over the teacups-第44章

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awakened　by　her　charms　to　a　hitherto　unfelt　consciousness。　　With　the

advent　of　the　new　passion　all　his　dormant　faculties　start　into　life；

and　the　seeming　simpleton　becomes　the　bright　and　intelligent　lover。

The　case　of　Number　Five　is　as　different　from　that　of　Cymon　as　it

could　well　be。　　All　her　faculties　are　wide　awake；　but　one　emotional

side　of　her　nature　has　never　been　called　into　active　exercise。　　Why

has　she　never　been　in　love　with　any　one　of　her　suitors？　　Because　she

liked　too　many　of　them。　　Do　you　happen　to　remember　a　poem　printed

among　these　papers；　entitled　〃I　Like　You　and　I　Love　You〃



No　one　of　the　poems　which　have　been　placed　in　the　urn；　that　is；　in

the　silver　sugar…bowl；has　had　any　name　attached　to　it；　but　you

could　guess　pretty　nearly　who　was　the　author　of　some　of　them；

certainly　of　the　one　just；　referred　to。　　Number　Five　was　attracted　to

the　Tutor　from　the　first　time　he　spoke　to　her。　　She　dreamed　about　him

that　night；　and　nothing　idealizes　and　renders　fascinating　one　in　whom

we　have　already　an　interest　like　dreaming　of　him　or　of　her。　　Many　a

calm　suitor　has　been　made　passionate　by　a　dream；　many　a　passionate

lover　has　been　made　wild　and　half　beside　himself　by　a　dream；　and　now

and　then　an　infatuated　but　hapless　lover；　waking　from　a　dream　of

bliss　to　a　cold　reality　of　wretchedness；　has　helped　himself　to

eternity　before　he　was　summoned　to　the　table。



Since　Number　Five　had　dreamed　about　the　Tutor；　he　had　been　more　in

her　waking　thoughts　than　she　was　willing　to　acknowledge。　　These

thoughts　were　vague；　it　is　true；emotions；　perhaps；　rather　than

worded　trains　of　ideas；　but　she　was　conscious　of　a　pleasing

excitement　as　his　name　or　his　image　floated　across　her　consciousness；

she　sometimes　sighed　as　she　looked　over　the　last　passage　they　had

read　from　the　same　book；　and　sometimes　when　they　were　together　they

were　silent　too　long；too　long！　　What　were　they　thinking　of？



And　so　it　was　all　as　plain　sailing　for　Number　Five　and　the　young

Tutor　as　it　had　been　for　Delilah　and　the　young　Doctor；　was　it？　　Do

you　think　so？　　Then　you　do　not　understand　Number　Five。　　Many　a　woman

has　as　many　atmospheric　rings　about　her　as　the　planet　Saturn。　　Three

are　easily　to　be　recognized。　　First；　there　is　the　wide　ring　of

attraction　which　draws　into　itself　all　that　once　cross　its　outer

border。　　These　revolve　about　her　without　ever　coming　any　nearer。

Next　is　the　inner　ring　of　attraction。　　Those　who　come　within　its

irresistible　influence　are　drawn　so　close　that　it　seems　as　if　they

must　become　one　with　her　sooner　or　later。　　But　within　this　ring　is

another；an　atmospheric　girdle；　one　of　repulsion；　which　love；　no

matter　how　enterprising；　no　matter　how　prevailing　or　how　insinuating；

has　never　passed；　and；　if　we　judge　of　what　is　to　be　by　what　has　been；

never　will。　　Perhaps　Nature　loved　Number　Five　so　well　that　she

grudged　her　to　any　mortal　man；　and　gave　her　this　inner　girdle　of

repulsion　to　guard　her　from　all　who　would　know　her　too　nearly　and

love　her　too　well。　　Sometimes　two　vessels　at　sea　keep　each　other

company　for　a　long　distance；　it　may　be　daring　a　whole　voyage。　　Very

pleasant　it　is　to　each　to　have　a　companion　to　exchange　signals　with

from　time　to　time；　to　came　near　enough；　when　the　winds　are　light；　to

hold　converse　in　ordinary　tones　from　deck　to　deck；　to　know　that；　in

case　of　need；　there's　help　at　hand。　　It　is　good　for　them　to　be　near

each　other；　but　not　good　to　be　too　near。　　Woe　is　to　them　if　they

touch！　　The　wreck　of　one　or　both　is　likely　to　be　the　consequence。

And　so　two　well…equipped　and　heavily　freighted　natures　may　be　the

