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Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin, Chapter 26. "Over The Teacups"

Chapter 26. "Over The Teacups"

The summer term at Wareham had ended, and Huldah Meserve, Dick Carter, and Living Perkins had finished school, leaving Rebecca and Emma Jane to represent Riverboro in the year to come. Delia Weeks was at home from Lewiston on a brief visit, and Mrs. Robinson was celebrating the occasion by a small and select party, the particular day having been set because strawberries were ripe and there was a rooster that wanted killing. Mrs. Robinson explained this to her husband, and requested that he eat his dinner on the carpenter's bench in the shed, as the party was to be a ladies' affair. "All right; it won't be any loss to me," said Mr. Robinson. "Give me beans, that's all I ask. When a rooster wants to be killed, I want somebody else to eat him, not me!" Mrs. Robinson had company only once or twice a year, and was generally much prostrated for several days afterward, the struggle between pride and parsimony being quite too great a strain upon her. It was necessary, in order to maintain her standing in the community, to furnish a good "set out," yet the extravagance of the proceeding goaded her from the first moment she began to stir the marble cake to the moment when the feast appeared upon the table. The rooster had been boiling steadily over a slow fire since morning, but such was his power of resistance that his shape was as firm and handsome in the pot as on the first moment when he was lowered into it.

"He ain't goin' to give up!" said Alice, peering nervously under the cover, "and he looks like a scarecrow." "We'll see whether he gives up or not when I take a sharp knife to him," her mother answered; "and as to his looks, a platter full o' gravy makes a sight o' difference with old roosters, and I'll put dumplings round the aidge; they're turrible fillin', though they don't belong with boiled chicken." The rooster did indeed make an impressive showing, lying in his border of dumplings, and the dish was much complimented when it was borne in by Alice. This was fortunate, as the chorus of admiration ceased abruptly when the ladies began to eat the fowl.

"I was glad you could git over to Huldy's graduation, Delia," said Mrs. Meserve, who sat at the foot of the table and helped the chicken while Mrs. Robinson poured coffee at the other end. She was a fit mother for Huldah, being much the most stylish person in Riverboro; ill health and dress were, indeed, her two chief enjoyments in life. It was rumored that her elaborately curled "front piece" had cost five dollars, and that it was sent into Portland twice a year to be dressed and frizzed; but it is extremely difficult to discover the precise facts in such cases, and a conscientious historian always prefers to warn a too credulous reader against imbibing as gospel truth something that might be the basest perversion of it. As to Mrs. Meserve's appearance, have you ever, in earlier years, sought the comforting society of the cook and hung over the kitchen table while she rolled out sugar gingerbread? Perhaps then, in some unaccustomed moment of amiability, she made you a dough lady, cutting the outline deftly with her pastry knife, and then, at last, placing the human stamp upon it by sticking in two black currants for eyes. Just call to mind the face of that sugar gingerbread lady and you will have an exact portrait of Huldah's mother,--Mis' Peter Meserve, she was generally called, there being several others. "How'd you like Huldy's dress, Delia?" she asked, snapping the elastic in her black jet bracelets after an irritating fashion she had.

"I thought it was about the handsomest of any," answered Delia; "and her composition was first rate. It was the only real amusin' one there was, and she read it so loud and clear we didn't miss any of it; most o' the girls spoke as if they had hasty pudtin' in their mouths." "That was the composition she wrote for Adam Ladd's prize," explained Mrs. Meserve, "and they do say she'd 'a' come out first, 'stead o' fourth, if her subject had been dif'rent. There was three ministers and three deacons on the committee, and it was only natural they should choose a serious piece; hers was too lively to suit 'em." Huldah's inspiring theme had been Boys, and she certainly had a fund of knowledge and experience that fitted her to write most intelligently upon it. It was vastly popular with the audience, who enjoyed the rather cheap jokes and allusions with which it coruscated; but judged from a purely literary standpoint, it left much to be desired.

"Rebecca's piece wan't read out loud, but the one that took the boy's prize was; why was that?" asked Mrs. Robinson.

