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！
us into a travelled road。 It circled the breast of the
mountain； and as we stepped along it in the dusk I learned
something of my companion。 His name was Edward Keene； he
taught Latin and Greek in the Hilltop School； he had studied for
the ministry； but had given it up； I gathered； on account of a
certain loss of interest； or rather a diversion of interest in
another direction。 He spoke of himself with an impersonal
candour。
〃Preachers must be always trying to persuade men；〃 he
said。 〃But what I care about is to know men。 I don't care
what they do。 Certainly I have no wish to interfere with them
in their doings； for I doubt whether anyone can really change
them。 Each tree bears its own fruit； you see； and by their
fruits you know them。〃
〃What do you say to grafting？ That changes the fruit；
surely？〃
〃Yes； but a grafted tree is not really one tree。 It is
two trees growing together。 There is a double life in it； and
the second life； the added life； dominates the other。 The
stock becomes a kind of animate soil for the graft to grow
in。〃
Presently the road dipped into a little valley and rose
again； breasting the slope of a wooded hill which thrust
itself out from the steeper flank of the mountain…range。 Down
the hill…side a song floated to meet usthat most noble lyric of
old Robert Herrick：
Bid me to live； and I will live
Thy Protestant to be；
Or bid me love； and I will give
A loving heart to thee。
It was a girl's voice； fresh and clear； with a note of
tenderness in it that thrilled me。 Keene's pace quickened。
And soon the singer came in sight； stepping lightly down the
road； a shape of slender whiteness on the background of
gathering night。 She was beautiful even in that dim light；
with brown eyes and hair； and a face that seemed to breathe
purity and trust。 Yet there was a trace of anxiety in it； or
so I fancied； that gave it an appealing charm。
〃You have come at last； Edward；〃 she cried； running
forward and putting her hand in his。 〃It is late。 You have
been out all day； I began to be afraid。〃
〃Not too late；〃 he answered； 〃there was no need for fear；
Dorothy。 I am not alone； you see。〃 And keeping her hand； he
introduced me to the daughter of Master Ward。
It was easy to guess the relation between these two young
people who walked beside me in the dusk。 It needed no words
to say that they were lovers。 Yet it would have needed many
words to define the sense； that came to me gradually； of
something singular in the tie that bound them together。 On
his part there was a certain tone of half…playful
condescension toward her such as one might use to a lovely
child； which seemed to match but ill with her unconscious
attitude of watchful care； of tender solicitude for
himalmost like the manner of an elder sister。 Lovers they
surely were； and acknowledged lovers； for their frankness of
demeanour sought no concealment； but I felt that there must be
A little rift within the lute；
though neither of them might know it。 Each one's thought of
the other was different from the other's thought of self。
There could not be a complete understanding； a perfect accord。
What was the secret； of which each knew half； but not the other
half？
Thus； with steps that kept time； but with thoughts how
wide apart； we came to the door of the school。 A warm flood
of light poured out to greet us。 The Master； an elderly；
placid； comfortable man； gave me just the welcome that had
been promised in his name。 The supper was waiting； and the
evening passed in such happy cheer that the bewilderments and
misgivings of the twilight melted away； and at bedtime I
dropped into the nest of sleep as one who has found a shelter
among friends。
II
The Hilltop School stood on a blessed site。 Lifted high above
the village； it held the crest of the last gentle wave of the
mountains that filled the south with crowding billows； ragged
and tumultuous。 Northward； the great plain lay at our feet；
smiling in the sun； meadows and groves； yellow fields of
harvest and green orchards； white roads and clustering towns；
with here and there a little city on the bank of the mighty
river which curved in a vast line of beauty toward the blue
Catskill Range； fifty miles away。 Lines of filmy smoke； like
vanishing footprints in the air； marked the passage of railway
trains across the landscapetheir swift flight reduced by
distance to a leisurely transition。 The bright surface of the
stream was furrowed by a hundred vessels； tiny rowboats creeping
from shore to shore； knots of black barges following the lead of
puffing tugs； sloops with languid motion tacking against the
tide； white steamboats； like huge toy…houses； crowded with
pygmy inhabitants； moving smoothly on their way to the great
city； and disappearing suddenly as they turned into the
narrows between Storm…King and the Fishkill Mountains。 Down
there was life； incessant； varied； restless； intricate；
many…coloureddown there was history； the highway of ancient
voyagers since the days of Hendrik Hudson； the hunting…ground
of Indian tribes； the scenes of massacre and battle； the last
camp of the Army of the Revolution； the Head…quarters of
Washingtondown there were the homes of legend and
poetry； the dreamlike hills of Rip van Winkle's sleep； the
cliffs and caves haunted by the Culprit Fay； the solitudes
traversed by the Spyall outspread before us； and visible as
in a Claude Lorraine glass； in the tranquil lucidity of
distance。 And here； on the hilltop； was our own life； secluded；
yet never separated from the other life； looking down
upon it； yet woven of the same stuff； peaceful in
circumstance； yet ever busy with its own tasks； and holding in
its quiet heart all the elements of joy and sorrow and tragic
consequence。
The Master was a man of most unworldly wisdom。 In his
youth a great traveller； he had brought home many
observations； a few views； and at least one theory。 To him
the school was the most important of human institutionsmore
vital even than the home； because it held the first real
experience of social contact； of free intercourse with other
minds and lives coming from different households and embodying
different strains of blood。 〃My school；〃 said he； 〃is the
world in miniature。 If I can teach these boys to study and
play together freely and with fairness to one another； I shall
make men fit to live and work together in society。 What they
learn matters less than how they learn it。 The great thing is
the bringing out of individual character so that it will find its
place in social harmony。〃
Yet never man knew less of character in the concrete than
Master Ward。 To him each person represented a typethe
scientific； the practical； the poetic。 From each one he
expected； and in each one he found； to a certain degree； the
fruit of the marked quality； the obvious； the characteristic。
But of the deeper character； made up of a hundred traits；
coloured and conditioned most vitally by something secret and
in itself apparently of slight importance； he was placidly
unconscious。 Classes he knew。 Individuals escaped him。 Yet
he was