a face illumined-第24部分

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〃I　fear　your　wit　is　readier　than　your　sword。　　The　soldier　that

boasts　how　he　would　overwhelm　some　other　foe　than　the　one　before

him　loses　credit　to　the　degree　that　he　protests。〃



〃You　are　more　exacting；　Miss　Burton；　than　the　lady　who　threw　her

glove　down　among　the　lions。　　What　chance　would　Hercules　himself

have　of　lifting　those　twelve　heavy　females　out　of　the　dumps？〃



〃It's　not　what　we　do；　but　what　we　attempt；　that　shows　our　spirit。〃



〃Then　I　shall　expect　to　see　you　attempt　great　things。〃



〃I'm　only　a　woman。〃



〃And　I'm　only　a　man。〃



〃Only　a　man！　what　greater　vantage…ground　could　one　have　than　to　be

a　man？〃



〃The　advantage　is　not　so　uncommon　that　one　need　be　unduly　elated；〃

state　Stanton　with　a　shrug。　　〃I　forget　how　many　hundred　millions

of　us　there　are。　　But　I'm　curious　to　see　how　you　will　set　about

rendering　the　hues　of　this　leaden　day　prismatic。〃



〃Only　by　being　the　innocent　cause　of　your　highly　colored　language；

I　imagine。〃



〃Oh；　dear；〃　exclaimed　a　little　boy　petulantly；　as　he　strolled　through

the　hall　and　looked　out　at　the　steady　downfall　of　rain。　　〃Oh　dear！

Why　can't　it　stop　raining？〃



〃There's　the　philosophy　of　our　time　for　you　in　a　nutshell；〃　said

Van　Berg。　　〃When　a　human　atom　wants　anything；　what　business　has

the　universe　to　stand　in　its　way？〃



〃But　you　have　no　better　philosophy　to　offer　the　disconsolate　little

fellow；　Mr。　Ban　Berg？〃　Miss　Burton　asked。



〃Now；　Van；　it's　your　turn。　　Remember；　Miss　Burton；　he　has　the　same

vantage…ground　that　I　have。　　Indeed　he's　half　an　inch　taller。〃



〃The　world　long　ago　learned　better　than　to　measure　men　by　inches；

Mr。　　Stanton。〃



〃Alas；　Miss　Burton；〃　said　Van　Berg；　〃the　best　philosophy　I　have　is

this：　　when　it　rains；　let　it　rain。〃



〃And　thus　I'm　privileged　to　meet　representatives　of　those　two

ancient　and　honorable　schools；　the　Stoic　and　Epicurean；　and　you　both

think；　I　fear；　that　if　Xanthippe　had　founded　a　school；　my　philosophy

would　also　be　defined。　　But　perhaps　you　will　think　better　of　me　if

I　tell　that　little　fellow　a　story　to　pass　the　time　for　him。　　What's

the　matter；　little　folk？〃　she　asked；　for　two　or　three　more　small

clouded　faces　had　gathered　at　the　door。



〃Matter　enough；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃This　horrid　old　rain　keeps　us　in

the　house；　where　we　can't　do　anything　or　stay　anywhere。　　We　mustn't

play　in　the　parlor；　we　mustn't　make　a　noise　in　the　halls；　we　mustn't

run　on　the　piazzas。　　I'd　like　to　live　in　a　world　where　there　was

some　place　for　boys。〃



〃Poor　child；〃　said　Miss　Burton；　〃this　rain　is　as　bad　for　you　as

the　deluge　to　Noah's　dove；　it　has　left　you　no　refuge　for　the　sole

of　your　foot。　　Will　you　come　with　me？　　No　one　has　said　you　must

not　hear　a　jolly　story。〃



〃You　won't　tell　me　about　any　good　little　boys　who　died　when　they

were　as　big　as　I　am？〃



〃I'll　keep　my　wordit　shall　be　a　jolly　story。〃



〃May　we　hear　it　too？〃　asked　the　other　children。



〃Yes；　all　of　you。〃



〃Where　shall　we　go？〃



〃We　won't　disturb　any　one　in　the　far　corner　of　the　parlor　by　the

piano。　　If　you　know　of　any　other　little　people；　you　can　bring　them

there；　too；〃　and　they　each　darted　off　in　search　of　especial　cronies。



〃May　we　not　hear　the　story　also？〃　asked　Stanton。



〃No；　indeed；　I　may　be　able　to　interest　children；　but　not　philosophers。〃



〃Then　we　will　go　and　meditate；〃　said　Van　Berg。



〃Yes；〃　she　added；　〃and　in　accordance　with　a　New　York　custom　of　great

antiquity；　made　familiar　to　you；　no　doubt；　by　that　grave　historian

Diedrich　Knickerbocker；　who　gives　several　graphic　accounts　of　such

cloudy　ruminations　on　the　part　of　your　city's　great…grandfathers。〃



〃I　fear　you　think　that　the　worshipful　Peter　Stuyvensant's　counsellors

indulged　in　more　tobacco　than　thought；　and　that　the　majority　of

them　had　as　few　ideas　as　one　of　Mr。　Burleigh's　chimneys；〃　said　Van

Berg。　　〃And　you　regard　us　as　the　direct　descendants　of　these　men；

whose　lives　were　crowned　with　smoke…wreaths　only。〃



〃Now；　Mr。　Van　Berg；　you　prove　yourself　to　be　a　philosopher　of　a

modern　school；　you　draw　your　inductions　so　far　and　wide　from　your

diminutive　premise。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Burton；　you　stand　in　very　favorable　contrast　with　us

