passages from an old volume of life-第9节
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tims； was dragged into the light of day。 He had a good deal to say； too； about the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh； and the famous preparations； mercurial and the rest； which I remember well having seen there；the 〃sudabit multum。〃 and others；also of our New York Professor Carnochan's handiwork； a specimen of which I once admired at the New York College。 But the doctor was not in a happy frame of mind； and seemed willing to forget the present in the past： things went wrong； somehow； and the time was out of joint with him。
Dr。 Thompson； kind； cheerful； companionable； offered me half his own wide bed； in the house of Dr。 Baer； for my second night in Middletown。 Here I lay awake again another night。 Close to the house stood an ambulance in which was a wounded Rebel officer； attended by one of their own surgeons。 He was calling out in a loud voice； all night long； as it seemed to me； 〃Doctor！ Doctor！ Driver！ Water！〃 in loud； complaining tones； I have no doubt of real suffering； but in strange contrast with the silent patience which was the almost universal rule。
The courteous Dr。 Thompson will let me tell here an odd coincidence； trivial； but having its interest as one of a series。 The Doctor and myself lay in the bed； and a lieutenant； a friend of his； slept on the sofa； At night； I placed my match…box； a Scotch one； of the Macpherson…plaid pattern； which I bought years ago； on the bureau； just where I could put my hand upon it。 I was the last of the three to rise in the morning； and on looking for my pretty match…box； I found it was gone。 This was rather awkward；not on account of the loss； but of the unavoidable fact that one of my fellow…lodgers must have taken it。 I must try to find out what it meant。
〃By the way； Doctor； have you seen anything of a little plaid…pattern match…box？〃
The Doctor put his hand to his pocket； and； to his own huge surprise and my great gratification； pulled out two match…boxes exactly alike； both printed with the Macpherson plaid。 One was his； the other mine； which he had seen lying round； and naturally took for his own； thrusting it into his pocket； where it found its twin…brother from the same workshop。 In memory of which event； we exchanged boxes； like two Homeric heroes。
This curious coincidence illustrates well enough some supposed cases of plagiarism of which I will mention one where my name figured。 When a little poem called 〃The Two Streams 〃 was first printed； a writer in the New York 〃Evening Post〃 virtually accused the author of it of borrowing the thought from a baccalaureate sermon of President Hopkins of Williamstown； and printed a quotation from that discourse； which； as I thought； a thief or catch…poll might well consider as establishing a fair presumption that it was so borrowed。 I was at the same time wholly unconscious of ever having met with the discourse or the sentence which the verses were most like； nor do I believe I ever had seen or heard either。 Some time after this； happening to meet my eloquent cousin； Wendell Phillips； I mentioned the fact to him； and he told me that he had once used the special image said to be borrowed； in a discourse delivered at Williamstown。 On relating this to my friend Mr。 Buchanan Read； he informed me that he too； had used the image；perhaps referring to his poem called 〃The Twins。〃 He thought Tennyson had used it also。 The parting of the streams on the Alps is poetically elaborated in a passage attributed to 〃M。 Loisne；〃 printed in the 〃Boston Evening Transcript〃 for October 23； 1859。 Captain； afterwards Sir Francis Head； speaks of the showers parting on the Cordilleras； one portion going to the Atlantic； one to the Pacific。 I found the image running loose in my mind； without a halter。 It suggested itself as an illustration of the will； and I worked the poem out by the aid of Mitchell's School Atlas。 The spores of a great many ideas are floating about in the atmosphere。 We no more know where all the growths of our mind came from； than where the lichens which eat the names off from the gravestones borrowed the germs that gave them birth。 The two match… boxes were just alike； but neither was a plagiarism。
