the blue flower-第12节

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question。　　He　is　not　the　person　to　ask　it。　I　wonder　that　he
does　not　see　the　impropriety；　the　absurdity　of　his　meddling　at
all　in　this　affair。　　Besides；　he　could　not　understand　my
answer　even　if　he　believed　it。　　But　to　the　explanation；　I　say；
Yes！　　I　will　give　it；　not　to　Graham；　but　to　you。　　I　make　you
this　proposition。　　To…morrow　is　Sunday。　　We　shall　be　excused
from　service　if　we　tell　the　master　that　we　have　important
business　to　settle　together。　　You　shall　come　with　me　on　one　of
my　long　walks。　　I　will　tell　you　all　about　them。　　Then　you　can
be　the　judge　whether　there　is　any　harm　in　them。〃

〃Does　that　satisfy　you？〃　I　said　to　Graham。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃that　seems　fair　enough。　　I　am　content
to　leave　it　in　that　way　for　the　present。　　And　to　make　it　still
more　fair；　I　want　to　take　back　what　I　said　awhile　ago；　and　to
ask　Keene's　pardon　for　it。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Keene；　quickly；　〃it　was　said　in　haste；
I　bear　no　grudge。　　You　simply　did　not　understand；　that　is
all。〃

So　we　turned　to　go　down　the　hill；　and　as　we　turned；
Dorothy　met　us；　coming　out　of　the　shadows。

〃What　are　you　men　doing　here？〃　she　asked。　　〃I　heard　your
voices　from　below。　　What　were　you　talking　about？〃

〃We　were　talking；〃　said　Keene；　〃my　dear　Dorothy；　we　were
talkingabout　walkingyes；　that　was　itabout　walking；　and
about　views。　　The　conversation　was　quite　warm；　almost　a
debate。　　Now；　you　know　all　the　view…points　in　this　region。
Which　do　you　call　the　best；　the　most　satisfying；　the　finest
prospect？　　But　I　know　what　you　will　say：　the　view　from　the
little　knoll　in　front　of　Hilltop。　　For　there；　when　you　are　tired
of　looking　far　away；　you　can　turn　around　and　see　the　old　school；
and　the　linden…trees；　and　the　garden。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　gravely；　〃that　is　really　the　view　that
I　love　best。　　I　would　give　up　all　the　others　rather　than　lose
that。〃



III


There　was　a　softness　in　the　November　air　that　brought　back
memories　of　summer；　and　a　few　belated　daisies　were　blooming　in
the　old　clearing；　as　Keene　and　I　passed　by　the　ruins　of　the
farm…house　again；　early　on　Sunday　morning。　　He　had　been
talking　ever　since　we　started；　pouring　out　his　praise　of
knowledge；　wide；　clear；　universal　knowledge；　as　the　best　of
life's　joys；　the　greatest　of　life's　achievements。　　The
practical　life　was　a　blind；　dull　routine。　　Most　men　were
toiling　at　tasks　which　they　did　not　like；　by　rules　which　they
did　not　understand。　　They　never　looked　beyond　the　edge　of
their　work。　　The　philosophical　life　was　a　spider's　webfilmy
threads　of　theory　spun　out　of　the　inner　consciousnessit　touched
the　world　only　at　certain　chosen　points　of　attachment。　　There　was
nothing　firm；　nothing　substantial　in　it。　　You　could　look　through
it　like　a　veil　and　see　the　real　world　lying　beyond。　　But　the
theorist　could　see　only　the　web　which　he　had　spun。　　Knowing　did
not　come　by　speculating；　theorising。　　Knowing　came　by　seeing。
Vision　was　the　only　real　knowledge。　　To　see　the　world；　the　whole
world；　as　it　is；　to　look　behind　the　scenes；　to　read　human　life
like　a　book；　that　was　the　glorious　thingmost　satisfying；
divine。

