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！
f possible than I was before。 And so we discussed and discussed； both on the same side； and were happy。 For a while。 Only for a while。 Only for a very little while； a very； very； very little while。 Then the atmosphere began to change； began to cool off。
A brighter person would have seen what the trouble was； earlier than I did； perhaps； but I saw it early enough for all practical purposes。 You see； he was of an argumentative disposition。 Therefore it took him but a little time to get tired of arguing with a person who agreed with everything he said and consequently never furnished him a provocative to flare up and show what he could do when it came to clear； cold； hard； rose…cut； hundred… faceted； diamond…flashing reasoning。 That was his name for it。 It has been applied since； with complacency； as many as several times； in the Bacon…Shakespeare scuffle。 On the Shakespeare side。
Then the thing happened which has happened to more persons than to me when principle and personal interest found themselves in opposition to each other and a choice had to be made： I let principle go； and went over to the other side。 Not the entire way； but far enough to answer the requirements of the case。 That is to say； I took this attitude； to wit： I only BELIEVED Bacon wrote Shakespeare； whereas I KNEW Shakespeare didn't。 Ealer was satisfied with that； and the war broke loose。 Study； practice； experience in handling my end of the matter presently enabled me to take my new position almost seriously； a little bit later； utterly seriously； a little later still； lovingly； gratefully； devotedly； finally： fiercely； rabidly； uncompromisingly。 After that； I was welded to my faith； I was theoretically ready to die for it； and I looked down with compassion not unmixed with scorn； upon everybody else's faith that didn't tally with mine。 That faith； imposed upon me by self…interest in that ancient day； remains my faith to…day； and in it I find comfort； solace； peace； and never…failing joy。 You see how curiously theological it is。 The 〃rice Christian〃 of the Orient goes through the very same steps； when he is after rice and the missionary is after HIM； he goes for rice； and remains to worship。
Ealer did a lot of our 〃reasoning〃not to say substantially all of it。 The slaves of his cult have a passion for calling it by that large name。 We others do not call our inductions and deductions and reductions by any name at all。 They show for themselves； what they are； and we can with tranquil confidence leave the world to ennoble them with a title of its own choosing。
Now and then when Ealer had to stop to cough； I pulled my induction…talents together and hove the controversial lead myself： always getting eight feet； eight…and…a…half； often nine； sometimes even quarter…less…twainas _I_ believed； but always 〃no bottom；〃 as HE said。
I got the best of him only once。 I prepared myself。 I wrote out a passage from Shakespeareit may have been the very one I quoted a while ago； I don't rememberand riddled it with his wild steamboatful interlardings。 When an unrisky opportunity offered； one lovely summer day； when we had sounded and buoyed a tangled patch of crossings known as Hell's Half Acre； and were aboard again and he had sneaked the Pennsylvania triumphantly through it without once scraping sand； and the A。 T。 Lacey had followed in our wake and got stuck； and he was feeling good； I showed it to him。 It amused him。 I asked him to fire it off： read it； read it； I diplomatically added； as only he could read dramatic poetry。 The compliment touched him where he lived。 He did read it； read it with surpassing fire and spirit； read it as it will never be read again； for HE knew how to put the right music into those thunderous interlardings and make them seem a part of the text； make them sound as if they were bursting from Shakespeare's own soul； each one of them a golden inspiration and not to be left out without damage to the massed and magnificent whole。
I waited a week； to let the incident fade； waited longer； waited until he brought up for reasonings and vituperation my pet position； my pet argument； the one which I was fondest of； the one which I prized far above all others in my ammunition…wagon； to wit： that Shakespeare couldn't have written Shakespeare's works； for the reason that the man who wrote them was limitlessly familiar with the laws； and the law…courts； and law…proceedings； and lawyer…talk； and lawyer…waysand if Shakespeare was possessed of the infinitely…divided star…dust that constituted this vast wealth； how did he get it； and WHERE； and WHEN？
〃From books。〃
From books！ That was always the idea。 I answered as my readings of the champions of my side of the great controversy had taught me to answer： that a man can't handle glibly and easily and comfortably and successfully the argot of a trade at which he has not personally served。 He will make mistakes； he will not； and cannot； get the trade…phrasings precisely and exactly right； and the moment he departs； by even a shade； from a common trade…form； the reader who has served that trade will know the writer HASN'T。 Ealer would not be convinced； he said a man could learn how to correctly handle the subtleties and mysteries and free…masonries of any trade by careful reading and studying。 But when I got him to read again the passage from Shakespeare with the interlardings； he perceived； himself； that books couldn't teach a student a bewildering multitude of pilot…phrases so thoroughly and perfectly that he could talk them off in book and play or conversation and make no mistake that a pilot would not immediately discover。 It was a triumph for me。 He was silent awhile； and I knew what was happening： he was losing his temper。 And I knew he would presently close the session with the same old argument that was always his stay and his support in time of need； the same old argument； the one I couldn't answerbecause I dasn't： the argument that I was an ass； and better shut up。 He delivered it； and I obeyed。
Oh； dear； how long ago it washow pathetically long ago！ And here am I； old； forsaken； forlorn and alone； arranging to get that argument out of somebody again。
When a man has a passion for Shakespeare； it goes without saying that he keeps company with other standard authors。 Ealer always had several high…class books in the pilot…house； and he read the same ones over and over again； and did not care to change to newer and fresher ones。 He played well on the flute； and greatly enjoyed hearing himself play。 So did I。 He had a notion that a flute would keep its health better if you took it apart when it was not standing a watch； and so； when it was not on duty it took its rest； disjointed； on the compass…shelf under the breast…board。 When the Pennsylvania blew up and became a drifting rack…heap freighted with wounded and dying poor souls （my young brother Henry among them）； pilot Brown had the watch below； and was probably asleep and never knew what killed him； but Ealer escaped unhurt。 He and his pilot… house were shot up into the air； then they fell； and Ealer sank through the ragged cavern where the hurricane deck and the boiler deck had been； and la