"Because she wan't graduatin'," explained Mrs. Cobb, "and couldn't take part in the exercises; it'll be printed, with Herbert Dunn's, in the school paper." "I'm glad o' that, for I'll never believe it was better 'n Huldy's till I read it with my own eyes; it seems as if the prize ought to 'a' gone to one of the seniors." "Well, no, Marthy, not if Ladd offered it to any of the two upper classes that wanted to try for it," argued Mrs. Robinson. "They say they asked him to give out the prizes, and he refused, up and down. It seems odd, his bein' so rich and travelin' about all over the country, that he was too modest to git up on that platform." "My Huldy could 'a' done it, and not winked an eyelash," observed Mrs. Meserve complacently; a remark which there seemed no disposition on the part of any of the company to controvert. "It was complete, though, the governor happening to be there to see his niece graduate," said Delia Weeks. "Land! he looked elegant! They say he's only six feet, but he might 'a' been sixteen, and he certainly did make a fine speech." "Did you notice Rebecca, how white she was, and how she trembled when she and Herbert Dunn stood there while the governor was praisin' 'em? He'd read her composition, too, for he wrote the Sawyer girls a letter about it." This remark was from the sympathetic Mrs. Cobb.

"I thought 't was kind o' foolish, his makin' so much of her when it wan't her graduation," objected Mrs. Meserve; "layin' his hand on her head 'n' all that, as if he was a Pope pronouncin' benediction. But there! I'm glad the prize come to Riverboro 't any rate, and a han'somer one never was give out from the Wareham platform. I guess there ain't no end to Adam Ladd's money. The fifty dollars would 'a' been good enough, but he must needs go and put it into those elegant purses." "I set so fur back I couldn't see 'em fairly," complained Delia, "and now Rebecca has taken hers home to show her mother." "It was kind of a gold net bag with a chain," said Mrs. Perkins, "and there was five ten-dollar gold pieces in it. Herbert Dunn's was put in a fine leather wallet." "How long is Rebecca goin' to stay at the farm?" asked Delia.

"Till they get over Hannah's bein' married, and get the house to runnin' without her," answered Mrs. Perkins. "It seems as if Hannah might 'a' waited a little longer. Aurelia was set against her goin' away while Rebecca was at school, but she's obstinate as a mule, Hannah is, and she just took her own way in spite of her mother. She's been doin' her sewin' for a year; the awfullest coarse cotton cloth she had, but she's nearly blinded herself with fine stitchin' and rufflin' and tuckin'. Did you hear about the quilt she made? It's white, and has a big bunch o' grapes in the centre, quilted by a thimble top. Then there's a row of circle-borderin' round the grapes, and she done them the size of a spool. The next border was done with a sherry glass, and the last with a port glass, an' all outside o' that was solid stitchin' done in straight rows; she's goin' to exhibit it at the county fair." "She'd better 'a' been takin' in sewin' and earnin' money, 'stead o' blindin' her eyes on such foolishness as quilted counterpanes," said Mrs. Cobb. "The next thing you know that mortgage will be foreclosed on Mis' Randall, and she and the children won't have a roof over their heads." "Don't they say there's a good chance of the railroad goin' through her place?" asked Mrs. Robinson.

"If it does, she'll git as much as the farm is worth and more. Adam Ladd 's one of the stockholders, and everything is a success he takes holt of. They're fightin' it in Augusty, but I'd back Ladd agin any o' them legislaters if he thought he was in the right." "Rebecca'll have some new clothes now," said Delia, "and the land knows she needs 'em. Seems to me the Sawyer girls are gittin' turrible near!" "Rebecca won't have any new clothes out o' the prize money," remarked Mrs. Perkins, "for she sent it away the next day to pay the interest on that mortgage." "Poor little girl!" exclaimed Delia Weeks.

"She might as well help along her folks as spend it on foolishness," affirmed Mrs. Robinson. "I think she was mighty lucky to git it to pay the interest with, but she's probably like all the Randalls; it was easy come, easy go, with them." "That's more than could be said of the Sawyer stock," retorted Mrs. Perkins; "seems like they enjoyed savin' more'n anything in the world, and it's gainin' on Mirandy sence her shock." "I don't believe it was a shock; it stands to reason she'd never 'a' got up after it and been so smart as she is now; we had three o' the worst shocks in our family that there ever was on this river, and I know every symptom of 'em better'n the doctors." And Mrs. Peter Meserve shook her head wisely.

