the professor at the breakfast table- 第31部分

fine　young　girls　sittin'；　like　shopkeepers　behind　their　goods；

waitin'；　and　waitin'；　and　waitin'；　'n'　no　customers；and　the　men

lingerin'　round　and　lookin'　at　the　goods；　like　folks　that　want　to　be

customers；　but　have　n't　the　money！



Do　you　think　the　deformed　gentleman　means　to　make　love　to　Iris？I

said。



What！　　Little　Boston　ask　that　girl　to　marry　him！　　Well；　now；　that's

cumin'　of　it　a　little　too　strong。　　Yes；　I　guess　she　will　marry　him

and　carry　him　round　in　a　basket；　like　a　lame　bantam：　Look　here！he

said；　mysteriously；one　of　the　boarders　swears　there's　a　woman

comes　to　see　him；　and　that　he　has　heard　her　singin'　and　screechin'。

I　should　like　to　know　what　he's　about　in　that　den　of　his。　　He　lays

low　'n'　keeps　dark；and；　I　tell　you；　there's　a　good　many　of　the

boarders　would　like　to　get　into　his　chamber；　but　he　don't　seem　to

want　'em。　　Biddy　could　tell　somethin'　about　what　she's　seen　when　she

's　been　to　put　his　room　to　rights。　　She's　a　Paddy　'n'　a　fool；　but

she　knows　enough　to　keep　her　tongue　still。　　All　I　know　is；　I　saw　her

crossin'　herself　one　day　when　she　came　out　of　that　room。　　She　looked

pale　enough；　'n'　I　heard　her　mutterin'　somethin'　or　other　about　the

Blessed　Virgin。　　If　it　had　n't　been　for　the　double　doors　to　that

chamber　of　his；　I'd　have　had　a　squint　inside　before　this；　but；

somehow　or　other；　it　never　seems　to　happen　that　they're　both　open　at

once。



What　do　you　think　he　employs　himself　about？　　said　I。



The　young　man　John　winked。



I　waited　patiently　for　the　thought；　of　which　this　wink　was　the

blossom；　to　come　to　fruit　in　words。



I　don't　believe　in　witches；said　the　young　man　John。



Nor　I。



We　were　both　silent　for　a　few　minutes。





Did　you　ever　see　the　young　girl's　drawing…books；I　said；

presently。



All　but　one；he　answered；she　keeps　a　lock　on　that；　and　won't　show

it。　　Ma'am　Allen；　（the　young　rogue　sticks　to　that　name；　in　speaking

of　the　gentleman　with　the　diamond；）　Ma'am　Allen　tried　to　peek　into

it　one　day　when　she　left　it　on　the　sideboard。　　〃If　you　please；〃　says

she；'n'　took　it　from　him；　'n'　gave　him　a　look　that　made　him　curl

up　like　a　caterpillar　on　a　hot　shovel。　　I　only　wished　he　had　n't；

and　had　jest　given　her　a　little　sass；　for　I've　been　takin'　boxin'…

lessons；　'n'　I　've　got　a　new　way　of　counterin'　I　want　to　try　on　to

somebody。



The　end　of　all　this　was；　that　I　came　away　from　the　young　fellow's

room；　feeling　that　there　were　two　principal　things　that　I　had　to

live　for；　for　the　next　six　weeks　or　six　months；　if　it　should　take　so

long。　　These　were；　to　get　a　sight　of　the　young　girl's　drawing。

book；　which　I　suspected　had　her　heart　shut　up　in　it；　and　to　get　a

look　into　the　Little　Gentleman's　room。



I　don't　doubt　you　think　it　rather　absurd　that　I　should　trouble

myself　about　these　matters。　　You　tell　me；　with　some　show　of　reason；

that　all　I　shall　find　in　the　young　girl'sbook　will　be　some

outlines　of　angels　with　immense　eyes；　traceries　of　flowers；　rural

sketches；　and　caricatures；　among　which　I　shall　probably　have　the

pleasure　of　seeing　my　own　features　figuring。　　Very　likely。　　But　I'll

tell　you　what　I　think　I　shall　find。　　If　this　child　has　idealized　the

strange　little　bit　of　humanity　over　which　she　seems　to　have　spread

her　wings　like　a　brooding　dove；if；　in　one　of　those　wild　vagaries

that　passionate　natures　are　so　liable　to；　she　has　fairly　sprung　upon

him　with　her　clasping　nature；　as　the　sea…flowers　fold　about　the

first　stray　shell…fish　that　brushes　their　outspread　tentacles；

depend　upon　it；　I　shall　find　the　marks　of　it　in　this　drawing…book　of

hers；if　I　can　ever　get　a　look　at　it；fairly；　of　course；　for　I

would　not　play　tricks　to　satisfy　my　curiosity。



Then；　if　I　can　get　into　this　Little　Gentleman's　room　under　any　fair

pretext；　I　shall；　no　doubt；　satisfy　myself　in　five　minutes　that　he

is　just　like　other　people；　and　that　there　is　no　particular　mystery

about　him。



The　night　after　my　visit　to　the　young　man　John；　I　made　all　these　and

many　more　reflections。　　It　was　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；

