The Grandmother. Божена Немцова

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Barunka was lazy and said: "O Grandma, what is one feather!" But Grandmother at once reproved her. "You must remember, child, that one added to another makes more, and a good housewife will jump over the fence for a feather."

The larger of the two front rooms was used by Mrs. Proshek as her bed-room. Here on occasions of domestic festivals the family used to dine or take their lunch. In this room they had modern furniture; but Grandmother did not like it here. It seemed to her impossible to sit comfortably in those stuffed chairs with their carved elbows, when one had to be constantly on one's guard lest they should tip over or break in pieces. Once, only, had she made the experiment. When she sat down and the springs gave way, she was so frightened that she almost screamed. The children laughed at her and told her to come and sit down again, assuring ner that the chair would not break; but she would not try it again. "O go away with your rocker, ​who wants to sit in it? it may do well enough for you, but not for me." She was afraid to place anything upon the polished stands, lest they should be rubbed or scratched; and as for the large glass case that held all sorts of bric-a-brac, she declared that it was a nuisance; for the children were sure to knock into it and break something, and then get a whipping from their mother. Whenever Grandmother held Adelka, she sat by the piano, and when the little girl cried, she always quieted her by striking some of the keys; for Barunka had taught her to play with one hand the tune to the words, "Those are horses, those are horses mine."^[1] While she played she kept time with her head. Sometimes she remarked: "What things people do invent! one would think a bird were shut up in there; it sounds like the voices of living creatures."

      Grandmother never sat in the parlor unless she was obliged to do so. She liked best her own little room, which was next to the kitchen and the servants' apartments. Her room was furnished according to her own taste. By the side of the large stove that stood in the corner was a long bench. Next to the wall stood her bed, at whose foot was the large flowered chest. On the other side was a small bed, where Barunka slept; she had obtained this privilege as a special favor from her mother. In the middle of the room stood the large bass-wood table, the legs of which were bound together by braces thatserved as foot-rests. Above the table hung a dove made of an egg-shell and pleated paper;—this was to remind one of the Holy Ghost. In the corner stood the spinning wheel and distaff. ​The walls were decorated with several pictures of saints, and above Grandmother's bed was a crucifix adorned with garlands. Inside of the double window were some flower pots with sweet balsams and musk, and on the sides there hung little linen bags of medicinal herbs, such as linden blossoms, elder blossoms, and the like.

      The table drawer contained Grandmother's sewing, a bundle of sacred hymns, the prayers of the Holy Passion, some spinning-wheel cords, and a blessed candle which was always lighted when a thunder storm was coming up.

      What the children liked the best in her room was the large flowered chest. They loved to examine the blue and green roses with brown leaves upon the red background, and the blue lilies with red birds among them; but they were the most delighted when she opened the chest. The inside of the cover was lined with pictures and prayers,—all brought from the various shrines to which people made pilgrimages. On one side of the chest was a small drawer, and what treasures were in that! Family documents and letters from her daughters in Vienna, a small linen bag full of silver dollars sent by her children for her betterment, but which out of joy and gratitude Grandmother never spent. In a small wooden box, there were five strings of garnets, with a silver coin on which was engraved the picture of Emperor Josephand Maria Theresa. When she opened that box,—and she always did so whenever the children asked her,—she would say: “See, my children, these garnets were given me by your grandfather for my wedding, and this dollar the Emperor Joseph himself gave me. That ​was a good man, may the Lord grant him eternal glory! Well, when I die all this will be yours," she added, as she closed the box.

      "But, Grandma, how was it that the Emperor gave you that dollar? Tell us about it," said Barunka.

      "Remind me of it some day, and I will tell you," she replied.

      Besides these things Grandmother had in that side drawer two rosaries that had been "touched" (by sacred relics), streamers for her caps, and usually some delicacy for the children.

      At the bottom of the chest were her clothing and linen. All those linen petticoats, aprons, coats, corsets, and kerchiefs lay there in the best of order, and on the top of all were two stiffly starched caps, with large bows behind, that were called "doves." These things the children were not allowed to touch. Still, when Grandmother was so disposed, she raised one article after another saying: "See, children, this petticoat I have had for fifty years; this coat was worn by your grandmother; this apron is as old as your mother;—and all as good as new; and you spoil your clothes in no time. That all comes because you do not know the value of money. Do you see this silk coat? it cost a hundred Rhine dollars; but in those days they paid with bank-notes." Thus she went on, and the children listened as though they understood it all.

      Mrs. Proshek wished her mother to wear city garments, because she thought they would be more suitable; but to this Grandmother would not listen. She said: "The Lord would surely punish me, if I, an old woman, should begin to grow worldly. ​Such changes of fashion are not for me; they would not suit my old age." Thus she remained faithful to the "good old ways;" and soon every thing in the house went according to her will, and no one thought of disputing her word.

      1 ↑ A popular peasant song.

      Chapter 2

       Table of Contents

      ​

      CHAPTER II.

      IN the summer, Grandmother rose at four, but in the winter, at five. The first thing she did was to bless herself and kiss the cross upon her rosary. This rosary she always carried with her, and at night placed it beneath her pillow. Then she dressed and said her prayers, sprinkling herself with holy water; this done, she sat down to her spinning, and sang morning hymns as she worked. Her own sleep, poor old lady! was not good; but she remembered how sweet it used to be when she was young, and so was always glad to let others enjoy it.

      After she had been up almost an hour, a light step was heard, one door squeaked, then another, and in a moment more, Grandmother stood at the kitchen door. At that instant the geese sneezed, the hogs grunted, the cows lowed, the chickens shook their wings, and the cats, coming from somewhere, rubbed themselves against her feet. The dogs jumped out of their kennel and at one bound were by her side; if she had not been careful, they would have knocked her over and scattered the grain which she had for the poultry. She was very fond of all these animals, and they seemed equally fond of her. She could not bear to see any creature harmed, no, not even a worm! She would say: "What is injurious to man, or must be killed for food, with God's will kill it, but let it not ​suffer needlessly." The children were never allowed to look on while a creature was being killed, lest by pitying it they should make it die hard.

      Once, however, her wrath was roused against the two dogs, Sultan and Tyrol. There was cause! They had dug into the ducks' house and before morning had killed ten ducklings,—bright yellow ones and full of promise. When, the next morning, Grandmother discovered this, her hands fell to her side. There was the old goose, frightened and cackling, and with only three ducklings left of the large brood that she had hatched out, when they were deserted by their own truant mother. At first she suspected the raccoon of the deed, but she soon discovered by the tracks that it was the dogs. The dogs, those faithful watchers! She could scarcely believe her eyes. And yet they came out and wagged their tails as if nothing had happened. "Away from me, you wretches! What had those ducklings done to you? Are you hungry? Indeed, you're not; you have done this out of pure willfulness. СКАЧАТЬ