Thus　he　had　talked　as　we　climbed　the　hill。　　Now；　as　we
came　by　the　place　where　we　had　first　met；　a　new　eagerness
sounded　in　his　voice。

〃Ever　since　that　day　I　have　inclined　to　tell　you　something
more　about　myself。　　I　felt　sure　you　would　understand。　　I　am
planning　to　write　a　booka　book　of　knowledge；　in　the　true
sensea　great　book　about　human　life。　　Not　a　history；　not　a
theory；　but　a　real　view　of　life；　its　hidden　motives；　its
secret　relations。　　How　different　they　are　from　what　men　dream
and　imagine　and　play　that　they　are！　　How　much　darker；　how　much
smaller；　and　therefore　how　much　more　interesting　and　wonderful。
No　one　has　yet　writtenperhaps　because　no　one　has　yet
conceivedsuch　a　book　as　I　have　in　mind。　　I　might　call　it　a
'Bionopsis。'〃

〃But　surely；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　chosen　a　strange　place　to
write　itthe　Hilltop　Schoolthis　quiet　and　secluded　region！
The　stream　of　humanity　is　very　slow　and　slender　hereit
trickles。　　You　must　get　out　into　the　busy　world。　　You　must　be
in　the　full　current　and　feel　its　force。　　You　must　take　part　in
the　active　life　of　mankind　in　order　really　to　know　it。〃

〃A　mistake！〃　he　cried。　　〃Action　is　the　thing　that　blinds
men。　　You　remember　Matthew　Arnold's　line：

　　In　action's　dizzying　eddy　whurled。

To　know　the　world　you　must　stand　apart　from　it　and　above　it；
you　must　look　down　on　it。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　I；　〃you　will　have　to　find　some　secret
spring　of　inspiration；　some　point　of　vantage　from　which　you
can　get　your　outlook　and　your　insight。〃

He　stopped　short　and　looked　me　full　in　the　face。

〃And　that；〃　cried　he；　〃is　precisely　what　I　have　found！〃

Then　he　turned　and　pushed　along　the　narrow　trail　so
swiftly　that　I　had　hard　work　to　follow　him。　　After　a　few
minutes　we　came　to　a　little　stream；　flowing　through　a　grove　of
hemlocks。　　Keene　seated　himself　on　the　fallen　log　that　served
for　a　bridge　and　beckoned　me　to　a　place　beside　him。

〃I　promised　to　give　you　an　explanation　to…dayto　take　you
on　one　of　my　long　walks。　　Well；　there　is　only　one　of　them。　　It
is　always　the　same。　　You　shall　see　where　it　leads；　what　it
means。　　You　shall　share　my　secretall　the　wonder　and　glory　of
it！　　Of　course　I　know　my　conduct；　has　seemed　strange　to　you。
Sometimes　it　has　seemed　strange　even　to　me。　　I　have　been
doubtful；　troubled；　almost　distracted。　　I　have　been　risking　a
great　deal；　in　danger　of　losing　what　I　value；　what　most　men
count　the　best　thing　in　the　world。　　But　it　could　not　be
helped。　　The　risk　was　worth　while。　　A　great　discovery；　the
opportunity　of　a　lifetime；　yes；　of　an　age；　perhaps　of　many
ages；　came　to　me。　　I　simply　could　not　throw　it　away。　　I　must
use　it；　make　the　best　of　it；　at　any　danger；　at　any　cost。　　You
shall　judge　for　yourself　whether　I　was　right　or　wrong。　　But　you
must　judge　fairly；　without　haste；　without　prejudice。　　I　ask　you
to　make　me　one　promise。　　You　will　suspend　judgment；　you　will　say
nothing；　you　will　keep　my　secret；　until　you　have　been　with　me
three　times　at　the　place　where　I　am　now　taking　you。〃

