the friendly road-第6节

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〃What　are　you　doing；　neighbour？〃

I　continued　a　moment　with　my　playing；　but　commanded　him　with　my　eye。

Oh；　I　assure　you　I　assumed　all　the　airs　of　a　virtuoso。　When　I　had　finished　my　tune　I　removed　my　whistle　deliberately　and　wiped　my　lips。

〃Why；　enjoying　myself；〃　I　replied　with　greatest　good　humour。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃

〃Why；〃　he　said；　〃watching　you　enjoy　yourself。　I　heard　you　playing　as　I　passed　in　the　road；　and　couldn't　imagine　what　it　could　be。〃

I　told　him　I　thought　it　might　still　be　difficult；　having　heard　me　near　at　hand；　to　imagine　what　it　could　beand　thus；　tossing　the　ball　of　good…humoured　repartee　back　and　forth；　we　walked　down　to　the　road　together。　He　had　a　quiet　old　horse　and　a　curious　top　buggy　with　the　unmistakable　box　of　an　agent　or　peddler　built　on　behind。

〃My　name；〃　he　said；　〃is　Canfield。　I　fight　dust。〃

〃And　mine；〃　I　said；　〃is　Grayson。　I　whistle。〃

I　discovered　that　he　was　an　agent　for　brushes；　and　he　opened　his　box　and　showed　me　the　greatest　assortment　of　big　and　little　brushes：　bristle　brushes；　broom　brushes；　yarn　brushes；　wire　brushes；　brushes　for　man　and　brushes　for　beast；　brushes　of　every　conceivable　size　and　shape　that　ever　I　saw　in　all　my　life。　He　had　out　one　of　his　especial　petshe　called　it　his　〃leader〃and　feeling　it　familiarly　in　his　hand　he　instinctively　began　the　jargon　of　well…handled　and　voice…worn　phrases　which　went　with　that　particular　brush。　It　was　just　as　though　some　one　had　touched　a　button　and　had　started　him　going。　It　was　amazing　to　me　that　any　one　in　the　world　should　be　so　much　interested　in　mere　brushesuntil　he　actually　began　to　make　me　feel　that　brushes　were　as　interesting　as　anything　else！

What　a　strange；　little；　dried…up　old　fellow　he　was；　with　his　balls　of　muttonchop　sidewhiskers；　his　thick　eyebrows；　and　his　lively　blue　eyes！a　man　evidently　not　readily　turned　aside　by　rebuffs。　He　had　already　shown　that　his　wit　as　a　talker　had　been　sharpened　by　long　and　varied　contact　with　a　world　of　reluctant　purchasers。　I　was　really　curious　to　know　more　of　him；　so　I　said　finally：

〃See　here；　Mr。　Canfield；　it's　just　noon。　Why　not　sit　down　here　with　me　and　have　a　bit　of　luncheon？〃

〃Why　not？〃　he　responded　with　alacrity。　〃As　the　fellow　said；　why　not？〃

He　unhitched　his　horse；　gave　him　a　drink　from　the　brook；　and　then　tethered　him　where　he　could　nip　the　roadside　grass。　I　opened　my　bag　and　explored　the　wonders　of　Mrs。　Stanley's　luncheon。　I　cannot　describe　the　absolutely　carefree　feeling　I　had。　Always　at　home；　when　I　would　have　liked　to　stop　at　the　roadside　with　a　stranger；　I　felt　the　nudge　of　a　conscience　troubled　with　cows　and　corn；　but　here　I　could　stop　where　I　liked；　or　go　on　when　I　liked；　and　talk　with　whom　I　pleased；　as　long　as　I　pleased。

