Chapter 45 Daisy And Demi

I cannot feel that I have done my duty as humble historian of the March family, without devoting at least one chapter to the two most precious and important members of it. Daisy and Demi had now arrived at years of discretion, for in this fast age babies of three or four assert their rights, and get them, too, which is more than many of their elders do. If there ever were a pair of twins in danger of being utterly spoiled by adoration, it was these prattling Brookes. Of course they were the most remarkable children ever born, as will be shown when I mention that they walked at eight months, talked fluently at twelve months, and at two years they took their places at table, and behaved with a propriety which charmed all beholders. At three, Daisy demanded a 'needler', and actually made a bag with four stitches in it. She likewise set up housekeeping in the sideboard, and managed a microscopic cooking stove with a skill that brought tears of pride to Hannah's eyes, while Demi learned his letters with his grandfather, who invented a new mode of teaching the alphabet by forming letters with his arms and legs, thus uniting gymnastics for head and heels. The boy early developed a mechanical genius which delighted his father and distracted his mother, for he tried to imitate every machine he saw, and kept the nursery in a chaotic condition, with his 'sewinsheen', a mysterious structure of string, chairs, clothespins, and spools, for wheels to go 'wound and wound'. Also a basket hung over the back of a chair, in which he vainly tried to hoist his too confiding sister, who, with feminine devotion, allowed her little head to be bumped till rescued, when the young inventor indignantly remarked, "Why, Marmar, dat's my lellywaiter, and me's trying to pull her up."

Though utterly unlike in character, the twins got on remarkably well together, and seldom quarreled more than thrice a day. Of course, Demi tyrannized over Daisy, and gallantly defended her from every other aggressor, while Daisy made a galley slave of herself, and adored her brother as the one perfect being in the world. A rosy, chubby, sunshiny little soul was Daisy, who found her way to everybody's heart, and nestled there. One of the captivating children, who seem made to be kissed and cuddled, adorned and adored like little goddesses, and produced for general approval on all festive occasions. Her small virtues were so sweet that she would have been quite angelic if a few small naughtinesses had not kept her delightfully human. It was all fair weather in her world, and every morning she scrambled up to the window in her little nightgown to look out, and say, no matter whether it rained or shone, "Oh, pitty day, oh, pitty day!" Everyone was a friend, and she offered kisses to a stranger so confidingly that the most inveterate bachelor relented, and baby-lovers became faithful worshipers.

"Me loves evvybody," she once said, opening her arms, with her spoon in one hand, and her mug in the other, as if eager to embrace and nourish the whole world.

As she grew, her mother began to feel that the Dovecote would be blessed by the presence of an inmate as serene and loving as that which had helped to make the old house home, and to pray that she might be spared a loss like that which had lately taught them how long they had entertained an angel unawares. Her grandfather often called her 'Beth', and her grandmother watched over her with untiring devotion, as if trying to atone for some past mistake, which no eye but her own could see.

Demi, like a true Yankee, was of an inquiring turn, wanting to know everything, and often getting much disturbed because he could not get satisfactory answers to his perpetual "What for?"

He also possessed a philosophic bent, to the great delight of his grandfather, who used to hold Socratic conversations with him, in which the precocious pupil occasionally posed his teacher, to the undisguised satisfaction of the womenfolk.

"What makes my legs go, Dranpa?" asked the young philosopher, surveying those active portions of his frame with a meditative air, while resting after a go-to-bed frolic one night.

"It's your little mind, Demi," replied the sage, stroking the yellow head respectfully.

"What is a little mine?"

"It is something which makes your body move, as the spring made the wheels go in my watch when I showed it to you."

"Open me. I want to see it go wound."

"I can't do that any more than you could open the watch. God winds you up, and you go till He stops you."

"Does I?" and Demi's brown eyes grew big and bright as he took in the new thought. "Is I wounded up like the watch?"

"Yes, but I can't show you how, for it is done when we don't see."

Demi felt his back, as if expecting to find it like that of the watch, and then gravely remarked, "I dess Dod does it when I's asleep."

A careful explanation followed, to which he listened so attentively that his anxious grandmother said, "My dear, do you think it wise to talk about such things to that baby? He's getting great bumps over his eyes, and learning to ask the most unanswerable questions."

"If he is old enough to ask the question he is old enough to receive true answers. I am not putting the thoughts into his head, but helping him unfold those already there. These children are wiser than we are, and I have no doubt the boy understands every word I have said to him. Now, Demi, tell me where you keep your mind."

