the professor at the breakfast table-第45章

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theory；　it　happens　that　a　blow　struck　out　straight　is　as　much

shorter；　and　therefore　as　much　quicker　than　the　rustic's　swinging

blow；　as　the　radius　is　shorter　than　the　quarter　of　a　circle。　　The

mathematical　and　mechanical　corollary　was；　that　the　Koh…i…noor　felt

something　hard　bring　up　suddenly　against　his　right　eye；　which

something　he　could　have　sworn　was　a　paving…stone；　judging　by　his

sensations；　and　as　this　threw　his　person　somewhat　backwards；　and　the

young　man　John　jerked　his　own　head　back　a　little；　the　swinging　blow

had　nothing　to　stop　it；　and　as　the　Jewel　staggered　between　the　hit

he　got　and　the　blow　he　missed；　he　tripped　and　〃went　to　grass；〃　so

far　as　the　back…yard　of　our　boardinghouse　was　provided　with　that

vegetable。　　It　was　a　signal　illustration　of　that　fatal　mistake；　so

frequent　in　young　and　ardent　natures　with　inconspicuous　calves　and

negative　pectorals；　that　they　can　settle　most　little　quarrels　on　the

spot　by　〃knocking　the　man　down。〃



We　are　in　the　habit　of　handling　our　faces　so　carefully；　that　a　heavy

blow；　taking　effect　on　that　portion　of　the　surface；　produces　a　most

unpleasant　surprise；　which　is　accompanied　with　odd　sensations；　as　of

seeing　sparks；　and　a　kind　of　electrical　or　ozone…like　odor；　half…

sulphurous　in　character；　and　which　has　given　rise　to　a　very　vulgar

and　profane　threat　sometimes　heard　from　the　lips　of　bullies。　　A

person　not　used　to　pugilistic　gestures　does　not　instantly　recover

from　this　surprise。　　The　Koh…i…noor　exasperated　by　his　failure；　and

still　a　little　confused　by　the　smart　hit　he　had　received；　but

furious；　and　confident　of　victory　over　a　young　fellow　a　good　deal

lighter　than　himself；　made　a　desperate　rush　to　bear　down　all　before

him　and　finish　the　contest　at　once。　　That　is　the　way　all　angry

greenhorns　and　incompetent　persons　attempt　to　settle　matters。　　It

does　n't　do；　if　the　other　fellow　is　only　cool；　moderately　quick；　and

has　a　very　little　science。　　It　didn't　do　this　time；　for；　as　the

assailant　rushed　in　with　his　arms　flying　everywhere；　like　the　vans

of　a　windmill；　be　ran　a　prominent　feature　of　his　face　against　a　fist

which　was　travelling　in　the　other　direction；　and　immediately　after

struck　the　knuckles　of　the　young　man's　other　fist　a　severe　blow　with

the　part　of　his　person　known　as　the　epigastrium　to　one　branch　of

science　and　the　bread…basket　to　another。　　This　second　round　closed

the　battle。　　The　Koh…i…noor　had　got　enough；　which　in　such　cases　is

more　than　as　good　as　a　feast。　　The　young　fellow　asked　him　if　he　was

satisfied；　and　held　out　his　hand。　　But　the　other　sulked；　and

muttered　something　about　revenge。　Jest　as　ye　like；said　the　young

man　John。　Clap　a　slice　o'　raw　beefsteak　on　to　that　mouse　o'　yours

'n'　't'll　take　down　the　swellin'。　　（Mouse　is　a　technical　term　for　a

bluish；　oblong；　rounded　elevation　occasioned　by　running　one's

forehead　or　eyebrow　against　another's　knuckles。）　The　young　fellow

was　particularly　pleased　that　he　had　had　an　opportunity　of　trying

his　proficiency　in　the　art　of　self…defence　without　the　gloves。　　The

Koh…i…noor　did　not　favor　us　with　his　company　for　a　day　or　two；　being

confined　to　his　chamber；　it　was　said；　by　a　slight　feverish；　attack。

He　was　chop…fallen　always　after　this；　and　got　negligent　in　his

person。　　The　impression　must　have　been　a　deep　one；　for　it　was

observed；　that；　when　he　came　down　again；　his　moustache　and　whiskers

had　turned　visibly　white　about　the　roots。　　In　short；　it　disgraced

him；　and　rendered　still　more　conspicuous　a　tendency　to　drinking；　of

which　he　had　been　for　some　time　suspected。　　This；　and　the　disgust

