第19章

“right，Jo。Betterbehappyoldmaidsthanunhappywives，orunmaidenlygirls，runningabouttofindhusbands，“saidMrs。Marchdecidedly。“Don’tbetroubled，Meg，povertyseldomdauntsasincerelover。SomeofthebestandmosthonoredwomenIknowwerepoorgirls，butsolove-worthythattheywerenotallowedtobeoldmaids。

Leavethesethingstotime。Makethishomehappy，sothatyoumaybefitforhomesofyourown，iftheyareofferedyou，andcontentedhereiftheyarenot。Onethingremember，mygirls。Motherisalwaysreadytobeyourconfidante，Fathertobeyourfriend，andbothofhopeandtrustthatourdaughters，whethermarriedorsingle，willbetheprideandcomfortofoutlives。“

“Wewill，Marmee，wewill!“criedboth，withalltheirhearts，asshebadethemgoodnight。

Asspringcameon，anewsetofamusementsbecamethefashion，andthelengtheningdaysgavelongafternoonsforworkandplayofallsorts。Thegardenhadtobeputinorder，andeachsisterhadaquarterofthelittleplottodowhatshelikedwith。Hannahusedtosay，“I’dknowwhicheachofthemgardingsbelongedto，efIsee’eminChiny，“andsoshemight，forthegirls’tastesdifferedasmuchastheircharacters。Meg’shadrosesandheliotrope，myrtle，andalittleorangetreeinit。

Jo’sbedwasneveraliketwoseasons，forshewasalwaystryingexperiments。Thisyearitwastobeaplantationofsunflowers，theseedsofwhichcheerfullandaspiringplantweretofeedAuntCockle-topandherfamilyofchicks。Bethhadold-fashionedfragrantflowersinhergarden，sweetpeasandmignonette，larkspur，pinks，pansies，andsouthernwood，withchickweedforthebirdsandcatnipforthepussies。Amyhadabowerinhers，rathersmallandearwiggy，butveryprettytolookat，withhoneysuckleandmorning-glorieshangingtheircoloredhornsandbellsingracefulwreathsalloverit，tallwhitelilies，delicateferns，andasmanybrilliant，picturesqueplantsaswouldconsenttoblossomthere。

Gardening，walks，rowsontheriver，andflowerhuntsemployedthefinedays，andforrainyones，theyhadhousediversions，someold，somenew，allmoreorlessoriginal。Oneofthesewasthe`P。C’，forassecretsocietieswerethefashion，itwasthoughtpropertohaveone，andasallofthegirlsadmiredDickens，theycalledthemselvesthePickwickClub。Withafewinterruptions，theyhadkeptthisupforayear，andmeteverySaturdayeveninginthebiggarret，onwhichoccasionstheceremonieswereasfollows：Threechairswerearrangedinarowbeforeatableonwhichwasalamp，alsofourwhitebadges，withabig`P。C。’indifferentcolorsoneach，andtheweeklynewspapercalled，ThePickwickPortfolio，towhichallcontributedsomething，whileJo，whoreveledinpensandink，wastheeditor。

Atseveno’clock，thefourmembersascendedtotheclubroom，tiedtheirbadgesroundtheirheads，andtooktheirseatswithgreatsolemnity。Meg，astheeldest，wasSamuelPickwick，Jo，beingofaliteraryturn，AugustusSnodgrass，Beth，becauseshewasroundandrosy，TracyTupman，andAmy，whowasalwaystryingtodowhatshecouldn’t，wasNathanielWinkle。Pickwick，thepresident，readthepaper，whichwasfilledwithoriginaltales，poetry，localnews，funnyadvertisements，andhints，inwhichtheygood-naturedlyremindedeachotheroftheirfaultsandshortcomings。Ononeoccasion，Mr。Pickwickputonapairofspectacleswithoutanyglass，rappeduponthetable，hemmed，andhavingstaredhardatMr。Snodgrass，whowastiltingbackinhischair，tillhearrangedhimselfproperly，begantoread：

AgainwemeettocelebrateWithbadgeandsolemnrite，Ourfifty-secondanniversary，InPickwickHall，tonight。

Weallarehereinperfecthealth，Nonegonefromoursmallband：

Againweseeeachwell-knownface，Andpresseachfriendlyhand。

OurPickwick，alwaysathispost，Withreverencewegreet，As，spectaclesonnose，hereadsOurwell-filledweeklysheet。

Althoughhesuffersfromacold，Wejoytohearhimspeak，Forwordsofwisdomfromhimfall，Inspiteofcroakorsqueak。

Oldsix-footSnodgrassloomsonhigh，Withelephantinegrace，Andbeamsuponthecompany，Withbrownandjovialface。

Poeticfirelightsuphiseye，Hestruggles’gainsthislot。

Beholdambitiononhisbrow，Andonhisnose，ablot。

NextourpeacefulTupmancomes，Sorosy，plump，andsweet，Whochokeswithlaughteratthepuns，Andtumblesoffhisseat。

PrimlittleWinkletooishere，Witheveryhairinplace，Amodelofpropriety，Thoughhehatestowashhisface。

Theyearisgone，westilluniteTojokeandlaughandread，AndtreadthepathofliteratureThatdothtoglorylead。

Longmayourpaperprosperwell，Ourclubunbrokenbe，AndcomingyearstheirblessingspourOntheuseful，gay`P。C。’。

A。SNODGRASS

THEMASKEDMARRIAGE

(ATaleOfVenice)

