almost anhydrous organism。
We left him with professions of esteem and respect which were real。
We had gone； not to scoff； but very probably to smile； and I will not
say we did not。 But the Master was more thoughtful than usual。
If I had not solemnly dedicated myself to the study of the Order of
Things；he said；I do verily believe I would give what remains to
me of life to the investigation of some single point I could utterly
eviscerate and leave finally settled for the instruction and； it may
be； the admiration of all coming time。 The keel ploughs ten thousand
leagues of ocean and leaves no trace of its deep…graven furrows。 The
chisel scars only a few inches on the face of a rock； but the story
it has traced is read by a hundred generations。 The eagle leaves no
track of his path； no memory of the place where he built his nest；
but a patient mollusk has bored a little hole in a marble column of
the temple of Serapis； and the monument of his labor outlasts the
altar and the statue of the divinity。
Whew！said I to myself；that sounds a little like what we college
boys used to call a 〃squirt。〃 The Master guessed my thought and
said； smiling；
That is from one of my old lectures。 A man's tongue wags along
quietly enough； but his pen begins prancing as soon as it touches
paper。 I know what you are thinkingyou're thinking this is a
squirt。 That word has taken the nonsense out of a good many high…
stepping fellows。 But it did a good deal of harm too； and it was a
vulgar lot that applied it oftenest。
I am at last perfectly satisfied that our Landlady has no designs on
the Capitalist； and as well convinced that any fancy of mine that he
was like to make love to her was a mistake。 The good woman is too
much absorbed in her children； and more especially in 〃the Doctor；〃
as she delights to call her son； to be the prey of any foolish desire
of changing her condition。 She is doing very well as it is； and if
the young man succeeds； as I have little question that he will； I
think it probable enough that she will retire from her position as
the head of a boarding…house。 We have all liked the good woman who
have lived with her；I mean we three friends who have put ourselves
on record。 Her talk； I must confess； is a little diffuse and not
always absolutely correct； according to the standard of the great
Worcester； she is subject to lachrymose cataclysms and semiconvulsive
upheavals when she reverts in memory to her past trials； and
especially when she recalls the virtues of her deceased spouse； who
was； I suspect； an adjunct such as one finds not rarely annexed to a
capable matron in charge of an establishment like hers； that is to
say； an easy…going； harmless； fetch…and…carry； carve…and…help； get…
out…of…the…way kind of neuter； who comes up three times （as they say
drowning people do） every day； namely； at breakfast； dinner； and tea；
and disappears； submerged beneath the waves of life； during the
intervals of these events。
It is a source of genuine delight to me； who am of a kindly nature
enough； according to my own reckoning； to watch the good woman； and
see what looks of pride and affection she bestows upon her Benjamin；
and how； in spite of herself； the maternal feeling betrays its
influence in her dispensations of those delicacies which are the
exceptional element in our entertainments。 I will not say that
Benjamin's mess； like his Scripture namesake's； is five times as
large as that of any of the others； for this would imply either an
economical distribution to the guests in general or heaping the poor
young man's plate in a way that would spoil the appetite of an
Esquimau； but you may be sure he fares well if anybody does； and I
would have you understand that our Landlady knows what is what as
well as who is who。
I begin really to entertain very sanguine expectations of young
Doctor Benjamin Franklin。 He has lately been treating a patient of
whose good…will may prove of great importance to him。 The Capitalist
hurt one of his fingers somehow or other； and requested our young
doctor to take a look at it。 The young doctor asked nothing better
than to take charge of the case； which proved more serious than might
have been at first expected； and kept him in attendance more than a
week。 There was one very odd thing about it。 The Capitalist seemed
to have an idea that he was like to be ruined in the matter of
bandages；small strips of worn linen which any old woman could have
spared him from her rag…bag； but which； with that strange perversity
which long habits of economy give to a good many elderly people； he
seemed to think were as precious as if they had been turned into
paper and stamped with promises to pay in thousands； from the
national treasury。 It was impossible to get this whim out of him；
and the young doctor had tact enough to humor him in it。 All this
did not look very promising for the state of mind in which the
patient was like to receive his bill for attendance when that should
be presented。 Doctor Benjamin was man enough； however； to come up to
