the friendly road-第8章

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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　precious　of　all　thingsa　little　mystery　in　their　lives。

〃That's　it！〃　I　said　aloud；　〃that's　it！　Mysterythe　things　of　the　spirit；　the　things　above　ordinary　livingis　not　that　the　essential　thing　for　which　the　world　is　sighing；　and　groaning；　and　longingconsciously；　or　unconsciously？〃

I　have　always　believed　that　men　in　their　innermost　souls　desire　the　highest；　bravest；　finest　things　they　can　hear；　or　see；　or　feel　in　all　the　world。　Tell　a　man　how　he　can　increase　his　income　and　he　will　be　grateful　to　you　and　soon　forget　you；　but　show　him　the　highest；　most　mysterious　things　in　his　own　soul　and　give　him　the　word　which　will　convince　him　that　the　finest　things　are　really　attainable；　and　he　will　love　and　follow　you　always。

I　now　began　to　look　with　much　excitement　to　a　visit　at　one　of　the　houses　on　the　hill；　but　to　my　disappointment　I　found　the　next　two　that　I　approached　still　closed　up；　for　the　spring　was　not　yet　far　enough　advanced　to　attract　the　owners　to　the　country。　I　walked　rapidly　onward　through　the　gathering　twilight；　but　with　increasing　uneasiness　as　to　the　prospects　for　the　night；　and　thus　came　suddenly　upon　the　scene　of　an　odd　adventure。

From　some　distance　I　had　seen　a　veritable　palace　set　high　among　the　trees　and　overlooking　a　wonderful　green　valleyand；　drawing　nearer；　I　saw　evidences　of　well…kept　roadways　and　a　visible　effort　to　make　invisible　the　attempt　to　preserve　the　wild　beauty　of　the　place。　I　saw；　or　thought　I　saw；　people　on　the　wide　veranda；　and　I　was　sure　I　heard　the　snort　of　a　climbing　motor…car；　but　I　had　scarcely　decided　to　make　my　way　up　to　the　house　when　I　came；　at　the　turning　of　the　country　road；　upon　a　bit　of　open　land　laid　out　neatly　as　a　garden；　near　the　edge　of　which；　nestling　among　the　trees；　stood　a　small　cottage。　It　seemed　somehow　to　belong　to　the　great　estate　above　it；　and　I　concluded；　at　the　first　glance；　that　it　was　the　home　of　some　caretaker　or　gardener。

It　was　a　charming　place　to　see；　and　especially　the　plantation　of　trees　and　shrubs。　My　eye　fell　instantly　upon　a　fine　magnoliarare　in　this　countrywhich　had　not　yet　cast　all　its　blossoms；　and　I　paused　for　a　moment　to　look　at　it　more　closely。　I　myself　have　tried　to　raise　magnolias　near　my　house；　and　I　know　how　difficult　it　is。

As　I　approached　nearer　to　the　cottage；　I　could　see　a　man　and　woman　sitting　on　the　porch　in　the　twilight　and　swaying　back　and　forth　in　rocking…chairs。　I　fancied　it　may　have　been　only　a　fancythat　when　I　first　saw　them　their　hands　were　clasped　as　they　rocked　side　by　side。

It　was　indeed　a　charming　little　cottage。　Crimson　ramblers；　giving　promise　of　the　bloom　that　was　yet　to　come；　climbed　over　one　end　of　the　porch；　and　there　were　fine　dark…leaved　lilac…bushes　near　the　doorway：　oh；　a　pleasant；　friendly；　quiet　place！

I　opened　the　front　gate　and　walked　straight　in；　as　though　I　had　at　last　reached　my　destination。　I　cannot　give　any　idea　of　the　lift　of　the　heart　with　which　I　entered　upon　this　new　adventure。　Without　the　premeditation　and　not　knowing　what　I　should　say　or　do；　I　realized　that　everything　upon　a　few　sentences　spoken　within　the　next　minute　or　two。　Believe　me；　this　experience　to　a　man　who　does　not　know　where　his　next　meal　is　coming　from；　nor　where　he　is　to　spend　the　night；　is　well　worth　having。　It　is　a　marvellous　sharpener　of　the　facts。

I　knew；　of　course；　just　how　these　people　of　the　cottage　would　ordinarily　regard　an　intruder　whose　bag　and　clothing　must　infallibly　class　him　as　a　follower　of　the　road。　And　so　many　followers　of　the　road　arewell

As　I　came　nearer；　the　man　and　woman　stopped　rocking；　but　said　nothing。　An　old　dog　that　had　been　sleeping　on　the　top　step　rose　slowly　and　stood　there。

〃As　I　passed　your　garden；〃　I　said；　grasping　desperately　for　a　way　of　approach；　〃I　saw　your　beautiful　specimen　of　the　magnolia　treethe　one　still　in　blossom。　I　myself　have　tried　to　grow　magnoliasbut　with　small　successand　I'm　making　bold　to　inquire　what　variety　you　are　so　successful　with。〃

