the poet at the breakfast table- 第39部分

It　is　natural；　and　in　one　sense　is　all　right　enough。　　I　want　to　catch
a　thief　and　put　the　extinguisher　on　an　incendiary　as　much　as　my
neighbors　do；　but　I　have　two　sides　to　my　consciousness　as　I　have　two
sides　to　my　heart；　one　carrying　dark；　impure　blood；　and　the　other　the
bright　stream　which　has　been　purified　and　vivified　by　the　great
source　of　life　and　death；the　oxygen　of　the　air　which　gives　all
things　their　vital　heat；　and　burns　all　things　at　last　to　ashes。

One　side　of　me　loves　and　hates；　the　other　side　of　me　judges；　say
rather　pleads　and　suspends　judgment。　　I　think；　if　I　were　left　to
myself；　I　should　hang　a　rogue　and　then　write　his　apology　and
subscribe　to　a　neat　monument；　commemorating；　not　his　virtues；　but　his
misfortunes。　　I　should；　perhaps；　adorn　the　marble　with　emblems；　as　is
the　custom　with　regard　to　the　more　regular　and　normally　constituted
members　of　society。　　It　would　not　be　proper　to　put　the　image　of　a
lamb　upon　the　stone　which　marked　the　resting…place　of　him　of　the
private　cemetery。　　But　I　would　not　hesitate　to　place　the　effigy　of　a
wolf　or　a　hyena　upon　the　monument。　　I　do　not　judge　these　animals；　I
only　kill　them　or　shut　them　up。　　I　presume　they　stand　just　as　well
with　their　Maker　as　lambs　and　kids；　and　the　existence　of　such　beings
is　a　perpetual　plea　for　God　Almighty's　poor；　yelling；　scalping
Indians；　his　weasand…stopping　Thugs；　his　despised　felons；　his
murdering　miscreants；　and　all　the　unfortunates　whom　we；　picked
individuals　of　a　picked　class　of　a　picked　race；　scrubbed；　combed；　and
catechized　from　our　cradles　upward；　undertake　to　find　accommodations
for　in　another　state　of　being　where　it　is　to　be　hoped　they　will　have
a　better　chance　than　they　had　in　this。

The　Master　paused；　and　took　off　his　great　round　spectacles。　　I　could
not　help　thinking　that　he　looked　benevolent　enough　to　pardon　Judas
Iscariot　just　at　that　moment；　though　his　features　can　knot　themselves
up　pretty；　formidably　on　occasion。

You　are　somewhat　of　a　phrenologist；　I　judge；　by　the　way　you　talk　of
instinctive　and　inherited　tendenciesI　said。

They　tell　me　I　ought　to　be；he　answered；　parrying　my　question；　as
I　thought。…I　have　had　a　famous　chart　made　out　of　my　cerebral
organs；　according　to　which　I　ought　to　have　beensomething　more　than
a　poor　Magister　Artaum。

I　thought　a　shade　of　regret　deepened　the　lines　on　his　broad；
antique…looking　forehead；　and　I　began　talking　about　all　the　sights　I
had　seen　in　the　way　of　monstrosities；　of　which　I　had　a　considerable
list；　as　you　will　see　when　I　tell　you　my　weakness　in　that　direction。
This；　you　understand；　Beloved；　is　private　and　confidential。