If the boy had replied like Alcibiades, "By the gods, Socrates, I cannot tell," his grandfather would not have been surprised, but when, after standing a moment on one leg, like a meditative young stork, he answered, in a tone of calm conviction, "In my little belly," the old gentleman could only join in Grandma's laugh, and dismiss the class in metaphysics.

There might have been cause for maternal anxiety, if Demi had not given convincing proofs that he was a true boy, as well as a budding philosopher, for often, after a discussion which caused Hannah to prophesy, with ominous nods, "That child ain't long for this world," he would turn about and set her fears at rest by some of the pranks with which dear, dirty, naughty little rascals distract and delight their parent's souls.

Meg made many moral rules, and tried to keep them, but what mother was ever proof against the winning wiles, the ingenious evasions, or the tranquil audacity of the miniature men and women who so early show themselves accomplished Artful Dodgers?

"No more raisins, Demi. They'll make you sick," says Mamma to the young person who offers his services in the kitchen with unfailing regularity on plum-pudding day.

"Me likes to be sick."

"I don't want to have you, so run away and help Daisy make patty cakes."

He reluctantly departs, but his wrongs weigh upon his spirit, and by-and-by when an opportunity comes to redress them, he outwits Mamma by a shrewd bargain.

"Now you have been good children, and I'll play anything you like," says Meg, as she leads her assistant cooks upstairs, when the pudding is safely bouncing in the pot.

"Truly, Marmar?" asks Demi, with a brilliant idea in his well-powdered head.

"Yes, truly. Anything you say," replies the shortsighted parent, preparing herself to sing, "The Three Little Kittens" half a dozen times over, or to take her family to "Buy a penny bun," regardless of wind or limb. But Demi corners her by the cool reply . . .

"Then we'll go and eat up all the raisins."

Aunt Dodo was chief playmate and confidante of both children, and the trio turned the little house topsy-turvy. Aunt Amy was as yet only a name to them, Aunt Beth soon faded into a pleasantly vague memory, but Aunt Dodo was a living reality, and they made the most of her, for which compliment she was deeply grateful. But when Mr. Bhaer came, Jo neglected her playfellows, and dismay and desolation fell upon their little souls. Daisy, who was fond of going about peddling kisses, lost her best customer and became bankrupt. Demi, with infantile penetration, soon discovered that Dodo like to play with 'the bear-man' better than she did him, but though hurt, he concealed his anguish, for he hadn't the heart to insult a rival who kept a mine of chocolate drops in his waistcoat pocket, and a watch that could be taken out of its case and freely shaken by ardent admirers.

Some persons might have considered these pleasing liberties as bribes, but Demi didn't see it in that light, and continued to patronize the 'the bear-man' with pensive affability, while Daisy bestowed her small affections upon him at the third call, and considered his shoulder her throne, his arm her refuge, his gifts treasures surpassing worth.

Gentlemen are sometimes seized with sudden fits of admiration for the young relatives of ladies whom they honor with their regard, but this counterfeit philoprogenitiveness sits uneasily upon them, and does not deceive anybody a particle. Mr. Bhaer's devotion was sincere, however likewise effective--for honesty is the best policy in love as in law. He was one of the men who are at home with children, and looked particularly well when little faces made a pleasant contrast with his manly one. His business, whatever it was, detained him from day to day, but evening seldom failed to bring him out to see--well, he always asked for Mr. March, so I suppose he was the attraction. The excellent papa labored under the delusion that he was, and reveled in long discussions with the kindred spirit, till a chance remark of his more observing grandson suddenly enlightened him.

Mr. Bhaer came in one evening to pause on the threshold of the study, astonished by the spectacle that met his eye. Prone upon the floor lay Mr. March, with his respectable legs in the air, and beside him, likewise prone, was Demi, trying to imitate the attitude with his own short, scarlet-stockinged legs, both grovelers so seriously absorbed that they were unconscious of spectators, till Mr. Bhaer laughed his sonorous laugh, and Jo cried out, with a scandalized face . . .

"Father, Father, here's the Professor!"

Down went the black legs and up came the gray head, as the preceptor said, with undisturbed dignity, "Good evening, Mr. Bhaer. Excuse me for a moment. We are just finishing our lesson. Now, Demi, make the letter and tell its name."

"I knows him!" and, after a few convulsive efforts, the red legs took the shape of a pair of compasses, and the intelligent pupil triumphantly shouted, "It's a We, Dranpa, it's a We!"

"He's a born Weller," laughed Jo, as her parent gathered himself up, and her nephew tried to stand on his head, as the only mode of expressing his satisfaction that school was over.

"What have you been at today, bubchen?" asked Mr. Bhaer, picking up the gymnast.

"Me went to see little Mary."

"And what did you there?"

"I kissed her," began Demi, with artless frankness.

