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雙語譯林·小婦人 第二十六章 藝術(shù)的探索 ARTISTIC ATTEMPTS

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2022年04月23日

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第二十六章 藝術(shù)的探索

要辨別才能和天賦,得曠日持久,尤其對那些躊躇滿志的青年男女來說。在經(jīng)歷諸多磨難之后,艾美才領(lǐng)悟了這種區(qū)別。由于錯把熱情當(dāng)靈感,她以年輕人特有的張狂嘗試過各種藝術(shù)。“泥餅”作業(yè)歇了好長一段時間,她又全身心地?fù)湓阡摴P畫上,這體現(xiàn)出她的品味和才情,那些優(yōu)美的作品不僅賞心悅目,還給她帶來了收益。不過,鋼筆畫太費(fèi)眼神,她又大膽地嘗試起烙畫來。她進(jìn)軍烙畫的那些日子,全家人一直生活在驚恐不安之中,生怕火災(zāi)突臨。整座房子夜以繼日地彌漫著烤焦炭的氣味,煙霧時不時地從閣樓和工作間里冒出來,讓人提心吊膽。各種型號的火鉗燒得通紅,橫七豎八地亂擱一氣,以致漢娜上床前總要備好一桶水,并將開飯鈴放在門邊以防起火。畫神拉斐爾的頭像很醒目地烙制在搟面板反面,酒神巴克斯的頭像則被烙在啤酒桶頂上。裝糖的桶蓋上,點(diǎn)綴上了一個唱歌的小天使,接著,她全副心思烙制羅密歐與朱麗葉,煙火又持續(xù)了一陣子。

手指燙傷了,火就順理成章地轉(zhuǎn)換成油,艾美以絲毫不減的熱情迷上了油畫。一位畫家朋友送來廢舊的調(diào)色板、畫筆和顏料,她操起它們就涂抹起來。畫出的田園風(fēng)光和海洋景致真是陸地未見,海上難尋。畫出的畸形牛足以在農(nóng)產(chǎn)品匯展上得獎,畫出的船只顛簸得險象環(huán)生,哪怕是航海經(jīng)驗豐富的人也會暈船,其實(shí),她全然不顧通常的船體結(jié)構(gòu)和纜索規(guī)則,內(nèi)行的觀者一眼看去,就會笑得前仰后合,哪會去登船受罪呢。黑黝黝的男孩肖像、黑眼睛的圣母畫像,在畫室的一角盯著你,這暗示著牟利羅[1]的杰作;而油褐色的陰影表示臉部,配上錯位的猩紅條紋,就算是倫勃朗[2]了。豐腴的女子和水腫的嬰孩是魯本斯[3]風(fēng)格,而透納[4]的意境出現(xiàn)在由藍(lán)色的滾雷、橙色的閃電、褐色的雨水、紫色的云層構(gòu)成的暴風(fēng)雨中,中間潑著一團(tuán)番茄色,可能是太陽或者是浮標(biāo),也可能是水手的襯衫或者是國王的御袍,一任觀者自由想象。

接著,艾美拿起了木炭肖像畫,于是全家的畫像掛成一排,看上去粗野得很,黑糊糊的,仿佛剛剛從煤箱里起出來。她急流勇退,搞起了油畫棒素描,這些要好些,畫得挺像,艾美的頭發(fā)、喬的鼻子、美格的嘴巴、勞里的眼睛都被大家一致認(rèn)可,畫得“極妙”。然后,艾美又重操舊業(yè),擺弄起陶土和石膏來,她把自己的熟人都塑成可怕的雕像,幽靈似的棲息在屋子的角角落落,要是從櫥柜架上掉下來,還會砸中什么人的腦袋。她把小孩子引誘來當(dāng)模特兒,孩子們則把她的神秘行為,描述得牛頭不對馬嘴,人們便把艾美小姐當(dāng)成食人小妖來看。不久,她在這個行當(dāng)上的努力,因一次不幸事故突然中斷了,她的熱情也由此熄滅。有一陣子,她找不到好模特兒,于是用自己漂亮的腳鑄模。一天,全家人被一陣千奇百怪的碰撞聲和尖叫聲驚起,忙不迭地沖過去救駕,發(fā)現(xiàn)這個小狂熱者在工作室里狂跳,一只腳被緊緊地卡在裝滿石膏的盆里,因為石膏的硬結(jié)異常神速。費(fèi)了好大的勁,冒著不小的風(fēng)險,她的腳終于被挖了出來。由于喬在挖腳的時候禁不住笑出來,而把刀插得太深,劃破了可憐的腳,至少給一種藝術(shù)探索留下了永久的紀(jì)念。

打這以后,艾美就偃旗息鼓了??墒牵痪盟肿硇挠趯懮?,于是整天出沒在河邊、田野和樹林,搞風(fēng)景素描,渴望有名勝古跡可以描摹。她老是感冒,因為總是坐在潮濕的草地上繪制心愛的小品,其中包括石頭、樹樁、蘑菇和一枝折斷的毛蕊花梗,或者畫天上的浮云,成品看上去活像各種羽絨床褥的精品展示。她頂著盛夏時節(jié)的烈日,在河上漂流,不惜曬黑臉蛋,為的是研究光與影;她時而側(cè)目察看,時而瞇眼打量,不惜鼻梁起皺,為的是找到視點(diǎn)。

米開朗基羅確信:“天賦就是持之以恒。”果真如此的話,艾美可謂有一點(diǎn)這種超凡的品質(zhì),因為不論有多少障礙、失敗和挫折,她總是孜孜以求,并且堅信,自己終有一天能創(chuàng)作出堪稱上品的東西來。

