sartor resartus-第5章
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e cracked lips only her tears now moisten。 All these heaped and huddled together； with nothing but a little carpentry and masonry between them；crammed in； like salted fish in their barrel；or weltering； shall I say； like an Egyptian pitcher of tamed vipers； each struggling to get its _head above_ the others： _such_ work goes on under that smoke…counterpane！But I； _mein Werther_； sit above it all； I am alone with the stars。〃
We looked in his face to see whether； in the utterance of such extraordinary Night…thoughts； no feeling might be traced there； but with the light we had； which indeed was only a single tallow…light； and far enough from the window； nothing save that old calmness and fixedness was visible。
These were the Professor's talking seasons： most commonly he spoke in mere monosyllables； or sat altogether silent and smoked； while the visitor had liberty either to say what he listed； receiving for answer an occasional grunt； or to look round for a space； and then take himself away。 It was a strange apartment； full of books and tattered papers； and miscellaneous shreds of all conceivable substances； 〃united in a common element of dust。〃 Books lay on tables； and below tables； here fluttered a sheet of manuscript； there a torn handkerchief； or nightcap hastily thrown aside； ink…bottles alternated with bread…crusts； coffee…pots； tobacco…boxes； Periodical Literature； and Blucher Boots。 Old Lieschen （Lisekin； 'Liza）； who was his bed…maker and stove…lighter； his washer and wringer； cook； errand…maid； and general lion's…provider； and for the rest a very orderly creature； had no sovereign authority in this last citadel of Teufelsdrockh； only some once in the month she half…forcibly made her way thither； with broom and duster； and （Teufelsdrockh hastily saving his manuscripts） effected a partial clearance； a jail…delivery of such lumber as was not Literary。 These were her _Erdbeben_ （earthquakes）； which Teufelsdrockh dreaded worse than the pestilence； nevertheless； to such length he had been forced to comply。 Glad would he have been to sit here philosophizing forever； or till the litter； by accumulation； drove him out of doors： but Lieschen was his right…arm； and spoon； and necessary of life； and would not be flatly gainsayed。 We can still remember the ancient woman； so silent that some thought her dumb； deaf also you would often have supposed her； for Teufelsdrockh； and Teufelsdrockh only； would she serve or give heed to； and with him she seemed to communicate chiefly by signs； if it were not rather by some secret divination that she guessed all his wants； and supplied them。 Assiduous old dame！ she scoured； and sorted； and swept； in her kitchen； with the least possible violence to the ear； yet all was tight and right there： hot and black came the coffee ever at the due moment； and the speechless Lieschen herself looked out on you； from under her clean white coif with its lappets； through her clean withered face and wrinkles； with a look of helpful intelligence； almost of benevolence。
Few strangers； as above hinted； had admittance hither： the only one we ever saw there； ourselves excepted； was the Hofrath Heuschrecke； already known； by name and expectation； to the readers of these pages。 To us； at that period； Herr Heuschrecke seemed one of those purse…mouthed； crane…necked； clean…brushed； pacific individuals； perhaps sufficiently distinguished in society by this fact； that； in dry weather or in wet； 〃they never appear without their umbrella。〃 Had we not known with what 〃little wisdom〃 the world is governed； and how； in Germany as elsewhere； the ninety…and…nine Public Men can for most part be but mute train…bearers to the hundredth； perhaps but stalking…horses and willing or unwilling dupes； it might have seemed wonderful how Herr Heuschrecke should be named a _Rath_； or Councillor； and Counsellor； even in Weissnichtwo。 What counsel to any man； or to any woman； could this particular Hofrath give； in whose loose； zigzag figure； in whose thin visage； as it went jerking to and fro； in minute incessant fluctuation；you traced rather confusion worse confounded； at most； Timidity and physical Cold？ Some indeed said withal； he was 〃the very Spirit of Love embodied：〃 blue earnest eyes； full of sadness and kindness； purse ever open； and so forth； the whole of which； we shall now hope； for many reasons； was not quite groundless。 Nevertheless friend Teufelsdrockh's outline； who indeed handled the burin like few in these cases； was probably the best： _Er hat Gemuth und Geist； hat wenigstens gehabt； doch ohne Organ； ohne Schicksals…Gunst； ist gegenwartig aber halb…zerruttet； halb…erstarrt_； 〃He has heart and talent； at least has had such； yet without fit mode of utterance； or favor of Fortune； and so is now half…cracked； half…congealed。〃What the Hofrath shall think of this when he sees it； readers may wonder； we； safe in the stronghold of Historical Fidelity； are careless。
The main point； doubtless； for us all； is his love of Teufelsdrockh； which indeed was also by far the most decisive feature of Heuschrecke himself。 We are enabled to assert that he hung on the Professor with the fondness of a Boswell for his Johnson。 And perhaps with the like return； for Teufelsdrockh treated his gaunt admirer with little outward regard； as some half…rational or altogether irrational friend； and at best loved him out of gratitude and by habit。 On the other hand； it was curious to observe with what reverent kindness； and a sort of fatherly protection； our Hofrath； being the elder； richer； and as he fondly imagined far more practically influential of the two； looked and tended on his little Sage； whom he seemed to consider as a living oracle。 Let but Teufelsdrockh open his mouth； Heuschrecke's also unpuckered itself into a free doorway； besides his being all eye and all ear； so that nothing might be lost： and then； at every pause in the harangue； he gurgled out his pursy chuckle of a cough…laugh （for the machinery of laughter took some time to get in motion； and seemed crank and slack）； or else his twanging nasal； _Bravo！ Das glaub' ich_； in either case； by way of heartiest approval。 In short； if Teufelsdrockh was Dalai…Lama； of which； except perhaps in his self…seclusion； and godlike indifference； there was no symptom； then might Heuschrecke pass for his chief Talapoin； to whom no dough…pill he could knead and publish was other than medicinal and sacred。
In such environment； social； domestic； physical； did Teufelsdrockh； at the time of our acquaintance； and most likely does he still； live and meditate。 Here； perched up in his high Wahngasse watch…tower； and often； in solitude； outwatching the Bear； it was that the indomitable Inquirer fought all his battles with Dulness and Darkness； here； in all probability； that he wrote this surprising Volume on _Clothes_。 Additional particulars： of his age； which was of that standing middle sort you could only guess at； of his wide surtout； the color of his trousers； fashion of his broad…brimmed steeple…hat； and so forth； we might report； but do not。 The Wisest truly is； in these times； the Greatest； so that an enlightened curiosity leaving Kings and such like to rest very much on their own basis； turns more and more to the Philosophic Class： nevertheless； what reader expects that； with all our writing and reporting； Teufelsdrockh could be brought home to him； till once the Documents arrive？ His Life； Fortunes； and Bodily Presence； are as yet hidden from us； or matter only of faint conjecture。 But； on the other hand； does not his Soul lie enclosed in this remarkable Volume； much more truly than Pedro Garcia's did in the buried Bag of Doubloons？ To the soul of Diogenes Teufelsdrockh； to his opinions； namely； on the 〃Origin and Influence of Clothes；〃 we for the present gladly return。
CHAPTER IV。 CHARACTERISTICS。
It were a piece of vain flattery to pretend that this Work on Clothes entirely contents us； that it is not； like all works of genius； like the very Sun； which； though the highest published creation； or work of genius； has nevertheless black spots and troubled nebulosities amid its effulgence；a mixture of insight； inspiration； with dulness； double…vision； and even utter bl
