stories by modern american authors-第49节

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One　sunny　afternoon　I　was　standing　in　the　door　of　my　house；　when　I

marked　a　person　passing　close　to　the　edge　of　the　bank　that　was　in

front。　　His　pace　was　a　careless　and　lingering　one；　and　had　none　of

that　gracefulness　and　ease　which　distinguish　a　person　with　certain

advantages　of　education　from　a　clown。　　His　gait　was　rustic　and

awkward。　　His　form　was　ungainly　and　disproportioned。　　Shoulders

broad　and　square；　breast　sunken；　his　head　drooping；　his　body　of

uniform　breadth；　supported　by　long　and　lank　legs；　were　the

ingredients　of　his　frame。　　His　garb　was　not　ill　adapted　to　such　a

figure。　　A　slouched　hat；　tarnished　by　the　weather；　a　coat　of　thick

gray　cloth；　cut　and　wrought；　as　it　seemed；　by　a　country　tailor；

blue　worsted　stockings；　and　shoes　fastened　by　thongs　and　deeply

discolored　by　dust；　which　brush　had　never　disturbed；　constituted

his　dress。



There　was　nothing　remarkable　in　these　appearances：　they　were

frequently　to　be　met　with　on　the　road　and　in　the　harvest…field。　　I

cannot　tell　why　I　gazed　upon　them；　on　this　occasion；　with　more　than

ordinary　attention；　unless　it　were　that　such　figures　were　seldom

seen　by　me　except　on　the　road　or　field。　　This　lawn　was　only

traversed　by　men　whose　views　were　directed　to　the　pleasures　of　the

walk　or　the　grandeur　of　the　scenery。



He　passed　slowly　along；　frequently　pausing；　as　if　to　examine　the

prospect　more　deliberately；　but　never　turning　his　eye　toward　the

house；　so　as　to　allow　me　a　view　of　his　countenance。　　Presently　he

entered　a　copse　at　a　small　distance；　and　disappeared。　　My　eye

followed　him　while　he　remained　in　sight。　　If　his　image　remained　for

any　duration　in　my　fancy　after　his　departure；　it　was　because　no

other　object　occurred　sufficient　to　expel　it。



I　continued　in　the　same　spot　for　half　an　hour；　vaguely；　and　by

fits；　contemplating　the　image　of　this　wanderer；　and　drawing　from

outward　appearances　those　inferences；　with　respect　to　the

intellectual　history　of　this　person；　which　experience　affords　us。

I　reflected　on　the　alliance　which　commonly　subsists　between

ignorance　and　the　practice　of　agriculture；　and　indulged　myself　in

airy　speculations　as　to　the　influence　of　progressive　knowledge　in

dissolving　this　alliance　and　embodying　the　dreams　of　the　poets。　　I

asked　why　the　plow　and　the　hoe　might　not　become　the　trade　of　every

human　being；　and　how　this　trade　might　be　made　conducive　to；　or　at

least　consistent　with；　the　acquisition　of　wisdom　and　eloquence。



Weary　with　these　reflections；　I　returned　to　the　kitchen　to　perform

some　household　office。　　I　had　usually　but　one　servant；　and　she　was

a　girl　about　my　own　age。　　I　was　busy　near　the　chimney；　and　she　was

employed　near　the　door　of　the　apartment；　when　some　one　knocked。

The　door　was　opened　by　her；　and　she　was　immediately　addressed　with；

〃Prythee；　good　girl；　canst　thou　supply　a　thirsty　man　with　a　glass

of　buttermilk？〃　　She　answered　that　there　was　none　in　the　house。

〃Aye；　but　there　is　some　in　the　dairy　yonder。　　Thou　knowest　as　well

as　I；　though　Hermes　never　taught　thee；　that；　though　every　dairy　be

a　house；　every　house　is　not　a　dairy。〃　　To　this　speech；　though　she

understood　only　a　part　of　it；　she　replied　by　repeating　her

assurances　that　she　had　none　to　give。　　〃Well；　then；〃　rejoined　the

stranger；　〃for　charity's　sweet　sake；　hand　me　forth　a　cup　of　cold

water。〃　　The　girl　said　she　would　go　to　the　spring　and　fetch　it。

〃Nay；　give　me　the　cup；　and　suffer　me　to　help　myself。　　Neither

manacled　nor　lame；　I　should　merit　burial　in　the　maw　of　carrion

crows　if　I　laid　this　task　upon　thee。〃　　She　gave　him　the　cup；　and　he

turned　to　go　to　the　spring。



I　listened　to　this　dialogue　in　silence。　　The　words　uttered　by　the

person　without　affected　me　as　somewhat　singular；　but　what　chiefly

rendered　them　remarkable　was　the　tone　that　accompanied　them。　　It

was　wholly　new。　　My　brother's　voice　and　Pleyel's　were　musical　and

energetic。　　I　had　fondly　imagined　that；　in　this　respect；　they　were

surpassed　by　none。　　Now　my　mistake　was　detected。　　I　cannot　pretend

to　communicate　the　impression　that　was　made　upon　me　by　these

accents；　or　to　depict　the　degree　in　which　force　and　sweetness　were

blended　in　them。　　They　were　articulated　with　a　distinctness　that

was　unexampled　in　my　experience。　　But　this　was　not　all。　　The　voice

was　not　only　mellifluent　and　clear；　but　the　emphasis　was　so　just；

and　the　modulation　so　impassioned；　that　it　seemed　as　if　a　heart　of

