the americanization of edward bok-第11节

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ng　the　room；　came　to　his　desk；　bowing　to　the　boy　as　he　passed；　and　seated　himself；　not　speaking　a　word　and　ignoring　the　presence　of　the　two　persons　in　the　room。

Suddenly　the　boy　heard　Miss　Alcott　say：　〃Have　you　read　this　new　book　by　Ruskin　yet？〃

Slowly　the　great　master　of　thought　lifted　his　eyes　from　his　desk；　turned　toward　the　speaker；　rose　with　stately　courtesy　from　his　chair；　and；　bowing　to　Miss　Alcott；　said　with　great　deliberation：　〃Did　you　speak　to　me；　madam？〃

The　boy　was　dumfounded！　Louisa　Alcott；　his　Louisa！　And　he　did　not　know　her！　Suddenly　the　whole　sad　truth　flashed　upon　the　boy。　Tears　sprang　into　Miss　Alcott's　eyes；　and　she　walked　to　the　other　side　of　the　room。　The　boy　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do；　so　he　sat　silent。　With　a　deliberate　movement　Emerson　resumed　his　seat；　and　slowly　his　eyes　roamed　over　the　boy　sitting　at　the　side　of　the　desk。　He　felt　he　should　say　something。

〃I　thought；　perhaps；　Mr。　Emerson；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　might　be　able　to　favor　me　with　a　letter　from　Carlyle。〃

At　the　mention　of　the　name　Carlyle　his　eyes　lifted；　and　he　asked：　〃Carlyle；　did　you　say；　sir；　Carlyle？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　boy；　〃Thomas　Carlyle。〃

〃Ye…es；〃　Emerson　answered　slowly。　〃To　be　sure；　Carlyle。　Yes；　he　was　here　this　morning。　He　will　be　here　again　to…morrow　morning；〃　he　added　gleefully；　almost　like　a　child。

Then　suddenly：　〃You　were　saying〃

Edward　repeated　his　request。

〃Oh；　I　think　so；　I　think　so；〃　said　Emerson；　to　the　boy's　astonishment。　〃Let　me　see。　Yes；　here　in　this　drawer　I　have　many　letters　from　Carlyle。〃

At　these　words　Miss　Alcott　came　from　the　other　part　of　the　room；　her　wet　eyes　dancing　with　pleasure　and　her　face　wreathed　in　smiles。

〃I　think　we　can　help　this　young　man；　do　you　not　think　so；　Louisa？〃　said　Emerson；　smiling　toward　Miss　Alcott。　The　whole　atmosphere　of　the　room　had　changed。　How　different　the　expression　of　his　eyes　as　now　Emerson　looked　at　the　boy！　〃And　you　have　come　all　the　way　from　New　York　to　ask　me　that！〃　he　said　smilingly　as　the　boy　told　him　of　his　trip。　〃Now；　let　us　see；〃　he　said；　as　he　delved　in　a　drawer　full　of　letters。

For　a　moment　he　groped　among　letters　and　papers；　and　then；　softly　closing　the　drawer；　he　began　that　ominous　low　whistle　once　more；　looked　inquiringly　at　each；　and　dropped　his　eyes　straightway　to　the　papers　before　him　on　his　desk。　It　was　to　be　only　for　a　few　moments；　then！　Miss　Alcott　turned　away。

The　boy　felt　the　interview　could　not　last　much　longer。　So；　anxious　to　have　some　personal　souvenir　of　the　meeting；　he　said：　〃Mr。　Emerson；　will　you　be　so　good　as　to　write　your　name　in　this　book　for　me？〃　and　he　brought　out　an　album　he　had　in　his　pocket。

〃Name？〃　he　asked　vaguely。

〃Yes；　please；〃　said　the　boy；　〃your　name：　Ralph　Waldo　Emerson。〃

But　the　sound　of　the　name　brought　no　response　from　the　eyes。

〃Please　write　out　the　name　you　want；〃　he　said　finally；　〃and　I　will　copy　it　for　you　if　I　can。〃

