the americanization of edward bok-第9章

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d　not　conceal　his　amusement　at　all　this。

When　breakfast　was　finished；　Doctor　Holmes　said：　〃Do　you　know　that　I　am　a　full…fledged　carpenter？　No？　Well；　I　am。　Come　into　my　carpenter…shop。〃

And　he　led　the　way　into　a　front…basement　room　where　was　a　complete　carpenter's　outfit。

〃You　know　I　am　a　doctor；〃　he　explained；　〃and　this　shop　is　my　medicine。　I　believe　that　every　man　must　have　a　hobby　that　is　as　different　from　his　regular　work　as　it　is　possible　to　be。　It　is　not　good　for　a　man　to　work　all　the　time　at　one　thing。　So　this　is　my　hobby。　This　is　my　change。　I　like　to　putter　away　at　these　things。　Every　day　I　try　to　come　down　here　for　an　hour　or　so。　It　rests　me　because　it　gives　my　mind　a　complete　change。　For；　whether　you　believe　it　or　not；〃　he　added　with　his　inimitable　chuckle；　〃to　make　a　poem　and　to　make　a　chair　are　two　very　different　things。〃

〃Now；〃　he　continued；　〃if　you　think　you　can　learn　something　from　me；　learn　that　and　remember　it　when　you　are　a　man。　Don't　keep　always　at　your　business；　whatever　it　may　be。　It　makes　no　difference　how　much　you　like　it。　The　more　you　like　it；　the　more　dangerous　it　is。　When　you　grow　up　you　will　understand　what　I　mean　by　an　'outlet'a　hobby；　that　isin　your　life；　and　it　must　be　so　different　from　your　regular　work　that　it　will　take　your　thoughts　into　an　entirely　different　direction。　We　doctors　call　it　a　safety…valve；　and　it　is。　I　would　much　rather；〃　concluded　the　poet；　〃you　would　forget　all　that　I　have　ever　written　than　that　you　should　forget　what　I　tell　you　about　having　a　safety…valve。〃

〃And　now　do　you　know；〃　smilingly　said　the　poet；　〃about　the　Charles　River　here？〃　as　they　returned　to　his　study　and　stood　before　the　large　bay　window。　〃I　love　this　river；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　I　love　it；〃　he　repeated；　〃love　it　in　summer　or　in　winter。〃　And　then　he　was　quiet　for　a　minute　or　so。

Edward　asked　him　which　of　his　poems　were　his　favorites。

〃Well；〃　he　said　musingly；　〃I　think　'The　Chambered　Nautilus'　is　my　most　finished　piece　of　work；　and　I　suppose　it　is　my　favorite。　But　there　are　also　'The　Voiceless；'　'My　Aviary；'　written　at　this　window；　'The　Battle　of　Bunker　Hill；'　and　'Dorothy　Q；'　written　to　the　portrait　of　my　great…grandmother　which　you　see　on　the　wall　there。　All　these　I　have　a　liking　for；　and　when　I　speak　of　the　poems　I　like　best　there　are　two　others　that　ought　to　be　included'The　Silent　Melody'　and　'The　Last　Leaf。'　I　think　these　are　among　my　best。〃

〃What　is　the　history　of　'The　Chambered　Nautilus'？〃　Edward　asked。

〃It　has　none；〃　came　the　reply；　〃it　wrote　itself。　So；　too；　did　'The　One…Hoss　Shay。'　That　was　one　of　those　random　conceptions　that　gallop　through　the　brain；　and　that　you　catch　by　the　bridle。　I　caught　it　and　reined　it。　That　is　all。〃

Just　then　a　maid　brought　in　a　parcel；　and　as　Doctor　Holmes　opened　it　on　his　desk　he　smiled　over　at　the　boy　and　said：

〃Well；　I　declare；　if　you　haven't　come　just　at　the　right　time。　See　those　little　books？　Aren't　they　wee？〃　and　he　handed　the　boy　a　set　of　three　little　books；　six　inches　by　four　in　size；　beautifully　bound　in　half　levant。　They　were　his　〃Autocrat〃　in　one　volume；　and　his　better…known　poems　in　two　volumes。

〃This　is　a　little　fancy　of　mine；〃　he　said。　〃My　publishers；　to　please　me；　have　gotten　out　this　tiny　wee　set。　And　here；〃　as　he　counted　the　little　sets；　〃they　have　sent　me　six　sets。　Are　they　not　exquisite　little　things？〃　and　he　fondled　them　with　loving　glee。　〃Lucky；　too；　for　me　that　they　should　happen　to　come　now；　for　I　have　been　wondering　what　I　could　give　you　as　a　souvenir　of　your　visit　to　me；　and　here　it　is；　sure　enough！　My　publishers　must　have　guessed　you　were　here　and　my　mind　at　the　same　time。　Now；　if　you　would　like　it；　you　shall　carry　home　one　of　these　little　sets；　and　I'll　just　write　a　piece　from　one　of　my　poems　and　your　name　on　the　fly…leaf　of　each　volume。　You　say　you　like　that　little　verse：

〃'A　few　can　touch　the　magic　string。'

Then　I'll　write　those　four　lines　in　this　volume。〃　And　he　did。

As　each　little　volume　went　under　the　poet's　pen　Edward　said；　as　his　heart　swelled　in　gratitude：

