the friendly road-第17章

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In　such　a　live…minded　mood　as　this　it　often　happens　that　the　most　ordinary　things　appear　charged　with　new　significance。　I　suppose　I　had　seen　a　thousand　rural…mail　boxes　along　country　roads　before　that　day；　but　I　had　seen　them　as　the　young　farmer　saw　the　sign…man。　They　were　mere　inert　objects　of　iron　and　wood。

But　as　I　tramped；　thinking　of　the　people　in　the　hills；　I　came　quite　unexpectedly　upon　a　sandy　by…road　that　came　out　through　a　thicket　of　scrub　oaks　and　hazel…brush；　like　some　shy　countryman；　to　join　the　turn…pike。　As　I　stood　looking　into　itfor　it　seemed　peculiarly　invitingI　saw　at　the　entrance　a　familiar　group　of　rural…mail　boxes。　And　I　saw　them　not　as　dead　things；　but　for　the　momentthe　illusion　was　over…poweringthey　were　living；　eager　hands　outstretched　to　the　passing　throng　I　could　feel；　hear；　see　the　farmers　up　there　in　the　hills　reaching　out　to　me；　to　all　the　world；　for　a　thousand　inexpressible　things；　for　more　life；　more　companionship；　more　comforts；　more　money。

It　occurred　to　me　at　that　moment；　whimsically　and　yet　somehow　seriously；　that　I　might　respond　to　the　appeal　of　the　shy　country　road　and　the　outstretched　hands。　At　first　I　did　not　think　of　anything　I　could　dosave　to　go　up　and　eat　dinner　with　one　of　the　hill　farmers；　which　might　not　be　an　unmixed　blessing！and　then　it　came　to　me。

〃I　will　write　a　letter！〃

Straightway　and　with　the　liveliest　amusement　I　began　to　formulate　in　my　mind　what　I　should　say：

Dear　Friend：　You　do　not　know　me。　I　am　a　passerby　in　the　road。　My　name　is　David　Grayson。　You　do　not　know　me；　and　it　may　seem　odd　to　you　to　receive　a　letter　from　an　entire　stranger。　But　I　am　something　of　a　farmer　myself；　and　as　I　went　by　I　could　not　help　thinking　of　you　and　your　family　and　your　farm。　The　fact　is；　I　should　like　to　look　you　up；　and　talk　with　you　about　many　things。　I　myself　cultivate　a　number　of　curious　fields；　and　raise　many　kinds　of　crops

At　this　interesting　point　my　inspiration　suddenly　collapsed；　for　I　had　a　vision；　at　once　amusing　and　disconcerting；　of　my　hill　farmer　（and　his　practical　wife！）　receiving　such　a　letter　（along　with　the　country　paper；　a　circular　advertising　a　cure　for　catarrh；　and　the　most　recent　catalogue　of　the　largest　mail…order　house　in　creation）。　I　could　see　them　standing　there　in　their　doorway；　the　man　with　his　coat　off；　doubtfully　scratching　his　head　as　he　read　my　letter；　the　woman　wiping　her　hands　on　her　apron　and　looking　over　his　shoulder；　and　a　youngster　squeezing　between　the　two　and　demanding；　〃What　is　it；　Paw？〃

I　found　myself　wondering　how　they　would　receive　such　an　unusual　letter；　what　they　would　take　it　to　mean。　And　in　spite　of　all　I　could　do；　I　could　imagine　no　expression　on　their　faces　save　one　of　incredulity　and　suspicion。　I　could　fairly　see　the　shrewd　worldly　wise　look　come　into　the　farmer's　face；　I　could　hear　him　say：

〃Ha；　guess　he　thinks　we　ain't　cut　our　eye…teeth！〃　And　he　would　instantly　begin　speculating　as　to　whether　this　was　a　new　scheme　for　selling　him　second…rate　nursery　stock；　or　the　smooth　introduction　of　another　sewing…machine　agent。

Strange　world；　strange　world！　Sometimes　it　seems　to　me　that　the　hardest　thing　of　all　to　believe　in　is　simple　friendship。　Is　it　not　a　comment　upon　our　civilization　that　it　is　so　often　easier　to　believe　that　a　man　is　a　friend…for…profit；　or　even　a　cheat；　than　that　he　is　frankly　a　well…wisher　of　his　neighbours？


These　reflections　put　such　a　damper　upon　my　enthusiasm　that　I　was　on　the　point　of　taking　again　to　the　road；　when　it　came　to　me　powerfully：　Why　not　try　the　experiment？　Why　not？

〃Friendship；〃　I　said　aloud；　〃is　the　greatest　thing　in　the　world。　There　is　no　door　it　will　not　unlock；　no　problem　it　will　not　solve。　It　is；　after　all；　the　only　real　thing　in　this　world。〃

The　sound　of　my　own　voice　brought　me　suddenly　to　myself；　and　I　found　that　I　was　standing　there　in　the　middle　of　the　public　road；　one　clenched　fist　absurdly　raised　in　air；　delivering　an　oration　to　a　congregation　of　rural…mail　boxes！

