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！
harm when you know you ought to be doing something else； that Christmas is at the door； that children and servants and farm hands depend on you for their pleasure； and that； if you don't see to the decoration of the trees and house； and the buying of the presents； nobody else will。 The hours fly by shut up with those catalogues and with Duty snarling on the other side of the door。 I don't like Duty everything in the least disagreeable is always sure to be one's duty。 Why cannot it be my duty to make lists and plans for the dear garden？ 〃And so it is；〃 I insisted to the Man of Wrath； when he protested against what he called wasting my time upstairs。 〃No；〃 he replied sagely； 〃your garden is not your duty； because it is your Pleasure。〃
What a comfort it is to have such wells of wisdom constantly at my disposal！ Anybody can have a husband； but to few is it given to have a sage； and the combination of both is as rare as it is useful。 Indeed； in its practical utility the only thing I ever saw to equal it is a sofa my neighbour has bought as a Christmas surprise for her husband； and which she showed me the last time I called therea beautiful invention； as she explained； combining a bedstead； a sofa； and a chest of drawers； and into which you put your clothes； and on top of which you put yourself； and if anybody calls in the middle of the night and you happen to be using the drawing…room as a bedroom； you just pop the bedclothes inside； and there you are discovered sitting on your sofa and looking for all the world as though you had been expecting visitors for hours。
〃Pray； does he wear pyjamas？〃 I inquired。
But she had never heard of pyjamas。
It takes a long time to make my spring lists。 I want to have a border all yellow； every shade of yellow from fieriest orange to nearly white； and the amount of work and studying of gardening books it costs me will only be appreciated by beginners like myself。 I have been weeks planning it； and it is not nearly finished。 I want it to be a succession of glories from May till the frosts； and the chief feature is to be the number of 〃ardent marigolds〃 flowers that I very tenderly loveand nasturtiums。 The nasturtiums are to be of every sort and shade； and are to climb and creep and grow in bushes； and show their lovely flowers and leaves to the best advantage。 Then there are to be eschscholtzias； dahlias； sunflowers； zinnias； scabiosa； portulaca； yellow violas； yellow stocks； yellow sweet…peas； yellow lupinseverything that is yellow or that has a yellow variety。 The place I have chosen for it is a long； wide border in the sun； at the foot of a grassy slope crowned with lilacs and pines； and facing southeast。 You go through a little pine wood； and； turning a corner； are to come suddenly upon this bit of captured morning glory。 I want it to be blinding in its brightness after the dark； cool path through the wood。
That is the idea。 Depression seizes me when I reflect upon the probable difference between the idea and its realisation。 I am ignorant； and the gardener is； I do believe； still more so； for he was forcing some tulips； and they have all shrivelled up and died； and he says he cannot imagine why。 Besides； he is in love with the cook； and is going to marry her after Christmas； and refuses to enter into any of my plans with the enthusiasm they deserve； but sits with vacant eye dreamily chopping wood from morning till night to keep the beloved one's kitchen fire well supplied。 I cannot understand any one preferring cooks to marigolds； those future marigolds； shadowy as they are； and whose seeds are still sleeping at the seedsman's； have shone through my winter days like golden lamps。
I wish with all my heart I were a man； for of course the first thing I should do would be to buy a spade and go and garden； and then I should have the delight of doing everything for my flowers with my own hands and need not waste time explaining what I want done to somebody else。 It is dull work giving orders and trying to describe the bright visions of one's brain to a person who has no visions and no brain； and who thinks a yellow bed should be calceolarias edged with blue。
I have taken care in choosing my yellow plants to put down only those humble ones that are easily pleased and grateful for little； for my soil is by no means all that it might be； and to most plants the climate is rather trying。 I feel really grateful to any flower that is sturdy and willing enough to flourish here。 Pansies seem to like the place and so do sweet…peas； pinks don't； and after much coaxing gave hardly any flowers last summer。 Nearly all the roses were a success； in spite of the sandy soil； except the tea…rose Adam； which was covered with buds ready to open； when they suddenly turned brown and died； and three standard Dr。 Grills which stood in a row and simply sulked。 I had been very excited about Dr。 Grill； his description in the catalogues being specially fascinating； and no doubt I deserved the snubbing I got。 〃Never be excited； my dears； about anything；〃 shall be the advice I will give the three babies when the time comes to take them out to parties； 〃or； if you are； don't show it。 If by nature you are volcanoes； at least be only smouldering ones。 Don't look pleased； don't look interested； don't； above all things； look eager。 Calm indifference should be written on every feature of your faces。 Never show that you like any one person； or any one thing。 Be cool； languid； and reserved。 If you don't do as your mother tells you and are just gushing； frisky； young idiots； snubs will be your portion。 If you do as she tells you； you'll marry princes and live happily ever after。〃
Dr。 Grill must be a German rose。 In this part of the world the more you are pleased to see a person the less is he pleased to see you； whereas； if you are disagreeable； he will grow pleasant visibly； his countenance expanding into wider amiability the more your own is stiff and sour。 But I was not Prepared for that sort of thing in a rose； and was disgusted with Dr。 Grill。 He had the best place in the gardenwarm； sunny； and sheltered； his holes were prepared with the tenderest care； he was given the most dainty mixture of compost； clay； and manure； he was watered assiduously all through the drought when more willing flowers got nothing； and he refused to do anything but look black and shrivel。 He did not die； but neither did he livehe just existed； and at the end of the summer not one of him had a scrap more shoot or leaf than when he was first put in in April。 It would have been better if he had died straight away； for then I should have known what to do； as it is； there he is still occupying the best place； wrapped up carefully for the winter； excluding kinder roses； and probably intending to repeat the same conduct next year。 Well； trials are the portion of mankind； and gardeners have their share； and in any case it is better to be tried by plants than persons； seeing that with plants you know that it is you who are in the wrong； and with persons it is always the other way aboutand who is there among us who has not felt the pangs of injured innocence； and known them to be grievous？
I have two visitors staying with me； though