It　was　hard　for　the　boy　to　believe　his　own　senses。　But　picking　up　a　pen　he　wrote：　〃Ralph　Waldo　Emerson；　Concord；　November　22；　1881。〃

Emerson　looked　at　it；　and　said　mournfully：　〃Thank　you。〃　Then　he　picked　up　the　pen；　and　writing　the　single　letter　〃R〃　stopped；　followed　his　finger　until　it　reached　the　〃W〃　of　Waldo；　and　studiously　copied　letter　by　letter！　At　the　word　〃Concord〃　he　seemed　to　hesitate；　as　if　the　task　were　too　great；　but　finally　copied　again；　letter　by　letter；　until　the　second　〃c〃　was　reached。　〃Another　'o；'〃　he　said；　and　interpolated　an　extra　letter　in　the　name　of　the　town　which　he　had　done　so　much　to　make　famous　the　world　over。　When　he　had　finished　he　handed　back　the　book；　in　which　there　was　written：

　　R。　Waldo　Emerson　　　Concord　　　November　22；　1881

The　boy　put　the　book　into　his　pocket；　and　as　he　did　so　Emerson's　eye　caught　the　slip　on　his　desk；　in　the　boy's　handwriting；　and；　with　a　smile　of　absolute　enlightenment；　he　turned　and　said：

〃You　wish　me　to　write　my　name？　With　pleasure。　Have　you　a　book　with　you？〃

Overcome　with　astonishment；　Edward　mechanically　handed　him　the　album　once　more　from　his　pocket。　Quickly　turning　over　the　leaves；　Emerson　picked　up　the　pen；　and　pushing　aside　the　slip；　wrote　without　a　moment's　hesitation：

　　Ralph　Waldo　Emerson　　　Concord

The　boy　was　almost　dazed　at　the　instantaneous　transformation　in　the　man！

Miss　Alcott　now　grasped　this　moment　to　say：　〃Well；　we　must　be　going！〃

〃So　soon？〃　said　Emerson；　rising　and　smiling。　Then　turning　to　Miss　Alcott　he　said：　〃It　was　very　kind　of　you；　Louisa；　to　run　over　this　morning　and　bring　your　young　friend。〃

Then　turning　to　the　boy　he　said：　〃Thank　you　so　much　for　coming　to　see　me。　You　must　come　over　again　while　you　are　with　the　Alcotts。　Good　morning！　Isn't　it　a　beautiful　day　out？〃　he　said；　and　as　he　shook　the　boy's　hand　there　was　a　warm　grasp　in　it；　the　fingers　closed　around　those　of　the　boy；　and　as　Edward　looked　into　those　deep　eyes　they　twinkled　and　smiled　back。

The　going　was　all　so　different　from　the　coming。　The　boy　was　grateful　that　his　last　impression　was　of　a　moment　when　the　eye　kindled　and　the　hand　pulsated。

The　two　walked　back　to　the　Alcott　home　in　an　almost　unbroken　silence。　Once　Edward　ventured　to　remark：

〃You　can　have　no　idea；　Miss　Alcott；　how　grateful　I　am　to　you。〃

〃Well；　my　boy；〃　she　answered；　〃Phillips　Brooks　may　be　right：　that　it　is　something　to　have　seen　him　even　so；　than　not　to　have　seen　him　at　all。　But　to　us　it　is　so　sad；　so　very　sad。　The　twilight　is　gently　closing　in。〃

And　so　it　provedjust　five　months　afterward。

Eventful　day　after　eventful　day　followed　in　Edward's　Boston　visit。　The　following　morning　he　spent　with　Wendell　Phillips；　who　presented　him　with　letters　from　William　Lloyd　Garrison；　Lucretia　Mott；　and　other　famous　persons；　and　then；　writing　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Charles　Francis　Adams；　whom　he　enjoined　to　give　the　boy　autograph　letters　from　his　two　presidential　forbears；　John　Adams　and　John　Quincy　Adams；　sent　Edward　on　his　way　rejoicing。　Mr。　Adams　received　the　boy　with　equal　graciousness　and　liberality。　Wonderful　letters　from　the　two　Adamses　were　his　when　he　left。

