the friendly road-第27节

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It's　a　great　thing　to　wear　shabby　clothes　and　an　old　hat。　Some　of　the　best　things　I　have　ever　known；　like　these　experiences　of　the　streets；　have　resulted　from　coming　up　to　life　from　underneath；　of　being　taken　for　less　than　I　am　rather　than　for　more　than　I　am。

I　did　not　always　believe　in　this　doctrine。　For　many　yearsthe　years　before　I　was　rightly　born　into　this　alluring　worldI　tried　quite　the　opposite　course。　I　was　constantly　attempting　to　come　down　to　life　from　above。　Instead　of　being　content　to　carry　through　life　a　sufficiently　wonderful　being　named　David　Grayson　I　tried　desperately　to　set　up　and　support　a　sort　of　dummy　creature　which；　so　clad；　so　housed；　so　fed；　should　appear　to　be　what　I　thought　David　Grayson　ought　to　appear　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。　Oh；　I　spent　quite　a　lifetime　trying　to　satisfy　other　people！

Once　I　remember　staying　at　home；　in　bed；　reading　〃Huckleberry　Finn；〃　while　I　sent　my　trousers　out　to　be　mended。

Well；　that　dummy　Grayson　perished　in　a　cornfield。　His　empty　coat　served　well　for　a　scarecrow。　A　wisp　of　straw　stuck　out　through　a　hole　in　his　finest　hat。

And　Ithe　man　withinI　escaped；　and　have　been　out　freely　upon　the　great　adventure　of　life。

If　a　shabby　coat　（and　I　speak　here　also　symbolically；　not　forgetful　of　spiritual　significances）　lets　you　into　the　adventurous　world　of　those　who　are　poor　it　does　not　on　the　other　hand　rob　you　of　any　true　friendship　among　those　who　are　rich　or　mighty。　I　say　true　friendship；　for　unless　a　man　who　is　rich　and　mighty　is　able　to　see　through　my　shabby　coat　（as　I　see　through　his　fine　one）；　I　shall　gain　nothing　by　knowing　him。

I've　permitted　myself　all　this　digressionleft　myself　walking　alone　there　in　the　streets　of　Kilburn　while　I　philosophized　upon　the　ways　and　means　of　lifenot　without　design；　for　I　could　have　had　no　such　experiences　as　I　did　have　in　Kilburn　if　I　had　worn　a　better　coat　or　carried　upon　me　the　evidences　of　security　in　life。

I　think　I　have　already　remarked　upon　the　extraordinary　enlivenment　of　wits　which　comes　to　the　man　who　has　been　without　a　meal　or　so　and　does　not　know　when　or　where　he　is　again　to　break　his　fast。　Try　it；　friend　and　see！　It　was　already　getting　along　in　the　evening；　and　I　knew　or　supposed　I　knew　no　one　in　Kilburn　save　only　Bill　Hahn；　Socialist　who　was　little　better　off　than　I　was。

In　this　emergency　my　mind　began　to　work　swiftly。　A　score　of　fascinating　plans　for　getting　my　supper　and　a　bed　to　sleep　in　flashed　through　my　mind。

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃when　I　come　to　think　of　it；　I'm　comparatively　rich。　I'll　warrant　there　are　plenty　of　places　in　Kilburn；　and　good　ones；　too；　where　I　could　barter　a　chapter　of　Montaigne　and　a　little　good　conversation　for　a　first…rate　supper；　and　I've　no　doubt　that　I　could　whistle　up　a　bed　almost　anywhere！〃

I　thought　of　a　little　motto　I　often　repeat　to　myself：

TO　KNOW　LIFE；　BEGIN　ANYWHERE！

There　were　several　people　on　the　streets　of　Kilburn　that　night　who　don't　know　yet　how　very　near　they　were　to　being　boarded　by　a　somewhat　shabby　looking　farmer　who　would　have　offered　them；　let　us　say；　a　notable　musical　production　called　〃Old　Dan　Tucker；〃　exquisitely　performed　on　a　tin　whistle；　in　exchange　for　a　good　honest　supper。

