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CHAPTER XX. FAMILY WAYS.
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IT is not morality that governs society, but a hardened form of the same, called custom.
 
As society now exists, an infringement1 of morality is more easily pardoned than a departure from custom. Happy the time and the people, when custom and morality will be one and the same! All differences, great and small, in the mass, and in private life, have their source in the contradiction of these two—and the hardened form of custom soon stamps anew the inward flow of morality with its own impress and form.
 
Here, in this little history of humble2 men, that the great world would push aside, the same principle ruled.
 
The mother, who secretly felt the deepest joy at the fulfilment of her hopes, was full of anxiety on account of the opinion of the world.
 
“You have acted thoughtlessly,” she said to Amrie, “to come into the house as you did, so that you cannot be fetched for the wedding. This[269] is neither right nor the custom. If I could only send you away for a little time, or even John, that all might be done in order.” And to John she complained, “I think I can already hear the talk there will be at your hasty marriage—twice asked—and then all settled! This is as disreputable people do.”
 
She soon, however, suffered herself to be persuaded, and she smiled when John said, “Why, mother, you formerly3 studied morals like a parson. Why, then, should honorable people not do a thing because dishonorable persons sometimes screen themselves behind it? Can a single thing be said against my character?”
 
“No, your whole life has been good and honorable.”
 
“Ah, then people must show some confidence in me, and believe that to be right, which at first sight may not appear so. I have a right to demand as much as that. Then, as to how I and my Amrie came together, was so out of the usual order, that we might also have our own way of travelling upon the high road; it certainly was no bad way. We must have courage, and not be asking after the opinion of others. The pastor4 of Hirlengen once said, ‘That if to-day a prophet were to arrive, he would have to submit to an examination as to whether his views were according to the old established order?’ Now, mother, if we know that a thing is right, let us carry it[270] through, without asking, right or left, the leave of anybody. Let them wonder for a time; by and by they will think as we do.”
 
His mother, no doubt, felt that even the most unusual event must at length be governed by the same laws that rule all other things. That the wedding might pass for a wonder, but not the wedded5 life, which must submit to the laws which govern all things; and she said, “With all these people, whom you now look upon so lightly, because you are conscious of your own rectitude, you will continue to live, and you will expect them to respect you and your honorable life. That they may do this, you must give them the best example; you cannot expect them to make you an exception, and you cannot run after each of them and say, ‘If you only knew how it happened, you would see that it was right.’” John answered,—
 
“You will soon learn that no one who has seen my Amrie, even for one hour, will have a word to say against her.” He knew also a sure way, not only to pacify6 his mother, but secretly to delight her, when he told her that every thing she had said to him of advice or warning, he had found brought out in Amrie. She smiled again when he mentioned the shoes, which, he declared, she should hear running about for many years to come.
 
His mother allowed herself to be quieted.
 
On Saturday morning, before the family council[271] had assembled, came Dami; but he must immediately return to Holdenbrunn, to procure7 the requisite8 papers from the Mayor.
 
That first Sunday was an anxious day at the Landfried farm. The old people had accepted Amrie; but how would it be with the family? It is not easy to enter a family of such respectability, unless with a carriage and horses, household furniture, and money, and a large connection to prepare the way.
 
There was great driving along the roads from the Oberland on Sunday morning to Farmer Landfried’s; there came the brothers and sisters-in-law, with all their relations. It was said that John had brought home a wife without consulting parents or pastor, or that any one had had a word to say about; and they added, “It must be some beauty he had picked up behind a hedge.” The horses in the wagons9 suffered that day in consequence of what had taken place at Farmer Landfried’s; they received many a cut, and if they reared it was still worse, causing many hard words from the women who sat in the wagons, who scolded and wept at such reckless driving.
 
There was a small wagon-house in the court of the farm, within which the whole family were collected. Some of them appeared with high water-boots, others with hob-nailed shoes. Some wore three-cornered hats, with the point in front; others sat there with the broad brim shading their faces.[272] The women whispered among themselves, and winked10 to their husbands, saying, “We shall know how to thrust the stranger bird out of the family nest.” And there were seen bitterly angry smiles, when it was whispered here and there, that Amrie had kept the geese.
 
At length she appeared; but she could not give any one her hand, as she bore a flask11 of red wine, with glasses, and two plates filled with cake and biscuits; enough for seven hands, had every finger been a hand. She placed them all so quietly and gracefully12 on the table, over which the mother-in-law had spread a white cloth, that they all looked on astonished. After she had filled the glasses, without the least trembling of her hand, she said, “Our parents have given me the privilege of bidding you all, from the heart, a true welcome! Now drink!”
 
“We are not accustomed to drink in the morning,” said a heavy man with an immensely large nose, and spread himself out upon his chair.
 
“Or we drink only pure water, the wine of the geese,” said one of the women, when a not wholly concealed13 laugh ensued.
 
Amrie felt the sarcasm14 deeply, but took no notice of it. John’s sister was the first who took the offered glass, and looking at John, said, “God bless thee;” then she glanced at Amrie, who had held her the glass. The other women, not to fail in politeness, followed her example. The men allowed[273] themselves to be moved, and for a long time nothing was heard but the clinking of glasses.
 
