first visit to new england-第7部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


adorers　who　seemed　hardly　worthy　of　their　kindness；　but　that　was　better
than　to　have　hurt　any　sensitive　spirit　who　had　ventured　too　far；　by　the
rules　that　govern　us　with　common　men。




IX。

My　business　relations　were　with　the　house　that　so　promptly　honored　my
letter　of　credit。　　This　house　had　published　in　the　East　the　campaign　life
of　Lincoln　which　I　had　lately　written；　and　I　dare　say　would　have
published　the　volume　of　poems　I　had　written　earlier　with　my　friend　Piatt；
if　there　had　been　any　public　for　it；　at　least；　I　saw　large　numbers　of　the
book　on　the　counters。　　But　all　my　literary　affiliations　were　with　Ticknor
&　Fields；　and　it　was　the　Old　Corner　Book…Store　on　Washington　Street　that
drew　my　heart　as　soon　as　I　had　replenished　my　pocket　in　Cornhill。　　After
verifying　the　editor　of　the　Atlantic　Monthly　I　wised　to　verify　its
publishers；　and　it　very　fitly　happened　that　when　I　was　shown　into　Mr。
Fields's　little　room　at　the　back　of　the　store；　with　its　window　looking
upon　School　Street；　and　its　scholarly　keeping　in　books　and　prints；　he　had
just　got　the　magazine　sheets　of　a　poem　of　mine　from　the　Cambridge
printers。　　He　was　then　lately　from　abroad；　and　he　had　the　zest　for
American　things　which　a　foreign　sojourn　is　apt　to　renew　in　us；　though　I
did　not　know　this　then；　and　could　not　account　for　it　in　the　kindness　he
expressed　for　my　poem。　　He　introduced　me　to　Mr。　Ticknor；　who　I　fancied
had　not　read　my　poem；　but　he　seemed　to　know　what　it　was　from　the　junior
partner；　and　he　asked　me　whether　I　had　been　paid　for　it。　　I　confessed
that　I　had　not；　and　then　he　got　out　a　chamois…leather　bag；　and　took　from
it　five　half…eagles　in　gold　and　laid　them　on　the　green　cloth　top　of　the
desk；　in　much　the　shape　and　of　much　the　size　of　the　Great　Bear。　　I　have
never　since　felt　myself　paid　so　lavishly　for　any　literary　work；　though　I
have　had　more　for　a　single　piece　than　the　twenty…five　dollars　that
dazzled　me　in　this　constellation。　　The　publisher　seemed　aware　of　the
poetic　character　of　the　transaction；　he　let　the　pieces　lie　a　moment；
before　he　gathered　them　up　and　put　them　into　my　hand；　and　said；　〃I　always
think　it　is　pleasant　to　have　it　in　gold。〃

But　a　terrible　experience　with　the　poem　awaited　me；　and　quenched　for　the
moment　all　my　pleasure　and　pride。　　It　was　'The　Pilot's　Story；'　which　I
suppose　has　had　as　much　acceptance　as　anything　of　mine　in　verse　（I　do　not
boast　of　a　vast　acceptance　for　it）；　and　I　had　attempted　to　treat　in　it　a
phase　of　the　national　tragedy　of　slavery；　as　I　had　imagined　it　on　a
Mississippi　steamboat。　　A　young　planter　has　gambled　away　the　slave…girl
who　is　the　mother　of　his　child；　and　when　he　tells　her；　she　breaks　out
upon　him　with　the　demand：

　　　　　〃What　will　you　say　to　our　boy　when　he　cries　for　me；　there　in　Saint
　　　　　Louis？〃

I　had　thought　this　very　well；　and　natural　and　simple；　but　a　fatal
proof…reader　had　not　thought　it　well　enough；　or　simple　and　natural
enough；　and　he　had　made　the　line　read：

　　　　　〃What　will　you　say　to　our　boy　when　he　cries　for　'Ma；'　there　in　Saint
　　　　　Louis？〃

