those extraordinary twins-第5部分

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shuddered　at　the　repulsive　thought；　and　earnestly　prayed　that　it　might
visit　him　no　more。　　To　be　separate；　and　as　other　men　are！　　How　awkward　it
would　seem；　how　unendurable。　　What　would　he　do　with　his　hands；　his　arms？
How　would　his　legs　feel？　　How　odd；　and　strange；　and　grotesque　every
action；　attitude；　movement；　gesture　would　be。　　To　sleep　by　himself；　eat
by　himself；　walk　by　himselfhow　lonely；　how　unspeakably　lonely！　　No；　no；
any　fate　but　that。　　In　every　way　and　from　every　point；　the　idea　was
revolting。

This　was　of　course　natural；　to　have　felt　otherwise　would　have　been
unnatural。　　He　had　known　no　life　but　a　combined　one；　he　had　been　familiar
with　it　from　his　birth；　he　was　not　able　to　conceive　of　any　other　as　being
agreeable；　or　even　bearable。　　To　him；　in　the　privacy　of　his　secret
thoughts；　all　other　men　were　monsters；　deformities：　and　during
three…fourths　of　his　life　their　aspect　had　filled　him　with　what　promised
to　be　an　unconquerable　aversion。　　But　at　eighteen　his　eye　began　to　take
note　of　female　beauty；　and　little　by　little；　undefined　longings　grew　up
in　his　heart；　under　whose　softening　influences　the　old　stubborn　aversion
gradually　diminished；　and　finally　disappeared。　　Men　were　still
monstrosities　to　him；　still　deformities；　and　in　his　sober　moments　he　had
no　desire　to　be　like　them；　but　their　strange　and　unsocial　and　uncanny
construction　was　no　longer　offensive　to　him。

This　had　been　a　hard　day　for　him；　physically　and　mentally。　　He　had　been
called　in　the　morning　before　he　had　quite　slept　off　the　effects　of　the
liquor　which　Luigi　had　drunk；　and　so；　for　the　first　half…hour　had　had　the
seedy　feeling；　and　languor；　the　brooding　depression；　the　cobwebby　mouth
and　druggy　taste　that　come　of　dissipation　and　are　so　ill　a　preparation
for　bodily　or　intellectual　activities；　the　long　violent　strain　of　the
reception　had　followed；　and　this　had　been　followed；　in　turn；　by　the
dreary　sight…seeing；　the　judge's　wearying　explanations　and　laudations　of
the　sights；　and　the　stupefying　clamor　of　the　dogs。　　As　a　congruous
conclusion；　a　fitting　end；　his　feelings　had　been　hurt；　a　slight　had　been
put　upon　him。　　He　would　have　been　glad　to　forego　dinner　and　betake
himself　to　rest　and　sleep；　but　he　held　his　peace　and　said　no　word；　for　he
knew　his　brother；　Luigi；　was　fresh；　unweary；　full　of　life；　spirit；
energy；　he　would　have　scoffed　at　the　idea　of　wasting　valuable　time　on　a
bed　or　a　sofa；　and　would　have　refused　permission。




CHAPTER　IV

SUPERNATURAL　CHRONOMETRY

Rowena　was　dining　out；　Joe　and　Harry　were　belated　at　play；　there　were　but
three　chairs　and　four　persons　that　noon　at　the　home　dinner…table
the　twins；　the　widow；　and　her　chum；　Aunt　Betsy　Hale。　　The　widow　soon
perceived　that　Angelo's　spirits　were　as　low　as　Luigi's　were　high；　and
also　that　he　had　a　jaded　look。　　Her　motherly　solicitude　was　aroused；　and
she　tried　to　get　him　interested　in　the　talk　and　win　him　to　a　happier
frame　of　mind；　but　the　cloud　of　sadness　remained　on　his　countenance。
Luigi　lent　his　help；　too。　　He　used　a　form　and　a　phrase　which　he　was
always　accustomed　to　employ　in　these　circumstances。　　He　gave　his　brother
an　affectionate　slap　on　the　shoulder　and　said；　encouragingly：

〃Cheer　up；　the　worst　is　yet　to　come！〃

But　this　did　no　good。　　It　never　did。　　If　anything；　it　made　the　matter
worse；　as　a　rule；　because　it　irritated　Angelo。　　This　made　it　a　favorite
with　Luigi。　　By　and　by　the　widow　said：

