the americanization of edward bok-第9节

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y　own　poetry　to　me。〃

Of　course　Edward　was　delighted；　and　Longfellow　gave　him　the　sheet　as　it　is　here：

　　Let　us；　then；　be　up　and　doing；　　　with　a　heart　for　any　fate；　　　Still　achieving；　still　pursuing；　　　Learn　to　labor　and　to　wait。　　　Henry　W。　Longfellow

Then；　as　the　fine　head　bent　down　to　copy　the　lines　once　more；　Edward　ventured　to　say　to　him：

〃I　should　think　it　would　keep　you　busy　if　you　did　this　for　every　one　who　asked　you。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　poet；　〃you　see；　I　am　not　so　busy　a　man　as　I　was　some　years　ago；　and　I　shouldn't　like　to　disappoint　a　little　girl；　should　you？〃

As　he　took　up　his　letters　again；　he　discovered　five　more　requests　for　his　autograph。　At　each　one　he　reached　into　a　drawer　in　his　desk；　took　a　card；　and　wrote　his　name　on　it。

〃There　are　a　good　many　of　these　every　day；〃　said　Longfellow；　〃but　I　always　like　to　do　this　little　favor。　It　is　so　little　to　do；　to　write　your　name　on　a　card；　and　if　I　didn't　do　it　some　boy　or　girl　might　be　looking；　day　by　day；　for　the　postman　and　be　disappointed。　I　only　wish　I　could　write　my　name　better　for　them。　You　see　how　I　break　my　letters？　That's　because　I　never　took　pains　with　my　writing　when　I　was　a　boy。　I　don't　think　I　should　get　a　high　mark　for　penmanship　if　I　were　at　school；　do　you？〃

〃I　see　you　get　letters　from　Europe；〃　said　the　boy；　as　Longfellow　opened　an　envelope　with　a　foreign　stamp　on　it。

〃Yes；　from　all　over　the　world；〃　said　the　poet。　Then；　looking　at　the　boy　quickly；　he　said：　〃Do　you　collect　postage…stamps？〃

Edward　said　he　did。

〃Well；　I　have　some　right　here；　then；〃　and　going　to　a　drawer　in　a　desk　he　took　out　a　bundle　of　letters；　and　cut　out　the　postage…stamps　and　gave　them　to　the　boy。

〃There's　one　from　the　Netherlands。　There's　where　I　was　born；〃　Edward　ventured　to　say。

〃In　the　Netherlands？　Then　you　are　a　real　Dutchman。　Well！　Well！〃　he　said；　laying　down　his　pen。　〃Can　you　read　Dutch？〃

The　boy　said　he　could。

〃Then；〃　said　the　poet；　〃you　are　just　the　boy　I　am　looking　for。〃　And　going　to　a　bookcase　behind　him　he　brought　out　a　book；　and　handing　it　to　the　boy；　he　said；　his　eyes　laughing：　〃Can　you　read　that？〃

It　was　an　edition　of　Longfellow's　poems　in　Dutch。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Edward。　〃These　are　your　poems　in　Dutch。〃

〃That's　right；〃　he　said。　〃Now；　this　is　delightful。　I　am　so　glad　you　came。　I　received　this　book　last　week；　and　although　I　have　been　in　the　Netherlands；　I　cannot　speak　or　read　Dutch。　I　wonder　whether　you　would　read　a　poem　to　me　and　let　me　hear　how　it　sounds。〃

So　Edward　took　〃The　Old　Clock　on　the　Stairs；〃　and　read　it　to　him。

The　poet's　face　beamed　with　delight。　〃That's　beautiful；〃　he　said；　and　then　quickly　added：　〃I　mean　the　language；　not　the　poem。〃

〃Now；〃　he　went　on；　〃I'll　tell　you　what　we'll　do：　we'll　strike　a　bargain。　We　Yankees　are　great　for　bargains；　you　know。　If　you　will　read　me　'The　Village　Blacksmith'　you　can　sit　in　that　chair　there　made　out　of　the　wood　of　the　old　spreading　chestnut…tree；　and　I'll　take　you　out　and　show　you　where　the　old　shop　stood。　Is　that　a　bargain？〃

