over the teacups- 第48部分

whose　ailings　must　depend　their　prosperity。



All　our　thoughts　are　now　concentrated　on　the　relation　existing　betwen

Number　Five　and　the　Tutor。　　That　there　is　some　profound　instinctive

impulse　which　is　drawing　them　closer　together　no　one　who　watches　them

can　for　a　moment　doubt。　　There　are　two　principles　of　attraction　which

bring　different　natures　together：　that　in　which　the　two　natures

closely　resemble　each　other；　and　that　in　which　one　is　complementary

of　the　other。　　In　the　first　case；　they　coalesce；　as　do　two　drops　of

water　or　of　mercury；　and　become　intimately　blended　as　soon　as　they

touch；　in　the　other；　they　rush　together　as　an　acid　and　an　alkali

unite；　predestined　from　eternity　to　find　all　they　most　needed　in　each

other。　　What　is　the　condition　of　things　in　the　growing　intimacy　of

Number　Five　and　the　Tutor？　　He　is　many　years　her　junior；　as　we　know。

Both　of　them　look　that　fact　squarely　in　the　face。　　The　presumption　is

against　the　union　of　two　persons　under　these　circumstances。

Presumptions　are　strong　obstacles　against　any　result　we　wish　to

attain；　but　half　our　work　in　life　is　to　overcome　them。　　A　great　many

results　look　in　the　distance　like　six…foot　walls；　and　when　we　get

nearer　prove　to　be　only　five…foot　hurdles；　to　be　leaped　over　or

knocked　down。　　Twenty　years　from　now　she　may　be　a　vigorous　and　active

old　woman；　and　he　a　middle…aged；　half…worn…out　invalid；　like　so　many

overworked　scholars。　　Everything　depends　on　the　number　of　drops　of

the　elixir　vitae　which　Nature　mingled　in　the　nourishment　she

administered　to　the　embryo　before　it　tasted　its　mother's　milk。　　Think

of　Cleopatra；　the　bewitching　old　mischief…maker；　think　of　Ninon　de

L'Enclos；　whose　own　son　fell　desperately　in　love　with　her；　not

knowing　the　relation　in　which　she　stood　to　him；　think　of　Dr。

Johnson's　friend；　Mrs。　Thrale；　afterward　Mrs。　Piozzi；　who　at　the　age

of　eighty　was　full　enough　of　life　to　be　making　love　ardently　and

persistently　to　Conway；　the　handsome　young　actor。　　I　can　readily

believe　that　Number　Five　will　outlive　the　Tutor；　even　if　he　is

fortunate　enough　rather　in　winning　his　way　into　the　fortress　through

gates　that　open　to　him　of　their　own　accord。　　If　he　fails　in　his

siege；　I　do　really　believe　he　will　die　early；　not　of　a　broken　heart；

exactly；　but　of　a　heart　starved；　with　the　food　it　was　craving　close

to　it；　but　unattainable。　　I　have；　therefore；　a　deep　interest　in

knowing　how　Number　Five　and　the　Tutor　are　getting　along　together。　　Is

there　any　danger　of　one　or　the　other　growing　tired　of　the　intimacy；

and　becoming　willing　to　get　rid　of　it；　like　a　garment　which　has

shrunk　and　grown　too　tight？　　Is　it　likely　that　some　other　attraction

may　come　into　disturb　the　existing　relation？　　The　problem　is　to　my

mind　not　only　interesting；　but　exceptionally　curious。　　You　remember

the　story　of　Cymon　and　Iphigenia　as　Dryden　tells　it。　　The　poor　youth

has　the　capacity　of　loving；　but　it　lies　hidden　in　his　undeveloped

nature。　　All　at　once　he　comes　upon　the　sleeping　beauty；　and　is

awakened　by　her　charms　to　a　hitherto　unfelt　consciousness。　　With　the

advent　of　the　new　passion　all　his　dormant　faculties　start　into　life；

and　the　seeming　simpleton　becomes　the　bright　and　intelligent　lover。

The　case　of　Number　Five　is　as　different　from　that　of　Cymon　as　it