In the morning I took to the same wagon once more； but； instead of James Grayden； I was to have for my driver a young man who spelt his name 〃Phillip Ottenheimer〃 and whose features at once showed him to be an Israelite。 I found him agreeable enough； and disposed to talk。 So I asked him many questions about his religion； and got some answers that sound strangely in Christian ears。 He was from Wittenberg； and had been educated in strict Jewish fashion。 From his childhood he had read Hebrew； but was not much of a scholar otherwise。 A young person of his race lost caste utterly by marrying a Christian。 The Founder of our religion was considered by the Israelites to have been 〃a right smart man and a great doctor。〃 But the horror with which the reading of the New Testament by any young person of their faith would be regarded was as great； I judged by his language； as that of one of our straitest sectaries would be； if he found his son or daughter perusing the 〃Age of Reason。〃
In approaching Frederick； the singular beauty of its clustered spires struck me very much； so that I was not surprised to find 〃Fair…View〃 laid down about this point on a railroad map。 I wish some wandering photographer would take a picture of the place； a stereoscopic one； if possible； to show how gracefully； how charmingly； its group of steeples nestles among the Maryland hills。 The town had a poetical look from a distance； as if seers and dreamers might dwell there。 The first sign I read； on entering its long street； might perhaps be considered as confirming my remote impression。 It bore these words： 〃Miss Ogle； Past； Present； and Future。〃 On arriving； I visited Lieutenant Abbott； and the attenuated unhappy gentleman； his neighbor； sharing between them as my parting gift what I had left of the balsam known to the Pharmacopoeia as Spiritus Vini Gallici。 I took advantage of General Shriver's always open door to write a letter home； but had not time to partake of his offered hospitality。 The railroad bridge over the Monocacy had been rebuilt since I passed through Frederick； and we trundled along over the track toward Baltimore。
It was a disappointment； on reaching the Eutaw House； where I had ordered all communications to be addressed； to find no telegraphic message from Philadelphia or Boston； stating that Captain H。 had arrived at the former place； 〃wound doing well in good spirits expects to leave soon for Boston。〃 After all； it was no great matter； the Captain was； no doubt； snugly lodged before this in the house called Beautiful； at * * * * Walnut Street； where that 〃grave and beautiful damsel named Discretion〃 had already welcomed him； smiling； though 〃the water stood in her eyes；〃 and had 〃called out Prudence； Piety； and Charity； who； after a little more discourse with him； had him into the family。〃
The friends I had met at the Eutaw House had all gone but one； the lady of an officer from Boston； who was most amiable and agreeable； and whose benevolence； as I afterwards learned； soon reached the invalids I had left suffering at Frederick。 General Wool still walked the corridors； inexpansive； with Fort McHenry on his shoulders； and Baltimore in his breeches…pocket； and his courteous aid again pressed upon me his kind offices。 About the doors of the hotel the news…boys cried the papers in plaintive； wailing tones； as different from the sharp accents of their Boston counterparts as a sigh from the southwest is from a northeastern breeze。 To understand what they said was； of course； impossible to any but an educated ear； and if I made out 〃Starr〃 and 〃Clipp'rr；〃 it was because I knew beforehand what must be the burden of their advertising coranach。
I set out for Philadelphia on the morrow； Tuesday the twenty…third； there beyond question to meet my Captain； once more united to his brave wounded companions under that roof which covers a household of as noble hearts as ever throbbed with human sympathies。 Back River； Bush River； Gunpowder Creek；lives there the man with soul so dead that his memory has cerements to wrap up these senseless names in the same envelopes with their meaningless localities？ But the Susquehanna；the broad； the beautiful； the historical； the poetical Susquehanna；the river of Wyoming and of Gertrude； dividing the shores where
〃Aye those sunny mountains half…way down Would echo flageolet from some romantic town；〃
did not my heart renew its allegiance to the poet who has made it lovely to the imagination as well as to the eye； and so identified his fame with the noble stream that it 〃rolls mingling with his fame forever？〃 The prosaic traveller perhaps remembers it better from the fact that a great sea…monster； in the shape of a steamboat； takes him； sitting in the car； on its back； and swims across with him like Arion's dolphin；also that mercenary men on board offer him canvas… backs in the season； and ducks of lower degree at other periods。
At Philadelphia again at last！ Drive fast； O colored man and brother； to the house called Beautiful； where my Captain lies sore wounded；
