the love affairs of a bibliomaniac(藏书癖者的爱情)-第4章
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grandmother would not have parted with me even for that fortnight had
she not actually been compelled to。 It happened that she was called to a
meeting of the American Tract Society； and it was her intention to pay a
visit to her cousin； Royall Eastman； after she had discharged the first and
imperative duty she owed the society。 Mrs。 Deacon Ranney was to have
taken me and provided for my temporal and spiritual wants during
grandmother's absence； but at the last moment the deacon came down with
one of his spells of quinsy； and no other alternative remained but to pack
me off to Nashua； where my Uncle Cephas lived。
This involved considerable expense； for the stage fare was three
shillings each way： it came particularly hard on grandmother。 inasmuch
as she had just paid her road tax and had not yet received her semi…annual
dividends on her Fitchburg Railway stock。 Indifferent； however； to every
sense of extravagance and to all other considerations except those of
personal pride； I rode away atop of the stage…coach； full of exultation。 As
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we rattled past the Waite house I waved my cap to Captivity and indulged
in the pleasing hope that she would be lonesome without me。 Much of
the satisfaction of going away arises from the thought that those you leave
behind are likely to be wretchedly miserable during your absence。
My Uncle Cephas lived in a house so very different from my
grandmother's that it took me some time to get used to the place。 Uncle
Cephas was a lawyer； and his style of living was not at all like
grandmother's； he was to have been a minister； but at twelve years of age
he attended the county fair； and that incident seemed to change the whole
bent of his life。 At twenty…one he married Samantha Talbott； and that
was another blow to grandmother； who always declared that the Talbotts
were a shiftless lot。 However； I was agreeably impressed with Uncle
Cephas and Aunt 'Manthy； for they welcomed me very cordially and
turned me over to my little cousins； Mary and Henry； and bade us three
make merry to the best of our ability。 These first favorable impressions
of my uncle's family were confirmed when I discovered that for supper we
had hot biscuit and dried beef warmed up in cream gravy； a diet which；
with all due respect to grandmother； I considered much more desirable
than dry bread and dried… apple sauce。
Aha； old Crusoe！ I see thee now in yonder case smiling out upon me
as cheerily as thou didst smile those many years ago when to a little boy
thou broughtest the message of Romance！ And I do love thee still； and I
shall always love thee； not only for thy benefaction in those ancient days；
but also for the light and the cheer which thy genius brings to all ages and
conditions of humanity。
My Uncle Cephas's library was stored with a large variety of pleasing
literature。 I did not observe a glut of theological publications； and I
will admit that I felt somewhat aggrieved personally when； in answer to
my inquiry； I was told that there was no ‘‘New England Primer'' in the
collection。 But this feeling was soon dissipated by the absorbing interest
I took in De Foe's masterpiece； a work unparalleled in the realm of fiction。
I shall not say that ‘‘Robinson Crusoe'' supplanted the Primer in my
affections； this would not be true。 I prefer to say what is the truth； it was
my second love。 Here again we behold another advantage which the
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lover of books has over the lover of women。 If he be a genuine lover he
can and should love any number of books； and this polybibliophily is not
to the disparagement of any one of that number。 But it is held by the
expounders of our civil and our moral laws that he who loveth one woman
to the exclusion of all other women speaketh by that action the best and
highest praise both of his own sex and of hers。
I thank God continually that it hath been my lot in life to found an
empire in my heart no cramped and wizened borough wherein one
jealous mistress hath exercised her petty tyranny； but an expansive and
ever…widening continent divided and subdivided into dominions；
jurisdictions； caliphates； chiefdoms； seneschalships； and prefectures；
wherein tetrarchs； burgraves； maharajahs； palatines； seigniors； caziques；
nabobs； emirs； nizams； and nawabs hold sway； each over his special and
particular realm； and all bound together in harmonious cooperation by the
conciliating spirit of polybibliophily！
Let me not be misunderstood； for I am not a woman…hater。 I do not
regret the acquaintancesnay； the friendshipsI have formed with
individuals of the other sex。 As a philosopher it has behooved me to
study womankind； else I should not have appreciated the worth of these
other better loves。 Moreover； I take pleasure in my age in associating
this precious volume or that with one woman or another whose friendship
came into my life at the time when I was reading and loved that book。
The other day I found my nephew William swinging in the hammock
on the porch with his girl friend Celia； I saw that the young people were
reading Ovid。 ‘‘My children；'' said I； ‘‘count this day a happy one。 In
the years of after life neither of you will speak or think of Ovid and his
tender verses without recalling at the same moment how of a gracious
afternoon in distant time you sat side by side contemplating the ineffably
precious promises of maturity and love。''
I am not sure that I do not approve that article in Judge Methuen's
creed which insists that in this life of ours woman serves a probationary
period for sins of omission or of commission in a previous existence； and
that woman's next step upward toward the final eternity of bliss is a period
of longer or of shorter duration； in which her soul enters into a book to be
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petted； fondled； beloved and cherished by some good manlike the Judge；
or like myself； for that matter。
This theory is not an unpleasant one； I regard it as much more
acceptable than those so…called scientific demonstrations which would
make us suppose that we are descended from tree…climbing and bug…eating
simians。 However； it is far from my purpose to enter upon any argument
of these questions at this time； for Judge Methuen himself is going to write
a book upon the subject； and the edition is to be limited to two numbered
and signed copies upon Japanese vellum； of which I am to have one and
the Judge the other。
The impression I made upon Uncle Cephas must have been favorable；
for when my next birthday rolled around there came with it a book from
Uncle Cephasmy third love； Grimm's ‘‘Household Stories。'' With
