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！
fairly stare at you through trees； Like a pale inmate out of a barred
window With a green shade half down； and I dare say People who passed
40
… Page 41…
The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
have said： ‘There's where he lives。 We know him； but we do not seem to
know That we remember any good of him； Or any evil that is interesting。
There you have all we know and all we care。' They might have said it in
all sorts of ways； And then； if they perceived a cat； they might Or might
not have remembered what they said。 The cat might have a personality
And maybe the same one the Lord left out Of Tasker Norcross； who； for
lack of it； Saw the same sun go down year after year； All which at last was
my discovery。 And only mine； so far as evidence Enlightens one more
darkness。 You have known All round you； all your days； men who are
nothing Nothing； I mean； so far as time tells yet Of any other need it has
of them Than to make sextons hardy but no less Are to themselves
incalculably something； And therefore to be cherished。 God； you see；
Being sorry for them in their fashioning； Indemnified them with a quaint
esteem Of self； and with illusions long as life。 You know them well； and
you have smiled at them； And they； in their serenity； may have had Their
time to smile at you。 Blessed are they That see themselves for what they
never were Or were to be； and are； for their defect； At ease with mirrors
and the dim remarks That pass their tranquil ears。〃
〃Come； come；〃 said I； 〃There may be names in your compendium
That we are not yet all on fire for shouting。 Skin most of us of our
mediocrity； We should have nothing then that we could scratch。 The
picture smarts。 Cover it； if you please； And do so rather gently。 Now for
Norcross。〃
Ferguson closed his eyes in resignation； While a dead sigh came out of
him。 〃Good God！〃 He said； and said it only half aloud； As if he knew no
longer now； nor cared； If one were there to listen： 〃Have I said nothing
Nothing at all of Norcross？ Do you mean To patronize him till his name
becomes A toy made out of letters？ If a name Is all you need； arrange an
honest column Of all the people you have ever known That you have
never liked。 You'll have enough； And you'll have mine； moreover。 No； not
yet。 If I assume too many privileges； I pay； and I alone； for their
assumption； By which； if I assume a darker knowledge Of Norcross than
another； let the weight Of my injustice aggravate the load That is not on
your shoulders。 When I came To know this fellow Norcross in his house； I
41
… Page 42…
The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
found him as I found him in the street No more； no less； indifferent； but
no better。 ‘Worse' were not quite the word： he was not bad； He was not 。 。 。
well； he was not anything。 Has your invention ever entertained The picture
of a dusty worm so dry That even the early bird would shake his head And
fly on farther for another breakfast？〃
〃But why forget the fortune of the worm；〃 I said； 〃if in the dryness you
deplore Salvation centred and endured？ Your Norcross May have been one
for many to have envied。〃
〃Salvation？ Fortune？ Would the worm say that？ He might； and
therefore I dismiss the worm With all dry things but one。 Figures away； Do
you begin to see this man a little？ Do you begin to see him in the air； With
all the vacant horrors of his outline For you to fill with more than it will
hold？ If so； you needn't crown yourself at once With epic laurel if you
seem to fill it。 Horrors； I say； for in the fires and forks Of a new hell if
one were not enough I doubt if a new horror would have held him With
a malignant ingenuity More to be feared than his before he died。 You smile；
as if in doubt。 Well； smile again。 Now come into his house； along with me：
The four square sombre things that you see first Around you are four walls
that go as high As to the ceiling。 Norcross knew them well； And he knew
others like them。 Fasten to that With all the claws of your intelligence；
And hold the man before you in his house As if he were a white rat in a
box； And one that knew himself to be no other。 I tell you twice that he
knew all about it； That you may not forget the worst of all Our tragedies
begin with what we know。 Could Norcross only not have known； I wonder
How many would have blessed and envied him！ Could he have had the
usual eye for spots On others； and for none upon himself； I smile to ponder
on the carriages That might as well as not have clogged the town In honor
of his end。 For there was gold； You see； though all he needed was a little；
And what he gave said nothing of who gave it。 He would have given it all
if in return There might have been a more sufficient face To greet him
when he shaved。 Though you insist It is the dower； and always； of our
degree Not to be cursed with such invidious insight； Remember that you
stand； you and your fancy； Now in his house； and since we are together；
See for yourself and tell me what you see。 Tell me the best you see。 Make
42
… Page 43…
The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
a slight noise Of recognition when you find a book That you would not as
lief read upside down As otherwise； for example。 If there you fail； Observe
the walls and lead me to the place； Where you are led。 If there you meet a
picture That holds you near it for a longer time Than you are sorry； you
may call it yours； And hang it in the dark of your remembrance； Where
Norcross never sees。 How can he see That has no eyes to see？ And as for
music； He paid with empty wonder for the pangs Of his infrequent forced
endurance of it； And having had no pleasure； paid no more For needless
immolation； or for the sight Of those who heard what he was never to hear。
To see them listening was itself enough To make him suffer； and to watch
worn eyes； On other days； of strangers who forgot Their sorrows and their
failures and themselves Before a few mysterious odds and ends Of marble
carted from the Parthenon And all for seeing what he was never to see；
Because it was alive and he was dead Here was a wonder that was more
profound Than any that was in fiddles and brass horns。
〃He knew； and in his knowledge there was death。