a far country-第20章
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writing invoices。。。。
Presently； as we went on silently with our unpacking； we became aware of
someone in the doorway。
〃Hello； you fellows！〃 he cried。 〃We're classmates； I guess。〃
We turned to behold an ungainly young man in an ill…fitting blue suit。
His face was pimply； his eyes a Teutonic blue； his yellow hair rumpled；
his naturally large mouth was made larger by a friendly grin。
〃I'm Hermann Krebs；〃 he announced simply。 〃Who are you？〃
We replied； I regret to say； with a distinct coolness that did not seem
to bother him in the least。 He advanced into the room； holding out a
large； red； and serviceable hand； evidently it had never dawned on him
that there was such a thing in the world as snobbery。 But Tom and I had
been 〃coached〃 by Ralph Hambleton and Perry Blackwood； warned to be
careful of our friendships。 There was a Reason！ In any case Mr。 Krebs
would not have appealed to us。 In answer to a second question he was
informed what city we hailed from； and he proclaimed himself likewise a
native of our state。
〃Why； I'm from Elkington！〃 he exclaimed； as though the fact sealed our
future relationships。 He seated himself on Tom's trunk and added：
〃Welcome to old Harvard！〃
We felt that he was scarcely qualified to speak for 〃old Harvard；〃 but we
did not say so。
〃You look as if you'd been pall…bearers for somebody；〃 was his next
observation。
To this there seemed no possible reply。
〃You fellows are pretty well fixed here；〃 he went on； undismayed； gazing
about a room which had seemed to us the abomination of desolation。 〃Your
folks must be rich。 I'm up under the skylight。〃
Even this failed to touch us。 His fatherhe told us with undiminished
candourhad been a German emigrant who had come over in '49； after the
cause of liberty had been lost in the old country； and made eye…glasses
and opera glasses。 There hadn't been a fortune in it。 He； Hermann； had
worked at various occupations in the summer time； from peddling to
farming； until he had saved enough to start him at Harvard。 Tom； who had
been bending over his bureau drawer； straightened up。
〃What did you want to come here for？〃 he demanded。
〃Say； what did you？〃 Mr。 Krebs retorted genially。 〃To get an education；
of course。〃
〃An education！〃 echoed Tom。
〃Isn't Harvard the oldest and best seat of learning in America；？〃 There
was an exaltation in Krebs's voice that arrested my attention； and made
me look at him again。 A troubled chord had been struck within me。
〃Sure；〃 said Tom。
〃What did you come for？〃 Mr。 Krebs persisted。
〃To sow my wild oats；〃 said Tom。 〃I expect to have something of a crop；
too。〃
For some reason I could not fathom； it suddenly seemed to dawn on Mr。
Krebs； as a result of this statement； that he wasn't wanted。
〃Well； so long；〃 he said； with a new dignity that curiously belied the
informality of his farewell。
An interval of silence followed his departure。
〃Well； he's got a crust！〃 said Tom； at last。
My own feeling about Mr。 Krebs had become more complicated； but I took my
cue from Tom； who dealt with situations simply。
〃He'll come in for a few knockouts；〃 he declared。 〃Here's to old
Harvard； the greatest institution of learning in America！ Oh； gee！〃
Our visitor； at least； made us temporarily forget our homesickness； but
it returned with redoubled intensity when we had put out the lights and
gone to bed。
Before we had left home it had been mildly hinted to us by Ralph and
Perry Blackwood that scholarly eminence was not absolutely necessary to
one's welfare and happiness at Cambridge。 The hint had been somewhat
superfluous； but the question remained； what was necessary？ With a view
of getting some light on this delicate subject we paid a visit the next
evening to our former friends and schoolmates； whose advice was conveyed
with a masterly circumlocution that impressed us both。 There are some
things that may not be discussed directly； and the conduct of life at a
modern universitywhich is a reflection of life in the greater worldis
one of these。 Perry Blackwood and Ham did most of the talking； while
Ralph； characteristically； lay at full length on the window…seat；
interrupting with an occasional terse and cynical remark very much to the
point。 As a sophomore； he in particular seemed lifted immeasurably above
us； for he wasas might have been expected already a marked man in his
class。 The rooms which he shared with his cousin made a tremendous
impression on Tom and me； and seemed palatial in comparison to our
quarters at Mrs。 Bolton's； eloquent of the freedom and luxury of
undergraduate existence； their note； perhaps； was struck by the profusion
of gay sofa pillows； then something of an innovation。 The heavy；
expensive furniture was of a pattern new to me； and on the mantel were
three or four photographs of ladies in the alluring costume of the
musical stage； in which Tom evinced a particular interest。
〃Did grandfather send 'em？〃 he inquired。
〃They're Ham's；〃 said Ralph； and he contrived somehow to get into those
two words an epitome of his cousin's character。 Ham was stouter； and his
clothes were more striking； more obviously expensive than ever。。。。 On
our way homeward； after we had walked a block or two in silence； Tom
exclaimed：
〃Don't make friends with the friendless！eh； Hughie？ We knew enough to
begin all right； didn't we？〃。。。
Have I made us out a pair of deliberate； calculating snobs？ Well； after
all it must be remembered that our bringing up had not been of sufficient
liberality to include the Krebses of this world。 We did not； indeed；
spend much time in choosing and weighing those whom we should know and
those whom we should avoid； and before the first term of that Freshman
year was over Tom had become a favourite。 He had the gift of making men
feel that he delighted in their society； that he wished for nothing
better than to sit for hours in their company； content to listen to the
arguments that raged about him。 Once in a while he would make a droll
observation that was greeted with fits of laughter。 He was always
referred to as 〃old Tom；〃 or 〃good old Tom〃； presently； when he began to
pick out chords on the banjo； it was discovered that he had a good tenor
voice； though he could not always be induced to sing。。。。 Somewhat to the
jeopardy of the academic standard that my father expected me to sustain；
our rooms became a rendezvous for many clubable souls whose maudlin；
midnight attempts at harmony often set the cocks crowing。
〃Free from care and despair；
What care we？
'Tis wine； 'tis wine
That makes the jollity。〃
As a matter of truth； on these occasions it was more often beer； beer
transported thither in Tom's new valise；given him by his mother；and
stuffed with snow to keep the bottles cold。 Sometimes Granite Face；
adorned in a sky…blue wrapper； would suddenly appear in the doorway to
declare that we were a disgrace to her respectable house： the university
authorities should be informed； etc。； etc。 Poor woman； we were
outrageously inconsiderate of her。。。。 One evening as we came through the
hall we caught a glimpse in the dimly lighted parlour of a young man
holding a shy and pale little girl on his lap； Annie； Mrs。 Bolton's
daughter： on the face of our landlady was an expression I had never seen
there； like a light。 I should scarcely have known her。 Tom and I paused
at the foot of the stairs。 He clutched my arm。
〃Darned if it wasn't our friend Krebs！〃 he whispered。
While I was by no means so popular as Tom； I got along fairly well。 I
had escaped from provincialism； from the obscure purgatory of the
wholesale grocery business； new vistas； exciting and stimulating； had
been opened up； nor did I offend the sensibilities and prejudices of the
new friends I made； but gave a hearty consent to a code I found
congenial。 I recognized in the social system of undergraduate life at
Harvard a reflection of that of a greater world where I hoped some day to
shine； yet my ambition did not prey upon me。 Mere conformity； however；
would not have taken me very far in a sphere from which I； in common
