the friendly road-第7章

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hing　from　fly…paper　to　threshing…machines；　he　had　picked　up　a　large　working　knowledge　of　the　weaknesses　of　human　nature；　and　had　arrived　at　the　age　of　sixty…six　with　just　enough　available　cash　to　pay　the　manufacturer　for　a　new　supply　of　brushes。　In　strict　confidence；　I　drew　certain　conclusions　from　the　colour　of　his　nose！　He　had　once　had　a　family；　but　dropped　them　somewhere　along　the　road。　Most　of　our　brisk　neighbours　would　have　put　him　down　as　a　failurean　old　man；　and　nothing　laid　by！　But　I　wonderI　wonder。　One　thing　I　am　coming　to　learn　in　this　world；　and　that　is　to　let　people　haggle　along　with　their　lives　as　I　haggle　along　with　mine。

We　both　made　tremendous　inroads　on　the　luncheon；　and　I　presume　we　might　have　sat　there　talking　all　the　afternoon　if　I　had　not　suddenly　bethought　myself　with　a　not　unpleasant　thrill　that　my　resting…place　for　the　night　was　still　gloriously　undecided。

〃Friend；〃　I　said；　〃I've　got　to　be　up　and　going。　I　haven't　so　much　as　a　penny　in　my　pocket；　and　I've　got　to　find　a　place　to　sleep。〃

The　effect　of　this　remark　upon　Mr。　Canfield　was　magical。　He　threw　up　both　his　hands　and　cried　out：

〃You're　that　way；　are　you？〃as　though　for　the　first　time　he　really　understood。　We　were　at　last　on　common　ground。

〃Partner；〃　said　he；　〃you　needn't　tell　nothin'　about　it。　I've　been　right　there　myself。〃

At　once　he　began　to　bustle　about　with　great　enthusiasm。　He　was　for　taking　complete　charge　of　me；　and　I　think；　if　I　had　permitted　it；　would　instantly　have　made　a　brush…agent　of　me。　At　least　he　would　have　carried　me　along　with　him　in　his　buggy；　but　when　he　suggested　it　I　felt　very　much；　I　think；　as　some　old　monk　must　have　who　had　taken　a　vow　to　do　some　particular　thing　in　some　particular　way。　With　great　difficulty　I　convinced　him　finally　that　my　way　was　different　from　histhough　he　was　regally　impartial　as　to　what　road　he　took　nextand；　finally；　with　some　reluctance；　he　started　to　climb　into　his　buggy。

A　thought；　however；　struck　him　suddenly；　and　he　stepped　down　again；　ran　around　to　the　box　at　the　back　of　his　buggy；　opened　it　with　a　mysterious　and　smiling　look　at　me；　and　took　out　a　small　broom…brush　with　which　he　instantly　began　brushing　off　my　coat　and　trousersin　the　liveliest　and　most　exuberant　way。　When　he　had　finished　this　occupation；　he　quickly　handed　the　brush　to　me。

〃A　token　of　esteem；〃　he　said；　〃from　a　fellow　traveller。〃

I　tried　in　vain　to　thank　him；　but　he　held　up　his　hand；　scrambled　quickly　into　his　buggy；　and　was　for　driving　off　instantly；　but　paused　and　beckoned　me　toward　him。　When　I　approached　the　buggy；　he　took　hold　of　one　the　lapels　of　my　coat；　bent　over；　and　said　with　the　utmost　seriousness：

〃No　man　ought　to　take　the　road　without　a　brush。　A　good　broom…brush　is　the　world's　greatest　civilizer。　Are　you　looking　seedy　or　dusty？why；　this　here　brush　will　instantly　make　you　a　respectable　citizen。　Take　my　word　for　it；　friend；　never　go　into　any　strange　house　without　stoppin'　and　brushin'　off。　It's　money　in　your　purse！　You　can　get　along　without　dinner　sometimes；　or　even　without　a　shirt；　but　without　a　brush　never！　There's　nothin'　in　the　world　so　necessary　to　rich　AN'　poor；　old　AN'　young　as　a　good　brush！〃

And　with　a　final　burst　of　enthusiasm　the　brush…peddler　drove　off　up　the　hill。　I　stood　watching　him　and　when　he　turned　around　I　waved　the　brush　high　over　my　head　in　token　of　a　grateful　farewell。

It　was　a　good；　serviceable；　friendly　brush。　I　carried　it　throughout　my　wanderings；　and　as　I　sit　here　writing　in　my　study；　at　this　moment；　I　can　see　it　hanging　on　a　hook　at　the　side　of　my　fireplace。



CHAPTER　III。　　THE　HOUSE　BY　THE　SIDE　OF　THE　ROAD

〃Everyone；〃　remarks　Tristram　Shandy；　〃will　speak　of　the　fair　as　his　own　market　has　gone　in　it。〃

It　came　near　being　a　sorry　fair　for　me　on　the　afternoon　following　my　parting　with　the　amiable　brush…peddler。　The　plain　fact　is；　my　success　at　the　Stanleys'；　and　the　easy　manner　in　which　I　had　fallen　in　with　Mr。　Canfield；　gave　me　so　much　confidence　in　myself　as　a　sort　of　Master　of　the　Road　that　I　proceeded　with　altogether　too　much　assurance。

