第 31 节
作者:理性的思索      更新:2024-09-11 20:30      字数:9321
  realized what a big place it is。〃
  And then Tripp joined in with a little grating laugh that he had;  still trying to drag in a little story or drama to earn the miserable  dollar that he craved。
  〃Oh; the boys from the country forget a lot when they come to the city  and learn something。  I guess George; maybe; is on the bum; or got  roped in by some other girl; or maybe gone to the dogs on account of  whiskey or the races。  You listen to Mr。  Chalmers and go back home;  and you'll be all right。〃
  But now the time was come for action; for the hands of the clock were  moving close to noon。  Frowning upon Tripp; I argued gently and  philosophically with Miss Lowery; delicately convincing her of the  importance of returning home at once。  And I impressed upon her the  truth that it would not be absolutely necessary to her future  happiness that she mention to Hi the wonders or the fact of her visit  to the city that had swallowed up the unlucky George。
  She said she had left her horse (unfortunate Rosinante) tied to a tree  near the railroad station。  Tripp and I gave her instructions to mount  the patient steed as soon as she arrived and ride home as fast as  possible。  There she was to recount the exciting adventure of a day  spent with Susie Adams。  She could 〃fix〃 SusieI was sure of that and all would be well。
  And then; being susceptible to the barbed arrows of beauty; I warmed  to the adventure。  The three of us hurried to the ferry; and there I  found the price of a ticket to Greenburg to be but a dollar and eighty  cents。  I bought one; and a red; red rose with the twenty cents for  Miss Lowery。  We saw her aboard her ferryboat; and stood watching her  wave her handkerchief at us until it was the tiniest white patch  imaginable。  And then Tripp and I faced each other; brought back to  earth; left dry and desolate in the shade of the sombre verities of  life。
  The spell wrought by beauty and romance was dwindling。  I looked at  Tripp and almost sneered。  He looked more careworn; contemptible; and  disreputable than ever。  I fingered the two silver dollars remaining  in my pocket and looked at him with the half…closed eyelids of  contempt。  He mustered up an imitation of resistance。
  〃Can't you get a story out of it?〃 he asked; huskily。  〃Some sort of a  story; even if you have to fake part of it?〃
  〃Not a line;〃 said I。  〃I can fancy the look on Grimes' face if I  should try to put over any slush like this。  But we've helped the  little lady out; and that'll have to be our only reward。〃
  〃I'm sorry;〃 said Tripp; almost inaudibly。  〃I'm sorry you're out your  money。  Now; it seemed to me like a find of a big story; you know that is; a sort of thing that would write up pretty well。〃
  〃Let's try to forget it;〃 said I; with a praiseworthy attempt at  gayety; 〃and take the next car 'cross town。〃
  I steeled myself against his unexpressed but palpable desire。  He  should not coax; cajole; or wring from me the dollar he craved。  I had  had enough of that wild…goose chase。
  Tripp feebly unbuttoned his coat of the faded pattern and glossy seams  to reach for something that had once been a handkerchief deep down in  some obscure and cavernous pocket。  As he did so I caught the shine of  a cheap silver…plated watch…chain across his vest; and something  dangling from it caused me to stretch forth my hand and seize it  curiously。  It was the half of a silver dime that had been cut in  halves with a chisel。 〃What!〃 I said; looking at him keenly。
  〃Oh yes;〃 he responded; dully。  〃George Brown; alias Tripp。  what's  the use?〃
  Barring the W。  C。  T。  U。; I'd like to know if anybody disapproves of  my having produced promptly from my pocket Tripp's whiskey dollar and  unhesitatingly laying it in his hand。
  THE HIGHER PRAGMATISM
  I
  Where to go for wisdom has become a question of serious import。  The  ancients are discredited; Plato is boiler…plate; Aristotle is  tottering; Marcus Aurelius is reeling; Aesop has been copyrighted by  Indiana; Solomon is too solemn; you couldn't get anything out of  Epictetus with a pick。
  The ant; which for many years served as a model of intelligence and  industry in the school…readers; has been proven to be a doddering  idiot and a waster of time and effort。  The owl to…day is hooted at。   Chautauqua conventions have abandoned culture and adopted diabolo。   Graybeards give glowing testimonials to the venders of patent hair… restorers。  There are typographical errors in the almanacs published  by the daily newspapers。  College professors have become
