an old town by the sea(滨海古城)-第14节
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illumined by a gleam of intelligence such as had not been detected in him
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previous to his mischance。 As Polonius said of Hamletanother unstrung
mortalTilton's replies had 〃a happiness that often madness hits on； which
reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of。〃 One morning；
he appeared at the flour…mill with a sack of corn to be ground for the
almshouse； and was asked what he knew。 〃Some things I know；〃 replied
poor Tilton； 〃and some things I don't know。 I know the miller's hogs grow
fat； but I don't know whose corn they fat on。〃 To borrow another word
from Polonius； though this be madness； yet there was method in it。 Tilton
finally brought up in the almshouse； where he was allowed the liberty of
roaming at will through the town。 He loved the water…side as if he had had
all his senses。 Often he was seen to stand for hours with a sunny； torpid
smile on his lips； gazing out upon the river where its azure ruffles itself
into silver against the islands。 He always wore stuck in his hat a few hen's
feathers； perhaps with some vague idea of still associating himself with the
birds of the air； if hens can come into that category。
George Jaffrey； third of the name； was a character of another
complexion； a gentleman born； a graduate of Harvard in 1730； and one of
His Majesty's Council in 1766a man with the blood of the lion and the
unicorn in every vein。 He remained to the bitter end； and beyond； a devout
royalist； prizing his shoe…buckles； not because they were of chased silver；
but because they bore the tower mark and crown stamp。 He stoutly
objected to oral prayer； on the ground that it gave rogues and hypocrites an
opportunity to impose on honest folk。 He was punctilious in his attendance
at church； and unfailing in his responses； though not of a particularly
devotional temperament。 On one occasion； at least； his sincerity is not to
be questioned。 He had been deeply irritated by some encroachments on the
boundaries of certain estates； and had gone to church that forenoon with
his mind full of the matter。 When the minister in the course of reading the
service came to the apostrophe； 〃Cursed be he who removeth his
neighbor's landmark；〃 Mr。 Jeffrey's feelings were too many for him； and
he cried out 〃Amen！〃 in a tone of voice that brought smiles to the
adjoining pews。
Mr。 Jaffrey's last will and testament was a whimsical document； in
spite of the Hon。 Jeremiah Mason； who drew up the paper。 It had
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originally been Mr。 Jaffrey's plan to leave his possessions to his beloved
friend； Colonel Joshua Wentworth； but the colonel by some maladroitness
managed to turn the current of Pactolus in another direction。 The vast
property was bequeathed to George Jaffrey Jeffries； the testator's
grandnephew； on condition that the heir； then a lad of thirteen； should drop
the name of Jeffries； reside permanently in Portsmouth； and adopt no
profession excepting that of gentleman。 There is an immense amount of
Portsmouth as well as George Jaffrey in that final clause。 George the
fourth handsomely complied with the requirements； and dying at the age
of sixty…six； without issue or assets； was the last of that particular line of
Georges。 I say that he handsomely complied with the requirements of the
will； but my statement appears to be subject to qualification； for on the day
of his obsequies it was remarked of him by a caustic contemporary： 〃Well；
yes； Mr。 Jaffrey was a gentleman by profession； but not eminent in his
profession。〃
This modest exhibition of profiles； in which I have attempted to
preserve no chronological sequence； ends with the silhouette of Dr。 Joseph
Moses。
If Boston in the colonial days had her Mather Byles； Portsmouth had
her Dr。 Joseph Moses。 In their quality as humorists； the outlines of both
these gentlemen have become rather broken and indistinct。 〃A jest's
prosperity lies in the ear that hears it。〃 Decanted wit inevitably loses its
bouquet。 A clever repartee belongs to the precious moment in which it is
broached； and is of a vintage that does not usually bear transportation。 Dr。
Moseshe received his diploma not from the College of Physicians； but
from the circumstance of his having once drugged his private demijohn of
rum； and so nailed an inquisitive negro named SamboDr。 Moses； as he
was always called； had been handed down to us by tradition as a fellow of
infinite jest and of most excellent fancy； but I must confess that I find his
high spirits very much evaporated。 His humor expended itself； for the
greater part； in practical pleasantrieslike that practiced on the minion
Sambobut these diversions； however facetious to the parties concerned；
lack magnetism for outsiders。 I discover nothing about him so amusing as
the fact that he lived in a tan…colored little tenement； which was neither
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clapboarded nor shingled； and finally got an epidermis from the discarded
shingles of the Old South Church when the roof of that edifice was
repaired。
Dr。 Moses； like many persons of his time and class； was a man of
protean employmentjoiner； barber； and what not。 No doubt he had much
pithy and fluent conversation； all of which escapes us。 He certainly
impressed the Hon。 Theodore Atkinson as a person of uncommon parts；
for the Honorable Secretary of the Province； like a second Haroun Al
Raschid； often summoned the barber to entertain him with his company。
One eveningand this is the only reproducible instance of the doctor's
readinessMr。 Atkinson regaled his guest with a diminutive glass of
choice Madeira。 The doctor regarded it against the light with the half…
closed eye of the connoisseur； and after sipping the molten topaz with
satisfaction； inquired how old it was。 〃Of the vintage of about sixty years
ago；〃 was the answer。 〃Well；〃 said the doctor reflectively； 〃I never in my
life saw so small a thing of such an age。〃 There are other mots of his on
record； but their faces are suspiciously familiar。 In fact； all the witty things
were said aeons ago。 If one nowadays perpetrates an original joke； one
immediately afterward finds it in the Sanskirt。 I am afraid that Dr。 Joseph
Moses has no very solid claims on us。 I have given him place here because
he has long had the reputation of a wit； which is almost as good as to be
one。
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VII。 PERSONAL
REMINISCENCES
THE running of the first train over the Eastern Road from Boston to
Portsmouthit took place somewhat more than forty years agowas
attended by a serious accident。 The accident occurred in the crowded
station at the Portsmouth terminus； and was unobserved at the time。 The
catastrophe was followed； though not immediately； by death； and that also；
curiously enough； was unobserved。 Nevertheless； this initial train；
freighted with so many hopes and the Directors of the Road； ran over and
killedLOCAL CHARACTER。
Up to that day Portsmouth had been a very secluded little community；
and had had the courage of its seclusion。 From time to time it had calmly
produced an individual built on plans and specifications of its own；
without regard to the prejudices and conventionalities of outlying districts。
This individual was purely indigenous。 He was born in the town； he lived
to a good old age in the town； and never went out of the place； until he
was finally laid under it。 To him； Boston； though only fifty…six miles away；
was virtually an unknown quantityonly fifty…six miles by brutal
geographical measurement； but thousands o
