the professor at the breakfast table-第75部分

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All　this；　of　course；　was　nothing　but　my　poor　notion　about　these

matters。　I　am　simply　an　〃outsider；〃　you　know；　only　it　doesn't　do

very　well　for　a　nest　of　Hingham　boxes　to　talk　too　much　about

outsiders　and　insiders！



After　this　talk　of　ours；　I　think　these　two　young　people　went　pretty

regularly　to　the　Church　of　the　Galileans。　　Still　they　could　not　keep

away　from　the　sweet　harmonies　and　rhythmic　litanies　of　Saint

Polycarp　on　the　great　Church　festival…days；　so　that；　between　the

two；　they　were　so　much　together；　that　the　boarders　began　to　make

remarks；　and　our　landlady　said　to　me；　one　day；　that；　though　it　was

noon　of　her　business；　them　that　had　eyes　couldn't　help　seein'　that

there　was　somethin'　goin'；　on　between　them　two　young　people；　she

thought　the　young　man　was　a　very　likely　young　man；　though　jest　what

his　prospecs　was　was　unbeknown　to　her；　but　she　thought　he　must　be

doing　well；　and　rather　guessed　he　would　be　able　to　take　care　of　a

femily；　if　he　didn't　go　to　takin'　a　house；　for　a　gentleman　and　his

wife　could　board　a　great　deal　cheaper　than　they　could　keep　house；

but　then　that　girl　was　nothin'　but　a　child；　and　wouldn't　think　of

bein'　married　this　five　year。　　They　was　good　boarders；　both　of　'em；

paid　regular；　and　was　as　pooty　a　couple　as　she　ever　laid　eyes　on。



To　come　back　to　what　I　began　to　speak　of　before；　…the　divinity…

student　was　exercised　in　his　mind　about　the　Little　Gentleman；　and；

in　the　kindness　of　his　heart；for　he　was　a　good　young　man；and　in

the　strength　of　his　convictions；for　he　took　it　for　granted　that　he

and　his　crowd　were　right；　and　other　folks　and　their　crowd　were

wrong；he　determined　to　bring　the　Little　Gentleman　round　to　his

faith　before　he　died；　if　he　could。　　So　he　sent　word　to　the　sick　man；

that　he　should　be　pleased　to　visit　him　and　have　some　conversation

with　him；　and　received　for　answer　that　he　would　be　welcome。



The　divinity…student　made　him　a　visit；　therefore　and　had　a　somewhat

remarkable　interview　with　him；　which　I　shall　briefly　relate；　without

attempting　to　justify　the　positions　taken　by　the　Little　Gentleman。

He　found　him　weak；　but　calm。　　Iris　sat　silent　by　his　pillow。



After　the　usual　preliminaries；　the　divinity…student　said；　in　a　kind

way；　that　he　was　sorry　to　find　him　in　failing　health；　that　he　felt

concerned　for　his　soul；　and　was　anxious　to　assist　him　in　making

preparations　for　the　great　change　awaiting　him。



I　thank　you；　Sir；said　the　Little　Gentleman；　permit　me　to　ask　you；

what　makes　you　think　I　am　not　ready　for　it；　Sir；　and　that　you　can　do

anything　to　help　me；　Sir？



I　address　you　only　as　a　fellow…man；said　the　divinity…student；and

therefore　a　fellow…sinner。



I　am　not　a　man；　Sir！　said　the　Little　Gentleman。　I　was　born　into

this　world　the　wreck　of　a　man；　and　I　shall　not　be　judged　with　a　race

to　which　I　do　not　belong。　　Look　at　this！　he　said；　and　held　up　his

withered　arm。　See　there！　and　he　pointed　to　his　misshapen

extremities。　Lay　your　hand　here！　and　he　laid　his　own　on　the

region　of　his　misplaced　heart。　I　have　known　nothing　of　the　life　of

your　race。　　When　I　first　came　to　my　consciousness；　I　found　myself　an

object　of　pity；　or　a　sight　to　show。　　The　first　strange　child　I　ever

remember　hid　its　face　and　would　not　come　near　me。　　I　was　a　broken…

hearted　as　well　as　broken…bodied　boy。　　I　grew　into　the　emotions　of

ripening　youth；　and　all　that　I　could　have　loved　shrank　from　my

presence。　　I　became　a　man　in　years；　and　had　nothing　in　common　with