Gondolaaftergondolasweptuptothemarblesteps，andleftitslovelyloadtoswellthebrilliantthrongthatfilledthestatelyhallsofCountAdelon。Knightsandladies，elvesandpages，monksandflowergirls，allmingledgailyinthedance。

Sweetvoicesandrichmelodyfilledtheair，andsowithmirthandmusicthemasqueradewenton。

“HasyourHighnessseentheLadyviolatonight？“

askedagallanttroubadourofthefairyqueenwhofloateddownthehalluponhisarm。

“Yes，isshenotlovely，thoughsosad!Herdressiswellchosen，too，forinaweekshewedsCountAntonio，whomshepassionatelyhates。“

“Bymyfaith，Ienvyhim。Yonderhecomes，arrayedlikeabridegroom，excepttheblackmask。

Whenthatisoffweshallseehowheregardsthefairmaidwhosehearthecannotwin，thoughhersternfatherbestowsherhand，“returnedthetroubadour。

“TiswhisperedthatshelovestheyoungEnglishartistwhohauntshersteps，andisspurnedbytheoldCount，“saidthelady，astheyjoinedthedance。

Therevelwasatitsheightwhenapriestappeared，andwithdrawingtheyoungpairtoanalcove，hungwithpurplevelvet，hemotionedthemtokneel。

Instantsilencefellonthegaythrong，andnotasound，buthedashoffountainsortherustleoforangegrovessleepinginthemoonlight，brokethehush，asCountdeAdelonspokethus：

“Mylordsandladies，pardontherusebywhichIhavegatheredyouheretowitnessthemarriageofmydaughter。Father，wewaityourservices。“

Alleyesturnedtowardthebridalparty，andamurmurofamazementwentthroughthethrong，forneitherbridenorgroomremovedtheirmasks。Curiosityandwonderpossessedallhearts，butrespectrestrainedalltonguestilltheholyritewasover。Thentheeagerspectatorsgatheredroundthecount，demandinganexplanation。

“GladlywouldIgiveitifIcould，butIonlyknowthatitwasthewhimofmytimidViola，andI

yieldedtoit。Now，mychildren，lettheplayend。

Unmaskandreceivemyblessing。“

Butneitherbenttheknee，fortheyoungbridegroomrepliedinatonethatstartledalllistenersasthemaskfell，disclosingthenoblefaceofFerdinandDevereux，theartistlover，andleaningonthebreastwherenowflashedthestarofanEnglishearlwasthelovelyViola，radiantwithjoyandbeauty。

“Mylord，youscornfullybademeclaimyourdaughterwhenIcouldboastashighanameandvastafortuneastheCountantonio。Icandomore，forevenyourambitioussoulcannotrefusetheEarlofDevereuxandDeVere，whenhegiveshisancientnameandboundlesswealthinreturnforthebelovedhandofthisfairlady，nowmywife。

Thecountstoodlikeonechangedtostone，andturningtothebewilderedcrowd，Ferdinandadded，withagaysmileoftriumph，“Toyou，mygallantfriends，I

canonlywishthatyourwooingmayprosperasminehasdone，andthatyoumayallwinasfairabrideasIhavebythismaskedmarriage。“

WhyistheP。C。liketheTowerofBabel？

Itisfullofunrulymembers。

THEHISTORYOFASQUASH

Onceuponatimeafarmerplantedalittleseed。

inhisgarden，andafterawhileitsproutedandbecameavineandboremanysquashes。OnedayinOctober，whentheywereripe，hepickedoneandtookittomarket。Agorcermanboughtandputitinhisshop。

Thatsamemorning，alittlegirlinabrownhatandbluedress，witharoundfaceandsnubnose，wentandboughtitforhermother。Sheluggedithome，cutitup，andboileditinthebigpot，mashedsomeofitsaltandbutter，fordinner。Andtotherestsheaddedapintofmilk，twoeggs，fourspoonsofsugar，nutmeg，andsomecrackers，putitinadeepdish，andbakedittillitwasbrownandnice，andnextdayitwaseatenbyafamilynamedMarch。

T。TUPMA

Mr。Pickwick，Sir：-

IaddressyouuponthesubjectofsinthesinnerImeanisamannamedWinklewhomakestroubleinhisclubbylaughingandsometimeswon’twritehispieceinthisfinepaperIhopeyouwillpardonhisbadnessandlethimsendaFrenchfablebecausehecan’twriteoutofhisheadashehassomanylessonstodoandnobrainsinfutureIwilltrytotaketimebythefetlockandpreparesomeworkwhichwillbeallcommylafothatmeansallrightIaminhasteasitisnearlyschooltimeYoursrespectably，N。WINKLE

[Theaboveisamanlyandhandsomeaknowledgmentofpastmisdemeanors。Ifouryoungfriendstudiedpunctuation，itwouldbewell。]

ASADACCIDENT

OnFridaylast，wewerestartledbyaviolentshockinourbasement，followedbycriesofdistress。

Onrushinginabodytothecellar，wediscoveredourbelovedPresidentprostrateuponthefloor，havingtrippedandfallenwhilegettingwoodfordomesticpurposes。Aperfectsceneofruinmetoureyes，forinhisfallMr。Pickwickhadplungedhisheadandshouldersintoatubofwater，upsetakegofsoftsoapuponhismanlyform，andtornhisgarmentsbadly。Onbeingremovedfromthisperiloussituation，itwasdiscoveredthathehadsufferednoinjurybutseveralbruises，andwearehappytoadd，isnowdoingwell。