a mortal antipathy-第7章

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famous　also　for　its　ancient　servant；　as　city　people　would　call　her；

help；　as　she　was　called　in　the　tavern　and　would　have　called

herself；the　unchanging；　seemingly　immortal　Miranda；　who　cared　for

the　guests　as　if　she　were　their　nursing　mother；　and　pressed　the

specially　favorite　delicacies　on　their　attention　as　a　connoisseur

calls　the　wandering　eyes　of　an　amateur　to　the　beauties　of　a　picture。

Who　that　has　ever　been　at　the　old　Anchor　Tavern　forgets　Miranda's



　　　　　〃A　little　of　this　fricassee？…it　is　ver…y　nice；〃



or



　　　　　〃Some　of　these　cakes？　　You　will　find　them　ver…y　good。〃



Nor　would　it　be　just　to　memory　to　forget　that　other　notable　and　noted

member　of　the　household；the　unsleeping；　unresting；　omnipresent

Pushee；　ready　for　everybody　and　everything；　everywhere　within　the

limits　of　the　establishment　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night。　　He

fed；　nobody　could　say　accurately　when　or　where。　　There　were　rumors　of

a　〃bunk；〃　in　which　he　lay　down　with　his　clothes　on；　but　he　seemed　to

be　always　wide　awake；　and　at　the　service　of　as　many　guest；　at　once　as

if　there　had　been　half　a　dozen　of　him。



So　much　for　old　reminiscences。



The　landlord　of　the　Anchor　Tavern　had　taken　down　his　sign。　　He　had

had　the　house　thoroughly　renovated　and　furnished　it　anew；　and　kept　it

open　in　summer　for　a　few　boarders。　　It　happened　more　than　once　that

the　summer　boarders　were　so　much　pleased　with　the　place　that　they

stayed　on　through　the　autumn；　and　some　of　them　through　the　winter。

The　attractions　of　the　village　were　really　remarkable。　　Boating　in

summer；　and　skating　in　winter；　ice…boats；　too；　which　the　wild　ducks

could　hardly　keep　up　with；　fishing；　for　which　the　lake　was　renowned；

varied　and　beautiful　walks　through　the　valley　and　up　the　hillsides；

houses　sheltered　from　the　north　and　northeasterly　winds；　and

refreshed　in　the　hot　summer　days　by　the　breeze　which　came　over　the

water；all　this　made　the　frame　for　a　pleasing　picture　of　rest　and

happiness。　　But　there　was　a　great　deal　more　than　this。　　There　was　a

fine　library　in　the　little　village；　presented　and　richly　endowed　by　a

wealthy　native　of　the　place。　　There　was　a　small　permanent　population

of　a　superior　character　to　that　of　an　everyday　country　town；　there

was　a　pretty　little　Episcopal　church；　with　a　good…hearted　rector；

broad　enough　for　the　Bishop　of　the　diocese　to　be　a　little　afraid　of；

and　hospitable　to　all　outsiders；　of　whom；　in　the　summer　season；　there

were　always　some　who　wanted　a　place　of　worship　to　keep　their　religion

from　dying　out　during　the　heathen　months；　while　the　shepherds　of　the

flocks　to　which　they　belonged　were　away　from　their　empty　folds。



What　most　helped　to　keep　the　place　alive　all　through　the　year　was　the

frequent　coming　together　of　the　members　of　a　certain　literary

association。　　Some　time　before　the　tavern　took　down　its　sign　the

landlord　had　built　a　hall；　where　many　a　ball　had　been　held；　to　which

the　young　folks　of　all　the　country　round　had　resorted。　　It　was　still

sometimes　used　for　similar　occasions；　but　it　was　especially　notable

as　being　the　place　of　meeting　of　the　famous　PANSOPHIAN　SOCIETY。



This　association；　the　name　of　which　might　be　invidiously　interpreted

as　signifying　that　its　members　knew　everything；　had　no　such

pretensions；　but；　as　its　Constitution　said　very　plainly　and　modestly；

held　itself　open　to　accept　knowledge　on　any　and　all　subjects　from

such　as　had　knowledge　to　impart。　　Its　President　was　the　rector　of　the

little　chapel；　a　man　who；　in　spite　of　the　Thirty…Nine　Articles；　could

stand　fire　from　the　widest…mouthed　heretical　blunderbuss　without