艾美學(xué)習(xí)著、創(chuàng)作著,同時對其他東西也興趣甚濃,她決心即便成不了藝術(shù)家,也要做一個多才多藝、有魅力的女子。在這一方面她比較成功,因為她屬于那類天生麗質(zhì)的女孩,能輕而易舉地討人喜歡,在哪兒都能交上朋友,生活輕松灑脫,以致那些不太走運(yùn)的人不得不相信,她是在福星高照下出生的。人見人愛,鑒貌辨色是她的天賦之一。她有本能的討好意識,非常識時務(wù),知道見什么人說什么話,在什么時間、什么場合做什么事,而且她很能做到泰然自若,所以姐姐們曾經(jīng)這樣說:“如果艾美上法庭,即使事先沒有做任何準(zhǔn)備,她也會應(yīng)付裕如。”

渴望進(jìn)入上流社會是艾美的一個癖好,盡管她并不清楚到底什么是“上流”。在她看來,金錢、地位、時髦的才藝、優(yōu)雅的舉止是最令人羨慕的東西,所以,她喜歡與擁有這一切的人交往,不過卻經(jīng)常錯誤地認(rèn)假當(dāng)真,追慕那些不值得追慕的人。她向來認(rèn)為自己是個天生的貴婦人,念念不忘培養(yǎng)自己的貴族品位和貴族感覺,以便機(jī)會一到,就可以隨時扮演這個角色,只是目前家中貧困,使她無緣高貴。

朋友們稱她為“我的貴婦”,她自己也非??释苊翆?shí)歸,并已在內(nèi)心深處把自己看做是貴婦。但她還不明白,金錢買不到天然的文雅,地位不總是贈予高貴的氣質(zhì),良好的教養(yǎng)會自然而然地流露出來,外部條件的缺陷倒在其次。

“媽,請幫個忙。”一天,艾美從外面回來,一臉的嚴(yán)肅。

“什么事,小姑娘?”母親問道。在母親的眼里,這位儀態(tài)高貴的小姐仍然還是個孩子。

“下個禮拜,我們繪畫班要放暑假了,放假前我想邀請姑娘們來咱家郊游一天。她們很想看看這里的河,素描一下河上的破橋,臨摹一些我的畫冊里她們所欣賞的東西。她們在各方面對我都很好,我很感激。她們都是富家子弟,而我是個窮人的孩子,但她們從來沒有另眼相看。”

“為什么要另眼相看呢?”馬奇太太問道,臉上呈現(xiàn)出一種女兒們稱之為“瑪麗亞·特蕾西婭[5]神態(tài)”的表情。

“你我都清楚,幾乎所有的人都嫌窮愛富。所以當(dāng)你的雛雞遭到大鳥啄擊時,無須像一只溺愛的母雞那樣羽毛直豎。要知道,丑小鴨會變成小天鵝的。”艾美笑瞇瞇地說著,她性格開朗,滿懷希望。

馬奇太太笑了,她放下母親的架子問道:“那么,我的小天鵝,你打算怎么做?”

“下禮拜,我想請姑娘們吃頓午餐,弄輛車帶她們到想看的地方轉(zhuǎn)轉(zhuǎn),也許還要劃劃船,為她們舉行一個小小的藝術(shù)聚會。”

“這個計劃還行。午飯吃些什么呢?蛋糕、三明治、水果和咖啡,差不多了吧?”

“哎喲,不夠的!我們要有牛舌和雞肉冷盤,還要有法國巧克力和冰淇淋。姑娘們一貫吃這些東西,我希望我的午餐體面而高雅,盡管我還得為生計奔忙。”

“會來多少姑娘呢?”母親問她,臉色開始凝重起來。

“全班有十二到十四人,但我想不會全部來的吧。”

“天哪,孩子,你還得包輛公共馬車,才能帶著她們出去轉(zhuǎn)。”

“哎呀,媽媽,你怎么會這樣想?來的人可能不會超過六到八個,這樣的話,我只要租一輛沙灘馬車,再從勞倫斯先生那里借了巧蹦車(漢娜把敞篷大馬車發(fā)音成這樣)就行了。”

“操辦這一切很費(fèi)錢的,艾美。”

“不會很多,我已算過費(fèi)用,我自己來支付。”

“乖乖,你想過沒有?這些姑娘對這些東西習(xí)以為常,我們就是盡再大的努力,她們也不會有新鮮感。也許粗茶淡飯反而能討她們歡心,至少可以換個口味,而這樣對我們來說會好得多,不需要的東西就不用去買去借,不用去嘗試那種與境況不符的做派。”

“如果不能如我所愿,那寧可不辦。我肯定能把它辦得很好,如果你和姐姐們再幫上一把,那更是錦上添花。我不明白,為什么我自己花錢還不能辦。”艾美說道,她的決心由于遇到了反對而變得執(zhí)著。

馬奇太太明白,經(jīng)驗是最好的老師??赡艿脑?,她總是放手讓孩子們自己去吸取教訓(xùn)。不過,要是她們不像拒吃瀉鹽、通便劑一樣忌諱逆耳忠言的話,她倒很樂意使教訓(xùn)變得輕一些。

“那好,艾美,如果你決心已定,又覺得不會太費(fèi)錢,不會浪費(fèi)時間和耐心,那你就去辦吧,我不會再說什么。你去跟姐姐們商量商量吧,不管做出什么樣的決定,我都會盡力幫助你的。”

