the friendly road-第39章

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msical　comments　upon　the　general　absurdity　of　the　head　of　the　Grayson　familyoh；　of　a　thousand　thingsand　how　when　I　went　into　my　study　and　took　up　the　nearest　book　in　my　favourite　caseit　chanced　to　be　〃The　Bible　in　Spain〃it　opened　of　itself　at　one　of　my　favourite　sages；　the　one　beginning：

〃Mistos　amande；　I　am　content〃


So　it's　all　over！　It　has　been　a　great　experience；　and　it　seems　to　me　now　that　I　have　a　firmer　grip　on　life；　and　a　firmer　trust　in　that　Power　which　orders　the　ages。　In　a　book　I　read　not　long　ago；　called　〃A　Modern　Utopia；〃　the　writer　provides　in　his　imaginary　perfect　state　of　society　a　class　of　leaders　known　as　Samurai。　And；　from　time　to　time；　it　is　the　custom　of　these　Samurai　to　cut　themselves　loose　from　the　crowding　world　of　men；　and　with　packs　on　their　backs　go　away　alone　to　far　places　in　the　deserts　or　on　Arctic　ice　caps。　I　am　convinced　that　every　man　needs　some　such　change　as　this；　an　opportunity　to　think　things　out；　to　get　a　new　grip　on　life；　and　a　new　hold　on　God。　But　not　for　me　the　Arctic　ice　cap　or　the　desert！　I　choose　the　Friendly　Roadand　all　the　mon　people　who　travel　in　it　or　live　along　itI　choose　even　the　busy　city　at　the　end　of　it。

I　assure　you；　friend；　that　it　is　a　wonderful　thing　for　a　man　to　cast　himself　freely　for　a　time　upon　the　world；　not　knowing　where　his　next　meal　is　coming　from；　nor　where　he　is　going　to　sleep　for　the　night。　It　is　a　surprising　readjuster　of　values。　I　paid　my　way；　I　think；　throughout　my　pilgrimage；　but　I　discovered　that　stamped　metal　is　far　from　being　the　world's　only　true　coin。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　there　are　many　things　that　men　prize　more　highlybecause　they　are　rarer　and　more　precious。

My　friend；　if　you　should　chance　yourself　some　day　to　follow　the　Friendly　Road；　you　may　catch　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　a　man　in　a　rusty　hat；　carrying　a　gray　bag；　and　sometimes　humming　a　little　song　under　his　breath　for　the　joy　of　being　there。　And　it　may　actually　happen；　if　you　stop　him；　that　he　will　take　a　tin　whistle　from　his　bag　and　play　for　you；　〃Money　Musk；〃　or　〃Old　Dan　Tucker；〃　or　he　may　produce　a　battered　old　volume　of　Montaigne　from　which　he　will　read　you　a　passage。　If　such　an　adventure　should　befall　you；　know　that　you　have　met

Your　friend；

David　Grayson。

P。　S。　Harriet　bemoans　most　of　all　the　unsolved　mystery　of　the　sign　man。　But　it　doesn't　bother　me　in　the　least。　I'm　glad　now　I　never　found　him。　The　poet　sings　his　song　and　goes　his　way。　If　we　sought　him　out　how　horribly　disappointed　we　might　be！　We　might　find　him　shaving；　or　eating　sausage；　or　drinking　a　bottle　of　beer。　We　might　find　him　shaggy　and　unkempt　where　we　imagined　him　beautiful；　weak　where　we　thought　him　strong；　dull　where　we　thought　him　brilliant。　Take　then　the　vintage　of　his　heart　and　let　him　go。　As　for　me；　I'm　glad　some　mystery　is　left　in　this　world。　A　thousand　signs　on　my　roadways　are　still　as　unexplainable；　as　mysterious；　and　as　beguiling　as　this。　And　I　can　close　my　narrative　with　no　better　motto　for　tired　spirits　than　that　of　the　country　roadside：

＇　REST　＇




End