the poet at the breakfast table-第22节

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assortment　of　luxuries　procured　with　the　five…cent　piece　given　him　by
the　kind…hearted　old　Master。　　But　yon　need　not　think　I　am　going　to
tell　you　every　time　his　popgun　goes　off；　making　a　Selah　of　him
whenever　I　want　to　change　the　subject。　　Occasionally　he　was　ill…timed
in　his　artillery　practice　and　ignominiously　rebuked；　sometimes　he　was
harmlessly　playful　and　nobody　minded　him；　but　every　now　and　then　he
came　in　so　apropos　that　I　am　morally　certain　he　gets　a　hint　from
somebody　who　watches　the　course　of　the　conversation；　and　means
through　him　to　have　a　hand　in　it　and　stop　any　of　us　when　we　are
getting　prosy。　　But　in　consequence　of　That　Boy's　indiscretion；　we
were　without　a　check　upon　our　expansiveness；　and　ran　on　in　the　way
you　have　observed　and　may　be　disposed　to　find　fault　with。


One　other　thing　the　Master　said　before　we　left　the　table；　after　our
long　talk　of　that　day。

I　have　been　tempted　sometimes；said　he；　to　envy　the　immediate
triumphs　of　the　singer。　　He　enjoys　all　that　praise　can　do　for　him　and
at　the　very　moment　of　exerting　his　talent。　　And　the　singing　women！
Once　in　a　while；　in　the　course　of　my　life；　I　have　found　myself　in　the
midst　of　a　tulip…bed　of　full…dressed；　handsome　women　in　all　their
glory；　and　when　some　one　among　them　has　shaken　her　gauzy　wings；　and
sat　down　before　the　piano；　and　then；　only　giving　the　keys　a　soft
touch　now　and　then　to　support　her　voice；　has　warbled　some　sweet；　sad
melody　intertwined　with　the　longings　or　regrets　of　some　tender…
hearted　poet；　it　has　seemed　to　me　that　so　to　hush　the　rustling　of　the
silks　and　silence　the　babble　of　the　buds；　as　they　call　the　chicks　of
a　new　season；　and　light　up　the　flame　of　romance　in　cold　hearts；　in
desolate　ones；　in　old　burnt…out　ones；like　mine；　I　was　going　to　say；
but　I　won't；　for　it　isn't　so；　and　you　may　laugh　to　hear　me　say　it
isn't　so；　if　you　like；was　perhaps　better　than　to　be　remembered　a
few　hundred　years　by　a　few　perfect　stanzas；　when　your　gravestone　is
standing　aslant；　and　your　name　is　covered　over　with　a　lichen　as　big
as　a　militia　colonel's　cockade；　and　nobody　knows　or　cares　enough
about　you　to　scrape　it　off　and　set　the　tipsy　old　slate…stone　upright
again。

