the poet at the breakfast table-第61章

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An　idol？　　Man　was　born　to　worship　such！
An　idol　is　an　image　of　his　thought；
Sometimes　he　carves　it　out　of　gleaming　stone；
And　sometimes　moulds　it　out　of　glittering　gold；
Or　rounds　it　in　a　mighty　frescoed　dome；
Or　lifts　it　heavenward　in　a　lofty　spire；
Or　shapes　it　in　a　cunning　frame　of　words；
Or　pays　his　priest　to　make　it　day　by　day；
For　sense　must　have　its　god　as　well　as　soul；
A　new…born　Dian　calls　for　silver　shrines；
And　Egypt's　holiest　symbol　is　our　own；
The　sign　we　worship　as　did　they　of　old
When　Isis　and　Osiris　ruled　the　world。

Let　us　be　true　to　our　most　subtle　selves；
We　long　to　have　our　idols　like　the　rest。
Think！　　when　the　men　of　Israel　had　their　God
Encamped　among　them；　talking　with　their　chief；
Leading　them　in　the　pillar　of　the　cloud
And　watching　o'er　them　in　the　shaft　of　fire；
They　still　must　have　an　image；　still　they　longed
For　somewhat　of　substantial；　solid　form
Whereon　to　hang　their　garlands；　and　to　fix
Their　wandering　thoughts；　and　gain　a　stronger　hold
For　their　uncertain　faith；　not　yet　assured
If　those　same　meteors　of　the　day　and　night
Were　not　mere　exhalations　of　the　soil。

Are　we　less　earthly　than　the　chosen　race？
Are　we　more　neighbors　of　the　living　God
Than　they　who　gathered　manna　every　morn；
Reaping　where　none　had　sown；　and　heard　the　voice
Of　him　who　met　the　Highest　in　the　mount；
And　brought　them　tables；　graven　with　His　hand？
Yet　these　must　have　their　idol；　brought　their　gold；
That　star…browed　Apis　might　be　god　again；
Yea；　from　their　ears　the　women　brake　the　rings
That　lent　such　splendors　to　the　gypsy　brown
Of　sunburnt　cheeks；what　more　could　woman　do
To　show　her　pious　zeal　？　　They　went　astray；
But　nature　led　them　as　it　leads　us　all。

We　too；　who　mock　at　Israel's　golden　calf
And　scoff　at　Egypt's　sacred　scarabee；
Would　have　our　amulets　to　clasp　and　kiss；
And　flood　with　rapturous　tears；　and　bear　with　us
To　be　our　dear　companions　in　the　dust；
Such　magic　works　an　image　in　our　souls！

Man　is　an　embryo；　see　at　twenty　years
His　bones；　the　columns　that　uphold　his　frame
Not　yet　cemented；　shaft　and　capital；
Mere　fragments　of　the　temple　incomplete。
At　twoscore；　threescore；　is　he　then　full　grown？
Nay；　still　a　child；　and　as　the　little　maids
Dress　and　undress　their　puppets；　so　he　tries
To　dress　a　lifeless　creed；　as　if　it　lived；
And　change　its　raiment　when　the　world　cries　shame！
We　smile　to　see　our　little　ones　at　play
So　grave；　so　thoughtful；　with　maternal　care
Nursing　the　wisps　of　rags　they　call　their　babes；
Does　He　not　smile　who　sees　us　with　the　toys
We　call　by　sacred　names；　and　idly　feign
To　be　what　we　have　called　them？
He　is　still　The　Father　of　this　helpless　nursery…brood；
Whose　second　childhood　joins　so　close　its　first；
That　in　the　crowding；　hurrying　years　between
We　scarce　have　trained　our　senses　to　their　task
Before　the　gathering　mist　has　dimmed　our　eyes；
And　with　our　hollowed　palm　we　help　our　ear；
And　trace　with　trembling　hand　our　wrinkled　names；
And　then　begin　to　tell　our　stories　o'er；
And　seenot　hear…the　whispering　lips　that　say；
〃You　know？　　Your　father　knew　him。This　is　he；
Tottering　and　leaning　on　the　hireling's　arm；〃
And　so；　at　length；　disrobed　of　all　that　clad
The　simple　life　we　share　with　weed　and　worm；
Go　to　our　cradles；　naked　as　we　came。




XI

I　suppose　there　would　have　been　even　more　remarks　upon　the　growing
intimacy　of　the　Young　Astronomer　and　his　pupil；　if　the　curiosity　of
the　boarders　had　not　in　the　mean　time　been　so　much　excited　at　the
apparently　close　relation　which　had　sprung　up　between　the　Register　of
Deeds　and　the　Lady。　　It　was　really　hard　to　tell　what　to　make　of　it。
The　Register　appeared　at　the　table　in　a　new　coat。　　Suspicious。　　The
Lady　was　evidently　deeply　interested　in　him；　if　we　could　judge　by　the
frequency　and　the　length　of　their　interviews。　　On　at　least　one
occasion　he　has　brought　a　lawyer　with　him；　which　naturally　suggested
the　idea　that　there　were　some　property　arrangements　to　be　attended
to；　in　case；　as　seems　probable　against　all　reasons　to　the　contrary；
these　two　estimable　persons；　so　utterly　unfitted；　as　one　would　say；
to　each　other；　contemplated　an　alliance。　　It　is　no　pleasure　to　me　to
record　an　arrangement　of　this　kind。　　I　frankly　confess　I　do　not　know
what　to　make　of　it。　　With　her　tastes　and　breeding；　it　is　the　last
thing　that　I　should　have　thought　of；her　uniting　herself　with　this
most　commonplace　and　mechanical　person；　who　cannot　even　offer　her　the
elegances　and　luxuries　to　which　she　might　seem　entitled　on　changing
her　condition。

