over the teacups-第27节

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hurried　out　their　pocket…handkerchiefs；　and　I　almost　expected　a　semi…

hysteric　cataclysm。　　At　this　critical　moment　Number　Five　called

Delilah　to　her；　looked　into　her　face　with　those　calm　eyes　of　hers；

and　spoke　a　few　soft　words。　　Was　Number　Five　forgetful；　too？　　Did　she

not　remember　the　difference　of　their　position？　　I　suppose　so。　　But

she　quieted　the　poor　handmaiden　as　simply　and　easily　as　a　nursing

mother　quiets　her　unweaned　baby。　　Why　are　we　not　all　in　love　with

Number　Five？　　Perhaps　we　are。　　At　any　rate；　I　suspect　the　Professor。

When　we　all　get　quiet；　I　will　touch　him　up　about　that　visit　she

promised　to　make　to　his　laboratory。



I　got　a　chance　at　last　to　speak　privately　with　him。



〃Did　Number　Five　go　to　meet　you　in　your　laboratory；　as　she　talked　of

doing？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　of　course　she　did；why；　she　said　she　would！〃



〃Oh；　to　be　sure。　　Do　tell　me　what　she　wanted　in　your　laboratory。〃



〃She　wanted　me　to　burn　a　diamond　for　her。〃



〃Burn　a　diamond！　　What　was　that　for？　　Because　Cleopatra　swallowed　a

pearl？〃



〃No；　nothing　of　that　kind。　　It　was　a　small　stone；　and　had　a　flaw　in

it。　　Number　Five　said　she　did　n't　want　a　diamond　with　a　flaw　in　it；

and　that　she　did　want　to　see　how　a　diamond　would　burn。〃



〃Was　that　all　that　happened？〃



〃That　was　all。　　She　brought　the　two　Annexes　with　her；　and　I　gave　my

three　visitors　a　lecture　on　carbon；　which　they　seemed　to　enjoy　very

much。〃



I　looked　steadily　in　the　Professor's　face　during　the　reading　of　the

following　poem。　　I　saw　no　questionable　look　upon　it；but　he　has　a

remarkable　command　of　his　features。　　Number　Five　read　it　with　a

certain　archness　of　expression；　as　if　she　saw　all　its　meaning；　which

I　think　some　of　the　company　did　not　quite　take　in。　　They　said　they

must　read　it　slowly　and　carefully。　　Somehow；　〃I　like　you〃　and　〃I　love

you〃　got　a　little　mixed；　as　they　heard　it。　　It　was　not　Number　Five's

fault；　for　she　read　it　beautifully；　as　we　all　agreed；　and　as　I　knew

she　would　when　I　handed　it　to　her。





　　　　　　　　　　I　LIKE　YOU　AND　I　LOVE　YOU。



　　　　　I　LIKE　YOU　met　I　LOVE　YOU；　face　to　face；

　　　　　The　path　was　narrow；　and　they　could　not　pass。

　　　　　I　LIKE　YOU　smiled；　I　LOVE　YOU　cried；　Alas！

　　　　　And　so　they　halted　for　a　little　space。



　　　　〃Turn　thou　and　go　before；〃　I　LOVE　YOU　said；

‘　　　〃Down　the　green　pathway；　bright　with　many　a　flower

　　　　　Deep　in　the　valley；　lo！　　my　bridal　bower

　　　　　Awaits　thee。〃　But　I　LIKE　YOU　shook　his　head。



　　　　　Then　while　they　lingered　on　the　span…wide　shelf

　　　　　That　shaped　a　pathway　round　the　rocky　ledge；

　　　　　I　LIKE　YOU　bared　his　icy　dagger's　edge；

　　　　　And　first　he　slew　I　LOVE　YOU；then　himself。









VII



There　is　no　use　in　burdening　my　table　with　those　letters　of　inquiry

as　to　where　our　meetings　are　held；　and　what　are　the　names　of　the

persons　designated　by　numbers；　or　spoken　of　under　the　titles　of　the

Professor；　the　Tutor；　and　so　forth。　　It　is　enough　that　you　are　aware

who　I　am；　and　that　I　am　known　at　the　tea…table　as　The　Dictator。

Theatrical　〃asides〃　are　apt　to　be　whispered　in　a　pretty　loud　voice；

and　the　persons　who　ought　not　to　have　any　idea　of　what　is　said　are

expected　to　be　reasonably　hard　of　bearing。　　If　I　named　all　The

Teacups；　some　of　them　might　be　offended。　　If　any　of　my　readers　happen

to　be　able　to　identify　any　one　Teacup　by　some　accidental

circumstance；say；　for　instance；　Number　Five；　by　the　incident　of　her

burning　the　diamond；I　hope　they　will　keep　quiet　about　it。　　Number

Five　does　n't　want　to　be　pointed　out　in　the　street　as　the　extravagant

person　who　makes　use　of　such　expensive　fuel；　for　the　story　would　soon

grow　to　a　statement　that　she　always　uses　diamonds；　instead　of　cheaper

forms　of　carbon；　to　heat　her　coffee　with。　　So　with　other　members　of

the　circle。　　The　〃Cracked　Teacup；〃　Number　Seven；　would　not；　perhaps；

be　pleased　to　recognize　himself　under　that　title。　　I　repeat　it；

therefore；　Do　not　try　to　identify　the　individual　Teacups。　　You　will

not　get　them　right；　or；　if　you　do；　you　may　too　probably　make　trouble。

How　is　it　possible　that　I　can　keep　up　my　freedom　of　intercourse　with

you　all　if　you　insist　on　bellowing　my　〃asides〃　through　a　speaking…

trumpet？　　Besides；　you　cannot　have　failed　to　see　that　there　are

strong　symptoms　of　the　springing　up　of　delicate　relations　between

some　of　our　number。　　I　told　you　how　it　would　be。　　It　did　not　require

a　prophet　to　foresee　that　the　saucy　intruder　who；　as　Mr。　Willis

wrote；　and　the　dear　dead　girls　used　to　sing；　in　our　young　days；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Taketh　every　form　of　air；