I　said　nothing　in　reply　to　this；　for　I　was　thinking　of　a　sweet
singer　to　whose　voice　I　had　listened　in　its　first　freshness；　and
which　is　now　only　an　echo　in　my　memory。　　If　any　reader　of　the
periodical　in　which　these　conversations　are　recorded　can　remember　so
far　back　as　the　first　year　of　its　publication；　he　will　find　among　the
papers　contributed　by　a　friend　not　yet　wholly　forgotten　a　few　verses；
lively　enough　in　their　way；　headed　〃The　Boys。〃　　The　sweet　singer　was
one　of　this　company　of　college　classmates；　the　constancy　of　whose
friendship　deserves　a　better　tribute　than　the　annual　offerings；
kindly　meant；　as　they　are；　which　for　many　years　have　not　been　wanting
at　their　social　gatherings。　　The　small　company　counts　many　noted
personages　on　its　list；　as　is　well　known　to　those　who　are　interested
in　such　local　matters；　but　it　is　not　known　that　every　fifth　man　of
the　whole　number　now　living　is　more　or　less　of　a　poet；using　that
word　with　a　generous　breadth　of　significance。　　But　it　should　seem
that　the　divine　gift　it　implies　is　more　freely　dispensed　than　some
others；　for　while　there　are　（or　were；　for　one　has　taken　his　Last
Degree）　eight　musical　quills；　there　was　but　one　pair　of　lips　which
could　claim　any　special　consecration　to　vocal　melody。　　Not　that　one
that　should　undervalue　the　half…recitative　of　doubtful　barytones；　or
the　brilliant　escapades　of　slightly　unmanageable　falsettos；　or　the
concentrated　efforts　of　the　proprietors　of　two　or　three　effective
notes；　who　may　be　observed　lying　in　wait　for　them；　and　coming　down　on
them　with　all　their　might；　and　the　look　on　their　countenances　of　〃I
too　am　a　singer。〃　　But　the　voice　that　led　all；　and　that　all　loved　to
listen　to；　the　voice　that　was　at　once　full；　rich；　sweet；　penetrating；
expressive；　whose　ample　overflow　drowned　all　the　imperfections　and
made　up　for　all　the　shortcomings　of　the　others；　is　silent　henceforth
forevermore　for　all　earthly　listeners。

And　these　were　the　lines　that　one　of　〃The　Boys；〃　as　they　have　always
called　themselves　for　ever　so　many　years；　read　at　the　first　meeting
after　the　voice　which　had　never　failed　them　was　hushed　in　the
stillness　of　death。


　　　　　　　　　　J。　A。

　　　　　　　　　　1871。

One　memory　trembles　on　our　lips
It　throbs　in　every　breast；
In　tear…dimmed　eyes；　in　mirth's　eclipse；
The　shadow　stands　confessed。

O　silent　voice；　that　cheered　so　long
Our　manhood's　marching　day；
Without　thy　breath　of　heavenly　song；
How　weary　seems　the　way！

Vain　every　pictured　phrase　to　tell
Our　sorrowing　hearts'　desire；
The　shattered　harp；　the　broken　shell；
The　silent　unstrung　lyre；

For　youth　was　round　us　while　he　sang；
It　glowed　in　every　tone；
With　bridal　chimes　the　echoes　rang；
And　made　the　past　our　own。

O　blissful　dream！　　Our　nursery　joys
We　know　must　have　an　end；
But　love　and　friendships　broken　toys
May　God's　good　angels　mend！

The　cheering　smile；　the　voice　of　mirth
And　laughter's　gay　surprise
That　please　the　children　born　of　earth；
Why　deem　that　Heaven　denies？

Methinks　in　that　refulgent　sphere
That　knows　not　sun　or　moon；
An　earth…born　saint　might　long　to　hear
One　verse　of　〃Bonny　Doon〃；

Or　walking　through　the　streets　of　gold
In　Heaven's　unclouded　light；
His　lips　recall　the　song　of　old
And　hum　〃The　sky　is　bright。〃

And　can　we　smile　when　thou　art　dead？
Ah；　brothers；　even　so！
The　rose　of　summer　will　be　red；
In　spite　of　winter's　snow。

Thou　wouldst　not　leave　us　all　in　gloom
Because　thy　song　is　still；
Nor　blight　the　banquet…garland's　bloom
With　grief's　untimely　chill。

The　sighing　wintry　winds　complain；
The　singing　bird　has　flown；
Hark！　heard　I　not　that　ringing　strain；
That　clear　celestial　tone？

How　poor　these　pallid　phrases　seem；
How　weak　this　tinkling　line；
As　warbles　through　my　waking　dream
That　angel　voice　of　thine！

Thy　requiem　asks　a　sweeter　lay；
It　falters　on　my　tongue；
For　all　we　vainly　strive　to　say；
Thou　shouldst　thyself　have　sung！




