the professor at the breakfast table-第6章

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Whitened　round　his　feet　the　dust　of　efflorescence；

Till　one　Monday　morning；　when　the　flow　suspended；

There　was　no　De　Sauty。



Nothing　but　a　cloud　of　elements　organic；

C。　O。　H。　N。　Ferrum；　Chor。　　Flu。　　Sil。　　Potassa；

Calc。　　Sod。　　Phosph。　　Mag。　　Sulphur；　Mang。（？）　Alumin。（？）　Cuprum；（？）

Such　as　man　is　made　of。



Born　of　stream　galvanic；　with　it　be　had　perished！

There　is　no　De　Sauty　now　there　is　no　current！

Give　us　a　new　cable；　then　again　we'll　hear　him

Cry；　〃All　right！　　DE　SAUTY。〃









II



Back　again！　A　turtlewhich　means　a　tortoiseis　fond　of　his　shell；

but　if　you　put　a　live　coal　on　his　back；　he　crawls　out　of　it。　　So　the

boys　say。



It　is　a　libel　on　the　turtle。　　He　grows　to　his　shell；　and　his　shell　is

in　his　body　as　much　as　his　body　is　in　his　shell。　I　don't　think

there　is　one　of　our　boarders　quite　so　testudineous　as　I　am。　　Nothing

but　a　combination　of　motives；　more　peremptory　than　the　coal　on　the

turtle's　back；　could　have　got　me　to　leave　the　shelter　of　my　carapace；

and　after　memorable　interviews；　and　kindest　hospitalities；　and　grand

sights；　and　huge　influx　of　patriotic　pride；for　every　American　owns

all　America；



　　　　　　　　　　〃Creation's　heir；the　world；　the　world　is〃



his；　if　anybody's；I　come　back　with　the　feeling　which　a　boned　turkey

might　experience；　if；　retaining　his　consciousness；　he　were　allowed　to

resume　his　skeleton。



Welcome；　O　Fighting　Gladiator；　and　Recumbent　Cleopatra；　and　Dying

Warrior；　whose　classic　outlines　（reproduced　in　the　calcined　mineral

of　Lutetia）　crown　my　loaded　shelves！　　Welcome；　ye　triumphs　of

pictorial　art　（repeated　by　the　magic　graver）　that　look　down　upon　me

from　the　walls　of　my　sacred　cell！　　Vesalius；　as　Titian　drew　him；

high…fronted；　still…eyed；　thick…bearded；　with　signet…ring；　as　beseems

a　gentleman；　with　book　and　carelessly…held　eyeglass；　marking　him　a

scholar；　thou；　too；　Jan　Kuyper；　commonly　called　Jan　Praktiseer；　old

man　of　a　century　and　seven　years　besides；　father　of　twenty　sons　and

two　daughters；　cut　in　copper　by　Houbraken；　bought　from　a　portfolio　on

one　of　the　Paris　quais；　and　ye　Three　Trees　of　Rembrandt；　black　in

shadow　against　the　blaze　of　light；　and　thou　Rosy　Cottager　of　Sir

Joshua；　roses　hinted　by　the　peppery　burin　of　Bartolozzi；　ye；　too；　of

lower　grades　in　nature；　yet　not　unlovely　for　unrenowned；　Young　Bull

of　Paulus　Potter；　and　sleeping　Cat　of　Cornelius　Visscher；　welcome

once　more　to　my　eyes！　　The　old　books　look　out　from　the　shelves；　and　I

seem　to　read　on　their　backs　something　asides　their　titles；a　kind　of

solemn　greeting。　　The　crimson　carpet　flushes　warm　under　my　feet。　　The

arm…chair　hugs　me；　the　swivel…chair　spins　round　with　me；　as　if　it

were　giddy　with　pleasure；　the　vast　recumbent　fauteuil　stretches

itself　out　under　my　weight；　as　one　joyous　with　food　and　wine

stretches　in　after…dinner　laughter。



The　boarders　were　pleased　to　say　that　they　were　glad　to　get　me　back。

One　of　them　ventured　a　compliment；　namely；that　I　talked　as　if　I

believed　what　I　said。　This　was　apparently　considered　something

unusual；　by　its　being　mentioned。



One　who　means　to　talk　with　entire　sincerity；I　said；always　feels

himself　in　danger　of　two　things；　namely；an　affectation　of

bluntness；　like　that　of　which　Cornwall　accuses　Kent　in　〃Lear；〃　and

actual　rudeness。　　What　a　man　wants　to　do；　in　talking　with　a　stranger；

is　to　get　and　to　give　as　much　of　the　best　and　most　real　life　that

belongs　to　the　two　talkers　as　the　time　will　let　him。　　Life　is　short；

and　conversation　apt　to　run　to　mere　words。　　Mr。　Hue　I　think　it　is；

who　tells　us　some　very　good　stories　about　the　way　in　which　two