poor　mortals。　　We　are　going　out　to　add　to　the　clouds　that　lower

over　the　world；　while　you　are　trying　to　banish　them。〃



〃And　if；　after　helping　the　children　towards　the　close　of　this

dismal　day；　your　heart　should　relent　towards　us；〃　added　Stanton；

〃you　will　find　two　worthy　objects　of　your　charity。〃



〃Oh　what　a　falling　off　is　here！〃　she　exclaimed；　following　the

impatient　children。　　〃Knights　at　first；　then　philosophers；　and　now

objects　of　charity。〃



Miss　Burton　evidently　kept　her　word；　and　told　a　〃jolly　story；〃　for

the　friends　saw　through　the　parlor　windows　that　the　circle　around

her　grew　larger　and　more　hilarious　continually。　　Then　would　follow

moments　of　rapt　and　eager　attention；　showing　that　the　tale　gained

in　excitement　and　interest　what　it　lost　in　humor。　　Young　people；

who　did　not　like　to　be　classed　with　children；　one　by　one　yielded

to　the　temptation。　　There　was　life　and　enjoyment　in　that　corner

and　dulness　elsewhere；　and　nothing　is　so　attractive　in　the　world

as　genuine　and　joyous　life。



Even　elderly　ladies　looked　wistfully　up　at　the　occasional　bursts

of　contagious　merriment；　and　then　sighed　that　they　had　lost　the

power　of　laughing　so　easily。



At　last　the　marvelous　legend　came　to　an　end　amid　a　round　of　prolonged

applause。



〃Another；　another！〃　was　the　general　outcry。



But　Miss　Burton　had　observed　that　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　present

seemed　inclined　to　be　friendly　towards　the　young　people's　fun；　and

therefore　she　broached　another　scheme　of　pleasure　that　would　vary

the　entertainment。



〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃your　papas　and　mammas　and　the　other　good

people　will　not　object　to　an　old…fashioned　Virginia　reel。〃



A　shout　of　welcome　greeted　this　proposition。



Miss　Burton　raised　her　finger　so　impressively　that　there　was　an

instant　hush。　　Indeed　she　seemed　to　have　gained　entire　control　of

the　large　and　miscellaneous　group　which　surrounded　her。



〃We　will　draw　up　a　petition；〃　she　said；　〃for　we　best　enjoy　our　own

rights　and　pleasures　when　respecting　those　of　others。　　This　little

boy　and　girl　shall　take　the　petition　around　to　all　the　ladies　and

gentlemen　in　the　room；　and　this　shall　be　the　petition：



〃'Dear　lady　and　kind　sir：　　Please　don't　object　to　our　dancing　a

Virginia　reel　in　the　parlor。'〃



〃All　who　wish　to　dance　can　sign　it。　　Now　we　will　go　to　the　office

and　draw　up　the　petition。〃　　And　away　they　all　started；　the　younger

children；　wild　with　glee；　capering　in　advance。



Stanton　threw　away　his　cigar　and　met　her　at　the　office　register。



〃Gentle　shepherdess；〃　he　asked；　〃whither　are　you　leading　your

flock？〃



〃How　behind　the　age　you　are！〃　she　replied。　　〃Can　you　not　see　that

the　flock　is　leading　me？〃



〃If　I　were　a　wolf　I　would　not　trouble　the　flock　but　would　carry

off　the　shepherdessto　a　game　of　billiards。〃



〃What；　then；　would　become　of　the　flock？〃



〃that's　a　question　that　never　troubles　a　wolf。〃



〃A　wolfish　answer　truly。　　I　think；　however；　you　have　reversed　the

parable；　and　are　but　a　well…meaning　sheep　that　has　donned　a　wolf's

skin；　and　so　we　will　put　you　to　the　test。　　We　young　people　will

give　you　a　chance　to　draw　up　our　petition；　which；　if　you　would

save　your　character；　you　must　do　at　once　with　sheep…like　docility；

asking　no　questions　and　causing　no　delay。　　There；　that　will　answer；

very　sheepishly　done；　but　no　sheep's　eyes；　if　you　please；〃　she

added；　as　Stanton　pretended　to　look　up　to　her　for　inspiration；

while　writing。　　〃Now；　all　sign。　　I　think　I　can　trust　you；　sir；　on

the　outskirts　of　the　flock。　　Here；　my　little　man　and　woman；　go　to

each　of　the　ladies　and　gentlemen；　make　a　bow　and　a　courtesy；　and

present　the　petition。〃



〃May　I　not　gambol　with　the　shepherdess　in　the　coming　pastoral？〃

asked　Stanton。



〃No；　indeed！　　You　are　much　too　old；　besides；　I　am　going　to　play。

You　may　look　gravely　on。〃



Every　one　in　the　parlor　smiling　assented　to　the　odd　little　couple

that　bobbed　up　and　down　before　them；　and　moved　out　of　the　way　for

the　dancers。　　The　petitioners　therefore　soon　returned　and　were

welcomed　with　applause。



〃Now　go　to　the　inner　office　and　present　the　petition　to　Mr。　Burleigh；〃

said　Miss　Burton。



〃Hollo！〃　cried　that　gentleman；　looking　around　with　a　great　show

of　savagery；　as　the　little　girl　pulled　the　skirt　of　his　coat　to

attract　his　attention；　〃where's　King　Herod？〃



〃We　wish　to　try　another　method　with　the　children；〃　answered　Miss

Burton。　　〃Will　it　please　you　therefore　graciously　to　read　the

petition。　　All　in　the　parlor　have　assented。〃



〃My　goodness　gracious…〃



〃No　swearing；　sir；　if　you　please。〃



〃Woman　has　been　too　many　for　man　ever　since　she　got　him　into　trouble

by　eating　green　apples；〃　ejaculated　Mr。　Burleigh　with　a　despairing

gesture。