bright　starlight；so　light　that　I　could　make　out　the　time　on　my

alarm…clock；when　I　woke　up　trembling　and　very　moist。　　It　was　the

heavy　dragging　sound；　as　I　had　often　heard　it　before　that　waked　me。

Presently　a　window　was　softly　closed。　　I　had　just　begun　to　get　over

the　agitation　with　which　we　always　awake　from　nightmare　dreams；　when

I　heard　the　sound　which　seemed　to　me　as　of　a　woman's　voice；the

clearest；　purest　soprano　which　one　could　well　conceive　of。　　It　was

not　loud；　and　I　could　not　distinguish　a　word；　if　it　was　a　woman's

voice；　but　there　were　recurring　phrases　of　sound　and　snatches　of

rhythm　that　reached　me；　which　suggested　the　idea　of　complaint；　and

sometimes；　I　thought；　of　passionate　grief　and　despair。　　It　died　away

at　last；and　then　I　heard　the　opening　of　a　door；　followed　by　a　low；

monotonous　sound；　as　of　one　talking；and　then　the　closing　of　a

door；and　presently　the　light　on　the　opposite　wall　disappeared　and

all　was　still　for　the　night。



By　George！　　this　gets　interesting；I　said；　as　I　got　out　of　bed　for

a　change　of　night…clothes。



I　had　this　in　my　pocket　the　other　day；　but　thought　I　would　n't　read

it　at　our　celebration。　　So　I　read　it　to　the　boarders　instead；　and

print　it　to　finish　off　this　record　with。





　　　　　　　　　　ROBINSON　OF　LEYDEN。



He　sleeps　not　here；　in　hope　and　prayer

His　wandering　flock　had　gone　before；

But　he；　the　shepherd；　might　not　share

Their　sorrows　on　the　wintry　shore。



Before　the　Speedwell's　anchor　swung；

Ere　yet　the　Mayflower's　sail　was　spread；

While　round　his　feet　the　Pilgrims　clung；

The　pastor　spake；　and　thus　he　said：



〃Men；　brethren；　sisters；　children　dear！

God　calls　you　hence　from　over　sea；

Ye　may　not　build　by　Haerlem　Meer；

Nor　yet　along　the　Zuyder…Zee。



〃Ye　go　to　bear　the　saving　word

To　tribes　unnamed　and　shores　untrod：

Heed　well　the　lessons　ye　have　heard

》From　those　old　teachers　taught　of　God。



〃Yet　think　not　unto　them　was　lent

All　light　for　all　the　coming　days；

And　Heaven's　eternal　wisdom　spent

In　making　straight　the　ancient　ways。



〃The　living　fountain　overflows

For　every　flock；　for　every　lamb；

Nor　heeds；　though　angry　creeds　oppose

With　Luther's　dike　or　Calvin's　dam。〃



He　spake；　with　lingering；　long　embrace；

With　tears　of　love　and　partings　fond；

They　floated　down　the　creeping　Maas；

Along　the　isle　of　Ysselmond。



They　passed　the　frowning　towers　of　Briel；

The　〃Hook　of　Holland's〃　shelf　of　sand；

And　grated　soon　with　lifting　keel

The　sullen　shores　of　Fatherland。



No　home　for　these！　too　well　they　knew

The　mitred　king　behind　the　throne；

The　sails　were　set；　the　pennons　flew；

And　westward　ho！　　for　worlds　unknown。



And　these　were　they　who　gave　us　birth；

The　Pilgrims　of　the　sunset　wave；

Who　won　for　us　this　virgin　earth；

And　freedom　with　the　soil　they　gave。



The　pastor　slumbers　by　the　Rhine；

In　alien　earth　the　exiles　lie；

Their　nameless　graves　our　holiest　shrine；

His　words　our　noblest　battle…cry！