Chinese　gentlemen　contrive　to　keep　up　a　long　talk　without　saying　a

word　which　has　any　meaning　in　it。　　Something　like　this　is

occasionally　heard　on　this　side　of　the　Great　Wall。　　The　best　Chinese

talkers　I　know　are　some　pretty　women　whom　I　meet　from　time　to　time。

Pleasant；　airy；　complimentary；　the　little　flakes　of　flattery

glimmering　in　their　talk　like　the　bits　of　gold…leaf　in　eau…de…vie　de

Dantzic；　their　accents　flowing　on　in　a　soft　ripple；never　a　wave；

and　never　a　calm　；　words　nicely　fitted；　but　never　a　colored　phrase　or

a　highly…flavored　epithet；　they　turn　air　into　syllables　so

gracefully；　that　we　find　meaning　for　the　music　they　make　as　we　find

faces　in　the　coals　and　fairy　palaces　in　the　clouds。　　There　is

something　very　odd；　though；　about　this　mechanical　talk。



You　have　sometimes　been　in　a　train　on　the　railroad　when　the　engine

was　detached　a　long　way　from　the　station　you　were　approaching？　　Well；

you　have　noticed　how　quietly　and　rapidly　the　cars　kept　on；　just　as　if

the　locomotive　were　drawing　them？　　Indeed；　you　would　not　have

suspected　that　you　were　travelling　on　the　strength　of　a　dead　fact；　if

you　had　not　seen　the　engine　running　away　from　you　on　a　side…track。

Upon　my　conscience；　I　believe　some　of　these　pretty　women　detach　their

minds　entirely；　sometimes；　from　their　talk；and；　what　is　more；　that

we　never　know　the　difference。　　Their　lips　let　off　the　fluty　syllables

just　as　their　fingers　would　sprinkle　the　music…drops　from　their

pianos；　unconscious　habit　turns　the　phrase　of　thought　into　words　just

as　it　does　that　of　music　into　notes。　Well；　they　govern　the　world

for　all　that；　these　sweet…lipped　women；because　beauty　is　the　index

of　a　larger　fact　than　wisdom。



The　Bombazine　wanted　an　explanation。



Madam；said　I；wisdom　is　the　abstract　of　the　past；　but　beauty　is

the　promise　of　the　future。



All　this；　however；　is　not　what　I　was　going　to　say。　　Here　am　I；

suppose；　seatedwe　will　say　at　a　dinner…tablealongside　of　an

intelligent　Englishman。　　We　look　in　each　other's　faces；we　exchange

a　dozen　words。　　One　thing　is　settled：　we　mean　not　to　offend　each

other；to　be　perfectly　courteous；more　than　courteous；　for　we　are

the　entertainer　and　the　entertained；　and　cherish　particularly　amiable

feelings；　to　each　other。　　The　claret　is　good；　and　if　our　blood

reddens　a　little　with　its　warm　crimson；　we　are　none　the　less　kind　for

it。



I　don't　think　people　that　talk　over　their　victuals　are　like　to　say

anything　very　great；　especially　if　they　get　their　heads　muddled　with

strong　drink　before　they　begin　jabberin'。



The　Bombazine　uttered　this　with　a　sugary　sourness；　as　if　the　words

had　been　steeped　in　a　solution　of　acetate　of　lead。　The　boys　of　my

time　used　to　call　a　hit　like　this　a　〃side…winder。〃



I　must　finish　this　woman。



Madam；I　said；the　Great　Teacher　seems　to　have　been　fond　of　talking

as　he　sat　at　meat。　　Because　this　was　a　good　while　ago；　in　a　far…off

place；　you　forget　what　the　true　fact　of　it　was；that　those　were　real

dinners；　where　people　were　hungry　and　thirsty；　and　where　you　met　a

very　miscellaneous　company。　　Probably　there　was　a　great　deal　of　loose

talk　among　the　guests；　at　any　rate；　there　was　always　wine；　we　may

believe。



Whatever　may　be　the　hygienic　advantages　or　disadvantages　of　wine；

and　I　for　one；　except　for　certain　particular　ends；　believe　in　water；

and；　I　blush　to　say　it；　in　black　tea；there　is　no　doubt　about　its

being　the　grand　specific　against　dull　dinners。　　A　score　of　people

come　together　in　all　moods　of　mind　and　body。　　The　problem　is；　in　the

space　of　one　hour；　more　or　less；　to　bring　them　all　into　the　same

condition　of　slightly　exalted　life。　　Food　alone　is　enough　for　one