"Mirandy 's smart enough," said Mrs. Cobb, "but you notice she stays right to home, and she's more close-mouthed than ever she was; never took a mite o' pride in the prize, as I could see, though it pretty nigh drove Jeremiah out o' his senses. I thought I should 'a' died o' shame when he cried 'Hooray!' and swung his straw hat when the governor shook hands with Rebecca. It's lucky he couldn't get fur into the church and had to stand back by the door, for as it was, he made a spectacle of himself. My suspicion is"--and here every lady stopped eating and sat up straight--"that the Sawyer girls have lost money. They don't know a thing about business 'n' never did, and Mirandy's too secretive and contrairy to ask advice." "The most o' what they've got is in gov'ment bonds, I always heard, and you can't lose money on them. Jane had the timber land left her, an' Mirandy had the brick house. She probably took it awful hard that Rebecca's fifty dollars had to be swallowed up in a mortgage, 'stead of goin' towards school expenses. The more I think of it, the more I think Adam Ladd intended Rebecca should have that prize when he gave it." The mind of Huldah's mother ran towards the idea that her daughter's rights had been assailed. "Land, Marthy, what foolishness you talk!" exclaimed Mrs. Perkins; "you don't suppose he could tell what composition the committee was going to choose; and why should he offer another fifty dollars for a boy's prize, if he wan't interested in helpin' along the school? He's give Emma Jane about the same present as Rebecca every Christmas for five years; that's the way he does." "Some time he'll forget one of 'em and give to the other, or drop 'em both and give to some new girl!" said Delia Weeks, with an experience born of fifty years of spinsterhood.

"Like as not," assented Mrs. Peter Meserve, "though it's easy to see he ain't the marryin' kind. There's men that would marry once a year if their wives would die fast enough, and there's men that seems to want to live alone." "If Ladd was a Mormon, I guess he could have every woman in North Riverboro that's a suitable age, accordin' to what my cousins say," remarked Mrs. Perkins. "'T ain't likely he could be ketched by any North Riverboro girl," demurred Mrs. Robinson; "not when he prob'bly has had the pick o' Boston. I guess Marthy hit it when she said there's men that ain't the marryin' kind." "I wouldn't trust any of 'em when Miss Right comes along!" laughed Mrs. Cobb genially. "You never can tell what 'n' who 's goin' to please 'em. You know Jeremiah's contrairy horse, Buster? He won't let anybody put the bit into his mouth if he can help it. He'll fight Jerry, and fight me, till he has to give in. Rebecca didn't know nothin' about his tricks, and the other day she went int' the barn to hitch up. I followed right along, knowing she'd have trouble with the headstall, and I declare if she wan't pattin' Buster's nose and talkin' to him, and when she put her little fingers into his mouth he opened it so fur I thought he'd swaller her, for sure. He jest smacked his lips over the bit as if 't was a lump o' sugar. 'Land, Rebecca,' I says, 'how'd you persuade him to take the bit?' 'I didn't,' she says, 'he seemed to want it; perhaps he's tired of his stall and wants to get out in the fresh air. ' "


Chapter 26. "Over The Teacups" 26 skyrius. "Virš puodelių"

The summer term at Wareham had ended, and Huldah Meserve, Dick Carter, and Living Perkins had finished school, leaving Rebecca and Emma Jane to represent Riverboro in the year to come. Delia Weeks was at home from Lewiston on a brief visit, and Mrs. Robinson was celebrating the occasion by a small and select party, the particular day having been set because strawberries were ripe and there was a rooster that wanted killing. Mrs. Robinson explained this to her husband, and requested that he eat his dinner on the carpenter's bench in the shed, as the party was to be a ladies' affair. "All right; it won't be any loss to me," said Mr. Robinson. "Give me beans, that's all I ask. When a rooster wants to be killed, I want somebody else to eat him, not me!" Mrs. Robinson had company only once or twice a year, and was generally much prostrated for several days afterward, the struggle between pride and parsimony being quite too great a strain upon her. It was necessary, in order to maintain her standing in the community, to furnish a good "set out," yet the extravagance of the proceeding goaded her from the first moment she began to stir the marble cake to the moment when the feast appeared upon the table. The rooster had been boiling steadily over a slow fire since morning, but such was his power of resistance that his shape was as firm and handsome in the pot as on the first moment when he was lowered into it.

