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Of the same mingled blood； I would not choose
To hate that meaner portion of myself
Which makes me brother to the least of men。
I dare not be a coward with my lips
Who dare to question all things in my soul；
Some men may find their wisdom on their knees；
Some prone and grovelling in the dust like slaves；
Let the meek glow…worm glisten in the dew；
I ask to lift my taper to the sky
As they who hold their lamps above their heads；
Trusting the larger currents up aloft；
Rather than crossing eddies round their breast；
Threatening with every puff the flickering blaze。
My life shall be a challenge； not a truce！
This is my homage to the mightier powers；
To ask my boldest question； undismayed
By muttered threats that some hysteric sense
Of wrong or insult will convulse the throne
Where wisdom reigns supreme； and if I err；
They all must err who have to feel their way
As bats that fly at noon； for what are we
But creatures of the night； dragged forth by day；
Who needs must stumble； and with stammering steps
Spell out their paths in syllables of pain ？
Thou wilt not hold in scorn the child who dares
Look up to Thee； the Father；dares to ask
More than Thy wisdom answers。 From Thy hand
The worlds were cast； yet every leaflet claims
》From that same hand its little shining sphere
Of star…lit dew； thine image； the great sun；
Girt with his mantle of tempestuous flame；
Glares in mid…heaven； but to his noontide blaze
The slender violet lifts its lidless eye；
And from his splendor steals its fairest hue；
Its sweetest perfume from his scorching fire。
I may just as well stop here as anywhere； for there is more of the
manuscript to come； and I can only give it in instalments。
The Young Astronomer had told me I might read any portions of his
manuscript I saw fit to certain friends。 I tried this last extract
on the old Master。
It's the same story we all have to tell；said he； when I had done
reading。…We are all asking questions nowadays。 I should like to
hear him read some of his verses himself； and I think some of the
other boarders would like to。 I wonder if he wouldn't do it； if we
asked him！ Poets read their own compositions in a singsong sort of
way； but they do seem to love 'em so； that I always enjoy it。 It
makes me laugh a little inwardly to see how they dandle their
poetical babies； but I don't let them know it。 We must get up a
select party of the boarders to hear him read。 We'll send him a
regular invitation。 I will put my name at the head of it； and you
shall write it。
That was neatly done。 How I hate writing such things！ But I
suppose I must do it。
VIII
The Master and I had been thinking for some time of trying to get the
Young Astronomer round to our side of the table。 There are many
subjects on which both of us like to talk with him； and it would be
convenient to have him nearer to us。 How to manage it was not quite
so clear as it might have been。 The Scarabee wanted to sit with his
back to the light； as it was in his present position。 He used his
eyes so much in studying minute objects； that he wished to spare them
all fatigue； and did not like facing a window。 Neither of us cared
to ask the Man of Letters； so called； to change his place； and of
course we could not think of making such a request of the Young Girl
or the Lady。 So we were at a stand with reference to this project of
ours。
But while we were proposing； Fate or Providence disposed everything
for us。 The Man of Letters； so called； was missing one morning；
having folded his tentthat is； packed his carpet…bagwith the
silence of the Arabs； and encampedthat is； taken lodgingsin some
locality which he had forgotten to indicate。
The Landlady bore this sudden bereavement remarkably well。 Her
remarks and reflections； though borrowing the aid of homely imagery
and doing occasional violence to the nicer usages of speech； were not
without philosophical discrimination。
I like a gentleman that is a gentleman。 But there's a difference
in what folks call gentlemen as there is in what you put on table。
There is cabbages and there is cauliflowers。 There is clams and
there is oysters。 There is mackerel and there is salmon。 And there
is some that knows the difference and some that doos n't。 I had a
little account with that boarder that he forgot to settle before he
went off； so all of a suddin。 I sha'n't say anything about it。 I've
seen the time when I should have felt bad about losing what he owed
me； but it was no great matter； and if he 'll only stay away now he
's gone； I can stand losing it； and not cry my eyes out nor lay awake
all night neither。 I never had ought to have took him。 Where he
come from and where he's gone to is unbeknown to me。 If he'd only
smoked good tobacco； I wouldn't have said a word； but it was such
dreadful stuff； it 'll take a week to get his chamber sweet enough to
show them that asks for rooms。 It doos smell like all possest。
Left any goods？ asked the Salesman。
Or dockermunts？added the Member of the Haouse。
The Landlady answered with a faded smile； which implied that there
was no hope in that direction。 Dr。 Benjamin； with a sudden
recurrence of youthful feeling； made a fan with the fingers of his
right hand； the second phalanx of the thumb resting on the tip of the
nose； and the remaining digits diverging from each other； in the
plane of the median line of the face；I suppose this is the way he
would have described the gesture； which is almost a specialty of the
Parisian gamin。 That Boy immediately copied it； and added greatly to
its effect by extending the fingers of the other hand in a line with
those of the first； and vigorously agitating those of the two hands；
a gesture which acts like a puncture on the distended self…esteem
of one to whom it is addressed； and cheapens the memory of the absent
to a very low figure。
I wish the reader to observe that I treasure up with interest all the
words uttered by the Salesman。 It must have been noticed that he
very rarely speaks。 Perhaps he has an inner life； with its own deep
emotional； and lofty contemplative elements； but as we see him； he is
the boarder reduced to the simplest expression of that term。 Yet；
like most human creatures； he has generic and specific characters not
unworthy of being studied。 I notice particularly a certain
electrical briskness of movement； such as one may see in a squirrel；
which clearly belongs to his calling。 The dry…goodsman's life behind
his counter is a succession of sudden； snappy perceptions and brief
series of coordinate spasms； as thus：
〃Purple calico； three quarters wide； six yards。〃
Up goes the arm； bang！ tumbles out the flat roll and turns half a
dozen somersets； as if for the fun of the thing； the six yards of
calico hurry over the measuring nails； hunching their backs up； like
six cankerworms； out jump the scissors； snip； clip； rip； the stuff is
wisped up； brownpapered； tied； labelled； delivered； and the man is
himself again； like a child just come out of a convulsion…fit。 Think
of a man's having some hundreds of these semi…epileptic seizures
every day； and you need not wonder that