therefore； that I turned to Mr。 Dammit for assistance。
〃Dammit；〃 said I； 〃what are you about？ don't you hear？ the gentleman
says 'ahem！'〃 I looked sternly at my friend while I thus addressed him；
for； to say the truth； I felt particularly puzzled； and when a man is
particularly puzzled he must knit his brows and look savage； or else he is
pretty sure to look like a fool。
〃Dammit；〃 observed I although this sounded very much like an oath； than
which nothing was further from my thoughts 〃Dammit；〃 I suggested
〃the gentleman says 'ahem！'〃
I do not attempt to defend my remark on the score of profundity； I did not
think it profound myself； but I have noticed that the effect of our
speeches is not always proportionate with their importance in our own
eyes； and if I had shot Mr。 D。 through and through with a Paixhan bomb； or
knocked him in the head with the 〃Poets and Poetry of America；〃 he could
hardly have been more discomfited than when I addressed him with those
simple words： 〃Dammit； what are you about？… don't you hear？ the
gentleman says 'ahem！'〃
〃You don't say so？〃 gasped he at length； after turning more colors than a
pirate runs up； one after the other； when chased by a man…of…war。 〃Are you
quite sure he said that？ Well； at all events I am in for it now； and may
as well put a bold face upon the matter。 Here goes； then ahem！〃
At this the little old gentleman seemed pleased God only knows why。 He
left his station at the nook of the bridge； limped forward with a gracious
air； took Dammit by the hand and shook it cordially； looking all the while
straight up in his face with an air of the most unadulterated benignity
which it is possible for the mind of man to imagine。
〃I am quite sure you will win it； Dammit；〃 said he； with the frankest of
all smiles； 〃but we are obliged to have a trial； you know； for the sake of
mere form。〃
〃Ahem！〃 replied my friend； taking off his coat； with a deep sigh； tying a
pocket…handkerchief around his waist； and producing an unaccountable
alteration in his countenance by twisting up his eyes and bringing down
the corners of his mouth 〃ahem！〃 And 〃ahem！〃 said he again； after a
pause； and not another word more than 〃ahem！〃 did I ever know him to say
after that。 〃Aha！〃 thought I； without expressing myself aloud 〃this is
quite a remarkable silence on the part of Toby Dammit； and is no doubt a
consequence of his verbosity upon a previous occasion。 One extreme induces
another。 I wonder if he has forgotten the many unanswerable questions
which he propounded to me so fluently on the day when I gave him my last
lecture？ At all events； he is cured of the transcendentals。〃
〃Ahem！〃 here replied Toby； just as if he had been reading my thoughts； and
looking like a very old sheep in a revery。
The old gentleman now took him by the arm； and led him more into the shade
of the bridge a few paces back from the turnstile。 〃My good fellow；〃
said he； 〃I make it a point of conscience to allow you this much run。 Wait
here； till I take my place by the stile； so that I may see whether you go
over it handsomely； and transcendentally； and don't omit any flourishes of
the pigeon…wing。 A mere form； you know。 I will say 'one； two； three； and
away。' Mind you； start at the word 'away'〃 Here he took his position by
the stile； paused a moment as if in profound reflection； then looked up
and； I thought； smiled very slightly； then tightened the strings of his
apron； then took a long look at Dammit； and finally gave the word as
agreed upon…
_One two three and away！_
Punctually at the word 〃away；〃 my poor friend set off in a strong gallop。
The stile was not very high； like Mr。 Lord's nor yet very low； like
that of Mr。 Lord's reviewers； but upon the whole I made sure that he would
clear it。 And then what if he did not？ ah； that was the question
what if he did not？ 〃What right；〃 said I； 〃had the old gentleman to make
any other gentleman jump？ The little old dot…and…carry…one！ who is he？ If
he asks me to jump； I won't do it； that's flat； and I don't care who the
devil he is。〃 The bridge； as I say； was arched and covered in； in a very
ridiculous manner； and there was a most uncomfortable echo about it at all
times an echo which I never before so particularly observed as when I
uttered the four last words of my remark。
But what I said； or what I thought； or what I heard； occupied only an
instant。 In less than five seconds from his starting； my poor Toby had
taken the leap。 I saw him run nimbly； and spring grandly from the floor of
the bridge； cutting the most awful flourishes with his legs as he went up。
I saw him high in the air； pigeon…winging it to admiration just over the
top of the stile； and of course I thought it an unusually singular thing
that he did not continue to go over。 But the whole leap was the affair of
a moment； and； before I had a chance to make any profound reflections；
down came Mr。 Dammit on the flat of his back； on the same side of the
stile from which he had started。 At the same instant I saw the old
gentleman limping off at the top of his speed； having caught and wrapt up
