the americanization of edward bok-第42章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　highly　colored　vocabulary　of　the　〃White　Rabbit〃　of　the　Alice　stories。

〃Impossible；〃　immediately　declared　the　don。　〃You　couldn't　persuade　Dodgson　to　consider　it。〃　Bok；　however；　persisted；　and　it　so　happened　that　the　don　liked　what　he　called　〃American　perseverance。〃

〃Well；　come　along；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　beard　the　lion　in　his　den；　as　you　say；　and　see　what　happens。　You　know；　of　course；　that　it　is　the　Reverend　Charles　L。　Dodgson　that　we　are　going　to　see；　and　I　must　introduce　you　to　that　person；　not　to　Lewis　Carroll。　He　is　a　tutor　in　mathematics　here；　as　you　doubtless　know；　lives　a　rigidly　secluded　life；　dislikes　strangers；　makes　no　friends；　and　yet　withal　is　one　of　the　most　delightful　men　in　the　world　if　he　wants　to　be。〃

But　as　it　happened　upon　this　special　occasion　when　Bok　was　introduced　to　him　in　his　chambers　in　Tom　Quad；　Mr。　Dodgson　did　not　〃want　to　be〃　delightful。　There　was　no　doubt　that　back　of　the　studied　reserve　was　a　kindly；　charming；　gracious　gentleman；　but　Bok's　profession　had　been　mentioned　and　the　author　was　on　rigid　guard。

When　Bok　explained　that　one　of　the　special　reasons　for　his　journey　from　America　this　summer　was　to　see　him；　the　Oxford　mathematician　sufficiently　softened　to　ask　the　editor　to　sit　down。

Bok　then　broached　his　mission。

〃You　are　quite　in　error；　Mr。　Bok；〃　was　the　Dodgson　comment。　〃You　are　not　speaking　to　the　person　you　think　you　are　addressing。〃

For　a　moment　Bok　was　taken　aback。　Then　he　decided　to　go　right　to　the　point。

〃Do　I　understand；　Mr。　Dodgson；　that　you　are　not　'Lewis　Carroll'；　that　you　did　not　write　Alice　in　Wonderland？〃

For　an　answer　the　tutor　rose；　went　into　another　room；　and　returned　with　a　book　which　he　handed　to　Bok。　〃This　is　my　book；〃　he　said　simply。　It　was　entitled　An　Elementary　Treatise　on　Determinants；　by　C。　L。　Dodgson。　When　he　looked　up；　Bok　found　the　author's　eyes　riveted　on　him。

〃Yes；〃　said　Bok。　〃I　know；　Mr。　Dodgson。　If　I　remember　correctly；　this　is　the　same　book　of　which　you　sent　a　copy　to　Her　Majesty；　Queen　Victoria；　when　she　wrote　to　you　for　a　personal　copy　of　your　Alice。〃

Dodgson　made　no　comment。　The　face　was　absolutely　without　expression　save　a　kindly　compassion　intended　to　convey　to　the　editor　that　he　was　making　a　terrible　mistake。

〃As　I　said　to　you　in　the　beginning；　Mr。　Bok；　you　are　in　error。　You　are　not　speaking　to　'Lewis　Carroll。'〃　And　then：　〃Is　this　the　first　time　you　have　visited　Oxford？〃

Bok　said　it　was；　and　there　followed　the　most　delightful　two　hours　with　the　Oxford　mathematician　and　the　Oxford　don；　walking　about　and　into　the　wonderful　college　buildings；　and　afterward　the　three　had　a　bite　of　lunch　together。　But　all　efforts　to　return　to　〃Lewis　Carroll〃　were　futile。　While　saying　good…by　to　his　host；　Bok　remarked：

〃I　can't　help　expressing　my　disappointment；　Mr。　Dodgson；　in　my　quest　in　behalf　of　the　thousands　of　American　children　who　love　you　and　who　would　so　gladly　welcome　'Lewis　Carroll'　back。〃

The　mention　of　children　and　their　love　for　him　momentarily　had　its　effect。　For　an　instant　a　different　light　came　into　the　eyes；　and　Bok　instinctively　realized　Dodgson　was　about　to　say　something。　But　he　checked　himself。　Bok　had　almost　caught　him　off　his　guard。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　finally　said　at　the　parting　at　the　door；　〃that　you　should　be　disappointed；　for　the　sake　of　the　children　as　well　as　for　your　own　sake。　I　only　regret　that　I　cannot　remove　the　disappointment。〃

And　as　the　trio　walked　to　the　station；　the　don　said：　〃That　is　his　attitude　toward　all；　even　toward　me。　He　is　not　'Lewis　Carroll'　to　any　one；　is　extremely　sensitive　on　the　point；　and　will　not　acknowledge　his　identity。　That　is　why　he　lives　so　much　to　himself。　He　is　in　daily　dread　that　some　one　will　mention　Alice　in　his　presence。　Curious；　but　there　it　is。〃

