the friendly road(友好的路)-第14章
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！
above the road； or in the waters under the road； there is nothing that the
road…worker dislikes more than oil。
〃It's all right；〃 said he； 〃to use oil for surfacin' and to keep down the
dust。 You don't need much and it ain't messy。 But sometimes when you see
oil pumped on a road； you know that either the contractor has been jobbin'；
60
… Page 61…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
or else the road's worn out and ought to be rebuilt。〃
〃That's exactly what I've found；〃 said I。 〃Let a road become almost
impassable with ruts and rocks and dust； and immediately some man says；
'Oh； it's all rightput on a little oil'〃
〃That's what our supervisor is always sayin'；〃 said the road…worker。
〃Yes；〃 I responded； 〃it usually is the supervisor。 He lives by it。 He
wants to smooth over the defects； he wants to lay the dust that every
passerby kicks up； he tries to smear over the truth regarding conditions
with messy and ill…smelling oil。 Above everything； he doesn't want the
road dug up and rebuiltsays it will interfere with traffic； injure business；
and even set people to talking about changing the route entirely！ Oh；
haven't I seen it in religion； where they are doing their best to oil up roads
that are entirely worn outand as for politics； is not the cry of the party…
roadster and the harmony…oilers abroad in the land？〃
In the excited interest with which this idea now bore me along I had
entirely forgotten the existence of my companion； and as I now glanced at
him I saw him standing with a curious look of astonishment and suspicion
on his face。 I saw that I had unintentionally gone a little too far。 So I said
abruptly：
〃Partner； let's get a drink。 I'm thirsty。〃
He followed me； I thought a bit reluctantly； to a little brook not far up
the road where we had been once before。 As we were drinking； silently； I
looked at the stout young fellow standing there； and I thought to myself：
What a good； straightforward young fellow he is anyway； and how
thoroughly he knows his job。 I thought how well he was equipped with
unilluminated knowledge； and it came to me whimsically； that here was a
fine bit of road…mending for me to do。
Most people have sight； but few have insight； and as I looked into the
clear blue eyes of my friend I had a sudden swift inspiration； and before I
could repent of it I had said to him in the most serious voice that I could
command：
〃Friend； I am in reality a spectacle…peddler〃
His glance shifted uncomfortably to my gray bag。
61
… Page 62…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
〃And I want to sell you a pair of spectacles；〃 I said。 〃I see that you are
nearly blind。〃
〃Me blind！〃
It would be utterly impossible to describe the expression on his face。
His hand went involuntarily to his eyes； and he glanced quickly； somewhat
fearfully； about。
〃Yes； nearly blind；〃 said I。 〃I saw it when I first met you。 You don't
know it yourself yet； but I can assure you it is a bad case。〃
I paused； and shook my head slowly。 If I had not been so much in
earnest； I think I should have been tempted to laugh outright。 I had begun
my talk with him half jestingly； with the amusing idea of breaking through
his shell； but I now found myself tremendously engrossed； and desired
nothing in the world （at that moment） so much as to make him see what I
saw。 I felt as though I held a live human soul in my hand。
〃Say； partner；〃 said the road…worker； 〃are you sure you aren't〃 He
tapped his forehead and began to edge away。
I did not answer his question at all； but continued； with my eyes fixed
on him：
〃It is a peculiar sort of blindness。 Apparently； as you look about； you
see everything there is to see； but as a matter of fact you see nothing in the
world but this road〃
〃It's time that I was seein' it again then；〃 said he； making as if to turn
back to work； but remaining with a disturbed expression on his
countenance。
〃The Spectacles I have to sell；〃 said I； 〃are powerful magnifiers〃he
glanced again at the gray bag。 〃When you put them on you will see a
thousand wonderful things besides the road〃
〃Then you ain't road…worker after all！〃 he said； evidently trying to be
bluff and outright with me。
Now your substantial； sober； practical American will stand only about
so much verbal foolery； and there is nothing in the world that makes him
more uncomfortableyes； downright mad！ than to feel that he is being
played with。 I could see that I had nearly reached the limit with him； and
62
… Page 63…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
that if I held him now it must be by driving the truth straight home。 So I
stepped over toward him and said very earnestly：
〃My friend； don't think I am merely joking you。 I was never more in
