idle thoughts of an idle fellow-第3节

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Old　men　and　women　can　sit　by　it　with　their　thin　hands　clasped；　the　little　children　can　nestle　down　in　front；　the　friend　and　neighbor　has　his　welcome　corner　by　its　side；　and　even　shaggy　Fido　and　sleek　Titty　can　toast　their　noses　at　the　bars。

Let　us　heap　the　coals　of　kindness　upon　that　fire。　　Throw　on　your　pleasant　words；　your　gentle　pressures　of　the　hand；　your　thoughtful　and　unselfish　deeds。　　Fan　it　with　good…humor；　patience；　and　forbearance。　You　can　let　the　wind　blow　and　the　rain　fall　unheeded　then；　for　your　hearth　will　be　warm　and　bright；　and　the　faces　round　it　will　make　sunshine　in　spite　of　the　clouds　without。

I　am　afraid；　dear　Edwin　and　Angelina；　you　expect　too　much　from　love。　You　think　there　is　enough　of　your　little　hearts　to　feed　this　fierce；　devouring　passion　for　all　your　long　lives。　　Ah；　young　folk！　don't　rely　too　much　upon　that　unsteady　flicker。　　It　will　dwindle　and　dwindle　as　the　months　roll　on；　and　there　is　no　replenishing　the　fuel。　　You　will　watch　it　die　out　in　anger　and　disappointment。　　To　each　it　will　seem　that　it　is　the　other　who　is　growing　colder。　　Edwin　sees　with　bitterness　that　Angelina　no　longer　runs　to　the　gate　to　meet　him；　all　smiles　and　blushes；　and　when　he　has　a　cough　now　she　doesn't　begin　to　cry　and；　putting　her　arms　round　his　neck；　say　that　she　cannot　live　without　him。　　The　most　she　will　probably　do　is　to　suggest　a　lozenge；　and　even　that　in　a　tone　implying　that　it　is　the　noise　more　than　anything　else　she　is　anxious　to　get　rid　of。

Poor　little　Angelina；　too；　sheds　silent　tears；　for　Edwin　has　given　up　carrying　her　old　handkerchief　in　the　inside　pocket　of　his　waistcoat。

Both　are　astonished　at　the　falling　off　in　the　other　one；　but　neither　sees　their　own　change。　　If　they　did　they　would　not　suffer　as　they　do。　They　would　look　for　the　cause　in　the　right　quarterin　the　littleness　of　poor　human　naturejoin　hands　over　their　common　failing；　and　start　building　their　house　anew　on　a　more　earthly　and　enduring　foundation。　But　we　are　so　blind　to　our　own　shortcomings；　so　wide　awake　to　those　of　others。　　Everything　that　happens　to　us　is　always　the　other　person's　fault。　　Angelina　would　have　gone　on　loving　Edwin　forever　and　ever　and　ever　if　only　Edwin　had　not　grown　so　strange　and　different。　　Edwin　would　have　adored　Angelina　through　eternity　if　Angelina　had　only　remained　the　same　as　when　he　first　adored　her。

It　is　a　cheerless　hour　for　you　both　when　the　lamp　of　love　has　gone　out　and　the　fire　of　affection　is　not　yet　lit；　and　you　have　to　grope　about　in　the　cold；　raw　dawn　of　life　to　kindle　it。　　God　grant　it　catches　light　before　the　day　is　too　far　spent。　　Many　sit　shivering　by　the　dead　coals　till　night　come。

