the poet at the breakfast table-第50章

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Young　Girl；　our　Scheherezade；　he　said　to　her　that　she　must　have　got
dreadfully　tired　（at　which　she　colored　up　and　said　it　was　no　such
thing）；　and　he　promised　that；　to　pay　for　her　goodness　in　listening；
he　would　give　her　a　lesson　in　astronomy　the　next　fair　evening；　if　she
would　be　his　scholar；　at　which　she　blushed　deeper　than　before；　and
said　something　which　certainly　was　not　No。




IX

There　was　no　sooner　a　vacancy　on　our　side　of　the　table；　than　the
Master　proposed　a　change　of　seats　which　would　bring　the　Young
Astronomer　into　our　immediate　neighborhood。　　The　Scarabee　was　to　move
into　the　place　of　our　late　unlamented　associate；　the　Man　of　Letters；
so　called。　　I　was　to　take　his　place；　the　Master　to　take　mine；　and　the
young　man　that　which　had　been　occupied　by　the　Master。　　The　advantages
of　this　change　were　obvious。　　The　old　Master　likes　an　audience；
plainly　enough；　and　with　myself　on　one　side　of　him；　and　the　young
student　of　science；　whose　speculative　turn　is　sufficiently　shown　in
the　passages　from　his　poem；　on　the　other　side；　he　may　feel　quite　sure
of　being　listened　to。　　There　is　only　one　trouble　in　the　arrangement；
and　that　is　that　it　brings　this　young　man　not　only　close　to　us；　but
also　next　to　our　Scheherezade。

I　am　obliged　to　confess　that　he　has　shown　occasional　marks　of
inattention　even　while　the　Master　was　discoursing　in　a　way　that　I
found　agreeable　enough。　　I　am　quite　sure　it　is　no　intentional
disrespect　to　the　old　Master。　　It　seems　to　me　rather　that　he　has
become　interested　in　the　astronomical　lessons　he　has　been　giving　the
Young　Girl。　　He　has　studied　so　much　alone；　that　it　is　naturally　a
pleasure　to　him　to　impart　some　of　his　knowledge。　　As　for　his　young
pupil；　she　has　often　thought　of　being　a　teacher　herself；　so　that　she
is　of　course　very　glad　to　acquire　any　accomplishment　that　may　be
useful　to　her　in　that　capacity。　　I　do　not　see　any　reason　why　some　of
the　boarders　should　have　made　such　remarks　as　they　have　done。　　One
cannot　teach　astronomy　to　advantage；　without　going　out　of　doors；
though　I　confess　that　when　two　young　people　go　out　by　daylight　to
study　the　stars；　as　these　young　folks　have　done　once　or　twice；　I　do
not　so　much　wonder　at　a　remark　or　suggestion　from　those　who　have
nothing　better　to　do　than　study　their　neighbors。

I　ought　to　have　told　the　reader　before　this　that　I　found；　as　I
suspected；　that　our　innocent…looking　Scheherezade　was　at　the　bottom
of　the　popgun　business。　　I　watched　her　very　closely；　and　one　day；
when　the　little　monkey　made　us　all　laugh　by　stopping　the　Member　of
the　Haouse　in　the　middle　of　a　speech　he　was　repeating　to　us；it　was
his　great　effort　of　the　season　on　a　bill　for　the　protection　of　horn…
pout　in　Little　Muddy　River；I　caught　her　making　the　signs　that　set
him　going。　　At　a　slight　tap　of　her　knife　against　her　plate；　he　got
all　ready；　and　presently　I　saw　her　cross　her　knife　and　fork　upon　her
plate；　and　as　she　did　so；　pop！　went　the　small　piece　of　artillery。
The　Member　of　the　Haouse　was　just　saying　that　this　bill　hit　his
constitooents　in　their　most　vitalwhen　a　pellet　hit　him　in　the
feature　of　his　countenance　most　exposed　to　aggressions　and　least
tolerant　of　liberties。　　The　Member　resented　this　unparliamentary
treatment　by　jumping　up　from　his　chair　and　giving　the　small　aggressor
a　good　shaking；　at　the　same　time　seizing　the　implement　which　had
caused　his　wrath　and　breaking　it　into　splinters。　　The　Boy　blubbered；
the　Young　Girl　changed　color；　and　looked　as　if　she　would　cry；　and
that　was　the　last　of　these　interruptions。

I　must　own　that　I　have　sometimes　wished　we　had　the　popgun　back；　for
it　answered　all　the　purpose　of　〃the　previous　question〃　in　a
deliberative　assembly。　　No　doubt　the　Young　Girl　was　capricious　in
setting　the　little　engine　at　work；　but　she　cut　short　a　good　many
disquisitions　that　threatened　to　be　tedious。　　I　find　myself　often
wishing　for　her　and　her　small　fellow…conspirator's　intervention；　in
company　where　I　am　supposed　to　be　enjoying　myself。　　When　my　friend
the　politician　gets　too　far　into　the　personal　details　of　the　quorum
pars　magna　fui；　I　find　myself　all　at　once　exclaiming　in　mental
articulation；　Popgun！　　When　my　friend　the　story…teller　begins　that
protracted　narrative　which　has　often　emptied　me　of　all　my　voluntary
laughter　for　the　evening；　he　has　got　but　a　very　little　way　when　I　say
to　myself；　What　wouldn't　I　give　for　a　pellet　from　that　popgun！　　In
short；　so　useful　has　that　trivial　implement　proved　as　a　jaw…stopper
and　a　boricide；　that　I　never　go　to　a　club　or　a　dinner…party；　without
wishing　the　company　included　our　Scheherezade　and　That　Boy　with　his
popgun。

