the professor at the breakfast table-第39部分
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the world sails； and not the rudder that steers its course？ No；
Sir！ There was a great raft built about two thousand years ago；
call it an ark； rather；the world's great ark！ big enough to hold
all mankind； and made to be launched right out into the open waves
of life；and here it has been lying； one end on the shore and one
end bobbing up and down in the water； men fighting all the time as
to who should be captain and who should have the state…rooms； and
throwing each other over the side because they could not agree about
the points of compass； but the great vessel never getting afloat
with its freight of nations and their rulers；and now； Sir； there
is and has been for this long time a fleet of 〃heretic〃 lighters
sailing out of Boston Bay； and they have been saying； and they say
now； and they mean to keep saying； 〃Pump out your bilge…water；
shovel over your loads of idle ballast； get out your old rotten
cargo； and we will carry it out into deep waters and sink it where
it will never be seen again； so shall the ark of the world's hope
float on the ocean； instead of sticking in the dock…mud where it is
lying！〃
It's a slow business； this of getting the ark launched。 The Jordan
was n't deep enough； and the Tiber was n't deep enough； and the
Rhone was n't deep enough； and the Thames was n't deep enough； and
perhaps the Charles is n't deep enough； but I don't feel sure of
that； Sir； and I love to hear the workmen knocking at the old blocks
of tradition and making the ways smooth with the oil of the Good
Samaritan。 I don't know； Sir；but I do think she stirs a little；
I do believe she slides；and when I think of what a work that is
for the dear old three…breasted mother of American liberty； I would
not take all the glory of all the greatest cities in the world for
my birthright in the soil of little Boston！
Some of us could not help smiling at this burst of local
patriotism； especially when it finished with the last two words。
And Iris smiled； too。 But it was the radiant smile of pleasure
which always lights up her face when her little neighbor gets
excited on the great topics of progress in freedom and religion； and
especially on the part which； as he pleases himself with believing；
his own city is to take in that consummation of human development to
which he looks forward。
Presently she looked into his face with a changed expression；the
anxiety of a mother that sees her child suffering。
You are not well；she said。
I am never well；he answered。 His eyes fell mechanically on the
death's…head ring he wore on his right hand。 She took his hand as
if it had been a baby's； and turned the grim device so that it
should be out of sight。 One slight； sad； slow movement of the head
seemed to say； 〃The death…symbol is still there！〃
A very odd personage； to be sure！ Seems to know what is going on；
reads books； old and new；has many recent publications sent him；
they tell me； but； what is more curious； keeps up with the everyday
affairs of the world； too。 Whether he hears everything that is said
with preternatural acuteness； or whether some confidential friend
visits him in a quiet way； is more than I can tell。 I can make
nothing more of the noises I hear in his room than my old
conjectures。 The movements I mention are less frequent； but I often
hear the plaintive cry；I observe that it is rarely laughing of
late；I never have detected one articulate word； but I never heard
such tones from anything but a human voice。
There has been； of late； a deference approaching to tenderness； on
the part of the boarders generally so far as he is concerned。 This
is doubtless owing to the air of suffering which seems to have
saddened his look of late。 Either some passion is gnawing at him
inwardly； or some hidden disease is at work upon him。
What 's the matter with Little Boston？said the young man John to
me one day。 There a'n't much of him； anyhow； but 't seems to me he
looks peakeder than ever。 The old woman says he's in a bad way； 'n'
wants a puss to take care of him。 Them pusses that take care of old
rich folks marry 'em sometimes；'n' they don't commonly live a
great while after that。 No； Sir！ I don't see what he wants to die
for； after he's taken so much trouble to live in such poor
accommodations as that crooked body of his。 I should like to know
how his soul crawled into it； 'n' how it's goin' to get out。 What
business has he to die； I should like to know？ Let Ma'am Allen （the
gentleman with the diamond） die； if he likes； and be （this is a
family…magazine）； but we a'n't goin' to have him dyin'。 Not by a
great sight。 Can't do without him anyhow。 A'n't it fun to hear him
blow off his steam？
I believe the young fellow would take it as a personal insult； if
the Little Gentleman should show any symptoms of quitting our table
for a better world。
In the mean time； what with going to church in company with our