V

I　fear　that　I　have　done　injustice　in　my　conversation　and　my　report　of
it　to　a　most　worthy　and　promising　young　man　whom　I　should　be　very
sorry　to　injure　in　any　way。　　Dr。　Benjamin　Franklin　got　hold　of　my
account　of　my　visit　to　him；　and　complained　that　I　had　made　too　much
of　the　expression　he　used。　　He　did　not　mean　to　say　that　he　thought　I
was　suffering　from　the　rare　disease　he　mentioned；　but　only　that　the
color　reminded　him　of　it。　　It　was　true　that　he　had　shown　me　various
instruments；　among　them　one　for　exploring　the　state　of　a　part　by
means　of　a　puncture；　but　he　did　not　propose　to　make　use　of　it　upon　my
person。　　In　short；　I　had　colored　the　story　so　as　to　make　him　look
ridiculous。

I　am　afraid　I　did；I　said；but　was　n't　I　colored　myself　so　as　to
look　ridiculous？　　I've　heard　it　said　that　people　with　the　jaundice
see　everything　yellow；　perhaps　I　saw　things　looking　a　little　queerly；
with　that　black　and　blue　spot　I　could　n't　account　for　threatening　to
make　a　colored　man　and　brother　of　me。　　But　I　am　sorry　if　I　have　done
you　any　wrong。　　I　hope　you　won't　lose　any　patients　by　my　making　a
little　fun　of　your　meters　and　scopes　and　contrivances。　　They　seem　so
odd　to　us　outside　people。　　Then　the　idea　of　being　bronzed　all　over
was　such　an　alarming　suggestion。　　But　I　did　not　mean　to　damage　your
business；　which　I　trust　is　now　considerable；　and　I　shall　certainly
come　to　you　again　if　I　have　need　of　the　services　of　a　physician。
Only　don't　mention　the　names　of　any　diseases　in　English　or　Latin
before　me　next　time。　　I　dreamed　about　cutis　oenea　half　the　night
after　I　came　to　see　you。

Dr。　Benjamin　took　my　apology　very　pleasantly。　　He　did　not　want　to　be
touchy　about　it；　he　said；　but　he　had　his　way　to　make　in　the　world；
and　found　it　a　little　hard　at　first；　as　most　young　men　did。　　People
were　afraid　to　trust　them；　no　matter　how　much　they　knew。　　One　of　the
old　doctors　asked　him　to　come　in　and　examine　a　patient's　heart　for
him　the　other　day。　　He　went　with　him　accordingly；　and　when　they　stood
by　the　bedside；　he　offered　his　stethoscope　to　the　old　doctor。　　The
old　doctor　took　it　and　put　the　wrong　end　to　his　ear　and　the　other　to
the　patient's　chest；　and　kept　it　there　about　two　minutes；　looking　all
the　time　as　wise　as　an　old　owl。　　Then　he；　Dr。　Benjamin；　took　it　and
applied　it　properly；　and　made　out　where　the　trouble　was　in　no　time　at
all。　　But　what　was　the　use　of　a　young　man's　pretending　to　know
anything　in　the　presence　of　an　old　owl？　　I　saw　by　their　looks；　he
said；　that　they　all　thought　I　used　the；　stethoscope　wrong　end　up；　and
was　nothing　but　a　'prentice　hand　to　the　old　doctor。

I　am　much　pleased　to　say　that　since　Dr。　Benjamin　has　had　charge　of
a　dispensary　district；　and　been　visiting　forty　or　fifty　patients　a
day；　I　have　reason　to　think　he　has　grown　a　great　deal　more　practical
than　when　I　made　my　visit　to　his　office。　　I　think　I　was　probably　one
of　his　first　patients；　and　that　he　naturally　made　the　most　of　me。
But　my　second　trial　was　much　more　satisfactory。　　I　got　an　ugly　cut
from　the　carving…knife　in　an　affair　with　a　goose　of　iron　constitution
in　which　I　came　off　secon