Edward　assured　him　it　was。　He　sat　in　the　chair　of　wood　and　leather；　and　read　to　the　poet　several　of　his　own　poems　in　a　language　in　which；　when　he　wrote　them；　he　never　dreamed　they　would　ever　be　printed。　He　was　very　quiet。　Finally　he　said：　〃It　seems　so　odd；　so　very　odd；　to　hear　something　you　know　so　well　sound　so　strange。〃

〃It's　a　great　compliment；　though；　isn't　it；　sir？〃　asked　the　boy。

〃Ye…es；〃　said　the　poet　slowly。　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　added　quickly。　〃It　is；　my　boy；　a　very　great　compliment。〃

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　rousing　himself；　as　a　maid　appeared；　〃that　means　luncheon；　or　rather；〃　he　added；　〃it　means　dinner；　for　we　have　dinner　in　the　old　New　England　fashion；　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　I　am　all　alone　today；　and　you　must　keep　me　company；　will　you？　Then　afterward　we'll　go　and　take　a　walk；　and　I'll　show　you　Cambridge。　It　is　such　a　beautiful　old　town；　even　more　beautiful；　I　sometimes　think；　when　the　leaves　are　off　the　trees。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　take　you　up…stairs；　and　you　can　wash　your　hands　in　the　room　where　George　Washington　slept。　And　comb　your　hair；　too；　if　you　want　to；〃　he　added；　〃only　it　isn't　the　same　comb　that　he　used。〃

To　the　boyish　mind　it　was　an　historic　breaking　of　bread；　that　midday　meal　with　Longfellow。

〃Can　you　say　grace　in　Dutch？〃　he　asked；　as　they　sat　down；　and　the　boy　did。

〃Well；〃　the　poet　declared；　〃I　never　expected　to　hear　that　at　my　table。　I　like　the　sound　of　it。〃

Then　while　the　boy　told　all　that　he　knew　about　the　Netherlands；　the　poet　told　the　boy　all　about　his　poems。　Edward　said　he　liked　〃Hiawatha。〃

〃So　do　I；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　think　I　like　'Evangeline'　better。　Still；〃　he　added；　〃neither　one　is　as　good　as　it　should　be。　But　those　are　the　things　you　see　afterward　so　much　better　than　you　do　at　the　time。〃

It　was　a　great　event　for　Edward　when；　with　the　poet　nodding　and　smiling　to　every　boy　and　man　he　met；　and　lifting　his　hat　to　every　woman　and　little　girl；　he　walked　through　the　fine　old　streets　of　Cambridge　with　Longfellow。　At　one　point　of　the　walk　they　came　to　a　theatrical　bill…board　announcing　an　attraction　that　evening　at　the　Boston　Theatre。　Skilfully　the　old　poet　drew　out　from　Edward　that　sometimes　he　went　to　the　theatre　with　his　parents。　As　they　returned　to　the　gate　of　〃Craigie　House〃　Edward　said　he　thought　he　would　go　back　to　Boston。

〃And　what　have　you　on　hand　for　this　evening？〃　asked　Longfellow。

Edward　told　him　he　was　going　to　his　hotel　to　think　over　the　day's　events。

The　poet　laughed　and　said：

〃Now；　listen　to　my　plan。　Boston　is　strange　to　you。　Now　we're　going　to　the　theatre　this　evening；　and　my　plan　is　that　you　come　in　now；　have　a　little　supper　with　us；　and　then　go　with　us　to　see　the　play。　It　is　a　funny　play；　and　a　good　laugh　will　do　you　more　good　than　to　sit　in　a　hotel　all　by　yourself。　Now；　what　do　you　think？〃

Of　course　the　boy　thought　as　Longfellow　did；　and　it　was　a　very　happy　boy　that　evening　who；　in　full　view　of　the　large　audience　in　the　immense　theatre；　sat　in　that　box。　It　was；　as　Longfellow　had　said；　a　play　of　laughter；　and　just　who　laughed　louder；　the　poet　or　the　boy；　neither　ever　knew。

