a mortal antipathy-第32章

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soul…waves　as　well　as　'brain…waves；'　which　some　have　already

recognized。〃



Euthymia　wondered；　as　well　she　might；　to　hear　this　young　woman

talking　the　language　of　science　like　an　adept。　　The　truth　is；　Lurida

was　one　of　those　persons　who　never　are　young；　and　who；　by　way　of

compensation；　will　never　be　old。　　They　are　found　in　both　sexes。　　Two

well…known　graduates　of　one　of　our　great　universities　are　living

examples　of　this　precocious　but　enduring　intellectual　development。

If　the　readers　of　this　narrative　cannot　pick　them　out；　they　need　not

expect　the　writer　of　it　to　help　them。　　If　they　guess　rightly　who　they

are；　they　will　recognize　the　fact　that　just　such　exceptional

individuals　as　the　young　woman　we　are　dealing　with　are　met　with　from

time　to　time　in　families　where　intelligence　has　been　cumulative　for

two　or　three　generations。



Euthymia　was　very　willing　that　the　questioning　and　questionable

visitor　should　learn　all　that　was　known　in　the　village　about　the

nebulous　individual　whose　misty　environment　all　the　eyes　in　the

village　were　trying　to　penetrate；　but　that　he　should　learn　it　from

some　other　informant　than　Lurida。



The　next　morning；　as　the　Interviewer　took　his　seat　on　a　bench　outside

his　door；　to　smoke　his　after…breakfast　cigar；　a　bright…looking　and

handsome　youth；　whose　features　recalled　those　of　Euthymia　so

strikingly　that　one　might　feel　pretty　sure　he　was　her　brother；　took　a

seat　by　his　side。　　Presently　the　two　were　engaged　in　conversation。

The　Interviewer　asked　all　sorts　of　questions　about　everybody　in　the

village。　　When　he　came　to　inquire　about　Maurice；　the　youth　showed　a

remarkable　interest　regarding　him。　　The　greatest　curiosity；　he　said；

existed　with　reference　to　this　personage。　　Everybody　was　trying　to

find　out　what　his　story　was；for　a　story；　and　a　strange　one；　he　must

surely　have；and　nobody　had　succeeded。



The　Interviewer　began　to　be　unusually　attentive。　　The　young　man　told

him　the　various　antipathy　stories；　about　the　evil…eye　hypothesis；

about　his　horse…taming　exploits；　his　rescuing　the　student　whose　boat

was　overturned；　and　every　occurrence　he　could　recall　which　would　help

out　the　effect　of　his　narrative。



The　Interviewer　was　becoming　excited。　　〃Can't　find　out　anything　about

him；　you　said；　did　n…'t　you？　　How　do　you　know　there's　anything　to

find？　　Do　you　want　to　know　what　I　think　he　is？　　I'll　tell　you。　　I

think　he　is　an　actor；a　fellow　from　one　of　the　city　theatres。　　Those

fellows　go　off　in　their　summer　vacation；　and　like　to　puzzle　the

country　folks。　　They　are　the　very　same　chaps；　like　as　not；　the

visitors　have　seen　in　plays　at　the　city　theatres；　but　of　course　they

don't　know　'em　in　plain　clothes。　　Kings　and　Emperors　look　pretty

shabby　off　the　stage　sometimes；　I　can　tell　you。〃



The　young　man　followed　the　Interviewer's　lead。　　〃I　shouldn't　wonder

if　you　were　right；〃　he　said。　　〃I　remember　seeing　a　young　fellow　in

Romeo　that　looked　a　good　deal　like　this　one。　　But　I　never　met　the

Sphinx；　as　they　call　him；　face　to　face。　　He　is　as　shy　as　a　woodchuck。

I　believe　there　are　people　here　that　would　give　a　hundred　dollars　to

find　out　who　he　is；　and　where　he　came　from；　and　what　he　is　here　for；

and　why　he　does　n't　act　like　other　folks。　　I　wonder　why　some　of　those

newspaper　men　don't　come　up　here　and　get　hold　of　this　story。　　It

would　be　just　the　thing　for　a　sensational　writer。〃



To　all　this　the　Interviewer　listened　with　true　professional　interest。

Always　on　the　lookout　for　something　to　make　up　a　paragraph　or　a

column　about；　driven　oftentimes　to　the　stalest　of　repetitions；to

the　biggest　pumpkin　story；　the　tall　cornstalk；　the　fat　ox；　the　live

frog　from　the　human　stomach　story；　the　third　set　of　teeth　and　reading

without　spectacles　at　ninety　story；　and　the　rest　of　the　marvellous

commonplaces　which　are　kept　in　type　with　e　o　y　　or　　e　6　m　（every

other　year　or　every　six　months）　at　the　foot；　always　in　want　of　a

