the poet at the breakfast table-第18章
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them。
Do you mean you can always see the sources from which a man fills
his mind；his feeders； as you call them？
…I don't go quite so far as that；the Master said。…I've seen men
whose minds were always overflowing； and yet they did n't read much
nor go much into the world。 Sometimes you'll find a bit of a pond…
hole in a pasture； and you'll plunge your walking…stick into it and
think you are going to touch bottom。 But you find you are mistaken。
Some of these little stagnant pond…holes are a good deal deeper than
you think； you may tie a stone to a bed…cord and not get soundings in
some of 'em。 The country boys will tell you they have no bottom； but
that only means that they are mighty deep； and so a good many
stagnant； stupid…seeming people are a great deal deeper than the
length of your intellectual walking…stick； I can tell you。 There are
hidden springs that keep the little pond…holes full when the mountain
brooks are all dried up。 You poets ought to know that。
I can't help thinking you are more tolerant towards the specialists
than I thought at first； by the way you seemed to look at our dried…
up neighbor and his small pursuits。
I don't like the word tolerant；the Master said。…As long as the
Lord can tolerate me I think I can stand my fellow…creatures。
Philosophically； I love 'em all； empirically； I don't think I am very
fond of all of 'em。 It depends on how you look at a man or a woman。
Come here； Youngster； will you？ he said to That Boy。
The Boy was trying to catch a blue…bottle to add to his collection；
and was indisposed to give up the chase； but he presently saw that
the Master had taken out a small coin and laid it on the table； and
felt himself drawn in that direction。
Read that；said the Master。
U…n…i…ni United States of America 5 cents。
The Master turned the coin over。 Now read that。
In God is our t…r…u…s…ttrust。 1869。
Is that the same piece of money as the other one？
There ain't any other one；said the Boy； there ain't but one； but
it's got two sides to it with different reading。
That 's it； that 's it；said the Master；two sides to everybody；
as there are to that piece of money。 I've seen an old woman that
wouldn't fetch five cents if you should put her up for sale at public
auction； and yet come to read the other side of her； she had a trust
in God Almighty that was like the bow anchor of a three…decker。 It's
faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life
worth looking at。 I don't think your ant…eating specialist； with his
sharp nose and pin…head eyes； is the best every…day companion； but
any man who knows one thing well is worth listening to for once； and
if you are of the large…brained variety of the race； and want to fill
out your programme of the Order of Things in a systematic and
exhaustive way； and get all the half…notes and flats and sharps of
humanity into your scale； you'd a great deal better shut your front
door and open your two side ones when you come across a fellow that
has made a real business of doing anything。
That Boy stood all this time looking hard at the five…cent piece。
Take it；said the Master； with a good…natured smile。
The Boy made a snatch at it and was off for the purpose of
investing it。
A child naturally snaps at a thing as a dog does at his meat；said
the Master。…If you think of it； we've all been quadrupeds。 A child
that can only crawl has all the instincts of a four…footed beast。 It
carries things in its mouth just as cats and dogs do。 I've seen the
little brutes do it over and over again。 I suppose a good many
children would stay quadrupeds all their lives； if they didn't learn
the trick of walking on their hind legs from seeing all the grown
people walking in that way。
Do you accept Mr。 Darwin's notions about the origin of the race？
said I。
The Master looked at me with that twinkle in his eye which means that
he is going to parry a question。
Better stick to Blair's Chronology； that settles it。 Adam and Eve；
created Friday； October 28th； B。 C。 4004。 You've been in a ship for
a good while； and here comes Mr。 Darwin on deck with an armful of
sticks and says； 〃Let's build a raft； and trust ourselves to that。〃
If your ship springs a leak； what would you do？
He looked me straight in the eyes for about half a minute。…If I
heard the pumps going； I'd look and see whether they were gaining on
the leak or not。 If they were gaining I'd stay where I was。…Go and
find out what's the matter with that young woman。
I had noticed that the Young Girlthe storywriter； our Scheherezade；
as I called herlooked as if she had been crying or lying awake half
the night。 I found on asking her；for she is an honest little body
and is disposed to be confidential with me for some reason or other；
that she had been doing both。
And what was the matter now； I questioned her in a semi…paternal
kind of way； as soon as I got a chance for a few quiet words with
her。
She was engaged to write a serial story； it seems； and had only got
as far as the second number； and some critic had been jumping upon
it； she said； and grinding his heel into it； till she couldn't bear
to look at it。 He said she did not write half so well as half a
dozen other young women。 She did n't write half so well as she used
to write herself。 She hadn't any characters and she had n't any
incidents。 Then he went to work to show how her story was coming
out； trying to anticipate everything she could make of it； so that
her readers should have nothing to look forward to； and he should
have credit for his sagacity in guessing； which was nothing so very
wonderful； she seemed to think。 Things she had merely hinted and
left the reader to infer； he told right out in the bluntest and
coarsest way。 It had taken all the life out of her； she said。 It
was just as if at a dinner…party one of the guests should take a
spoonful of soup and get up and say to the company； 〃Poor stuff； poor
stuff； you won't get anything better； let's go somewhere else where
things are fit to eat。〃
What do you read such things for； my dear？ said I。
The film glistened in her eyes at the strange sound of those two soft
words； she had not heard such very often； I am afraid。
I know I am a foolish creature to read them； she answered；but I
can't help it； somebody always sends me everything that will make me
wretched to read； and so I sit down and read it； and ache all over
for my pains； and lie awake all night。
She smiled faintly as she said this； for she saw the sub…ridiculous
side of it； but the film glittered still in her eyes。 There are a
good many real miseries in life that we cannot help smiling at； but
they are the smiles that make wrinkles and not dimples。 〃Somebody
always sends her everything that will make her wretched。〃 Who can
those creatures be who cut out the offensive paragraph and send it
anonymously to us； who mail the newspaper which has the article we
had much better not have seen； who take care that we shall know
everything which can； by any possibility； help to make us
discontented with ourselves and a little less light…hearted than we
were before we had been fools enough to open their incendiary
packages？ I don't like to say it to myself； but I cannot help
suspecting； in this instance； the doubtful…looking personage who sits
on my left； beyond the Scarabee。 I have some reason to think that he
has made advances to the Young Girl which were not favorably
received； to state the case in moderate terms； and it may be that he
is taking his revenge in cutting up the poor girl's story。 I know
this very well； that some personal pique or favoritism is at the
bottom of half the praise and dispraise which pretend to be so very
ingenuous and discriminating。 （Of course I have been thinking all
this time and telling you what I thought。）
What you want is encouragement； my dear； said I；I know that as
well； as you。 I don't think the fellows that write such criticisms
as you tell me of want to correct your faults。 I don't mean to say
that you can learn nothing from them； because they are not all fools
by any means； and they will often pick out your weak points w