“謝謝媽媽,你總是這么好。”艾美轉(zhuǎn)身找姐姐們公布自己的計劃去了。

美格立刻同意了,她答應(yīng)相助,并樂意奉獻(xiàn)自己所有的任何東西,無論是新房小屋,還是最高檔的鹽匙。但是,喬反對這個計劃,起先根本不想介入。

“究竟為什么,你要花費(fèi)自己的錢,煩擾自己的家人,把全家整個雞犬不寧,去討好一幫壓根兒就不關(guān)心你的人?我原以為你很高傲很有見識,不會去巴結(jié)那些俗女人的。有什么了不起的?僅僅穿法國靴,坐轎式馬車而已!”喬發(fā)話了。她正在寫小說,情節(jié)正到了悲劇的高潮,所以情緒不太好,沒心思搞社交活動。

“我沒有巴結(jié)誰,跟你一樣討厭被人施舍!”艾美憤憤地回答。她倆碰到類似的問題,還是要爭吵幾句。“那些姑娘關(guān)心我,我也關(guān)心她們。盡管你把那些東西說成是時髦的廢話,但她們很有善意,有見識,有才能。你不愿討人喜歡,不愿進(jìn)入上流社會,不愿培養(yǎng)自己的風(fēng)度和品味,可我愿意,我可要充分利用每一次機(jī)會。你就管自己衣衫襤褸、挺胸凸肚地招搖過市吧,并號稱這是自立,悉聽尊便。我可不想這么過。”

艾美伶牙俐齒,思維開闊,言語間始終合情合理,所以總是占上風(fēng);而喬侈談自由,憤世嫉俗,喜歡走極端,爭論中自然是一敗涂地。艾美對喬的自立觀描述得如此的貼切,以致兩個人都忍不住突然笑了出來,于是氣氛輕松了。盡管很違心,喬還是同意犧牲一天的時間“追俗流”,幫妹妹完成這件在她認(rèn)為是無聊的事。

請柬發(fā)出去,幾乎所有的人都接受了,盛大的活動就定在下個禮拜一。由于一禮拜的工作安排都被打亂了,漢娜情緒很不好。她預(yù)言:“移(衣服)如果澌湯(洗燙)不寧(能)按次(時)完成,一徹(一切)都會亂了套。”家庭機(jī)器的主軸出故障,將妨礙全局的運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn),但艾美的格言是“不言放棄”,只要是下定決心要做的事,她都會排除萬難,義無反顧地做到底。首先,漢娜的烹飪做壞了,雞肉太老,牛舌太咸,巧克力起泡不正常。接著,蛋糕和冰淇淋的開支比艾美預(yù)計的要高,租車費(fèi)和許多雜費(fèi)也超出了預(yù)算。原先以為這都是些小事,要不了幾個錢,結(jié)果卻費(fèi)用驚人。貝絲感冒了,臥病在床。美格家來了眾多客人,纏得她脫不開身。喬心不在焉,老是摔碎杯盤,出現(xiàn)差錯,而且情況嚴(yán)重,令人心煩意亂。

“要不是有媽幫忙,我那天根本就過不了關(guān)。”艾美咋呼道。她事后充滿感激地回憶著,其實(shí)大家早已把“那一季節(jié)最好笑的事”忘得一干二凈了。

禮拜一天氣要是不好,姑娘們要推遲到禮拜二來訪,這樣安排使得喬和漢娜惱火得無以復(fù)加。禮拜一這天早晨,天氣反復(fù)無常,這比豪雨傾盆更讓人揪心。時而細(xì)雨霏霏,時而半晴半陰,時而寒風(fēng)陣陣,使你下不了決心,做不出決定。待到天氣穩(wěn)定下來時,一切都已晚啦。艾美在拂曉前就起了床,她把其他人都從床上拖起來,匆匆用完早餐,以便收拾屋子。她突然發(fā)現(xiàn),她家的客廳太破舊了,但并沒有因此怨天尤人,而是因地制宜,將客廳巧妙地布置起來。她在地毯磨破的地方擺上椅子,用常青藤當(dāng)畫框的圖畫擋住墻壁上的污點(diǎn),用自塑的雕像填補(bǔ)在客廳四角空閑處,喬也擺上插有鮮花的漂亮花瓶四處補(bǔ)遺,客廳平添了一些藝術(shù)氣息。

她打量著備好的午餐,真心希望這看上去很誘人的菜肴能美味可口,希望那些借來的玻璃杯、細(xì)瓷碗和銀餐具能完好地歸還。車子已經(jīng)預(yù)定好了,美格和母親隨時準(zhǔn)備一盡地主之誼,貝絲可以幫助漢娜在后面做些事。喬答應(yīng)保證情緒活躍,面容和藹,盡管心不在焉,頭痛不已,因為她討厭并堅決反對她已經(jīng)無奈答應(yīng)的這一切及其始作俑者。艾美一邊疲倦地梳妝打扮,一邊打起精神期待著那個幸福的時刻:午餐圓滿結(jié)束后,她將和朋友們一起驅(qū)車去享受一個下午的藝術(shù)喜悅,“巧蹦車”和破橋是她的強(qiáng)項。

令人提心吊膽的兩個小時中,她不停地從客廳蹦到門廊,再從門廊走回客廳。大家七嘴八舌,意見像風(fēng)標(biāo)似的沒個定論。正值十一點(diǎn),一陣大雨顯然潑滅了小姐們的興致,原來安排十二點(diǎn)時到艾美家,結(jié)果誰也沒來。到了下午兩點(diǎn),筋疲力盡的一家人圍坐在燦爛的陽光下,吃掉了易變質(zhì)的那部分美食,以免造成浪費(fèi)。