But；　there；　of　what　use　is　it　to　preach？　　Who　that　feels　the　rush　of　young　love　through　his　veins　can　think　it　will　ever　flow　feeble　and　slow！　　To　the　boy　of　twenty　it　seems　impossible　that　he　will　not　love　as　wildly　at　sixty　as　he　does　then。　　He　cannot　call　to　mind　any　middle…aged　or　elderly　gentleman　of　his　acquaintance　who　is　known　to　exhibit　symptoms　of　frantic　attachment；　but　that　does　not　interfere　in　his　belief　in　himself。　　His　love　will　never　fall；　whoever　else's　may。　Nobody　ever　loved　as　he　loves；　and　so；　of　course；　the　rest　of　the　world's　experience　can　be　no　guide　in　his　case。　　Alas！　alas！　ere　thirty　he　has　joined　the　ranks　of　the　sneerers。　　It　is　not　his　fault。　Our　passions；　both　the　good　and　bad；　cease　with　our　blushes。　　We　do　not　hate；　nor　grieve；　nor　joy；　nor　despair　in　our　thirties　like　we　did　in　our　teens。　　Disappointment　does　not　suggest　suicide；　and　we　quaff　success　without　intoxication。

We　take　all　things　in　a　minor　key　as　we　grow　older。　　There　are　few　majestic　passages　in　the　later　acts　of　life's　opera。　　Ambition　takes　a　less　ambitious　aim。　　Honor　becomes　more　reasonable　and　conveniently　adapts　itself　to　circumstances。　　And　lovelove　dies。　　〃Irreverence　for　the　dreams　of　youth〃　soon　creeps　like　a　killing　frost　upon　our　hearts。　　The　tender　shoots　and　the　expanding　flowers　are　nipped　and　withered；　and　of　a　vine　that　yearned　to　stretch　its　tendrils　round　the　world　there　is　left　but　a　sapless　stump。

My　fair　friends　will　deem　all　this　rank　heresy；　I　know。　　So　far　from　a　man's　not　loving　after　he　has　passed　boyhood；　it　is　not　till　there　is　a　good　deal　of　gray　in　his　hair　that　they　think　his　protestations　at　all　worthy　of　attention。　　Young　ladies　take　their　notions　of　our　sex　from　the　novels　written　by　their　own；　and　compared　with　the　monstrosities　that　masquerade　for　men　in　the　pages　of　that　nightmare　literature；　Pythagoras'　plucked　bird　and　Frankenstein's　demon　were　fair　average　specimens　of　humanity。

In　these　so…called　books；　the　chief　lover；　or　Greek　god；　as　he　is　admiringly　referred　toby　the　way；　they　do　not　say　which　〃Greek　god〃　it　is　that　the　gentleman　bears　such　a　striking　likeness　to；　it　might　be　hump…backed　Vulcan；　or　double…faced　Janus；　or　even　driveling　Silenus；　the　god　of　abstruse　mysteries。　　He　resembles　the　whole　family　of　them；　however；　in　being　a　blackguard；　and　perhaps　this　is　what　is　meant。　　To　even　the　little　manliness　his　classical　prototypes　possessed；　though；　he　can　lay　no　claim　whatever；　being　a　listless　effeminate　noodle；　on　the　shady　side　of　forty。　　But　oh！　the　depth　and　strength　of　this　elderly　party's　emotion　for　some　bread…and…butter　school…girl！　　Hide　your　heads；　ye　young　Romeos　and　Leanders！　this　_blase_　old　beau　loves　with　an　hysterical　fervor　that　requires　four　adjectives　to　every　noun　to　properly　describe。

It　is　well；　dear　ladies；　for　us　old　sinners　that　you　study　only　books。　Did　you　read　mankind；　you　would　know　that　the　lad's　shy　stammering　tells　a　truer　tale　than　our　bold　eloquence。　　A　boy's　love　comes　from　a　full　heart；　a　man's　is　more　often　the　result　of　a　full　stomach。　Indeed；　a　man's　sluggish　current　may　not　be　called　love；　compared　with　the　rushing　fountain　that　wells　up　when　a　boy's　heart　is　struck　with　the　heavenly　rod。　　If　you　would　taste　love；　drink　of　the　pure　stream　that　youth　pours　out　at　your　feet。　　Do　not　wait　till　it　has　become　a　muddy　river　before　you　stoop　to　catch　its　waves。

