the three taverns(三家酒店)-第9节
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more or less the same； I leave to you。 I should say less。 Whether or not；
meanwhile； We've all two legs and as for that； we haven't There were
three kinds of men where I was born： The good； the not so good； and
Tasker Norcross。 Now there are two kinds。〃
〃Meaning； as I divine； Your friend is dead；〃 I ventured。
Ferguson； Who talked himself at last out of the world He censured；
and is therefore silent now； Agreed indifferently： 〃My friends are dead
Or most of them。〃
〃Remember one that isn't；〃 I said； protesting。 〃Honor him for his ears；
Treasure him also for his understanding。〃 Ferguson sighed； and then talked
on again： 〃You have an overgrown alacrity For saying nothing much and
hearing less； And I've a thankless wonder； at the start； How much it is to
you that I shall tell What I have now to say of Tasker Norcross； And how
much to the air that is around you。 But given a patience that is not averse
To the slow tragedies of haunted men Horrors； in fact； if you've a skilful
eye To know them at their firesides； or out walking； 〃
〃Horrors；〃 I said； 〃are my necessity； And I would have them； for their
best effect； Always out walking。〃
Ferguson frowned at me： 〃The wisest of us are not those who laugh
Before they know。 Most of us never know Or the long toil of our
mortality Would not be done。 Most of us never know And there you
have a reason to believe In God； if you may have no other。 Norcross； Or so
I gather of his infirmity； Was given to know more than he should have
known； And only God knows why。 See for yourself An old house full of
ghosts of ancestors； Who did their best； or worst； and having done it； Died
honorably； and each with a distinction That hardly would have been for
him that had it； Had honor failed him wholly as a friend。 Honor that is a
friend begets a friend。 Whether or not we love him； still we have him； And
we must live somehow by what we have； Or then we die。 If you say
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chemistry； Then you must have your molecules in motion； And in their
right abundance。 Failing either； You have not long to dance。 Failing a
friend； A genius； or a madness； or a faith Larger than desperation； you are
here For as much longer than you like as may be。 Imagining now； by way
of an example； Myself a more or less remembered phantom Again； I
should say less how many times A day should I come back to you？ No
answer。 Forgive me when I seem a little careless； But we must have
examples； or be lucid Without them； and I question your adherence To
such an undramatic narrative As this of mine； without the personal hook。〃
〃A time is given in Ecclesiastes For divers works；〃 I told him。 〃Is there
one For saying nothing in return for nothing？ If not； there should be。〃 I
could feel his eyes； And they were like two cold inquiring points Of a
sharp metal。 When I looked again； To see them shine； the cold that I had
felt Was gone to make way for a smouldering Of lonely fire that I； as I
knew then； Could never quench with kindness or with lies。 I should have
done whatever there was to do For Ferguson； yet I could not have
mourned In honesty for once around the clock The loss of him； for my
sake or for his； Try as I might； nor would his ghost approve； Had I the
power and the unthinking will To make him tread again without an aim
The road that was behind him and without The faith； or friend； or genius；
or the madness That he contended was imperative。
After a silence that had been too long； 〃It may be quite as well we
don't；〃 he said； 〃As well； I mean； that we don't always say it。 You know
best what I mean； and I suppose You might have said it better。 What was
that？ Incorrigible？ Am I incorrigible？ Well； it's a word； and a word has its
use； Or； like a man； it will soon have a grave。 It's a good word enough。
Incorrigible； May be； for all I know； the word for Norcross。 See for
yourself that house of his again That he called home： An old house；
painted white； Square as a box； and chillier than a tomb To look at or to
live in。 There were trees Too many of them； if such a thing may be
Before it and around it。 Down in front There was a road； a railroad； and a
river； Then there were hills behind it； and more trees。 The thing would
fairly stare at you through trees； Like a pale inmate out of a barred
window With a green shade half down； and I dare say People who passed
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have said： ‘There's where he lives。 We know him； but we do not seem to
know That we remember any good of him； Or any evil that is interesting。
There you have all we know and all we care。' They might have said it in
all sorts of ways； And then； if they perceived a cat； they might Or might
not have remembered what they said。 The cat might have a personality
And maybe the same one the Lord left out Of Tasker Norcross； who； for
lack of it； Saw the same sun go down year after year； All which at last was
my discovery。 And only mine； so far as evidence Enlightens one more
darkness。 You have known All round you； all your days； men who are
nothing Nothing； I mean； so far as time tells yet Of any other need it has
of them Than to make sextons hardy but no less Are to themselves
incalculably something； And therefore to be cherished。 God； you see；
Being sorry for them in their fashioning； Indemnified them with a quaint
esteem Of self； and with illusions long as life。 You know them well； and
you have smiled at them； And they； in their serenity； may have had Their
time to smile at you。 Blessed are they That see themselves for what they
never were Or were to be； and are； for their defect； At ease with mirrors
and the dim remarks That pass their tranquil ears。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said I； 〃There may be names in your compendium
That we are not yet all on fire for shouting。 Skin most of us of our
mediocrity； We should have nothing then that we could scratch。 The
picture smarts。 Cover it； if you please； And do so rather gently。 Now for
Norcross。〃
Ferguson closed his eyes in resignation； While a dead sigh came out of
him。 〃Good God！〃 He said； and said it only half aloud； As if he knew no
longer now； nor cared； If one were there to listen： 〃Have I said nothing
Nothing at all of Norcross？ Do you mean To patronize him till his name
becomes A toy made out of letters？ If a name Is all you need； arrange an
honest column Of all the people you have ever known That you have
never liked。 You'll have enough； And you'll have mine； moreover。 No； not
yet。 If I assume too many privileges； I pay； and I alone； for their
assumption； By which； if I assume a darker knowledge Of Norcross than
another； let the weight Of my injustice aggravate the load That is not on
your shoulders。 When I came To know this fellow Norcross in his house； I
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found him as I found him in the street No more； no less； indifferent； but
no better。 ‘Worse' were not quite the word： he was not bad； He was not 。 。 。
well； he was not anything。 Has your invention ever entertained The picture
of a dusty worm so dry That even the early bird would shake his head And
fly on farther for another breakfast？〃
〃But why forget the fortune of the worm；〃 I said； 〃if in the dryness you
deplore Salvation centred and endured？ Your Norcross May have been one
for many to have envied。〃
〃Salvation？ Fortune？ Would the worm say that？ He might； and
therefore I dismiss the worm With all dry things but one。 Figures away； Do
you begin to see this man a little？ Do you begin to see him in the air； With
all the vacant horrors of his outline For you to fill with more than it will
hold？ If so； you needn't crown yourself at once With epic laurel if y
