the friendly road-第6章

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〃Listen；〃　I　said；　〃to　what　this　old　Roman　philosopher　said〃and　I　held　the　book　up　to　the　lamp　and　read　aloud：

〃'You　can　be　invincible　if　you　enter　into　no　contest　in　which　it　is　not　in　your　power　to　conquer。　Take　care；　then；　when　you　observe　a　man　honoured　before　others　or　possessed　of　great　power；　or　highly　esteemed　for　any　reason；　not　to　suppose　him　happy　and　be　not　carried　away　by　the　appearance。　For　if　the　nature　of　the　good　is　in　our　power；　neither　envy　nor　jealousy　will　have　a　place　in　us。　But　you　yourself　will　not　wish　to　be　a　general　or　a　senator　or　consul；　but　a　free　man；　and　there　is　only　one　way　to　do　this；　to　care　not　for　the　things　which　are　not　in　our　power。'〃

〃That；〃　said　Mr。　Stanley；　〃is　exactly　what　I've　always　said；　but　I　didn't　know　it　was　in　any　book。　I　always　said　I　didn't　want　to　be　a　senator　or　a　legislator；　or　any　other　sort　of　office…holder。　It's　good　enough　for　me　right　here　on　this　farm。〃

At　that　moment　I　glanced　down　into　Ben's　shining　eyes。

〃But　I　want　to　be　a　senator　orsomethingwhen　I　grow　up；〃　he　said　eagerly。

At　this　the　older　brother；　who　was　sitting　not　far　off；　broke　into　a　laugh；　and　the　boy；　who　for　a　moment　had　been　drawn　out　of　his　reserve；　shrank　back　again　and　coloured　to　the　hair。

〃Well；　Ben；〃　said　I；　putting　my　hand　on　his　knee；　〃don't　you　let　anything　stop　you。　I'll　back　you　up；　I'll　vote　for　you。〃

After　breakfast　the　next　morning　Mr。　Stanley　drew　me　aside　and　said：

〃Now　I　want　to　pay　you　for　your　help　yesterday　and　the　day　before。〃

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I've　had　more　than　value　received。　You've　taken　me　in　like　a　friend　and　brother。　I've　enjoyed　it。〃

So　Mrs。　Stanley　half　filled　my　knapsack　with　the　finest　luncheon　I've　seen　in　many　a　day；　and　thus；　with　as　pleasant　a　farewell　as　if　I'd　been　a　near　relative；　I　set　off　up　the　country　road。　I　was　a　little　distressed　in　parting　to　see　nothing　of　the　boy　Ben；　for　I　had　formed　a　genuine　liking　for　him；　but　upon　reaching　a　clump　of　trees　which　hid　the　house　from　the　road　I　saw　him　standing　in　the　moist　grass　of　a　fence　corner。

〃I　want　to　say　good…bye；〃　he　said　in　the　gruff　voice　of　embarrassment。

〃Ben；〃　I　said；　〃I　missed　you；　and　I'd　have　hated　to　go　off　without　seeing　you　again。　Walk　a　bit　with　me。〃

So　we　walked　side　by　side；　talking　quietly　and　when　at　last　I　shook　his　hand　I　said：

〃Ben；　don't　you　ever　be　afraid　of　acting　up　to　the　very　best　thoughts　you　have　in　your　heart。〃

He　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　and　then：　〃Gee！　I'm　sorry　you're　goin'　away！〃

〃Gee！〃　I　responded；　〃I'm　sorry；　too！〃

With　that　we　both　laughed；　but　when　I　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　looked　back；　I　saw　him　still　standing　there　bare…footed　in　the　road　looking　after　me。　I　waved　my　hand　and　he　waved　his：　and　I　saw　him　no　more。

No　country；　after　all；　produces　any　better　crop　than　its　inhabitants。　And　as　I　travelled　onward　I　liked　to　think　of　these　brave；　temperate；　industrious；　God…friendly　American　people。　I　have　no　fear　of　the　country　while　so　many　of　them　are　still　to　be　found　upon　the　farms　and　in　the　towns　of　this　land。

So　I　tramped　onward　full　of　cheerfulness。　The　rain　had　ceased；　but　all　the　world　was　moist　and　very　green　and　still。　I　walked　for　more　than　two　hours　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　About　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　I　stopped　near　a　brook　to　drink　and　rest；　for　I　was　warm　and　tired。　And　it　was　then　that　I　bethought　me　of　the　little　tin　pipe　in　my　knapsack；　and　straightway　I　got　it　out；　and；　sitting　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree　near　the　brook；　I　put　it　to　my　lips　and　felt　for　the　stops　with　unaccustomed　fingers。　At　first　I　made　the　saddest　sort　of　work　of　it；　and　was　not　a　little　disappointed；　indeed；　with　the　sound　of　the　whistle　itself。　It　was　nothing　to　my　memory　of　it！　It　seemed　thin　and　tinny。

However；　I　persevered　at　it；　and　soon　produced　a　recognizable　imitation　of　Tom　Madison's　〃Old　Dan　Tucker。〃　My　success　quite　pleased　me；　and　I　became　so　absorbed　that　I　quite　lost　account　of　the　time　and　place。　There　was　no　one　to　hear　me　save　a　bluejay　which　for　an　hour　or　more　kept　me　company。　He　sat　on　a　twig　just　across　the　brook；　cocking　his　head　at　me；　and　saucily　wagging　his　tail。　Occasionally　he　would　dart　off　among　the　trees　crying　shrilly；　but　his　curiosity　would　always　get　the　better　of　him　and　back　he　would　come　again　to　try　to　solve　the　mystery　of　this　rival　whistling；　which　I'm　sure　was　as　shrill　and　as　harsh　as　his　own。

Presently；　quite　to　my　astonishment；　I　saw　a　man　standing　near　the　brookside　not　a　dozen　paces　away　from　me。　How　long　he　had　been　there　I　don't　know；　for　I　had　heard　nothing　of　his　coming。　Beyond　him　in　the　town　road　I　could　see　the　head　of　his　horse　and　the　top　of　his　buggy。　I　said　not　a　word；　but　continued　with　my　practising。　Why　shouldn't　I？　But　it　gave　me　quite　a　thrill　for　the　moment；　and　at　once　I　began　to　think　of　the　possibilities　of　the　situation。　What　a　thing　it　was　have　so　many　unexpected　and　interesting　situations　developing！　So　I　nodded　my　head　and　tapped　my　foot；　and　blew　into　my　whistle　all　the　more　energetically。　I　knew　my　visitor　could　not　possibly　keep　away。　And　he　could　not；　presently　he　came　nearer　and　said：

〃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　t