Edward　Bok's　next　quest　was　to　be　even　more　disappointing；　he　was　never　even　to　reach　the　presence　of　the　person　he　sought。　This　was　Florence　Nightingale；　the　Crimean　nurse。　Bok　was　desirous　of　securing　her　own　story　of　her　experiences；　but　on　every　hand　he　found　an　unwillingness　even　to　take　him　to　her　house。　〃No　use；〃　said　everybody。　〃She　won't　see　any　one。　Hates　publicity　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　and　shuns　the　public。〃　Nevertheless；　the　editor　journeyed　to　the　famous　nurse's　home　on　South　Street；　in　the　West　End　of　London；　only　to　be　told　that　〃Miss　Nightingale　never　receives　strangers。〃

〃But　I　am　not　a　stranger；〃　insisted　the　editor。　〃I　am　one　of　her　friends　from　America。　Please　take　my　card　to　her。〃

This　mollified　the　faithful　secretary；　but　the　word　instantly　came　back　that　Miss　Nightingale　was　not　receiving　any　one　that　day。　Bok　wrote　her　a　letter　asking　for　an　appointment；　which　was　never　answered。　Then　he　wrote　another；　took　it　personally　to　the　house；　and　awaited　an　answer；　only　to　receive　the　message　that　〃Miss　Nightingale　says　there　is　no　answer　to　the　letter。〃

Bok　had　with　such　remarkable　uniformity　secured　whatever　he　sought；　that　these　experiences　were　new　to　him。　Frankly；　they　puzzled　him。　He　was　not　easily　baffled；　but　baffled　he　now　was；　and　that　twice　in　succession。　Turn　as　he　might；　he　could　find　no　way　in　which　to　reopen　an　approach　to　either　the　Oxford　tutor　or　the　Crimean　nurse。　They　were　plainly　too　much　for　him；　and　he　had　to　acknowledge　his　defeat。　The　experience　was　good　for　him；　he　did　not　realize　this　at　the　time；　nor　did　he　enjoy　the　sensation　of　not　getting　what　he　wanted。　Nevertheless；　a　reverse　or　two　was　due。　Not　that　his　success　was　having　any　undesirable　effect　upon　him；　his　Dutch　common　sense　saved　him　from　any　such　calamity。　But　at　thirty　years　of　age　it　is　not　good　for　any　one；　no　matter　how　well　balanced；　to　have　things　come　his　way　too　fast　and　too　consistently。　And　here　were　breaks。　He　could　not　have　everything　he　wanted；　and　it　was　just　as　well　that　he　should　find　that　out。

In　his　next　quest　he　found　himself　again　opposed　by　his　London　friends。　Unable　to　secure　a　new　Alice　in　Wonderland　for　his　child　readers；　he　determined　to　give　them　Kate　Greenaway。　But　here　he　had　selected　another　recluse。　Everybody　discouraged　him。　The　artist　never　saw　visitors；　he　was　told；　and　she　particularly　shunned　editors　and　publishers。　Her　own　publishers　confessed　that　Miss　Greenaway　was　inaccessible　to　them。　〃We　conduct　all　our　business　with　her　by　correspondence。　I　have　never　seen　her　personally　myself；〃　said　a　member　of　the　firm。

Bok　inwardly　decided　that　two　failures　in　two　days　were　sufficient；　and　he　made　up　his　mind　that　there　should　not　be　a　third。　He　took　a　bus　for　the　long　ride　to　Hampstead　Heath；　where　the　illustrator　lived；　and　finally　stood　before　a　picturesque　Queen　Anne　house　that　one　would　have　recognized　at　once；　with　its　lower　story　of　red　brick；　its　upper　part　covered　with　red　tiles；　its　windows　of　every　size　and　shape；　as　the　inspiration　of　Kate　Greenaway's　pictures。　As　it　turned　out　later；　Miss　Greenaway's　sister　opened　the　door　and　told　the　visitor　that　Miss　Greenaway　was　not　at　home。

〃But；　pardon　me；　has　not　Miss　Greenaway　returned？　Is　not　that　she？〃　asked　Bok；　as　he　indicated　a　figure　just　coming　down　the　stairs。　And　as　the　sister　turned　to　see；　Bok　stepped　into　the　hall。　At　least　he　was　inside！　Bok　had　never　seen　a　photograph　of　Miss　Greenaway；　he　did　not　know　that　the　figure　coming　downstairs　was　the　artist；　but　his　instinct　had　led　him　right；　and　good　fortune　was　with　him。

He　now　introduced　himself　to　Kate　Greenaway；　and　explained　that　one　of　his　objects　in　coming　to　London　was　to　see　her　on　behalf　of　thousands　of　American　children。　Naturally　there　was　nothing　for　the　illustrator　to　do　but　to　welcome　her　visitor。　She　took　him　into　the　garden；　where　he　saw　at　once　that　he　was　seated　under　the　apple…tree　of　Miss　Greenaway's　pictures。　It　was　in　full　bloom；　a　veritable　picture　of　spring　loveliness。　Bok's　love　for　nature　pleased　the　artist　and　when　he　recognized　the　cat　that　sauntered　up；　he　could　see　that　he　was　making　headway。　But　when　he　explained　his　profession　and　stated　his　errand；　the　atmosphere　instantly　changed。　Miss　Greenaway　conveyed　the　unmistakable　impression　that　she　had　been　trapped；　and　Bok　realized　at　once　that　he　had　a　long　and　difficult　road　ahead。

Still；　negotiate　it　he　must　and　he　did！　And　after　luncheon　in　the　garden；　with　the　cat　in　his