a far country-第22章

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world　of　necessity；　cold　and　grey　and　slushy；　and　necessity　alone　made　me
rise　from　my　bed。　　My　experience　of　the　night　before　might　have　taught　me
that　happiness　lies　in　the　trick　of　transforming　necessity；　but　it　did
not。　　The　vision　had　faded；temporarily；　at　least；　and　such　was　the
distraction　of　the　succeeding　days　that　the　subject　of　the　theme　passed
from　my　mind。。。。

One　morning　Tom　was　later　than　usual　in　getting　home。　　I　was　writing　a
letter　when　he　came　in；　and　did　not　notice　him；　yet　I　was　vaguely　aware
of　his　standing　over　me。　　When　at　last　I　looked　up　I　gathered　from　his
expression　that　something　serious　had　happened；　so　mournful　was　his　face；
and　yet　so　utterly　ludicrous。

〃Say；　Hugh；　I'm　in　the　deuce　of　a　mess；〃　he　announced。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　I　inquired。

He　sank　down　on　the　table　with　a　groan。

〃It's　Alonzo；〃　he　said。

Then　I　remembered　the　theme。

〃Whatwhat's　he　done？〃　I　demanded。

〃He　says　I　must　become　a　writer。　　Think　of　it；　me　a　writer！　　He　says　I'm
a　young　Shakespeare；　that　I've　been　lazy　and　hid　my　light　under　a　bushel！
He　says　he　knows　now　what　I　can　do；　and　if　I　don't　keep　up　the　quality；
he'll　know　the　reason　why；　and　write　a　personal　letter　to　my　father。　　Oh；
hell！〃

In　spite　of　his　evident　anguish；　I　was　seized　with　a　convulsive　laughter。
Tom　stood　staring　at　me　moodily。

〃You　think　it's　funny；don't　you？　　I　guess　it　is；　but　what's　going　to
become　of　me？　　That's　what　I　want　to　know。　　I've　been　in　trouble　before；
but　never　in　any　like　this。　　And　who　got　me　into　it？　　You！〃

Here　was　gratitude！

〃You've　got　to　go　on　writing　'em；　now。〃　　His　voice　became　desperately
pleading。　　〃Say；　Hugh；　old　man；　you　can　temper　'em　downtemper　'em　down
gradually。　　And　by　the　end　of　the　year；　let's　say；　they'll　be　about
normal　again。〃

He　seemed　actually　shivering。

〃The　end　of　the　year！〃　I　cried；　the　predicament　striking　me　for　the　first
time　in　its　fulness。　　〃Say；　you've　got　a　crust！〃

〃You'll　do　it；　if　I　have　to　hold　a　gun　over　you；〃　he　announced　grimly。

Mingled　with　my　anxiety；　which　was　real；　was　an　exultation　that　would　not
down。　　Nevertheless；　the　idea　of　developing　Tom　into　a　Shakespeare；Tom；
who　had　not　the　slightest　desire　to　be　one　I　was　appalling；　besides
having　in　it　an　element　of　useless　self…sacrifice　from　which　I　recoiled。
On　the　other　hand；　if　Alonzo　should　discover　that　I　had　written　his
theme；　there　were　penalties　I　did　not　care　to　dwell　upon　。。。。　　With　such
a　cloud　hanging　over　me　I　passed　a　restless　night。

As　luck　would　have　it　the　very　next　evening　in　the　level　light　under　the
elms　of　the　Square　I　beheld　sauntering　towards　me　a　dapper　figure　which　I
recognized　as　that　of　Mr。　Cheyne　himself。　　As　I　saluted　him　he　gave　me　an
amused　and　most　disconcerting　glance；　and　when　I　was　congratulating
myself　that　he　had　passed　me　he　stopped。

〃Fine　weather　for　March；　Paret；〃　he　observed。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　agreed　in　a　strange　voice。

〃By　the　way；〃　he　remarked；　contemplating　the　bare　branches　above　our
heads；　〃that　was　an　excellent　theme　your　roommate　handed　in。　　I　had　no
idea　that　he　possessed　suchsuch　genius。　　Did　you；　by　any　chance；　happen
to　read　it？〃

〃Yes；　sir；I　read　it。〃

〃Weren't　you　surprised？〃　inquired　Mr。　Cheyne。

〃Well；　yes；　sirthat　isI　mean　to　say　he　talks　just　like　that；
sometimesthat　is；　when　it's　anything　he　cares　about。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　Mr。　Cheyne。　　〃That's　interesting；　most　interesting。　　In
all　my　experience；　I　do　not　remember　a　case　in　which　a　gift　has　been
developed　so　rapidly。　　I　don't　want　to　give　the　impressionah　that　there
is　no　room　for　improvement；　but　the　thing　was　very　well　done；　for　an
undergraduate。　　I　must　confess　I　never　should　have　suspected　it　in
Peters；　and　it's　most　interesting　what　you　say　about　his　cleverness　in
conversation。〃　　He　twirled　the　head　of　his　stick；　apparently　lost　in
reflection。　　〃I　may　be　wrong；〃　he　went　on　presently；　〃I　have　an　idea　it
is　you〃　　I　must　literally　have　jumped　away　from　him。　　He　paused　a
moment；　without　apparently　noticing　my　panic；　〃that　it　is　you　who　have
influenced　Peters。〃