次日早晨,陽光喚醒了艾美。她說道:“今天無疑是個好天氣,她們肯定會來,我們得趕快準(zhǔn)備。”話雖然說得精神抖擻,可在內(nèi)心深處,她卻但愿自己壓根兒就沒有提起過禮拜二,因為她的熱情如同她的蛋糕,已經(jīng)有點(diǎn)不新鮮了。

“買不到龍蝦,今天就不要做色拉了。”半小時后馬奇先生進(jìn)屋來,一臉無奈地說道。

“那就用雞肉替代吧,肉老一點(diǎn)做色拉沒關(guān)系的。”他太太建議說。

“很抱歉,艾美,漢娜把雞肉放在廚案上,就一會兒工夫,幾只小貓已把它吃了。”貝絲緊接著說,她一直寵養(yǎng)著她的貓。

“那就必須搞到龍蝦,僅有牛舌是不行的。”艾美決然地說。

“我趕到鎮(zhèn)上去買一只來,怎么樣?”喬問,像殉道者一樣慷慨。

“你會不包紙袋就夾在胳膊下帶回家,這是氣我呢。我自己去。”艾美答道,脾氣開始大了起來。

披上厚厚的面紗,提著斯文的旅行籃,艾美出發(fā)了。她覺得,在車上吹吹冷風(fēng),能平息自己的煩躁情緒,以適應(yīng)這一天的勞動。費(fèi)了一些周折,她如愿以償?shù)馗愕搅怂臇|西,還買了一瓶調(diào)料,以免在家里再浪費(fèi)時間。她乘上了回程車,為自己的先見之明得意揚(yáng)揚(yáng)。

公共馬車上只有她和另外一個乘客,那是個睡意蒙眬的老婦人。艾美把面紗裝進(jìn)了口袋,開始回憶自己的錢都花在哪里了,以打發(fā)沉悶的路程。她一心合計著紙片上橫七豎八的數(shù)字,未察覺又上來了一個新乘客。此人上來時車也沒停,等到一個男人的聲音在她耳邊響起,“早上好!馬奇小姐。”她才抬起頭來,原來是勞里的大學(xué)同學(xué)中最文雅的那個人。她急切地盼望著他能在她之前下車,而完全忘記了自己腳邊的籃子。她一邊暗自慶幸穿了新的外出裙服,一邊回答了小伙子的問候,口氣溫柔熱情,一如平常。

他們談得很好,艾美了解到他先下車,最關(guān)心的問題解決了,她那顆懸著的心放了下來。她談興正濃,內(nèi)容特崇高,正在這時,那個老婦人要下車了。她步履蹣跚地朝車門走去,碰翻了籃子。哦,天哪!——那只尺寸粗大、色形俗麗的龍蝦整個兒地呈現(xiàn)在都鐸王室后裔的貴眼之下。

“天吶,她忘了帶上自己的午餐了!”不知情的小伙子喊了一句,接著用手杖把鮮紅的怪物撥回原處,準(zhǔn)備追去把籃子遞給老婦人。

“請不要——這是——是我的。”艾美低聲地說,臉紅得像那只龍蝦。

“哦,是嗎,請原諒。這是只非常好的龍蝦,不是嗎?”都鐸說道。只見他神定氣閑,饒有興趣,不愧為有教養(yǎng)的人。

艾美很快恢復(fù)了常態(tài),把籃子大大方方地擺在座位上,笑著說:“難道你不想嘗嘗龍蝦做的色拉,同時看著品嘗龍蝦色拉的迷人姑娘?”

此話很有策略,刺激了男人心里的兩個主要弱點(diǎn)。龍蝦立刻戴上了一圈愉快回憶的光環(huán),對迷人姑娘的好奇,更使他不去留意那滑稽的尷尬境遇。

“他肯定會把這一幕當(dāng)成笑話告訴勞里的。不過,反正沒當(dāng)著我的面,眼不見心不煩。”當(dāng)都鐸躬身離去時,艾美心里想著。

她沒跟家里人提起這次遭遇(盡管她發(fā)現(xiàn)由于籃子倒翻,新裙服被流出的調(diào)料弄臟了,污汁沿著裙子蜿蜒流下),而是馬上著手午宴準(zhǔn)備,只是越發(fā)有點(diǎn)厭倦了。到了十二點(diǎn),所有的一切再次準(zhǔn)備就緒。她能感覺到鄰居們對她的活動很關(guān)注,所以希望用今天的巨大成功,抹去昨天失敗的記憶。于是,她叫來了“巧蹦車”,隆重地驅(qū)車前去迎接貴賓赴宴。

“那是車輪的聲音,她們來了!我要到門廊去迎接她們,這樣才顯得好客。我要讓可憐的孩子玩得快樂,她可費(fèi)了那么多神呢。”馬奇太太說著就站起身來??赏艘谎郏屯肆嘶貋?,臉上的表情無法形容,因為寬大的車廂里空空蕩蕩,只坐著艾美和一個姑娘。