fresh　incident；　a　new　story；　an　undescribed　character；　an　unexplained

mystery；　it　is　no　wonder　that　the　Interviewer　fastened　eagerly　upon

this　most　tempting　subject　for　an　inventive　and　emotional

correspondent。



He　had　seen　Paolo　several　times；　and　knew　that　he　was　Maurice's

confidential　servant；　but　had　never　spoken　to　him。　　So　he　said　to

himself　that　he　must　make　Paolo's　acquaintance；　to　begin　with。　　In

the　summer　season　many　kinds　of　small　traffic　were　always　carried　on

in　Arrowhead　Village。　　Among　the　rest；　the　sellers　of　fruits

oranges；　bananas；　and　others；　according　to　the　seasonsdid　an　active

business。　　The　Interviewer　watched　one　of　these　fruit…sellers；　and

saw　that　his　hand…cart　stopped　opposite　the　house　where；　as　he　knew；

Maurice　Kirkwood　was　living。　　Presently　Paolo　came　out　of　the　door；

and　began　examining　the　contents　of　the　hand…cart。　　The　Interviewer

saw　his　opportunity。　　Here　was　an　introduction　to　the　man；　and　the

man　must　introduce　him　to　the　master。



He　knew　very　well　how　to　ingratiate　himself　with　the　man；there　was

no　difficulty　about　that。　　He　had　learned　his　name；　and　that　he　was

an　Italian　whom　Maurice　had　brought　to　this　country　with　him。



〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Paul；〃　he　said。　　〃How　do　you　like　the　look　of

these　oranges？〃



〃They　pretty　fair；〃　said　Paolo：　〃no　so　good　as　them　las'　week；　no

sweet　as　them　was。〃



〃Why；　how　do　you　know　without　tasting　them？〃　said　the　Interviewer。



〃I　know　by　his　look；I　know　by　his　smell；he　no　good　yaller；he　no

smell　ripe；I　know　orange　ever　since　my　head　no　bigger　than　he　is；〃

and　Paolo　laughed　at　his　own　comparison。



The　Interviewer　laughed　louder　than　Paolo。



〃Good！〃　said　he；〃first…rate！　　Of　course　you　know　all　about　'em。

Why　can't　you　pick　me　out　a　couple　of　what　you　think　are　the　best　of

'em？　　I　shall　be　greatly　obliged　to　you。　　I　have　a　sick　friend；　and　I

want　to　get　two　nice　sweet　ones　for　him。〃



Paolo　was　pleased。　　His　skill　and　judgment　were　recognized。　　He　felt

grateful　to　the　stranger；　who　had　given　him；　an　opportunity　of

conferring　a　favor。　　He　selected　two；　after　careful　examination　and

grave　deliberation。　　The　Interviewer　had　sense　and　tact　enough　not　to

offer　him　an　orange；　and　so　shift　the　balance　of　obligation。



〃How　is　Mr。　Kirkwood；　to…day？〃　he　asked。



〃Signor？　　He　very　well。　　He　always　well。　　Why　you　ask？　　Anybody　tell

you　he　sick？〃



〃No；　nobody　said　he　was　sick。　　I　have　n't　seen　him　going　about　for　a

day　or　two；　and　I　thought　be　might　have　something　the　matter　with

him。　　Is　he　in　the　house　now？〃



〃No：　he　off　riding。　　He　take　long；　long　rides；　sometime　gone　all　day。

Sometime　he　go　on　lake；　paddle；　paddle　in　the　morning；　very；　very

early；in　night　when　the　moon　shine；　sometime　stay　in　house；　and

read；　and　study；　and　write；he　great　scholar；　Misser　Kirkwood。〃



〃A　good　many　books；　has　n't　he？〃



〃He　got　whole　shelfs　full　of　books。　　Great　books；　little　books；　old

books；　new　books；　all　sorts　of　books。　　He　great　scholar；　I　tell　you。〃



〃Has　n't　he　some　curiosities；old　figures；　old　jewelry；　old　coins；

or　things　of　that　sort？〃



Paolo　looked　at　the　young　man　cautiously；　almost　suspiciously。

〃He　don't　keep　no　jewels　nor　no　money　in　his　chamber。　　He　got　some

old　things；old　jugs；　old　brass　figgers；　old　money；　such　as　they

used　to　have　in　old　times：　she　don't　pass　now。〃　　Paolo's　genders　were

apt　to　be　somewhat　indiscriminately　distributed。



A　lucky　thought　struck　the　Interviewer。　　〃I　wonder　if　he　would

examine　some　old　coins　of　mine？〃　said　he；　in　a　modestly　tentative

manner。



〃I　think　he　like　to　see　anything　curious。　　When　he　come　home　I　ask

him。　　Who　will　I　tell　him　wants　to　ask　him　about　old　coin？〃



〃Tell　him　a　gentleman　visiting　Arrowhead　Village　would　like　to　call

and　show　him　some　old　pieces　of　money；　said　to　be　Roman　ones。〃



The　Interviewer　had　just　remembered　that　he　had　two　or　three　old

battered　bits　of　copper　which　he　had　picked　up　at　a　tollman's；　where

they　had　been　passed　off　for　cents。　　He　had　bought　them　as

curiosities。　　O