Still　cry　them；　and　the　world　shall　hear；

Ye　dwellers　by　the　storm…swept　sea！

Ye　have　not　built　by　Haerlem　Meer；

Nor　on　the　land…locked　Zuyder…Zee！









VIII



There　has　been　a　sort　of　stillness　in　the　atmosphere　of　our

boarding…house　since　my　last　record；　as　if　something　or　other　were

going　on。　　There　is　no　particular　change　that　I　can　think　of　in　the

aspect　of　things；　yet　I　have　a　feeling　as　if　some　game　of　life　were

quietly　playing　and　strange　forces　were　at　work；　underneath　this

smooth　surface　of　every…day　boardinghouse　life；　which　would　show

themselves　some　fine　morning　or　other　in　events；　if　not　in

catastrophes。　　I　have　been　watchful；　as　I　said　I　should　be；　but　have

little　to　tell　as　yet。　　You　may　laugh　at　me；　and　very　likely　think

me　foolishly　fanciful　to　trouble　myself　about　what　is　going　on　in　a

middling…class　household　like　ours。　　Do　as　you　like。　　But　here　is

that　terrible　fact　to　begin　with；a　beautiful　young　girl；　with　the

blood　and　the　nerve…fibre　that　belong　to　Nature's　women；　turned

loose　among　live　men。



…Terrible　fact？



Very　terrible。　　Nothing　more　so。　　Do　you　forget　the　angels　who　lost

heaven　for　the　daughters　of　men？　　Do　you　forget　Helen；　and　the　fair

women　who　made　mischief　and　set　nations　by　the　ears　before　Helen　was

born？　　If　jealousies　that　gnaw　men's　hearts　out　of　their　bodies；if

pangs　that　waste　men　to　shadows　and　drive　them　into　raving　madness

or　moping　melancholy；if　assassination　and　suicide　are　dreadful

possibilities；　then　there　is　always　something　frightful　about　a

lovely　young　woman。　I　love　to　look　at　this　〃Rainbow；〃　as　her

father　used　sometimes　to　call　her；　of　ours。　　Handsome　creature　that

she　is　in　forms　and　colors；the　very　picture；　as　it　seems　to　me；　of

that　〃golden　blonde〃　my　friend　whose　book　you　read　last　year　fell　in

love　with　when　he　was　a　boy；　（as　you　remember；　no　doubt；）handsome

as　she　is；　fit　for　a　sea…king's　bride；　it　is　not　her　beauty　alone

that　holds　my　eyes　upon　her。　　Let　me　tell　you　one　of　my　fancies；　and

then　you　will　understand　the　strange　sort　of　fascination　she　has　for

me。



It　is　in　the　hearts　of　many　men　and　womenlet　me　add　childrenthat

there　is　a　Great　Secret　waiting　for　them；a　secret　of　which　they

get　hints　now　and　then；　perhaps　oftener　in　early　than　in　later

years。　　These　hints　come　sometimes　in　dreams；　sometimes　in　sudden

startling　flashes；second　wakings；　as　it　were；a　waking　out　of　the

waking　state；　which　last　is　very　apt　to　be　a　half…sleep。　　I　have

many　times　stopped　short　and　held　my　breath；　and　felt　the　blood

leaving　my　cheeks；　in　one　of　these　sudden　clairvoyant　flashes。　　Of

course　I　cannot　tell　what　kind　of　a　secret　this　is；　but　I　think　of

it　as　a　disclosure　of　certain　relations　of　our　personal　being　to

time　and　space；　to　other　intelligences；　to　the　procession　of　events；

and　to　their　First　Great　Cause。　　This　secret　seems　to　be　broken　up；

as　it　were；　into　fra