“快去,貝絲,幫漢娜把桌子上的東西撤下一半。在一個姑娘面前擺上十二個人用的午餐太荒唐了。”喬大聲說著,趕緊躲到地下室,興奮得都來不及笑出來。

艾美進(jìn)來了,她鎮(zhèn)定自若,熱情地款待這唯一守信的客人。家里的其他人都有戲劇天分,也很好地扮演了自己的角色。艾略特小姐覺得這是個十分嬉鬧的集體,他們的身上洋溢著無法抑制的歡樂氣氛。愉快地享用了重新調(diào)整過的午餐,參觀了畫室和花園,熱烈地討論了藝術(shù)之后,艾美叫來一輛輕便的雙人車(可惜了高雅的‘巧蹦車’! ),平靜地帶著朋友在街坊間游玩。落日時分,聚會結(jié)束。

她步行著走進(jìn)家門,神情非常疲憊,但極其沉著。她覺察到,倒霉聚會的所有痕跡已經(jīng)消失,只是喬的嘴角還有著一絲可疑的撅起。

“乖乖,你們下午去兜風(fēng),天氣不錯呀。”母親殷勤地問候道,仿佛十二個人都到齊了。

“艾略特小姐是個很可親的姑娘,我看她玩得很愉快。”貝絲以不同尋常的熱情接話。

“能分給我一些蛋糕嗎?我很需要的,來了那么多的客人,自己又不會做這么好吃的蛋糕。”美格認(rèn)真地要求道。

“都拿去吧。家里只有我一個人喜歡吃甜點(diǎn),沒等我吃完就會發(fā)霉了。”艾美嘴上說著,心里卻在嘆息,自己的慷慨準(zhǔn)備卻等來了這么個下場。

“真可惜勞里沒在,沒法幫我們吃。”當(dāng)她們坐下來吃這兩天里的冰淇淋和色拉時,喬開始說話了。

母親以警告的眼神讓她別再說什么。全家人緘口不言,狼吞虎咽起來。終于,馬奇先生溫和地打破了沉默:“色拉是古人最喜歡吃的一道菜,伊夫林[6]——”他的話還沒說完,全家人突然哄堂大笑,讓這位博學(xué)紳士深感意外。

“把所有的東西裝進(jìn)籃子,給胡梅爾家送去。德國人喜歡吃大雜燴的。我一看到這些就倒胃口,沒有理由因為我的愚蠢而讓你們撐死。”艾美擦著眼淚大聲說道。

“看著你們兩個姑娘在那輛——你稱它什么來著——車?yán)镱嶔ぶ駜深w果仁在碩大的果殼里跳動,看著媽媽畢恭畢敬等在那里準(zhǔn)備迎接一大群客人,我想我快要笑死了。”喬嘆息道,這會兒她再也笑不出來了。

“我很難過,你失望了,乖乖,但我們大家都是竭盡全力來使你滿意的。”馬奇太太說道,語氣里充滿了母愛和遺憾。

“我很滿意。應(yīng)承的,我都做到了,沒有成功不是我的錯,我問心無愧。”艾美的聲音有點(diǎn)顫抖,“非常感謝大家的幫忙,如果你們不再提起此事,至少在一個月內(nèi)不提,我會更加感激。”

此后的幾個月里,沒有人再提及此事,但是“聚會”這個詞總能讓大家生發(fā)出一絲會意的微笑。勞里送給艾美的生日禮物,就是一個小小的珊瑚龍蝦飾品,可以佩帶在她的掛表鏈上。

* * *

[1]西班牙畫家(1618—1682)。

[2]荷蘭畫家(1606—1669)。

[3]佛蘭德斯畫家(1577—1640)。

[4]英國畫家(1775—1851)

[5]1717—1780,匈牙利女王,神圣羅馬帝國皇后,以文治武功著稱。

[6]英國作家(1620—1706),善于詳細(xì)記錄民風(fēng)。

CHAPTER 26 ARTISTIC ATTEMPTS

IT TAKES PEOPLE a long time to learn the difference between talent and genius, especially ambitious young men and women. Amy was learning this distinction through much tribulation, for mistaking enthusiasm for inspiration, she attempted every branch of art with youthful audacity. For a long time there was a lull in the “mud-pie” business, and she devoted herself to the finest pen-and-ink drawing, in which she showed such taste and skill that her graceful handiwork proved both pleasant and profitable. But over-strained eyes caused pen and ink to be laid aside for a bold attempt at poker-sketching.

While this attack lasted, the family lived in constant fear of a conflagration, for the odor of burning wood pervaded the house at all hours, smoke issued from attic and shed with alarming frequency, red-hot pokers lay about promiscuously, and Hannah never went to bed without a pail of water and the dinner bell at her door in case of fire. Raphael's face was found boldly executed on the underside of the moulding board, and Bacchus on the head of a beer barrel; a chanting cherub adorned the cover of the sugar bucket, and attempts to portray Romeo and Juliet supplied kindling for some time.

From fire to oil was a natural transition for burned fingers, and Amy fell to painting with undiminished ardor. An artist friend fitted her out with his castoff palettes, brushes, and colors, and she daubed away, producing pastoral and marine views such as were never seen on land or sea. Her monstrosities in the way of cattle would have taken prizes at an agricultural fair, and the perilous pitching of her vessels would have produced seasickness in the most nautical observer, if the utter disregard to all known rules of shipbuilding and rigging had not convulsed him with laughter at the first glance. Swarthy boys and dark-eyed Madonnas, staring at you from one corner of the studio, suggested Murillo; oily-brown shadows of faces with a lurid streak in the wrong place, meant Rembrandt; buxom ladies and dropiscal infants, Rubens; and Turner appeared in tempests of blue thunder, orange lightning, brown rain, and purple clouds, with a tomato-colored splash in the middle, which might be the sun or a bouy, a sailor's shirt or a king's robe, as the spectator pleased.