best　of　companions　to　each　other；　and　yet　must　never　attempt　to　come

into　closer　union。　　Is　this　the　condition　of　affairs　between　Number

Five　and　the　Tutor？　　I　hope　not；　for　I　want　them　to　be　joined

together　in　that　dearest　of　intimacies；　which；　if　founded　in　true

affinity；　is　the　nearest　approach　to　happiness　to　be　looked　for　in

our　mortal；　experience。　　We　mast　wait。　　The　Teacups　will　meet　once

more　before　the　circle　is　broken；　and　we　may；　perhaps；　find　the

solution　of　the　question　we　have　raised。



In　the　mean　time；　our　young　Doctor　is　playing　truant　oftener　than

ever。　　He　has　brought　Avis；if　we　must　call　her　so；　and　not

Delilah；several　times　to　take　tea　with　us。　　It　means　something；　in

these　days；　to　graduate　from　one　of　our　first…class　academies　or

collegiate　schools。　　I　shall　never　forget　my　first　visit　to　one　of

these　institutions。　　How　much　its　pupils　know；　I　said；　which　I　was

never　taught；　and　have　never　learned！　　I　was　fairly　frightened　to　see

what　a　teaching　apparatus　was　provided　for　them。　　I　should　think　the

first　thing　to　be　done　with　most　of　the　husbands；　they　are　likely　to

get　would　be　to　put　them　through　a　course　of　instruction。　　The　young

wives　must　find　their　lords　wofully　ignorant；　in　a　large　proportion

of　cases。　　When　the　wife　has　educated　the　husband　to　such　a　point

that　she　can　invite　him　to　work　out　a　problem　in　the　higher

mathematics　or　to　perform　a　difficult　chemical　analysis　with　her　as

his　collaborator；　as　less　instructed　dames　ask　their　husbands　to　play

a　game　of　checkers　or　backgammon；　they　can　have　delightful　and

instructive　evenings　together。　　I　hope　our　young　Doctor　will　take

kindly　to　his　wife's　（that　is　to　be）　teachings。



When　the　following　verses　were　taken　out　of　the　urn；　the　Mistress

asked　me　to　hand　the　manuscript　to　the　young　Doctor　to　read。　　I

noticed　that　he　did　not　keep　his　eyes　very　closely　fixed　on　the

paper。　　It　seemed　as　if　he　could　have　recited　the　lines　without

referring　to　the　manuscript　at　all。





　　　　　　　　　　AT　THE　TURN　OF　THE　ROAD。



The　glory　has　passed　from　the　goldenrod's　plume；


The　purple…hued　asters　still　linger　in　bloom；

The　birch　is　bright　yellow；　the　sumachs　are　red；

The　maples　like　torches　aflame　overhead。



But　what　if　the　joy　of　the　summer　is　past；

And　winter's　wild　herald　is　blowing　his　blast？

For　me　dull　November　is　sweeter　than　May；

For　my　love　is　its　sunshine；she　meets　me　to…day！



Will　she　come？　　Will　the　ring…dove　return　to　her　nest？

Will　the　needle　swing　back　from　the　east　or　the　west？

At　the　stroke　of　the　hour　she　will　be　at　her　gate；

A　friend　may　prove　laggard；love　never　comes　late。



Do　I　see　her　afar　in　the　distance？　　Not　yet。

Too　early！　Too　early！　　She　could　not　forget！

When　I　cross　the　old　bridge　where　the　brook　overflowed；

She　will　flash　full　in　sight　at　the　turn　of　the　road。



I　pass　the　low　wall　where　the　ivy　entwines；

I　tread　the　brown　pathway　that　leads　through　the　pines；

I　haste　by　the　boulder　that　lies　in　the　field；

Where　her　promise　at　parting　was　lovingly　sealed。



Will　she　come　by　the　hillside　or　round　through　the　wood？

Will　she　wear　her　brown　dress　or　her　mantle　and　hood？

The　minute　draws　near；but　her　watch　may　go　wrong；

My　heart　will　be　asking；　What　keeps　her　so　long？



Why　doubt　for　a　moment？　　More　shame　if　I　do！

Why　question？　　Why　tremble？　　Are　angels　more　true？

She　would　come　to　the　lover　who　calls　her　his　own

Though　she　trod　in　the　track　of　a　whirling　cyclone！



I　crossed　the　old　bridge　ere　the　minute　had　passed。

I　looked：　lo！　my　Love　stood　before　me　at　last。

Her　eyes；　how　they　sparkled；　her　cheeks；　how　they　glowed；

As　we　met；　face　to　face；　at　the　turn　of　the　road！