"He ain't goin' to give up!" said Alice, peering nervously under the cover, "and he looks like a scarecrow." "We'll see whether he gives up or not when I take a sharp knife to him," her mother answered; "and as to his looks, a platter full o' gravy makes a sight o' difference with old roosters, and I'll put dumplings round the aidge; they're turrible fillin', though they don't belong with boiled chicken." The rooster did indeed make an impressive showing, lying in his border of dumplings, and the dish was much complimented when it was borne in by Alice. This was fortunate, as the chorus of admiration ceased abruptly when the ladies began to eat the fowl.

"I was glad you could git over to Huldy's graduation, Delia," said Mrs. Meserve, who sat at the foot of the table and helped the chicken while Mrs. Robinson poured coffee at the other end. She was a fit mother for Huldah, being much the most stylish person in Riverboro; ill health and dress were, indeed, her two chief enjoyments in life. It was rumored that her elaborately curled "front piece" had cost five dollars, and that it was sent into Portland twice a year to be dressed and frizzed; but it is extremely difficult to discover the precise facts in such cases, and a conscientious historian always prefers to warn a too credulous reader against imbibing as gospel truth something that might be the basest perversion of it. Ходили слухи, что ее тщательно завитая "передняя часть" стоила пять долларов и что дважды в год ее отправляли в Портленд, чтобы причесать и распушить; но в таких случаях крайне сложно установить точные факты, и добросовестный историк всегда предпочитает предостеречь слишком доверчивого читателя от принятия за евангельскую истину того, что может оказаться ее грубейшим извращением. As to Mrs. Meserve's appearance, have you ever, in earlier years, sought the comforting society of the cook and hung over the kitchen table while she rolled out sugar gingerbread? Что касается внешности миссис Месерв, то не приходилось ли вам в прежние годы искать утешительного общества кухарки и зависать над кухонным столом, пока она раскатывала сахарные пряники? Perhaps then, in some unaccustomed moment of amiability, she made you a dough lady, cutting the outline deftly with her pastry knife, and then, at last, placing the human stamp upon it by sticking in two black currants for eyes. Возможно, тогда, в какой-то непривычный момент умиления, она сделала из вас даму из теста, ловко вырезав контур кондитерским ножом, а затем, наконец, придав ему человеческий облик, воткнув в него две черные смородины в качестве глаз. Just call to mind the face of that sugar gingerbread lady and you will have an exact portrait of Huldah's mother,--Mis' Peter Meserve, she was generally called, there being several others. Достаточно вспомнить лицо этой сахарной пряничной барышни, и вы получите точный портрет матери Хульды - мисс Питер Месерв, как ее обычно называли, но было и несколько других. "How'd you like Huldy's dress, Delia?" she asked, snapping the elastic in her black jet bracelets after an irritating fashion she had. спросила она, защелкивая резинку на своих черных браслетах из струи по раздражающей ее моде.

"I thought it was about the handsomest of any," answered Delia; "and her composition was first rate. "Я думаю, что он был самым красивым из всех, - ответила Делия, - и ее композиция была первоклассной. It was the only real amusin' one there was, and she read it so loud and clear we didn't miss any of it; most o' the girls spoke as if they had hasty pudtin' in their mouths." Это был единственный по-настоящему веселый рассказ, и она читала его так громко и четко, что мы ничего не пропустили; большинство девочек говорили так, словно у них во рту был торопливый пудинг". "That was the composition she wrote for Adam Ladd's prize," explained Mrs. Meserve, "and they do say she'd 'a' come out first, 'stead o' fourth, if her subject had been dif'rent. "Это было сочинение, которое она написала на приз Адама Лэдда, - пояснила миссис Месерв, - и говорят, что она заняла бы первое место, а не четвертое, если бы тема была другой. There was three ministers and three deacons on the committee, and it was only natural they should choose a serious piece; hers was too lively to suit 'em." В комитете было три священника и три дьякона, и вполне естественно, что они выбрали серьезное произведение; ее пьеса была слишком оживленной, чтобы их устроить". Huldah's inspiring theme had been Boys, and she certainly had a fund of knowledge and experience that fitted her to write most intelligently upon it. Вдохновляющей темой Хульды были мальчики, и она, несомненно, обладала знаниями и опытом, которые позволяли ей писать об этом очень толково. It was vastly popular with the audience, who enjoyed the rather cheap jokes and allusions with which it coruscated; but judged from a purely literary standpoint, it left much to be desired. Она пользовалась огромной популярностью у зрителей, которые наслаждались дешевыми шутками и аллюзиями, которыми она изобиловала; но если оценивать ее с чисто литературной точки зрения, то она оставляет желать лучшего.