flinching　or　losing　his　temper。　　The　hall　of　the　old　Anchor　Tavern

was　a　convenient　place　of　meeting　for　the　students　and　instructors　of

the　University　and　the　Institute。　　Sometimes　in　boat…loads；　sometimes

in　carriage…loads；　sometimes　in　processions　of　skaters；　they　came　to

the　meetings　in　Pansophian　Hall；　as　it　was　now　commonly　called。



These　meetings　had　grown　to　be　occasions　of　great　interest。　　It　was

customary　to　have　papers　written　by　members　of　the　Society；　for　the

most　part；　but　now　and　then　by　friends　of　the　members；　sometimes　by

the　students　of　the　College　or　the　Institute；　and　in　rarer　instances

by　anonymous　personages；　whose　papers；　having　been　looked　over　and

discussed　by　the　Committee　appointed　for　that　purpose；　were　thought

worth　listening　to。　　The　variety　of　topics　considered　was　very　great。

The　young　ladies　of　the　village　and　the　Institute　had　their　favorite

subjects；　the　young　gentlemen　a　different　set　of　topics；　and　the

occasional　outside　contributors　their　own；　so　that　one　who　happened

to　be　admitted　to　a　meeting　never　knew　whether　he　was　going　to　hear

an　account　of　recent　arctic　discoveries；　or　an　essay　on　the　freedom

of　the　will；　or　a　psychological　experience；　or　a　story；　or　even　a

poem。



Of　late　there　had　been　a　tendency　to　discuss　the　questions　relating

to　the　true　status　and　the　legitimate　social　functions　of　woman。　　The

most　conflicting　views　were　held　on　the　subject。　　Many　of　the　young

ladies　and　some　of　the　University　students　were　strong　in　defence　of

all　the　〃woman's　rights〃　doctrines。　　Some　of　these　young　people　were

extreme　in　their　views。　　They　had　read　about　Semiramis　and　Boadicea

and　Queen　Elizabeth；　until　they　were　ready；　if　they　could　get　the

chance；　to　vote　for　a　woman　as　President　of　the　United　States　or　as

General　of　the　United　States　Army。　　They　were　even　disposed　to　assert

the　physical　equality　of　woman　to　man；　on　the　strength　of　the　rather

questionable　history　of　the　Amazons；　and　especially　of　the　story；

believed　to　be　authentic；　of　the　female　body…guard　of　the　King　of

Dahomey；females　frightful　enough　to　need　no　other　weapon　than　their

looks　to　scare　off　an　army　of　Cossacks。



Miss　Lurida　Vincent；　gold　medallist　of　her　year　at　the　Corinna

Institute；　was　the　leader　of　these　advocates　of　virile　womanhood。　　It

was　rather　singular　that　she　should　have　elected　to　be　the　apostle　of

this　extreme　doctrine；　for　she　was　herself　far　better　equipped　with

brain　than　muscles。　　In　fact；　she　was　a　large…headed；　large…eyed；

long…eyelashed；　slender…necked；　slightly　developed　young　woman；

looking　almost　like　a　child　at　an　age　when　many　of　the　girls　had

reached　their　full　stature　and　proportions。　　In　her　studies　she　was

so　far　in　advance　of　her　different　classes　that　there　was　always　a

wide　gap　between　her　and　the　second　scholar。　　So　fatal　to　all　rivalry

had　she　proved　herself　that　she　passed　under　the　school　name　of　The

Terror。　　She　learned　so　easily　that　she　undervalued　her　own

extraordinary　gifts；　and　felt　the　deepest　admiration　for　those　of　her

friends　endowed　with　faculties　of　an　entirely　different　and　almost

opposite　nature。　　After　sitting　at　her　desk　until　her　head　was　hot

and　her　feet　were　like　ice；　she　would　go　and　look　at　the　blooming

young　girls　exercising　in　the　gymnasium　of　the　school；　and　feel　as　if

she　would　give　all　her　knowledge；　all　her　mathematics　and　strange

tongues　and　history；　all　those　accomplishments　that　made　her　the

encyclopaedia　of　every　class　she　belonged　to；　if　she　could　go　through

the　series　of　difficult　and　graceful　exercises　in　which　she　saw　her

schoolmates　delighting。



One　among　them；　especially；　was　the　object　of　her　admiration；　as　she

