按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
But I have been gossiping too long…and yet not too long if I have
impressed upon the reader an idea of what a rusty； delightful old town it
was to which I had come to spend the next three or four years of my
boyhood。
A drive of twenty minutes from the station brought us to the door…step
of Grandfather Nutter's house。 What kind of house it was； and what sort of
people lived in it； shall be told in another chapter。
20
… Page 21…
The Story of a Bad Boy
CHAPTER Five
The Nutter House and the Nutter Family
The Nutter House…all the more prominent dwellings in Rivermouth are
named after somebody； for instance； there is the Walford House； the
Venner House； the Trefethen House； etc。； though it by no means follows
that they are inhabited by the people whose names they bear…the Nutter
House； to resume； has been in our family nearly a hundred years； and is an
honor to the builder （an ancestor of ours； I believe）； supposing durability
to be a merit。 If our ancestor was a carpenter； he knew his trade。 I wish I
knew mine as well。 Such timber and such workmanship don't often come
together in houses built nowadays。
Imagine a low…studded structure； with a wide hall running through the
middle。 At your right band； as you enter； stands a tall black mahogany
clock； looking like an Egyptian mummy set up on end。 On each side of the
hall are doors （whose knobs； it must be confessed； do not turn very easily）；
opening into large rooms wainscoted and rich in wood…carvings about the
mantel…pieces and cornices。 The walls are covered with pictured paper；
representing landscapes and sea…views。 In the parlor； for example； this
enlivening figure is repeated all over the room。 A group of English
peasants； wearing Italian hats； are dancing on a lawn that abruptly resolves
itself into a sea…beach； upon which stands a flabby fisherman （nationality
unknown）； quietly hauling in what appears to be a small whale； and totally
regardless of the dreadful naval combat going on just beyond the end of
his fishing…rod。 On the other side of the ships is the main…land again； with
the same peasants dancing。 Our ancestors were very worthy people； but
their wall…papers were abominable。
There are neither grates nor stoves in these quaint chambers； but
splendid open chimney…places； with room enough for the corpulent back…
log to turn over comfortably on the polished andirons。 A wide staircase
leads from the hall to the second story； which is arranged much like the
first。 Over this is the garret。 I needn't tell a New England boy what…a
museum of curiosities is the garret of a well…regulated New England house
21
… Page 22…
The Story of a Bad Boy
of fifty or sixty years' standing。 Here meet together； as if by some
preconcerted arrangement； all the broken…down chairs of the household；
all the spavined tables； all the seedy hats； all the intoxicated…looking boots；
all the split walking…sticks that have retired from business； 〃weary with the
march of life。〃 The pots； the pans； the trunks； the bottles…who may hope to
make an inventory of the numberless odds and ends collected in this
bewildering lumber…room？ But what a place it is to sit of an afternoon
with the rain pattering on the roof！ 20What a place in which to read
Gulliver's Travels； or the famous adventures of Rinaldo Rinaldini！
My grandfather's house stood a little back from the main street； in the
shadow of two handsome elms； whose overgrown boughs would dash
themselves against the gables whenever the wind blew hard。 In the rear
was a pleasant garden； covering perhaps a quarter of an acre； full of plum…
trees and gooseberry bushes。 These trees were old settlers； and are all dead
now； excepting one； which bears a purple plum as big as an egg。 This tree；
as I remark； is still standing； and a more beautiful tree to tumble out of
never grew anywhere。 In the northwestern comer of the garden were the
stables and carriage…house opening upon a narrow lane。 You may imagine
that I made an early visit to that locality to inspect Gypsy。 Indeed； I paid
her a visit every half…hour during the first day of my arrival。 At the twenty…
fourth visit she trod on my foot rather heavily； as a reminder； probably；
that I was wearing out my welcome。 She was a knowing little pony； that
Gypsy； and I shall have much to say of her in the course of these pages。
Gypsy's quarters were all that could be wished； but nothing among my
new surroundings gave me more satisfaction than the cosey sleeping
apartment that had been prepared for myself。 It was the hall room over the
front door。
I had never had a chamber all to myself before； and this one； about
twice the size of our state…room on board the Typhoon； was a marvel of
neatness and comfort。 Pretty chintz curtains hung at the window； and a
patch quilt of more colors than were in Joseph's coat covered the little
truckle…bed。 The pattern of the wall…paper left nothing to be desired in that
line。 On a gray background were small bunches of leaves； unlike any that
ever grew in this world； and on every other bunch perched a yellow…bird；
22
… Page 23…
The Story of a Bad Boy
pitted with crimson spots； as if it had just recovered from a severe attack
of the small…pox。 That no such bird ever existed did not detract from my
admiration of each one。 There were two hundred and sixty…eight of these
birds in all； not counting those split in two where the paper was badly
joined。 I counted them once when I was laid up with a fine black eye； and
falling asleep immediately dreamed that the whole flock suddenly took
wing and flew out of the window。 From that time I was never able to
regard them as merely inanimate objects。
A wash…stand in the corner； a chest of carved mahogany drawers； a
looking…glass in a filigreed frame； and a high…backed chair studded with
brass nails like a coffin； constituted the furniture。 Over the head of the bed
were two oak shelves； holding perhaps a dozen books…among which were
Theodore； or The Peruvians； Robinson Crusoe； an odd volume of Tristram
Shandy； Baxter's Saints' Rest； and a fine English edition of the Arabian
Nights； with six hundred wood…cuts by Harvey。
Shall I ever forget the hour when I first overhauled these books？ I do
not allude especially to Baxter's Saints' Rest； which is far from being a
lively work for the young； but to the Arabian Nights； and particularly
Robinson Crusoe。 The thrill that ran into my fingers' ends then has not run
out yet。 Many a time did I steal up to this nest of a room； and； taking the
dog's…eared volume from its shelf； glide off into an enchanted realm；
where there were no lessons to get and no boys to smash my kite。 In a
lidless trunk in the garret I subsequently unearthed another motley
collection of novels and romances； embracing the adventures of Baron
Trenck； Jack Sheppard； Don Quixote； Gil Blas； and Charlotte Temple…all
of which I fed upon like a bookworm。
I never come across a copy of any of those works without feeling a
certain tenderness for the yellow…haired little rascal who used to lean
above the magic pages hour after hour； religiously believing every word
he read； and no more doubting the reality of Sindbad the Sailor； or the
Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance； than he did the existence of his own
grandfather。
Against the wall at the foot of the bed hung a single…barrel shot…gun…
placed there by Grandfather Nutter； who knew what a boy loved； if ever a
23
… Page 24…
The Story of a Bad Boy
grandfather did。 As the trigger of the gun