philosophy 4-第6章

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it；　〃Called；　three　P。M。；〃　and　signed　it　as　before；　and　departed　to　his

room　with　a　sense　of　fulfilled　obligations。





Bertie　and　Billy　had　lunched　at　Mattapan　quite　happily　on　cold　ham；　cold

pie；　and　doughnuts。　　Mattapan；　not　being　accustomed　to　such　lilies　of

the　field；　stared　at　their　clothes　and　general　glory；　but　observed　that

they　could　eat　the　native　bill…of…fare　as　well　as　anybody。　　They　found

some　good；　cool　beer；　moreover；　and　spoke　to　several　people　of　the

Bird…in…Hand；　and　got　several　answers：　for　instance；　that　the

Bird…in…Hand　was　at　Hingham；　that　it　was　at　Nantasket；　that　they　had

better　inquire　for　it　at　South　Braintree；　that　they　had　passed　it　a　mile

back；　and　that　there　was　no　such　place。　　If　you　would　gauge　the

intelligence　of　our　population；　inquire　your　way　in　a　rural

neighborhood。　　With　these　directions　they　took　up　their　journey　after　an

hour　and　a　half；a　halt　made　chiefly　for　the　benefit　of　the　black

gelding；　whom　they　looked　after　as　much　as　they　did　themselves。　　For　a

while　they　discussed　club　matters　seriously；　as　both　of　them　were

officers　of　certain　organizations；　chosen　so　on　account　of　their

recognized　executive　gifts。　　These　questions　settled；　they　resumed　the

lighter　theme　of　philosophy；　and　made　it　（as　Billy　observed）　a　　near

thing　for　the　Causal　law。　　But　as　they　drove　along；　their　minds　left

this　topic　on　the　abrupt　discovery　that　the　sun　was　getting　down　out　of

the　sky；　and　they　asked　each　other　where　they　were　and　what　they　should

do。　They　pulled　up　at　some　cross…roads　and　debated　this　with　growing

uneasiness。　　Behind　them　lay　the　way　to　Cambridge；　…　not　very　clear；　to

be　sure；　but　you　could　always　go　where　you　had　come　from；　Billy　seemed


to　think。　　He　asked；　〃How　about　Cambridge　and　a　little　Oscar　to　finish

off　with？〃　　Bertie　frowned。　　This　would　be　failure。　　Was　Billy　willing

to　go　back　and　face　John　the　successful？



〃It　would　only　cost　me　five　dollars；〃　said　Billy。



〃Ten；〃　Bertie　corrected。　　He　recalled　to　Billy　the　matter　about　the

landlady's　hair。



〃By　Jove；　that's　so！〃　cried　Billy；　brightening。　　It　seemed　conclusive。

But　he　grew　cloudy　again　the　next　moment。　　He　was　of　opinion　that　one

could　go　too　far　in　a　thing。



〃Where's　your　sand？〃　said　Bertie。



Billy　made　an　unseemly　rejoinder；　but　even　in　the　making　was　visited　by

inspiration。　　He　saw　the　whole　thing　as　it　really　was。　　〃By　Jove！〃　said

he；　〃we　couldn't　get　back　in　time　for　dinner。〃



〃There's　my　bonny　boy！〃　said　Bertie；　with　pride；　and　he　touched　up　the

black　gelding。　　Uneasiness　had　left　both　of　them。　　Cambridge　was

manifestly　impossible；　an　error　in　judgment；　food　compelled　them　to　seek

the　Bird…in…Hand。　　〃We'll　try　Quincy；　anyhow；〃　Bertie　said。　　Billy

suggested　that　they　inquire　of　people　on　the　road。　　This　provided　a　new

sporting　event：　they　could　bet　upon　the　answers。　　Now；　the　roads；　not

populous　at　noon；　had　grown　solitary　in　the　sweetness　of　the　long

twilight。　　Voices　of　birds　there　were；　and　little；　black；　quick　brooks；

full　to　the　margin　grass；　shot　under　the　roadway　through　low　bridges。

Through　the　web　of　young　foliage　the　sky　shone　saffron；　and　frogs　piped

in　the　meadow　swamps。　　No　cart　or　carriage　appeared；　however；　and　the

bets　languished。　　Bertie；　driving　with　one　hand；　was　buttoning　his　coat

with　the　other；　when　the　black　gelding　leaped　from　the　middle　of　the

road　to　the　turf　and　took　to　backing。　　The　buggy　reeled；　but　the　driver

was　skilful；　and　fifteen　seconds　of　whip　and　presence　of　mind　brought　it

out　smoothly。　　Then　the　cause　of　all　this　spoke　to　them　from　a　gate。



〃Come　as　near　spillin'　as　you　boys　wanted；　I　guess；〃　remarked　the　cause。



They　looked；　and　saw　him　in　huge　white　shirt…sleeves；　shaking　with

joviality。　　〃If　you　kep'　at　it　long　enough　you　might　a…most　learn　to

drive　a　horse；〃　he　continued；　eying　Bertie。　　This　came　as　near　direct

praise　as　the　true　son　of　our　soilNorthern　or　Southernoften　thinks

well　of。　　Bertie　was　pleased；　but　made　a　modest　observation；　and　〃Are　we

near　the　tavern？〃　he　asked。　　〃Bird…in…Hand！〃　the　son　of　the　soil　echoed；

and　he　contemplated　them　from　his　gate。　　That's　me；〃　he　stated；　　with

complacence。　　〃Bill　Diggs　of　the　Bird…in…Hand　has　been　me　since　April；

'65。〃　　His　massy　hair　had　been　yellow；　his　broad　body　must　have　weighed

two　hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　his　face　was　canny；　red；　and　somewhat

clerical；　resembling　Henry　Ward　Beecher's。



〃Trout；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　basket　by　the　gate。　　〃For　your　dinner。