"Prut! Thou beginnest early. What did the little Mary say to that?" asked Mr. Bhaer, continuing to confess the young sinner, who stood upon the knee, exploring the waistcoat pocket.

"Oh, she liked it, and she kissed me, and I liked it. Don't little boys like little girls?" asked Demi, with his mouth full, and an air of bland satisfaction.

"You precocious chick! Who put that into your head?" said Jo, enjoying the innocent revelation as much as the Professor.

"'Tisn't in mine head, it's in mine mouf," answered literal Demi, putting out his tongue, with a chocolate drop on it, thinking she alluded to confectionery, not ideas.

"Thou shouldst save some for the little friend. Sweets to the sweet, mannling," and Mr. Bhaer offered Jo some, with a look that made her wonder if chocolate was not the nectar drunk by the gods. Demi also saw the smile, was impressed by it, and artlessy inquired. ..

"Do great boys like great girls, to, 'Fessor?"

Like young Washington, Mr. Bhaer 'couldn't tell a lie', so he gave the somewhat vague reply that he believed they did sometimes, in a tone that made Mr. March put down his clothesbrush, glance at Jo's retiring face, and then sink into his chair, looking as if the 'precocious chick' had put an idea into his head that was both sweet and sour.

Why Dodo, when she caught him in the china closet half an hour afterward, nearly squeezed the breath out of his little body with a tender embrace, instead of shaking him for being there, and why she followed up this novel performance by the unexpected gift of a big slice of bread and jelly, remained one of the problems over which Demi puzzled his small wits, and was forced to leave unsolved forever.

 

我感到，作为一个恭顺的马奇家族编史家，如不至少用一个章节的篇幅讲述两个最宝贝、最重要的家庭成员，我便没有尽到责任。现在黛西和德米已到了解事年龄。在这个高速发展的时代，三四岁的孩子便维护起自己的权利来，他们也能得到权利，在这方面他们比许多长辈优越。假如说有这么一对双胞胎面临着完全被宠坏的危险，那便是这两个喁喁学语的小布鲁克。当然，他们是所有孩子中最出色的，我提及下面的事实便可说明。他们八个月会走路，十二个月能流利地说话，两岁时便能上桌子吃饭了，而且行为得体，惹人喜爱不已。三岁时，黛西便要"针活儿"，还真的做了一个缝了四条线的袋子。她还在餐具柜上从事家政，技术熟练地操作着一个极小的烹调炉，使罕娜流出了骄傲的眼泪。而德米在跟爷爷学着字母。爷爷发明了一种新的教字母方式，用他的胳膊和腿组成字母，这样把头和脚的锻炼并为一体。这男孩很早就显露出机械方面的天才，使爸爸高兴，妈妈惊喜。因为，他试图仿制所有他见过的机器，使育儿室总是凌乱不堪。

他的"缝纫器" -一个古怪的构件，用线头、椅子、晒衣夹组成，还有线轴，那是"圈啊圈（转啊转）"的轮子。另一把椅子背上还挂着个篮子，轻信的妹妹坐在篮子里。他徒劳地想把她扯上来。妹妹带着女性的献身精神，听凭她的小脑袋撞来撞去，直到妈妈前来搭救。而小发明家愤怒地说道：“干嘛？妈妈，那是我的升降机，我正在吊她上来呢。”虽然双胞胎性格完全不同，他们相处得还是非常好，一天中极少有争吵三次以上的。当然，德米对黛西横行霸道，却英勇地护卫着她不受任何别的侵略者的侵犯；而黛西把自己当成划船的奴隶，她崇拜哥哥，认为他是世上完美无缺的人。

黛西是个面色红润、身体圆胖、快快活活的小东西，她讨每个人的欢心，并舒舒服服地在大家心中安顿下来。这个有魅力的小家伙似乎生来就是让人亲吻、拥抱、打扮，喜爱的，像个小女神。去所有喜庆场合，有了她是让大家赞许的，她的小小德行那样美好。要不是一些小淘气行为使她带着不安分的天性，她就是个十足的天使了。她的世界，总是阳光灿烂。

每天早晨，她身穿小睡袍，爬到窗口向外看，不管下雨还是天晴，她总说：“噢，考（好）天！”“噢，考天！”她那样信任地让陌生人亲吻，使得最顽固的独身者也动了怜爱之心，爱孩子的人们更是深情切切。

