按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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？ Have you ever
thought of any career seriously？〃
〃I once wished to be a writer； sir；〃 I replied tremulously； but refrained
from telling him of my father's opinion of the profession。 Ambitiona
purer ambition than I had known for yearsleaped within me at his words。
He； Alonzo Cheyne； had detected in me the Promethean fire！
I sat there until ten o'clock talking to the real Mr。 Cheyne； a human Mr。
Cheyne unknown in the lecture…room。 Nor had I suspected one in whom
cynicism and distrust of undergraduates （of my sort） seemed so ingrained；
of such idealism。 He did not pour it out in preaching； delicately；
unobtrusively and on the whole rather humorously he managed to present to
me in a most disillusionizing light that conception of the university
held by me and my intimate associates。 After I had left him I walked the
quiet streets to behold as through dissolving mists another Harvard； and
there trembled in my soul like the birth…struggle of a flame something of
the vision later to be immortalized by St。 Gaudens； the spirit of Harvard
responding to the spirit of the Republicto the call of Lincoln； who
voiced it。 The place of that bronze at the corner of Boston Common was
as yet empty； but I have since stood before it to gaze in wonder at the
light shining in darkness on mute； uplifted faces ；black faces！ at
Harvard's son leading them on that the light might live and prevail。
I； too； longed for a Cause into which I might fling myself； in which I
might lose myself。。。 I halted on the sidewalk to find myself staring
from the opposite side of the street at a familiar house； my old
landlady's； Mrs。 Bolton's； and summoned up before me was the tired；
smiling face of Hermann Krebs。 Was it because when he had once spoken so
crudely of the University I had seen the reflection of her spirit in his
eyes？ A light still burned in the extension roofKrebs's light； another
shone dimly through the ground glass of the front door。 Obeying a sudden
impulse； I crossed the street。
Mrs。 Bolton； in the sky…blue wrapper； and looking more forbidding than
ever； answered the bell。 Life had taught her to be indifferent to
surprises； and it was I who became abruptly embarrassed。
〃Oh； it's you； Mr。 Paret；〃 she said； as though I had been a frequent
caller。 I had never once darkened her threshold since I had left her
house。
〃Yes；〃 I answered； and hesitated。。。。 〃Is Mr。 Krebs in？〃
〃Well；〃 she replied in a lifeless tone； which nevertheless had in it a
touch of bitterness； 〃I guess there's no reason why you and your friends
should have known he was sick。〃
〃Sick！〃 I repeated。 〃Is he very sick？〃
〃I calculate he'll pull through；〃 she said。 〃Sunday the doctor gave him
up。 And no wonder！ He hasn't had any proper food since he's be'n here！〃
She paused； eyeing me。 〃If you'll excuse me； Mr。 Paret； I was just going
up to him when you rang。〃
〃Certainly；〃 I replied awkwardly。 〃Would you be so kind as to tell him
when he's well enoughthat I came to see him； and that I'm sorry？〃
There was another pause； and she stood with a hand defensively clutching
the knob。
〃Yes； I'll tell him；〃 she said。
With a sense of having been baffled； I turned away。
Walking back toward the Yard my attention was attracted by a slowly
approaching cab whose occupants were disturbing the quiet of the night
with song。
Shollity'tis wine； 'tis wine； That makeshshollity。〃
The vehicle drew up in front of a new and commodious building；I believe
the first of those designed to house undergraduates who were willing to
pay for private bathrooms and other modern luxuries； out of one window of
the cab protruded a pair of shoeless feet； out of the other a hatless
head I recognized as belonging to Tom Peters； hence I surmised that the
feet were his also。 The driver got down from the box； and a lively
argument was begun insidefor there were other occupantsas to how Mr。
Peters was to be disembarked； and I gathered from his frequent references
to the 〃Shgyptian obelisk〃 that the engineering problem presented struck
him as similar to the unloading of Cleopatra's Needle。
〃Careful； careful！〃 he cautioned； as certain expelling movements began
from within； 〃Easy； Ham； you jam…fool； keep the door shut； y'll break
me。〃
〃Now； Jerry； all heave sh'gether！〃 exclaimed a voice from the blackness
of the interior。
〃Will ye wait a minute； Mr。 Durrett； sir？〃 implored the cabdriver。
〃You'll be after ruining me cab entirely。〃 （Loud roars and vigorous
resistance from the obelisk； the cab rocking violently。） 〃This gintleman〃
（meaning me） 〃will have him by the head； and I'll get hold of his feet；
sir。〃 Which he did； after a severe kick in the stomach。
〃Head'sh all right； Martin。〃
〃To be sure it is； Mr。 Peters。 Now will ye rest aisy awhile； sir？〃
〃I'm axphyxiated；〃 cried another voice from the darkness； the mined voice
of Jerome Kyme； our classmate。
〃Get the tackles under him！〃 came forth in commanding tones from
Conybear。
In the meantime many windows had been raised and much gratuitous advice
was being given。 The three occupants of the cab's seat who had
previously clamoured for Mr。 Peters' removal； now inconsistently resisted
it； suddenly he came out with a jerk； and we had him fairly upright on
the pavement minus a collar and tie and the buttons of his evening
waistcoat。 Those who remained in the cab engaged in a riotous game of
hunt the slipper； while Tom peered into the dark interior； observing
gravely the progress of the sport。 First flew out an overcoat and a
much…battered hat； finally the pumps； all of which in due time were
adjusted to his person； and I started home with him； with much parting
counsel from the other three。
〃Whereinell were you； Hughie？〃 he inquired。 〃Hunted all over for you。
Had a sousin' good time。 Went to Babcock'shad champagnethen to see
Babesh inth'Woods。 Ham knows one of the Babesh had supper with four
of 'em。 Nice Babesh！〃
〃For heaven's sake don't step on me again！〃 I cried。
〃Sh'poloshize； old man。 But y'know I'm William Shakespheare。 C'n do
what I damplease。〃 He halte