the professor at the breakfast table-第34节

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his　producing　a　Bologna　sausage；　a　plate　of　〃crackers；〃　as　we　Boston

folks　call　certain　biscuits；　and　the　bottle　of　whiskey　described　as

being　A　1。



Under　the　influence　of　the　crackers　and　sausage；　he　grew　cordial　and

communicative。



It　was　time；　I　thought；　to　sound　him　as　to　those　of　our　boarders　who

had　excited　my　curiosity。



What　do　you　think　of　our　young　Iris？I　began。



Fust…rate　little　filly；…he　said。　Pootiest　and　nicest　little　chap

I've　seen　since　the　schoolma'am　left。　　Schoolma'am　was　a　brown…

haired　one；eyes　coffee…color。　　This　one　has　got　wine…colored

eyes；'n'　that　's　the　reason　they　turn　a　fellah's　head；　I　suppose。



This　is　a　splendid　blonde；I　said；the　other　was　a　brunette。

Which　style　do　you　like　best？



Which　do　I　like　best；　boiled　mutton　or　roast　mutton？said　the　young

man　John。　　Like　'em　both；it　a'n't　the　color　of　'em　makes　the

goodness。　　I　've　been　kind　of　lonely　since　schoolma'am　went　away。

Used　to　like　to　look　at　her。　　I　never　said　anything　particular　to

her；　that　I　remember；　but…



I　don't　know　whether　it　was　the　cracker　and　sausage；　or　that　the

young　fellow's　feet　were　treading　on　the　hot　ashes　of　some　longing

that　had　not　had　time　to　cool；　but　his　eye　glistened　as　he　stopped。



I　suppose　she　wouldn't　have　looked　at　a　fellah　like　me；he　said；

but　I　come　pretty　near　tryin'。　　If　she　had　said；　Yes；　though；　I

shouldn't　have　known　what　to　have　done　with　her。　　Can't　marry　a

woman　now…a…days　till　you're　so　deaf　you　have　to　cock　your　head　like

a　parrot　to　hear　what　she　says；　and　so　longsighted　you　can't　see

what　she　looks　like　nearer　than　arm's…length。



Here　is　another　chance　for　you；I　said。　What　do　you　want　nicer

than　such　a　young　lady　as　Iris？



It's　no　use；he　answered。　I　look　at　them　girls　and　feel　as　the

fellah　did　when　he　missed　catchin'　the　trout。　'To'od　'a'　cost　more

butter　to　cook　him　'n'　he's　worth；says　the　fellah。　Takes　a　whole

piece　o'　goods　to　cover　a　girl　up　now…a…days。　　I'd　as　lief　undertake

to　keep　a　span　of　elephants；and　take　an　ostrich　to　board；　too；as

to　marry　one　of　'em。　　What's　the　use？　　Clerks　and　counter…jumpers

ain't　anything。　　Sparragrass　and　green　peas　a'n't　for　them；not

while　they're　young　and　tender。　　Hossback…ridin'　a'n't　for　them；

except　once　a　year；　on　Fast…day。　　And　marryin'　a'n't　for　them。

Sometimes　a　fellah　feels　lonely；　and　would　like　to　have　a　nice　young

woman；　to　tell　her　how　lonely　he　feels。　　And　sometimes　a　fellah；

here　the　young　man　John　looked　very　confidential；　and；　perhaps；　as

if　a　little　ashamed　of　his　weakness；sometimes　a　fellah　would　like

to　have　one　o'　them　small　young　ones　to　trot　on　his　knee　and　push

about　in　a　little　wagon；a　kind　of　a　little　Johnny；　you　know；it's

odd　enough；　but；　it　seems　to　me；　nobody　can　afford　them　little

articles；　except　the　folks　that　are　so　rich　they　can　buy　everything；

and　the　folks　that　are　so　poor　they　don't　want　anything。　　It　makes

nice　boys　of　us　young　fellahs；　no　doubt！　　And　it's　pleasant　to　see

fine　young　girls　sittin'；　like　shopkeepers　behind　their　goods；

waitin'；　and　waitin'；　and　waitin'；　'n'　no　customers；and　the　men

lingerin'　round　and　lookin'　at　the　goods；　like　folks　that　want　to　be

customers；　but　have　n't　the　money！



Do　you　think　the　deformed　gentleman　means　to　make　love　to　Iris？I

said。



What！　　Little　Boston　ask　that　girl　to　marry　him！　　Well；　now；　that's

cumin'　of　it　a　little　too　strong。　　Yes；　I　guess　she　will　marry　him

and　carry　him　round　in　a　basket；　like　a　lame　bantam：　Look　here！he

said；　mysteriously；one　of　the　boarders　swears　there's　a　woman

comes　to　see　him；　and　that　he　has　heard　her　singin'　and　screechin'。

I　should　like　to　know　what　he's　about　in　that　den　of　his。　　He　lays

low　'n'　keeps　dark；and；　I　tell　you；　there's　a　good　many　of　the

boarders　would　like　to　get　into　his　chamber；　but　he　don't　seem　to

want　'em。　　Biddy　could　tell　somethin'　about　what　she's　seen　when　she

's　been　to　put　his　room　to　rights。　　She's　a　Paddy　'n'　a　fool；　but

she　knows　enough　to　keep　her　tongue　still。　　All　I　know　is；　I　saw　her

crossin'　herself　one　day　when　she　came　out　of　that　room。　　She　looked

pale　enough；　'n'　I　heard　her　mutterin'　somethin'　or　other　about　the

Blessed　Virgin。　　If　it　had　n't　been　for　the　double　doors　to　that

chamber　of　his；　I'd　have　had　a　squint　inside　before　this；　but；

somehow　or　other；　it　never　seems　to　happen　that　they're　both　open　at

once。



What　do　you　think　he　employs　himself　about？　　said　I。