Between　the　acts　there　came　into　the　box　a　man　of　courtly　presence；　dignified　and　yet　gently　courteous。

〃Ah！　Phillips；〃　said　the　poet；　〃how　are　you？　You　must　know　my　young　friend　here。　This　is　Wendell　Phillips；　my　boy。　Here　is　a　young　man　who　told　me　to…day　that　he　was　going　to　call　on　you　and　on　Phillips　Brooks　to…morrow。　Now　you　know　him　before　he　comes　to　you。〃

〃I　shall　be　glad　to　see　you；　my　boy；〃　said　Mr。　Phillips。　〃And　so　you　are　going　to　see　Phillips　Brooks？　Let　me　tell　you　something　about　Brooks。　He　has　a　great　many　books　in　his　library　which　are　full　of　his　marks　and　comments。　Now；　when　you　go　to　see　him　you　ask　him　to　let　you　see　some　of　those　books；　and　then；　when　he　isn't　looking；　you　put　a　couple　of　them　in　your　pocket。　They　would　make　splendid　souvenirs；　and　he　has　so　many　he　would　never　miss　them。　You　do　it；　and　then　when　you　come　to　see　me　tell　me　all　about　it。〃

And　he　and　Longfellow　smiled　broadly。

An　hour　later；　when　Longfellow　dropped　Edward　at　his　hotel；　he　had　not　only　a　wonderful　day　to　think　over　but　another　wonderful　day　to　look　forward　to　as　well！

He　had　breakfasted　with　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes；　dined；　supped；　and　been　to　the　theatre　with　Longfellow；　and　to…morrow　he　was　to　spend　with　Phillips　Brooks。

Boston　was　a　great　place；　Edward　Bok　thought；　as　he　fell　asleep。



VI。　Phillips　Brooks's　Books　and　Emerson's　Mental　Mist

No　one　who　called　at　Phillips　Brooks's　house　was　ever　told　that　the　master　of　the　house　was　out　when　he　was　in。　That　was　a　rule　laid　down　by　Doctor　Brooks：　a　maid　was　not　to　perjure　herself　for　her　master's　comfort　or　convenience。　Therefore；　when　Edward　was　told　that　Doctor　Brooks　was　out；　he　knew　he　was　out。　The　boy　waited；　and　as　he　waited　he　had　a　chance　to　look　around　the　library　and　into　the　books。　The　rector's　faithful　housekeeper　said　he　might　when　he　repeated　what　Wendell　Phillips　had　told　him　of　the　interest　that　was　to　be　found　in　her　master's　books。　Edward　did　not　tell　her　of　Mr。　Phillips's　advice　to　〃borrow〃　a　couple　of　books。　He　reserved　that　bit　of　information　for　the　rector　of　Trinity　when　he　came　in；　an　hour　later。

〃Oh！　did　he？〃　laughingly　said　Doctor　Brooks。　〃That　is　nice　advice　for　a　man　to　give　a　boy。　I　am　surprised　at　Wendell　Phillips。　He　needs　a　little　talk：　a　ministerial　visit。　And　have　you　followed　his　shameless　advice？〃　smilingly　asked　the　huge　man　as　he　towered　above　the　boy。　〃No？　And　to　think　of　the　opportunity　you　had；　too。　Well；　I　am　glad　you　had　such　respect　for　my　dumb　friends。　For　they　are　my　friends；　each　one　of　them；〃　he　continued；　as　he　looked　fondly　at　the　filled　shelves。　〃Yes；　I　know　them　all；　and　love　each　for　its　own　sake。　Take　this　little　volume；〃　and　he　picked　up　a　little　volume　of　Shakespeare。　〃Why；　we　are　the　best　of　friends：　we　have　travelled　miles　togetherall　over　the　world；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　It　knows　me　in　all　my　moods；　and　responds　to　each；　no　matter　how　irritable　I　am。　Yes；　it　is　pretty　badly　marked　up　now；　for　a　fact；　isn't　it？　Black；　I　never　thought　of　that　before　that　it　doesn't　make　a　book　look　any　better　to　the　eye。　But　it　means　more　to　me　because　of　all　that　pencilling。

〃Now；　some