the blue flower-第13章
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〃The trouble is made。 Come if you like。 I'm going now。〃
The night lay heavy upon the forest。 Where the road
dipped through the valley we could hardly see a rod ahead of
us。 But higher up where the way curved around the breast of
the mountain； the woods were thin on the left； and on the
right a sheer precipice fell away to the gorge of the brook。
In the dim starlight we saw Keene striding toward us。 Graham
stepped out to meet him。
〃Where have you been； Ned Keene？〃 he cried。 The cry was
a challenge。 Keene lifted his head and stood still。 Then he
laughed and took a step forward。
〃Taking a long walk； Jack Graham；；〃 he answered。 〃It was
glorious。 You should have been with me。 But why this sudden
question？〃
〃Because your long walk is a pretence。 You are playing false。
There is some woman that you go to see at West Point； at Highland
Falls； who knows where？〃
Keene laughed again。
〃Certainly you don't know； my dear fellow； and neither do
I。 Since when has walking become a vice in your estimation？
You seem to be in a fierce mood。 What's the matter？〃
〃I will tell you what's the matter。 You have been acting
like a brute to the girl you profess to love。〃
〃Plain words！ But between friends frankness is best。 Did
she ask you to tell me？〃
〃No！ You know too well she would die before she would
speak。 You are killing her； that is what you are doing with
your devilish moods and mysteries。 You must stop。 Do you
hear？ You must give her up。〃
〃I hear well enough； and it sounds like a word for her and
two for yourself。 Is that it？〃
〃Damn you；〃 cried the younger man； 〃let the words go！
we'll settle it this way〃and he sprang at the other's
throat。
Keene； cool and well…braced； met him with a heavy blow in
the chest。 He recoiled； and I rushed between them； holding
Graham back； and pleading for self…control。 As we stood thus；
panting and confused； on the edge of the cliff； a singing
voice floated up to us from the shadows across the valley。 It
was Herrick's song again：
A heart as soft； a heart as kind；
A heart as sound and free
Is in the whole world thou canst find；
That heart I'll give to thee。
〃Come； gentlemen；〃 I cried； 〃this is folly； sheer madness。
You can never deal with the matter in this way。 Think of the
girl who is singing down yonder。 What would happen to her；
what would she suffer； from scandal； from her own feelings； if
either of you should be killed； or even seriously hurt by the
other？ There must be no quarrel between you。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Keene； whose poise； if shaken at all；
had returned； 〃certainly； you are right。 It is not of my
seeking； nor shall I be the one to keep it up。 I am willing to
let it pass。 It is but a small matter at most。〃
I turned to Graham〃And you？〃
He hesitated a little； and then said； doggedly 〃On one
condition。〃
〃And that is？〃
〃Keene must explain。 He must answer my question。〃
〃Do you accept？〃 I asked Keene。
〃Yes and no！〃 he replied。 〃No！ to answering Graham's
question。 He is not the person to ask it。 I wonder that he
does not see the impropriety； the absurdity of his meddling at
all in this affair。 Besides； he could not understand my
answer even if he believed it。 But to the explanation； I say；
Yes！ I will give it； not to Graham； but to you。 I make you
this proposition。 To…morrow is Sunday。 We shall be excused
from service if we tell the master that we have important
business to settle together。 You shall come with me on one of
my long walks。 I will tell you all about them。 Then you can
be the judge whether there is any harm in them。〃
〃Does that satisfy you？〃 I said to Graham。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃that seems fair enough。 I am content
to leave it in that way for the present。 And to make it still
more fair； I want to take back what I said awhile ago； and to
ask Keene's pardon for it。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Keene； quickly； 〃it was said in haste；
I bear no grudge。 You simply did not understand； that is
all。〃
So we turned to go down the hill； and as we turned；
Dorothy met us； coming out of the shadows。
〃What are you men doing here？〃 she asked。 〃I heard your
voices from below。 What were you talking about？〃
〃We were talking；〃 said Keene； 〃my dear Dorothy； we were
talkingabout walkingyes； that was itabout walking； and
about views。 The conversation was quite warm； almost a
debate。 Now； you know all the view…points in this region。
Which do you call the best； the most satisfying； the finest
prospect？ But I know what you will say： the view from the
little knoll in front of Hilltop。 For there； when you are tired
of looking far away； you can turn around and see the old school；
and the linden…trees； and the garden。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered gravely； 〃that is really the view that
I love best。 I would give up all the others rather than lose
that。〃
III
There was a softness in the November air that brought back
memories of summer； and a few belated daisies were blooming in
the old clearing； as Keene and I passed by the ruins of the
farm…house again； early on Sunday morning。 He had been
talking ever since we started； pouring out his praise of
knowledge； wide； clear； universal knowledge； as the best of
life's joys； the greatest of life's achievements。 The
practical life was a blind； dull routine。 Most men were
toiling at tasks which they did not like； by rules which they
did not understand。 They never looked beyond the edge of
their work。 The philosophical life was a spider's webfilmy
threads of theory spun out of the inner consciousnessit touched
the world only at certain chosen points of attachment。 There was
nothing firm； nothing substantial in it。 You could look through
it like a veil and see the real world lying beyond。 But the
theorist could see only the web which he had spun。 Knowing did
not come by speculating； theorising。 Knowing came by seeing。
Vision was the only real knowledge。 To see the world； the whole
world； as it is； to look behind the scenes； to read human life
like a book； that was the glorious thingmost satisfying；
divine。
Thus he had talked as we climbed the hill。 Now； as we
came by the place where we had first met； a new eagerness
sounded in his voice。
〃Ever since that day I have inclined to tell you something
more about myself。 I felt sure you would understand。 I am
planning to write a booka book of knowledge； in the true
sensea great book about human life。 Not a history； not a
theory； but a real view of life； its hidden motives； its
secret relations。 How different they are from what men dream
and imagine and play that they are！ How much darker； how much
smaller； and therefore how much more interesting and wonderful。
No one has yet writtenperhaps because no one has yet
conceivedsuch a book as I have in mind。 I might call it a
'Bionopsis。'〃
〃But surely；〃 said I； 〃you have chosen a strange place to
write itthe Hilltop Schoolthis quiet and secluded region！
The stream of humanity is very slow and slender hereit
trickles。 You must get out into the busy world。 You must be
in the full current and feel its force。 You must take part in
the active life of mankind in order really to know it。〃
〃A mistake！〃 he cried。 〃Action is the thing that blinds
men。 You remember Matthew Arnold's line：
In action's dizzying eddy whurled。
To know the world you must stand apart from it and above it；
you must look down on it。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said I； 〃you will have to find some secret
spring of inspiration； some point of vantage from which you
can get your outlook and your insight。〃
He stopped short and looked me full in the face。
〃And that；〃 cried he； 〃is precisely what I have found！〃
Then he turned and pushed along the narrow trail so
swiftly that I had hard work to follow him。 After a few
minutes we came to a little stream； flowing through a grove of
hemlocks。 Keene seated himself on the fallen log that served
for a bridge and beckoned me to a place beside him。
〃I promised to give you an explanation to…dayto take you
on one of my long walks。 Well； there is only one of them。 It
is always the same。 You shall see where it le