Charcoal portraits came next, and the entire family hung in a row, looking as wild and crocky as if just evoked from a coalbin. Softened into crayon sketches, they did better, for the likenesses were good, and Amy's hair, Jo's nose, Meg's mouth, and Laurie's eyes were pronounced“wonderfully fine”. A return to clay and plaster followed, and ghostly casts of her acquaintances haunted corners of the house, or tumbled off closet shelves onto people's heads. Children were enticed in as models, till their incoherent accounts of her mysterious doings caused Miss Amy to be regarded in the light of a young ogress. Her efforts in this line, however, were brought to an abrupt close by an untoward accident, which quenched her ardor. Other models failing her for a time, she undertook to cast her own pretty foot, and the family were one day alarmed by an unearthly bumping and screaming and running to the rescue, found the young enthusiast hopping wildly about the shed with her foot held fast in a pan full of plaster, which had hardened with unexpected rapidity. With much difficulty and some danger she was dug out, for Jo was so overcome with laughter while she excavated that her knife went too far, cut the poor foot, and left a lasting memorial of one artistic attempt, at least.

After this Amy subsided, till a mania for sketching from nature set her to haunting river, field, and wood, for picturesque studies, and sighing for ruins to copy. She caught endless colds sitting on damp grass to book “a delicious bit”, composed of a stone, a stump, one mushroom, and a broken mullein stalk, or “a heavenly mass of clouds”, that looked like a choice display of featherbeds when done. She sacrificed her complexion floating on the river in the midsummer sun to study light and shade, and got a wrinkle over her nose trying after “points of sight, ” or whatever the squint-and-string performance is called.

If “genius is eternal patience, ” as Michelangelo affirms, Amy had some claim to the divine attribute, for she persevered in spite of all obstacles, failures, and discouragements, firmly believing that in time she should do something worthy to be called “high art”.

She was learning, doing, and enjoying other things, meanwhile, for she had resolved to be an attractive and accomplished woman, even if she never became a great artist. Here she succeeded better, for she was one of those happily created beings who please without effort, make friends everywhere,and take life so gracefully and easily that less fortunate souls are tempted to believe that such are born under a lucky star. Everybody liked her, for among her good gifts was tact. She had an instinctive sense of what was pleasing and proper, always said the right thing to the right person, did just what suited the time and place, and was so self-possessed that her sisters used to say, “If Amy went to court without any rehearsal beforehand, she'd know exactly what to do.”

One of her weaknesses was a desire to move in “our best society”, without being quite sure what the best really was. Money, position, fashionable accomplishments, and elegant manners were most desirable things in her eyes, and she liked to associate with those who possessed them, often mistaking the false for the true, and admiring what was not admirable. Never forgetting that by birth she was a gentlewoman, she cultivated her aristocratic tastes and feelings, so that when the opportunity came she might be ready to take the place from which poverty now excluded her.

“My lady, ” as her friends called her, sincerely desired to be a genuine lady, and was so at heart, but had yet to learn that money cannot buy refinement of nature, that rank does not always confer nobility, and that true breeding makes itself felt in spite of external drawbacks.

“I want to ask a favor of you, Mamma, ” Amy said, coming in with an important air one day.

“Well, little girl, what is it? ” replied her mother, in whose eyes the stately young lady still remained “the baby”.

“Our drawing class breaks up next week, and before the girls separate for the summer, I want to ask them out here for a day. They are wild to see the river, sketch the broken bridge, and copy some of the things they admire in my book. They have been very kind to me in many ways, and I am grateful, for they are all rich and I know I am poor, yet they never made any difference.”

“Why should they? ” And Mrs. March put the question with what the girls called her “Maria Theresa air”.

“You know as well as I that it does make a difference with nearly everyone, so don't ruffle up like a dear, motherly hen, when your chickens get pecked by smarter birds; the ugly duckling turned out a swan, you know.” and Amy smiled without bitterness, for she possessed a happy temper and hopeful spirit.

Mrs. March laughed, and smoothed down her maternal pride as she asked, “Well, my swan, what is your plan? ”

“I should like to ask the girls out to lunch next week, to take them for a drive to the places they want to see, a row on the river, perhaps, and make a little artistic fete for them.”

“That looks feasible. What do you want for lunch? Cake, sandwiches, fruit, and coffee will be all that is necessary, I suppose? ”

“Oh, dear, no! We must have cold tongue and chicken, French chocolate and ice cream, besides. The girls are used to such things, and I want my lunch to be proper and elegant,though I do work for my living.”

“How many young ladies are there? ” asked her mother, beginning to look sober.

“Twelve or fourteen in the class, but I dare say they won't all come.”

“Bless me, child, you will have to charter an omnibus to carry them about.”

“Why, Mother, how can you think of such a thing? Not more than six or eight will probably come, so I shall hire a beach wagon and borrow Mr. Laurence's cherry-bounce.” (Hannah's pronunciation of charàbanc.)

“All of this will be expensive, Amy.”

“Not very. I've calculated the cost, and I'll pay for it myself.”

“Don't you think, dear, that as these girls are used to such things, and the best we can do will be nothing new, that some simpler plan would be pleasanter to them, as a change if nothing more, and much better for us than buying or borrowing what we don't need, and attempting a style not in keeping with our circumstances? ”

“If I can't have it as I like, I don't care to have it at all. I know that I can carry it out perfectly well, if you and the girls will help a little, and I don't see why I can't if I'm willing to pay for it, ” said Amy, with the decision which opposition was apt to change into obstinacy.