in his apron something that fell heavily into it from the darkness of the
arch just over the turnstile。 At all this I was much astonished； but I had
no leisure to think； for Dammit lay particularly still； and I concluded
that his feelings had been hurt； and that he stood in need of my
assistance。 I hurried up to him and found that he had received what might
be termed a serious injury。 The truth is； he had been deprived of his
head； which after a close search I could not find anywhere； so I
determined to take him home and send for the homoeopathists。 In the
meantime a thought struck me； and I threw open an adjacent window of the
bridge； when the sad truth flashed upon me at once。 About five feet just
above the top of the turnstile； and crossing the arch of the foot…path so
as to constitute a brace； there extended a flat iron bar； lying with its
breadth horizontally； and forming one of a series that served to
strengthen the structure throughout its extent。 With the edge of this
brace it appeared evident that the neck of my unfortunate friend had come
precisely in contact。
He did not long survive his terrible loss。 The homoeopathists did not give
him little enough physic； and what little they did give him he hesitated
to take。 So in the end he grew worse； and at length died； a lesson to all
riotous livers。 I bedewed his grave with my tears； worked a bar sinister
on his family escutcheon； and； for the general expenses of his funeral；
sent in my very moderate bill to the transcendentalists。 The scoundrels
refused to pay it； so I had Mr。 Dammit dug up at once； and sold him for
dog's meat。
~~~ End of Text ~~~
THOU ART THE MAN
I WILL now play the Oedipus to the Rattleborough enigma。 I will expound to
you as I alone can the secret of the enginery that effected the
Rattleborough miracle the one； the true； the admitted； the undisputed；
the indisputable miracle； which put a definite end to infidelity among the
Rattleburghers and converted to the orthodoxy of the grandames all the
carnal…minded who had ventured to be sceptical before。
This event which I should be sorry to discuss in a tone of unsuitable
levity occurred in the summer of 18。 Mr。 Barnabas Shuttleworthy
one of the wealthiest and most respectable citizens of the borough had
been missing for several days under circumstances which gave rise to
suspicion of foul play。 Mr。 Shuttleworthy had set out from Rattleborough
very early one Saturday morning； on horseback； with the avowed intention
of proceeding to the city of…； about fifteen miles distant； and of
returning the night of the same day。 Two hours after his departure；
however； his horse returned without him； and without the saddle…bags which
had been strapped on his back at starting。 The animal was wounded； too；
and covered with mud。 These circumstances naturally gave rise to much
alarm among the friends of the missing man； and when it was found； on
Sunday morning； that he had not yet made his appearance； the whole borough
arose en masse to go and look for his body。
The foremost and most energetic in instituting this search was the bosom
friend of Mr。 Shuttleworthy a Mr。 Charles Goodfellow； or； as he was
universally called； 〃Charley Goodfellow；〃 or 〃Old Charley Goodfellow。〃
Now； whether it is a marvellous coincidence； or whether it is that the
name itself has an imperceptible effect upon the character； I have never
yet been able to ascertain； but the fact is unquestionable； that there
never yet was any person named Charles who was not an open； manly； honest；
good…natured； and frank…hearted fellow； with a rich； clear voice； that did
you good to hear it； and an eye that looked you always straight in the
face； as much as to say： 〃I have a clear conscience myself； am afraid of
no man； and am altogether above doing a mean action。〃 And thus all the
hearty； careless； 〃walking gentlemen〃 of the stage are very certain to be
called Charles。
Now； 〃Old Charley Goodfellow；〃 although he had been in Rattleborough not
longer than six months or thereabouts； and although nobody knew any thing
about him before he came to settle in the neighborhood； had experienced no
difficulty in the world in making the acquaintance of all the respectable
people in the borough。 Not a man of them but would have taken his bare
word for a thousand at any moment； and as for the women； there is no
saying what they would not have done to oblige him。 And all this came of
his having been christened Charles； and of his possessing； in consequence；
that ingenuous face which is proverbially the very 〃best letter of
recommendation。〃
I have already said that Mr。 Shuttleworthy was one of the most respectable
and； undoubtedly； he was the most wealthy man in Rattleborough； while 〃Old
Charley Goodfellow〃 was upon as intimate terms with him as if he had been
his own brother。 The two old gentlemen were next…door neighbours； and；
although Mr。 Shuttleworthy seldom； if ever； visited 〃Old Charley；〃 and
never was known to take a meal in his house； still this did not prevent
the two friends from being exce