earnest in all my life。 When I told you I was a road…worker I meant it； but I
had in mind the mending of other kinds of roads than this。〃
I laid my hand on his arm； and explained to him as directly and simply
as English words could do it； how； when he had spoken of oil for his roads；
I thought of another sort of oil for another sort of roads； and when he
spoke of curves in his roads I was thinking of curves in the roads I dealt
with； and I explained to him what my roads were。 I have never seen a man
more intensely interested： he neither moved nor took his eyes from my
face。
〃And when I spoke of selling you a pair of spectacles；〃 said I； 〃it was
only a way of telling you how much I wanted to make you see my kinds of
roads as well as your own。〃
I paused； wondering if； after all； he could be made to see。 I know now
how the surgeon must feel at the crucial moment of his accomplished
operation。 Will the patient live or die？
The road…worker drew a long breath as he came out from under the
anesthetic。
〃I guess； partner；〃 said he； 〃you're trying to put a stone or two in my
ruts！〃
I had him！
〃Exactly；〃 I exclaimed eagerly。
We both paused。 He was the first to speakwith some embarrassment：
〃Say； you're just like a preacher I used to know when I was a kid。 He
was always sayin' things that meant something else and when you found
out what he was drivin' at you always felt kind of queer in your insides。〃
I laughed。
〃It's a mighty good sign；〃 I said； 〃when a man begins to feel queer in
the insides。 It shows that something is happening to him。〃
With that we walked back to the road； feeling very close and friendly
and shovelling again； not saying much。 After quite a time； when we had
63
… Page 64…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
nearly cleaned up the landslide； I heard the husky road…worker chuckling
to himself； finally； straightening up； he said：
〃Say； there's more things in a road than ever I dreamt of。〃
〃I see；〃 said I； 〃that the new spectacles are a good fit。〃
The road…worker laughed long and loud。
〃You're a good one； all right；〃 he said。 〃I see what YOU mean。 I catch
your point。〃
〃And now that you've got them on；〃 said I； 〃and they are serving you
so well； I'm not going to sell them to you at all。 I'm going to present them
to youfor I haven't seen anybody in a long time that I've enjoyed meeting
more than I have you。〃
We nurse a fiction that people love to cover up their feelings； but I
have learned that if the feeling is real and deep they love far better to find
a way to uncover it。
〃Same here；〃 said the road…worker simply； but with a world of genuine
feeling in his voice。
Well； when it came time to stop work the road…worker insisted that I
get in and go home with him。
〃I want you to see my wife and kids；〃 said he。
The upshot of it was that I not only remained for supperand a good
supper it wasbut I spent the night in his little home； close at the side of
the road near the foot of a fine hill。 And from time to time all night long； it
seemed to me； I could hear the rush of cars going by in the smooth road
outside； and sometimes their lights flashed in at my window； and
sometimes I heard them sound their brassy horns。
I wish I could tell more of what I saw there； of the garden back of the
house； and of all the road…worker and his wife told me of their simple
historybut； the road calls！
When I set forth early this morning the road…worker followed me out
to the smooth macadam （his wife standing in the doorway with her hands
rolled in her apron） and said to me； a bit shyly：
〃I'll be more sort o'sort o' interested in roads since I've seen you。〃
〃I'll be along again some of these days；〃 said I； laughing； 〃and I'll stop
64
… Page 65…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
in and show you my new stock of spectacles。 Maybe I can sell you another
pair！〃
〃Maybe you kin；〃 and he smiled a broad； understanding smile。
Nothing brings men together like having a joke in common。
So I walked off down the roadin the best of spiritsready for the
events of another day。
It will surely be a great adventure； one of these days； to come this way
againand to visit the Stanleys； and the Vedders； and the Minister； and
drop in and sell another pair of specs to the Road…worker。 It seems to me I
have a wonderfully rosy future ahead of me！
P。 S。I have not yet found out who painted the curious signs； but I
am not as uneasy about it as I was。 I have seen two more of them already
this morningand find they exert quite a psychological influence。
65
… Page 66…
THE FRIENDLY ROAD
CHAPTER VI。 AN EXPERIMENT
IN HUMAN NATURE
In the early morning after I left the husky road…mender （wearing his
new spectacles）； I remained steadfastly on the Great Road or near it。 It was
a prime spring day； just