How　clearly　I　see　now　into　the　mechanism　of　the　Young　Girl's
audacious　contrivance　for　regulating　our　table…talk！　　Her　brain　is
tired　half　the　time；　and　she　is　too　nervous　to　listen　patiently　to
what　a　quieter　person　would　like　well　enough；　or　at　least　would　not
be　annoyed　by。　　It　amused　her　to　invent　a　scheme　for　managing　the
headstrong　talkers；　and　also　let　off　a　certain　spirit　of　mischief
which　in　some　of　these　nervous　girls　shows　itself　in　much　more
questionable　forms。　　How　cunning　these　half…hysteric　young　persons
are；　to　be　sure！　　I　had　to　watch　a　long　time　before　I　detected　the
telegraphic　communication　between　the　two　conspirators。　　I　have　no
doubt　she　had　sedulously　schooled　the　little　monkey　to　his　business；
and　found　great　delight　in　the　task　of　instruction。

But　now　that　our　Scheherezade　has　become　a　scholar　instead　of　a
teacher；　she　seems　to　be　undergoing　a　remarkable　transformation。
Astronomy　is　indeed　a　noble　science。　　It　may　well　kindle　the
enthusiasm　of　a　youthful　nature。　　I　fancy　at　times　that　I　see
something　of　that　starry　light　which　I　noticed　in　the　young　man's
eyes　gradually　kindling　in　hers。　　But　can　it　be　astronomy　alone　that
does　it？　　Her　color　comes　and　goes　more　readily　than　when　the　old
Master　sat　next　her　on　the　left。　　It　is　having　this　young　man　at　her
side；　I　suppose。　　Of　course　it　is。　　I　watch　her　with　great；　I　may　say
tender　interest。　　If　he　would　only　fall　in　love　with　her；　seize　upon
her　wandering　affections　and　fancies　as　the　Romans　seized　the　Sabine
virgins；　lift　her　out　of　herself　and　her　listless　and　weary
drudgeries；　stop　the　outflow　of　this　young　life　which　is　draining
itself　away　in　forced　literary　labordear　me；　dear　meif；　if；　if

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃If　I　were　God
　　　　　An'　ye　were　Martin　Elginbrod！〃

I　am　afraid　all　this　may　never　be。　　I　fear　that　he　is　too　much　given
to　lonely　study；　to　self…companionship；　to　all　sorts　of　questionings；
to　looking　at　life　as　at　a　solemn　show　where　he　is　only　a　spectator。
I　dare　not　build　up　a　romance　on　what　I　have　yet　seen。　　My　reader
may；　but　I　will　answer　for　nothing。　　I　shall　wait　and　see。

The　old　Master　and　I　have　at　last　made　that　visit　to　the　Scarabee
which　we　had　so　long　promised　ourselves。

When　we　knocked　at　his　door　he　came　and　opened　it；　instead　of　saying；
Come　in。　　He　was　surprised；　I　have　no　doubt；　at　the　sound　of　our
footsteps；　for　he　rarely　has　a　visitor；　except　the　little　monkey　of　a
boy；　and　he　may　have　thought　a　troop　of　marauders　were　coming　to　rob
him　of　his　treasures。　　Collectors　feel　so　rich　in　the　possession　of
their　rarer　specimens；　that　they　forget　how　cheap　their　precious
things　seem　to　common　eyes；　and　are　as　afraid　of　being　robbed　as　if
they　were　dealers　in　diamonds。　　They　have　the　name　of　stealing　from
each　other　now　and　then；　it　is　true；　but　many　of　their　priceless
possessions　would　hardly　tempt　a　beggar。　　Values　are　artificial：　you
will　not　be　able　to　get　ten　cents　of　the　year　1799　for　a　dime。

The　Scarabee　was　reassured　as　soon　as　he　saw　our　faces；　and　he
welcomed　us　not　ungraciously　into　his　small　apartment。　　It　was　hard
to　find　a　place　to　sit　down；　for　all　the　chairs　were　already　occupied
by　cases　and　boxes　full　of　his　favorites。　　I　began；　therefore；
looking　round　the　room。　　Bugs　of　every　size　and　aspect　met　my　eyes
wherever　they　turned。　　I　felt　for　the　moment　as　I　suppose　a　man　may
feel　in　a　fit　of　delirium　tremens。　　Presently　my　attention　was　drawn
towards　a　very　odd…looking　insect　on　the　mantelpiece。　　This　animal
was　incessantly　raising　its　arms　as　if　towards　heaven　and　clasping
them　toge