the notch on the ax and on being found out-第51章

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This　foreign　sojourn　failed　to　cure　his　lung　complaint；　but
suggested　the　idea　to　him　of　the　rambling　and　charming　〃Sentimental
Journey。〃　　Only　three　weeks　after　its　publication；　on　March　18；
1768；　Sterne　died　alone　in　his　London　lodgings。

Spite　of　all　that　marred　his　genius；　his　work　has　lived　and　wil1
live；　if　only　for　the　exquisite　literary　art　which　ever　made　great
things　out　of　little。The　EDITOR。



Laurence　Sterne


A　Mystery　with　a　Moral

Parisian　Experience　of　Parson　Yorick；　on　his　〃Sentimental　Journey〃


A　RIDDLE


I　remained　at　the　gate　of　the　hotel　for　some　time；　looking　at
everyone　who　passed　by；　and　forming　conjectures　upon　them；　till　my
attention　got　fixed　upon　a　single　object；　which　confounded　all　kind
of　reasoning　upon　him。

It　was　a　tall　figure　of　a　philosophic；　serious　adult　look；　which
passed　and　repassed　sedately　along　the　street；　making　a　turn　of
about　sixty　paces　on　each　side　of　the　gate　of　the　hotel。　　The　man
was　about　fifty…two；　had　a　small　cane　under　his　arm；　was　dressed　in
a　dark　drab…colored　coat；　waistcoat；　and　breeches；　which　seemed　to
have　seen　some　years'　service。　　They　were　still　clean；　and　there
was　a　little　air　of　frugal　propriete　throughout　him。　　By　his
pulling　off　his　hat；　and　his　attitude　of　accosting　a　good　many　in
his　way；　I　saw　he　was　asking　charity；　so　I　got　a　sous　or　two　out　of
my　pocket；　ready　to　give　him　as　he　took　me　in　his　turn。　　He　passed
by　me　without　asking　anything；　and　yet　he　did　not　go　five　steps
farther　before　he　asked　charity　of　a　little　woman。　　I　was　much　more
likely　to　have　given　of　the　two。　　He　had　scarce　done　with　the
woman；　when　he　pulled　his　hat　off　to　another　who　was　coming　the
same　way。　　An　ancient　gentleman　came　slowly；　and　after　him　a　young
smart　one。　　He　let　them　both　pass　and　asked　nothing。　　I　stood
observing　him　half　an　hour；　in　which　time　he　had　made　a　dozen　turns
backward　and　forward；　and　found　that　he　invariably　pursued　the　same
plan。

There　were　two　things　very　singular　in　this　which　set　my　brain　to
work；　and　to　no　purpose；　the　first　was；　why　the　man　should　only
tell　his　story　to　the　sex；　and　secondly；　what　kind　of　a　story　it
was　and　what　species　of　eloquence　it　could　be　which　softened　the
hearts　of　the　women　which　he　knew　it　was　to　no　purpose　to　practice
upon　the　men。

There　were　two　other　circumstances　which　entangled　this　mystery。
The　one　was；　he　told　every　woman　what　he　had　to　say　in　her　ear；　and
in　a　way　which　had　much　more　the　air　of　a　secret　than　a　petition；
the　other　was；　it　was　always　successfulhe　never　stopped　a　woman
but　she　pulled　out　her　purse　and　immediately　gave　him　something。

I　could　form　no　system　to　explain　the　phenomenon。

I　had　got　a　riddle　to　amuse　me　for　the　rest　of　the　evening；　so　I
walked　upstairs　to　my　chamber。


OVERHEARD


The　man　who　either　disdains　or　fears　to　walk　up　a　dark　entry　may　be
an　excellent；　good　man；　and　fit　for　a　hundred　things；　but　he　will
not　do　to　make　a　sentimental　traveler。　　I　count　little　of　the　many
things　I　see　pass　at　broad　noonday；　in　large　and　open　streets；
Nature　is　shy；　and　hates　to　act　before　spectators；　but　in　such　an
unobservable　corner　you　sometimes　see　a　single　short　scene　of　hers
worth　all　the　sentiments　of　a　dozen　French　plays　compounded
together；　and　yet　they　are　ABSOLUTELY　fine；　and　whenever　I　have　a
more　brilliant　affair　upon　my　hands　than　common；　as　they　suit　a
preacher　just　as　well　as　a　hero；　I　generally　make　my　sermon　out　of
them；　and　for　the　text；　〃Cappadocia；　Pontus　and　Asia；　Phrygia　and
Pamphilia；〃　is　as　good　as　anyone　in　the　Bible。

There　is　a　long；　dark　passage　issuing　out　from　the　Opera　Comique
into　a　narrow　street。　　It　is　trod　by　a　few　who　humbly　wait　for　a
fiacre*　or　wish　to　get　off　quietly　o'　foot　when　the　opera　is　done。
At　the　end　of　it；　toward　the　theater；　'tis　lighted　by　a　small
candle；　the　light　of　which　is　almost　lost　before　you　get　halfway
down；　but　near　the　doorit　is　more　for　ornament　than　useyou　see
it　as　a　fixed　star　of　the　least　magnitude；　it　burns；　but　does
little　good　to　the　world　that　we　know　of。