could　well　be。　　All　her　faculties　are　wide　awake；　but　one　emotional

side　of　her　nature　has　never　been　called　into　active　exercise。　　Why

has　she　never　been　in　love　with　any　one　of　her　suitors？　　Because　she

liked　too　many　of　them。　　Do　you　happen　to　remember　a　poem　printed

among　these　papers；　entitled　〃I　Like　You　and　I　Love　You〃



No　one　of　the　poems　which　have　been　placed　in　the　urn；　that　is；　in

the　silver　sugar…bowl；has　had　any　name　attached　to　it；　but　you

could　guess　pretty　nearly　who　was　the　author　of　some　of　them；

certainly　of　the　one　just；　referred　to。　　Number　Five　was　attracted　to

the　Tutor　from　the　first　time　he　spoke　to　her。　　She　dreamed　about　him

that　night；　and　nothing　idealizes　and　renders　fascinating　one　in　whom

we　have　already　an　interest　like　dreaming　of　him　or　of　her。　　Many　a

calm　suitor　has　been　made　passionate　by　a　dream；　many　a　passionate

lover　has　been　made　wild　and　half　beside　himself　by　a　dream；　and　now

and　then　an　infatuated　but　hapless　lover；　waking　from　a　dream　of

bliss　to　a　cold　reality　of　wretchedness；　has　helped　himself　to

eternity　before　he　was　summoned　to　the　table。



Since　Number　Five　had　dreamed　about　the　Tutor；　he　had　been　more　in

her　waking　thoughts　than　she　was　willing　to　acknowledge。　　These

thoughts　were　vague；　it　is　true；emotions；　perhaps；　rather　than

worded　trains　of　ideas；　but　she　was　conscious　of　a　pleasing

excitement　as　his　name　or　his　image　floated　across　her　consciousness；

she　sometimes　sighed　as　she　looked　over　the　last　passage　they　had

read　from　the　same　book；　and　sometimes　when　they　were　together　they

were　silent　too　long；too　long！　　What　were　they　thinking　of？



And　so　it　was　all　as　plain　sailing　for　Number　Five　and　the　young

Tutor　as　it　had　been　for　Delilah　and　the　young　Doctor；　was　it？　　Do

you　think　so？　　Then　you　do　not　understand　Number　Five。　　Many　a　woman

has　as　many　atmospheric　rings　about　her　as　the　planet　Saturn。　　Three

are　easily　to　be　recognized。　　First；　there　is　the　wide　ring　of

attraction　which　draws　into　itself　all　that　once　cross　its　outer

border。　　These　revolve　about　her　without　ever　coming　any　nearer。

Next　is　the　inner　ring　of　attraction。　　Those　who　come　within　its

irresistible　influence　are　drawn　so　close　that　it　seems　as　if　they

must　become　one　with　her　sooner　or　later。　　But　within　this　ring　is

another；an　atmospheric　girdle；　one　of　repulsion；　which　love；　no

matter　how　enterprising；　no　matter　how　prevailing　or　how　insinuating；

has　never　passed；　and；　if　we　judge　of　what　is　to　be　by　what　has　been；

never　will。　　Perhaps　Nature　loved　Number　Five　so　well　that　she

grudged　her　to　any　mortal　man；　and　gave　her　this　inner　girdle　of

repulsion　to　guard　her　from　all　who　would　know　her　too　nearly　and

love　her　too　well。　　Sometimes　two　vessels　at　sea　keep　each　other

company　for　a　long　distance；　it　may　be　daring　a　whole　voyage。　　Very

pleasant　it　is　to　each　to　have　a　companion　to　exchange　signals　with

from　time　to　time；　to　came　near　enough；　when　the　winds　are　light；　to

hold　converse　in　ordinary　tones　from　deck　to　deck；　to　know　that；　in

case　of　need；　there's　help　at　hand。　　It　is　good　for　them　to　be　near

each　other；　but　not　good　to　be　too　near。　　Woe　is　to　them　if　they

touch！　　The　wreck　of　one　or　both　is　likely　to　be　the　consequence。

And　so　two　well…equipped　and　heavily　freighted　natures　may　be　the

