the professor at the breakfast table-第49部分

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Life；　and　thought　they　heard　its　murmurs　as　they　lay　dying。



The　change　from　the　clinging　to　the　present　to　the　welcoming　of　the

future　comes　very　soon；　for　the　most　part；　after　all　hope　of　life　is

extinguished；　provided　this　be　left　in　good　degree　to　Nature；　and

not　insolently　and　cruelly　forced　upon　those　who　are　attacked　by

illness；　on　the　strength　of　that　odious　foreknowledge　often　imparted

by　science；　before　the　white　fruit　whose　core　is　ashes；　and　which　we

call　death；　has　set　beneath　the　pallid　and　drooping　flower　of

sickness。　　There　is　a　singular　sagacity　very　often　shown　in　a

patient's　estimate　of　his　own　vital　force。　　His　physician　knows　the

state　of　his　material　frame　well　enough；　perhaps；that　this　or　that

organ　is　more　or　less　impaired　or　disintegrated；　but　the　patient　has

a　sense　that　he　can　hold　out　so　much　longer；sometimes　that　he　must

and　will　live　for　a　while；　though　by　the　logic　of　disease　he　ought

to　die　without　any　delay。



The　Little　Gentleman　continued　to　fail；　until　it　became　plain　that

his　remaining　days　were　few。　　I　told　the　household　what　to　expect。

There　was　a　good　deal　of　kind　feeling　expressed　among　the　boarders；

in　various　modes；　according　to　their　characters　and　style　of

sympathy。　　The　landlady　was　urgent　that　he　should　try　a　certain

nostrum　which　had　saved　somebody's　life　in　jest　sech　a　case。　　The

Poor　Relation　wanted　me　to　carry；　as　from　her；　a　copy　of　〃Allein's

Alarm；〃　etc。　　I　objected　to　the　title；　reminding　her　that　it

offended　people　of　old；　so　that　more　than　twice　as　many　of　the　book

were　sold　when　they　changed　the　name　to　〃A　Sure　Guide　to　Heaven。〃

The　good　old　gentleman　whom　I　have　mentioned　before　has　come　to　the

time　of　life　when　many　old　men　cry　easily；　and　forget　their　tears　as

children　do。　He　was　a　worthy　gentleman；he　said；a　very　worthy

gentleman；　but　unfortunate；very　unfortunate。　　Sadly　deformed　about

the　spine　and　the　feet。　　Had　an　impression　that　the　late　Lord　Byron

had　some　malformation　of　this　kind。　　Had　heerd　there　was　something

the　matter　with　the　ankle…j'ints　of　that　nobleman；　but　he　was　a　man

of　talents。　　This　gentleman　seemed　to　be　a　man　of　talents。　　Could

not　always　agree　with　his　statements；thought　he　was　a　little　over…

partial　to　this　city；　and　had　some　free　opinions；　but　was　sorry　to

lose　him；and　ifthere　was　anythinghecould。　　In　the　midst　of

these　kind　expressions；　the　gentleman　with　the　diamond；　the　Koh…i…

noor；　as　we　called　him；　asked；　in　a　very　unpleasant　sort　of　way；　how

the　old　boy　was　likely　to　cut　up；meaning　what　money　our　friend　was

going　to　leave　behind。



The　young　fellow　John　spoke　up；　to　the　effect　that　this　was　a

diabolish　snobby　question；　when　a　man　was　dying　and　not　dead。　To

this　the　Koh…i…noor　replied；　by　asking　if　the　other　meant　to　insult

him。　　Whereto　the　young　man　John　rejoined　that　he　had　no　particul'r

intentions　one　way　or　t'other。　…The　Kohi…noor　then　suggested　the

young　man's　stepping　out　into　the　yard；　that　he；　the　speaker；　might

〃slap　his　chops。〃　Let　'em　alone；　said　young　Maryland；it　'll　soon

be　over；　and　they　won't　hurt　each　other　much。　So　they　went　out。



The　Koh…i…noor　entertained　the　very　common　idea；　that；　when　one

quarrels　with　another；　the　simple　thing　to　do　is　to　knock　the　man