And　yet；　in　spite　of　the　humorous　aspects　of　the　idea；　it　still　appeared　to　me　that　such　an　experiment　would　not　only　fit　in　with　the　true　object　of　my　journeying；　but　that　it　might　be　full　of　amusing　and　interesting　adventures。　Straightway　I　got　my　notebook　out　of　my　bag　and；　sitting　down　near　the　roadside；　wrote　my　letter。　I　wrote　it　as　though　my　life　depended　upon　it；　with　the　intent　of　making　some　one　household　there　in　the　hills　feel　at　least　a　little　wave　of　warmth　and　sympathy　from　the　great　world　that　was　passing　in　the　road　below。　I　tried　to　prove　the　validity　of　a　kindly　thought　with　no　selling　device　attached　to　it；　I　tried　to　make　it　such　a　word　of　frank　companionship　as　I　myself；　working　in　my　own　fields；　would　like　to　receive。

Among　the　letter…boxes　in　the　group；　was　one　that　stood　a　little　detached　and　behind　the　others；　as　though　shrinking　from　such　prosperous　company。　It　was　made　of　unpainted　wood；　with　leather　hinges；　and　looked　shabby　in　comparison　with　the　jaunty　red；　green；　and　gray　paint　of　some　of　the　other　boxes　（with　their　cocky　little　metallic　flags　upraised）。　It　bore　the　good　American　name　of　ClarkT。　N。　Clarkand　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　could　tell　something　of　the　Clarks　by　the　box　at　the　crossing。

〃I　think　they　need　a　friendly　word；〃　I　said　to　myself。

So　I　wrote　the　name　T。　N。　Clark　on　my　envelope　and　put　the　letter　in　his　box。

It　was　with　a　sense　of　joyous　adventure　that　I　now　turned　aside　into　the　sandy　road　and　climbed　the　hill。　My　mind　busied　itself　with　thinking　how　I　should　carry　out　my　experiment；　how　I　should　approach　these　Clarks；　and　how　and　what　they　were。　A　thousand　ways　I　pictured　to　myself　the　receipt　of　the　letter：　it　would　at　least　be　something　new　for　them；　something　just　a　little　disturbing；　and　I　was　curious　to　see　whether　it　might　open　the　rift　of　wonder　wide　enough　to　let　me　slip　into　their　lives。

I　have　often　wondered　why　it　is　that　men　should　be　so　fearful　of　new　ventures　in　social　relationships；　when　I　have　found　them　so　fertile；　so　enjoyable。　Most　of　us　fear　（actually　fear）　people　who　differ　from　ourselves；　either　up　or　down　the　scale。　Your　Edison　pries　fearlessly　into　the　intimate　secrets　of　matter；　your　Marconi　employs　the　mysterious　properties　of　the　〃jellied　ether；〃　but　let　a　man　seek　to　experiment　with　the　laws　of　that　singular　electricity　which　connects　you　and　me　（though　you　be　a　millionaire　and　I　a　ditch…digger）；　and　we　think　him　a　wild　visionary；　an　academic　person。　I　think　sometimes　that　the　science　of　humanity　to…day　is　in　about　the　state　of　darkness　that　the　natural　sciences　were　when　Linneus　and　Cuvier　and　Lamarck　began　groping　for　the　great　laws　of　natural　unity。　Most　of　the　human　race　is　still　groaning　under　the　belief　that　each　of　us　is　a　special　and　unrelated　creation；　just　as　men　for　ages　saw　no　relationships　between　the　fowls　of　the　air；　the　beasts　of　the　field；　and　the　fish　of　the　sea。　But；　thank　God；　we　are　beginning　to　learn　that　unity　is　as　much　a　law　of　life　as　selfish　struggle；　and　love　a　more　vital　force　than　avarice　or　lust　of　power　or　place。　A　Wandering　Carpenter　knew　it；　and　taught　it；　twenty　centuries　ago。

〃The　next　house　beyond　the　ridge；〃　said　the　toothless　old　woman；　pointing　with　a　long　finger；　〃is　the　Clarks'。　You　can't　miss　it；〃　and　I　thought　she　looked　at　me　oddly。

I　had　been　walking　briskly　for　some　three　miles；　and　it　was　with　keen　expectation　that　I　now　mounted　the　ridge　and　saw　the　farm　for　which　I　was　looking；　lying　there　in　the　valley　before　me。　It　was　altogether　a　wild　and　beautiful　bit　of　countrystunted　cedars　on　the　knolls　of　the　rolling　hills；　a　brook　trailing　its　way　among　alders　and　willows　down　a　long　valley；　and　shaggy　old　fields　smiling　in　the　sun。　As　I　came　nearer　I　could　see　that　the　only　disharmony　in　the　valley　was　the　work　（or　idleness）　of　men。　A　broken　mowing…machine　stood　in　the　field　where　it　had　been　left　the　summer　before；　rusty　and　forlorn；　and　dead　weeds　marked　the　edges　of　a　field　wherein　the　spring　ploughing　was　now　only　half　done。　The　whole　farmstead；　indeed；　looked　tired。　As　for　the　house　and　barn；　they　had　reached　that　final　stage　of　decay　in　which　the　best　thing　that　could　be　said　of　them　was　that　they　were　picturesque。　Everything　was　as　different　from　the　farm　of　the　ene