which　a　young　lady　naturally　feels　at　hearing　that　her　lover　has

been　〃licked　by　a　fellah　not　half　his　size；〃　induced　the　landlady's

daughter　to　take　that　decided　step　which　produced　a　change　in　the

programme　of　her　career　I　may　hereafter　allude　to。



I　never　thought　he　would　come　to　good；　when　I　heard　him　attempting

to　sneer　at　an　unoffending　city　so　respectable　as　Boston。　　After　a

man　begins　to　attack　the　State…House；　when　he　gets　bitter　about　the

Frog…Pond；　you　may　be　sure　there　is　not　much　left　of　him。　　Poor

Edgar　Poe　died　in　the　hospital　soon　after　he　got　into　this　way　of

talking；　and　so　sure　as　you　find　an　unfortunate　fellow　reduced　to

this　pass；　you　had　better　begin　praying　for　him；　and　stop　lending

him　money；　for　he　is　on　his　last　legs。　　Remember　poor　Edgar！　　He　is

dead　and　gone；　but　the　State…House　has　its　cupola　fresh…gilded；　and

the　Frog…Pond　has　got　a　fountain　that　squirts　up　a　hundred　feet　into

the　air　and　glorifies　that　humble　sheet　with　a　fine　display　of

provincial　rainbows。



I　cannot　fulfil　my　promise　in　this　number。　　I　expected　to　gratify

your　curiosity；　if　you　have　become　at　all　interested　in　these

puzzles；　doubts；　fancies；　whims；　or　whatever　you　choose　to　call

them；　of　mine。　　Next　month　you　shall　hear　all　about　it。



It　was　evening；　and　I　was　going　to　the　sick…chamber。　　As　I　paused

at　the　door　before　entering；　I　heard　a　sweet　voice　singing。　　It　was

not　the　wild　melody　I　had　sometimes　heard　at　midnight：no；　this　was

the　voice　of　Iris；　and　I　could　distinguish　every　word。　　I　had　seen

the　verses　in　her　book；　the　melody　was　new　to　me。　　Let　me　finish　my

page　with　them。





　　　　　　　　　　HYMN　OF　TRUST。



O　Love　Divine；　that　stooped　to　share

Our　sharpest　pang；　our　bitterest　tear；

On　Thee　we　cast　each　earthborn　care；

We　smile　at　pain　while　Thou　art　near！



Though　long　the　weary　way　we　tread；

And　sorrow　crown　each　lingering　year；

No　path　we　shun；　no　darkness　dread；

Our　hearts　still　whispering；　Thou　art　near！



When　drooping　pleasure　turns　to　grief；

And　trembling　faith　is　changed　to　fear；

The　murmuring　wind；　the　quivering　leaf

Shall　softly　tell　us；　Thou　art　near！



On　Thee　we　fling　our　burdening　woe；

O　Love　Divine；　forever　dear；

Content　to　suffer；　while　we　know；

Living　and　dying；　Thou　art　near！









XII



A　young　fellow；　born　of　good　stock；　in　one　of　the　more　thoroughly

civilized　portions　of　these　United　States　of　America；　bred　in　good

principles；　inheriting　a　social　position　which　makes　him　at　his　ease

everywhere；　means　sufficient　to　educate　him　thoroughly　without

taking　away　the　stimulus　to　vigorous　exertion；　and　with　a　good

opening　in　some　honorable　path　of　labor；　is　the　finest　sight　our

private　satellite　has　had　the　opportunity　of　inspecting　on　the

planet　to　which　she　belongs。　　In　some　respects　it　was　better　to　be　a

young　Greek。　　If　we　may　trust　the　old　marbles；　my　friend　with　his

arm　stretched　over　my　head；　above　there；　（in　plaster　of　Paris；）　or

the　discobolus；　whom　one　may　see　at　the　principal　sculpture　gallery

of　this　metropolis；those　Greek　young　men　were　of　supreme　beauty。

Their　close　curls；　their　elegantly　set　heads；　column…like　necks；

straight　noses；　short；　curled　lips；　firm　chins；　deep　chests；　light

flanks；　large　muscles；　small　joints；　were　finer　than　anything　we

ever　see。　　It　may　well　be　questioned　whether　the　human　shape　will

ever　present　itself　again　in　a　race　of　such　perfect　symmetry。　　But

the　life　of　the　youthful　Greek　was　local；　not　planetary；　like　that

of　the　young　American。　　He　had　a　string　of　legends；　in　place　of　our

Gospels。　　He　had　no　printed　books；　no　newspaper；　no　steam　caravans；

no　forks；　no　soap；　none　of　the　thousand　cheap　conveniences　which

