the poet at the breakfast table-第64节

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the　step　which　we　had　heard　was　that　of　one　of　the　softer…footed　sex；
he　chose　to　rise　from　his　chair　and　admit　his　visitor。

This　visitor　was　our　Landlady。　　She　was　dressed　with　more　than　usual
nicety；　and　her　countenance　showed　clearly　that　she　came　charged　with
an　important　communication。

I　did　n't　low　there　was　company　with　you；　said　the　Landlady；but
it's　jest　as　well。　　I've　got　something　to　tell　my　boarders　that　I
don't　want　to　tell　them；　and　if　I　must　do　it；　I　may　as　well　tell　you
all　at　once　as　one　to　a　time。　　I　'm　agoing　to　give　up　keeping
boarders　at　the　end　of　this　year；I　mean　come　the　end　of　December。

She　took　out　a　white　handkerchief；　at　hand　in　expectation　of　what　was
to　happen；　and　pressed　it　to　her　eyes。　　There　was　an　interval　of
silence。　　The　Master　closed　his　book　and　laid　it　on　the　table。　　The
Young　Astronomer　did　not　look　as　much　surprised　as　I　should　have
expected。　　I　was　completely　taken　aback；I　had　not　thought　of　such　a
sudden　breaking　up　of　our　little　circle。

When　the　Landlady　had　recovered　her　composure；　she　began　again：

The　Lady　that's　been　so　long　with　me　is　going　to　a　house　of　her　own；
one　she　has　bought　back　again；　for　it　used　to　belong　to　her　folks。
It's　a　beautiful　house；　and　the　sun　shines　in　at　the　front　windows
all　day　long。　　She's　going　to　be　wealthy　again；　but　it　doos　n't　make
any　difference　in　her　ways。　　I've　had　boarders　complain　when　I　was
doing　as　well　as　I　knowed　how　for　them；　but　I　never　heerd　a　word　from
her　that　wasn't　as　pleasant　as　if　she'd　been　talking　to　the
Governor's　lady。　　I've　knowed　what　it　was　to　have　women…boarders　that
find　fault；there's　some　of　'em　would　quarrel　with　me　and　everybody
at　my　table；　they　would　quarrel　with　the　Angel　Gabriel　if　he　lived　in
the　house　with　'em；　and　scold　at　him　and　tell　him　he　was　always
dropping　his　feathers　round；　if　they　could　n't　find　anything　else　to
bring　up　against　him。

Two　other　boarders　of　mine　has　given　me　notice　that　they　was
expecting　to　leave　come　the　first　of　January。　　I　could　fill　up　their
places　easy　enough；　for　ever　since　that　first　book　was　wrote　that
called　people's　attention　to　my　boarding…house；　I've　had　more　wanting
to　come　than　I　wanted　to　keep。

But　I'm　getting　along　in　life；　and　I　ain't　quite　so　rugged　as　I　used
to　be。　　My　daughter　is　well　settled　and　my　son　is　making　his　own
living。　　I've　done　a　good　deal　of　hard　work　in　my　time；　and　I　feel　as
if　I　had　a　right　to　a　little　rest。　　There's　nobody　knows　what　a　woman
that　has　the　charge　of　a　family　goes　through；　but　God　Almighty　that
made　her。　　I've　done　my　best　for　them　that　I　loved；　and　for　them　that
was　under　my　roof。　　My　husband　and　my　children　was　well　cared　for
when　they　lived；　and　he　and　them　little　ones　that　I　buried　has　white
marble　head…stones　and　foot…stones；　and　an　iron　fence　round　the　lot；
and　a　place　left　for　me　betwixt　him　and　the。。。。

Some　has　always　been　good　to　me；some　has　made　it　a　little　of　a
strain　to　me　to　get　along。　　When　a　woman's　back　aches　with
overworking　herself　to　keep　her　house　in　shape；　and　a　dozen　mouths
are　opening　at　her　three　times　a　day；　like　them　little　young　birds
that　split　their　heads　open　so　you　can　a'most　see　into　their　empty
stomachs；　and　one　wants　this　and　another　wants　that；　and　provisions
is　dear　and　rent　is　high；　and　nobody　to　look　to；then　a　sharp　word
cuts；　I　tell　you；　and　a　hard　look　goes　right　to　your　heart。　　I've
seen　a　boarder　make　a　face　at　what　I　set　before　him；　when　I　had　tried
to　suit　him　jest　as　well　as　I　knew　how；　and　I　haven't　cared　to　eat　a
thing　myself　all　the　rest　of　that　day；　and　I've　laid　awake　without　a
wink　of　sleep　all　night。　　And　then　when　you　come　down　the　next
morning　all　the　boarders　stare　at　you　and　wonder　what　makes　you　so
low…spirited；　and　why　you　don't　look　as　happy　and　talk　as　cheerful　as
one　of　them　rich　ladies　that　has　dinner…parties；　where　they've
nothing　to　do　but　give　a　few　orders；　and　somebody　comes　and　cooks
their　dinner；　and　somebody　else　comes　and　puts　flowers　on　the　table；
and　a　lot　of　men　dressed　up　like　ministers　come　and　wait　on
everybody；　as　attentive　as　undertakers　at　a　funeral。

And　that　reminds　me　to　tell　you　that　I'm　agoing　to　live　with　my
daughter。　　Her　husband's　a　very　nice　man；　and　when　he　isn't　following
a　corpse；　he's　as　good　company　as　if　he　was　a　member　of　the　city
council。　　My　son；　he's　agoing　into　business　with　the　old　Doctor　he
studied　with；　and　he's　agoing　to　board　with　me　at　my　daughter's　for　a
while；I　suppose　he'll　be　getting　a　wife　before　long。　　＇This　with　a
pointed　look　at　our　young　friend；　the　Astronomer。＇