was　of　all　who　knew　her　exceptional　powers　in　the　line　for　which

nature　had　specially　organized　her。　　All　the　physical　perfections

which　Miss　Lurida　had　missed　had　been　united　in　Miss　Euthymia　Tower；

whose　school　name　was　The　Wonder。　　Though　of　full　womanly　stature；

there　were　several　taller　girls　of　her　age。　　While　all　her　contours

and　all　her　movements　betrayed　a　fine　muscular　development；　there　was

no　lack　of　proportion；　and　her　finely　shaped　hands　and　feet　showed

that　her　organization　was　one　of　those　carefully　finished

masterpieces　of　nature　which　sculptors　are　always　in　search　of；　and

find　it　hard　to　detect　among　the　imperfect　products　of　the　living

laboratory。



This　girl　of　eighteen　was　more　famous　than　she　cared　to　be　for　her

performances　in　the　gymnasium。　　She　commonly　contented　herself　with

the　same　exercises　that　her　companions　were　accustomed　to。　　Only　her

dumb…bells；　with　which　she　exercised　easily　and　gracefully；　were　too

heavy　for　most　of　the　girls　to　do　more　with　than　lift　them　from　the

floor。　　She　was　fond　of　daring　feats　on　the　trapeze；　and　had　to　be

checked　in　her　indulgence　in　them。　　The　Professor　of　gymnastics　at

the　University　came　over　to　the　Institute　now　and　then；　and　it　was　a

source　of　great　excitement　to　watch　some　of　the　athletic　exercises　in

which　the　young　lady　showed　her　remarkable　muscular　strength　and

skill　in　managing　herself　in　the　accomplishment　of　feats　which　looked

impossible　at　first　sight。　　How　often　The　Terror　had　thought　to

herself　that　she　would　gladly　give　up　all　her　knowledge　of　Greek　and

the　differential　and　integral　calculus　if　she　could　only　perform　the

least　of　those　feats　which　were　mere　play　to　The　Wonder！　　Miss

Euthymia　was　not　behind　the　rest　in　her　attainments　in　classical　or

mathematical　knowledge；　and　she　was　one　of　the　very　best　students　in

the　out…door　branches；botany；　mineralogy；　sketching　from　nature；

to　be　found　among　the　scholars　of　the　Institute。



There　was　an　eight…oared　boat　rowed　by　a　crew　of　the　young　ladies；　of

which　Miss　Euthymia　was　the　captain　and　pulled　the　bow　oar。　　Poor

little　Lurida　could　not　pull　an　oar；　but　on　great　occasions；　when

there　were　many　boats　out；　she　was　wanted　as　coxswain；　being　a　mere

feather…weight；　and　quick…witted　enough　to　serve　well　in　the

important　office　where　brains　are　more　needed　than　muscle。



There　was　also　an　eight…oared　boat　belonging　to　the　University；　and

rowed　by　a　picked　crew　of　stalwart　young　fellows。　　The　bow　oar　and

captain　of　the　University　crew　was　a　powerful　young　man；　who；　like

the　captain　of　the　girls'　boat；　was　a　noted　gymnast。　　He　had　had　one

or　two　quiet　trials　with　Miss　Euthymia；　in　which；　according　to　the

ultras　of　the　woman's　rights　party；　he　had　not　vindicated　the

superiority　of　his　sex　in　the　way　which　might　have　been　expected。

Indeed；　it　was　claimed　that　he　let　a　cannon…ball　drop　when　he　ought

to　have　caught　it；　and　it　was　not　disputed　that　he　had　been

ingloriously　knocked　over　by　a　sand…bag　projected　by　the　strong　arms

of　the　young　maiden。　　This　was　of　course　a　story　that　was　widely　told

and　laughingly　listened　to；　and　the　captain　of　the　University　crew

had　become　a　little　sensitive　on　the　subject。　　When　there　was　a　talk；

therefore；　about　a　race　between　the　champion　boats　of　the　two

institutions　there　was　immense　excitement　in　both　of　them；　as　well　as

among　the　members　of　the　Pansophian　Society　and　all　the　good　people

of　the　village。



There　were　many　objections　to　be　overcome。　　Some　thought　it

unladylike　for　the　young　maidens　to　take　part　in　a　competition　which

must　attract　many　lookers…on；　and　which　it　seemed　to　them　ve