down；　and　there　is　the　end　of　it。　　Now　those　who　have　watched　such

encounters　are　aware　of　two　things：　first；　that　it　is　not　so　easy　to

knock　a　man　down　as　it　is　to　talk　about　it；　secondly；　that；　if　you

do　happen　to　knock　a　man　down；　there　is　a　very　good　chance　that　he

will　be　angry；　and　get　up　and　give　you　a　thrashing。



So　the　Koh…i…noor　thought　he　would　begin；　as　soon　as　they　got　into

the　yard；　by　knocking　his　man　down；　and　with　this　intention　swung

his　arm　round　after　the　fashion　of　rustics　and　those　unskilled　in

the　noble　art；　expecting　the　young　fellow　John　to　drop　when　his

fist；　having　completed　a　quarter　of　a　circle；　should　come　in　contact

with　the　side　of　that　young　man's　head。　　Unfortunately　for　this

theory；　it　happens　that　a　blow　struck　out　straight　is　as　much

shorter；　and　therefore　as　much　quicker　than　the　rustic's　swinging

blow；　as　the　radius　is　shorter　than　the　quarter　of　a　circle。　　The

mathematical　and　mechanical　corollary　was；　that　the　Koh…i…noor　felt

something　hard　bring　up　suddenly　against　his　right　eye；　which

something　he　could　have　sworn　was　a　paving…stone；　judging　by　his

sensations；　and　as　this　threw　his　person　somewhat　backwards；　and　the

young　man　John　jerked　his　own　head　back　a　little；　the　swinging　blow

had　nothing　to　stop　it；　and　as　the　Jewel　staggered　between　the　hit

he　got　and　the　blow　he　missed；　he　tripped　and　〃went　to　grass；〃　so

far　as　the　back…yard　of　our　boardinghouse　was　provided　with　that

vegetable。　　It　was　a　signal　illustration　of　that　fatal　mistake；　so

frequent　in　young　and　ardent　natures　with　inconspicuous　calves　and

negative　pectorals；　that　they　can　settle　most　little　quarrels　on　the

spot　by　〃knocking　the　man　down。〃



We　are　in　the　habit　of　handling　our　faces　so　carefully；　that　a　heavy

blow；　taking　effect　on　that　portion　of　the　surface；　produces　a　most

unpleasant　surprise；　which　is　accompanied　with　odd　sensations；　as　of

seeing　sparks；　and　a　kind　of　electrical　or　ozone…like　odor；　half…

sulphurous　in　character；　and　which　has　given　rise　to　a　very　vulgar

and　profane　threat　sometimes　heard　from　the　lips　of　bullies。　　A

person　not　used　to　pugilistic　gestures　does　not　instantly　recover

from　this　surprise。　　The　Koh…i…noor　exasperated　by　his　failure；　and

still　a　little　confused　by　the　smart　hit　he　had　received；　but

furious；　and　confident　of　victory　over　a　young　fellow　a　good　deal

lighter　than　himself；　made　a　desperate　rush　to　bear　down　all　before

him　and　finish　the　contest　at　once。　　That　is　the　way　all　angry

greenhorns　and　incompetent　persons　attempt　to　settle　matters。　　It

does　n't　do；　if　the　other　fellow　is　only　cool；　moderately　quick；　and

has　a　very　little　science。　　It　didn't　do　this　time；　for；　as　the

assailant　rushed　in　with　his　arms　flying　everywhere；　like　the　vans

of　a　windmill；　be　ran　a　prominent　feature　of　his　face　against　a　fist

which　was　travelling　in　the　other　direction；　and　immediately　after

struck　the　knuckles　of　the　young　man's　other　fist　a　severe　blow　with

the　part　of　his　person　known　as　the　epigastrium　to　one　branch　of

science　and　the　bread…basket　to　another。　　This　second　round　closed

the　battle。　　The　Koh…i…noor　had　got　enough；　which　in　such　cases　is

more　than　as　good　as　a　feast。　　The　young　fellow　asked　him　if　he　was

satisfied；　and　held　out　his　hand。　　But　the　other　sulked；　and