*Hackney　coach。


In　returning　＇from　the　opera＇　along　this　passage；　I　discerned；　as　I
approached　within　five　or　six　paces　of　the　door；　two　ladies
standing　arm　in　arm　with　their　backs　against　the　wall；　waiting；　as
I　imagined；　for　a　fiacre。　　As　they　were　next　the　door；　I　thought
they　had　a　prior　right；　so　I　edged　myself　up　within　a　yard　or
little　more　of　them；　and　quietly　took　my　stand。　　I　was　in　black　and
scarce　seen。

The　lady　next　me　was　a　tall；　lean　figure　of　a　woman　of　about
thirty…six；　the　other；　of　the　same　size　and　make　of　about　forty。
There　was　no　mark　of　wife　or　widow　in　any　one　part　of　either　of
them。　　They　seemed　to　be　two　upright　vestal　sisters；　unsapped　by
caresses；　unbroke　in　upon　by　tender　salutations。　　I　could　have
wished　to　have　made　them　happy。　　Their　happiness　was　destined；　that
night；　to　come　from　another　quarter。

A　low　voice　with　a　good　turn　of　expression　and　sweet　cadence　at　the
end　of　it；　begged　for　a　twelve…sous　piece　between　them　for　the　love
of　heaven。　　I　thought　it　singular　that　a　beggar　should　fix　the
quota　of　an　alms；　and　that　the　sum　should　be　twelve　times　as　much
as　what　is　usually　given　in　the　dark。　　They　both　seemed　astonished
at　it　as　much　as　myself。　　〃Twelve　sous；〃　said　one。　　〃A　twelve…sous
piece；〃　said　the　other；　and　made　no　reply。

The　poor　man　said　he　knew　not　how　to　ask　less　of　ladies　of　their
rank；　and　bowed　down　his　head　to　the　ground。

〃Pooh！〃　said　they；　〃we　have　no　money。〃

The　beggar　remained　silent　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　renewed　his
supplication。

〃Do　not；　my　fair　young　ladies；〃　said　he；　〃stop　your　good　ears
against　me。〃

〃Upon　my　word；　honest　man；〃　said　the　younger；　〃we　have　no　change。〃

〃Then　God　bless　you；〃　said　the　poor　man；　〃and　multiply　those　joys
which　you　can　give　to　others　without　change。〃

I　observed　the　older　sister　put　her　hand　into　her　pocket。　　〃I　will
see；〃　said　she；　〃if　I　have　a　sous。〃

〃A　sous！　　Give　twelve；〃　said　the　suppliant。　　〃Nature　has　been
bountiful　to　you；　be　bountiful　to　a　poor　man。〃

〃I　would；　friend；　with　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　younger；　〃if　I　had
it。〃

〃My　fair　charitable；〃　said　he；　addressing　himself　to　the　elder；
〃what　is　it　but　your　goodness　and　humanity　which　make　your　bright
eyes　so　sweet　that　they　outshine　the　morning　even　in　this　dark
passage？　　And　what　was　it　which　made　the　Marquis　de　Santerre　and
his　brother　say　so　much　of　you　both；　as　they　just　passed　by？〃

The　two　ladies　seemed　much　affected；　and　impulsively　at　the　same
time　they　put　their　hands　into　their　pockets　and　each　took　out　a
twelve…sous　piece。

The　contest　between　them　and　the　poor　suppliant　was　no　more。　　It
was　continued　between　themselves　which　of　the　two　should　give　the
twelve…sous　piece　in　charity；　and；　to　end　the　dispute；　they　both
gave　it　together；　and　the　man　went　away。


SOLUTION


I　stepped　hastily　after　him；　it　was　the　very　man　whose　success　in
asking　charity　of　the　woman　before　the　door　of　the　hotel　had　so
puzzled　me；　and　I　found　at　once　his　secret；　or　at　least　the　basis
of　it：　it　was　flattery。

Delicious　essence！　how　refreshing　art　thou　to　Nature！　　How　strongly
are　all　its　powers　and　all　its　weaknesses　on　thy　side！　　How　sweetly
dost　thou　mix　with　the　blood；　and　help　it　through　the　most
difficult　and　tortuous　passages　to　the　heart！

The　poor　man；　as　he　was　not　straitened　for　time；　had　given　it　here
in　a　larger　dose。　　It　is　certain　he　had　a　way　of　bringing　it　into
less　form　for　the　many　sudden　causes　he　had　to　do　with　in　the
streets；　but　how　he　contrived　to　correct；　sweeten；　concenter；　and
qualify　itI　vex　not　my　spirit　with　the　inquiry。　　It　is　enough；
the　beggar　gained　two　twelve…sous　pieces；　and　they　can　best　tell
the　rest　who　have　gained　much　greater　matters　by　it。


APPLICATION


We　get　forward　in　the　world　not　so　much　by　doing　services　as
receiving　them。　　You　take　a　withering　twig　and　put　it　in　the
ground；　and　then　you　water　it　because　you　have　planted　it。

Monsieur　le　Comte　de　B；　merely　because　he　had　done　me　one
kindness　in　the　affair　of　my　passport；　would　go　on　and　do　me
another　the　few　days　he　was　at　Paris；　in　making　me　known　to　a　fe