There　was　one　man　in　particulara　fine；　pompous　citizen　who　came　down　the　street　swinging　his　cane　and　looking　as　though　the　universe　was　a　sort　of　Christmas　turkey；　lying　all　brown　and　sizzling　before　him　ready　to　be　carveda　fine　pompous　citizen　who　never　realized　how　nearly　Fate　with　a　battered　volume　of　Montaigne　in　one　hand　and　a　tin　whistle　in　the　othercame　to　pouncing　upon　him　that　evening！　And　I　am　firmly　convinced　that　if　I　had　attacked　him　with　the　Great　Particular　Word　he　would　have　carved　me　off　a　juicy　slice　of　the　white　breast　meat。

〃I'm　getting　hungry；〃　I　said；　〃I　must　find　Bill　Hahn！〃

I　had　turned　down　a　side　street；　and　seeing　there　in　front　of　a　building　a　number　of　lounging　men　with　two　or　three　cabs　or　carriages　standing　nearby　in　the　street　I　walked　up　to　them。　It　was　a　livery　barn。

Now　I　like　all　sorts　of　out…of…door　people：　I　seem　to　be　related　to　them　through　horses　and　cattle　and　cold　winds　and　sunshine。　I　like　them　and　understand　them；　and　they　seem　to　like　me　and　understand　me。　So　I　walked　up　to　the　group　of　jolly　drivers　and　stablemen　intending　to　ask　my　directions。　The　talking　died　out　and　they　all　turned　to　look　at　me。　I　suppose　I　was　not　altogether　a　familiar　type　there　in　the　city　streets。　My　bag；　especially；　seemed　to　set　me　apart　as　a　curious　person。

〃Friends；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　a　farmer〃

They　all　broke　out　laughing；　they　seemed　to　know　it　already！　I　was　just　a　little　taken　aback；　but　I　laughed；　too；　knowing　that　there　was　a　way　of　getting　at　them　if　only　I　could　find　it。

〃It　may　surprise　you；〃　I　said；　but　this　is　the　first　time　in　some　dozen　years　that　I've　been　in　a　big　city　like　this。〃

〃You　hadn't　'ave　told　us；　partner！〃　said　one　of　them；　evidently　the　wit　of　the　group；　in　a　rich　Irish　brogue。

〃Well；〃　I　responded；　laughing　with　the　best　of　them；　〃you've　been　living　right　here　all　the　time；　and　don't　realize　how　amusing　and　curious　the　city　looks　to　me。　Why；　I　feel　as　though　I　had　been　away　sleeping　for　twenty　years；　like　Rip　Van　Winkle。　When　I　left　the　city　there　was　scarcely　an　automobile　to　be　seen　anywhereand　now　look　at　them　snorting　through　the　streets。　I　counted　twenty…two　passing　that　corner　up　there　in　five　minutes　by　the　clock。〃

This　was　a　fortunate　remark；　for　I　found　instantly　that　the　invasion　of　the　automobile　was　a　matter　of　tremendous　import　to　such　Knights　of　Bucephalus　as　these。

At　first　the　wit　interrupted　me　with　amusing　remarks；　as　wits　will；　but　I　soon　had　him　as　quiet　as　the　others。　For　I　have　found　the　things　that　chiefly　interest　people　are　the　things　they　already　know　aboutprovided　you　show　them　that　these　common　things　are　still　mysterious；　still　miraculous；　as　indeed　they　are。

After　a　time　some　one　pushed　me　a　stable　stool　and　I　sat　down　among　them；　and　we　had　quite　a　conversation；　which　finally　developed　into　an　amusing　comparison　（I　wish　I　had　room　to　repeat　it　here）　between　the　city　and　the　country。　I　told　them　something　about　my　farm；　how　much　I　enjoyed　it；　and　what　a　wonderful　free　life　one　had　in　the　country。　In　this　I　was　really　taking　an　unfair　advantage　of　them；　for　I　was　trading　on　the　fact　that　every　man；　down　deep　in　his　heart；　has　more　or　less　of　an　instinct　to　get　back　to　the　soilat　least　all　outdoor　men　have。　And　when　I　described　the　simplest　things　about　my　barn；　and　the　cattle　and　pigs；　and　the　beesand　the　good　things　we　have　to　eatI　had　every　one　of　them　leaning　forward　and　hanging　on　my　words。