  But there shall be no personalities。  To sit in classes; to delve into  the encyclopedia or the past…performances page; will not make us wise。   As the poet says; 〃Knowledge comes; but wisdom lingers。〃  Wisdom is  dew; which; while we know it not; soaks into us; refreshes us; and  makes us grow。  Knowledge is a strong stream of water turned on us  through a hose。  It disturbs our roots。
  Then; let us rather gather wisdom。  But how to do so requires  knowledge。  If we know a thing; we know it; but very often we are not  wise to it that we are wise; and
  But let's go on with the story。
  II
  Once upon a time I found a ten…cent magazine lying on a bench in a  little city park。  Anyhow; that was the amount he asked me for when I  sat on the bench next to him。  He was a musty; dingy; and tattered  magazine; with some queer stories bound in him; I was sure。  He turned  out to be a scrap…book。
  〃I am a newspaper reporter;〃 I said to him; to try him。  〃I have been  detailed to write up some of the experiences of the unfortunate ones  who spend their evenings in this park。  May I ask you to what you  attribute your downfall in〃
  I was interrupted by a laugh from my purchasea laugh so rusty and  unpractised that I was sure it had been his first for many a day。
  〃Oh; no; no;〃 said he。  〃You ain't a reporter。  Reporters don't talk  that way。  They pretend to be one of us; and say they've just got in  on the blind baggage from St。  Louis。  I can tell a reporter on sight。   Us park bums get to be fine judges of human nature。  We sit here all  day and watch the people go by。  I can size up anybody who walks past  my bench in a way that would surprise you。〃
  〃Well;〃 I said; 〃go on and tell me。  How do you size me up?〃
  〃I should say;〃 said the student of human nature with unpardonable  hesitation; 〃that you was; say; in the contracting businessor maybe  worked in a storeor was a sign…painter。  You stopped in the park to  finish your cigar; and thought you'd get a little free monologue out  of me。  Still; you might be a plasterer or a lawyerit's getting kind  of dark; you see。  And your wife won't let you smoke at home。〃
  I frowned gloomily。
  〃But; judging again;〃 went on the reader of men; 〃I'd say you ain't  got a wife。〃
  〃No;〃 said I; rising restlessly。  〃No; no; no; I ain't。  But I will  have; by the arrows of Cupid! That is; if〃
  My voice must have trailed away and muffled itself in uncertainty and  despair。
  〃I see you have a story yourself;〃 said the dusty vagrantimpudently;  it seemed to me。  〃Suppose you take your dime back and spin your yarn  for me。  I'm interested myself in the ups and downs of unfortunate  ones who spend their evenings in the park。〃
  Somehow; that amused me。  I looked at the frowsy derelict with more  interest。  I did have a story。  Why not tell it to him?  I had told  none of my friends。  I had always been a reserved and bottled…up man。   It was psychical timidity or sensitiveness…perhaps both。  And I smiled  to myself in wonder when I felt an impulse to confide in this stranger  and vagabond。
  〃Jack;〃 said I。
  〃Mack;〃 said he。
  〃Mack;〃 said I; 〃I'll tell you。〃
  〃Do you want the dime back in advance ?〃 said he。
  I handed him a dollar。
  〃The dime;〃 said I; 〃was the price of listening to your story。〃
  〃Right on the point of the jaw;〃 said he。  〃Go on。〃
  And then; incredible as it may seem to the lovers in the world who  confide their sorrows only to the night wind and the gibbous moon; I  laid bare my secret to that wreck of all things that you would have  supposed to be in sympathy with love。
  I told him of the days and weeks and months that I had spent in  adoring Mildred Telfair。  I spoke of my despair; my grievous days and  wakeful nights; my dwindling hopes and distress of mind。  I even  pictured to this night…prowler her beauty and dignity; the great sway  she had in society; and the magnificence of her life as the elder  daughter of an ancient race whose pride overbalanced the dollars of  the city's millionaires。
  〃Why don't you cop the lady out?〃 asked Mack; bringing me down to  earth and dialect again。
  I explained to him that my worth was so small; my income so minute;  and my fears so large that I hadn't the courage to speak to her of my  worship。  I told him that in her presence I could only blush and  stammer; and that she looked upon me with a wonderful; maddening smile  of amusement。
  〃She kind of moves in the professional class; don't she?〃 asked Mack。
  〃The Telfair family〃 I began; haughtily。
  〃I mean professional beauty;〃 said my hearer。
  〃She is greatly and widely admired;〃 I answered; cautiously。
  〃Any sisters?〃
  〃One。〃
  〃You