So　we　sat　there；　the　brush…peddler　and　I；　under　the　trees；　and　ate　Mrs。　Stanley's　fine　luncheon；　drank　the　clear　water　from　the　brook；　and　talked　great　talk。　Compared　with　Mr。　Canfield　I　was　a　babe　at　wanderingand　equally　at　talking。　Was　there　any　business　he　had　not　been　in；　or　any　place　in　the　country　he　had　not　visited？　He　had　sold　everything　from　fly…paper　to　threshing…machines；　he　had　picked　up　a　large　working　knowledge　of　the　weaknesses　of　human　nature；　and　had　arrived　at　the　age　of　sixty…six　with　just　enough　available　cash　to　pay　the　manufacturer　for　a　new　supply　of　brushes。　In　strict　confidence；　I　drew　certain　conclusions　from　the　colour　of　his　nose！　He　had　once　had　a　family；　but　dropped　them　somewhere　along　the　road。　Most　of　our　brisk　neighbours　would　have　put　him　down　as　a　failurean　old　man；　and　nothing　laid　by！　But　I　wonderI　wonder。　One　thing　I　am　coming　to　learn　in　this　world；　and　that　is　to　let　people　haggle　along　with　their　lives　as　I　haggle　along　with　mine。

We　both　made　tremendous　inroads　on　the　luncheon；　and　I　presume　we　might　have　sat　there　talking　all　the　afternoon　if　I　had　not　suddenly　bethought　myself　with　a　not　unpleasant　thrill　that　my　resting…place　for　the　night　was　still　gloriously　undecided。

〃Friend；〃　I　said；　〃I've　got　to　be　up　and　going。　I　haven't　so　much　as　a　penny　in　my　pocket；　and　I've　got　to　find　a　place　to　sleep。〃

The　effect　of　this　remark　upon　Mr。　Canfield　was　magical。　He　threw　up　both　his　hands　and　cried　out：

〃You're　that　way；　are　you？〃as　though　for　the　first　time　he　really　understood。　We　were　at　last　on　common　ground。

〃Partner；〃　said　he；　〃you　needn't　tell　nothin'　about　it。　I've　been　right　there　myself。〃

At　once　he　began　to　bustle　about　with　great　enthusiasm。　He　was　for　taking　complete　charge　of　me；　and　I　think；　if　I　had　permitted　it；　would　instantly　have　made　a　brush…agent　of　me。　At　least　he　would　have　carried　me　along　with　him　in　his　buggy；　but　when　he　suggested　it　I　felt　very　much；　I　think；　as　some　old　monk　must　have　who　had　taken　a　vow　to　do　some　particular　thing　in　some　particular　way。　With　great　difficulty　I　convinced　him　finally　that　my　way　was　different　from　histhough　he　was　regally　impartial　as　to　what　road　he　took　nextand；　finally；　with　some　reluctance；　he　started　to　climb　into　his　buggy。

A　thought；　however；　struck　him　suddenly；　and　he　stepped　down　again；　ran　around　to　the　box　at　the　back　of　his　buggy；　opened　it　with　a　mysterious　and　smiling　look　at　me；　and　took　out　a　small　broom…brush　with　which　he　instantly　began　brushing　off　my　coat　and　trousersin　the　liveliest　and　most　exuberant　way。　When　he　had　finished　this　occupation；　he　quickly　handed　the　brush　to　me。

〃A　token　of　esteem；〃　he　said；　〃from　a　fellow　traveller。〃

I　tried　in　vain　to　thank　him；　but　he　held　up　his　hand；　scrambled　quickly　into　his　buggy；　and　was　for　driving　off　instantly；　but　paused　and　beckoned　me　toward　him。　When　I　approached　the　buggy；　he　took　hold　of　one　the　lapels　of　my　coat；　bent　over；　and　said　with　the　utmost　seriousness：

〃No　man　ought　to　take　the　road　without　a　brush。　A　good　broom…brush　is　the　world's　greatest　civilizer。　Are　you　looking　seedy　or　dusty？why；　this　here　brush　will　instantly　make　you　a　respectable　citizen。　Take　my　word　for　it；　friend；　never　go　into　any　strange　house　without　stoppin'　and　brushin'　off。　It's　money　in　your　purse！　You　can　get　along　without　dinner　sometimes；　or　even　without　a　shirt；　but　without　a　brush　never！　There's　nothin'　in　the　world　so　necessary　to　rich　AN'　poor；　old　AN'　young　as　a　good　brush！〃