The　young　man　John　winked。



I　waited　patiently　for　the　thought；　of　which　this　wink　was　the

blossom；　to　come　to　fruit　in　words。



I　don't　believe　in　witches；said　the　young　man　John。



Nor　I。



We　were　both　silent　for　a　few　minutes。





Did　you　ever　see　the　young　girl's　drawing…books；I　said；

presently。



All　but　one；he　answered；she　keeps　a　lock　on　that；　and　won't　show

it。　　Ma'am　Allen；　（the　young　rogue　sticks　to　that　name；　in　speaking

of　the　gentleman　with　the　diamond；）　Ma'am　Allen　tried　to　peek　into

it　one　day　when　she　left　it　on　the　sideboard。　　〃If　you　please；〃　says

she；'n'　took　it　from　him；　'n'　gave　him　a　look　that　made　him　curl

up　like　a　caterpillar　on　a　hot　shovel。　　I　only　wished　he　had　n't；

and　had　jest　given　her　a　little　sass；　for　I've　been　takin'　boxin'…

lessons；　'n'　I　've　got　a　new　way　of　counterin'　I　want　to　try　on　to

somebody。



The　end　of　all　this　was；　that　I　came　away　from　the　young　fellow's

room；　feeling　that　there　were　two　principal　things　that　I　had　to

live　for；　for　the　next　six　weeks　or　six　months；　if　it　should　take　so

long。　　These　were；　to　get　a　sight　of　the　young　girl's　drawing。

book；　which　I　suspected　had　her　heart　shut　up　in　it；　and　to　get　a

look　into　the　Little　Gentleman's　room。



I　don't　doubt　you　think　it　rather　absurd　that　I　should　trouble

myself　about　these　matters。　　You　tell　me；　with　some　show　of　reason；

that　all　I　shall　find　in　the　young　girl'sbook　will　be　some

outlines　of　angels　with　immense　eyes；　traceries　of　flowers；　rural

sketches；　and　caricatures；　among　which　I　shall　probably　have　the

pleasure　of　seeing　my　own　features　figuring。　　Very　likely。　　But　I'll

tell　you　what　I　think　I　shall　find。　　If　this　child　has　idealized　the

strange　little　bit　of　humanity　over　which　she　seems　to　have　spread

her　wings　like　a　brooding　dove；if；　in　one　of　those　wild　vagaries

that　passionate　natures　are　so　liable　to；　she　has　fairly　sprung　upon

him　with　her　clasping　nature；　as　the　sea…flowers　fold　about　the

first　stray　shell…fish　that　brushes　their　outspread　tentacles；

depend　upon　it；　I　shall　find　the　marks　of　it　in　this　drawing…book　of

hers；if　I　can　ever　get　a　look　at　it；fairly；　of　course；　for　I

would　not　play　tricks　to　satisfy　my　curiosity。



Then；　if　I　can　get　into　this　Little　Gentleman's　room　under　any　fair

pretext；　I　shall；　no　doubt；　satisfy　myself　in　five　minutes　that　he

is　just　like　other　people；　and　that　there　is　no　particular　mystery

about　him。



The　night　after　my　visit　to　the　young　man　John；　I　made　all　these　and

many　more　reflections。　　It　was　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；

bright　starlight；so　light　that　I　could　make　out　the　time　on　my

alarm…clock；when　I　woke　up　trembling　and　very　moist。　　It　was　the

heavy　dragging　sound；　as　I　had　often　heard　it　before　that　waked　me。

Presently　a　window　was　softly　closed。　　I　had　just　begun　to　get　over

the　agitation　with　which　we　always　awake　from　nightmare　dreams；　when

I　heard　the　sound　which　seemed　to　me　as　of　a　woman's　voice；the

clearest；　purest　soprano　which　one　could　well　conceive　of。　　It　was

not　loud；　and　I　could　not　distinguish　a　word；　if　it　was　a　woman's

voice；　but　there　were　recurring　phrases　of　sound　and　snatches　of

rhythm　that　reached　me；　which　suggested　the　idea　of　complaint；　and

sometimes；　I　thought；　of　passionate　grief　and　despair。　　It　died　away

at　last；and　then　I　heard　the　opening　of　a　door；　followed　by　a　low；

monotonous　sound；　as　of　one　talking；and　then　the　closing　of　a

door；and　presently　the　light　on　the　opposite　wall　disappeared　and

all　was　still　for　the　night。



By　George！　　this　gets　interesting；I　said；　as　I　got　out　of　bed　for

a　change　of　night…clothes。



I　had　this　in　my　pocket　the　other　day；　but　thought　I　would　n't　read

it　at　our　celebration。　　So　I　read　it　to　the　boarders　instead；　and

print　it　to　finish　off　this　record　with。





　　　　　　　　　　ROBINSON　OF　LEYDEN。



He　sleeps　not　here；　in　hope　and　prayer

His　wandering　flock　had　gone　before；

But　he；　the　shepherd；　might　not　share

Their　sorrows　on　the　wintry　shore。



Before　the　Speedwell's　anchor　swung；

Ere　yet　the　Mayflower's　sail　was　spread；

While　round　his　feet　the　Pilgrims　clung；

The　pastor　spake；　and　thus　he　said：



〃Men；　brethren；　sisters；　children　dear！

God　calls　you　hence　from　over　sea；

Ye　may　not　build　by　Haerlem　Meer；

Nor　yet　along　the　Zuyder…Zee。



〃Ye　go　to　bear　the　saving　word

To　tribes　unnamed　and　shores　untrod：

Heed　well　the　lessons　ye　have　heard

》From　those　old　teachers　taught　of　God。



〃Yet　think　not　unt