He　had　even　had　the　inspiration　to　quote　the　word　he　preferred　to　the　one
I　had　written；　so　that　there　was　no　merciful　possibility　of　mistaking　it
for　a　misprint；　and　my　blood　froze　in　my　veins　at　sight　of　it。　　Mr。
Fields　had　given　me　the　sheets　to　read　while　he　looked　over　some　letters；
and　he　either　felt　the　chill　of　my　horror；　or　I　made　some　sign　or　sound
of　dismay　that　caught　his　notice；　for　he　looked　round　at　me。　　I　could
only　show　him　the　passage　with　a　gasp。　　I　dare　say　he　might　have　liked　to
laugh；　for　it　was　cruelly　funny；　but　he　did　not；　he　was　concerned　for　the
magazine　as　well　as　for　me。　　He　declared　that　when　he　first　read　the　line
he　had　thought　I　could　not　have　written　it　so；　and　he　agreed　with　me　that
it　would　kill　the　poem　if　it　came　out　in　that　shape。　　He　instantly　set
about　repairing　the　mischief；　so　far　as　could　be。　　He　found　that　the
whole　edition　of　that　sheet　had　been　printed；　and　the　air　blackened　round
me　again；　lighted　up　here　and　there　with　baleful　flashes　of　the　newspaper
wit　at　my　cost；　which　I　previsioned　in　my　misery；　I　knew　what　I　should
have　said　of　such　a　thing　myself；　if　it　had　been　another's。　　But　the
publisher　at　once　decided　that　the　sheet　must　be　reprinted；　and　I　went
away　weak　as　if　in　the　escape　from　some　deadly　peril。　　Afterwards　it
appeared　that　the　line　had　passed　the　first　proof…reader　as　I　wrote　it；
but　that　the　final　reader　had　entered　so　sympathetically　into　the
realistic　intention　of　my　poem　as　to　contribute　the　modification　which
had　nearly　been　my　end。




X。

As　it　fell　out；　I　lived　without　farther　difficulty　to　the　day　and　hour　of
the　dinner　Lowell　made　for　me；　and　I　really　think；　looking　at　myself
impersonally；　and　remembering　the　sort　of　young　fellow　I　was；　that　it
would　have　been　a　great　pity　if　I　had　not。　　The　dinner　was　at　the
old…fashioned　Boston　hour　of　two；　and　the　table　was　laid　for　four　people
in　some　little　upper　room　at　Parker's；　which　I　was　never　afterwards　able
to　make　sure　of。　　Lowell　was　already；　there　when　I　came；　and　he　presented
me；　to　my　inexpressible　delight　and　surprise；　to　Dr。　Holmes；　who　was
there　with　him。

Holmes　was　in　the　most　brilliant　hour　of　that　wonderful　second　youth
which　his　fame　flowered　into　long　after　the　world　thought　he　had
completed　the　cycle　of　his　literary　life。　　He　had　already　received　full
recognition　as　a　poet　of　delicate　wit；　nimble　humor；　airy　imagination；
and　exquisite　grace；　when　the　Autocrat　papers　advanced　his　name
indefinitely　beyond　the　bounds　which　most　immortals　would　have　found
range　enough。　　The　marvel　of　his　invention　was　still　fresh　in　the　minds
of　men；　and　time　had　not　dulled　in　any　measure　the　sense　of　its　novelty。
His　readers　all　fondly　identified　him　with　his　work；　and　I　fully　expected
to　find　myself　in　the　Autocrat's　presence　when　I　met　Dr。　　Holmes。　　But
the　fascination　was　none　the　less　for　that　reason；　and　the　winning　smile；
the　wise　and　humorous　glance；　the　whole　genial　manner　was　as　important　to
me　as　if　I　had　foreboded　something　altogether　different。　　I　found　him
physically　of　the　Napoleonic　height　which　spiritually　overtops　the　Alps；
and　I　could　look　into　his　face　without　that　unpleasant　effort　which
giants　of　inferior　mind　so　often　cost　the　man　of　five　feet　four。

A　little　while　after；　Fields　came　in；　and　then　our　number　and　my　pleasure
were　complete。

