the americanization of edward bok-第13部分

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He　asked　the　boy　then　about　his　newspaper　work：　how　much　it　paid　him；　and　whether　he　felt　it　helped　him　in　an　educational　way。　The　boy　told　him　he　thought　it　did；　that　it　furnished　good　lessons　in　the　study　of　human　nature。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　believe　that；　so　long　as　it　is　good　journalism。〃

Edward　told　him　that　he　sometimes　wrote　for　the　Sunday　paper；　and　asked　the　preacher　what　he　thought　of　that。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　not　a　crime。〃

The　boy　asked　him　if　he；　then；　favored　the　Sunday　paper　more　than　did　some　other　clergymen。

〃There　is　always　good　in　everything；　I　think；〃　replied　Phillips　Brooks。　〃A　thing　must　be　pretty　bad　that　hasn't　some　good　in　it。〃　Then　he　stopped；　and　after　a　moment　went　on：　〃My　idea　is　that　the　fate　of　Sunday　newspapers　rests　very　much　with　Sunday　editors。　There　is　a　Sunday　newspaper　conceivable　in　which　we　should　all　rejoiceall；　that　is；　who　do　not　hold　that　a　Sunday　newspaper　is　always　and　per　se　wrong。　But　some　cause　has；　in　many　instances；　brought　it　about　that　the　Sunday　paper　is　below；　and　not　above；　the　standard　of　its　weekday　brethren。　I　mean　it　is　apt　to　be　more　gossipy；　more　personal；　more　sensational；　more　frivolous；　less　serious　and　thoughtful　and　suggestive。　Taking　for　granted　the　fact　of　special　leisure　on　the　part　of　its　readers；　it　is　apt　to　appeal　to　the　lower　and　not　to　the　higher　part　of　them；　which　the　Sunday　leisure　has　set　free。　Let　the　Sunday　newspaper　be　worthy　of　the　day；　and　the　day　will　not　reject　it。　So　I　say　its　fate　is　in　the　hands　of　its　editor。　He　can　give　it　such　a　character　as　will　make　all　good　men　its　champions　and　friends；　or　he　can　preserve　for　it　the　suspicion　and　dislike　in　which　it　stands　at　present。〃

Edward's　journalistic　instinct　here　got　into　full　play；　and　although；　as　he　assured　his　host；　he　had　had　no　such　thought　in　coming；　he　asked　whether　Doctor　Brooks　would　object　if　he　tried　his　reportorial　wings　by　experimenting　as　to　whether　he　could　report　the　talk。

〃I　do　not　like　the　papers　to　talk　about　me；〃　was　the　answer；　〃but　if　it　will　help　you；　go　ahead　and　practise　on　me。　You　haven't　stolen　my　books　when　you　were　told　to　do　so；　and　I　don't　think　you'll　steal　my　name。〃

The　boy　went　back　to　his　hotel；　and　wrote　an　article　much　as　this　account　is　here　written；　which　he　sent　to　Doctor　Brooks。　〃Let　me　keep　it　by　me；〃　the　doctor　wrote；　〃and　I　will　return　it　to　you　presently。〃

And　he　did；　with　his　comment　on　the　Sunday　newspaper；　just　as　it　is　given　here；　and　with　this　note：

　　If　I　must　go　into　the　　　newspapers　at　allwhich　　　I　should　always　vastly　　　prefer　to　avoidno　words　could　　　have　been　more　kind　than　　　those　of　your　article。　You　　　were　very　good　to　send　it　　　to　me。　I　am　ever　　　Sincerely；　Your　friend；　　　Phillips　Brooks

As　he　let　the　boy　out　of　his　house；　at　the　end　of　that　first　meeting；　he　said　to　him：

〃And　you're　going　from　me　now　to　see　Emerson？　I　don't　know；〃　he　added　reflectively；　〃whether　you　will　see　him　at　his　best。　Still；　you　may。　And　even　if　you　do　not；　to　have　seen　him；　even　as　you　may　see　him；　is　better；　in　a　way；　than　not　to　have　seen　him　at　all。〃

Edward　did　not　know　what　Phillips　Brooks　meant。　But　he　was；　sadly；　to　find　out　the　next　day。

A　boy　of　sixteen　was　pretty　sure　of　a　welcome　from　Louisa　Alcott；　and　his　greeting　from　her　was　spontaneous　and　sincere。

〃Why；　you　good　boy；〃　she　said；　〃to　come　all　the　way　to　Concord　to　see　us；〃　quite　for　all　the　world　as　if　she　were　the　one　favored。　〃Now　take　your　coat　off；　and　come　right　in　by　the　fire。〃