Or　is　it　that　you　like　its　bitter　flavorthat　the　clear；　limpid　water　is　insipid　to　your　palate　and　that　the　pollution　of　its　after…course　gives　it　a　relish　to　your　lips？　　Must　we　believe　those　who　tell　us　that　a　hand　foul　with　the　filth　of　a　shameful　life　is　the　only　one　a　young　girl　cares　to　be　caressed　by？

That　is　the　teaching　that　is　bawled　out　day　by　day　from　between　those　yellow　covers。　　Do　they　ever　pause　to　think；　I　wonder；　those　devil's　ladyhelps；　what　mischief　they　are　doing　crawling　about　God's　garden；　and　telling　childish　Eves　and　silly　Adams　that　sin　is　sweet　and　that　decency　is　ridiculous　and　vulgar？　　How　many　an　innocent　girl　do　they　not　degrade　into　an　evil…minded　woman？　　To　how　many　a　weak　lad　do　they　not　point　out　the　dirty　by…path　as　the　shortest　cut　to　a　maiden's　heart？　　It　is　not　as　if　they　wrote　of　life　as　it　really　is。　　Speak　truth；　and　right　will　take　care　of　itself。　　But　their　pictures　are　coarse　daubs　painted　from　the　sickly　fancies　of　their　own　diseased　imagination。

We　want　to　think　of　women　notas　their　own　sex　would　show　themas　Lorleis　luring　us　to　destruction；　but　as　good　angels　beckoning　us　upward。　　They　have　more　power　for　good　or　evil　than　they　dream　of。　　It　is　just　at　the　very　age　when　a　man's　character　is　forming　that　he　tumbles　into　love；　and　then　the　lass　he　loves　has　the　making　or　marring　of　him。　　Unconsciously　he　molds　himself　to　what　she　would　have　him；　good　or　bad。　　I　am　sorry　to　have　to　be　ungallant　enough　to　say　that　I　do　not　think　they　always　use　their　influence　for　the　best。　　Too　often　the　female　world　is　bounded　hard　and　fast　within　the　limits　of　the　commonplace。　　Their　ideal　hero　is　a　prince　of　littleness；　and　to　become　that　many　a　powerful　mind；　enchanted　by　love；　is　〃lost　to　life　and　use　and　name　and　fame。〃

And　yet；　women；　you　could　make　us　so　much　better　if　you　only　would。　It　rests　with　you；　more　than　with　all　the　preachers；　to　roll　this　world　a　little　nearer　heaven。　　Chivalry　is　not　dead：　it　only　sleeps　for　want　of　work　to　do。　　It　is　you　who　must　wake　it　to　noble　deeds。　You　must　be　worthy　of　knightly　worship。

You　must　be　higher　than　ourselves。　　It　was　for　Una　that　the　Red　Cross　Knight　did　war。　　For　no　painted；　mincing　court　dame　could　the　dragon　have　been　slain。　　Oh；　ladies　fair；　be　fair　in　mind　and　soul　as　well　as　face；　so　that　brave　knights　may　win　glory　in　your　service！　　Oh；　woman；　throw　off　your　disguising　cloaks　of　selfishness；　effrontery；　and　affectation！　　Stand　forth　once　more　a　queen　in　your　royal　robe　of　simple　purity。　　A　thousand　swords；　now　rusting　in　ignoble　sloth；　shall　leap　from　their　scabbards　to　do　battle　for　your　honor　against　wrong。　A　thousand　Sir　Rolands　shall　lay　lance　in　rest；　and　Fear；　Avarice；　Pleasure；　and　Ambition　shall　go　down　in　the　dust　before　your　colors。

What　noble　deeds　were　we　not　ripe　for　in　the　days　when　we　loved？　　What　noble　lives　could　we　not　have　lived　for　her　sake？　　Our　love　was　a　religion　we　could　have　died　for。　　It　was　no　mere　human　creature　like　ourselves　that　we　adored。　　It　was　a　queen　that　we　paid　homage　to；　a　goddess　that　we　worshiped。

And　how　madly　we　did　worship！　　And　how　sweet　it　was　to　worship！　　Ah；　lad；　cherish　love's　young　dream　while　it　lasts！　　You　will　kno