condensed novels-第9部分

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classic　nob　of　the　infant　Italian；　he　said　softly；　like　a　strain　of
distant　music：

〃Boy；　you　have　done　well。　　Love　the　Good。　　Protect　the　Innocent。
Provide　for　The　Indigent。　　Respect　the　Philosopher。　。　。　。　　Stay！
Can　you　tell　we　what　IS　The　True；　The　Beautiful；　The　Innocent；　The
Virtuous？〃

〃They　are　things　that　commence　with　a　capital　letter；〃　said　the
Boy；　promptly。

〃Enough！　　Respect　everything　that　commences　with　a　capital　letter！
Respect　ME！〃　and　dropping　a　half…penny　in　the　hand　of　the　boy；　he
departed。

The　Boy　gazed　fixedly　at　the　coin。　　A　frightful　and　instantaneous
change　overspread　his　features。　　His　noble　brow　was　corrugated　with
baser　lines　of　calculation。　　His　black　eye；　serpent…like；　glittered
with　suppressed　passion。　　Dropping　upon　his　hands　and　feet；　he
crawled　to　the　curbstone　and　hissed　after　the　retreating　form　of
the　Baronet；　the　single　word：

〃Bilk！〃


BOOK　II。

IN　THE　WORLD。


〃Eleven　years　ago；〃　said　Sir　Edward　to　himself；　as　his　brougham
slowly　rolled　him　toward　the　Committee　Room；　〃just　eleven　years　ago
my　natural　son　disappeared　mysteriously。　　I　have　no　doubt　in　the
world　but　that　this　little　bootblack　is　he。　　His　mother　died　in
Italy。　　He　resembles　his　mother　very　much。　　Perhaps　I　ought　to
provide　for　him。　　Shall　I　disclose　myself？　　No！　no！　　Better　he
should　taste　the　sweets　of　Labor。　　Penury　ennobles　the　mind　and
kindles　the　Love　of　the　Beautiful。　　I　will　act　to　him；　not　like　a
Father；　not　like　a　Guardian；　not　like　a　Friendbut　like　a
Philosopher！〃

With　these　words；　Sir　Edward　entered　the　Committee　Room。　　His
Secretary　approached　him。　　〃Sir　Edward；　there　are　fears　of　a
division　in　the　House；　and　the　Prime　Minister　has　sent　for　you。〃

〃I　will　be　there；〃　said　Sir　Edward；　as　he　placed　his　hand　on　his
chest　and　uttered　a　hollow　cough！

No　one　who　heard　the　Baronet　that　night；　in　his　sarcastic　and
withering　speech　on　the　Drainage　and　Sewerage　Bill；　would　have
recognized　the　lover　of　the　Ideal　and　the　Philosopher　of　the
Beautiful。　　No　one　who　listened　to　his　eloquence　would　have　dreamed
of　the　Spartan　resolution　this　iron　man　had　taken　in　regard　to　the
Lost　Boyhis　own　beloved　Lionel。　　None！

〃A　fine　speech　from　Sir　Edward　to…night；〃　said　Lord　Billingsgate；
as；　arm…and…arm　with　the　Premier；　he　entered　his　carriage。

〃Yes！　but　how　dreadfully　he　coughs！〃

〃Exactly。　　Dr。　Bolus　says　his　lungs　are　entirely　gone；　he　breathes
entirely　by　an　effort　of　will；　and　altogether　independent　of
pulmonary　assistance。〃

〃How　strange！〃　and　the　carriage　rolled　away。


BOOK　III。

THE　DWELLER　OF　THE　THRESHOLD。


〃ADON　AI；　appear！　appear！〃

And　as　the　Seer　spoke；　the　awful　Presence　glided　out　of
Nothingness；　and　sat；　sphinx…like；　at　the　feet　of　the　Alchemist。

〃I　am　come！〃　said　the　Thing。

〃You　should　say；　'I　have　come；'it's　better　grammar；〃　said　the
Boy…Neophyte；　thoughtfully　accenting　the　substituted　expression。

〃Hush；　rash　Boy；〃　said　the　Seer；　sternly。　　〃Would　you　oppose　your
feeble　knowledge　to　the　infinite　intelligence　of　the　Unmistakable？
A　word；　and　you　are　lost　forever。〃

The　Boy　breathed　a　silent　prayer；　and；　handing　a　sealed　package　to
the　Seer；　begged　him　to　hand　it　to　his　father　in　case　of　his
premature　decease。