While　I　was　thus　interested　and　puzzled　I　received　an　unexpected
visit　from　our　Landlady。　　She　was　evidently　excited；　and　by　some
event　which　was　of　a　happy　nature；　for　her　countenance　was　beaming
and　she　seemed　impatient　to　communicate　what　she　had　to　tell。
Impatient　or　not；　she　must　wait　a　moment；　while　I　say　a　word　about
her。　　Our　Landlady　is　as　good　a　creature　as　ever　lived。　　She　is　a
little　negligent　of　grammar　at　times；　and　will　get　a　wrong　word　now
and　then；　she　is　garrulous；　circumstantial；　associates　facts　by　their
accidental　cohesion　rather　than　by　their　vital　affinities；　is　given
to　choking　and　tears　on　slight　occasions；　but　she　has　a　warm　heart；
and　feels　to　her　boarders　as　if　they　were　her　blood…relations。
She　began　her　conversation　abruptly。　I　expect　I'm　a　going　to　lose
one　of　my　boarders；she　said。

You　don't　seem　very　unhappy　about　it；　madam；I　answered。…We　all
took　it　easily　when　the　person　who　sat　on　our　side　of　the　table
quitted　us　in　such　a　hurry；　but　I　do　not　think　there　is　anybody　left
that　either　you　or　the　boarders　want　to　get　rid　ofunless　it　is

myself；I　added　modestly。

You！　　said　the　Landladyyou！　　No　indeed。　　When　I　have　a　quiet
boarder　that　's　a　small　eater；　I　don't　want　to　lose　him。　　You　don't
make　trouble；　you　don't　find　fault　with　your　vit＇Dr。　Benjamin　had
schooled　his　parent　on　this　point　and　she　altered　the　word＇　with　your
food；　and　you　know　when　you　've　had　enough。

I　really　felt　proud　of　this　eulogy；　which　embraces　the　most
desirable　excellences　of　a　human　being　in　the　capacity　of　boarder。

The　Landlady　began　again。　I'm　going　to　loseat　least；　I　suppose　I
shallone　of　the　best　boarders　I　ever　had；that　Lady　that's　been
with　me　so　long。

I　thought　there　was　something　going　on　between　her　and　the
Register；I　said。

Something！　　I　should　think　there　was！　　About　three　months　ago　he
began　making　her　acquaintance。　　I　thought　there　was　something
particular。　　I　did　n't　quite　like　to　watch　'em　very　close；　but　I
could　n't　help　overbearing　some　of　the　things　he　said　to　her；　for；
you　see；　he　used　to　follow　her　up　into　the　parlor；　they　talked　pretty
low；　but　I　could　catch　a　word　now　and　then。　　I　heard　him　say
something　to　her　one　day　about　〃bettering　her　condition；〃　and　she
seemed　to　be　thinking　very　hard　about　it；　and　turning　of　it　over　in
her　mind；　and　I　said　to　myself；　She　does　n't　want　to　take　up　with
him；　but　she　feels　dreadful　poor；　and　perhaps　he　has　been　saving　and
has　got　money　in　the　bank；　and　she　does　n't　want　to　throw　away　a
chance　of　bettering　herself　without　thinking　it　over。　　But　dear　me；
says　I　to　myself；to　think　of　her　walking　up　the　broad　aisle　into
meeting　alongside　of　such　a　homely；　rusty…looking　creatur'　as　that！
But　there　's　no　telling　what　folks　will　do　when　poverty　has　got　hold
of　'em。

Well；　so　I　thought　she　was　waiting　to　make　up　her　mind；　and　he　was
hanging　on　in　hopes　she'd　come　round　at　last；　as　women　do　half　the
time；　for　they　don't　know　their　own　minds　and　the　wind　blows　both
ways　at　once　with　'em　as　the　smoke　blows　out　of　the　tall　chimlies；
east　out　of　this　one　and　west　out　of　that；so　it's　no　use　looking　at
'em　to　know　what　the　weather　is。

But　yesterday　she　comes　up　to　me　after　breakfast；　and　asks　me　to　go
up　with　her　into　her　little　room。　　Now；　says　I　to　myself；　I　shall
hear　all　about　it。　　I　saw　she　looked　as　if　she'd　got　some　of　her
trouble　off　her　mind；　and　I　guessed　that　it　was　settled；　and　so；　says
I　to　myself；　I　must　wish　her　joy　and　hope　it's　all　for　the　best；
whatever　I　think　about　it。

Well；　she　asked　me　to　set　down；　and　then　she　begun。　　She　said　that
she　was　expecting　to　have　a　change　in　her　condition　of　life；　and　had
asked　me　up　so