〃Then　he　climbed　heavily　but　skilfully　down　and　picked　up　the　basket　and

a　rod。　　〃Folks　round　here　say；〃　said　he；　〃that　there　ain't　no　more　trout

up　them　meadows。　　They've　been　a…sayin'　that　since　'74；　and　I've　been

a…sayin'　it　myself；　when　judicious。〃　　Here　he　shook　slightly　and　opened

the　basket。　　〃Twelve；〃　he　said。　　〃Sixteen　yesterday。　　Now　you　go　along

and　turn　in　the　first　right…hand　turn；　and　I'll　be　up　with　you　soon。

Maybe　you　might　make　room　for　the　trout。〃　　Room　for　him　as　well；　they

assured　him；　they　were　in　luck　to　find　him；　they　explained。　　〃Well；　I

guess　I'll　trust　my　neck　with　you；〃　he　said　to　Bertie；　the　skillful

driver；　〃'tain't　five　minutes'　risk。〃　　The　buggy　leaned；　and　its　springs

bent　as　he　climbed　in；　wedging　his　mature　bulk　between　their　slim

shapes。　　The　gelding　looked　round　the　shaft　at　them。　　〃Protestin'；　are

you？〃　he　said　to　it。　　〃These　light…weight　stoodents　spile　you！〃　　So　the

gelding　went　on；　expressing；　however；　by　every　line　of　its　body；　a　sense

of　outraged　justice。　　The　boys　related　their　difficult　search；　and

learned　that　any　mention　of　the　name　of　Diggs　would　have　brought　them

straight。　　〃Bill　Higgs　of　the　Bird…in…Hand　was　my　father；　and　my

grandf'ther；　and　his　father；　and　has　been　me　sence　I　come　back　from　the

war　and　took　the　business　in　'65。　　I'm　not　commonly　to　be　met　out　this

late。　　About　fifteen　minutes　earlier　is　my　time　for　gettin'　back；　unless

I'm　plannin'　for　a　jamboree。　　But　to…night　I　got　to　settin'　and　watchin'

that　sunset；　and　listenin'　to　a　darned　red…winged　blackbird；　and　I　guess

Mrs。　Higgs　has　decided　to　expect　me　somewheres　about　noon　to…morrow　or

Friday。　Say；　did　Johnnie　send　you？　　〃When　he　found　that　John　had　in　a

measure　been　responsible　for　their　journey；　he　filled　with　gayety。　　〃Oh；

Johnnie's　a　bird！〃　said　he。　　〃He's　that　demure　on　first　appearance。

Walked　in　last　evening　and　wanted　dinner。　　Did　he　tell　you　what　he　ate？

Guess　he　left　out　what　he　drank。　　Yes；　he's　demure。〃



You　might　suppose　that　upon　their　landlord's　safe　and　sober　return

fifteen　minutes　late；　instead　of　on　the　expected　noon　of　Thursday　or

Friday；　their　landlady　would　show　signs　of　pleasure；　but　Mrs。　Diggs　from

the　porch　threw　an　uncordial　eye　at　the　three　arriving　in　the　buggy。

Here　were　two　more　like　Johnnie　of　last　night。　　She　knew　them　by　the

clothes　they　wore　and　by　the　confidential　tones　of　her　husband's　voice

as　he　chatted　to　them。　　He　had　been　old　enough　to　know　better　for　twenty

years。　　But　for　twenty　years　he　had　taken　the　same　extreme　joy　in　the

company　of　Johnnies；　and　they　were　bad　for　his　health。　　Her　final　proof

that　they　belonged　to　this　hated　breed　was　when　Mr。　Diggs　thumped　the

trout　down　on　the　porch；　and　after　briefly　remarking；　〃Half　of　'em

boiled；　and　half　broiled　with　bacon；〃　himself　led　away　the　gelding　to

the　stable　instead　of　intrusting　it　to　his　man　Silas。



〃You　may　set　in　the　parlor；〃　said　Mrs。　Diggs；　and　departed　stiffly　with

the　basket　of　trout。



〃It's　false；〃　said　Billy；　at　once。



Bertie　did　not　grasp　his　thought。



〃Her　hair；〃　said　Billy。　　And　certainly　it　was　an　unusual…looking

arrangement。



Presently；　as　they　sat　near　a　parlor　organ　in　the　presence　of　earnest

family　portraits；　Bertie　made　a　new　poem　for　Billy；



　　　　　〃Said　Aristotle　unto　Plato；

　　　　'Have　another　sweet　potato？　'〃



And　Billy　responded；　…



　　　　〃Said　Plato　unto　Aristotle；

　　　　'Thank　you；　I　prefer　the　bottle。'〃



〃In　here；　are　you？〃　said　their　beamin