By　this　time　it　was　clear　to　me　that　I　had　to　do　with　a
case　lying　far　outside　of　the　common　routine　of　life；
something　subtle；　abnormal；　hard　to　measure；　in　which　a　clear
and　careful　estimate　would　be　necessary。　　If　Keene　was
labouring　under　some　strange　delusion；　some　disorder　of　mind；
how　could　I　estimate　its　nature　or　extent；　without　time　and
study；　perhaps　without　expert　advice？　　To　wait　a　little　would
be　prudent；　for　his　sake　as　well　as　for　the　sake　of　others。
If　there　was　some　extraordinary；　reality　behind　his　mysterious
hints；　it　would　need　patience　and　skill　to　test　it。　　I　gave
him　the　promise　for　which　he　asked。

At　once；　as　if　relieved；　he　sprang　up；　and　crying；　〃Come
on；　follow　me！〃　began　to　make　his　way　up　the　bed　of　the　brook。
It　was　one　of　the　wildest　walks　that　I　have　ever　taken。　　He
turned　aside　for　no　obstacles；　swamps；　masses　of　interlacing
alders；　close…woven　thickets　of　stiff　young　spruces；
chevaux…de…frise　of　dead　trees　where　wind…falls　had　mowed　down
the　forest；　walls　of　lichen…crusted　rock；　landslides　where　heaps
of　broken　stone　were　tumbled　in　ruinous　confusionthrough
everything　he　pushed　forward。　　I　could　see；　here　and　there；　the
track　of　his　former　journeys：　broken　branches　of　witch…hazel　and
moose…wood；　ferns　trampled　down；　a　faint　trail　across　some
deeper　bed　of　moss。　　At　mid…day　we　rested　for　a　half…hour　to
eat　lunch。　　But　Keene　would　eat　nothing；　except　a　little
pellet　of　some　dark　green　substance　that　he　took　from　a　flat
silver　box　in　his　pocket。　　He　swallowed　it　hastily；　and
stooping　his　face　to　the　spring　by　which　he　had　halted；　drank
long　and　eagerly。

〃An　Indian　trick；〃　said　he；　shaking　the　drops　of　water
from　his　face。　　〃On　a　walk；　food　is　a　hindrance；　a　delay。　　But
this　tiny　taste　of　bitter　gum　is　a　tonic；　it　spurs　the　courage
and　doubles　the　strengthif　you　are　used　to　it。　　Otherwise　I
should　not　recommend　you　to　try　it。　　Faugh！　the　flavour　is　vile。〃

He　rinsed　his　mouth　again　with　water；　and　stood　up；
calling　me　to　come　on。　　The　way；　now　tangled　among　the
nameless　peaks　and　ranges；　bore　steadily　southward；　rising　all
the　time；　in　spite　of　many　brief　downward　curves　where　a　steep
gorge　must　be　crossed。　　Presently　we　came　into　a　hard…wood
forest；　open　and　easy　to　travel。　　Breasting　a　long　slope；　we
reached　the　summit　of　a　broad；　smoothly　rounding　ridge　covered
with　a　dense　growth　of　stunted　spruce。　　The　trees　rose　above
our　heads；　about　twice　the　height　of　a　man；　and　so　thick　that
we　could　not　see　beyond　them。　　But；　from　glimpses　here　and
there；　and　from　the　purity　and　lightness　of　the　air；　I　judged
that　we　were　on　far　higher　ground　than　any　we　had　yet
traversed；　the　central　comb；　perhaps；　of　the　mountain…system。

A　few　yards　ahead　of　us；　through　the　crowded　trunks　of　the
dwarf　forest；　I　saw　a　gray　mass；　like　the　wall　of　a　fortress；
across　our　path。　　It　was　a　vast　rock；　rising　from　the　crest　of
the　ridge；　lifting　its　top　above　the　sea　of　foliage。　　At　its
base　there　were　heaps　of　shattered　stones；　and　deep　crevices
almost　like　caves。　　One　side　of　the　rock　was　broken　by　a　slanting
gully。

〃Be　careful；〃　cried　my　comp