〃Angelo；　you　are　tired；　you've　overdone　yourself；　you　go　right　to　bed
after　dinner；　and　get　a　good　nap　and　a　rest；　then　you'll　be　all　right。〃

〃Indeed；　I　would　give　anything　if　I　could　do　that；　madam。〃

〃And　what's　to　hender；　I'd　like　to　know？　　Land；　the　room's　yours　to　do
what　you　please　with！　　The　idea　that　you　can't　do　what　you　like　with　your
own！〃

〃But；　you　see；　there's　one　prime　essentialan　essential　of　the　very
first　importance　which　isn't　my　own。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃My　body。〃

The　old　ladies　looked　puzzled；　and　Aunt　Betsy　Hale　said：

〃Why　bless　your　heart；　how　is　that？〃

〃It's　my　brother's。〃

〃Your　brother's！　　I　don't　quite　understand。　　I　supposed　it　belonged　to
both　of　you。〃

〃So　it　does。　　But　not　to　both　at　the　same　time。〃

〃That　is　mighty　curious；　I　don't　see　how　it　can　be。　　I　shouldn't　think　it
could　be　managed　that　way。〃

〃Oh；　it's　a　good　enough　arrangement；　and　goes　very　well；　in　fact；　it
wouldn't　do　to　have　it　otherwise。　　I　find　that　the　teetotalers　and　the
anti…teetotalers　hire　the　use　of　the　same　hall　for　their　meetings。　　Both
parties　don't　use　it　at　the　same　time；　do　they？〃

〃You　bet　they　don't！〃　said　both　old　ladies　in　a　breath。

〃And；　moreover；〃　said　Aunt　Betsy；　〃the　Freethinkers　and　the　Baptist　Bible
class　use　the　same　room　over　the　Market　house；　but　you　can　take　my　word
for　it　they　don't　mush　up　together　and　use　it　at　the　same　time。'

〃Very　well；〃　said　Angelo；　〃you　understand　it　now。　　And　it　stands　to
reason　that　the　arrangement　couldn't　be　improved。　　I'll　prove　it　to　you。
If　our　legs　tried　to　obey　two　wills；　how　could　we　ever　get　anywhere？
I　would　start　one　way；　Luigi　would　start　another；　at　the　same　moment
the　result　would　be　a　standstill；　wouldn't　it？〃

〃As　sure　as　you　are　born！　　Now　ain't　that　wonderful！　　A　body　would　never
have　thought　of　it。〃

〃We　should　always　be　arguing　and　fussing　and　disputing　over　the　merest
trifles。　　We　should　lose　worlds　of　time；　for　we　couldn't　go　down…stairs
or　up；　couldn't　go　to　bed；　couldn't　rise；　couldn't　wash；　couldn't　dress；
couldn't　stand　up；　couldn't　sit　down；　couldn't　even　cross　our　legs；
without　calling　a　meeting　first　and　explaining　the　case　and　passing
resolutions；　and　getting　consent。　　It　wouldn't　ever　donow　would　it？〃

〃Do？　　Why；　it　would　wear　a　person　out　in　a　week！　　Did　you　ever　hear
anything　like　it；　Patsy　Cooper？〃

〃Oh；　you'll　find　there's　more　than　one　thing　about　them　that　ain't
commonplace；〃　said　the　widow；　with　the　complacent　air　of　a　person　with　a
property　right　in　a　novelty　that　is　under　admiring　scrutiny。

〃Well；　now；　how　ever　do　you　manage　it？　　I　don't　mind　saying　I'm　suffering
to　know。〃

〃He　who　made　us；〃　said　Angelo　reverently；　〃and　with　us　this　difficulty；
also　provided　a　way　out　of　it。　　By　a　mysterious　law　of　our　being；　each　of
us　has　utter　and　indisputable　command　of　our　body　a　week　at　a　time；　turn
and　turn　about。〃

〃Well；　I　never！　　Now　ain't　that　beautiful！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　beautiful　and　infinitely　wise　and　just。　　The　week　ends　every
Saturday　at　midnight　to　the　minute；　to　the　second；　to　the　last　shade　of
a　fraction　of　a　second；　infallibly；　unerringly；　and　in　that　instant　the
one　brother's　power　over　the　body　vanishes　and　the　other　brother　takes
possession；　asleep　or　awake。〃