〃Doctor　Holmes；　you　are　a　man　of　the　rarest　sort　to　be　so　good　to　a　boy。〃

　　A　few　can　touch　the　magic　string。　　　And　noisy　fame　is　proud　to　win　them；　　　　Alas　for　those　who　never　sing。　　　But　die　with　all　their　music　in　them！　　　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes

The　pen　stopped；　the　poet　looked　out　on　the　Charles　a　moment；　and　then；　turning　to　the　boy　with　a　little　moisture　in　his　eye；　he　said：

〃No；　my　boy；　I　am　not；　but　it　does　an　old　man's　heart　good　to　hear　you　say　it。　It　means　much　to　those　on　the　down…hill　side　to　be　well　thought　of　by　the　young　who　are　coming　up。〃

As　he　wiped　his　gold　pen；　with　its　swan…quill　holder；　and　laid　it　down；　he　said：

〃That's　the　pen　with　which　I　wrote　'Elsie　Venner'　and　the　'Autocrat'　papers。　I　try　to　take　care　of　it。〃

〃You　say　you　are　going　from　me　over　to　see　Longfellow？〃　he　continued；　as　he　reached　out　once　more　for　the　pen。　〃Well；　then；　would　you　mind　if　I　gave　you　a　letter　for　him？　I　have　something　to　send　him。〃

Sly　but　kindly　old　gentleman！　The　〃something〃　he　had　to　send　Longfellow　was　Edward　himself；　although　the　boy　did　not　see　through　the　subterfuge　at　that　time。

〃And　now；　if　you　are　going；　I'll　walk　along　with　you　if　you　don't　mind；　for　I'm　going　down　to　Park　Street　to　thank　my　publishers　for　these　little　books；　and　that　lies　along　your　way　to　the　Cambridge　car。〃

As　the　two　walked　along　Beacon　Street；　Doctor　Holmes　pointed　out　the　residences　where　lived　people　of　interest；　and　when　they　reached　the　Public　Garden　he　said：

〃You　must　come　over　in　the　spring　some　time；　and　see　the　tulips　and　croci　and　hyacinths　here。　They　are　so　beautiful。

〃Now；　here　is　your　car；〃　he　said　as　he　hailed　a　coming　horse…car。　〃Before　you　go　back　you　must　come　and　see　me　and　tell　me　all　the　people　you　have　seen；　will　you？　I　should　like　to　hear　about　them。　I　may　not　have　more　books　coming　in；　but　I　might　have　a　very　good…looking　photograph　of　a　very　old…looking　little　man；〃　he　said　as　his　eyes　twinkled。　〃Give　my　love　to　Longfellow　when　you　see　him；　and　don't　forget　to　give　him　my　letter；　you　know。　It　is　about　a　very　important　matter。〃

And　when　the　boy　had　ridden　a　mile　or　so　with　his　fare　in　his　hand　he　held　it　out　to　the　conductor；　who　grinned　and　said：

〃That's　all　right。　Doctor　Holmes　paid　me　your　fare；　and　I'm　going　to　keep　that　nickel　if　I　lose　my　job　for　it。〃



V。　Going　to　the　Theatre　with　Longfellow

When　Edward　Bok　stood　before　the　home　of　Longfellow；　he　realized　that　he　was　to　see　the　man　around　whose　head　the　boy's　youthful　reading　had　cast　a　sort　of　halo。　And　when　he　saw　the　head　itself　he　had　a　feeling　that　he　could　see　the　halo。　No　kindlier　pair　of　eyes　ever　looked　at　a　boy；　as；　with　a　smile；　〃the　white　Mr。　Longfellow；〃　as　Mr。　Howells　had　called　him；　held　out　his　hand。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　my　boy；〃　were　his　first　words；　and　with　them　he　won　the　boy。　Edward　smiled　back　at　the　poet；　and　immediately　the　two　were　friends。

〃I　have　been　taking　a　walk　this　beautiful　morning；〃　he　said　next；　〃and　am　a　little　late　getting　at　my　mail。　Suppose　you　come　in　and　sit　at　my　desk　with　me；　and　we　will　see　what　the　postman　has　brought。　He　brings　me　so　many　good　things；　you　know。〃

〃Now；　here　is　a　little　girl；〃　he　said；　as　he　sat　down　at　the　desk　with　the　boy　beside　him；　〃who　wants　my　autograph　and　a　'sentiment。'　What　sentiment；　I　wonder；　shall　I　send　her？〃

〃Why　not　send　her　'Let　us；　then；　be　up　and　doing'？〃　suggested　the　boy。　〃That's　what　I　should　like　if　I　were　she。〃

〃Should　you；　indeed？〃　said　Longfellow。　〃That　is　a　good　suggestion。　Now；　suppose　you　recite　it　off　to　me；　so　that　I　shall　not　have　to　look　it　up　in　my　books；　and　I　will　write　as　you　recite。　But　slowly；　you　know　I　am　an　old　man；　and　write　slowly。〃

Edward　thought　it　strange　that　Longfellow　himself　should　not　know　his　own　great　words　without　looking　them　up。　But　he　recited　the　four　lines；　so　familiar　to　every　schoolboy；　and　when　the　poet　had　finished　writing　them；　he　said：

〃Good！　I　see　you　have　a　memory。　Now；　suppose　I　copy　these　lines　once　more　for　the　little　girl；　and　give　you　this　copy？　Then　you　can　say；　you　know；　that　you　dictated　my　own　poetry　to　me。〃

Of　course　Edward　was　delighted；　and　Longfellow　gave　him　the　sheet　as　it　is　h