muttered　something　about　revenge。　Jest　as　ye　like；said　the　young

man　John。　Clap　a　slice　o'　raw　beefsteak　on　to　that　mouse　o'　yours

'n'　't'll　take　down　the　swellin'。　　（Mouse　is　a　technical　term　for　a

bluish；　oblong；　rounded　elevation　occasioned　by　running　one's

forehead　or　eyebrow　against　another's　knuckles。）　The　young　fellow

was　particularly　pleased　that　he　had　had　an　opportunity　of　trying

his　proficiency　in　the　art　of　self…defence　without　the　gloves。　　The

Koh…i…noor　did　not　favor　us　with　his　company　for　a　day　or　two；　being

confined　to　his　chamber；　it　was　said；　by　a　slight　feverish；　attack。

He　was　chop…fallen　always　after　this；　and　got　negligent　in　his

person。　　The　impression　must　have　been　a　deep　one；　for　it　was

observed；　that；　when　he　came　down　again；　his　moustache　and　whiskers

had　turned　visibly　white　about　the　roots。　　In　short；　it　disgraced

him；　and　rendered　still　more　conspicuous　a　tendency　to　drinking；　of

which　he　had　been　for　some　time　suspected。　　This；　and　the　disgust

which　a　young　lady　naturally　feels　at　hearing　that　her　lover　has

been　〃licked　by　a　fellah　not　half　his　size；〃　induced　the　landlady's

daughter　to　take　that　decided　step　which　produced　a　change　in　the

programme　of　her　career　I　may　hereafter　allude　to。



I　never　thought　he　would　come　to　good；　when　I　heard　him　attempting

to　sneer　at　an　unoffending　city　so　respectable　as　Boston。　　After　a

man　begins　to　attack　the　State…House；　when　he　gets　bitter　about　the

Frog…Pond；　you　may　be　sure　there　is　not　much　left　of　him。　　Poor

Edgar　Poe　died　in　the　hospital　soon　after　he　got　into　this　way　of

talking；　and　so　sure　as　you　find　an　unfortunate　fellow　reduced　to

this　pass；　you　had　better　begin　praying　for　him；　and　stop　lending

him　money；　for　he　is　on　his　last　legs。　　Remember　poor　Edgar！　　He　is

dead　and　gone；　but　the　State…House　has　its　cupola　fresh…gilded；　and

the　Frog…Pond　has　got　a　fountain　that　squirts　up　a　hundred　feet　into

the　air　and　glorifies　that　humble　sheet　with　a　fine　display　of

provincial　rainbows。



I　cannot　fulfil　my　promise　in　this　number。　　I　expected　to　gratify

your　curiosity；　if　you　have　become　at　all　interested　in　these

puzzles；　doubts；　fancies；　whims；　or　whatever　you　choose　to　call

them；　of　mine。　　Next　month　you　shall　hear　all　about　it。



It　was　evening；　and　I　was　going　to　the　sick…chamber。　　As　I　paused

at　the　door　before　entering；　I　heard　a　sweet　voice　singing。　　It　was

not　the　wild　melody　I　had　sometimes　heard　at　midnight：no；　this　was

the　voice　of　Iris；　and　I　could　distinguish　every　word。　　I　had　seen

the　verses　in　her　book；　the　melody　was　new　to　me。　　Let　me　finish　my

page　with　them。





　　　　　　　　　　HYMN　OF　TRUST。



O　Love　Divine；　that　stooped　to　share

Our　sharpest　pang；　our　bitterest　tear；

On　Thee　we　cast　each　earthborn　care；

We　smile　at　pain　while　Thou　art　near！



Though　long　the　weary　way　we　tread；

And　sorrow　crown　each　lingering　year；

No　path　we　shun；　no　darkness　dread；

Our　hearts　still　whispering；　Thou　art　near！



When　drooping　pleasure　turns　to　grief；

And　trembling　faith　is　changed　to　fear；

The　murmuring　wind；　the　quivering　leaf

Shall　softly　tell　us；　Thou　art　near！



On　Thee　we　fling　our　burdening　woe；

O　Love　Divine；　forever　dear；

Content　to　suffer；　while　we　know；

Living　and　dying；　Thou　art　near！









XII



A　young　fellow；　born　of　good　stock；　in　one　of　the　more　thoroughly

civiliz