have　become　matters　of　necessity　to　our　modern　civilization。　　Above

all　things；　if　he　aspired　to　know　as　well　as　to　enjoy；　he　found

knowledge　not　diffused　everywhere　about　him；　so　that　a　day's　labor

would　buy　him　more　wisdom　than　a　year　could　master；　but　held　in

private　hands；　hoarded　in　precious　manuscripts；　to　be　sought　for

only　as　gold　is　sought　in　narrow　fissures；　and　in　the　beds　of

brawling　streams。　　Never；　since　man　came　into　this　atmosphere　of

oxygen　and　azote；　was　there　anything　like　the　condition　of　the　young

American　of　the　nineteenth　century。　　Having　in　possession　or　in

prospect　the　best　part　of　half　a　world；　with　all　its　climates　and

soils　to　choose　from；　equipped　with　wings　of　fire　and　smoke　than　fly

with　him　day　and　night；　so　that　he　counts　his　journey　not　in　miles；

but　in　degrees；　and　sees　the　seasons　change　as　the　wild　fowl　sees

them　in　his　annual　flights；　with　huge　leviathans　always　ready　to

take　him　on　their　broad　backs　and　push　behind　them　with　their

pectoral　or　caudal　fins　the　waters　that　seam　the　continent　or

separate　the　hemispheres；　heir　of　all　old　civilizations；　founder　of

that　new　one　which；　if　all　the　prophecies　of　the　human　heart　are　not

lies；　is　to　be　the　noblest；　as　it　is　the　last；　isolated　in　space

from　the　races　that　are　governed　by　dynasties　whose　divine　right

grows　out　of　human　wrong；　yet　knit　into　the　most　absolute　solidarity

with　mankind　of　all　times　and　places　by　the　one　great　thought　he

inherits　as　his　national　birthright；　free　to　form　and　express　his

opinions　on　almost　every　subject；　and　assured　that　he　will　soon

acquire　the　last　franchise　which　men　withhold　from　man；that　of

stating　the　laws　of　his　spiritual　being　and　the　beliefs　he　accepts

without　hindrance　except　from　clearer　views　of　truth；he　seems　to

want　nothing　for　a　large；　wholesome；　noble；　beneficent　life。　　In

fact；　the　chief　danger　is　that　he　will　think　the　whole　planet　is

made　for　him；　and　forget　that　there　are　some　possibilities　left　in

the　debris　of　the　old…world　civilization　which　deserve　a　certain

respectful　consideration　at　his　hands。



The　combing　and　clipping　of　this　shaggy　wild　continent　are　in　some

measure　done　for　him　by　those　who　have　gone　before。　　Society　has

subdivided　itself　enough　to　have　a　place　for　every　form　of　talent。

Thus；　if　a　man　show　the　least　sign　of　ability　as　a　sculptor　or　a

painter；　for　instance；　he　finds　the　means　of　education　and　a　demand

for　his　services。　　Even　a　man　who　knows　nothing　but　science　will　be

provided　for；　if　he　does　not　think　it　necessary　to　hang　about　his

birthplace　all　his　days；which　is　a　most　unAmerican　weakness。　　The

apron…strings　of　an　American　mother　are　made　of　India…rubber。　　Her

boy　belongs　where　he　is　wanted；　and　that　young　Marylander　of　ours

spoke　for　all　our　young　men；　when　he　said　that　his　home　was　wherever

the　stars　and　stripes　blew　over　his　head。



And　that　leads　me　to　say　a　few　words　of　this　young　gentleman；　who

made　that　audacious　movement　lately　which　I　chronicled　in　my　last

record；jumping　over　the　seats　of　I　don't　know　how　many　boarders　to

put　himself　in　the　place　which　the　Little　Gentleman's　absence　had

left　vacant　at　the　side　of　Iris。　　When　a　young　man　is　found

habitually　at　the　side　of　any　one　given　young　lady；when　he　lingers

where　she　stays；　and　hastens　when　she　leaves；when　his　eyes　follow

her　as　she　moves　and　rest　upon　her　when　she　is　still；when　he

begins　to　grow　a　little　timid；　he　who　was　so　bold；　and　a　little

pensive；　he　who　was　so　gay；　whenever　accident　finds　them　alone；

when　he　thinks　very　often　of　the　given　young　lady；　and　names　her

very　seldom；



What　do　you　say　about　it；　my　cha