the peterkin papers- 第5部分

And　the　little　boys　felt　as　if　they　had　quite　been　a　journey。

But　the　family　did　not　like　to　give　up　their　plan。　It　was　suggested　that　they　　might　take　the　things　out　of　the　trunk；　and　pack　it　at　the　station；　the　little　　boys　could　go　and　come　with　the　things。　But　Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　the　place　　too　public。

Gradually　the　old　contents　of　the　great　trunk　went　back　again　to　it。

At　length　a　friend　unexpectedly　offered　to　lend　Mr。　Peterkin　a　good…sized　family　　trunk。　But　it　was　late　in　the　season；　and　so　the　journey　was　put　off　from　that　　summer。

But　now　the　trunk　was　sent　round　to　the　house；　and　a　family　consultation　was　　held　about　packing　it。　Many　things　would　have　to　be　left　at　home；　it　was　so　much　　smaller　than　the　grandmother's　hair…trunk。　But　Agamemnon　had　been　studying　the　　atlas　through　the　winter；　and　felt　familiar　with　the　more　important　places；　so　　it　would　not　be　necessary　to　take　it。　And　Mr。　Peterkin　decided　to　leave　his　　turning…lathe　at　home；　and　his　tool…chest。

Again　Mrs。　Peterkin　spent　two　days　in　accommodating　the　things。　With　great　care　　and　discretion；　and　by　borrowing　two　more　leather　bags；　it　could　be　　accomplished。　Everything　of　importance　could　be　packed；　except　the　little　boys'　　kite。　What　should　they　do　about　that？

The　little　boys　proposed　carrying　it　in　their　hands；　but　Solomon　John　and　　Elizabeth　Eliza　would　not　consent　to　this。

〃I　do　think　it　is　one　of　the　cases　where　we　might　ask　the　advice　of　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　at　last。

〃She　has　come　on　here；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃and　we　have　not　been　to　see　her　this　　summer。〃

〃She　may　think　we　have　been　neglecting　her；〃　suggested　Mr。　Peterkin。

The　little　boys　begged　to　be　allowed　to　go　and　ask　her　opinion　about　the　kite。

They　came　back　in　high　spirits。

〃She　says　we　might　leave　this　one　at　home；　and　make　a　new　kite　when　we　get　　there；〃　they　cried。

〃What　a　sensible　idea！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃and　I　may　have　leisure　to　help　　you。〃

〃We'll　take　plenty　of　newspapers；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃And　twine；〃　said　the　little　boys。　And　this　matter　was　settled。

The　question　then　was；　〃When　should　they　go？〃

　THE　PETERKINS　SNOWED…UP。　　MRS。　PETERKIN　awoke　one　morning　to　find　a　heavy　snow…storm　raging。　The　wind　had　　flung　the　snow　against　the　windows；　had　heaped　it　up　around　the　house；　and　　thrown　it　into　huge　white　drifts　over　the　fields；　covering　hedges　and　fences。

Mrs。　Peterkin　went　from　one　window　to　the　other　to　look　out；　but　nothing　could　　be　seen　but　the　driving　storm　and　the　deep　white　snow。　Even　Mr。　Bromwick's　　house；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　was　hidden　by　the　swift…falling　　flakes。

　〃What　shall　I　do　about　it？〃　thought　Mrs。　Peterkin。　〃No　roads　cleared　out！　Of　　course　there'll　be　no　butcher　and　no　milkman　！〃

The　first　thing　to　be　done　was　to　wake　up　all　the　family　early；　for　there　was　　enough　in　the　house　for　breakfast；　and　there　was　no　knowing　when　they　would　have　　anything　more　to　eat。

It　was　best　to　secure　the　breakfast　first。

　So　she　went　from　one　room　to　the　other；　as　soon　as　it　was　light；　waking　the　　family；　and　before　long　all　were　dressed　and　downstairs。

And　then　all　went　round　the　house　to　see　what　had　happened。

All　the　water…pipes　that　there　were　were　frozen。　The　milk　was　frozen。　They　could　　open　the　door　into　the　wood…house；　but　the　wood…house　door　into　the　yard　was　　banked　up　with　snow；　and　the　front　door；　and　the　piazza　door；　and　the　side　door　　stuck。　Nobody　could　get　in　or　out！

　Meanwhile；　Amanda；　the　cook；　had　succeeded　in　making　the　kitchen　fire；　but　had　　discovered　there　was　no　furnace　coal。

〃The　furnace　coal　was　to　have　come　to…day；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　apologetically。

〃Nothing　will　come　to…day；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　shivering。

But　a　fire　could　be　made　in　a　stove　in　the　dining…room。

　All　were　glad　to　sit　down　to　breakfast　and　hot　coffee。　The　little　boys　were　　much　pleased　to　have　〃ice…cream〃　for　breakfast。

〃When　we　get　a　little　warm；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃we　will　consider　what　is　to　be　　done。〃

〃I　am　thankful　I　ordered　the　sausages　yesterday；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。　〃I　was　to　　have　had　a　leg　of　mutton　to…day。〃


〃Nothing　will　come　to…day；〃　said　Agamemnon；　gloomily。

〃Are　these　sausages　the　last　meat　in　the　house？〃　asked　Mr。　Peterkin。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。

The　potatoes　also　were　gone；　the　barrel　of　apples　empty；　and　she　had　meant　to　　order　more　flour　that　very　day。

〃Then　we　are　eating　our　last　provisions；〃　said　Solomon　John；　helping　himself　to　　another　sausage。

