最親愛的長腿叔叔:

 

    我剛到,還未安置妥當,但我迫不及待地想告訴你我有多喜歡農場。這裹是一個美極了的地方。房子是方

形的,像這樣:

 

    而且很古老,有一百來年了。我畫不出來的那一面有個門廊。屋前有個漂亮的走廊。這幅畫畫得很不好,不能旁帶刺的是松樹和鐵杉。房子坐落在小山頂上,放眼望走,廣闊的草地一直延伸到遠處小山腳下。 

 

    康涅狄格州的地形就像頭髮上燙出的波浪,洛克威洛農場坐落在浪尖上。殼倉原先在道路的那邊,正好擋住視線。幸好上天一道閃電把它夷為平地。

 

    這裹有森普爾先生和太太,還僱了一個女工、兩個男工。僱工在廚房用餐,森普爾夫婦和朱蒂在飯廳。晚飯有火腿蛋、餅乾,蜂蜜、果凍蛋糕、餡餅、泡菜、乳酪和茶,話也說得不少。我這輩子從來沒有這麼快樂過,每當我說點什麼,他們都覺得好笑,可能是我初次到鄉村,盡提一些愚蠢的問題。

 

    圖中打x的那個房間不是謀殺現場,而是我住的房間。一個方形的大房間,很寬敞,裹面擺設著舒適的老式家具。窗戶得用木棍  開,還掛著鑲金邊的綠色廉子,一觸就能放下。還有一張很大的紅木方桌―整個夏天的將趴在上面,寫我的小說。

 

    噢,長腿叔叔,我好興奮!我等不及天亮,好去四處探險。現在是晚上八點半,我就要吹熄蠟燭,想辦法入睡。我們五點起床。你有過這種快樂嗎?我真示敢相信這是真的朱蒂。你和仁慈的上帝給我的恩惠大多了。我一定要做個很好很好的人來報答你們。我一定會的。你等著瞧吧。

 

 

晚安

朱蒂

星期六晚

 

 

附記:你要能聽到青蛙的歌唱和小豬的尖叫該有多好,還有那一彎新月!從我右肩看上去就能看到月亮。

 

 

 

  

 

Lock Willow Farm,

 

Saturday night

 

Dearest Daddy-Long-Legs,

 

     I’ve only just come and I’m not unpacked, but I can’t wait to tell you how much I like farms.  This is a heavenly, heavenly spot!  The house is square like this:

    And old.  A hundred years or so.  It has a veranda on the side which I can’t draw and a sweet porch in front.  The picture really doesn’t do it justice―those things that look like feather dusters are maple trees, and the prickly ones that border the drive are murmuring pines and hemlocks.  It stands on the top of a hill and looks way off over miles of green meadows to another lines of hills.

    That is the way Connecticut goes, in a series of marcel waves; and Lock Willow Farm is just on the crest of one wave.  The barns used to be across the road where they obstructed the view, but a kind flash of lightning came from heaven and burnt them down.

    The people are Mr. And Mrs. Semple and a hired girl and two hired men.  The hired people ear in the kitchen, and the Semples and Judy in the dining room.  We had ham and eggs and biscuits and honey and jelly-cake and pie and pickles and cheese and tea for supper―and a great deal of conversation.  I have never been so entertaining in my life; everything I say appears to be funny.  I suppose it is because I’ve never been in the country before, and my questions are backed by an all-inclusive ignorance.

    The room marked with a cross is not where the murder was committed, but the one that I occupy.  It’s big and square and empty, with adorable old-fashioned furniture and windows that have to be propped up on sticks and green shades trimmed with gold that fall down if you touch them.  And a big square mahogany table―I’m going to spend the summer with my elbows spread out on it, writing a novel.

    Oh, daddy, I’m so excited!  I can’t wait till daylight to explore.  It’s 8:30 now, and I am about to blow out my candle and try to go to sleep.  We rise at five.  Did you ever know such fun?  I can’t believe this is really Judy.  You and the Good Lord give me more than I deserve.  I must be a very, very, very good person to pay.  I’m going to be.  You’ll see.

 

 

 

 

Good night,

Judy

 

 

PS.  You should hear the frogs sing and the little pigs squeal―and you should see the new moon!  I saw it over my right shoulder.