Harriet　sometimes　laughs　at　me　for　the　way　I　celebrate　farm　life。　She　says　all　my　apples　are　the　size　of　Hubbard　squashes；　my　eggs　all　double…yolked；　and　my　cornfields　tropical　jungles。　Practical　Harriet！　My　apples　may　not　ALL　be　the　size　of　Hubbard　squashes；　but　they　are　good；　sizable　apples；　and　as　for　flavourall　the　spices　of　Arcady！　And　I　believe；　I　KNOW；　from　my　own　experience　that　these　fields　and　hills　are　capable　of　healing　men's　souls。　And　when　I　see　people　wandering　around　a　lonesome　city　like　Kilburn；　with　never　a　soft　bit　of　soil　to　put　their　heels　into；　nor　a　green　thing　to　cultivate；　nor　any　corn　or　apples　or　honey　to　harvest；　I　feelwell；　that　they　are　wasting　their　time。

（It's　a　fact；　Harriet！）


Indeed　I　had　the　most　curious　experience　with　my　friend　the　withis　name　I　soon　learned　was　Healya　jolly；　round；　red…nosed；　outdoor　chap　with　fists　that　looked　like　small…sized　hams；　and　a　rich；　warm　Irish　voice。　At　first　he　was　inclined　to　use　me　as　the　ready　butt　of　his　lively　mind；　but　presently　he　became　so　much　interested　in　what　I　was　saying　that　he　sat　squarely　in　front　of　me　with　both　his　jolly　eyes　and　his　smiling　mouth　wide　open。

〃If　ever　you　pass　my　way；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃just　drop　in　and　I'll　give　you　a　dinner　of　baked　beans〃and　I　smacked〃and　home　made　bread〃　and　I　smacked　again　〃and　pumpkin　pie〃and　I　smacked　a　third　time〃that　will　make　your　mouth　water。〃

All　this　smacking　and　the　description　of　baked　beans　and　pumpkin　pie　had　an　odd　counter　effect　upon　ME；　for　I　suddenly　recalled　my　own　tragic　state。　So　I　jumped　up　quickly　and　asked　directions　for　getting　down　to　the　mill　neighbourhood；　where　I　hoped　to　find　Bill　Hahn。　My　friend　Healy　instantly　volunteered　the　information。

〃And　now；〃　I　said；　〃I　want　to　ask　a　small　favour　of　you。　I'm　looking　for　a　friend；　and　I'd　like　to　leave　my　bag　here　for　the　night。〃

〃Sure；　sure；〃　said　the　Irishman　heartily。　〃Put　it　there　in　the　officeon　top　o'　the　desk。　It'll　be　all　right。〃

So　I　put　it　in　the　office　and　was　about　to　say　good…bye；　when　my　friend　said　to　me：

〃Come　in；　partner；　and　have　a　drink　before　you　go〃and　he　pointed　to　a　nearby　saloon。

〃Thank　you；〃　I　answered　heartily；　for　I　knew　it　was　as　fine　a　bit　of　hospitality　as　he　could　offer　me；　〃thank　you；　but　I　must　find　my　friend　before　it　gets　too　late。〃

〃Aw；　come　on　now；〃　he　cried；　taking　my　arm。　〃Sure　you'll　be　better　off　for　a　bit　o'　warmth　inside。〃

I　had　hard　work　to　get　away　from　them；　and　I　am　as　sure　as　can　be　that　they　would　have　found　supper　and　a　bed　for　me　if　they　had　known　I　needed　either。

〃Come　agin；〃　Healy　shouted　after　me；　〃we're　glad