the poet at the breakfast table-第67章

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understand　that　there　is　one　path　across　the　enclosure　which　a　young
man　must　not　ask　a　young　woman　to　take　with　him　unless　he　means
business；　for　an　action　will　holdfor　breach　of　promise；　if　she
consents　to　accompany　him；　and　he　chooses　to　forget　his　obligations：

Our　two　young　people　stood　at　the　western　edge　of　the　little　pool；
studying　astronomy　in　the　reflected　firmament。　　The　Pleiades　were
trembling　in　the　wave　before　them；　and　the　three　great　stars　of
Orion；for　these　constellations　were　both　glittering　in　the　eastern
sky。

〃There　is　no　place　too　humble　for　the　glories　of　heaven　to　shine　in；〃
she　said

〃And　their　splendor　makes　even　this　little　pool　beautiful　and　noble；〃
he　answered。　　〃Where　is　the　light　to　come　from　that　is　to　do　as　much
for　our　poor　human　lives？〃

A　simple　question　enough；　but　the　young　girl　felt　her　color　change　as
she　answered；　〃From　friendship；　I　think。〃

Grazing　only　as　…yet；not　striking　full；　hardly　hitting　at　all；
but　there　are　questions　and　answers　that　come　so　very　near；　the　wind
of　them　alone　almost　takes　the　breath　away。

There　was　an　interval　of　silence。　　Two　young　persons　can　stand
looking　at　water　for　a　long　time　without　feeling　the　necessity　of
speaking。　　Especially　when　the　water　is　alive　with　stars　and　the
young　persons　are　thoughtful　and　impressible。　　The　water　seems　to　do
half　the　thinking　while　one　is　looking　at　it；　its　movements　are　felt
in　the　brain　very　much　like　thought。　　When　I　was　in　full　training　as
a　flaneur；　I　could　stand　on　the　Pont　Neuf　with　the　other　experts　in
the　great　science　of　passive　cerebration　and　look　at　the　river　for
half　an　hour　with　so　little　mental　articulation　that　when　I　moved　on
it　seemed　as　if　my　thinking…marrow　had　been　asleep　and　was　just
waking　up　refreshed　after　its　nap。

So　the　reader　can　easily　account　for　the　interval　of　silence。　　It　is
hard　to　tell　how　long　it　would　have　lasted；　but　just　then　a　lubberly
intrusive　boy　threw　a　great　stone；　which　convulsed　the　firmament；　the
one　at　their　feet；　I　mean。　　The　six　Pleiads　disappeared　as　if　in
search　of　their　lost　sister；　the　belt　of　Orion　was　broken　asunder；
and　a　hundred　worlds　dissolved　back　into　chaos。　　They　turned　away　and
strayed　off　into　one　of　the　more　open　paths；　where　the　view　of　the
sky　over　them　was　unobstructed。　　For　some　reason　or　other　the
astronomical　lesson　did　not　get　on　very　fast　this　evening。

Presently　the　young　man　asked　his　pupil：

Do　you　know　what　the　constellation　directly　over　our　heads　is？

Is　it　not　Cassiopea？she　asked　a　little　hesitatingly。

No；　it　is　Andromeda。　　You　ought　not　to　have　forgotten　her；　for　I
remember　showing　you　a　double　star；　the　one　in　her　right　foot；
through　the　equatorial　telescope。　　You　have　not　forgotten　the　double
star；the　two　that　shone　for　each　other　and　made　a　little　world　by
themselves？

No；　indeed；she　answered；　and　blushed；　and　felt　ashamed　because
she　had　said　indeed；　as　if　it　had　been　an　emotional　recollection。

The　double…star　allusion　struck　another　dead　silence。　　She　would　have
given　a　week's　pay　to　any　invisible　attendant　that　would　have　cut　her
stay…lace。

At　last：　Do　you　know　the　story　of　Andromeda？　　he　said。

Perhaps　I　did　once；　but　suppose　I　don't　remember　it。

He　told　her　the　story　of　the　unfortunate　maiden　chained　to　a　rock　and
waiting　for　a　sea…beast　that　was　coming　to　devour　her；　and　how
Perseus　came　and　set　her　free；　and　won　her　love　with　her　life。　　And
then　he　began　something　about　a　young　man　chained　to　his　rock；　which
was　a　star…gazer's　tower；　a　prey　by　turns　to　ambition；　and　lonely
self…contempt　and　unwholesome　scorn　of　the　life　he　looked　down　upon
after　the　serenity　of　the　firmament；　and　endless　questionings　that
led　him　nowhere；and　now　he　had　only　one　more　question　to　ask。　　He
loved　her。　　Would　she　break　his　chain？He　held　both　his　hands　out
towards　her；　the　palms　together；　as　if　they　were　fettered　at　the
wrists。　　She　took　hold　of　them　very　gently；　parted　them　a　little；
then　widerwiderand　found　herself　all　at　once　folded；　unresisting；
in　her　lover's　arms。