"Rebecca's piece wan't read out loud, but the one that took the boy's prize was; why was that?" "Произведение Ребекки не было зачитано вслух, а вот то, что забрало приз мальчика, было; почему?" asked Mrs. Robinson.

"Because she wan't graduatin'," explained Mrs. Cobb, "and couldn't take part in the exercises; it'll be printed, with Herbert Dunn's, in the school paper." "Потому что она не окончила школу, - объяснила миссис Кобб, - и не смогла принять участие в церемонии; это будет напечатано вместе с Гербертом Данном в школьной газете". "I'm glad o' that, for I'll never believe it was better 'n Huldy's till I read it with my own eyes; it seems as if the prize ought to 'a' gone to one of the seniors." "Я рад этому, потому что никогда не поверю, что она была лучше, чем у Халди, пока не прочту ее своими глазами; кажется, что приз должен был достаться кому-то из старших". "Well, no, Marthy, not if Ladd offered it to any of the two upper classes that wanted to try for it," argued Mrs. Robinson. "Нет, Марти, если только Лэдд предложит его любому из двух высших классов, которые захотят на него претендовать, - возразила миссис Робинсон. "They say they asked him to give out the prizes, and he refused, up and down. "Говорят, они попросили его раздать призы, а он отказался, причем с ног до головы. It seems odd, his bein' so rich and travelin' about all over the country, that he was too modest to git up on that platform." Странно, что, будучи таким богатым и путешествуя по всей стране, он был слишком скромен, чтобы подняться на эту платформу". "My Huldy could 'a' done it, and not winked an eyelash," observed Mrs. Meserve complacently; a remark which there seemed no disposition on the part of any of the company to controvert. "Моя Халди могла бы сделать это и не моргнув глазом", - самодовольно заметила миссис Месерв; похоже, никто из компании не был склонен оспаривать это замечание. "It was complete, though, the governor happening to be there to see his niece graduate," said Delia Weeks. "Губернатор оказался там, чтобы увидеть, как его племянница заканчивает школу", - говорит Делия Уикс. "Land! he looked elegant! They say he's only six feet, but he might 'a' been sixteen, and he certainly did make a fine speech." "Did you notice Rebecca, how white she was, and how she trembled when she and Herbert Dunn stood there while the governor was praisin' 'em? He'd read her composition, too, for he wrote the Sawyer girls a letter about it." Он тоже читал ее сочинение, потому что написал девочкам Сойер письмо об этом". This remark was from the sympathetic Mrs. Cobb.

"I thought 't was kind o' foolish, his makin' so much of her when it wan't her graduation," objected Mrs. Meserve; "layin' his hand on her head 'n' all that, as if he was a Pope pronouncin' benediction. "Мне показалось, что это глупо, что он так много говорит о ней, когда это был не ее выпускной, - возразила миссис Месерв, - положил руку ей на голову и все такое, как будто он Папа Римский, произносящий благословение. But there! I'm glad the prize come to Riverboro 't any rate, and a han'somer one never was give out from the Wareham platform. Я рад, что приз пришел в Риверборо, во всяком случае, с платформы в Уэрхэме его никогда не выдавали. I guess there ain't no end to Adam Ladd's money. Похоже, деньгам Адама Лэдда нет конца. The fifty dollars would 'a' been good enough, but he must needs go and put it into those elegant purses." Пятидесяти долларов было бы вполне достаточно, но он должен пойти и положить их в эти элегантные сумочки". "I set so fur back I couldn't see 'em fairly," complained Delia, "and now Rebecca has taken hers home to show her mother." "Я так откинула мех назад, что не смогла их толком рассмотреть, - пожаловалась Делия, - а теперь Ребекка забрала свой домой, чтобы показать маме". "It was kind of a gold net bag with a chain," said Mrs. Perkins, "and there was five ten-dollar gold pieces in it. Herbert Dunn's was put in a fine leather wallet." "How long is Rebecca goin' to stay at the farm?" asked Delia.