Mrs. March knew that experience was an excellent teacher, and when it was possible she left her children to learn alone the lessons which she would gladly have made easier, if they had not objected to taking advice as much as they did salts and senna.

“Very well, Amy, if your heart is set upon it, and you see your way through without too great an outlay of money, time, and temper, I'll say no more. Talk it over with the girls, and whichever way you decide, I'll do my best to help you.”

“Thanks,Mother,you are always so kind.”And away went Amy to lay her plan before her sisters.

Meg agreed at once, and promised her aid, gladly offering anything she possessed, from her little house itself to her very best saltspoons. But Jo frowned upon the whole project and would have nothing to do with it at first.

“Why in the world should you spend your money, worry your family, and turn the house upside down for a parcel of girls who don't care a sixpence for you? I thought you had too much pride and sense to truckle to any mortal woman just because she wears French boots and rides in a coupé, ” said Jo, who, being called from the tragic climax of her novel, was not in the best mood for social enterprises.

“I don't truckle, and I hate being patronized as much as you do! ”returned Amy indignantly, for the two still jangled when such questions arose. “The girls do care for me, and I for them, and there's a great deal of kindness and sense and talent among them, in spite of what you call fashionable nonsense. You don't care to make people like you, to go into good society, and cultivate your manners and tastes. I do, and I mean to make the most of every chance that comes.Yo u can go through the world with your elbows out and your nose in the air, and call it independence, if you like. That's not my way.”

When Amy had whetted her tongue and freed her mind she usually got the best of it, for she seldom failed to have common sense on her side, while Jo carried her love of liberty and hate of conventionalities to such an unlimited extent that she naturally found herself worsted in an argument. Amy's definition of Jo's idea of independence was such a good hit that both burst out laughing, and the discussion took a more amiable turn. Much against her will, Jo at length consented to sacrifice a day to Mrs. Grundy, and help her sister through what she regarded as “a nonsensical business”.

The invitations were sent, nearly all accepted, and the following Monday was set apart for the grand event. Hannah was out of humor because her week's work was deranged, and prophesied that “ef the washin' and ironin' warn't done reg'lar, nothin' would go well anywheres.” This hitch in the mainspring of the domestic machinery had a bad effect upon the whole concern,but Amy's motto was“Nil desperandum”,and having made up her mind what to do, she proceeded to do it in spite of all obstacles. To begin with, Hannah's cooking didn't turn out well. The chicken was tough,the tongue too salty, and the chocolate wouldn't froth properly. Then the cake and ice cost more than Amy expected, so did the wagon, and various other expenses, which seemed trifling at the outset, counted up rather alarmingly afterward. Beth got a cold and took to her bed. Meg had an unusual number of callers to keep her at home, and Jo was in such a divided state of mind that her breakages, accidents, and mistakes were uncommonly numerous, serious, and trying.

“If it hadn't been for Mother I never should have got through, ” as Amy declared afterward, and gratefully remembered when “the best joke of the season” was entirely forgotten by everybody else.

If it was not fair on Monday, the young ladies were to come on Tuesday—an arrangement which aggravated Jo and Hannah to the last degree. On Monday morning the weather was in that undecided state which is more exasperating than a steady pour. It drizzled a little, shone a little, blew a little, and didn't make up its mind till it was too late for anyone else to make up theirs. Amy was up at dawn, hustling people out of their beds and through their breakfasts, that the house might be got in order. The parlor struck her as looking uncommonly shabby, but without stopping to sigh for what she had not, she skillfully made the best of what she had, arranging chairs over the worn places in the carpet, covering stains on the walls with homemade statuary, which gave an artistic air to the room, as did the lovely vases of flowers Jo scattered about.

The lunch looked charming, and as she surveyed it, she sincerely hoped it would taste well, and that the borrowed glass, china, and silver would get safely home again. The carriages were promised, Meg and Mother were all ready to do the honors, Beth was able to help Hannah behind the scenes, Jo had engaged to be as lively and amiable as an absent mind, and aching head, and a very decided disapproval of everybody and everything would allow, and as she wearily dressed, Amy cheered herself with anticipations of the happy moment when, lunch safely over, she should drive away with her friends for an afternoon of artistic delights, for the“cherry bounce” and the broken bridge were her strong points.

Then came the hours of suspense, during which she vibrated from parlor to porch, while public opinion varied like the weathercock. A smart shower at eleven had evidently quenched the enthusiasm of the young ladies who were to arrive at twelve, for nobody came; and at two the exhausted family sat down in a blaze of sunshine to consume the perishable portions of the feast, that nothing might be lost.

“No doubt about the weather today, they will certainly come, so we must fly round and be ready for them, ” said Amy, as the sun woke her next morning. She spoke briskly, but in her secret soul she wished she had said nothing about Tuesday, for her interest like her cake was getting a little stale.

“I can't get any lobsters, so you will have to do without salad today, ”said Mr. March, coming in half an hour later, with an expression of placid despair.

“Use the chicken then, the toughness won't matter in a salad, ” advised his wife.

“Hannah left it on the kitchen table a minute, and the kittens got at it. I'm very sorry, Amy, ” added Beth, who was still a patroness of cats.

“Then I must have a lobster, for tongue alone won't do, ”said Amy decidedly.

“Shall I rush into town and demand one? ” asked Jo, with the magnanimity of a martyr.

“You'd come bringing it home under your arm without any paper, just to try me. I'll go myself, ” answered Amy, whose temper was beginning to fail.