best　of　companions　to　each　other；　and　yet　must　never　attempt　to　come

into　closer　union。　　Is　this　the　condition　of　affairs　between　Number

Five　and　the　Tutor？　　I　hope　not；　for　I　want　them　to　be　joined

together　in　that　dearest　of　intimacies；　which；　if　founded　in　true

affinity；　is　the　nearest　approach　to　happiness　to　be　looked　for　in

our　mortal；　experience。　　We　mast　wait。　　The　Teacups　will　meet　once

more　before　the　circle　is　broken；　and　we　may；　perhaps；　find　the

solution　of　the　question　we　have　raised。



In　the　mean　time；　our　young　Doctor　is　playing　truant　oftener　than

ever。　　He　has　brought　Avis；if　we　must　call　her　so；　and　not

Delilah；several　times　to　take　tea　with　us。　　It　means　something；　in

these　days；　to　graduate　from　one　of　our　first…class　academies　or

collegiate　schools。　　I　shall　never　forget　my　first　visit　to　one　of

these　institutions。　　How　much　its　pupils　know；　I　said；　which　I　was

never　taught；　and　have　never　learned！　　I　was　fairly　frightened　to　see

what　a　teaching　apparatus　was　provided　for　them。　　I　should　think　the

first　thing　to　be　done　with　most　of　the　husbands；　they　are　likely　to

get　would　be　to　put　them　through　a　course　of　instruction。　　The　young

wives　must　find　their　lords　wofully　ignorant；　in　a　large　proportion

of　cases。　　When　the　wife　has　educated　the　husband　to　such　a　point

that　she　can　invite　him　to　work　out　a　problem　in　the　higher

mathematics　or　to　perform　a　difficult　chemical　analysis　with　her　as

his　collaborator；　as　less　instructed　dames　ask　their　husbands　to　play

a　game　of　checkers　or　backgammon；　they　can　have　delightful　and

instructive　evenings　together。　　I　hope　our　young　Doctor　will　take

kindly　to　his　wife's　（that　is　to　be）　teachings。



When　the　following　verses　were　taken　out　of　the　urn；　the　Mistress

asked　me　to　hand　the　manuscript　to　the　young　Doctor　to　read。　　I

noticed　that　he　did　not　keep　his　eyes　very　closely　fixed　on　the

paper。　　It　seemed　as　if　he　could　have　recited　the　lines　without

referring　to　the　manuscript　at　all。





　　　　　　　　　　AT　THE　TURN　OF　THE　ROAD。



The　glory　has　passed　from　the　goldenrod's　plume；


The　purple…hued　asters　still　linger　in　bloom；

The　birch　is　bright　yellow；　the　sumachs　are　red；

The　maples　like　torches　aflame　overhead。



But　what　if　the　joy　of　the　summer　is　past；

And　winter's　wild　herald　is　blowing　his　blast？

For　me　dull　November　is　sweeter　than　May；

For　my　love　is　its　sunshine；she　meets　me　to…day！



Will　she　come？　　Will　the　ring…dove　return　to　her　nest？

Will　the　needle　swing　back　from　the　east　or　the　west？

At　the　stroke　of　the　hour　she　will　be　at　her　gate；

A　friend　may　prove　laggard；love　never　comes　late。



Do　I　see　her　afar　in　the　distance？　　Not　yet。

Too　early！　Too　early！　　She　could　not　forget！

When　I　cross　the　old　bridge　where　the　brook　overflowed；

She　will　flash　full　in　sight　at　the　turn　of　the　road。



I　pass　the　low　wall　where　the　ivy　entwines；

I　tread　the　brown　pathway　that　leads　through　the　pines；

I　haste　by　the　boulder　that　lies　in　the　field；

Where　her　promise　at　parting　was　lovingly　sealed。



Will　she　come　by　the　hillside　or　round　through　the　wood？

Will　she　wear　her　brown　dress　or　her　mantle　and　hood？

The　minute　draws　near；but　her　watch　may　go　wrong；

My　heart　will　be　asking；　What　keeps　her　so　long？



Why　doubt　for　a　moment？　　More　shame　if　I　do！

Why　question？　　Why　tremble？