〃You　have　sent　for　me；〃　hissed　the　Presence。　　〃Behold　me；
Apokatharticon；the　Unpronounceable。　　In　me　all　things　exist　that
are　not　already　coexistent。　　I　am　the　Unattainable；　the　Intangible；
the　Cause；　and　the　Effect。　　In　me　observe　the　Brahma　of　Mr。
Emerson；　not　only　Brahma　himself；　but　also　the　sacred　musical
composition　rehearsed　by　the　faithful　Hindoo。　　I　am　the　real　Gyges。
None　others　are　genuine。〃

And　the　veiled　Son　of　the　Starbeam　laid　himself　loosely　about　the
room；　and　permeated　Space　generally。

〃Unfathomable　Mystery；〃　said　the　Rosicrucian　in　a　low；　sweet　voice。
〃Brave　Child　with　the　Vitreous　Optic！　　Thou　who　pervadest　all
things　and　rubbest　against　us　without　abrasion　of　the　cuticle。　　I
command　thee；　speak！〃

And　the　misty；　intangible；　indefinite　Presence　spoke。


BOOK　IV。

MYSELF。


After　the　events　related　in　the　last　chapter；　the　reader　will
perceive　that　nothing　was　easier　than　to　reconcile　Sir　Edward　to
his　son　Lionel；　nor　to　resuscitate　the　beautiful　Italian　girl；　who；
it　appears；　was　not　dead；　and　to　cause　Sir　Edward　to　marry　his
first　and　boyish　love；　whom　he　had　deserted。　　They　were　married　in
St。　George's；　Hanover　Square。　　As　the　bridal　party　stood　before　the
altar；　Sir　Edward；　with　a　sweet　sad　smile；　said；　in　quite　his　old
manner：

〃The　Sublime　and　Beautiful　are　the　Real；　the　only　Ideal　is　the
Ridiculous　and　Homely。　　Let　us　always　remember　this。　　Let　us
through　life　endeavor　to　personify　the　virtues；　and　always　begin
'em　with　a　capital　letter。　　Let　us；　whenever　we　can　find　an
opportunity；　deliver　our　sentiments　in　the　form　of　round…hand
copies。　　Respect　the　Aged。　　Eschew　Vulgarity。　　Admire　Ourselves。
Regard　the　Novelist。〃



THE　HAUNTED　MAN。

A　CHRISTMAS　STORY。

BY　CHRS　DCKNS。


PART　I。

THE　FIRST　PHANTOM。


Don't　tell　me　that　it　wasn't　a　knocker。　　I　had　seen　it　often
enough；　and　I　ought　to　know。　　So　ought　the　three…o'clock　beer；　in
dirty　high…lows；　swinging　himself　over　the　railing；　or　executing　a
demoniacal　jig　upon　the　doorstep；　so　ought　the　butcher；　although
butchers　as　a　general　thing　are　scornful　of　such　trifles；　so　ought
the　postman；　to　whom　knockers　of　the　most　extravagant　description
were　merely　human　weaknesses；　that　were　to　be　pitied　and　used。　　And
so　ought；　for　the　matter　of　that；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。

But　then　it　was　SUCH　a　knocker。　　A　wild；　extravagant；　and　utterly
incomprehensible　knocker。　　A　knocker　so　mysterious　and　suspicious
that　Policeman　X　37；　first　coming　upon　it；　felt　inclined　to　take　it
instantly　in　custody；　but　compromised　with　his　professional
instincts　by　sharply　and　sternly　noting　it　with　an　eye　that
admitted　of　no　nonsense；　but　confidently　expected　to　detect　its
secret　yet。　　An　ugly　knocker；　a　knocker　with　a　hard；　human　face；
that　was　a　type　of　the　harder　human　face　within。　　A　human　face　that
held　between　its　teeth　a　brazen　rod。　　So　hereafter；　in　the
mysterious　future　should　be　held；　etc。；　etc。

But　if　the　knocker　had　a　fierce　human　aspect　in　the　glare　of　day；
you　should　have　seen　it　at　night；　when　it　peered　out　of　the
gathering　shadows　and　suggested　an　ambushed　figure；　when　the　light
of　the　street　lamps　fell　upon　it；　and　wrought　a　play　of　sinister
expression　in　its　hard　outlines；　when　it　seemed　to　wink　meaningly
at　a　shrouded　figure　who；　as　the　night　fell　darkly；　crept　up　the
steps　and　passed　into　the　mysterious　house；　when　the　swinging　door
disclosed　a　black　passage　into　which　the　figure　seemed　to　lose
itself　and　become　a　part　of　the　mysterious　gloom；　when　the　night
grew　boisterous　and　the　fierce　wind　made　furious　charges　at　the
knocker；　as　if　to　wrench　it　off　and　carry　it　away　in　triumph。　　Such
a　night　as　this。