stone　could　not　fail　of　being　moved　by　it。　　It　imparted　to　me　an

emotion　altogether　involuntary　and　uncontrollable。　　When　he　uttered

the　words；　〃for　charity's　sweet　sake；〃　I　dropped　the　cloth　that　I

held　in　my　hand；　my　heart　overflowed　with　sympathy　and　my　eyes　with

unbidden　tears。



This　description　will　appear　to　you　trifling　or　incredible。　　The

importance　of　these　circumstances　will　be　manifested　in　the　sequel。

The　manner　in　which　I　was　affected　on　this　occasion　was；　to　my　own

apprehension；　a　subject　of　astonishment。　　The　tones　were　indeed

such　as　I　never　heard　before；　but　that　they　should　in　an　instant；

as　it　were；　dissolve　me　in　tears；　will　not　easily　be　believed　by

others；　and　can　scarcely　be　comprehended　by　myself。



It　will　be　readily　supposed　that　I　was　somewhat　inquisitive　as　to

the　person　and　demeanor　of　our　visitant。　　After　a　moment's　pause；　I

stepped　to　the　door　and　looked　after　him。　　Judge　my　surprise　when　I

beheld　the　selfsame　figure　that　had　appeared　a　half…hour　before

upon　the　bank。　　My　fancy　had　conjured　up　a　very　different　image。　　A

form　and　attitude　and　garb　were　instantly　created　worthy　to

accompany　such　elocution；　but　this　person　was；　in　all　visible

respects；　the　reverse　of　this　phantom。　　Strange　as　it　may　seem；　I

could　not　speedily　reconcile　myself　to　this　disappointment。

Instead　of　returning　to　my　employment；　I　threw　myself　in　a　chair

that　was　placed　opposite　the　door；　and　sunk　into　a　fit　of　musing。



My　attention　was　in　a　few　minutes　recalled　by　the　stranger；　who

returned　with　the　empty　cup　in　his　hand。　　I　had　not　thought　of　the

circumstance；　or　should　certainly　have　chosen　a　different　seat。　　He

no　sooner　showed　himself；　than　a　confused　sense　of　impropriety；

added　to　the　suddenness　of　the　interview；　for　which；　not　having

foreseen　it；　I　had　made　no　preparation；　threw　me　into　a　state　of

the　most　painful　embarrassment。　　He　brought　with　him　a　placid　brow；

but　no　sooner　had　he　cast　his　eyes　upon　me　than　his　face　was　as

glowingly　suffused　as　my　own。　　He　placed　the　cup　upon　the　bench；

stammered　out　thanks；　and　retired。



It　was　some　time　before　I　could　recover　my　wonted　composure。　　I　had

snatched　a　view　of　the　stranger's　countenance。　　The　impression　that

it　made　was　vivid　and　indelible。　　His　cheeks　were　pallid　and　lank；

his　eyes　sunken；　his　forehead　overshadowed　by　coarse　straggling

hairs；　his　teeth　large　and　irregular；　though　sound　and　brilliantly

white；　and　his　chin　discolored　by　a　tetter。　　His　skin　was　of　coarse

grain　and　sallow　hue。　　Every　feature　was　wide　of　beauty；　and　the

outline　of　his　face　reminded　you　of　an　inverted　cone。



And　yet　his　forehead；　so　far　as　shaggy　locks　would　allow　it　to　be

seen；　his　eyes　lustrously　black；　and　possessing；　in　the　midst　of

haggardness；　a　radiance　inexpressibly　serene　and　potent；　and

something　in　the　rest　of　his　features　which　it　would　be　in　vain　to

describe；　but　which　served　to　betoken　a　mind　of　the　highest　order；

were　essential　ingredients　in　the　portrait。　　This；　in　the　effects

which　immediately　flowed　from　it；　I　count　among　the　most

extraordinary　incidents　of　my　life。　　This　face；　seen　for　a　moment；

continued　for　hours　to　occupy　my　fancy；　to　the　exclusion　of　almost

every　other　image。　　I　had　proposed　to　spend　the　evening　with　my

brother；　but　I　could　not　resist　the　inclination　of　forming　a　sketch

upon　paper　of　this　memorable　visage。　　Whether　my　hand　was　aided　by

any　peculiar　inspiration；　or　I　was　deceived　by　my　own　fond

conceptions；　this　portrait；　though　hastily　executed；　appeared

unexceptionable　to　my　own　taste。



I　placed　it　at　all　distances　and　in　all　lights；　my　eyes　were

riveted　upon　it。　　Half　the　night　passed　away　in　wakefulness　and　in

contemplation　of　this　picture。　　So　flexible；　and　yet　so　stubborn；

is　the　human　mind！　　So　obedient　to　impulses　the　most　transient　and

brief；　and　yet　so　unalterably　observant　of　the　direction　which　is

given　to　it！　　How　little　did　I　then　foresee　the　termination　of　that

chain　of　which　this　may　be　regarded　as　the　first　link！



Next　day　arose　in　darkness　and　storm。　　Torrents　of　rain　fell　during

the　whole　day；　attended　with　incessant　thunder；　which　reverberated

in　stunning　echoes　from　the　opposite　declivity。　　The　inclemency　of

the　air　would　not　allow　me　to　walk　out。　　I　had；　indeed；　no

inclination　to　leave　my　apartment。　　I　betook　myself　to　the

contemplation　of　this　portrait；　whose　attractions　time　had　rather

enhanced　than　diminished。　　I　laid　aside　my　usual　occupations；　and；

seating　myself　at　a　window；　consumed　the　day　in　alternately　looking