person；　perhaps；talk；　alone；　for　another；　but　the　grand　equalizer

and　fraternizer；　which　works　up　the　radiators　to　their　maximum

radiation；　and　the　absorbents　to　their　maximum　receptivity；　is　now

just　where　it　was　when



　　　　　　　　　　The　conscious　water　saw　its　Lord　and　blushed；



when　six　great　vessels　containing　water；　the　whole　amounting　to

more　than　a　hogshead…full；　were　changed　into　the　best　of　wine。　　I

once　wrote　a　song　about　wine；　in　which　I　spoke　so　warmly　of　it；　that

I　was　afraid　some　would　think　it　was　written　inter　pocula；　whereas　it

was　composed　in　the　bosom　of　my　family；　under　the　most　tranquillizing

domestic　influences。



The　divinity…student　turned　towards　me；　looking　mischievous。　Can

you　tell　me；he　said；who　wrote　a　song　for　a　temperance　celebration

once；　of　which　the　following　is　a　verse？



　　　　　Alas　for　the　loved　one；　too　gentle　and　fair

　　　　　The　joys　of　the　banquet　to　chasten　and　share！

　　　　　Her　eye　lost　its　light　that　his　goblet　might　shine；

　　　　　And　the　rose　of　her　cheek　was　dissolved　in　his　wine！



I　did；I　answered。　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？I　will　tell

you　another　line　I　wrote　long　ago：



　　　　　Don't　be　〃consistent；〃but　be　simply　true。



The　longer　I　live；　the　more　I　am　satisfied　of　two　things：　first；　that

the　truest　lives　are　those　that　are　cut　rose…diamond…fashion；　with

many　facets　answering　to　the　many…planed　aspects　of　the　world　about

them；　secondly；　that　society　is　always　trying　in　some　way　or　other　to

grind　us　down　to　a　single　flat　surface。　　It　is　hard　work　to　resist

this　grinding…down　action。　Now　give　me　a　chance。　　Better　eternal

and　universal　abstinence　than　the　brutalities　of　those　days　that　made

wives　and　mothers　and　daughters　and　sisters　blush　for　those　whom　they

should　have　honored；　as　they　came　reeling　home　from　their　debauches！

Yet　better　even　excess　than　lying　and　hypocrisy；　and　if　wine　is　upon

all　our　tables；　let　us　praise　it　for　its　color　and　fragrance　and

social　tendency；　so　far　as　it　deserves；　and　not　hug　a　bottle　in　the

closet　and　pretend　not　to　know　the　use　of　a　wine…glass　at　a　public

dinner！　　I　think　you　will　find　that　people　who　honestly　mean　to　be

true　really　contradict　themselves　much　more　rarely　than　those　who　try

to　be　〃consistent。〃　　But　a　great　many　things　we　say　can　be　made　to

appear　contradictory；　simply　because　they　are　partial　views　of　a

truth；　and　may　often　look　unlike　at　first；　as　a　front　view　of　a　face

and　its　profile　often　do。



Here　is　a　distinguished　divine；　for　whom　I　have　great　respect；　for　I

owe　him　a　charming　hour　at　one　of　our　literary　anniversaries；　and　he

has　often　spoken　noble　words；　but　he　holds　up　a　remark　of　my　friend

the　〃Autocrat；〃which　I　grieve　to　say　he　twice　misquotes；　by

omitting　the　very　word　which　gives　it　its　significance；the　word

fluid；　intended　to　typify　the　mobility　of　the　restricted　will；holds

it　up；　I　say；　as　if　it　attacked　the　reality　of　the　self…determining

principle；　instead　of　illustrating　its　limitations　by　an　image。　　Now

I　will　not　explain　any　farther；　still　less　defend；　and　least　of　all

attack；　but　simply　quote　a　few　lines　from　one　of　my　friend's　poems；

printed　more　than　ten　years　ago；　and　ask　the　distinguished　gentleman

where　he　has　ever　asserted　more　strongly　or　absolutely　the

independent　will　of　the　〃subcreative　centre；〃　as　my　heretical　friend

has　elsewhere　called　man。



　　　　　Thought；　conscience；　will；　to　make　them　all　thy　own

　　　　　He　rent　a　pillar　from　the　eternal　throne！

　　　　　Made　in　His　image；　thou　must　nobly　dare

　　　　　The　thorny　crown　of　sovereignty　to　share。

　　　　　Think　not　too　meanly　of　thy　low　estate；

　　　　　Thou　hast　a　choice；　to　cho