“西西爱每一个人，”有一次她这么说。她一手拿着汤匙，另一只手拿着杯子，伸开双臂，仿佛渴望拥抱、滋养整个世界。

随着她的成长，妈妈开始感到，像那曾使老屋舒适的人一样，鸽屋存在着这样一个安静可爱的人儿，是上帝的赐福。

她祈祷免受那样的损失。那种损失近来使他们懂得他们曾那么长时间无意识地拥有了一个天使。她的爷爷常叫她"贝思"，奶奶带着不知疲倦的专注神情注视着她，仿佛试图补偿过去的某种过失。这种过失只有她才能看见。

德米像个真正的美国人，他生性好奇，所有的事都想知道。他常常把自己弄得非常不安，因为他无穷的问题"做什么用的？”得不到满意的回答。

他还有着哲学家的倾向，使爷爷非常高兴。爷爷常和他进行苏格拉底式的谈话，谈话中那早慧的学生有时向老师提出问题，使妇人们露出掩饰不住的赞赏之情。

“爷爷，是什么使我的腿走路？”一天晚上，上床嬉闹后歇息时，年轻的哲学家带着沉思的表情打量着他身体的活跃部分问道。

“是你的小脑袋，德米，”哲人抚摸着他那金黄色的脑袋恭敬地回答。

“小脑太（袋）是什么呢？”

“是使你身体活动的东西，就像我手表里的发条使齿轮转动那样。我给你看过的。”“把我打开吧，我想看着它卷（转）动。”“那我可做不到，就像你不能打开手表一样。上帝给你上了发条，你就走着，直到他止住你。”“是这样吗？”德米接受了这个新的思想，棕色眼睛变得又大又亮。”我就像个手表给上了发条？“是的，可是我不能告诉你是怎样上的，因为上的时候我们没看到。”德米摸着自己的后背，好像期待发现那里就和手表背面一样，然后他严肃地说道：“我猜抢（想），上帝在我睡着了的时候上的发条。”接着爷爷仔细解释，他那样人神地听着，使得奶奶焦急地说：“亲爱的，你以为对孩子说这种事明智吗？他眼睛上方的头骨隆得好高，越来越聪明，已会问回答不了的问题了。” “要是他长大了，能问问题了，也就能得到真实的回答。

我不是往他脑袋里灌输思想，而是帮他解决已经存在的问题。

这些孩子比我们聪明。我不怀疑那孩子能听懂我说的每一个字。好了，德米，告诉我，你的思想放在那里？”假如男孩子像亚西比德那样回答，“的的确确，苏格拉底，我说不上”，他的爷爷不会吃惊的。可是，他单脚独立了一会儿，像一只沉思着的小鹳鸟，然后以一种深信不疑的平静语调回答：“在我的小肚子里。”老先生只好加入奶奶的笑声中，结束他的玄学课。

要不是德米拿出了令人信服的证据，说明他既是一个初露头角的哲学家，也是个道地的男孩子，他也许会引起母亲的焦虑。那些讨论常常会引得罕娜点着头预言： “那孩子呆在这世上不会久。”可是他转眼就来了些恶作剧，使她消除了担心。那些可爱、肮脏、淘气的小坏蛋们就用这些恶作剧使他们的父母又是烦躁又是欢喜。

梅格制定了许多道德准则，并试图执行。但是，什么样的母亲经得住他们迷人的诡计、巧妙的遁辞或者镇定的放肆呢？而这些微型的男人、女人们那么早就显示出他们耍手腕蒙骗的才能了。

“不许再吃葡萄干了，德米，你会生病的，”妈妈对小伙子说。这一天在做葡萄干布叮他在厨房要求帮忙，无止境地定时来要。

“德米喜欢生玻”

“我这里不需要你，你走开去帮黛西做小馅饼吧。”他不情愿地离开了。但是受到的委屈压在心头，不一会儿，弥补的机会来临，他用精明的交易智胜了妈妈。

“好了，你们都是乖孩子。现在你们喜欢什么，我就做什么，”这时，布丁已安全地放在罐子里发着了，梅格领着她的助手厨师们上楼时这么说。

“当真，妈妈？”德米问，他那搽了许多粉的脑袋冒出了个绝妙的主意。

“是的，当真。你说的任何事，”缺乏远见的妈妈回答。她自己准备着把"三只小猫"唱上五六遍，或者豁出去带她的一家去"买一便士小面包"，可是德米把她逼入绝境，他冷静地回答- “那么，我们去吃光所有的葡萄干。”乔乔姨是两个孩子的主要玩伴和知心人。这三人把小房子弄得乱七八糟。艾美姨对他们来说还只不过是个名字。贝思姨很快便淡化为令人愉快的模糊记忆。然而，乔乔姨是个活生生的实体，他们充分地利用她，而乔也深深感激他们表示的敬意。可是，巴尔先生来了，乔便忽视了她的玩伴们。两个小家伙感到不悦、委屈。黛西喜欢到处兜售亲吻，现在失去了她最好的顾客，破了产。德米以那幼儿的观察力很快就发现，与他相比，乔乔姨更喜欢和"大胡子"在一起玩。虽然受了伤害，但是他隐藏其他的痛苦，因为他不想侮辱对手。

