the poet at the breakfast table-第16部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

could　teach　me；　or　at　least　all　I　could　learn　from　'em；　and　if　it
comes　to　that；　I　never　saw　the　man　that　couldn't　teach　me　something。
I　can　get　along　with　everybody　in　his　place；　though　I　think　the　place
of　some　of　my　friends　is　over　there　among　the　feeble…minded　pupils；
and　I　don't　believe　there's　one　of　them；　I　couldn't　go　to　school　to
for　half　an　hour　and　be　the　wiser　for　it。　　But　people　you　talk　with
every　day　have　got　to　have　feeders　for　their　minds；　as　much　as　the
stream　that　turns　a　millwheel　has。　　It　isn't　one　little　rill　that's
going　to　keep　the　float…boards　turning　round。　　Take　a　dozen　of　the
brightest　men　you　can　find　in　the　brightest　city；　wherever　that　may
be；perhaps　you　and　I　think　we　know；and　let　'em　come　together　once
a　month；　and　you'll　find　out　in　the　course　of　a　year　or　two　the　ones
that　have　feeders　from　all　the　hillsides。　　Your　common　talkers；　that
exchange　the　gossip　of　the　day；　have　no　wheel　in　particular　to　turn；
and　the　wash　of　the　rain　as　it　runs　down　the　street　is　enough　for
them。

Do　you　mean　you　can　always　see　the　sources　from　which　a　man　fills
his　mind；his　feeders；　as　you　call　them？

…I　don't　go　quite　so　far　as　that；the　Master　said。…I've　seen　men
whose　minds　were　always　overflowing；　and　yet　they　did　n't　read　much
nor　go　much　into　the　world。　　Sometimes　you'll　find　a　bit　of　a　pond…
hole　in　a　pasture；　and　you'll　plunge　your　walking…stick　into　it　and
think　you　are　going　to　touch　bottom。　　But　you　find　you　are　mistaken。
Some　of　these　little　stagnant　pond…holes　are　a　good　deal　deeper　than
you　think；　you　may　tie　a　stone　to　a　bed…cord　and　not　get　soundings　in
some　of　'em。　　The　country　boys　will　tell　you　they　have　no　bottom；　but
that　only　means　that　they　are　mighty　deep；　and　so　a　good　many
stagnant；　stupid…seeming　people　are　a　great　deal　deeper　than　the
length　of　your　intellectual　walking…stick；　I　can　tell　you。　　There　are
hidden　springs　that　keep　the　little　pond…holes　full　when　the　mountain
brooks　are　all　dried　up。　　You　poets　ought　to　know　that。

I　can't　help　thinking　you　are　more　tolerant　towards　the　specialists
than　I　thought　at　first；　by　the　way　you　seemed　to　look　at　our　dried…
up　neighbor　and　his　small　pursuits。

I　don't　like　the　word　tolerant；the　Master　said。…As　long　as　the
Lord　can　tolerate　me　I　think　I　can　stand　my　fellow…creatures。
Philosophically；　I　love　'em　all；　empirically；　I　don't　think　I　am　very
fond　of　all　of　'em。　　It　depends　on　how　you　look　at　a　man　or　a　woman。
Come　here；　Youngster；　will　you？　　he　said　to　That　Boy。

The　Boy　was　trying　to　catch　a　blue…bottle　to　add　to　his　collection；
and　was　indisposed　to　give　up　the　chase；　but　he　presently　saw　that
the　Master　had　taken　out　a　small　coin　and　laid　it　on　the　table；　and
felt　himself　drawn　in　that　direction。

Read　that；said　the　Master。

U…n…i…ni　United　States　of　America　5　cents。

The　Master　turned　the　coin　over。　　Now　read　that。

In　God　is　our　t…r…u…s…ttrust。　　1869。

Is　that　the　same　piece　of　money　as　the　other　one？

There　ain't　any　other　one；said　the　Boy；　there　ain't　but　one；　but
it's　got　two　sides　to　it　with　different　reading。