manhood　but　its　longings。　　My　life　is　the　dying　pang　of　a　worn…out

race；　and　I　shall　go　down　alone　into　the　dust；　out　of　this　world　of

men　and　women；　without　ever　knowing　the　fellowship　of　the　one　or　the

love　of　the　other。　　I　will　not　die　with　a　lie　rattling　in　my　throat。

If　another　state　of　being　has　anything　worse　in　store　for　me；　I　have

had　a　long　apprenticeship　to　give　me　strength　that　I　may　bear　it。　　I

don't　believe　it；　Sir！　　I　have　too　much　faith　for　that。　　God　has　not

left　me　wholly　without　comfort；　even　here。　　I　love　this　old　place

where　I　was　born；the　heart　of　the　world　beats　under　the　three

hills　of　Boston；　Sir！　　I　love　this　great　land；　with　so　many　tall　men

in　it；　and　so　many　good；　noble　women。　His　eyes　turned　to　the

silent　figure　by　his　pillow。　I　have　learned　to　accept　meekly　what

has　been　allotted　to　me；　but　I　cannot　honestly　say　that　I　think　my

sin　has　been　greater　than　my　suffering。　　I　bear　the　ignorance　and

the　evil…doing　of　whole　generations　in　my　single　person。　　I　never

drew　a　breath　of　air　nor　took　a　step　that　was　not　a　punishment　for

another's　fault。　　I　may　have　had　many　wrong　thoughts；　but　I　cannot

have　done　many　wrong　deeds；for　my　cage　has　been　a　narrow　one；　and

I　have　paced　it　alone。　　I　have　looked　through　the　bars　and　seen　the

great　world　of　men　busy　and　happy；　but　I　had　no　part　in　their

doings。　　I　have　known　what　it　was　to　dream　of　the　great　passions；

but　since　my　mother　kissed　me　before　she　died；　no　woman's　lips　have

pressed　my　cheek；nor　ever　will。



The　young　girl's　eyes　glittered　with　a　sudden　film；　and　almost

without　a　thought；　but　with　a　warm　human　instinct　that　rushed　up

into　her　face　with　her　heart's　blood；　she　bent　over　and　kissed　him。

It　was　the　sacrament　that　washed　out　the　memory　of　long　years　of

bitterness；　and　I　should　hold　it　an　unworthy　thought　to　defend　her。

The　Little　Gentleman　repaid　her　with　the　only　tear　any　of　us　ever

saw　him　shed。



The　divinity…student　rose　from　his　place；　and；　turning　away　from　the

sick　man；　walked　to　the　other　side　of　the　room；　where　he　bowed　his

head　and　was　still。　　All　the　questions　he　had　meant　to　ask　had　faded

from　his　memory。　　The　tests　he　had。　　prepared　by　which　to　judge　of

his　fellow…creature's　fitness　for　heaven　seemed　to　have　lost　their

virtue。　　He　could　trust　the　crippled　child　of　sorrow　to　the　Infinite

Parent。　　The　kiss　of　the　fair…haired　girl　had　been　like　a　sign　from

heaven；　that　angels　watched　over　him　whom　he　was　presuming　but　a

moment　before　to　summon　before　the　tribunal　of　his　private　judgment。

Shall　I　pray　with　you？he　said；　after　a　pause。　　A　little　before　he

would　have　said；　Shall　I　pray　for　you？The　Christian　religion；　as

taught　by　its　Founder；　is　full　of　sentiment。　　So　we　must　not　blame

the　divinity…student；　if　he　was　overcome　by　those　yearnings　of　human

sympathy　which　predominate　so　much　more　in　the　sermons　of　the　Master

than　in　the　writings　of　his　successors；　and　which　have　made　the

parable　of　the　Prodigal　Son　the　consolation　of　mankind；　as　it　has

been　the　stumbling…block　of　all　exclusive　doctrines。



Pray！　said　the　Little　Gentleman。



The　divinity…student　prayed；　in　low；　tender　tones；



Iris　and　the　Little　Gentleman　that　God　would　look　on　his　servant

lying　helpless　at　the　feet　of　his　mercy；　that　He　would　remember　his

long　years　of　bondage　in　the　flesh；　that　He　would　deal　gently　with

the　bruised　reed。　　Thou　hast　visited　the　sins　of　the　fathers　upon

this　their　child。　　Oh；　turn　away　from　him　the　penalties　of　his　own

transgressions！　　Thou　hast　lai