the other was different from the other's thought of self。
There could not be a complete understanding； a perfect accord。
What was the secret； of which each knew half； but not the other
half？
Thus； with steps that kept time； but with thoughts how
wide apart； we came to the door of the school。 A warm flood
of light poured out to greet us。 The Master； an elderly；
placid； comfortable man； gave me just the welcome that had
been promised in his name。 The supper was waiting； and the
evening passed in such happy cheer that the bewilderments and
misgivings of the twilight melted away； and at bedtime I
dropped into the nest of sleep as one who has found a shelter
among friends。
II
The Hilltop School stood on a blessed site。 Lifted high above
the village； it held the crest of the last gentle wave of the
mountains that filled the south with crowding billows； ragged
and tumultuous。 Northward； the great plain lay at our feet；
smiling in the sun； meadows and groves； yellow fields of
harvest and green orchards； white roads and clustering towns；
with here and there a little city on the bank of the mighty
river which curved in a vast line of beauty toward the blue
Catskill Range； fifty miles away。 Lines of filmy smoke； like
vanishing footprints in the air； marked the passage of railway
trains across the landscapetheir swift flight reduced by
distance to a leisurely transition。 The bright surface of the
stream was furrowed by a hundred vessels； tiny rowboats creeping
from shore to shore； knots of black barges following the lead of
puffing tugs； sloops with languid motion tacking against the
tide； white steamboats； like huge toy…houses； crowded with
pygmy inhabitants； moving smoothly on their way to the great
city； and disappearing suddenly as they turned into the
narrows between Storm…King and the Fishkill Mountains。 Down
there was life； incessant； varied； restless； intricate；
many…coloureddown there was history； the highway of ancient
voyagers since the days of Hendrik Hudson； the hunting…ground
of Indian tribes； the scenes of massacre and battle； the last
camp of the Army of the Revolution； the Head…quarters of
Washingtondown there were the homes of legend and
poetry； the dreamlike hills of Rip van Winkle's sleep； the
cliffs and caves haunted by the Culprit Fay； the solitudes
traversed by the Spyall outspread before us； and visible as
in a Claude Lorraine glass； in the tranquil lucidity of
distance。 And here； on the hilltop； was our own life； secluded；
yet never separated from the other life； looking down
upon it； yet woven of the same stuff； peaceful in
circumstance； yet ever busy with its own tasks； and holding in
its quiet heart all the elements of joy and sorrow and tragic
consequence。
The Master was a man of most unworldly wisdom。 In his
youth a great traveller； he had brought home many
observations； a few views； and at least one theory。 To him
the school was the most important of human institutionsmore
vital even than the home； because it held the first real
experience of social contact； of free intercourse with other
minds and lives coming from different households and embodying
different strains of blood。 〃My school；〃 said he； 〃is the
world in miniature。 If I can teach these boys to study and
play together freely and with fairness to one another； I shall
make men fit to live and work together in society。 What they
learn matters less than how they learn it。 The great thing is
the bringing out of individual character so that it will find its
place in social harmony。〃
Yet never man knew less of character in the concrete than
Master Ward。 To him each person represented a typethe
scientific； the practical； the poetic。 From each one he
expected； and in each one he found； to a certain degree； the
fruit of the marked quality； the obvious； the characteristic。
But of the deeper character； made up of a hundred traits；
coloured and conditioned most vitally by something secret and
in itself apparently of slight importance； he was placidly
unconscious。 Classes he knew。 Individuals escaped him。 Yet
he was a most companionable man； a social solitary； a friendly
hermit。
His daughter Dorothy seemed to me even more fair and
appealing by daylight than when I first saw her in the dusk。
There was a pure brightness in her brown eyes； a gentle
dignity in her look and bearing； a soft cadence of expectant joy
in her voice。 She was womanly in every tone and motion； yet by
no means weak or uncertain。 Mistress of herself and of the
house； she ruled her kingdom without an effort。 Busied with many
little cares； she bore them lightly。 Her spirit overflowed into
the lives around her with delicate sympathy and merry cheer。 But
it was in music that her nature found its widest outlet。 In the
lengthening evenings of late August she would play from Schumann；
or Chopin； or Grieg； interpreting the vague feelings of
gladness or grief which lie too deep for words。 Ballads she
loved； quaint old English and Scotch airs； folk…songs of
Germany； 〃Come…all…ye's〃 of Ireland； Canadian chansons。 She