XII



There　was　a　great　tinkling　of　teaspoons　the　other　evening；　when　I

took　my　seat　at　the　table；　where　ail　The　Teacups　were　gathered　before

my　entrance。　　The　whole　company　arose；　and　the　Mistress；　speaking　for

them；　expressed　the　usual　sentiment　appropriate　to　such　occasions。

〃Many　happy　returns〃　is　the　customary　formula。　　No　matter　if　the

object　of　this　kind　wish　is　a　centenarian；　it　is　quite　safe　to　assume

that　he　is　ready　and　very　willing　to　accept　as　many　more　years　as　the

disposing　powers　may　see　fit　to　allow　him。



The　meaning　of　it　all　was　that　this　was　my　birthday。　　My　friends；

near　and　distant；　had　seen　fit　to　remember　it；　and　to　let　me　know　in

various　pleasant　ways　that　they　had　not　forgotten　it。　　The　tables

were　adorned　with　flowers。　　Gifts　of　pretty　and　pleasing　objects　were

displayed　on　a　side　table。　　A　great　green　wreath；　which　must　have

cost　the　parent　oak　a　large　fraction　of　its　foliage；　was　an　object　of

special　admiration。　　Baskets　of　flowers　which　had　half　unpeopled

greenhouses；　large　bouquets　of　roses；　fragrant　bunches　of　pinks；　and

many　beautiful　blossoms　I　am　not　botanist　enough　to　name　had　been

coming　in　upon　me　all　day　long。　　Many　of　these　offerings　were　brought

by　the　givers　in　person；　many　came　with　notes　as　fragrant　with　good

wishes　as　the　flowers　they　accompanied　with　their　natural　perfumes。



How　old　was　I；　The　Dictator；　once　known　by　another　equally　audacious

title；I；　the　recipient　of　all　these　favors　and　honors？　　I　had

cleared　the　eight…barred　gate；　which　few　come　in　sight　of；　and　fewer；

far　fewer；　go　over；　a　year　before。　　I　was　a　trespasser　on　the　domain

belonging　to　another　generation。　　The　children　of　my　coevals　were

fast　getting　gray　and　bald；　and　their　children　beginning　to　look　upon

the　world　as　belonging　to　them；　and　not　to　their　sires　and

grandsires。　　After　that　leap　over　the　tall　barrier；　it　looks　like　a

kind　of　impropriety　to　keep　on　as　if　one　were　still　of　a　reasonable

age。　　Sometimes　it　seems　to　me　almost　of　the　nature　of　a　misdemeanor

to　be　wandering　about　in　the　preserve　which　the　fleshless　gamekeeper

guards　so　jealously。　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　I　remember　that　men　of

science　have　maintained　that　the　natural　life　of　man　is　nearer

fivescore　than　threescore　years　and　ten。　　I　always　think　of　a

familiar　experience　which　I　bring　from　the　French　cafes；　well　known

to　me　in　my　early　manhood。　　One　of　the　illustrated　papers　of　my

Parisian　days　tells　it　pleasantly　enough。



A　guest　of　the　establishment　is　sitting　at　his　little　table。　　He　has

just　had　his　coffee；　and　the　waiter　is　serving　him　with　his　petit

verre。　　Most　of　my　readers　know　very　well　what　a　petit　verre　is；　but

there　may　be　here　and　there　a　virtuous　abstainer　from　alcoholic

fluids；　living　among　the　bayberries　and　the　sweet　ferns；　who　is　not

aware　that　the　words；　as　commonly　used；　signify　a　small　glassa　very

small　glassof　spirit；　commonly　brandy；　taken　as　a　chasse…caf？；　or

coffee…chaser。　　This　drinking　of　brandy；　〃neat；〃　I　may　remark　by　the

way；　is　not　quite　so　bad　as　it　looks。　　Whiskey　or　rum　taken　unmixed

from　a　tumbler　is　a　knock…down　blow　to　temperance；　but　the　little

thimbleful　of　brandy；　or　Chartreuse；　or　Maraschino；　is　only；　as　it

were；　tweaking　the　nose　of　teetotalism。



Well；to　go　back　behind　our　brackets；the　guest　is　calling　to　the

waiter；　〃Garcon！　et　le　bain　de　pieds！　　〃Waiter！　and　the　foot…bath！

The　little　glass　stands　in　a　small　tin　saucer　or　shallow　dish；　and

the　custom　is　to　more　than　fill　the　glass；　so　that　some　extra　brandy

rung　over　into　this　tin　saucer　or　cup…plate；　to　the　manifest　gain　of

the　consumer。



Life