philosophy 4-第9章

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the　full　time　allotted；　and　found　that　they　could　have　filled　an　hour

more　without　coming　to　the　end　of　their　thoughts。　　Comparing　notes　at

lunch；　their　information　was　discovered　to　have　been　lacking　here　and

there。　　Nevertheless；　it　was　no　failure；　their　inner　convictions　were

sure　of　fifty　per　cent　at　least；　and　this　was　all　they　asked　of　the

gods。　　〃I　was　ripping　about　the　ego；〃　said　Bertie。　　〃I　was　rather

splendid　myself；〃　said　Billy；　〃when　I　got　going。　　And　I　gave　him　a　huge

steer　about　memory。〃　　After　lunch　both　retired　to　their　beds　and　fell

into　sweet　oblivion　until　seven　o'clock；　when　they　rose　and　dined；　and

after　playing　a　little　poker　went　to　bed　again　pretty　early。



Some　six　mornings　later；　when　the　Professor　returned　their　papers　to

them；　their　minds　were　washed　almost　as　clear　of　Plato　and　Thales　as

were　their　bodies　of　yesterday's　dust。　　The　dates　and　doctrines；　hastily

memorized　to　rattle　off　upon　the　great　occasion；　lay　only　upon　the

surface　of　their　minds；　and　after　use　they　quickly　evaporated。　　To　their

pleasure　and　most　genuine　astonishment；　the　Professor　paid　them　high

compliments。　　Bertie's　discussion　of　the　double　personality　had　been　the

most　intelligent　which　had　come　in　from　any　of　the　class。　　The

illustration　of　the　intoxicated　hack…driver　who　had　fallen　from　his　hack

and　inquired　who　it　was　that　had　fallen；　and　then　had　pitied　himself；

was；　said　the　Professor；　as　original　and　perfect　an　illustration　of　our

subjective…objectivity　as　he　had　met　with　in　all　his　researches。　　And

Billy's　suggestions　concerning　the　inherency　of　time　and　space　in　the

mind　the　Professor　had　also　found　very　striking　and　independent；

particularly　his　reasoning　based　upon　the　well…known　distortions　of　time

and　space　which　hashish　and　other　drugs　produce　in　us。　　This　was　the

sort　of　thing　which　the　Professor　had　wanted　from　his　students：　free

comment　and　discussions；　the　spirit　of　the　course；　rather　than　any

strict　adherence　to　the　letter。　　He　had　constructed　his　questions　to

elicit　as　much　individual　discussion　as　possible　and　had　been　somewhat

disappointed　in　his　hopes。



Yes；　Bertie　and　Billy　were　astonished。　　But　their　astonishment　did　not

equal　that　of　Oscar；　who　had　answered　many　of　the　questions　in　the

Professor's　own　language。　　Oscar　received　seventy…five　per　cent　for　this

achievementa　good　mark。　　But　Billy's　mark　was　eighty…six　and　Bertie's

ninety。　　〃There　is　some　mistake；〃　said　Oscar　to　them　when　they　told　him

；　and　he　hastened　to　the　Professor　with　his　tale。　　〃There　is　no

mistake；〃　said　the　Professor。　　Oscar　smiled　with　increased　deference。

〃But；〃　he　urged；　〃I　assure　you；　sir；　those　young　men　knew　absolutely

nothing。　　I　was　their　tutor；　and　they　knew　nothing　at　all。　　I　taught

them　all　their　information　myself。〃　〃In　that　case；〃　replied　the

Professor；　not　pleased　with　Oscar's　tale…bearing；　〃you　must　have　given

them　more　than　you　could　spare。　　Good　morning。〃



Oscar　never　understood。　　But　he　graduated　considerably　higher　than

Bertie　and　Billy；　who　were　not　able　to　discover　many　other　courses　so

favorable　to　〃orriginal　rresearch〃　as　was　Philosophy　4。　　That　is　twenty

years　ago；　To…day　Bertie　is　treasurer　of　the　New　Amsterdam　Trust

Company；　in　Wall　Street；　Billy　is　superintendent　of　passenger　traffic　of

the　New　York　and　Chicago　Air　Line。　　Oscar　is　successful　too。　　He　has

acquired　a　lot　of　information。　　His　smile　is　unchanged。　　He　has

published　a　careful　work　entitled　〃The　Minor　Poets　of　Cinquecento；〃　and

he　writes　book　reviews　for　the　Evening　Post。










End