I　am　firmly　convinced　that　the　prime　quality　to　be　cultivated　by　the　pilgrim　is　humility　of　spirit；　he　must　be　willing　to　accept　Adventure　in　whatever　garb　she　chooses　to　present　herself。　He　must　be　able　to　see　the　shining　form　of　the　unusual　through　the　dull　garments　of　the　normal。

The　fact　is；　I　walked　that　afternoon　with　my　head　in　air　and　passed　many　a　pleasant　farmstead　where　men　were　working　in　the　fields；　and　many　an　open　doorway；　and　a　mill　or　two；　and　a　townalways　looking　for　some　Great　Adventure。

Somewhere　upon　this　road；　I　thought　to　myself；　I　shall　fall　in　with　a　Great　Person；　or　become　a　part　of　a　Great　Incident。　I　recalled　with　keen　pleasure　the　experience　of　that　young　Spanish　student　of　Carlyle　writes　in　one　of　his　volumes；　who；　riding　out　from　Madrid　one　day；　came　unexpectedly　upon　the　greatest　man　in　the　world。　This　great　man；　of　whom　Carlyle　observes　（I　have　looked　up　the　passage　since　I　came　home）；　〃a　kindlier；　meeker；　braver　heart　has　seldom　looked　upon　the　sky　in　this　world；〃　had　ridden　out　from　the　city　for　the　last　time　in　his　life　〃to　take　one　other　look　at　the　azure　firmament　and　green　mosaic　pavements　and　the　strange　carpentry　and　arras　work　of　this　noble　palace　of　a　world。〃

As　the　old　story　has　it；　the　young　student　〃came　pricking　on　hastily；　complaining　that　they　went　at　such　a　pace　as　gave　him　little　chance　of　keeping　up　with　them。　One　of　the　party　made　answer　that　the　blame　lay　with　the　horse　of　Don　Miguel　de　Cervantes；　whose　trot　was　of　the　speediest。　He　had　hardly　pronounced　the　name　when　the　student　dismounted　and；　touching　the　hem　of　Cervantes'　left　sleeve；　said；　'Yes；　yes；　it　is　indeed　the　maimed　perfection；　the　all…famous；　the　delightful　writer；　the　joy　and　darling　of　the　Muses！　You　are　that　brave　Miguel。'〃

It　may　seem　absurd　to　some　in　this　cool　and　calculating　twentieth　century　that　any　one　should　indulge　in　such　vain　imaginings　as　I　have　describedand　yet；　why　not？　All　things　are　as　we　see　them。　I　once　heard　a　mana　modern　man；　living　to…daytell　with　a　hush　in　his　voice；　and　a　peculiar　light　in　his　eye；　how；　walking　in　the　outskirts　of　an　unromantic　town　in　New　Jersey；　he　came　suddenly　upon　a　vigorous；　bearded；　rather　rough…looking　man　swinging　his　stick　as　he　walked；　and　stopping　often　at　the　roadside　and　often　looking　up　at　the　sky。　I　shall　never　forget　the　curious　thrill　in　his　voice　as　he　said：

〃And　THAT　was　Walt　Whitman。〃

And　thus　quite　absurdly　intoxicated　by　the　possibilities　of　the　road；　I　let　the　big　full　afternoon　slip　byI　let　slip　the　rich　possibilities　of　half　a　hundred　farms　and　scores　of　travelling　peopleand　as　evening　began　to　fall　I　came　to　a　stretch　of　wilder　country　with　wooded　hills　and　a　dashing　stream　by　the　roadside。　It　was　a　fine　and　beautiful　countryto　look　atbut　the　farms；　and　with　them　the　chances　of　dinner；　and　a　friendly　place　to　sleep；　grew　momentarily　scarcer。　Upon　the　hills　here　and　there；　indeed；　were　to　be　seen　the　pretentious　summer　homes　of　rich　dwellers　from　the　cities；　but　I　looked　upon　them　with　no　great　hopefulness。

〃Of　all　places　in　the　world；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃surely　none　could　be　more　unfriendly　to　a　man　like　me。〃

But　I　amused　myself　with　conjectures　as　to　what　might　happen　（until　the　adventure　seemed　almost　worth　trying）　if　a　dusty　man　with　a　bag　on　his　back　should　appear　at　the　door　of　one　of　those　well…groomed　establishments。　It　came　to　me；　indeed；　with　a　sudden　deep　sense　of　understanding；　that　I　should　probably　find　there；　as　everywhere　else；　just　men　and　women。　And　with　that　I　fell　into　a　sort　of　Socratic　dialogue　with　myself：

ME：　Having　decided　that　the　people　in　these　houses　are；　after　all；　merely　men　and　women；　what　is　the　best　way　of　reaching　them？

MYSELF：　Undoubtedly　by　giving　them　something　they　want　and　have　not。

ME：　But　these　are　rich　people　from　the　city；　what　can　they　want　that　they　have　not？

MYSELF：　Believe　me；　of　all　people　in　the　world　those　who　want　the　most　are　those　who　have　the　most。　These　people　are　also　consumed　with　desires。

ME：　And　what；　pray；　do　you　suppose　they　desire？

MYSELF：　They　want　what　they　have　not　got；　they　want　the　unattainable：　they　want　chiefly　the　rarest　and　most