　　　　　　　　　　And　every　shape　of　earth；

　　　　　　　　　　And　comes　unbidden　everywhere；

　　　　　　　　　　Like　thought's　mysterious　birth；〃



would　pop　his　little　curly　head　up　between　one　or　more　pairs　of

Teacups。　　If　you　will　stop　these　questions；　then；　I　will　go　on　with

my　reports　of　what　was　said　and　done　at　our　meetings　over　the

teacups。



Of　all　things　beautiful　in　this　fair　world；　there　is　nothing　so

enchanting　to　look　upon；　to　dream　about；　as　the　first　opening　of　the

flower　of　young　love。　　How　closely　the　calyx　has　hidden　the　glowing

leaves　in　its　quiet　green　mantle！　　Side　by　side；　two　buds　have　been

tossing　jauntily　in　the　breeze；　often　brought　very　near　to　each

other；　sometimes　touching　for　a　moment；　with　a　secret　thrill　in　their

close…folded　heart…leaves；　it　may　be；　but　still　the　cool　green　sepals

shutting　tight　over　the　burning　secret　within。　　All　at　once　a　morning

ray　touches　one　of　the　two　buds；　and　the　point　of　a　blushing　petal

betrays　the　imprisoned　and　swelling　blossom。





Oh；　no；　I　did　not　promise　a　love…story。　　There　may　be　a　little

sentiment　now　and　then；　but　these　papers　are　devoted　chiefly　to　the

opinions；　prejudices；　fancies；　whims；　of　myself；　The　Dictator；　and

others　of　The　Teacups　who　have　talked　or　written　for　the　general

benefit　of　the　company。



Here　are　some　of　the　remarks　I　made　the　other　evening　on　the　subject

of　Intellectual　Over…Feeding　and　its　consequence；　Mental　Dyspepsia。

There　is　something　positively　appalling　in　the　amount　of　printed

matter　yearly；　monthly；　weekly；　daily；　secreted　by　that　great　gland

of　the　civilized　organism；　the　press。　　I　need　not　dilate　upon　this

point；　for　it　is　brought　home　to　every　one　of　you　who　ever　looks　into

a　bookstore　or　a　public　library。　　So　large　is　the　variety　of　literary

products　continually　coming　forward；　forced　upon　the　attention　of　the

reader　by　stimulating　and　suggestive　titles；　commended　to　his　notice

by　famous　names；　recasting　old　subjects　and　developing　and

illustrating　new　ones；　that　the　mind　is　liable　to　be　urged　into　a

kind　of　unnatural　hunger；　leading　to　a　repletion　which　is　often

followed　by　disgust　and　disturbed　nervous　conditions　as　its　natural

consequence。



It　has　long　been　a　favorite　rule　with　me；　a　rule　which　I　have　never

lost　sight　of；　however　imperfectly　I　have　carried　it　out：　Try　to　know

enough　of　a　wide　range　of　subjects　to　profit　by　the　conversation　of

intelligent　persons　of　different　callings　and　various　intellectual

gifts　and　acquisitions。　　The　cynic　will　paraphrase　this　into　a

shorter　formula：　Get　a　smattering　in　every　sort　of　knowledge。　　I　must

therefore　add　a　second　piece　of　advice：　Learn　to　hold　as　of　small

account　the　comments　of　the　cynic。　　He　is　often　amusing；　sometimes

really　witty；　occasionally；　without　meaning　it；　instructive；　but　his

talk　is　to　profitable　conversation　what　the　stone　is　to　the　pulp　of

the　peach；　what　the　cob　is　to　the　kernels　on　an　ear　of　Indian　corn。

Once　more：　Do　not　be　bullied　out　of　your　common　sense　by　the

specialist；　two　to　one；　he　is　a　pedant；　with　all　his　knowledge　and

valuable　qualities；　and　will　〃cavil　on　the　ninth　part　of　a　hair；〃　if

it　will　give　him　a　chance　to　show　off　his　idle　erudition。



I　saw　attributed　to　me；　the　other　day；　the　saying；　〃Know　something

about　everything；　and　everything　about　something。〃　　I　am　afraid　it

does　not　belong　to　me；　but　I　will　treat　it　as　I　used　to　treat　a　stray

boat　which　came　through　my　meadow；　floating　down　the　Housatonic；get

hold　of　it　and　draw　it　ashore；　and　hold　on　to　it　until　the　owner

turns　up。　　If　this　precept　is　used　discreetly；　it　is　very

serviceable；　but　it　is　as　well　to　recognize　the　fact　that　you　cannot

know　something　about　everything　in　days　like　these　of　intellectual

activity；　of　literary　and　scientific　production。　　We　all　feel　this。

It　makes　us　nervous　to　see　the　shelves　of　new　books；　many　of　which　we

feel　as　if　we　ought　to　read；　and　some　among　them　to　study。　　We　must

adopt　some　principle　of　selection　among　the　books　outside　of　any

particular　branch　which　we　may　have　selected　for　study。　　I　have　often

been　asked　what　books　I　would　recommend　for　a　course　of　reading。　　I

have　always　answered　that　I　had　a　great　deal　rather　take　advice　than

give　it。　　Fortunately；　a　number　of　scholars　have　furnished　lists　of

books　to　which　the　inquirer　may　be　directed。　　But　the　worst　of　it　is

that　each　student　is　in　need　of　a　little　library　speci