〃Sir？〃

〃I　am　wrong；　then。　　Or　is　this　merely　commendable　modesty　on　your　part？〃

〃Oh；　no；　sir。〃

〃Then　my　hypothesis　falls　to　the　ground。　　I　had　greatly　hoped；〃　he　added
meaningly；　〃that　you　might　be　able　to　throw　some　light　on　this　mystery。

I　was　dumb。

〃Paret；〃　he　asked；　〃have　you　time　to　come　over　to　my　rooms　for　a　few
minutes　this　evening？〃

〃Certainly；　sir。〃

He　gave　me　his　number　in　Brattle　Street。。。。

Like　one　running　in　a　nightmare　and　making　no　progress　I　made　my　way
home；　only　to　learn　from　Hallam；who　lived　on　the　same　floor；that　Tom
had　inconsiderately　gone　to　Boston　for　the　evening；　with　four　other　weary
spirits　in　search　of　relaxation！　　Avoiding　our　club　table；　I　took　what
little　nourishment　I　could　at　a　modest　restaurant；　and　restlessly　paced
the　moonlit　streets　until　eight　o'clock；　when　I　found　myself　in　front　of
one　of　those　low…gabled　colonial　houses　which；　on　less　soul…shaking
occasions；　had　exercised　a　great　charm　on　my　imagination。　　My　hand　hung
for　an　instant　over　the　bell。。。。　　I　must　have　rung　it　violently；　for
there　appeared　almost　immediately　an　old　lady　in　a　lace　cap；　who　greeted
me　with　gentle　courtesy；　and　knocked　at　a　little　door　with　glistening
panels。　　The　latch　was　lifted　by　Mr。　Cheyne　himself。

〃Come　in；　Paret；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　that　was　unexpectedly　hospitable。

I　have　rarely　seen　a　more　inviting　room。　　A　wood　fire　burned　brightly　on
the　brass　andirons；　flinging　its　glare　on　the　big；　white　beam　that
crossed　the　ceiling；　and　reddening　the　square　panes　of　the　windows　in
their　panelled　recesses。　　Between　these　were　rows　of　books；attractive
books　in　chased　bindings；　red　and　blue；　books　that　appealed　to　be　taken
down　and　read。　　There　was　a　table　covered　with　reviews　and　magazines　in
neat　piles；　and　a　lamp　so　shaded　as　to　throw　its　light　only　on　the　white
blotter　of　the　pad。　　Two　easy　chairs；　covered　with　flowered　chintz；　were
ranged　before　the　fire；　in　one　of　which　I　sank；　much　bewildered；　upon
being　urged　to　do　so。

I　utterly　failed　to　recognize　〃Alonzo〃　in　this　new　atmosphere。　　And　he
had；　moreover；　dropped　the　subtly　sarcastic　manner　I　was　wont　to
associate　with　him。

〃Jolly　old　house；　isn't　it？〃　he　observed；　as　though　I　had　casually
dropped　in　on　him　for　a　chat；　and　he　stood；　with　his　hands　behind　him
stretched　to　the　blaze；　looking　down　at　me。　　〃It　was　built　by　a　certain
Colonel　Draper；　who　fought　at　Louisburg；　and　afterwards　fled　to　England
at　the　time　of　the　Revolution。　　He　couldn't　stand　the　patriots；　I'm　not
so　sure　that　I　blame　him；　either。　　Are　you　interested　in　colonial　things；
Mr。　Paret？〃

I　said　I　was。　　If　the　question　had　concerned　Aztec　relics　my　answer　would
undoubtedly　have　been　the　same。　　And　I　watched　him；　dazedly；　while　he
took　down　a　silver　porringer　from　the　shallow　mantel　shelf。

〃It's　not　a　Revere；〃　he　said；　in　a　slightly　apologetic　tone　as　though　to
forestall　a　comment；　〃but　it's　rather　good；　I　think。　　I　picked　it　up　at　a
sale　in　Dorchester。　　But　I　have　never　been　able　to　identify　the　coat　of
arms。〃

He　showed　me　a　ladle；　with　the　names　of　〃Patience　and　William　Simpson〃
engraved　quaintly　thereon；　and　took　down　other　articles　in　which　I
managed　to　feign　an　interest。　　Finally　he　seated　himself　in　the　chair
opposite；　crossed　his　feet；　putting　the　tips　of　his　fingers　together　and
gazing　into　the　fire。

〃So　you　thought　you　could　fool　me；〃　he　said；　at　length。

I　became　aware　of　the　ticking　of　a　great　clock　in　the　corner。　　My　mouth
was　dry。

〃I　am　going　to　forgive　you；〃　he　went　on；　more　gravely；　〃for　several
reasons。　　I　don't　flatter；　as　you　know。　　It's　because　you　carried　out　the
thing　so　perfectly　that　I　am　led　to　think　you　have　a　gift　that　may　be
cultivated；　Paret。　　You　wrote　that　theme　in　the　way　Peters　would　have
written　it　if　he　had　not　beenwhat　shall　I　say？scripturally
inarticulate。　　And　I　trust　it　may　do　you　some　good　if　I　say　it　was
something　of　a　literary　achievement；　if　not　a　moral　one。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　I　faltered。

〃Have　you　ever；〃　he　inquired；　lapsing　a　little　into　his　lecture…room
manner；　〃seriously　thought　of　literature　as　a　career？　　Hav