over the teacups-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



reference。　　But　we　have　never　asked　her。　　I　do　not　think　she　wants　to

be　famous。　　How　she　comes　to　be　unmarried　is　a　mystery　to　me；　it　must

be　that　she　has　found　nobody　worth　caring　enough　for。　　I　wish　she

would　furnish　us　with　the　romance　which；　as　I　said；　our　tea…table

needs　to　make　it　interesting。　　Perhaps　the　new…comer　will　make　love

to　her；I　should　think　it　possible　she　might　fancy　him。



And　who　is　the　new…comer？　　He　is　a　Counsellor　and　a　Politician。　　Has

a　good　war　record。　　Is　about　forty…five　years　old；　I　conjecture。　　Is

engaged　in　a　great　law　case　just　now。　　Said　to　be　very　eloquent。　　Has


an　intellectual　head；　and　the　bearing　of　one　who　has　commanded　a

regiment　or　perhaps　a　brigade。　　Altogether　an　attractive　person；

scholarly；　refined　has　some　accomplishments　not　so　common　as　they

might　be　in　the　class　we　call　gentlemen；　with　an　accent　on　the　word。



There　is　also　a　young　Doctor；　waiting　for　his　bald　spot　to　come；　so

that　he　may　get　into　practice。



We　have　two　young　ladies　at　the　table；the　English　girl　referred　to

in　a　former　number；　and　an　American　girl　of　about　her　own　age。　　Both

of　them　are　students　in　one　of　those　institutionsI　am　not　sure

whether　they　call　it　an　〃annex〃　or　not；　but　at　any　rate　one　of　those

schools　where　they　teach　the　incomprehensible　sort　of　mathematics　and

other　bewildering　branches　of　knowledge　above　the　common　level　of

high…school　education。　　They　seem　to　be　good　friends；　and　form　a　very

pleasing　pair　when　they　walk　in　arm　in　arm；　nearly　enough　alike　to

seem　to　belong　together；　different　enough　to　form　an　agreeable

contrast。



Of　course　we　were　bound　to　have　a　Musician　at　our　table；　and　we　have

one　who　sings　admirably；　and　accompanies　himself；　or　one　or　more　of

our　ladies；　very　frequently。



Such　is　our　company　when　the　table　is　full。　　But　sometimes　only　half

a　dozen；　or　it　may　be　only　three　or　four；　are　present。　　At　other

times　we　have　a　visitor　or　two；　either　in　the　place　of　one　of　our

habitual　number；　or　in　addition　to　it。　　We　have　the　elements；　we

think；　of　a　pleasant　social　gathering；different　sexes；　ages；

pursuits；　and　tastes；all　that　is　required　for　a　〃symphony　concert〃

of　conversation。　　One　of　the　curious　questions　which　might　well　be

asked　by　those　who　had　been　with　us　on　different　occasions　would　be；

〃How　many　poets　are　there　among　you？〃　　Nobody　can　answer　this

question。　　It　is　a　point　of　etiquette　with　us　not　to　press　our

inquiries　about　these　anonymous　poems　too　sharply；　especially　if　any

of　them　betray　sentiments　which　would　not　bear　rough　handling。



I　don't　doubt　that　the　different　personalities　at　our　table　will　get

mixed　up　in　the　reader's　mind　if　be　is　not　particularly　clear…headed。

That　happens　very　often；　much　oftener　than　all　would　be　willing　to

confess；　in　reading　novels　and　plays。　　I　am　afraid　we　should　get　a

good　deal　confused　even　in　reading　our　Shakespeare　if　we　did　not　look

back　now　and　then　at　the　dramatis　personae。　　I　am　sure　that　I　am　very

apt　to　confound　the　characters　in　a　moderately　interesting　novel；

indeed；　I　suspect　that　the　writer　is　often　no　better　off　than　the

reader　in　the　dreary　middle　of　the　story；　when　his　characters　have

all　made　their　appearance；　and　before　they　have　reached　near　enough

