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！
answering one that makes it hard to guess how much more or less he
means than he seems to say。 But he is honest； and always has a
twinkle in his eye to put you on your guard when he does not mean to
be taken quite literally。 I think old Ben Franklin had just that
look。 I know his great…grandson （in pace！） had it； and I don't doubt
he took it in the straight line of descent； as he did his grand
intellect。
The Member of the Haouse evidently comes from one of the lesser
inland centres of civilization； where the flora is rich in
checkerberries and similar bounties of nature； and the fauna lively
with squirrels； wood…chucks； and the like； where the leading
sportsmen snare patridges； as they are called； and 〃hunt〃 foxes with
guns； where rabbits are entrapped in 〃figgery fours；〃 and trout
captured with the unpretentious earth…worm； instead of the gorgeous
fly； where they bet prizes for butter and cheese； and rag…carpets
executed by ladies more than seventy years of age； where whey wear
dress…coats before dinner； and cock their hats on one side when they
feel conspicuous and distinshed； where they saySir to you in their
common talk and have other Arcadian and bucolic ways which are highly
unobjectionable； but are not so much admired in cities； where the
people are said to be not half so virtuous。
There is with us a boy of modest dimensions； not otherwise especially
entitled to the epithet； who ought be six or seven years old； to
judge by the gap left by his front milk teeth； these having resigned
in favor of their successors； who have not yet presented their
credentials。 He is rather old for an enfant terrible； and quite too
young to have grown into the bashfulness of adolescence； but he has
some of the qualities of both these engaging periods of development；
The member of the Haouse calls him 〃Bub；〃 invariably； such term I
take to be an abbreviation of 〃Beelzeb；〃 as 〃bus〃 is the short form
of 〃omnibus。〃 Many eminently genteel persons； whose manners make
them at home anywhere； being evidently unaware of true derivation of
this word； are in the habit of addressing all unknown children by one
of the two terms； 〃bub 〃 and 〃sis；〃 which they consider endears them
greatly to the young people； and recommends them to the acquaintance
of their honored parents； if these happen to accompany them。 The
other boarders commonly call our diminutive companion That Boy。 He
is a sort of expletive at the table； serving to stop gaps； taking the
same place a washer does that makes a loose screw fit； and contriving
to get driven in like a wedge between any two chairs where there is a
crevice。 I shall not call that boy by the monosyllable referred to；
because； though he has many impish traits at present； he may become
civilized and humanized by being in good company。 Besides； it is a
term which I understand is considered vulgar by the nobility and
gentry of the Mother Country； and it is not to be found in Mr。
Worcester's Dictionary； on which； as is well known； the literary men
of this metropolis are by special statute allowed to be sworn in
place of the Bible。 I know one； certainly； who never takes his oath
on any other dictionary； any advertising fiction to the contrary；
notwithstanding。
I wanted to write out my account of some of the other boarders； but a
domestic occurrencea somewhat prolonged visit from the landlady；
who is rather too anxious that I should be comfortable broke in upon
the continuity of my thoughts； and occasionedin short； I gave up
writing for that day。
I wonder if anything like this ever happened。
Author writing；
jacks？〃
〃To be； or not to be： that is the question
Whether 't is nobl 〃
〃William； shall we have pudding to…day； or flapjacks？〃
〃Flapjacks； an' it please thee； Anne； or a pudding； for that
matter； or what thou wilt； good woman； so thou come not betwixt me
and my thought。〃
Exit Mistress Anne； with strongly accented closing of the door and
murmurs to the effect： 〃Ay； marry； 't is well for thee to talk as if
thou hadst no stomach to fill。 We poor wives must swink for our
masters； while they sit in their arm…chairs growing as great in the
girth through laziness as that ill…mannered fat man William hath writ
of in his books of players' stuff。 One had as well meddle with a
porkpen； which hath thorns all over him； as try to deal with William
when his eyes be rolling in that mad way。〃
Williamwriting once moreafter an exclamation in strong English of
the older pattern；
〃Whether 't is noblernoblernobler
To do what？ O these women！ these women！ to have puddings or
flapjacks！ Oh！
Whether 't is noblerin the mindto suffer
The slingsand arrowsof
Oh！ Oh！ these women！ I will e'en step over to the parson's and have a
cup of sack with His Reverence for methinks Master Hamlet hath forgot
that which was just now on his lips to speak。〃
So I shall have to put off making my friends acquainted with the
other boarders； some of whom seem to me worth studying and
describing。 I have something else of a graver character for my
readers。 I am talking； you know； as a poet； I do not say I deserve
the name； but I have taken it； and if you consider me at all it must
be in that aspect。 You will； therefore； be willing to run your eyes
over a few pages read； of course by request； to a select party of the
boarders。
THE GAMBREL…ROOFED HOUSE AND ITS OUTLOOK。
A PANORAMA； WITH SIDE…SHOWS。
My birthplace； the home of my childhood and earlier and later
boyhood； has within a few months passed out of the ownership of my
family into the hands of that venerable Alma Mater who seems to have
renewed her youth； and has certainly repainted her dormitories。 In
truth； when I last revisited that familiar scene and looked upon the
flammantia mania of the old halls； 〃Massachusetts〃 with the dummy
clock…dial； 〃Harvard〃 with the garrulous belfry； little 〃Holden〃 with
the sculptured unpunishable cherub over its portal； and the rest of
my early brick…and…mortar acquaintances； I could not help saying to
myself that I had lived to see the peaceable establishment of the Red
Republic of Letters。
Many of the things I shall put down I have no doubt told before in a
fragmentary way； how many I cannot be quite sure； as I do not very
often read my own prose works。 But when a man dies a great deal is
said of him which has often been said in other forms； and now this
dear old house is dead to me in one sense； and I want to gather up my
recollections and wind a string of narrative round them； tying them
up like a nosegay for the last tribute： the same blossoms in it I
have often laid on its threshold while it was still living for me。
We Americans are all cuckoos；we make our homes in the nests of
other birds。 I have read somewhere that the lineal descendants of
the man who carted off the body of William Rufus； with Walter
Tyrrel's arrow sticking in it； have driven a cart （not absolutely the
same one； I suppose） in the New Forest； from that day to this。 I
don't quite understand Mr。 Ruskin's saying （if he said it） that he
couldn't get along in a country where there were no castles； but