Shrouded in a thick veil and armed with a genteel traveling basket, she departed, feeling that a cool drive would soothe her ruffled spirit and fit her for the labors of the day. After some delay, the object of her desire was procured, likewise a bottle of dressing to prevent further loss of time at home, and off she drove again, well pleased with her own forethought.

As the omnibus contained only one other passenger, a sleepy old lady, Amy pocketed her veil and beguiled the tedium of the way by trying to find out where all her money had gone to. So busy was she with her card full of refractory figures that she did not observe a newcomer, who entered without stopping the vehicle, till a masculine voice said, “Good morning, Miss March, ” and, looking up, she beheld one of Laurie's most elegant college friends. Fervently hoping that he would get out before she did, Amy utterly ignored the basket at her feet, and congratulating herself that she had on her new traveling dress, returned the young man's greeting with her usual suavity and spirit.

They got on excellently, for Amy's chief care was soon set at rest by learning that the gentleman would leave first, and she was chatting away in a peculiarly lofty strain, when the old lady got out. In stumbling to the door, she upset the basket, and—oh horror! —the lobster, in all its vulgar size and brilliancy, was revealed to the highborn eyes of a Tudor!

“By Jove, she's forgotten her dinner! ” cried the unconscious youth, poking the scarlet monster into its place with his cane, and preparing to hand out the basket after the old lady.

“Please don't—it's—it's mine, ” murmured Amy, with a face nearly as red as her fish.

“Oh, really, I beg pardon. It's an uncommonly fine one, isn't it? ” said Tudor, with great presence of mind, and an air of sober interest that did credit to his breeding.

Amy recovered herself in a breath, set her basket boldly on the seat, and said, laughing, “Don't you wish you were to have some of the salad he's going to make, and to see the charming young ladies who are to eat it? ”

Now that was tact, for two of the ruling foibles of the masculine mind were touched: the lobster was instantly surrounded by a halo of pleasing reminiscences, and curiosity about “the charming young ladies” diverted his mind from the comical mishap.

“I suppose he'll laugh and joke over it with Laurie, but I shan't see them, that's a comfort, ” thought Amy, as Tudor bowed and departed.

She did not mention this meeting at home (though she discovered that, thanks to the upset, her new dress was much damaged by the rivulets of dressing that meandered down the skirt), but went through with the preparations which now seemed more irksome than before, and at twelve o'clock all was ready again. Feeling that the neighbors were interested in her movements, she wished to efface the memory of yesterday's failure by a grand success today, so she ordered the “cherry bounce”, and drove away in state to meet and escort her guests to the banquet.

“There's the rumble, they're coming! I'll go onto the porch and meet them. It looks hospitable, and I want the poor child to have a good time after all her trouble, ” said Mrs. March, suiting the action to the word. But after one glance, she retired, with an indescribable expression, for, looking quite lost in the big carriage, sat Amy and one young lady.

“Run, Beth, and help Hannah clear half the things off the table. It will be too absurd to put a luncheon for twelve before a single girl, ” cried Jo, hurrying away to the lower regions, too excited to stop even for a laugh.

In came Amy, quite calm and delightfully cordial to the one guest who had kept her promise. The rest of the family, being of a dramatic turn, played their parts equally well, and Miss Eliott found them a most hilarious set, for it was impossible to control entirely the merriment which possessed them. The remodeled lunch being gaily partaken of, the studio and garden visited, and art discussed with enthusiasm, Amy ordered a buggy (alas for the elegant cherry-bounce), and drove her friend quietly about the neighborhood till sunset, when “the party went out.”

As she came walking in, looking very tired but as composed as ever, she observed that every vestige of the unfortunate fete had disappeared, except a suspicious pucker about the corners of Jo's mouth.

“You've had a loverly afternoon for your drive, dear, ” said her mother, as respectfully as if the whole twelve had come.

“Miss Eliott is a very sweet girl, and seemed to enjoy herself, I thought, ” observed Beth, with unusual warmth.

“Could you spare me some of your cake? I really need some, I have so much company, and I can't make such delicious stuff as yours, ” asked Meg soberly.

“Take it all. I'm the only one here who likes sweet things, and it will mold before I can dispose of it, ” answered Amy, thinking with a sigh of the generous store she had laid in for such an end as this.

“It's a pity Laurie isn't here to help us, ” began Jo, as they sat down to ice cream and salad for the second time in two days.

A warning look from her mother checked any further remarks, and the whole family ate in heroic silence, till Mr. March mildly observed, “Salad was one of the favorite dishes of the ancients, and Evelyn”—here a general explosion of laughter cut short the “history of salads”, to the great surprise of the learned gentleman.

“Bundle everything into a basket and send it to the Hummels. Germans like messes. I'm sick of the sight of this, and there's no reason you should all die of a surfeit because I've been a fool, ” cried Amy, wiping her eyes.

“I thought I should have died when I saw you two girls rattling about in the what-you-call-it, like two little kernels in a very big nutshell, and Mother waiting in state to receive the throng, ” sighed Jo, quite spent with laughter.

“I'm very sorry you were disappointed, dear, but we all did our best to satisfy you, ” said Mrs. March, in a tone full of motherly regret.

“I am satisfied;I've done what I undertook,and it's not my fault that it failed. I comfort myself with that, ” said Amy with a little quiver in her voice. “I thank you all very much for helping me, and I'll thank you still more if you won't allude to it for a month, at least.”

No one did for several months, but the word ‘fete' always produced a general smile, and Laurie's birthday gift to Amy was a tiny coral lobster in the shape of a charm for her watch guard.

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