I　pay　my　quarter　of　a　dollar　and　go　into　all　the　side…shows　that
follow　the　caravans　and　circuses　round　the　country。　　I　have　made
friends　of　all　the　giants　and　all　the　dwarfs。　　I　became　acquainted
with　Monsieur　Bihin；　le　plus　bel　homme　du　monde；　and　one　of　the
biggest；　a　great　many　years　ago；　and　have　kept　up　my　agreeable
relations　with　him　ever　since。　　He　is　a　most　interesting　giant；　with
a　softness　of　voice　and　tenderness　of　feeling　which　I　find　very
engaging。　　I　was　on　friendly　terms　with　Mr。　Charles　Freeman；　a　very
superior　giant　of　American　birth；　seven　feet　four；　I　think；　in
height；　〃double…jointed；〃　of　mylodon　muscularity；　the　same　who　in　a
British　prize…ring　tossed　the　Tipton　Slasher　from　one　side　of　the
rope　to　the　other；　and　now　lies　stretched；　poor　fellow！　in　a　mighty
grave　in　the　same　soil　which　holds　the　sacred　ashes　of　Cribb；　and　the
honored　dust　of　Burke；not　the　one　〃commonly　called　the　sublime；〃
but　that　other　Burke　to　whom　Nature　had　denied　the　sense　of　hearing
lest　he　should　be　spoiled　by　listening　to　the　praises　of　the　admiring
circles　which　looked　on　his　dear…bought　triumphs。　　Nor　have　I
despised　those　little　ones　whom　that　devout　worshipper　of　Nature　in
her　exceptional　forms；　the　distinguished　Barnum；　has　introduced　to
the　notice　of　mankind。　　The　General　touches　his　chapeau　to　me；　and
the　Commodore　gives　me　a　sailor's　greeting。　　I　have　had　confidential
interviews　with　the　double…headed　daughter　of　Africa；so　far；　at
least；　as　her　twofold　personality　admitted　of　private　confidences。　　I
have　listened　to　the　touching　experiences　of　the　Bearded　Lady；　whose
rough　cheeks　belie　her　susceptible　heart。　　Miss　Jane　Campbell　has
allowed　me　to　question　her　on　the　delicate　subject　of　avoirdupois
equivalents；　and　the　armless　fair　one；　whose　embrace　no　monarch　could
hope　to　win；　has　wrought　me　a　watch…paper　with　those　despised　digits
which　have　been　degraded　from　gloves　to　boots　in　our　evolution　from
the　condition　of　quadrumana。

I　hope　you　have　read　my　experiences　as　good…naturedly　as　the　old
Master　listened　to　them。　　He　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　my　whim；　and
promised　to　go　with　me　to　see　all　the　side…shows　of　the　next　caravan。
Before　I　left　him　he　wrote　my　name　in　a　copy　of　the　new　edition　of
his　book；　telling　me　that　it　would　not　all　be　new　to　me　by　a　great
deal；　for　he　often　talked　what　he　had　printed　to　make　up　for　having
printed　a　good　deal　of　what　he　had　talked。

Here　is　the　passage　of　his　Poem　the　Young　Astronomer　read　to　us。


　　　　　WIND…CLOUDS　AND　STAR…DRIFTS。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV

》From　my　lone　turret　as　I　look　around
O'er　the　green　meadows　to　the　ring　of　blue；
》From　slope；　from　summit；　and　from　half…hid　vale
The　sky　is　stabbed　with　dagger…pointed　spires；
Their　gilded　symbols　whirling　in　the　wind；
Their　brazen　tongues　proclaiming　to　the　world；
Here　truth　is　sold；　the　only　genuine　ware；
See　that　it　has　our　trade…mark！
You　will　buy　Poison　instead　of　food　across　the　way；
The　lies　of　〃this　or　that；　each　several　name
The　standard's　blazon　and　the　battle…cry
Of　some　true…gospel　faction；　and　again
The　token　of　the　Beast　to　all　beside。
And　grouped　round　each　I　see　a　huddling　crowd
Alike　in　all　things　save　the　words　they　use；
In　love；　in　longing；　hate　and　fear　the　same。

Whom　do　we　trust　and　serve？　　We　speak　of　one
And　bow　to　many；　Athens　still　would　find
The　shrines　of　all　she　worshipped　safe　within
Our　tall　barbarian　temples；　and　the　thrones
That　crowned　Olympus　mighty　as　of　old。
The　god　of　music　rules　the　Sabbath　choir；
The　lyric　muse　must　leave　the　sacred　nine
To　help　us　please　the　dilettante's　ear；
Plutus　limps　homeward　with　us；　as　we　leave
The　portals　of　the　temple　where　we　knelt
And　listened　while　the　god　of　eloquence
（Hermes　of　ancient　days；　but　now　disguised
In　sable　vestments）　with　that　other　god
Somnus；　the　son　of　Erebus　and　Nog；
Fights　in　unequal　contest　for　our　souls；
The　dreadful　sovereign　of　the　under　world
Still　shakes　his　sceptre　at　us；　and　we　hear
The　baying　of　the　triple…throated　hound；
Eros…is　young　as　ever；　and　as　fair
The　lovely　Goddess　born　of　ocean's　foam。