"Till they get over Hannah's bein' married, and get the house to runnin' without her," answered Mrs. Perkins. "It seems as if Hannah might 'a' waited a little longer. Aurelia was set against her goin' away while Rebecca was at school, but she's obstinate as a mule, Hannah is, and she just took her own way in spite of her mother. She's been doin' her sewin' for a year; the awfullest coarse cotton cloth she had, but she's nearly blinded herself with fine stitchin' and rufflin' and tuckin'. Она шила целый год; у нее были самые ужасные грубые хлопчатобумажные ткани, но она почти ослепла от тонких стежков, рюшей и подворотов. Did you hear about the quilt she made? It's white, and has a big bunch o' grapes in the centre, quilted by a thimble top. Then there's a row of circle-borderin' round the grapes, and she done them the size of a spool. The next border was done with a sherry glass, and the last with a port glass, an' all outside o' that was solid stitchin' done in straight rows; she's goin' to exhibit it at the county fair." Следующая кайма была сделана бокалом для хереса, последняя - бокалом для портвейна, а все остальное - сплошной строчкой ровными рядами; она собирается выставить ее на окружной ярмарке". "She'd better 'a' been takin' in sewin' and earnin' money, 'stead o' blindin' her eyes on such foolishness as quilted counterpanes," said Mrs. Cobb. "The next thing you know that mortgage will be foreclosed on Mis' Randall, and she and the children won't have a roof over their heads." "Don't they say there's a good chance of the railroad goin' through her place?" asked Mrs. Robinson.

"If it does, she'll git as much as the farm is worth and more. "Если это случится, она получит столько, сколько стоит ферма, и даже больше. Adam Ladd 's one of the stockholders, and everything is a success he takes holt of. They're fightin' it in Augusty, but I'd back Ladd agin any o' them legislaters if he thought he was in the right." Они борются с этим в Огасти, но я готов поддержать Лэдда против любого из этих законодателей, если он считает себя правым". "Rebecca'll have some new clothes now," said Delia, "and the land knows she needs 'em. Seems to me the Sawyer girls are gittin' turrible near!" Мне кажется, что девочки Сойера становятся ужасно близки!" "Rebecca won't have any new clothes out o' the prize money," remarked Mrs. Perkins, "for she sent it away the next day to pay the interest on that mortgage." "У Ребекки не будет новой одежды из призовых денег, - заметила миссис Перкинс, - потому что она отправила их на следующий день, чтобы выплатить проценты по закладной". "Poor little girl!" exclaimed Delia Weeks.

"She might as well help along her folks as spend it on foolishness," affirmed Mrs. Robinson. "Она могла бы с таким же успехом помогать своим родным, как и тратить деньги на глупости", - подтвердила миссис Робинсон. "I think she was mighty lucky to git it to pay the interest with, but she's probably like all the Randalls; it was easy come, easy go, with them." "Думаю, ей крупно повезло, что она получила эти деньги, чтобы выплачивать проценты, но она, наверное, как все Рэндаллы: с ними было легко прийти и легко уйти". "That's more than could be said of the Sawyer stock," retorted Mrs. Perkins; "seems like they enjoyed savin' more'n anything in the world, and it's gainin' on Mirandy sence her shock." "Это больше, чем можно сказать о семье Сойеров, - возразила миссис Перкинс, - похоже, они любят экономить больше всего на свете, и это нравится Миранди после ее потрясения". "I don't believe it was a shock; it stands to reason she'd never 'a' got up after it and been so smart as she is now; we had three o' the worst shocks in our family that there ever was on this river, and I know every symptom of 'em better'n the doctors." "Я не верю, что это был шок; она никогда бы не встала после него и не была бы такой умной, как сейчас; у нас в семье было три самых страшных шока, которые когда-либо случались на этой реке, и я знаю все их симптомы лучше докторов". And Mrs. Peter Meserve shook her head wisely.