〃Do　tell　me　all　about　your　visit；〃　she　continued。

Before　that　cozey　fire　they　chatted。　It　was　pleasant　to　the　boy　to　sit　there　with　that　sweet…faced　woman　with　those　kindly　eyes！　After　a　while　she　said：　〃Now　I　shall　put　on　my　coat　and　hat；　and　we　shall　walk　over　to　Emerson's　house。　I　am　almost　afraid　to　promise　that　you　will　see　him。　He　sees　scarcely　any　one　now。　He　is　feeble；　and〃　She　did　not　finish　the　sentence。　〃But　we'll　walk　over　there；　at　any　rate。〃

She　spoke　mostly　of　her　father　as　the　two　walked　along；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　his　condition　was　now　the　one　thought　of　her　life。　Presently　they　reached　Emerson's　house；　and　Miss　Emerson　welcomed　them　at　the　door。　After　a　brief　chat　Miss　Alcott　told　of　the　boy's　hope。　Miss　Emerson　shook　her　head。

〃Father　sees　no　one　now；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　fear　it　might　not　be　a　pleasure　if　you　did　see　him。〃

Then　Edward　told　her　what　Phillips　Brooks　had　said。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　see。〃

She　had　scarcely　left　the　room　when　Miss　Alcott　rose　and　followed　her；　saying　to　the　boy：　〃You　shall　see　Mr。　Emerson　if　it　is　at　all　possible。〃

In　a　few　minutes　Miss　Alcott　returned；　her　eyes　moistened；　and　simply　said：　〃Come。〃

The　boy　followed　her　through　two　rooms；　and　at　the　threshold　of　the　third　Miss　Emerson　stood；　also　with　moistened　eyes。

〃Father；〃　she　said　simply；　and　there；　at　his　desk；　sat　Emersonthe　man　whose　words　had　already　won　Edward　Bok's　boyish　interest；　and　who　was　destined　to　impress　himself　upon　his　life　more　deeply　than　any　other　writer。

Slowly；　at　the　daughter's　spoken　word；　Emerson　rose　with　a　wonderful　quiet　dignity；　extended　his　hand；　and　as　the　boy's　hand　rested　in　his；　looked　him　full　in　the　eyes。

No　light　of　welcome　came　from　those　sad　yet　tender　eyes。　The　boy　closed　upon　the　hand　in　his　with　a　loving　pressure；　and　for　a　single　moment　the　eyelids　rose；　a　different　look　came　into　those　eyes；　and　Edward　felt　a　slight；　perceptible　response　of　the　hand。　But　that　was　all！

Quietly　he　motioned　the　boy　to　a　chair　beside　the　desk。　Edward　sat　down　and　was　about　to　say　something；　when；　instead　of　seating　himself；　Emerson　walked　away　to　the　window　and　stood　there　softly　whistling　and　looking　out　as　if　there　were　no　one　in　the　room。　Edward's　eyes　had　followed　Emerson's　every　footstep；　when　the　boy　was　aroused　by　hearing　a　suppressed　sob；　and　as　he　looked　around　he　saw　that　it　came　from　Miss　Emerson。　Slowly　she　walked　out　of　the　room。　The　boy　looked　at　Miss　Alcott；　and　she　put　her　finger　to　her　mouth；　indicating　silence。　He　was　nonplussed。

Edward　looked　toward　Emerson　standing　in　that　window；　and　wondered　what　it　all　meant。　Presently　Emerson　left　the　window　and；　crossing　the　room；　came　to　his　desk；　bowing　to　the　boy　as　he　passed；　and　seated　himself；　not　speaking　a　word　and　ignoring　the　presence　of　the　two　persons　in　the　room。

Suddenly　the　boy　heard　Miss　Alcott　say：　〃Have　you　read　this　new　book　by　Ruskin　yet？〃

Slowly　the　great　master　of　thought　lifted　his　eyes　from　his　desk；　turned　toward　the　speaker；　rose　with　stately　courtesy　from　his　chair；　and；　bowing　to　Miss　Alcott；　said　with　great　deliberation：　〃Did　you　speak　to　me；　madam？〃

The　boy　was　dumfounded！　Louisa　Alcott；　his　Louisa！　And　he　did　not　know　her！　Suddenly　the　whole　sad　truth　flashed　upon　the　boy。　Tears　sprang　into　Miss　Alcott's　eyes；　and　she　walked　to　the　other　side　of　the　room。　The　boy　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do；　so　he　sat　silent。　With　a　deliberate　movement　Emerson　resumed　his　seat；　and　slowly　his　eyes　roamed　over　the　boy　sitting　at　the　side　of　the　desk。　He　felt　he　should　say　something。

〃I　thought；　perhaps；　Mr。　Emerson；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　might　be　able　to　favor　me　with　a　letter　from　Carlyle。〃

At　the　mention