the friendly road-第30章

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ey　were　going。　And　serious；　deadly　serious；　in　their　haste！　I　felt　a　strong　inclination　to　stop　a　few　of　them　and　say：

〃Friends；　cheer　up。　It　isn't　half　as　bad　as　you　think　it　is。　Cheer　up！〃

After　a　time　the　severity　of　the　human　flood　began　to　abate；　and　here　and　there　at　the　bottom　of　that　gulch　of　a　street；　which　had　begun　to　fill　with　soft；　bluish…gray　shadows；　the　evening　lights　a　appeared。　The　air　had　grown　cooler；　in　the　distance　around　a　corner　I　heard　a　street　organ　break　suddenly　and　joyously　into　the　lively　strains　of　〃The　Wearin'　o'　the　Green。〃

I　stepped　out　into　the　street　with　quite　a　new　feeling　of　adventure。　And　as　if　to　testify　that　I　was　now　a　visible　person　a　sharp…eyed　newsboy　discovered　methe　first　human　being　in　Kilburn　who　had　actually　seen　me　and　came　up　with　a　paper　in　his　hand。

〃Herald；　boss？〃

I　was　interested　in　the　shrewd；　world…wise；　humorous　look　in　the　urchin's　eyes。

〃No；〃　I　began；　with　the　full　intent　of　bantering　him　into　some　sort　of　acquaintance；　but　he　evidently　measured　my　purchasing　capacity　quite　accurately；　for　he　turned　like　a　flash　to　another　customer。　〃Herald；　boss？〃

〃You'll　have　to　step　lively；　David　Grayson；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃if　you　get　aboard　in　this　city。〃

A　slouchy　negro　with　a　cigarette　in　his　fingers　glanced　at　me　in　passing　and　then；　hesitating；　turned　quickly　toward　me。

〃Got　a　match；　boss？〃

I　gave　him　a　match。

〃Thank　you；　boss；〃　and　he　passed　on　down　the　street。

〃I　seem　to　be　'boss'　around　here；〃　I　said。

This　contact；　slight　as　it　was；　gave　me　a　feeling　of　warmth；　removed　a　little　the　sensation　of　aloofness　I　had　felt；　and　I　strolled　slowly　down　the　street；　looking　in　at　the　gay　windows；　now　ablaze　with　lights；　and　watching　the　really　wonderful　procession　of　vehicles　of　all　shapes　and　sizes　that　rattled　by　on　the　pavement。　Even　at　that　hour　of　the　day　I　think　there　were　more　of　them　in　one　minute　than　I　see　in　a　whole　month　at　my　farm。

It's　a　great　thing　to　wear　shabby　clothes　and　an　old　hat。　Some　of　the　best　things　I　have　ever　known；　like　these　experiences　of　the　streets；　have　resulted　from　coming　up　to　life　from　underneath；　of　being　taken　for　less　than　I　am　rather　than　for　more　than　I　am。

I　did　not　always　believe　in　this　doctrine。　For　many　yearsthe　years　before　I　was　rightly　born　into　this　alluring　worldI　tried　quite　the　opposite　course。　I　was　constantly　attempting　to　come　down　to　life　from　above。　Instead　of　being　content　to　carry　through　life　a　sufficiently　wonderful　being　named　David　Grayson　I　tried　desperately　to　set　up　and　support　a　sort　of　dummy　creature　which；　so　clad；　so　housed；　so　fed；　should　appear　to　be　what　I　thought　David　Grayson　ought　to　appear　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。　Oh；　I　spent　quite　a　lifetime　trying　to　satisfy　other　people！

Once　I　remember　staying　at　home；　in　bed；　reading　〃Huckleberry　Finn；〃　while　I　sent　my　trousers　out　to　be　mended。

Well；　that　dummy　Grayson　perished　in　a　cornfield。　His　empty　coat　served　well　for　a　scarecrow。　A　wisp　of　straw　stuck　out　through　a　hole　in　his　finest　hat。

And　Ithe　man　withinI　escaped；　and　have　been　out　freely　upon　the　great　adventure　of　life。

If　a　shabby　coat　（and　I　speak　here　also　symbolically；　not　forgetful　of　spiritual　significances）　lets　you　into　the　adventurous　world　of　those　who　are　poor　it　does　not　on　the　other　hand　rob　you　of　any　true　friendship　among　those　who　are　rich　or　mighty。　I　say　true　friendship；　for　unless　a　man　who　is　rich　and　mighty　is　able　to　see　through　my　shabby　coat　（as　I　see　through　his　fine　one）；　I　shall　gain　nothing　by　knowing　him。

I've　permitted　myself　all　this　digressionleft　myself　walking　alone　there　in　the　streets　of　Kilburn　while　I　philosophized　upon　the　ways　and　means　of　lifenot　without　design；　for　I　could　have　had　no　such　experiences　as　I　did　have　in　Kilburn　if　I　had　worn　a　better　coat　or　carried　upon　me　the　evidences　of　security　in　life。

I　think　I　have　already　remarked　upon　the　extraordinary　enlivenment　of　wits　which　comes　to　the　man　who　has　been　without　a　meal　or　so　and　does　not　know　when　or　where　he　is　again　to　break　his　fast。　Try　it；　friend　and　see！　It　was　already　getting　along　in　the　evening；　and　I　knew　or　supposed　I　knew　no　one　in　Kilburn　save　only　Bill　Hahn；　Socialist　who　was　little　better　off　than　I　was。