to　the　denoument　to　have　fixed　their　individuality　by　the　position

they　have　arrived　at　in　the　chain　of　the　narrative。



My　reader　might　be　a　little　puzzled　when　he　read　that　Number　Five　did

or　said　such　or　such　a　thing；　and　ask；　〃Whom　do　you　mean　by　that

title？　　I　am　not　quite　sure　that　I　remember。〃　Just　associate　her　with

that　line　of　Emerson；



　　　　　〃Why　nature　loves　the　number　five；〃



and　that　will　remind　you　that　she　is　the　favorite　of　our　table。



You　cannot　forget　who　Number　Seven　is　if　I　inform　you　that　he

specially　prides　himself　on　being　a　seventh　son　of　a　seventh　son。

The　fact　of　such　a　descent　is　supposed　to　carry　wonderful　endowments

with　it。　　Number　Seven　passes　for　a　natural　healer。　　He　is　looked

upon　as　a　kind　of　wizard；　and　is　lucky　in　living　in　the　nineteenth

century　instead　of　the　sixteenth　or　earlier。　　How　much　confidence　he

feels　in　himself　as　the　possessor　of　half…supernatural　gifts　I　cannot

say。　　I　think　his　peculiar　birthright　gives　him　a　certain　confidence

in　his　whims　and　fancies　which　but　for　that　he　would　hardly　feel。

After　this　explanation；　when　I　speak　of　Number　Five　or　Number　Seven；

you　will　know　to　whom　I　refer。



The　company　are　very　frank　in　their　criticisms　of　each　other。　　〃I　did

not　like　that　expression　of　yours；　planetary　foundlings；〃　said　the

Mistress。　　〃It　seems　to　me　that　it　is　too　like　atheism　for　a　good

Christian　like　you　to　use。〃



Ah；　my　dear　madam；　I　answered；　I　was　thinking　of　the　elements　and　the

natural　forces　to　which　man　was　born　an　almost　helpless　subject　in

the　rudimentary　stages　of　his　existence；　and　from　which　he　has　only

partially　got　free　after　ages　upon　ages　of　warfare　with　their

tyranny。　　Think　what　hunger　forced　the　caveman　to　do！　　Think　of　the

surly　indifference　of　the　storms　that　swept　the　forest　and　the

waters；　the　earthquake　chasms　that　engulfed　him；　the　inundations　that

drowned　him　out　of　his　miserable　hiding…places；　the　pestilences　that

lay　in　wait　for　him；　the　unequal　strife　with　ferocious　animals！

I　need　not　sum　up　all　the　wretchedness　that　goes　to　constitute　the

〃martyrdom　of　man。〃　　When　our　forefathers　came　to　this　wilderness　as

it　then　was；　and　found　everywhere　the　bones　of　the　poor　natives　who

had　perished　in　the　great　plague　（which　our　Doctor　there　thinks　was

probably　the　small…pox）；　they　considered　this　destructive　malady　as　a

special　mark　of　providential　favor　for　them。　　How　about　the　miserable

Indians？　　Were　they　anything　but　planetary　foundlings？　　No！

Civilization　is　a　great　foundling　hospital；　and　fortunate　are　all

those　who　get　safely　into　the　creche　before　the　frost　or　the　malaria

has　killed　them；　the　wild　beasts　or　the　venomous　reptiles　worked　out

their　deadly　appetites　and　instincts　upon　them。　　The　very　idea　of

humanity　seems　to　be　that　it　shall　take　care　of　itself　and　develop

its　powers　in　the　〃struggle　for　life。〃　　Whether　we　approve　it　or　not；

if　we　can　judge　by　the　material　record；　man　was　born　a　foundling；　and

fought　his　way　as　he　best　might　to　that　kind　of　existence　which　we

call　civilized；one　which　a　considerable　part　of　the　inhabitants　of

our　planet　have　reached。



If　you　do　not　like　the　expression　planetary　foundlings；　I　have　no

objection　to　your　considering　the　race　as　put　out　to　nurse。　　And　what

a　nurse　Nature　is！　　She　gives　her　charge　a　hole　in　the　rocks　to　live

