introductory-第5节

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charge。　It　was　only　with　the　assistance　of　a　servant；　and　by　leaning

his　hand　heavily　on　the　iron　balustrade；　that　he　could　slowly　and

painfully　ascend　the　Custom…House　steps；　and；　with　a　toilsome　progress

across　the　floor；　attain　his　customary　chair　beside　the　fireplace。

There　he　used　to　sit；　gazing　with　a　somewhat　dim　serenity　of　aspect　at

the　figures　that　came　and　went；　amid　the　rustle　of　papers；　the

administering　of　oaths；　the　discussion　of　business；　and　the　casual

talk　of　the　office；　all　which　sounds　and　circumstances　seemed　but

indistinctly　to　impress　his　senses；　and　hardly　to　make　their　way

into　his　inner　sphere　of　contemplation。　His　countenance；　in　this

repose；　was　mild　and　kindly。　If　his　notice　was　sought；　an　expression

of　courtesy　and　interest　gleamed　out　upon　his　features；　proving　that

there　was　light　within　him；　and　that　it　was　only　the　outward　medium　of

the　intellectual　lamp　that　obstructed　the　rays　in　their　passage。　The

closer　you　penetrated　to　the　substance　of　his　mind；　the　sounder　it

appeared。　When　no　longer　called　upon　to　speak；　or　listen；　either　of

which　operations　cost　him　an　evident　effort；　his　face　would　briefly

subside　into　its　former　not　uncheerful　quietude。　It　was　not　painful　to

behold　this　look；　for　though　dim；　it　had　not　the　imbecility　of

decaying　age。　The　framework　of　his　nature；　originally　strong　and

massive；　was　not　yet　crumbled　into　ruin。

　　To　observe　and　define　his　character；　however；　under　such

disadvantages；　was　as　difficult　a　task　as　to　trace　out　and　build　up

anew；　in　imagination；　an　old　fortress；　like　Ticonderoga；　from　a　view

of　its　grey　and　broken　ruins。　Here　and　there；　perchance；　the　walls　may

remain　almost　complete；　but　elsewhere　may　be　only　a　shapeless　mound；

cumbrous　with　its　very　strength；　and　overgrown；　through　long　years

of　peace　and　neglect；　with　grass　and　alien　weeds。

　　Nevertheless；　looking　at　the　old　warrior　with　affection…　for；　slight

as　was　the　communication　between　us；　my　feeling　towards　him；　like　that

of　all　bipeds　and　quadrupeds　who　knew　him；　might　not　improperly　be

termed　so…　I　could　discern　the　main　points　of　his　portrait。　It　was

marked　with　the　noble　and　heroic　qualities　which　showed　it　to　be　not

by　a　mere　accident；　but　of　good　right；　that　he　had　won　a　distinguished

name。　His　spirit　could　never；　I　conceive；　have　been　characterised　by

an　uneasy　activity；　it　must；　at　any　period　of　his　life；　have

required　an　impulse　to　set　him　in　motion；　but；　once　stirred　up；　with

obstacles　to　overcome；　and　an　adequate　object　to　be　attained；　it　was

not　in　the　man　to　give　out　or　fail。　The　beat　that　had　formerly

pervaded　his　nature；　and　which　was　not　yet　extinct；　was　never　of　the

kind　that　flashes　and　flickers　in　a　blaze；　but；　rather；　a　deep；　red

glow；　as　of　iron　in　a　furnace。　Weight；　solidity；　firmness；　this　was

the　expression　of　his　repose；　even　in　such　decay　as　had　crept　untimely

over　him；　at　the　period　of　which　I　speak。　But　I　could　imagine；　even

then；　that；　under　some　excitement　which　should　go　deeply　into　his

consciousness…　roused　by　a　trumpet…peal；　loud　enough　to　awaken　all

of　his　energies　that　were　not　dead；　but　only　slumbering…　he　was　yet

capable　of　flinging　off　his　infirmities　like　a　sick　man's　gown；

dropping　the　staff　of　age　to　seize　a　battle…sword；　and　starting　up

once　more　a　warrior。　And；　in　so　intense　a　moment；　his　demeanour

would　have　still　been　calm。　Such　an　exhibition；　however；　was　but　to　be

pictured　in　fancy；　not　to　be　anticipated；　nor　desired。　What　I　saw　in

him…　as　evidently　as　the　indestructible　ramparts　of；　Old

Ticonderoga；　already　cited　as　the　most　appropriate　simile…　were　the

features　of　stubborn　and　ponderous　endurance；　which　might　well　have

amounted　to　obstinacy　in　his　earlier　days；　of　integrity；　that；　like

most　of　his　other　endowments；　lay　in　a　somewhat　heavy　mass；　and　was

just　as　unmalleable　and　unmanageable　as　a　ton　of　iron　ore；　and　of

benevolence；　which；　fiercely　as　he　led　the　bayonets　on　at　Chippewa

or　Fort　Erie；　I　take　to　be　of　quite　as　genuine　a　stamp　as　what

actuates　any　or　all　the　polemical　philanthropists　of　the　age。　He　had

slain　men　with　his　own　hand；　for　aught　I　know…　certainly；　they　had

fallen；　like　blades　of　grass　at　the　sweep　of　the　scythe；　before　the

charge　to　which　his　spirit　imparted　its　triumphant　energy…　but；　be

that　as　it　might；　there　was　never　in　his　heart　so　much　cruelty　as

would　have　brushed　the　down　off　a　butterfly's　wing。　I　have　not　known