It　was　a　shot　in　the　airbut　I　knew　from　what　I　had　seen　that　they　must　be　enthusiastic　gardeners。　The　man　glanced　around　at　the　magnolia　with　evident　pride；　and　was　about　to　answer　when　the　woman　rose　and　with　a　pleasant；　quiet　cordiality　said：

〃Won't　you　step　up　and　have　a　chair？〃

I　swung　my　bag　from　my　shoulder　and　took　the　proffered　seat。　As　I　did　so　I　saw；　on　the　table　just　behind　me　a　number　magazines　and　booksbooks　of　unusual　sizes　and　shapes；　indicating　that　they　were　not　mere　summer　novels。

〃They　like　books！〃　I　said　to　myself；　with　a　sudden　rise　of　spirits。

〃I　have　tried　magnolias；　too；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　this　is　the　only　one　that　has　been　really　successful。　It　is　a　Chinese　white　magnolia。〃

〃The　one　Downing　describes？〃　I　asked。

This　was　also　a　random　shot；　but　I　conjectured　that　if　they　loved　both　books　gardens　they　would　know　DowningBible　of　the　gardener。　And　if　they　did；　we　belonged　to　the　same　church。

〃The　very　same；〃　exclaimed　the　woman；　〃it　was　Downing's　enthusiasm　for　the　Chinese　magnolia　which　led　us　first　to　try　it。〃

With　that；　like　true　disciples；　we　fell　into　great　talk　of　Downing；　at　first　all　in　praise　of　him；　and　laterfor　may　not　the　faithful　be　permitted　latitude　in　their　comments　so　long　as　it　is　all　within　the　cloister？we　indulged　in　a　bit　of　higher　criticism。

〃It　won't　do；〃　said　the　man；　〃to　follow　too　slavishly　every　detail　of　practice　as　recommended　by　Downing。　We　have　learned　a　good　many　things　since　the　forties。〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　I　said；　〃no　literal…minded　man　should　be　trusted　with　Downing。〃

〃Any　more　than　with　the　Holy　Scriptures；〃　exclaimed　the　woman。

〃Exactly！〃　I　responded　with　the　greatest　enthusiasm；　〃exactly！　We　go　to　him　for　inspiration；　for　fundamental　teachings；　for　the　great　literature　and　poetry　of　the　art。　Do　you　remember；〃　I　asked；　〃that　passage　in　which　Downing　quotes　from　some　old　Chinaman　upon　the　true　secret　of　the　pleasures　of　a　garden？〃

〃Do　we？〃　exclaimed　the　man；　jumping　up　instantly；　〃do　we？　Just　let　me　get　the　book〃

With　that　he　went　into　the　house　and　came　back　immediately　bringing　a　lamp　in　one　handfor　it　had　grown　pretty　darkand　a　familiar；　portly；　blue…bound　book　in　the　other。　While　he　was　gone　the　woman　said：

〃You　have　touched　Mr。　Vedder　in　his　weakest　spot。〃

〃I　know　of　no　combination　in　this　world；〃　said　I；　〃so　certain　to　produce　a　happy　heart　as　good　books　and　a　farm　or　garden。〃

Mr。　Vedder；　having　returned；　slipped　on　his　spectacles；　sat　forward　on　the　edge　of　his　rocking…chair；　and　opened　the　book　with　pious　hands。

〃I'll　find　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　put　my　finger　right　on　it。〃

〃You'll　find　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Vedder；　〃in　the　chapter　on　'Hedges。'〃

〃You　are　wrong；　my　dear；〃　he　responded；　〃it　is　in　'Mistakes　of　Citizens　in　Country　Life。〃


He　turned　the　leaves　eagerly。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃here　it　is　in　'Rural　Taste。'　Let　me　read　you　the　passage；　Mr。〃

〃Grayson。〃

〃Mr。　Grayson。　The　Chinaman's　name　was　Lieu…tscheu。　'What　is　it；'　asks　this　old　Chinaman；　'that　we　seek　in　the　pleasure　of　a　garden？　It　has　always　been　agreed　that　these　plantations　should　make　men　amends　for　living　at　a　distance　from　what　would　be　their　more　congenial　and　agreeable　dwelling…placein　the　midst　of　nature；　free　and　unrestrained。'〃

〃That's　it；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃and　the　old　Chinaman　was　right！　A　garden　excuses　civilization。〃

〃It's　what　brought　us　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Vedder。

With　that　we　fell　into　the　liveliest　discussion　of　gardening　and　farming　and　country　life　in　all　their　phases；　resolving　that　while　there　were　bugs　and　blights；　and　droughts　and　floods；　yet　upon　the　whole　there　was　no　life　so　completely　satisfying　as　life　in　which　one　may　watch　daily　the　unfolding　of　natural　life。

A　hundred　things　we　talked　about　freely　that　had　often　risen　dimly　in　my　own　mind　almost　to　the　pointbut　not　quiteof　spilling　over　into　articulate　form。　The　marvellous　thing　about　good　conversation　is　that　it　brings　to　birth　so　many　half…realized　thoughts　of　our　ownbesides　sowing　the　seed　of　innumerable　other　thought…plants。　How　they　enjoyed　their　garden；　those　two；　and　not　only　the　garden　itself；　but　all　the　lore　a