It　was　a　wild　and　pitiless　wind。　　A　wind　that　had　commenced　life　as
a　gentle　country　zephyr；　but　wandering　through　manufacturing　towns
had　become　demoralized；　and　reaching　the　city　had　plunged　into
extravagant　dissipation　and　wild　excesses。　　A　roistering　wind　that
indulged　in　Bacchanalian　shouts　on　the　street　corners；　that　knocked
off　the　hats　from　the　heads　of　helpless　passengers；　and　then
fulfilled　its　duties　by　speeding　away；　like　all　young　prodigals；
to　sea。

He　sat　alone　in　a　gloomy　library　listening　to　the　wind　that　roared
in　the　chimney。　　Around　him　novels　and　story…books　were　strewn
thickly；　in　his　lap　he　held　one　with　its　pages　freshly　cut；　and
turned　the　leaves　wearily　until　his　eyes　rested　upon　a　portrait　in
its　frontispiece。　　And　as　the　wind　howled　the　more　fiercely；　and
the　darkness　without　fell　blacker；　a　strange　and　fateful　likeness
to　that　portrait　appeared　above　his　chair　and　leaned　upon　his
shoulder。　　The　Haunted　Man　gazed　at　the　portrait　and　sighed。　　The
figure　gazed　at　the　portrait　and　sighed　too。

〃Here　again？〃　said　the　Haunted　Man。

〃Here　again；〃　it　repeated　in　a　low　voice。

〃Another　novel？〃

〃Another　novel。〃

〃The　old　story？〃

〃The　old　story。〃

〃I　see　a　child；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man；　gazing　from　the　pages　of　the
book　into　the　fire；〃a　most　unnatural　child；　a　model　infant。　　It
is　prematurely　old　and　philosophic。　　It　dies　in　poverty　to　slow
music。　　It　dies　surrounded　by　luxury　to　slow　music。　　It　dies　with
an　accompaniment　of　golden　water　and　rattling　carts　to　slow　music。
Previous　to　its　decease　it　makes　a　will；　it　repeats　the　Lord's
Prayer；　it　kisses　the　'boofer　lady。'　　That　child〃

〃Is　mine；〃　said　the　phantom。

〃I　see　a　good　woman；　undersized。　　I　see　several　charming　women；　but
they　are　all　undersized。　　They　are　more　or　less　imbecile　and
idiotic；　but　always　fascinating　and　undersized。　　They　wear
coquettish　caps　and　aprons。　　I　observe　that　feminine　virtue　is
invariably　below　the　medium　height；　and　that　it　is　always　simple
and　infantine。　　These　women〃

〃Are　mine。〃

〃I　see　a　haughty；　proud；　and　wicked　lady。　　She　is　tall　and　queenly。
I　remark　that　all　proud　and　wicked　women　are　tall　and　queenly。
That　woman〃

〃Is　mine；〃　said　the　phantom；　wringing　his　hands。

〃I　see　several　things　continually　impending。　　I　observe　that
whenever　an　accident；　a　murder；　or　death　is　about　to　happen；　there
is　something　in　the　furniture；　in　the　locality；　in　the　atmosphere；
that　foreshadows　and　suggests　it　years　in　advance。　　I　cannot　say
that　in　real　life　I　have　noticed　it；the　perception　of　this
surprising　fact　belongs〃

〃To　me！〃　said　the　phantom。　　The　Haunted　Man　continued；　in　a
despairing　tone：

〃I　see　the　influence　of　this　in　the　magazines　and　daily　papers；　I
see　weak　imitators　rise　up　and　enfeeble　the　world　with　senseless
formula。　　I　am　getting　tired　of　it。　　It　won't　do；　Charles！　it　won't
do！〃　and　the　Haunted　Man　buried　his　head　in　his　hands　and　groaned。
The　figure　looked　down　upon　him　sternly：　the　portrait　in　the
frontispiece　frowned　as　he　gazed。

〃Wretched　man；〃　said　the　phantom；　〃and　how　have　these　things
affected　you？〃

〃Once　I　laughed　and　cried；　but　then　I　was　younger。　　Now；　I　would
forget　them　if　I　could。〃

〃Have　then　your　wish。　　And　take　this　with　you；　man　whom　I　renounce。
From　this　day　henceforth　you　shall　l