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第36章

over the teacups-第36章

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in eternity。



I stood still; staring vaguely at the dial as in a trance。  And as

the next hour creeps stealthily up; it starts all at once; and cries

aloud; Gone! Gone!  The sun sinks lower; the hour…hand creeps

downward with it; until I hear the thrice…repeated monosyllable;

Gone! Gone! Gone!  Soon through the darkening hours; until at the

dead of night the long roll is called; and with the last Gone! the

latest of the long procession that filled the day follows its ghostly

companions into the stillness and darkness of the past。



I silenced the striking part of the works。  Still; the escapement

kept repeating; Quick!  Quick!  Quick!  Still the long minute…hand;

like the dart in the grasp of Death; as we see it in Roubiliac's

monument to Mrs。 Nightingale; among the tombs of Westminster Abbey;

stretched itself out; ready to transfix each hour as it passed; and

make it my last。  I sat by the clock to watch the leap from one day

of the week to the next。  Then would come; in natural order; the long

stride from one month to the following one。



I could endure it no longer。  〃Take that clock away!〃 I said。  They

took it away。  They took me away; too;they thought I needed country

air。  The sounds and motions still pursued me in imagination。  I was

very nervous when I came here。  The walks are pleasant; but the walls

seem to me unnecessarily high。  The boarders are numerous; a little

miscellaneous; I think。  But we have the Queen; and the President of

the United States; and several other distinguished persons; if we may

trust what they tell about themselves。



After we had listened to Number Five's story; I was requested to read

a couple of verses written by me when the guest of my friends; whose

name is hinted by the title prefixed to my lines。



          LA MAISON D'OR。



           BAR HARBOR。



》From this fair home behold on either side

The restful mountains or the restless sea:

So the warm sheltering walls of life divide

Time and its tides from still eternity。



Look on the waves: their stormy voices teach

That not on earth may toil and struggle cease。

Look on the mountains: better far than speech

Their silent promise of eternal peace。









VIII。



I had intended to devote this particular report to an account of my

replies to certain questions which have been addressed to me;

questions which I have a right to suppose interest the public; and

which; therefore; I was justified in bringing before The Teacups; and

presenting to the readers of these articles。



Some may care for one of these questions; and some for another。  A

good many young people think nothing about life as it presents itself

in the far horizon; bounded by the snowy ridges of threescore and the

dim peaks beyond that remote barrier。  Again; there are numbers of

persons who know nothing at all about the Jews; while; on the other

hand; there are those who can; or think they can; detect the

Israelitish blood in many of their acquaintances who believe

themselves of the purest Japhetic origin; and are full of prejudices

about the Semitic race。



I do not mean to be cheated out of my intentions。  I propose to

answer my questioners on the two points just referred to; but I find

myself so much interested in the personal affairs of The Teacups that

I must deal with them before attacking those less exciting subjects。

There is no use; let me say here; in addressing to me letters marked

〃personal;〃 〃private;〃 〃confidential;〃 and so forth; asking me how I

came to know what happened in certain conversations of which I shall

give a partial account。  If there is a very sensitive phonograph

lying about here and there in unsuspected corners; that might account

for some part of my revelations。  If Delilah; whose hearing is of

almost supernatural delicacy; reports to me what she overhears; it

might explain a part of the mystery。  I do not want to accuse

Delilah; but a young person who assures me she can hear my watch

ticking in my pocket; when I am in the next room; might undoubtedly

tell many secrets; if so disposed。  Number Five is pretty nearly

omniscient; and she and I are on the best terms with each other。

These are all the hints I shall give you at present。



The Teacups of whom the least has been heard at our table are the

Tutor and the Musician。  The Tutor is a modest young man; kept down a

little; I think; by the presence of older persons; like the Professor

and myself。  I have met him several times; of late; walking with

different lady Teacups: once with the American Annex; twice with the

English Annex; once with the two Annexes together; once with Number

Five。



I have mentioned the fact that the Tutor is a poet as among his

claims to our attention。  I must add that I do not think any the

worse of him for expressing his emotions and experiences in verse。

For though rhyming is often a bad sign in a young man; especially if

he is already out of his teens; there are those to whom it is as

natural; one might almost say as necessary; as it is to a young bird

to fly。  One does not care to see barnyard fowls tumbling about in

trying to use their wings。  They have a pair of good; stout

drumsticks; and had better keep to them; for the most part。  But that

feeling does not apply to young eagles; or even to young swallows and

sparrows。  The Tutor is by no means one of those ignorant; silly;

conceited phrase…tinklers; who live on the music of their own

jingling syllables and the flattery of their foolish friends。  I

think Number Five must appreciate him。  He is sincere; warmhearted;

his poetry shows that;not in haste to be famous; and he looks to me

as if he only wanted love to steady him。  With one of those two young

girls he ought certainly to be captivated; if he is not already。

Twice walking with the English Annex; I met him; and they were so

deeply absorbed in conversation they hardly noticed me。  He has been

talking over the matter with Number Five; who is just the kind of

person for a confidante。



〃I know I feel very lonely;〃 he was saying; 〃and I only wish I felt

sure that I could make another person happy。  My life would be

transfigured if I could find such a one; whom I could love well

enough to give my life to her;for her; if that were needful; and

who felt an affinity for me; if any one could。〃



〃And why not your English maiden?〃 said Number Five。



〃What makes you think I care more for her than for her American

friend?〃 said the Tutor。



〃Why; have n't I met you walking with her; and did n't you both seem

greatly interested in the subject you were discussing?  I thought; of

course; it was something more or less sentimental that you were

talking about。〃



〃I was explaining that 'enclitic de' in Browning's Grammarian's

Funeral。  I don't think there was anything very sentimental about

that。  She is an inquisitive creature; that English girl。  She is

very fond of asking me questions;in fact; both of them are。  There

is one curious difference between them: the English girl settles down

into her answers and is quiet; the American girl is never satisfied

with yesterday's conclusions; she is always reopening old questions

in the light of some new fact or some novel idea。  I suppose that

people bred from childhood to lean their backs against the wall of

the Creed and the church catechism find it hard to sit up straight on

the republican stool; which obliges them to stiffen their own backs。

Which of these two girls would be the safest choice for a young man?

I should really like to hear what answer yon would make if I

consulted you seriously; with a view to my own choice;on the

supposition that there was a fair chance that either of them might be

won。〃



〃The one you are in love with;〃 answered Number Five。



〃But what if it were a case of 'How happy could I be with either'?

Which offers the best chance of happiness;a marriage between two

persons of the s

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