It　is　n't　but　a　little　while　longer　that　we　are　going　to　be　together；
and　I　want　to　say　to　you　gentlemen；　as　I　mean　to　say　to　the　others
and　as　I　have　said　to　our　two　ladies；　that　I　feel　more　obligated　to；
you　for　the　way　you　've　treated　me　than　I　know　very　well　how　to　put
into　words。　　Boarders　sometimes　expect　too　much　of　the　ladies　that
provides　for　them。　　Some　days　the　meals　are　better　than　other　days；
it　can't　help　being　so。　　Sometimes　the　provision…market　is　n't　well
supplied；　sometimes　the　fire　in　the　cooking…stove　does　n't　burn　so
well　as　it　does　other　days；　sometimes　the　cook　is　n't　so　lucky　as　she
might　be。　　And　there　is　boarders　who　is　always　laying　in　wait　for　the
days　when　the　meals　is　not　quite　so　good　as　they　commonly　be；　to　pick
a　quarrel　with　the　one　that　is　trying　to　serve　them　so　as　that　they
shall　be　satisfied。　　But　you've　all　been　good　and　kind　to　me。　　I
suppose　I'm　not　quite　so　spry　and　quick…sighted　as　I　was　a　dozen
years　ago；　when　my　boarder　wrote　that　first　book　so　many　have　asked
me　about。　　Butnow　I'm　going　to　stop　taking　boarders。　　I　don't
believe　you'll　think　much　about　what　I　did　n't　do；because　I
couldn't；but　remember　that　at　any　rate　I　tried　honestly　to　serve
you。　　I　hope　God　will　bless　all　that　set　at　my　table；　old　and　young；
rich　and　poor；　merried　and　single；　and　single　that　hopes　soon　to　be
merried。　　My　husband　that's　dead　and　gone　always　believed　that　we　all
get　to　heaven　sooner　or　later；and　sence　I've　grown　older　and　buried
so　many　that　I've　loved　I've　come　to　feel　that　perhaps　I　should　meet
all　of　them　that　I've　known　hereor　at　least　as　many　of　'em　as　I
wanted　toin　a　better　world。　　And　though　I　don't　calculate　there　is
any　boarding…houses　in　heaven；　I　hope　I　shall　some　time　or　other　meet
them　that　has　set　round　my　table　one　year　after　another；　all
together；　where　there　is　no　fault…finding　with　the　food　and　no
occasion　for　it；and　if　I　do　meet　them　and　you　thereor　anywhere；
if　there　is　anything　I　can　do　for　you。。。。

。。。。Poor　dear　soul！　　Her　ideas　had　got　a　little　mixed；　and　her　heart
was　overflowing；　and　the　white　handkerchief　closed　the　scene　with　its
timely　and　greatly　needed　service。

What　a　pity；　I　have　often　thought；　that　she　came　in　just　at　that
precise　moment！　　For　the　old　Master　was　on　the　point　of　telling　us；
and　through　one　of　us　the　reading　world；I　mean　that　fraction　of　it
which　has　reached　this　point　of　the　record；at　any　rate；　of　telling
you；　Beloved；　through　my　pen；　his　solution　of　a　great　problem　we　all
have　to　deal　with。　　We　were　some　weeks　longer　together；　but　he　never
offered　to　continue　his　reading。　　At　length　I　ventured　to　give　him　a
hint　that　our　young　friend　and　myself　would　both　of　us　be　greatly
gratified　if　he　would　begin　reading　from　his　unpublished　page　where
he　had　left　off。

No；　sir；he　said；better　not；　better　not。　　That　which　means　so
much　to　me；　the　writer；　might　be　a　disappointment；　or　at　least　a
puzzle；　to　you；　the　listener。　　Besides；　if　you'll　take　my　printed
book　and　be　at　the　trouble　of　thinking　over　what　it　says；　and　put
that　with　what　you've　heard　me　say；　and　then　make　those　comments　and
reflections　which　will　be　suggested　to　a　mind　in　so　many　respects
like　mine　as　is　your　own；excuse　my　good　opinion　of　myself；

（It　is　a　high　compliment　to　me；　I　replied）　you　will　perhaps　find　you
have　the　elements　of　the　formula　and　its　consequences　which　I　was
about　to　read　you。　　It's　quite　as　well　to　crack　your　own　filberts　as
to　borrow　the　use　of　other　people's　teeth。　　I　think　we　will　wait
awhile　before　we　pour　out　the　Elixir　Vitae。

To　tell　the　honest　truth；　I　suspect　the　Master　has　found　out　that
his　formula　does　not　hold　water　quite　so　perfectly　as　he　was
thinking；　so　long　as　he　kept　it　to　himself；　and　never　thought　of
imparting　it　to　anybody　else。　　The　very　minute　a　thought　is
threatened　with　publicity　it　seems　to　shrink　towards　mediocrity；　as。
I　have　noticed　that　a　great　pumpkin；　the　wonder　of　a　village；　seemed
to　lose　at　least　a　third　of　its　dimensions　between　the　field　where　it
grew　and　the　cattle…show　fair…table；　where　it　took　its　place　with
other　enormous　pumpkins　from　other　wondering　villages。　　But　however
that　maybe；　I　shall　always　regret　that　I　had　not　the　opportunity　of
judging　for　myself　how　completely　the　Master's　formula；　which；　for
him；　at　least；　seemed　to　have　solved　the　great　problem；　would　have
accomplished　that　desirable　end　for　me。

The　Landlady's　announcement　of　her　intention　to　give　up　keeping
boarders　was　heard　with　regret　by　all　who　met　around　her　table。　　The
Member　of　the　Haouse　inquired　of　me　whether　I　could　tell　him　if　the
Lamb　Tahver