These　be　thy　gods；　O　Israel！　　Who　is　he；
The　one　ye　name　and　tell　us　that　ye　serve；
Whom　ye　would　call　me　from　my　lonely　tower
To　worship　with　the　many…headed　throng？
Is　it　the　God　that　walked　in　Eden's　grove
In　the　cool　hour　to　seek　our　guilty　sire？
The　God　who　dealt　with　Abraham　as　the　sons
Of　that　old　patriarch　deal　with　other　men？
The　jealous　God　of　Moses；　one　who　feels
An　image　as　an　insult；　and　is　wroth
With　him　who　made　it　and　his　child　unborn？
The　God　who　plagued　his　people　for　the　sin
Of　their　adulterous　king；　beloved　of　him；
The　same　who　offers　to　a　chosen　few
The　right　to　praise　him　in　eternal　song
While　a　vast　shrieking　world　of　endless　woe
Blends　its　dread　chorus　with　their　rapturous　hymn？
Is　this　the　God　ye　mean；　or　is　it　he
Who　heeds　the　sparrow's　fall；　whose　loving　heart
Is　as　the　pitying　father's　to　his　child；
Whose　lesson　to　his　children　is；　〃Forgive；〃
Whose　plea　for　all；　〃They　know　not　what　they　do〃

I　claim　the　right　of　knowing　whom　I　serve；
Else　is　my　service　idle；　He　that　asks
My　homage　asks　it　from　a　reasoning　soul。
To　crawl　is　not　to　worship；　we　have　learned
A　drill　of　eyelids；　bended　neck　and　knee；
Hanging　our　prayers　on　binges；　till　we　ape
The　flexures　of　the　many…jointed　worm。
Asia　has　taught　her　Aliabs　and　salaams
To　the　world's　children；we　have　grown　to　men！
We　who　have　rolled　the　sphere　beneath　our　feet
To　find　a　virgin　forest；　as　we　lay
The　beams　of　our　rude　temple；　first　of　all
Must　frame　its　doorway　high　enough　for　man
To　pass　unstooping；　knowing　as　we　do
That　He　who　shaped　us　last　of　living　forms
Has　long　enough　been　served　by　creeping　things；
Reptiles　that　left　their　foot…prints　in　the　sand
Of　old　sea…margins　that　have　turned　to　stone；
And　men　who　learned　their　ritual；　we　demand
To　know　him　first；　then　trust　him　and　then　love
When　we　have　found　him　worthy　of　our　love；
Tried　by　our　own　poor　hearts　and　not　before；
He　must　be　truer　than　the　truest　friend；
He　must　be　tenderer　than　a　woman's　love；
A　father　better　than　the　best　of　sires；
Kinder　than　she　who　bore　us；　though　we　sin
Oftener　than　did　the　brother　we　are　told；
We…poor　ill…tempered　mortals…must　forgive；
Though　seven　times　sinning　threescore　times　and　ten。

This　is　the　new　world's　gospel：　Be　ye　men！
Try　well　the　legends　of　the　children's　time；
Ye　are　the　chosen　people；　God　has　led
Your　steps　across　the　desert　of　the　deep
As　now　across　the　desert　of　the　shore；
Mountains　are　cleft　before　you　as　the　sea
Before　the　wandering　tribe　of　Israel's　sons；
Still　onward　rolls　the　thunderous　caravan；
Its　coming　printed　on　the　western　sky；
A　cloud　by　day；　by　night　a　pillared　flame；
Your　prophets　are　a　hundred　unto　one
Of　them　of　old　who　cried；　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord〃；
They　told　of　cities　that　should　fall　in　heaps；
But　yours　of　mightier　cities　that　shall　rise
Where　yet　the　lonely　fishers　spread　their　nets；
Where　hides　the　fox　and　hoots　the　midnight　owl；
The　tree　of　knowledge　in　your　garden　grows
Not　single；　but　at　every　humble　door；
Its　branches　lend　you　their　immortal　food；
That　fills　you　with　the　sense　of　what　ye　are；
No　servants　of　an　altar　hewed　and　carved
》From　senseless　stone　by　craft　of　human　hands；
Rabbi；　or　dervish；　Brahmin；　bishop；　bonze；
But　masters　of　the　charm　with　which　they　work
To　keep　your　hands　from　that　forbidden　tree！

Ye　that　have　tasted　that　divinest　fruit；
Look　on　this　world　of　yours　with　opened　eyes！
Ye　are　as　gods！　　Nay；　makers　of　your　gods；
Each　day　ye　break　an　image　in　your　shrine
And　plant　a　fairer　i