Nothing　else　so　richly　satisfactory；　indeed；　as　the　whole　affair　could
have　happened　to　a　like　youth　at　such　a　point　in　his　career；　and　when　I
sat　down　with　Doctor　Holmes　and　Mr。　Fields；　on　Lowell's　right；　I　felt
through　and　through　the　dramatic　perfection　of　the　event。　　The　kindly
Autocrat　recognized　some　such　quality　of　it　in　terms　which　were　not　the
less　precious　and　gracious　for　their　humorous　excess。　　I　have　no　reason
to　think　that　he　had　yet　read　any　of　my　poor　verses；　or　had　me　otherwise
than　wholly　on　trust　from　Lowell；　but　he　leaned　over　towards　his　host；
and　said；　with　a　laughing　look　at　me；　〃Well；　James；　this　is　something
like　the　apostolic　succession；　this　is　the　laying　on　of　hands。〃　　I　took
his　sweet　and　caressing　irony　as　he　meant　it；　but　the　charm　of　it　went　to
my　head　long　before　any　drop　of　wine；　together　with　the　charm　of　hearing
him　and　Lowell　calling　each　other　James　and　Wendell；　and　of　finding　them
still　cordially　boys　together。

I　would　gladly　have　glimmered　before　those　great　lights　in　the　talk　that
followed；　if　I　could　have　thought　of　anything　brilliant　to　say；　but　I
could　not；　and　so　I　let　them　shine　without　a　ray　of　reflected　splendor
from　me。　　It　was　such　talk　as　I　had；　of　course；　never　heard　before；　and
it　is　not　saying　enough　to　say　that　I　have　never　heard　such　talk　since
except　from　these　two　men。　　It　was　as　light　and　kind　as　it　was　deep　and
true；　and　it　ranged　over　a　hundred　things；　with　a　perpetual　sparkle　of
Doctor　Holmes's　wit；　and　the　constant　glow　of　Lowell's　incandescent
sense。　　From　time　to　time　Fields　came　in　with　one　of　his　delightful
stories　（sketches　of　character　they　were；　which　he　sometimes　did　not　mind
caricaturing）；　or　with　some　criticism　of　the　literary　situation　from　his
stand…point　of　both　lover　and　publisher　of　books。　　I　heard　fames　that　I
had　accepted　as　proofs　of　power　treated　as　factitious；　and　witnessed　a
frankness　concerning　authorship；　far　and　near；　that　I　had　not　dreamed　of
authors　using。　　When　Doctor　Holmes　understood　that　I　wrote　for　the
'Saturday　Press'；　which　was　running　amuck　among　some　Bostonian
immortalities　of　the　day；　he　seemed　willing　that　I　should　know　they　were
not　thought　so　very　undying　in　Boston；　and　that　I　should　not　take　the
notion　of　a　Mutual　Admiration　Society　too　seriously；　or　accept　the　New
York　Bohemian　view　of　Boston　as　true。　　For　the　most　part　the　talk　did　not
address　itself　to　me；　but　became　an　exchange　of　thoughts　and　fancies
between　himself　and　Lowell。　　They　touched；　I　remember；　on　certain　matters
of　technique；　and　the　doctor　confessed　that　he　had　a　prejudice　against
some　words　that　he　could　not　overcome；　for　instance；　he　said；　nothing
could　induce　him　to　use　'neath　for　beneath；　no　exigency　of　versification
or　stress　of　rhyme。　　Lowell　contended　that　he　would　use　any　word　that
carried　his　meaning；　and　I　think　he　did　this　to　the　hurt　of　some　of　his
earlier　things。　　He　was　then　probably　in　the　revolt　against　too　much
literature　in　literature；　which　every　one　is　destined　sooner　or　later　to
share；　there　was　a　certain　roughness；　very　like　crudeness；　which　he
indulged　before　his　thought　and　phrase　mellowed　to　one　music　in　his　later
work。　　I　tacitly　agreed　rather　with　the　doctor；　though　I　did　not　swerve
from　my　allegiance　to　Lowell；　and　if　I　had　spoken　I　should　have　sided
with　him：　I　would　have　given　that　or　any　other　proof　of　my　devotion。
Fields　casually　mentioned　that　he　thought　〃The　Dandelion〃　was　the　most
popularly　liked　of　Lowell's　briefer　poems；　and　I　made　haste　to　say　that　I
thought　so　too；　though　I　did　not　really　think　anything　about　it；　and　then
I　was　sorry；　for　I　could　see　that　the　poet　did　not　like　it；　quite；　and　I
felt　that　I　was　duly　punished　for　my　dishonesty。

Hawthorne　was　named　among　other　authors；　probably　by　Fields；　whose　house
had　just　publis