That　's　it；　that　's　it；said　the　Master；two　sides　to　everybody；
as　there　are　to　that　piece　of　money。　　I've　seen　an　old　woman　that
wouldn't　fetch　five　cents　if　you　should　put　her　up　for　sale　at　public
auction；　and　yet　come　to　read　the　other　side　of　her；　she　had　a　trust
in　God　Almighty　that　was　like　the　bow　anchor　of　a　three…decker。　　It's
faith　in　something　and　enthusiasm　for　something　that　makes　a　life
worth　looking　at。　　I　don't　think　your　ant…eating　specialist；　with　his
sharp　nose　and　pin…head　eyes；　is　the　best　every…day　companion；　but
any　man　who　knows　one　thing　well　is　worth　listening　to　for　once；　and
if　you　are　of　the　large…brained　variety　of　the　race；　and　want　to　fill
out　your　programme　of　the　Order　of　Things　in　a　systematic　and
exhaustive　way；　and　get　all　the　half…notes　and　flats　and　sharps　of
humanity　into　your　scale；　you'd　a　great　deal　better　shut　your　front
door　and　open　your　two　side　ones　when　you　come　across　a　fellow　that
has　made　a　real　business　of　doing　anything。

That　Boy　stood　all　this　time　looking　hard　at　the　five…cent　piece。

Take　it；said　the　Master；　with　a　good…natured　smile。

The　Boy　made　a　snatch　at　it　and　was　off　for　the　purpose　of
investing　it。

A　child　naturally　snaps　at　a　thing　as　a　dog　does　at　his　meat；said
the　Master。…If　you　think　of　it；　we've　all　been　quadrupeds。　　A　child
that　can　only　crawl　has　all　the　instincts　of　a　four…footed　beast。　　It
carries　things　in　its　mouth　just　as　cats　and　dogs　do。　　I've　seen　the
little　brutes　do　it　over　and　over　again。　　I　suppose　a　good　many
children　would　stay　quadrupeds　all　their　lives；　if　they　didn't　learn
the　trick　of　walking　on　their　hind　legs　from　seeing　all　the　grown
people　walking　in　that　way。

Do　you　accept　Mr。　Darwin's　notions　about　the　origin　of　the　race？　
said　I。

The　Master　looked　at　me　with　that　twinkle　in　his　eye　which　means　that
he　is　going　to　parry　a　question。

Better　stick　to　Blair's　Chronology；　that　settles　it。　　Adam　and　Eve；
created　Friday；　October　28th；　B。　C。　4004。　　You've　been　in　a　ship　for
a　good　while；　and　here　comes　Mr。　Darwin　on　deck　with　an　armful　of
sticks　and　says；　〃Let's　build　a　raft；　and　trust　ourselves　to　that。〃

If　your　ship　springs　a　leak；　what　would　you　do？

He　looked　me　straight　in　the　eyes　for　about　half　a　minute。…If　I
heard　the　pumps　going；　I'd　look　and　see　whether　they　were　gaining　on
the　leak　or　not。　　If　they　were　gaining　I'd　stay　where　I　was。…Go　and
find　out　what's　the　matter　with　that　young　woman。

I　had　noticed　that　the　Young　Girlthe　storywriter；　our　Scheherezade；
as　I　called　herlooked　as　if　she　had　been　crying　or　lying　awake　half
the　night。　　I　found　on　asking　her；for　she　is　an　honest　little　body
and　is　disposed　to　be　confidential　with　me　for　some　reason　or　other；
that　she　had　been　doing　both。

And　what　was　the　matter　now；　I　questioned　her　in　a　semi…paternal
kind　of　way；　as　soon　as　I　got　a　chance　for　a　few　quiet　words　with
her。