In　this　emergency　my　mind　began　to　work　swiftly。　A　score　of　fascinating　plans　for　getting　my　supper　and　a　bed　to　sleep　in　flashed　through　my　mind。

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃when　I　come　to　think　of　it；　I'm　comparatively　rich。　I'll　warrant　there　are　plenty　of　places　in　Kilburn；　and　good　ones；　too；　where　I　could　barter　a　chapter　of　Montaigne　and　a　little　good　conversation　for　a　first…rate　supper；　and　I've　no　doubt　that　I　could　whistle　up　a　bed　almost　anywhere！〃

I　thought　of　a　little　motto　I　often　repeat　to　myself：

TO　KNOW　LIFE；　BEGIN　ANYWHERE！

There　were　several　people　on　the　streets　of　Kilburn　that　night　who　don't　know　yet　how　very　near　they　were　to　being　boarded　by　a　somewhat　shabby　looking　farmer　who　would　have　offered　them；　let　us　say；　a　notable　musical　production　called　〃Old　Dan　Tucker；〃　exquisitely　performed　on　a　tin　whistle；　in　exchange　for　a　good　honest　supper。

There　was　one　man　in　particulara　fine；　pompous　citizen　who　came　down　the　street　swinging　his　cane　and　looking　as　though　the　universe　was　a　sort　of　Christmas　turkey；　lying　all　brown　and　sizzling　before　him　ready　to　be　carveda　fine　pompous　citizen　who　never　realized　how　nearly　Fate　with　a　battered　volume　of　Montaigne　in　one　hand　and　a　tin　whistle　in　the　othercame　to　pouncing　upon　him　that　evening！　And　I　am　firmly　convinced　that　if　I　had　attacked　him　with　the　Great　Particular　Word　he　would　have　carved　me　off　a　juicy　slice　of　the　white　breast　meat。

〃I'm　getting　hungry；〃　I　said；　〃I　must　find　Bill　Hahn！〃

I　had　turned　down　a　side　street；　and　seeing　there　in　front　of　a　building　a　number　of　lounging　men　with　two　or　three　cabs　or　carriages　standing　nearby　in　the　street　I　walked　up　to　them。　It　was　a　livery　barn。

Now　I　like　all　sorts　of　out…of…door　people：　I　seem　to　be　related　to　them　through　horses　and　cattle　and　cold　winds　and　sunshine。　I　like　them　and　understand　them；　and　they　seem　to　like　me　and　understand　me。　So　I　walked　up　to　the　group　of　jolly　drivers　and　stablemen　intending　to　ask　my　directions。　The　talking　died　out　and　they　all　turned　to　look　at　me。　I　suppose　I　was　not　altogether　a　familiar　type　there　in　the　city　streets。　My　bag；　especially；　seemed　to　set　me　apart　as　a　curious　person。

〃Friends；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　a　farmer〃

They　all　broke　out　laughing；　they　seemed　to　know　it　already！　I　was　just　a　little　taken　aback；　but　I　laughed；　too；　knowing　that　there　was　a　way　of　getting　at　them　if　only　I　could　find　it。

〃It　may　surprise　you；〃　I　said；　but　this　is　the　first　time　in　some　dozen　years　that　I've　been　in　a　big　city　like　this。〃

〃You　hadn't　'ave　told　us；　partner！〃　said　one　of　them；　evidently　the　wit　of　the　group；　in　a　rich　Irish　brogue。

〃Well；〃　I　responded；　laughing　with　the　best　of　them；　〃you've　been　living　right　here　all　the　time；　and　don't　realize　how　amusing　and　curious　the　city　looks　to　me。　Why；　I　feel　as　though　I　had　been　away　sleeping　for　twenty　years；　like　Rip　Van　Winkle。　When　I　left　the　city　there　was　scarcely　an　automobile　to　be　seen　anywhereand　now　look　at　them　snorting　through　the　streets。　I　counted　twenty…two　passing　that　corner　up　there　in　five　minutes　by　the　clock。〃

This　was　a　fortunate　remark；　for　I　found　instantly　that　the　invasion　of　the　automobile　was　a　matter　of　tremendous　import　to　such　Knights　of　Bucephalus　as　these。

At　first　the　wit　interrupted　me　with　amusing　remarks；　as　wits　will；　but　I　soon　had　him　as　quiet　as　the　others。　For　I　have　found　the　things　that　chiefly　interest　people　are　the　things　they　already　know　aboutprovided　you　show　them　that　these　common　things　are　still　mysterious；　still　miraculous；　as　indeed　they　are。

After　a　time　some　one　pushed　me　a　stable　stool　and　I　sat　down　among　them；　and　we　had　quite　a　conversation；　which　finally　developed　into　an　amusing　comparison　（I　wish　I　had　room　to　repeat　it　here）　between　the　city　and　the　country。　I　told　them　something　about　my　farm；　how　much　I　enjoyed　it；　and　what　a　wonderful　free　life　one　had　in　the　country。　In　this　I　was　really　taking　an　unfair　advantage　of　them；