〃I　almost　wish　we　had　stayed　in　bed；〃　said　Agamemnon。

〃I　thought　it　best　to　make　sure　of　our　breakfast　first；〃　repeated　Mrs。　Peterkin。

　〃Shall　we　literally　have　nothing　left　to　eat？〃　asked　Mr。　Peterkin。

〃There's　the　pig！〃　suggested　Solomon　John。

Yes；　happily；　the　pigsty　was　at　the　end　of　the　wood…house；　and　could　be　reached　　under　cover。

But　some　of　the　family　could　not　eat　fresh　pork。

〃We　should　have　to　'corn'　part　of　him；〃　said　Agamemnon。

〃My　butcher　has　always　told　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃that　if　I　wanted　a　ham　I　　must　keep　a　pig。　Now　we　have　the　pig；　but　have　not　the　ham！〃

〃Perhaps　we　could　'corn'　one　or　two　of　his　legs；〃　suggested　one　of　the　little　　boys。

　〃We　need　not　settle　that　now；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。　〃At　least　the　pig　will　keep　　us　from　starving。〃

The　little　boys　looked　serious；　they　were　fond　of　their　pig。

〃If　we　had　only　decided　to　keep　a　cow；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。

〃Alas！　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃one　learns　a　great　many　things　too　late！〃

〃Then　we　might　have　had　ice…cream　all　the　time！〃　exclaimed　the　little　boys。

Indeed；　the　little　boys；　in　spite　of　the　prospect　of　starving；　were　quite　　pleasantly　excited　at　the　idea　of　being　snowed…up；　and　hurried　through　their　　breakfasts　that　they　might　go　and　try　to　shovel　out　a　path　from　one　of　the　　doors。

〃I　ought　to　know　more　about　the　water…pipes；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。　〃Now；　I　shut　　off　the　water　last　night　in　the　bath…room；　or　else　I　forgot　to；　and　I　ought　to　　have　shut　it　off　in　the　cellar。〃

The　little　boys　came　back。　Such　a　wind　at　the　front　door；　they　were　going　to　try　　the　side　door。

〃Another　thing　I　have　learned　to…day；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃is　not　to　have　all　　the　doors　on　one　side　of　the　house；　because　the　storm　blows　the　snow　against　all　　the　doors。〃

Solomon　John　started　up。

〃Let　us　see　if　we　are　blocked　up　on　the　east　side　of　the　house！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Of　what　use；〃　asked　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃since　we　have　no　door　on　the　east　side？〃

〃We　could　cut　one；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃Yes；　we　could　cut　a　door；〃　exclaimed　Agamemnon。

〃But　how　can　we　tell　whether　there　is　any　snow　there？〃　asked　Elizabeth　　Eliza；…〃for　there　is　no　window。〃

In　fact；　the　east　side　of　the　Peterkins'　house　formed　a　blank　wall。　The　owner　　had　originally　planned　a　little　block　of　semi…detached　houses。　He　had　completed　　only　one；　very　semi　and　very　detached。

〃It　is　not　necessary　to　see；〃　said　Agamemnon；　profoundly；　〃of　course；　if　the　　storm　blows　against　this　side　of　the　house；　the　house　itself　must　keep　the　snow　　from　the　other　side。〃

　〃Yes；〃　said　Solomon　John；　〃there　must　be　a　space　clear　of　snow　on　the　east　side　　of　the　house；　and　if　we　could　open　a　way　to　that　〃…　　〃We　could　open　a　way　to　the　butcher；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　promptly。

Agamemnon　went　for　his　pick…axe。　He　had　kept　one　in　the　house　ever　since　the　　adventure　of　the　dumb…waiter。

〃What　part　of　the　wall　had　we　better　attack？〃　asked　Mr。　Peterkin。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　alarmed。

〃What　will　Mr。　Mudge；　the　owner　of　the　house；　think　of　it？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Have　　we　a　right　to　injure　the　wall　of　the　house？〃

〃It　is　right　to　preserve　ourselves　from　starving；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。　〃The　　drowning　man　must　snatch　at　a　straw！〃

　〃It　is　better　that　he　should　find　his　house　chopped　a　little　when　the　thaw　　comes；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃than　that　he　should　find　us　lying　about　the　　house；　dead　of　hunger；　upon　the　floor。〃

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　partially　convinced。

The　little　boys　came　in　to　warm　their　hands。　They　had　not　succeeded　in　opening　　the　side　door；　and　were　planning　trying　to　open　the　door　from　the　wood…house　to　　the　garden。

〃That　would　be　of　no　use；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃the　butcher　cannot　get　into　the　　garden。〃

　〃But　we　might　shovel　off　the　snow；〃　suggested　one　of　the　little　boys；　〃and　dig　　down　to　some　of　last　year's　onions。〃

Meanwhile；　Mr。　Peterkin；　Agamemnon；　and　Solomon　John　had　been　bringing　together　　their　carpenter's　tools；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　proposed　using　a　gouge；　if　they　　would　choose　the　right　spot　to　begin。

The　little　boys　were　delighted　with　the　plan；　and　hastened　to　find；…one；　a　　little　hatchet；　and　the　other　a　gimlet。　Even　Amanda　armed　herself　with　a　poker。

　〃It　would　be　better　to　begin　on　the　ground　floor；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。

〃Except　that　we　may　meet　with　a　stone　foundation；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃If　the　wall　is　thinner　upstairs；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃it　will　do　as　well　to　cut　a　　window　as　a　door；　and　haul　up　anything　the　butcher　may　bring　below　in　his　cart。〃

　　Everybody　began　to　pound　a　little　on　the　wall　to　find　a　favorable　place；　and　　there　was　a　great　deal　of　noise。　The　little　boys　actually　cut　a　bit　out　of　the　　plastering　with　their　hatchet　and　gimlet。　Solomon　John　confid