in；　ice　for　his　pillow　and　snow　for　his　blanket；　in　one　part　of　the

world；　the　jungle　for　his　bedroom　in　another；　with　the　tiger　for　his

watch…dog；　and　the　cobra　as　his　playfellow。



Well；　I　said；　there　may　be　other　parts　of　the　universe　where　there

are　no　tigers　and　no　cobras。　　It　is　not　quite　certain　that　such

realms　of　creation　are　better　off；　on　the　whole；　than　this　earthly

residence　of　ours；　which　has　fought　its　way　up　to　the　development　of

such　centres　of　civilization　as　Athens　and　Rome；　to　such

personalities　as　Socrates；　as　Washington。



〃One　of　our　company　has　been　on　an　excursion　among　the　celestial

bodies　of　our　system；　I　understand；〃　said　the　Professor。



Number　Five　colored。　　〃Nothing　but　a　dream；〃　she　said。　　〃The　truth

is；　I　had　taken　ether　in　the　evening　for　a　touch　of　neuralgia；　and　it

set　my　imagination　at　work　in　a　way　quite　unusual　with　me。　　I　had

been　reading　a　number　of　books　about　an　ideal　condition　of　society；

Sir　Thomas　Mores　'Utopia；'　Lord　Bacon's　'New　Atlantis；'　and　another

of　more　recent　date。　　I　went　to　bed　with　my　brain　a　good　deal

excited；　and　fell　into　a　deep　slumber；　in　which　I　passed　through　some

experiences　so　singular　that；　on　awaking；　I　put　them　down　on　paper。

I　don't　know　that　there　is　anything　very　original　about　the

experiences　I　have　recorded；　but　I　thought　them　worth　preserving。

Perhaps　you　would　not　agree　with　me　in　that　belief。〃



〃If　Number　Five　will　give　us　a　chance　to　form　our　own　judgment　about

her　dream　or　vision；　I　think　we　shall　enjoy　it；〃　said　the　Mistress。

〃She　knows　what　will　please　The　Teacups　in　the　way　of　reading　as　well

as　I　do　how　many　lumps　of　sugar　the　Professor　wants　in　his　tea　and

how　many　I　want　in　mine。〃



The　company　was　so　urgent　that　Number　Five　sent　up…stairs　for　her

paper。



Number　Five　reads　the　story　of　her　dream。



It　cost　me　a　great　effort　to　set　down　the　words　of　the　manuscript

from　which　I　am　reading。　　My　dreams　for　the　most　part　fade　away　so

soon　after　their　occurrence　that　I　cannot　recall　them　at　all。　　But　in

this　case　my　ideas　held　together　with　remarkable　tenacity。　　By

keeping　my　mind　steadily　upon　the　work；　I　gradually　unfolded　the

narrative　which　follows；　as　the　famous　Italian　antiquary　opened　one

of　those　fragile　carbonized　manuscripts　found　in　the　ruins　of

Herculaneum　or　Pompeii。



The　first　thing　I　remember　about　it　is　that　I　was　floating　upward；

without　any　sense　of　effort　on　my　part。　　The　feeling　was　that　of

flying；　which　I　have　often　had　in　dreams；　as　have　many　other　persons。

It　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world；a　semi…materialized

volition；　if　I　may　use　such　an　expression。



At　the　first　moment　of　my　new　consciousness；for　I　seemed　to　have

just　emerged　from　a　deep　slumber；　I　was　aware　that　there　was　a

companion　at　my　side。　　Nothing　could　be　more　gracious　than　the　way　in

which　this　being　accosted　me。　　I　will　speak　of　it　as　she；　because

there　was　a　delicacy；　a　sweetness；　a　divine　purity；　about　its　aspect

that　recalled　my　ideal　of　the　loveliest　womanhood。



〃I　am　your　companion　and　your　guide；〃　this　being　made　me　understand；

as　she　looked　at　me。　　Some　faculty　of　which　I　had　never　before　been

conscious　had　awakened　in　me；　and　I　needed　no　interpreter　to　explain

the　unspoken　language　of　my　celestial　attendant。



〃You　are　not　yet　outside　of