young lady； and taking every chance I could get to talk with her； I
have found myself becoming； I will not say intimate； but well
acquainted with Miss Iris。 There is a certain frankness and
directness about her that perhaps belong to her artist nature。 For；
you see； the one thing that marks the true artist is a clear
perception and a firm； bold hand； in distinction from that imperfect
mental vision and uncertain touch which give us the feeble pictures
and the lumpy statues of the mere artisans on canvas or in stone。 A
true artist； therefore； can hardly fail to have a sharp； well…
defined mental physiognomy。 Besides this； many young girls have a
strange audacity blended with their instinctive delicacy。 Even in
physical daring many of them are a match for boys； whereas you will
find few among mature women； and especially if they are mothers； who
do not confess； and not unfrequently proclaim； their timidity。 One
of these young girls； as many of us hereabouts remember； climbed to
the top of a jagged； slippery rock lying out in the waves；an ugly
height to get up； and a worse one to get down； even for a bold young
fellow of sixteen。 Another was in the way of climbing tall trees
for crows' nests；and crows generally know about how far boys can
〃shin up；〃 and set their household establishments above that high…
water mark。 Still another of these young ladies I saw for the first
time in an open boat； tossing on the ocean ground…swell； a mile or
two from shore； off a lonely island。 She lost all her daring； after
she had some girls of her own to look out for。
Many blondes are very gentle； yielding in character； impressible；
unelastic。 But the positive blondes； with the golden tint running
through them； are often full of character。 They come； probably
enough； from those deep…bosomed German women that Tacitus portrayed
in such strong colors。 The negative blondes； or those women whose
tints have faded out as their line of descent has become
impoverished； are of various blood； and in them the soul has often
become pale with that blanching of the hair and loss of color in the
eyes which makes them approach the character of Albinesses。
I see in this young girl that union of strength and sensibility
which； when directed and impelled by the strong instinct so apt to
accompany this combination of active and passive capacity； we call
genius。 She is not an accomplished artist； certainly； as yet； but
there is always an air in every careless figure she draws； as it
were of upward aspiration；the elan of John of Bologna's Mercury；
a lift to them； as if they had on winged sandals； like the herald of
the Gods。 I hear her singing sometimes； and though she evidently is
not trained； yet is there a wild sweetness in her fitful and
sometimes fantastic melodies；such as can come only from the
inspiration of the moment；strangely enough； reminding me of those
long passages I have heard from my little neighbor's room； yet of
different tone； and by no means to be mistaken for those weird
harmonies。
I cannot pretend to deny that I am interested in the girl。 Alone；
unprotected； as I have seen so many young girls left in boarding…
houses； the centre of all the men's eyes that surround the table；
watched with jealous sharpness by every woman； most of all by that
poor relation of our landlady； who belongs to the class of women
that like to catch others in mischief when they themselves are too
mature for indiscretions； （as one sees old rogues turn to thief…
catchers；） one of Nature's gendarmerie； clad in a complete suit of
wrinkles； the cheapest coat…of…mail against the shafts of the great
little enemy；so surrounded； Iris spans this commonplace household…
life of ours with her arch of beauty； as the rainbow； whose name she
borrows； looks down on a dreary pasture with its feeding flocks and
herds of indifferent animals。
These young girls that live in boarding…houses can do pretty much as
they will。 The female gendarmes are off guard occasionally。 The
sitting…room has its solitary moments； when any two boarders who
wish to meet may come together accidentally； （accidentally； I said；
Madam； and I had not the slightest intention of Italicizing the
word；） and discuss the social or political questions of the day； or
any other subject that may prove interesting。 Many charming
conversations take place at the foot of the stairs； or while one of
the parties is holding the latch of a door；in the shadow of
porticoes； and especially on those outside balconies which some of
our Southern neighbors call 〃stoops；〃 the most charming places in
the world when the moon is just right and the roses and honeysuckles
are in full blow；as we used to think in eighteen hundred and never
mention it。
On such a balcony or 〃stoop；〃 one evening； I walked with Iris。 We
were on pretty good terms now； and I had coaxed her arm under mine；…
…my left arm； of course。 That leaves one's right arm free to de