the mark； and sent him in such an account as it was becoming to send
a man of ample means who had been diligently and skilfully cared for。
He looked forward with some uncertainty as to how it would be
received。 Perhaps his patient would try to beat him down； and Doctor
Benjamin made up his mind to have the whole or nothing。 Perhaps he
would pay the whole amount； but with a look； and possibly a word；
that would make every dollar of it burn like a blister。
Doctor Benjamin's conjectures were not unnatural； but quite remote
from the actual fact。 As soon as his patient had got entirely well；
the young physician sent in his bill。 The Capitalist requested him
to step into his room with him； and paid the full charge in the
handsomest and most gratifying way； thanking him for his skill and
attention； and assuring him that he had had great satisfaction in
submitting himself to such competent hands； and should certainly
apply to him again in case he should have any occasion for a medical
adviser。 We must not be too sagacious in judging people by the
little excrescences of their character。 Ex pede Herculem may often
prove safe enough； but ex verruca Tullium is liable to mislead a
hasty judge of his fellow…men。
I have studied the people called misers and thought a good deal about
them。 In former years I used to keep a little gold by me in order to
ascertain for myself exactly the amount of pleasure to be got out of
handling it； this being the traditional delight of the old…fashioned
miser。 It is by no means to be despised。 Three or four hundred
dollars in double…eagles will do very well to experiment on。 There
is something very agreeable in the yellow gleam； very musical in the
metallic clink； very satisfying in the singular weight； and very
stimulating in the feeling that all the world over these same yellow
disks are the master…keys that let one in wherever he wants to go；
the servants that bring him pretty nearly everything he wants； except
virtue；and a good deal of what passes for that。 I confess； then；
to an honest liking for the splendors and the specific gravity and
the manifold potentiality of the royal metal； and I understand； after
a certain imperfect fashion； the delight that an old ragged wretch；
starving himself in a crazy hovel； takes in stuffing guineas into old
stockings and filling earthen pots with sovereigns； and every now and
then visiting his hoards and fingering the fat pieces； and thinking
ever all that they represent of earthly and angelic and diabolic
energy。 A miser pouring out his guineas into his palm and bathing
his shrivelled and trembling hands in the yellow heaps before him； is
not the prosaic being we are in the habit of thinking him。 He is a
dreamer； almost a poet。 You and I read a novel or a poem to help our
imaginations to build up palaces； and transport us into the emotional
states and the felicitous conditions of the ideal characters pictured
in the book we are reading。 But think of him and the significance of
the symbols he is handling as compared with the empty syllables and
words we are using to build our aerial edifices with！ In this hand
he holds the smile of beauty and in that the dagger of revenge。 The
contents of that old glove will buy him the willing service of many
an adroit sinner； and with what that coarse sack contains he can
purchase the prayers of holy men for all succeeding time。 In this
chest is a castle in Spain； a real one； and not only in Spain； but
anywhere he will choose to have it。 If he would know what is the
liberality of judgment of any of the straiter sects； he has only to
hand over that box of rouleaux to the trustees of one of its
educational institutions for the endowment of two or three
professorships。 If he would dream of being remembered by coming
generations； what monument so enduring as a college building that
shall bear his name； and even when its solid masonry shall crumble
give place to another still charged with the same sacred duty of
perpetuating his remembrance。 Who was Sir Matthew Holworthy； that
his name is a household word on the lips of thousands of scholars；
and will be centuries hence； as that of Walter de Merton； dead six
hundred years ago； is to…day at Oxford？ Who was Mistress Holden；
that she should be blessed among women by having her name spoken
gratefully and the little edifice she caused to be erected preserved
as her monument from generation to generation？ All these
possibilities； the lust of the eye； the lust of the flesh； the pride
of life； the tears of grateful orphans by the gallon； the prayers of
Westminster Assembly's Catechism divines by the thousand； the masses
of priests by the century；all these things； and more if more there
be that the imagination of a lover of gold is likely to range over；
the miser hears and sees and feels and hugs and enjoys as he paddles
with his lean hands among the sliding； shining； ringing； innocent…
looking bits of yellow metal； toying with them as the lion…tamer
handles the great carnivorous monster； whose might and whose terrors
are child's play to the latent forces and power of