“Your father is right,” said at length the mother to her daughters, “Amrie looks as though she were your sister, and yet she more resembles our Elizabeth, that we lost.”
 
“Yes, you are no losers,” said the old farmer; “had Elizabeth lived, she would have had one portion of my estate.” The mother added, “And now we have her again.”
 
The old man hit the sore point, though all had persuaded themselves that Amrie’s want of family was the cause of their objection to her. While she was speaking aside with John’s sister, the old man said softly to his eldest15 son, “She does not look like it, but only think, she has in secret a sack full of crowns; however, you must not speak of it.”
 
This injunction was so well obeyed, that in a few minutes every one in the room was whispering about it. John’s sister took credit to herself, that she had been good to Amrie when she believed that she had not a farthing.
 
Meantime, John had disappeared; he now came back bearing a sack, upon which was written, “Josenhans of Holdenbrunn.” He emptied the rich contents of the sack, clinking and rattling16, upon the table, when all were astonished, the father and mother no less than the others.
 
[274]So Amrie had really a secret treasure! For here was much more than either had given her.
 
Amrie could not venture to look up, and all praised her unaffected modesty17.
 
By degrees she won over all this family, and when in the evening they took leave, each said to her privately18, “It was not I who objected to your want of fortune. I say now, as I always said and thought, that if you had brought nothing but what you had on, I could not have wished a better wife for John, or a better daughter-in-law for our parents.”
 
It was, indeed, now all right, when they believed that Amrie had brought a fortune of her own.
 
In Allgäu they yet relate how young Farmer Landfried brought home his wife, and how beautifully he and his wife danced together at their wedding, especially a waltz, which they called the Silver-trot. She had brought the music, they said, from Unterland.
 
And Dami? He became one of the most noted19 herdsmen in all Allgäu, and he acquired a great name, for he was sometimes called Vulture Dami, for having destroyed two broods of vultures, they having twice carried off the new fallen lambs. With him the family name of Josenhans died out. He never married, but was a good uncle to Amrie’s children—better than the uncle in America had been to him. In the winter time, when the[275] cattle are housed, he tells his sister’s children many stories of America, and of Mathew in Moosbrunnenwalde, and of the cattle in the Allgäu Mountains. Especially he had many clever stories to tell of his so-called Queen cow, who bore the deep sounding bell.
 
Dami said once to his sister, “Dame farmer,”—for thus he always called her,—“Dame farmer, your eldest boy is just like you; he said to me yesterday, ‘Uncle, your Queen cow is your heart’s cow.’ Yes, that is exactly like you!”
 
John wished to name his first daughter Barefoot; but as objection was made to recording20 this new name in the Baptismal Register, he had the little girl christened Barbara, and, to please himself, changed it to Barefoot.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 infringement nbvz3     
n.违反;侵权
参考例句:
  • Infringement of this regulation would automatically rule you out of the championship.违背这一规则会被自动取消参加锦标赛的资格。
  • The committee ruled that the US ban constituted an infringement of free trade.委员会裁定美国的禁令对自由贸易构成了侵犯
2 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
3 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
4 pastor h3Ozz     
n.牧师,牧人
参考例句:
  • He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
  • We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师:教会的事是由五位执事管理的。
5 wedded 2e49e14ebbd413bed0222654f3595c6a     
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She's wedded to her job. 她专心致志于工作。
  • I was invited over by the newly wedded couple for a meal. 我被那对新婚夫妇请去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 pacify xKFxa     
vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒);抚慰
参考例句:
  • He tried to pacify the protesters with promises of reform.他试图以改革的承诺安抚抗议者。
  • He tried to pacify his creditors by repaying part of the money.他为安抚债权人偿还了部分借款。
7 procure A1GzN     
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条
参考例句:
  • Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗?
  • I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。
8 requisite 2W0xu     
adj.需要的,必不可少的;n.必需品
参考例句:
  • He hasn't got the requisite qualifications for the job.他不具备这工作所需的资格。
  • Food and air are requisite for life.食物和空气是生命的必需品。
9 wagons ff97c19d76ea81bb4f2a97f2ff0025e7     
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车
参考例句:
  • The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。
  • They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。
10 winked af6ada503978fa80fce7e5d109333278     
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮
参考例句:
  • He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼,她便知道他的想法和她一样。
  • He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
11 flask Egxz8     
n.瓶,火药筒,砂箱
参考例句:
  • There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
  • He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。
12 gracefully KfYxd     
ad.大大方方地;优美地
参考例句:
  • She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
  • The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。
13 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
参考例句:
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
14 sarcasm 1CLzI     
n.讥讽,讽刺,嘲弄,反话 (adj.sarcastic)
参考例句:
  • His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
  • She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。
15 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的,最年老的
参考例句:
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
16 rattling 7b0e25ab43c3cc912945aafbb80e7dfd     
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句:
  • This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
  • At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时,一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来,把窗玻璃震得当当地响。
17 modesty REmxo     
n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素
参考例句:
  • Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。
  • As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后,谦虚使人进步。
18 privately IkpzwT     
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地
参考例句:
  • Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
  • The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。
19 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
20 recording UktzJj     
n.录音,记录
参考例句:
  • How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。


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