She　was　engaged　to　write　a　serial　story；　it　seems；　and　had　only　got
as　far　as　the　second　number；　and　some　critic　had　been　jumping　upon
it；　she　said；　and　grinding　his　heel　into　it；　till　she　couldn't　bear
to　look　at　it。　　He　said　she　did　not　write　half　so　well　as　half　a
dozen　other　young　women。　　She　did　n't　write　half　so　well　as　she　used
to　write　herself。　　She　hadn't　any　characters　and　she　had　n't　any
incidents。　　Then　he　went　to　work　to　show　how　her　story　was　coming
out；　trying　to　anticipate　everything　she　could　make　of　it；　so　that
her　readers　should　have　nothing　to　look　forward　to；　and　he　should
have　credit　for　his　sagacity　in　guessing；　which　was　nothing　so　very
wonderful；　she　seemed　to　think。　　Things　she　had　merely　hinted　and
left　the　reader　to　infer；　he　told　right　out　in　the　bluntest　and
coarsest　way。　　It　had　taken　all　the　life　out　of　her；　she　said。　　It
was　just　as　if　at　a　dinner…party　one　of　the　guests　should　take　a
spoonful　of　soup　and　get　up　and　say　to　the　company；　〃Poor　stuff；　poor
stuff；　you　won't　get　anything　better；　let's　go　somewhere　else　where
things　are　fit　to　eat。〃

What　do　you　read　such　things　for；　my　dear？　　said　I。

The　film　glistened　in　her　eyes　at　the　strange　sound　of　those　two　soft
words；　she　had　not　heard　such　very　often；　I　am　afraid。

I　know　I　am　a　foolish　creature　to　read　them；　she　answered；but　I
can't　help　it；　somebody　always　sends　me　everything　that　will　make　me
wretched　to　read；　and　so　I　sit　down　and　read　it；　and　ache　all　over
for　my　pains；　and　lie　awake　all　night。

She　smiled　faintly　as　she　said　this；　for　she　saw　the　sub…ridiculous
side　of　it；　but　the　film　glittered　still　in　her　eyes。　　There　are　a
good　many　real　miseries　in　life　that　we　cannot　help　smiling　at；　but
they　are　the　smiles　that　make　wrinkles　and　not　dimples。　　〃Somebody
always　sends　her　everything　that　will　make　her　wretched。〃　　Who　can
those　creatures　be　who　cut　out　the　offensive　paragraph　and　send　it
anonymously　to　us；　who　mail　the　newspaper　which　has　the　article　we
had　much　better　not　have　seen；　who　take　care　that　we　shall　know
everything　which　can；　by　any　possibility；　help　to　make　us
discontented　with　ourselves　and　a　little　less　light…hearted　than　we
were　before　we　had　been　fools　enough　to　open　their　incendiary
packages？　　I　don't　like　to　say　it　to　myself；　but　I　cannot　help
suspecting；　in　this　instance；　the　doubtful…looking　personage　who　sits
on　my　left；　beyond　the　Scarabee。　　I　have　some　reason　to　think　that　he
has　made　advances　to　the　Young　Girl　which　were　not　favorably
received；　to　state　the　case　in　moderate　terms；　and　it　may　be　that　he
is　taking　his　revenge　in　cutting　up　the　poor　girl's　story。　　I　know
this　very　well；　that　some　personal　pique　or　favoritism　is　at　the
bottom　of　half　the　praise　and　dispraise　which　pretend　to　be　so　very
ingenuous　and　discriminating。　　（Of　course　I　have　been　thinking　all
this　time　and　telling　you　what　I　thought。）

What　you　want　is　encouragement；　my　dear；　said　I；I　know　that　as
well；　as　you。　　I　don't　think　the　fellows　that　write　such　criticisms
as　you　tell　me　of　want　to　correct　your　faults。　　I　don't　mean　to　say
that　you　can　learn　nothing　from　them；　because　they　are　not　all　fools
by　any　means；　and　they　will　often　pick　out　your　weak