So　there　was　a　new　double…star　in　the　living　firmament。　　The
constellations　seemed　to　kindle　with　new　splendors　as　the　student　and
the　story…teller　walked　homeward　in　their　light；　Alioth　and　Algol
looked　down　on　them　as　on　the　first　pair　of　lovers　they　shone　over；
and　the　autumn　air　seemed　full　of　harmonies　as　when　the　morning　stars
sang　together。




XII

The　old　Master　had　asked　us；　the　Young　Astronomer　and　myself；　into
his　library；　to　hear　him　read　some　passages　from　his　interleaved
book。　　We　three　had　formed　a　kind　of　little　club　without　knowing　it
from　the　time　when　the　young　man　began　reading　those　extracts　from
his　poetical　reveries　which　I　have　reproduced　in　these　pages。
Perhaps　we　agreed　in　too　many　things；I　suppose　if　we　could　have　had
a　good　hard…headed；　old…fashioned　New　England　divine　to　meet　with　us
it　might　have　acted　as　a　wholesome　corrective。　　For　we　had　it　all　our
own　way；　the　Lady's　kindly　remonstrance　was　taken　in　good　part；　but
did　not　keep　us　from　talking　pretty　freely；　and　as　for　the　Young
Girl；　she　listened　with　the　tranquillity　and　fearlessness　which　a
very　simple　trusting　creed　naturally　gives　those　who　hold　it。　　The
fewer　outworks　to　the　citadel　of　belief；　the　fewer　points　there　are
to　be　threatened　and　endangered。

The　reader　must　not　suppose　that　I　even　attempt　to　reproduce
everything　exactly　as　it　took　place　in　our　conversations；　or　when　we
met　to　listen　to　the　Master's　prose　or　to　the　Young　Astronomer's
verse。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　give　all　the　pauses　and　interruptions　by
question　or　otherwise。　　I　could　not　always　do　it　if　I　tried；　but　I　do
not　want　to；　for　oftentimes　it　is　better　to　let　the　speaker　or　reader
go　on　continuously；　although　there　may　have　been　many　breaks　in　the
course　of　the　conversation　or　reading。　　When；　for　instance；　I　by　and
by　reproduce　what　the　Landlady　said　to　us；　I　shall　give　it　almost
without　any　hint　that　it　was　arrested　in　its　flow　from　time　to　time
by　various　expressions　on　the　part　of　the　hearers。

I　can　hardly　say　what　the　reason　of　it　was；　but　it　is　very　certain
that　I　had　a　vague　sense　of　some　impending　event　as　we　took　our　seats
in　the　Master's　library。　　He　seemed　particularly　anxious　that　we
should　be　comfortably　seated；　and　shook　up　the　cushions　of　the　arm…
chairs　himself；　and　got　them　into　the　right　places。

Now　go　to　sleephe　saidor　listen；just　which　you　like　best。　　But
I　am　going　to　begin　by　telling　you　both　a　secret。

Liberavi　animam　meam。　　That　is　the　meaning　of　my　book　and　of　my
literary　life；　if　I　may　give　such　a　name　to　that　party…colored　shred
of　human　existence。　　I　have　unburdened　myself　in　this　book；　and　in
some　other　pages；　of　what　I　was　born　to　say。　　Many　things　that　I　have
said　in　my　ripe　days　have　been　aching　in　my　soul　since　I　was　a　mere
child。　　I　say　aching；　because　they　conflicted　with　many　of　my
inherited　beliefs；　or　rather　traditions。　　I　did　not　know　then　that
two　strains　of　blood　were　striving　in　me　for　the　mastery；two！
twenty；　perhaps；twenty　thousand；　for　aught　I　know；but　represented
to　me　by　two；paternal　and　maternal。　　Blind　forces　in　themselves；
shaping　thoughts　as　they　shaped　features　and　battled　for　the　moulding
of　constitution　and　the　mingling　of　temperament。

Philosophy　and　poetry　cameto　me　before　I　knew　their　names。

　　　　　Je　fis　mes　premiers　vers；　sans　savoir　les　ecrire。

Not　verses　so　much　as　the　stuff　that　verses　are　made　of。　　I　don't
suppose　that　the　thoughts　which　came　up　of　themselves　in　my　mind　were
so　mighty　different　from　what　come　up　in　the　minds　of　other　young
folks。　　And　that　's　the　best　reason　I　could　give　for　telling　'em。　　I
don't　believe　anything　I've　written　is　as　good　as　it　seemed　to　me
when　I　wrote　it；he　stopped；　for　he　was　afraid　he　was　lying；not
much　that　I　've　written；　at　any　rate；he　saidwith　a　smile　at　the
honesty　which　made　him　qualify　his　statement。　　But　I　do　know　this：　I
have　struck　a　good　many　chords；　first　and　last；　in　the　consciousness
of　other　people。　　I　confess　to　a　tender　feeling　for　my　little　brood
of　thoughts。　　When　they　have　been　welcomed　and　praised　it　has　pleased
me；　and　if　at　any　time　they　have　been　rudel