"Mirandy 's smart enough," said Mrs. Cobb, "but you notice she stays right to home, and she's more close-mouthed than ever she was; never took a mite o' pride in the prize, as I could see, though it pretty nigh drove Jeremiah out o' his senses. "Миранди достаточно умна, - сказала миссис Кобб, - но вы заметили, что она не выходит из дома и стала еще более замкнутой, чем раньше; как я вижу, она никогда не гордилась призом, хотя это почти вывело Джеремию из себя. I thought I should 'a' died o' shame when he cried 'Hooray!' and swung his straw hat when the governor shook hands with Rebecca. и взмахнул своей соломенной шляпой, когда губернатор пожал руку Ребекке. It's lucky he couldn't get fur into the church and had to stand back by the door, for as it was, he made a spectacle of himself. Хорошо, что он не смог пронести мех в церковь и вынужден был стоять в стороне у двери, потому что и так он выставил себя на всеобщее обозрение. My suspicion is"--and here every lady stopped eating and sat up straight--"that the Sawyer girls have lost money. They don't know a thing about business 'n' never did, and Mirandy's too secretive and contrairy to ask advice." "The most o' what they've got is in gov'ment bonds, I always heard, and you can't lose money on them. Jane had the timber land left her, an' Mirandy had the brick house. She probably took it awful hard that Rebecca's fifty dollars had to be swallowed up in a mortgage, 'stead of goin' towards school expenses. The more I think of it, the more I think Adam Ladd intended Rebecca should have that prize when he gave it." Чем больше я думаю об этом, тем больше мне кажется, что Адам Лэдд хотел, чтобы Ребекка получила этот приз, когда давал его". The mind of Huldah's mother ran towards the idea that her daughter's rights had been assailed. "Land, Marthy, what foolishness you talk!" exclaimed Mrs. Perkins; "you don't suppose he could tell what composition the committee was going to choose; and why should he offer another fifty dollars for a boy's prize, if he wan't interested in helpin' along the school? He's give Emma Jane about the same present as Rebecca every Christmas for five years; that's the way he does." "Some time he'll forget one of 'em and give to the other, or drop 'em both and give to some new girl!" "Когда-нибудь он забудет одну из них и отдаст другой, или бросит их обеих и отдаст какой-нибудь новой девушке!" said Delia Weeks, with an experience born of fifty years of spinsterhood.

"Like as not," assented Mrs. Peter Meserve, "though it's easy to see he ain't the marryin' kind. "Как бы не так, - согласилась миссис Питер Месерв, - хотя легко заметить, что он не из тех, кто женится". There's men that would marry once a year if their wives would die fast enough, and there's men that seems to want to live alone." Есть мужчины, которые женились бы раз в год, если бы их жены умирали достаточно быстро, а есть мужчины, которые, похоже, хотят жить одни". "If Ladd was a Mormon, I guess he could have every woman in North Riverboro that's a suitable age, accordin' to what my cousins say," remarked Mrs. Perkins. "Если бы Лэдд был мормоном, я думаю, он мог бы заполучить любую женщину в Норт-Риверборо подходящего возраста, как говорят мои кузины", - заметила миссис Перкинс. "'T ain't likely he could be ketched by any North Riverboro girl," demurred Mrs. Robinson; "not when he prob'bly has had the pick o' Boston. "Вряд ли его сможет уломать какая-нибудь девушка из Норт-Риверборо, - возразила миссис Робинсон, - когда он, скорее всего, уже выбрал Бостон". I guess Marthy hit it when she said there's men that ain't the marryin' kind." Думаю, Марти попала в точку, когда сказала, что есть мужчины, которые не подходят для брака". "I wouldn't trust any of 'em when Miss Right comes along!" "Я бы не стал доверять никому из них, когда появится мисс Право!" laughed Mrs. Cobb genially. "You never can tell what 'n' who 's goin' to please 'em. You know Jeremiah's contrairy horse, Buster? He won't let anybody put the bit into his mouth if he can help it. Он никому не позволит засунуть бит в рот, если это возможно. He'll fight Jerry, and fight me, till he has to give in. Rebecca didn't know nothin' about his tricks, and the other day she went int' the barn to hitch up. Ребекка ничего не знала о его проделках, и на днях она пошла в сарай, чтобы запрячь лошадь. I followed right along, knowing she'd have trouble with the headstall, and I declare if she wan't pattin' Buster's nose and talkin' to him, and when she put her little fingers into his mouth he opened it so fur I thought he'd swaller her, for sure. Я шел рядом, зная, что у нее будут проблемы с наголовником, и, если бы она не поглаживала Бастера по носу и не разговаривала с ним, то, когда она засунула свои маленькие пальчики ему в рот, он открыл его с такой силой, что я подумал, что он точно ее проглотит. He jest smacked his lips over the bit as if 't was a lump o' sugar. Он просто причмокивал губами, как будто это был кусок сахара. 'Land, Rebecca,' I says, 'how'd you persuade him to take the bit?' "Ленд, Ребекка, - говорю я, - как ты уговорила его взять бит? 'I didn't,' she says, 'he seemed to want it; perhaps he's tired of his stall and wants to get out in the fresh air. ' "