〃How　marvelous　are　His　ways；　and　past　finding　out！〃

Luigi　said：　〃So　exactly　to　the　instant　does　the　change　come；　that　during
our　stay　in　many　of　the　great　cities　of　the　world；　the　public　clocks　were
regulated　by　it；　and　as　hundreds　of　thousands　of　private　clocks　and
watches　were　set　and　corrected　in　accordance　with　the　public　clocks；　we
really　furnished　the　standard　time　for　the　entire　city。〃

〃Don't　tell　me　that　He　don't　do　miracles　any　more！　　Blowing　down　the
walls　of　Jericho　with　rams'　horns　wa'n't　as　difficult；　in　my　opinion。〃

〃And　that　is　not　all；〃　said　Angelo。　　〃A　thing　that　is　even　more
marvelous；　perhaps；　is　the　fact　that　the　change　takes　note　of　longitude
and　fits　itself　to　the　meridian　we　are　on。　　Luigi　is　in　command　this
week。　　Now；　if　on　Saturday　night　at　a　moment　before　midnight　we　could　fly
in　an　instant　to　a　point　fifteen　degrees　west　of　here；　he　would　hold
possession　of　the　power　another　hour；　for　the　change　observes　local　time
and　no　other。〃

Betsy　Hale　was　deeply　impressed；　and　said　with　solemnity：

〃Patsy　Cooper；　for　detail　it　lays　over　the　Passage　of　the　Red　Sea。〃

〃Now；　I　shouldn't　go　as　far　as　that；〃　said　Aunt　Patsy；　〃but　if　you've　a
mind　to　say　Sodom　and　Gomorrah；　I　am　with　you；　Betsy　Hale。〃

〃I　am　agreeable；　then；　though　I　do　think　I　was　right；　and　I　believe
Parson　Maltby　would　say　the　same。　　Well；　now；　there's　another　thing。
Suppose　one　of　you　wants　to　borrow　the　legs　a　minute　from　the　one　that's
got　them；　could　he　let　him？〃

〃Yes；　but　we　hardly　ever　do　that。　　There　were　disagreeable　results；
several　times；　and　so　we　very　seldom　ask　or　grant　the　privilege；
nowadays；　and　we　never　even　think　of　such　a　thing　unless　the　case　is
extremely　urgent。　　Besides；　a　week's　possession　at　a　time　seems　so　little
that　we　can't　bear　to　spare　a　minute　of　it。　　People　who　have　the　use　of
their　legs　all　the　time　never　think　of　what　a　blessing　it　is；　of　course。
It　never　occurs　to　them；　it's　just　their　natural　ordinary　condition；
and　so　it　does　not　excite　them　at　all。　　But　when　I　wake　up；　on　Sunday
morning；　and　it's　my　week　and　I　feel　the　power　all　through　me；　oh；　such　a
wave　of　exultation　and　thanksgiving　goes　surging　over　me；　and　I　want　to
shout　'I　can　walk！　　I　can　walk！'　　Madam；　do　you　ever；　at　your　uprising；
want　to　shout　'I　can　walk！　　I　can　walk！'？〃

〃No；　you　poor　unfortunate　cretur'；　but　I'll　never　get　out　of　my　bed　again
without　doing　it！　　Laws；　to　think　I've　had　this　unspeakable　blessing　all
my　long　life　and　never　had　the　grace　to　thank　the　good　Lord　that　gave　it
to　me！〃

Tears　stood　in　the　eyes　of　both　the　old　ladies　and　the　widow　said；
softly：

〃Betsy　Hale；　we　have　learned　something；　you　and　me。〃

The　conversation　now　drifted　wide；　but　by　and　by　floated　back　once　more
to　that　admired　detail；　the　rigid　and　beautiful　impartiality　with　which
the　possession　of　power　had　been　distributed；　between　the　twins。　　Aunt
Betsy　saw　in　it　a　far　finer　justice　than　human　law　exhibits　in　related
cases。　　She　said：

〃In　my　opinion　it　ain't　right　no；　and　never　has　been　right；　the　way　a
twin　born　a　quarter　of　a　minute　sooner　than　the　other　one　gets　all　the
land　and　grandeurs　and　nobilities　in　the　old　countries　and　his　brother
has　to　go　bare　and　be　a　nobody。　　Which　of　you　was　born　first？〃

Angelo's　head　was　resting　against　Luigi's；　weariness　had　overcome　him；
and　for　the　past　five　minutes　he　had　been　peacefully　sleeping。　　The　old
ladies　had　dropped　their　voices　to　a　lulling　drone；　to　help　him　to　steal
the　rest　his　brother　wouldn't　take　him　up…stairs　to　get。　　Luigi　li