sangnot like an angel； but like a woman。
Of the two under…masters in the school； Edward Keene was
the elder。 The younger； John Graham； was his opposite in
every respect。 Sturdy； fair…haired； plain in the face； he was
essentially an every…day man； devoted to out…of…door sports；
a hard worker； a good player； and a sound sleeper。 He came
back to the school； from a fishing…excursion； a few days after my
arrival。 I liked the way in which he told of his adventures；
with a little frank boasting； enough to season but not to spoil
the story。 I liked the way in which he took hold of his work；
helping to get the school in readiness for the return of the boys
in the middle of September。 I liked； more than all； his attitude
to Dorothy Ward。 He loved her； clearly enough。 When she was in
the room the other people were only accidents to him。 Yet there
was nothing of the disappointed suitor in his bearing。 He was
cheerful； natural； accepting the situation； giving her the
best he had to give； and gladly taking from her the frank
reliance； the ready comradeship which she bestowed upon him。
If he envied Keeneand how could he help itat least he
never showed a touch of jealousy or rivalry。 The engagement
was a fact which he took into account as something not to be
changed or questioned。 Keene was so much more brilliant；
interesting； attractive。 He answered so much more fully to
the poetic side of Dorothy's nature。 How could she help
preferring him？
Thus the three actors in the drama stood； when
I became an inmate of Hilltop； and accepted the master's
invitation to undertake some of the minor classes in English；
and stay on at the school indefinitely。 It was my wish to see
the little playa pleasant comedy； I hopedmove forward to
a happy ending。 And yetwhat was it that disturbed me now
and then with forebodings？ Something； doubtless； in the
character of Keene； for he was the dominant personality。 The
key of the situation lay with him。 He was the centre of
interest。 Yet he was the one who seemed not perfectly in
harmony； not quite at home； as if something beckoned and urged
him away。
〃I am glad you are to stay；〃 said he； 〃yet I wonder at it。
You will find the life narrow； after all your travels。
Ulysses at Ithacayou will surely be restless to see the
world again。〃
〃If you find the life broad enough； I ought not to be
cramped in it。〃
〃Ah； but I have compensations。〃
〃One you certainly have；〃 said I； thinking of Dorothy；
〃and that one is enough to make a man happy anywhere。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 he answered； quickly； 〃but that is not what I
mean。 It is not there that I look for a wider life。 Lovedo
you think that love broadens a man's outlook？ To me it seems
to make him narrowerhappier； perhaps； within his own little
circlebut distinctly narrower。 Knowledge is the only thing
that broadens life； sets it free from the tyranny of the
parish； fills it with the sense of power。 And love is the
opposite of knowledge。 Love is a kind of an illusiona happy
illusion； that is what love is。 Don't you see that？〃
〃See it？〃 I cried。 〃I don't know what you mean。 Do you
mean that you don't really care for Dorothy Ward？ Do you mean
that what you have won in her is an illusion？ If so； you are
as wrong as a man can be。〃
〃No； no；〃 he answered； eagerly； 〃you know I don't mean
that。 I could not live without her。 But love is not the only
reality。 There is something else； something broader；
something〃
〃Come away；〃 I said； 〃come away； man！ You are talking
nonsense； treason。 You are not true to yourself。 You've been
working too hard at your books。 There's a maggot in your brain。
Come out for a long walk。〃
That indeed was what he liked best。 He was a magnificent
walker； easy； steady； unwearying。 He knew every road and lane
in the valleys； every footpath and trail among the mountains。
But he cared little for walking in company； one companion was
the most that he could abide。 And； strange to say； it was not
Dorothy whom he chose for his most frequent comrade。 With her
he would saunter down the Black Brook path； or climb slowly to
the first ridge of Storm…King。 But with me he pushed out to
the farthest pinnacle that overhangs the river； and down
through the Lonely Heart gorge； and over the pass of the White
Horse； and up to the peak of Cro' Nest； and across the rugged
summit of Black Rock。 At every wider outlook a strange
exhilaration seemed to come upon him。 His spirit glowed like
a live coal in the wind。 He overflowed with brilliant talk
and curious stories of the villages and scattered houses that
we could see from our eyries。
But it was not with me that he made his longest expeditions。
They were solitary。 Early on Saturday he would leave the rest of
us； with some slight excuse； and start away on the mountain…road；
to be gone all day。 Sometimes he would not return till long
after dark。 Then I could see the anxious look deepen on
Dorothy's face； and she would slip away down the road to meet
him。 But he always came back in good spirits； talkable and
charming。 It was the next da