这个对手的背心口袋里总是巧克力糖块的宝库，还有块手表，可以拿出盒子，任由热情的欣赏者摇动。

有的人可能会把这些放纵看作贿赂，可是德米不这么看。

他继续带着沉着的殷勤惠顾"大胡子"。而黛西在他第三次来访时便赐予他小小的爱慕之情，把他的肩当作她的宝座，他的胳膊当作藏身处，他的礼物当作无价之宝。

先生们有时会突然一阵兴起，赞美起女士们的小亲戚们来，这是为了女士们的缘故。但是这种假装的爱子女心不自然地附加于他们身上，一点儿也骗不了人。巴尔先生的爱心却是真诚的，同样也是有效的--因为，在爱情方面和在法律上一样，诚实为上策。他是那种和孩子在一起无拘束的人，当小脸蛋和他的男子汉脸膛成为有趣的对照时，他看上去特别开心。他的事务，不管那是什么，一天天地留住了他。晚上他很少不来看 -嗯，他总是说来看马奇先生，所以，我推测是他有吸引力。优秀的爸爸误解了，认定他的确有吸引力。带着类似的情绪，他沉迷于长时间的讨论中，直到他那更具观察力的孙子偶然说出一句话，使他突然明白过来。

一天晚上，巴尔先生来访，他停在书房门口，眼前的景象使他大为惊讶。马奇先生躺在地板上，令人尊敬的双腿跷在空中。德米在他身边同样躺着，试着用他那穿着红色长统袜的短腿模仿爷爷的姿势。两个躺着的人神情那样严肃专注，竟意识不到有旁观者，直到巴尔先生发出洪亮的笑声，乔带着震惊的神色叫道- “爸爸，爸爸，教授来了！”一双黑腿落了下去了，一颗灰脑袋抬了起来。导师带着泰然自若的庄重神情说：“晚上好，巴尔先生。请稍等片刻，我们就要结束课程了。好了，德米，摆出这个字母，说出它的名字。”“我认识它！”拼命努力了一番，那双红腿摆出了一副圆规的样子，然后聪明的学生得意洋洋地叫道：“这是个Ｗｅ，爷爷，这是个'Ｗｅ'！”“他是个天生的韦勒，”乔笑道。她爸爸收回了双腿。她侄子试图倒立，那是他对下课了感到满意的唯一表达方式。

“你今天做什么了，ｂüｂｃｈｅｎ？”巴尔先生拉起了体操运动员，问他。

“德米去看小玛丽了。”

“在那干什么了？”

“我亲了她，”德米天真率直地开口说。

“噗！你开始得太早了。小玛丽怎么说的？”巴尔先生问道。他继续听取着小罪犯的忏悔。小罪犯站在他的膝上，探索着他的背心口袋。

“噢，她喜欢那样，她也亲了我。我也喜欢。难道小男孩不喜欢小女孩吗？”德米补充道。他嘴巴塞满了，美滋滋地嚼着。

“你这个小宝贝，是谁把那放到你脑子里的？”乔问。她和教授一样欣赏这个天真的揭秘。

“不是放在我脑子里，而是放在我嘴趴（巴）里，”抠字眼的德米回答。他伸出舌头，上面有一颗巧克力糖块，他以为乔指的是糖果，不是指思想。

“你该给小朋友留一些。糖果给亲爱的嘛，小大人。”巴尔先生给了乔一些。他的表情使乔奇怪巧克力是不是众神饮用之酒。德米也看到了他的笑容，他为之感动，率直地询问道“大男孩也喜欢大女孩吧，教授？”就像小华盛顿那样，巴尔先生"不能说谎"。于是，他含含糊糊地回答他相信有时是这样的。他的语调使得马奇先生放下了衣刷，瞥了瞥乔羞怯的面容，然后沉进椅子里，他看上去好像那"早熟的孩子"把一个又甜又酸的念头放入了他的脑子。

半小时后，乔乔姨在瓷器橱里捉住了德米，她没有因为他跑进那里而揍他，而是亲切地搂抱着他的小身体，差点让他透不过起来。作出这种新举动之后，又给了他一个意外的礼物，一大块涂了果酱的面包。乔乔姨为什么这样做呢？德米的小脑袋百思不得其解，被迫永远放弃这个问题不去解决它了。