the　man；　to　whose　innate　kindliness　I　would　more　confidently　make　an

appeal。

　　Many　characteristics…　and　those；　too；　which　contribute　not　the　least

forcibly　to　impart　resemblance　in　a　sketch…　must　have　vanished；　or

been　obscured；　before　I　met　the　General。　All　merely　graceful

attributes　are　usually　the　most　evanescent；　nor　does　Nature　adorn

the　human　ruin　with　blossoms　of　new　beauty；　that　have　their　roots

and　proper　nutriment　only　in　the　chinks　and　crevices　of　decay；　as

she　sows　wall…flowers　over　the　ruined　fortress　of　Ticonderoga。

Still；　even　in　respect　of　grace　and　beauty；　there　were　points　well

worth　noting。　A　ray　of　humour；　now　and　then；　would　make　its　way

through　the　veil　of　dim　obstruction；　and　glimmer　pleasantly　upon　our

faces。　A　trait　of　native　elegance；　seldom　seen　in　the　masculine

character　after　childhood　or　early　youth；　was　shown　in　the　General's

fondness　for　the　sight　and　fragrance　of　flowers。　An　old　soldier

might　be　supposed　to　prize　only　the　bloody　laurel　on　his　brow；　but

here　was　one；　who　seemed　to　have　a　young　girl's　appreciation　of　the

floral　tribe。

　　There；　beside　the　fireplace；　the　brave　old　General　used　to　sit；

while　the　Surveyor…　though　seldom；　when　it　could　be　avoided；　taking

upon　himself　the　difficult　task　of　engaging　him　in　conversation…　was

fond　of　standing　at　a　distance；　and　watching　his　quiet　and　almost

slumberous　countenance。　He　seemed　away　from　us；　although　we　saw　him

but　a　few　yards　off；　remote；　though　we　passed　close　beside　his

chair；　unattainable；　though　we　might　have　stretched　forth　our　hands

and　touched　his　own。　It　might　be　that　he　lived　a　more　real　life　within

his　thoughts；　than　amid　the　unappropriate　environment　of　the

Collector's　office。　The　evolutions　of　the　parade；　the　tumult　of　the

battle；　the　flourish　of　old；　heroic　music；　heard　thirty　years　before；…

such　scenes　and　sounds；　perhaps；　were　all　alive　before　his

intellectual　sense。　Meanwhile；　the　merchants　and　shipmasters；　the

spruce　clerks　and　uncouth　sailors；　entered　and　departed；　the　bustle　of

this　commercial　and　Custom…House　life　kept　up　its　little　murmur

round　about　him；　and　neither　with　the　men　nor　their　affairs　did　the

General　appear　to　sustain　the　most　distant　relation。　He　was　as　much

out　of　place　as　an　old　sword…　now　rusty；　but　which　had　flashed　once　in

the　battle's　front；　and　showed　still　a　bright　gleam　along　its　blade…

would　have　been；　among　the　inkstands；　paper…folders；　and　mahogany

rulers；　on　the　Deputy　Collector's　desk。

　　There　was　one　thing　that　much　aided　me　in　renewing　and　recreating

the　stalwart　soldier　of　the　Niagara　frontier…　the　man　of　true　and

simple　energy。　It　was　the　recollection　of　those　memorable　words　of

his…　〃I'll　try；　sir！〃…　spoken　on　the　very　verge　of　a　desperate　and

heroic　enterprise；　and　breathing　the　soul　and　spirit　of　New　England

hardihood；　comprehending　all　perils；　and　encountering　all。　If；　in

our　country；　valour　were　rewarded　by　heraldic　honour；　this　phrase…

which　it　seems　so　easy　to　speak；　but　which　only　he；　with　such　a　task

of　danger　and　glory　before　him；　has　ever　spoken…　would　be　the　best　and

fittest　of　all　mottoes　for　the　General's　shield　of　arms。

　　It　contributes　greatly　towards　a　man's　moral　and　intellectual

health；　to　be　brought　into　habits　of　companionship　with　individuals

unlike　himself；　who　care　little　for　his　pursuits；　and　whose　sphere　and

abilities　he　must　go　out　of　himself　to　appreciate。　The　accidents　of　my

life　have　often　afforded　me　this　advantage；　but　never　with　more

fulness　and　variety　than　during　my　continuance　in　office。　There　was

one　man；　especially；　the　observation　of　whose　character　gave　me　a

new　idea　of　talent。　His　gifts　were　emphatically　those　of　a　man　of

business；　prompt；　acute；　clear…minded；　with　an　eye　that　saw　through

all　perplexities；　and　a　faculty　of　arrangement　that　made　them

vanish；　as　by　the　waving　of　an　enchanter's　wand。　Bred　up　from

boyhood　in　the　Custom…House；　it　was　his　proper　field　of　activity；

and　the　many　intricacies　of　business；　so　harassing　to　the

interloper；　presented　themselves　before　him　with　the　regularity　of　a

perfectly　comprehended　system。　In　my　contemplation；　be　stood　as　the

ideal　of　his　class。　He　was；　indeed；　the　Custom…House　in　himself；　or；

at　all　events；　the　mainspring　that　kept　its　variously　revolving　wheels

in　motion；　for；　in　an　institution　like　this；　where　its　officers　are

appointed　to　subserve　their　own　profit　and　convenience；　and　seldom

with　a　leading　reference　to　their　fitness　for　the　duty　to　be

performed；　they　must　perforce　seek　elsewhere　the　d