And　then；　taking　the　train　for　New　York；　Edward　Bok　went　home；　sitting　up　all　night　in　a　day…coach　for　the　double　purpose　of　saving　the　cost　of　a　sleeping…berth　and　of　having　a　chance　to　classify　and　clarify　the　events　of　the　most　wonderful　week　in　his　life！



VII。　A　Plunge　into　Wall　Street

The　father　of　Edward　Bok　passed　away　when　Edward　was　eighteen　years　of　age；　and　it　was　found　that　the　amount　of　the　small　insurance　left　behind　would　barely　cover　the　funeral　expenses。　Hence　the　two　boys　faced　the　problem　of　supporting　the　mother　on　their　meagre　income。　They　determined　to　have　but　one　goal：　to　put　their　mother　back　to　that　life　of　comfort　to　which　she　had　been　brought　up　and　was　formerly　accustomed。　But　that　was　not　possible　on　their　income。　It　was　evident　that　other　employment　must　be　taken　on　during　the　evenings。

The　city　editor　of　the　Brooklyn　Eagle　had　given　Edward　the　assignment　of　covering　the　news　of　the　theatres；　he　was　to　ascertain　〃coming　attractions〃　and　any　other　dramatic　items　of　news　interest。　One　Monday　evening；　when　a　multiplicity　of　events　crowded　the　reportorial　corps；　Edward　was　delegated　to　〃cover〃　the　Grand　Opera　House；　where　Rose　Coghlan　was　to　appear　in　a　play　that　had　already　been　seen　in　Brooklyn；　and　called；　therefore；　for　no　special　dramatic　criticism。　Yet　The　Eagle　wanted　to　cover　it。　It　so　happened　that　Edward　had　made　another　appointment　for　that　evening　which　he　considered　more　important；　and　yet　not　wishing　to　disappoint　his　editor　he　accepted　the　assignment。　He　had　seen　Miss　Coghlan　in　the　play；　so　he　kept　his　other　engagement；　and　without　approaching　the　theatre　he　wrote　a　notice　to　the　effect　that　Miss　Coghlan　acted　her　part；　if　anything；　with　greater　power　than　on　her　previous　Brooklyn　visit；　and　so　forth；　and　handed　it　in　to　his　city　editor　the　next　morning　on　his　way　to　business。

Unfortunately；　however；　Miss　Coghlan　had　been　taken　ill　just　before　the　raising　of　the　curtain；　and；　there　being　no　understudy；　no　performance　had　been　given　and　the　audience　dismissed。　All　this　was　duly　commented　upon　by　the　New　York　morning　newspapers。　Edward　read　this　bit　of　news　on　the　ferry…boat；　but　his　notice　was　in　the　hands　of　the　city　editor。

On　reaching　home　that　evening　he　found　a　summons　from　The　Eagle；　and　the　next　morning　he　received　a　rebuke；　and　was　informed　that　his　chances　with　the　paper　were　over。　The　ready　acknowledgment　and　evident　regret　of　the　crestfallen　boy；　however；　appealed　to　the　editor；　and　before　the　end　of　the　week　he　called　the　boy　to　him　and　promised　him　another　chance；　provided　the　lesson　had　sunk　in。　It　had；　and　it　left　a　lasting　impression。　It　was　always　a　cause　of　profound　gratitude　with　Edward　Bok　that　his　first　attempt　at　〃faking〃　occurred　so　early　in　his　journalistic　career　that　he　could　take　the　experience　to　heart　and　profit　by　it。

One　evening　when　Edward　was　attending　a　theatrical　performance；　he　noticed　the　restlessness　of　the　women　in　the　audience　between　the　acts。　In　those　days　it　was；　even　more　than　at　present；　the　custom　for　the　men　to　go　out　between　the　acts；　leaving　the　women　alone。　Edward　looked　at　the　programme　in　his　hands。　It　was　a　large　eleven…by…nine　sheet；　four　pages；　badly　prin