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the professor at the breakfast table-第44部分
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she knows enough to keep her tongue still。 All I know is; I saw her
crossin' herself one day when she came out of that room。 She looked
pale enough; 'n' I heard her mutterin' somethin' or other about the
Blessed Virgin。 If it had n't been for the double doors to that
chamber of his; I'd have had a squint inside before this; but;
somehow or other; it never seems to happen that they're both open at
once。
What do you think he employs himself about? said I。
The young man John winked。
I waited patiently for the thought; of which this wink was the
blossom; to come to fruit in words。
I don't believe in witches;said the young man John。
Nor I。
We were both silent for a few minutes。
Did you ever see the young girl's drawing…books;I said;
presently。
All but one;he answered;she keeps a lock on that; and won't show
it。 Ma'am Allen; (the young rogue sticks to that name; in speaking
of the gentleman with the diamond;) Ma'am Allen tried to peek into
it one day when she left it on the sideboard。 〃If you please;〃 says
she;'n' took it from him; 'n' gave him a look that made him curl
up like a caterpillar on a hot shovel。 I only wished he had n't;
and had jest given her a little sass; for I've been takin' boxin'…
lessons; 'n' I 've got a new way of counterin' I want to try on to
somebody。
The end of all this was; that I came away from the young fellow's
room; feeling that there were two principal things that I had to
live for; for the next six weeks or six months; if it should take so
long。 These were; to get a sight of the young girl's drawing。
book; which I suspected had her heart shut up in it; and to get a
look into the Little Gentleman's room。
I don't doubt you think it rather absurd that I should trouble
myself about these matters。 You tell me; with some show of reason;
that all I shall find in the young girl'sbook will be some
outlines of angels with immense eyes; traceries of flowers; rural
sketches; and caricatures; among which I shall probably have the
pleasure of seeing my own features figuring。 Very likely。 But I'll
tell you what I think I shall find。 If this child has idealized the
strange little bit of humanity over which she seems to have spread
her wings like a brooding dove;if; in one of those wild vagaries
that passionate natures are so liable to; she has fairly sprung upon
him with her clasping nature; as the sea…flowers fold about the
first stray shell…fish that brushes their outspread tentacles;
depend upon it; I shall find the marks of it in this drawing…book of
hers;if I can ever get a look at it;fairly; of course; for I
would not play tricks to satisfy my curiosity。
Then; if I can get into this Little Gentleman's room under any fair
pretext; I shall; no doubt; satisfy myself in five minutes that he
is just like other people; and that there is no particular mystery
about him。
The night after my visit to the young man John; I made all these and
many more reflections。 It was about two o'clock in the morning;
bright starlight;so light that I could make out the time on my
alarm…clock;when I woke up trembling and very moist。 It was the
heavy dragging sound; as I had often heard it before that waked me。
Presently a window was softly closed。 I had just begun to get over
the agitation with which we always awake from nightmare dreams; when
I heard the sound which seemed to me as of a woman's voice;the
clearest; purest soprano which one could well conceive of。 It was
not loud; and I could not distinguish a word; if it was a woman's
voice; but there were recurring phrases of sound and snatches of
rhythm that reached me; which suggested the idea of complaint; and
sometimes; I thought; of passionate grief and despair。 It died away
at last;and then I heard the opening of a door; followed by a low;
monotonous sound; as of one talking;and then the closing of a
door;and presently the light on the opposite wall disappeared and
all was still for the night。
By George! this gets interesting;I said; as I got out of bed for
a change of night…clothes。
I had this in my pocket the other day; but thought I would n't read
it at our celebration。 So I read it to the boarders instead; and
print it to finish off this record with。
ROBINSON OF LEYDEN。
He sleeps not here; in hope and prayer
His wandering flock had gone before;
But he; the shepherd; might not share
Their sorrows on the wintry shore。
Before the Speedwell's anchor swung;
Ere yet the Mayflower's sail was spread;
While round his feet the Pilgrims clung;
The pastor spake; and thus he said:
〃Men; brethren; sisters; children dear!
God calls you hence from over sea;
Ye may not build by Haerlem Meer;
Nor yet along the Zuyder…Zee。
〃Ye go to bear the saving word
To tribes unnamed and shores untrod:
Heed well the lessons ye have heard
》From those old teachers taught of God。
〃Yet think not unto them was lent
All light for all the coming days;
And Heaven's eternal wisdom spent
In making straight the ancient ways。
〃The living fountain overflows
For every flock; for every lamb;
Nor heeds; though angry creeds oppose
With Luther's dike or Calvin's dam。〃
He spake; with lingering; long embrace;
With tears of love and partings fond;
They floated down the creeping Maas;
Along the isle of Ysselmond。
They passed the frowning towers of Briel;
The 〃Hook of Holland's〃 shelf of sand;
And grated soon with lifting keel
The sullen shores of Fatherland。
No home for these! too well they knew
The mitred king behind the throne;
The sails were set; the pennons flew;
And westward ho! for worlds unknown。
And these were they who gave us birth;
The Pilgrims of the sunset wave;
Who won for us this virgin earth;
And freedom with the soil they gave。
The pastor slumbers by the Rhine;
In alien earth the exiles lie;
Their nameless graves our holiest shrine;
His words our noblest battle…cry!
Still cry them; and the world shall hear;
Ye dwellers by the storm…swept sea!
Ye have not built by Haerlem Meer;
Nor on the land…locked Zuyder…Zee!
VIII
There has been a sort of stillness in the atmosphere of our
boarding…house since my last record; as if something or other were
going on。 There is no particular change that I can think of in the
aspect of things; yet I have a feeling as if some game of life were
quietly playing and strange forces were at work; underneath this
smooth surface of every…day boardinghouse life; which would show
themselves some fine morning or other in events; if not in
catastrophes。 I have been watchful; as I said I should be; but have
little to tell as yet。 You may laugh at me; and very likely think
me foolishly fanciful to trouble myself about what is going on in a
middling…class household like ours。 Do as you like。 But here is
that terrible fact to begin with;a be
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