And　with　a　final　burst　of　enthusiasm　the　brush…peddler　drove　off　up　the　hill。　I　stood　watching　him　and　when　he　turned　around　I　waved　the　brush　high　over　my　head　in　token　of　a　grateful　farewell。

It　was　a　good；　serviceable；　friendly　brush。　I　carried　it　throughout　my　wanderings；　and　as　I　sit　here　writing　in　my　study；　at　this　moment；　I　can　see　it　hanging　on　a　hook　at　the　side　of　my　fireplace。



CHAPTER　III。　　THE　HOUSE　BY　THE　SIDE　OF　THE　ROAD

〃Everyone；〃　remarks　Tristram　Shandy；　〃will　speak　of　the　fair　as　his　own　market　has　gone　in　it。〃

It　came　near　being　a　sorry　fair　for　me　on　the　afternoon　following　my　parting　with　the　amiable　brush…peddler。　The　plain　fact　is；　my　success　at　the　Stanleys'；　and　the　easy　manner　in　which　I　had　fallen　in　with　Mr。　Canfield；　gave　me　so　much　confidence　in　myself　as　a　sort　of　Master　of　the　Road　that　I　proceeded　with　altogether　too　much　assurance。

I　am　firmly　convinced　that　the　prime　quality　to　be　cultivated　by　the　pilgrim　is　humility　of　spirit；　he　must　be　willing　to　accept　Adventure　in　whatever　garb　she　chooses　to　present　herself。　He　must　be　able　to　see　the　shining　form　of　the　unusual　through　the　dull　garments　of　the　normal。

The　fact　is；　I　walked　that　afternoon　with　my　head　in　air　and　passed　many　a　pleasant　farmstead　where　men　were　working　in　the　fields；　and　many　an　open　doorway；　and　a　mill　or　two；　and　a　townalways　looking　for　some　Great　Adventure。

Somewhere　upon　this　road；　I　thought　to　myself；　I　shall　fall　in　with　a　Great　Person；　or　become　a　part　of　a　Great　Incident。　I　recalled　with　keen　pleasure　the　experience　of　that　young　Spanish　student　of　Carlyle　writes　in　one　of　his　volumes；　who；　riding　out　from　Madrid　one　day；　came　unexpectedly　upon　the　greatest　man　in　the　world。　This　great　man；　of　whom　Carlyle　observes　（I　have　looked　up　the　passage　since　I　came　home）；　〃a　kindlier；　meeker；　braver　heart　has　seldom　looked　upon　the　sky　in　this　world；〃　had　ridden　out　from　the　city　for　the　last　time　in　his　life　〃to　take　one　other　look　at　the　azure　firmament　and　green　mosaic　pavements　and　the　strange　carpentry　and　arras　work　of　this　noble　palace　of　a　world。〃

As　the　old　story　has　it；　the　young　student　〃came　pricking　on　hastily；　complaining　that　they　went　at　such　a　pace　as　gave　him　little　chance　of　keeping　up　with　them。　One　of　the　party　made　answer　that　the　blame　lay　with　the　horse　of　Don　Miguel　de　Cervantes；　whose　trot　was　of　the　speediest。　He　had　hardly　pronounced　the　name　when　the　student　dismounted　and；　touching　the　hem　of　Cervantes'　left　sleeve；　said；　'Yes；　yes；　it　is　indeed　the　maimed　perfection；　the　all…famous；　the　delightful　writer；　the　joy　and　darling　of　the　Muses！　You　are　that　brave　Miguel。'〃

It　may　seem　absurd　to　some　in　this　cool　and　calculating　twentieth　century　that　any　one　should　indulge　in　such　vain　imaginings　as　I　have　describedand　yet；　why　not？　All　things　are　as　we　see　them。　I　once　heard　a　mana　modern　man；　living　to…daytell　with　a　hush　in　his　voice；　and　a　peculiar　light　in　his　eye；　how；　walking　in　the　outskirts　of　an　unromantic