　to　private　life。

This　episode　was　only　one　of　Mrs。　Grubb's　many　divagations；　for　she　had　been　a　person　of　advanced　ideas　from　a　comparatively　early　age。　It　would　seem　that　she　must　have　inherited　a　certain　number　of　'views；'　because　no　human　being　could　have　amassed；　in　a　quarter　of　a　century；　as　many　as　she　held　at　the　age　of　twenty…five。　　She　had　then　stood　up　with　Mr。　Charles　Grubb；　before　a　large　assembly；　in　the　presence　of　which　they　promised　to　assume　and　continue　the　relation　of　husband　and　wife　so　long　as　it　was　mutually　agreeable。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　it　had　not　been　mutually　agreeable　to　Mr。　Grubb　more　than　six　months；　but　such　was　the　nobility　of　his　character　that　he　never　disclosed　his　disappointment　nor　claimed　any　immunity　from　the　responsibilities　of　the　marriage　state。　　Mr。　Grubb　was　a　timid；　conventional　soul；　who　would　have　given　all　the　testimony　of　all　the　witnesses　of　his　wedding　ceremony　for　the　mere　presence　of　a　single　parson；　but　he　imagined　himself　in　love　with　Cora　Wilkins；　and　she　could　neither　be　wooed　nor　won　by　any　of　the　beaten　paths　that　led　to　other　women。　　He　foolishly　thought　that　the　number　of　her　convictions　would　grow　less　after　she　became　a　wife；　little　suspecting　the　fertility　of　her　mind；　which　put　forth　a　new　explanation　of　the　universe　every　day；　like　a　strawberry　plant　that　devotes　itself　so　exclusively　to　'runners'　that　it　has　little　vigour　left　for　producing　fruit。

The　town　in　New　York　where　they　lived　proving　to　be　too　small；　narrow；　and　bigoted　to　hold　a　developing　soul　like　Mrs。　Grubb's；　she　persuaded　her　husband　to　take　passage　for　California；　where　the　climate　might　be　supposed　more　favourable　to　the　growth　of　saving　ideas。　　Mr。　Grubb　would；　of　course；　be　obliged　to　relinquish　his　business；　but　people　could　buy　and　sell　anywhere；　she　thought；　and　as　for　her；　she　wanted　nothing　but　unlimited　space　in　which　to　expand。

There　was　money　enough　for　an　economical　journey　and　a　month　or　two　of　idleness　afterwards；　and　as　Mrs。　Grubb　believed　everything　in　the　universe　was　hers；　if　she　only　chose　to　claim　it；　the　question　of　finances　never　greatly　troubled　her。　　They　sailed　for　the　golden　West；　then；　this　ill…assorted　couple；　accompanied　by　Mrs。　Grubb's　only　sister；　who　had　been　a　wife；　was　now　a　widow；　and　would　shortly　become　a　mother。　　The　interesting　event　occurred　much　sooner　than　had　been　anticipated。　　The　ship　became　the　birthplace　of　the　twins；　who　had　been　most　unwelcome　when　they　were　thought　about　as　one；　and　entirely　offensive　when　found　to　be　two。　　The　mother　did　not　long　survive　the　shock　of　her　surprise　and　displeasure；　and　after　naming　the　babies　Atlantic　and　Pacific；　and　confiding　them　distinctly　to　the　care　of　Mr。；　not　Mrs。；　Grubb；　she　died；　and　was　buried　at　sea；　not　far　from　Cape　Horn。　　Mrs。　Cora　enjoyed　at　first　the　dramatic　possibilities　of　her　position　on　the　ship；　where　the　baby　orphans　found　more　than　one　kindly；　sentimental　woman　ready　to　care　for　them；　but　there　was　no　permanent　place　in　her　philosophy　for　a　pair　of　twins　who　entered　existence　with　a　concerted　shriek；　and　continued　it　for　ever　afterwards；　as　if　their　only　purpose　in　life　was　to　keep　the　lungs　well　inflated。　　Her　supreme　wish　was　to　be　freed　from　the　carking　cares　of　the　flesh；　and　thus　for　ever　ready　to　wing　her　free　spirit　in　the　pure　ether　of　speculation。

You　would　hardly　suppose　that　the　obscure　spouse　of　Mrs。　Grubb　could　wash　and　dress　the　twins；　prepare　their　breakfast；　go　to　his　work；　come　home　and　put　them　to　bed；　four　or　five　days　out　of　every　seven　in　the　week；　but　that　is　what　he　did；　accepting　it　as　one　phase　of　the　mysterious　human　comedy　（or　was　it　tragedy？）　in　which　he　played　his　humble　part。

Mrs。　Grubb　was　no　home　spirit；　no　goddess　of　the　hearth。　　She　graced　her　family　board　when　no　invitation　to　refresh　herself　elsewhere　had　been　proffered；　and　that　she　generally　slept　in　her　own　bed　is　as　strong　a　phrase　as　can　be　written　on　the　subject。　　If　she　had　been　born　in　Paris；　at　the　proper　time；　she　would　have　been　the　leader　of　a　salon；　separated　from　that　brilliant　destiny　by　years；　by　race；　and　by　imperious　circumstance；　she　wielded　the　same　sort　of　sceptre　in　her　own　circumscribed　but　appreciative　sphere。　　No　social　occasion　in　Eden　Place　was　complete　without　Mrs。　Grubb。　　With　her　（and　some　light　refreshment）；　a　party　lacked　nothing；　without　her；　even　if　other　conditions　were　favourable；　it　seemed　a　flat；　stale；　and　unprofitable　affair。　　Like　Robin　Adair；


'She　made　the　ball　so　fine；　She　made　th'　occasion　shine。'


Mrs。　Grubb　hanging　on　her　front　gate；　duster　in　hand　（she　never　conversed　quite　as　well　without　it；　and　never　did　anything　else　with　it）；　might　have　been　a　humble　American　descendant　of　Madame　de　Stael　talking　on　the　terrace　at　Coppet；　with　the　famous　sprig　of　olive　in　her　fingers。　　She　moved　among　her　subjects　like　a　barouche　among　express　wagons；　was　heard　after　them　as　a　song　after　sermons。　　That　she　did　not　fulfil　the　whole　duty　of　woman　did　not　occur　to　her　fascinated　constituents。　　There　was　always　some　duller　spirit　who　could　slip　in　and　'do　the　dishes；'　that　Mrs。　Grub