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第45章

over the teacups-第45章

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is as proud of its caudal appendage; especially in summer…time; as a

peacock of his gorgeous expanse of plumage。



Do you think there is anything so very odd about this idea?  Once get

it well into your heads; and you will find it renders the landscape

wonderfully interesting。  There are as many kinds of tree…tails as

there are of tails to dogs and other quadrupeds。  Study them as Daddy

Gilpin studied them in his 〃Forest Scenery;〃 but don't forget that

they are only the appendage of the underground vegetable polypus; the

true organism to which they belong。



He paused at this point; and we all drew long breaths; wondering what

was coming next。  There was no denying it; the 〃cracked Teacup〃 was

clinking a little false;so it seemed to the company。  Yet; after

all; the fancy was not delirious;the mind could follow it well

enough; let him go on。



What do you say to this?  You have heard all sorts of things said in

prose and verse about Niagara。  Ask our young Doctor there what it

reminds him of。  Is n't it a giant putting his tongue out?  How can

you fail to see the resemblance?  The continent is a great giant; and

the northern half holds the head and shoulders。  You can count the

pulse of the giant wherever the tide runs up a creek; but if you want

to look at the giant's tongue; you must go to Niagara。  If there were

such a thing as a cosmic physician; I believe he could tell the state

of the country's health; and the prospects of the mortality for the

coming season; by careful inspection of the great tongue; which

Niagara is putting out for him; and has been showing to mankind ever

since the first flint…shapers chipped their arrow…heads。  You don't

think the idea adds to the sublimity and associations of the

cataract?  I am sorry for that; but I can't help the suggestion。  It

is just as manifestly a tongue put out for inspection as if it had

Nature's own label to that effect hung over it。  I don't know whether

you can see these things as clearly as I do。  There are some people

that never see anything; if it is as plain as a hole in a grindstone;

until it is pointed out to them; and some that can't see it then; and

won't believe there is any hole till they've poked their finger

through it。  I've got a great many things to thank God for; but

perhaps most of all that I can find something to admire; to wonder

at; to set my fancy going; and to wind up my enthusiasm pretty much

everywhere。



Look here!  There are crowds of people whirled through our streets on

these new…fashioned cars; with their witch…broomsticks overhead;if

they don't come from Salem; they ought to;and not more than one in

a dozen of these fish…eyed bipeds thinks or cares a nickel's worth

about the miracle which is wrought for their convenience。  They know

that without hands or feet; without horses; without steam; so far as

they can see; they are transported from place to place; and that

there is nothing to account for it except the witch…broomstick and

the iron or copper cobweb which they see stretched above them。  What

do they know or care about this last revelation of the omnipresent

spirit of the material universe?  We ought to go down on our knees

when one of these mighty caravans; car after car; spins by us; under

the mystic impulse which seems to know not whether its train is

loaded or empty。  We are used to force in the muscles of horses; in

the expansive potency of steam; but here we have force stripped stark

naked;nothing but a filament to cover its nudity;and yet showing

its might in efforts that would task the working…beam of a ponderous

steam…engine。  I am thankful that in an age of cynicism I have not

lost my reverence。  Perhaps you would wonder to see how some very

common sights impress me。  I always take off my hat if I stop to

speak to a stone…cutter at his work。  〃Why?〃 do you ask me?  Because

I know that his is the only labor that is likely to endure。  A score

of centuries has not effaced the marks of the Greek's or the Roman's

chisel on his block of marble。  And now; before this new

manifestation of that form of cosmic vitality which we call

electricity; I feel like taking the posture of the peasants listening

to the Angelus。  How near the mystic effluence of mechanical energy

brings us to the divine source of all power and motion!  In the old

mythology; the right hand of Jove held and sent forth the lightning。

So; in the record of the Hebrew prophets; did the right hand of

Jehovah cast forth and direct it。  Was Nahum thinking of our far…off

time when he wrote; 〃The chariots shall rage in the streets; they

shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem

like torches; they shall run like the lightnings〃?



Number Seven had finished reading his paper。  Two bright spots in his

cheeks showed that he had felt a good deal in writing it; and the


flush returned as he listened to his own thoughts。  Poor old fellow!

The 〃cracked Teacup〃 of our younger wits;not yet come to their full

human sensibilities;the 〃crank〃 of vulgar tongues; the eccentric;

the seventh son of a seventh son; too often made the butt of

thoughtless pleasantry; was; after all; a fellow…creature; with flesh

and blood like the rest of us。  The wild freaks of his fancy did not

hurt us; nor did they prevent him from seeing many things justly; and

perhaps sometimes more vividly and acutely than if he were as sound

as the dullest of us。



The teaspoons tinkled loudly all round the table; as he finished

reading。  The Mistress caught her breath。  I was afraid she was going

to sob; but she took it out in vigorous stirring of her tea。  Will

you believe that I saw Number Five; with a sweet; approving smile on

her face all the time; brush her cheek with her hand…kerchief?  There

must have been a tear stealing from beneath its eyelid。  I hope

Number Seven saw it。  He is one of the two men at our table who most

need the tender looks and tones of a woman。  The Professor and I are

hors de combat; the Counsellor is busy with his cases and his

ambitions; the Doctor is probably in love with a microscope; and

flirting with pathological specimens; but Number Seven and the Tutor

are; I fear; both suffering from that worst of all famines; heart…

hunger。



Do you remember that Number Seven said he never wrote a line of

〃poetry〃 in his life; except once when he was suffering from

temporary weakness of body and mind?  That is because he is a poet。

If he had not been one; he would very certainly have taken to

tinkling rhymes。  What should you think of the probable musical

genius of a young man who was particularly fond of jingling a set of

sleigh…bells?  Should you expect him to turn out a Mozart or a

Beethoven?  Now; I think I recognize the poetical instinct in Number

Seven; however imperfect may be its expression; and however he may be

run away with at times by fantastic notions that come into his head。

If fate had allotted him a helpful companion in the shape of a loving

and intelligent wife; he might have been half cured of his

eccentricities; and we should not have had to say; in speaking of

him; 〃Poor fellow!〃  But since this cannot be; I am pleased that he

should have been so kindly treated on the occasion of the reading of

his paper。  If he saw Number Five's tear; he will certainly fall in

love with her。  No matter if he does Number Five is a kind of Circe

who does not turn the victims of her enchantment into swine; but into

lambs。  I want to see Number Seven one of her little flock。  I say

〃little。〃  I suspect it is larger than most of us know。  Anyhow; she

can spare him sympathy and kindness and encouragement enough to keep

him contented with himself and with her; and never miss the pulses of

her loving life she lends him。  It seems to be the errand of some

women to give many people as much happiness as they have any right to

in this world。  If they concentrated their affection on one; they

would give him more than a

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