第10章
WelaughedoverthisessayoftheoldProfessor；thoughithitusprettyhard。Thebestpartofthejokeisthattheoldmanhimselfpublishedathinvolumeofpoemswhenhewasyoung，whichthereisgoodreasontothinkheisnotveryproudof，astheysayhebuysupallthecopieshecanfindintheshops。Nomatterwhattheysay，I
can"thelpagreeingwithhimaboutthisgreatfloodof"poetry，"asitcallsitself，andlookingattherhymingmaniamuchashedoes。
HowIdoloverealpoetry!Thatisthereasonhaterhymeswhichhavenotaparticleofitinthem。Thefoolishscribblersthatdealinthemarelikebadworkmeninacarpenter"sshop。Theynotonlyturnoutbadjobsofwork，buttheyspoilthetoolsforbetterworkmen。
ThereishardlyapairofrhymesintheEnglishlanguagethatisnotsodulledandhackedandgappedbythese"prenticehandsthatamasterofthecrafthatestotouchthem，andyethecannotverywelldowithoutthem。IhavenotbeenbesiegedastheoldProfessorhasbeenwithsuchmultitudesofwould-be-poeticalaspirantsthathecouldnotevenreadtheirmanuscripts，butIhavehadagoodmanyletterscontainingverses，andIhavewarnedthewritersofthedelusionunderwhichtheywerelaboring。
YoumayliketoknowthatIhavejustbeentranslatingsomeextractsfromtheGreekAnthology。
Isendyouafewspecimensofmywork，withaDedicationtotheShadeofSappho。IhopeyouwillfindsomethingoftheGreekrhythminmyversions，andthatIhavecaughtasparkofinspirationfromtheimpassionedLesbian。Ihavefoundgreatdelightinthiswork，atanyrate，andamneversohappyaswhenIreadfrommymanuscriptorrepeatfrommemorythelinesintowhichIhavetransferredthethoughtofthemenandwomenoftwothousandyearsago，orgivenrhythmicalexpressiontomyownrapturousfeelingswithregardtothem。ImustreadyoumyDedicationtotheShadeofSappho。Icannothelpthinkingthatyouwilllikeitbetterthaneitherofmylasttwo，TheSongoftheRoses，orTheWailoftheWeeds。
HowIdomissyou，dearest!Iwantyou:IwantyoutolistentowhatIhavewritten；Iwantyoutohearallaboutmyplansforthefuture；
Iwanttolookatyou，andthinkhowgranditmustbetofeelone"sselftobesuchanobleandbeautiful-creature；Iwanttowanderinthewoodswithyou，tofloatonthelake，toshareyourlifeandtalkovereveryday"sdoingswithyou。Alas!Ifeelthatwehavepartedastwofriendspartataportofembarkation:theyembrace，theykisseachother"scheeks，theycovertheirfacesandweep，theytrytospeakgood-bytoeachother，theywatchfromthepierandfromthedeck；thetwoformsgrowlessandless，fainterandfainterinthedistance，twowhitehandkerchiefsflutteronceandagain，andyetoncemore，andthelastvisiblelinkofthechainwhichbindsthemhasparted。Dear，dear，dearestEuthymia，myeyesarerunningoverwithtearswhenIthinkthatwemaynever，nevermeetagain。
Don"tyouwantsomemoreitemsofvillagenews？Wearethreatenedwithaninfluxofstylishpeople:"Buttons"toanswerthedoor-bell，inplaceofthechamber-maid；"butler，"inplaceofthe"hiredman；"
footmanintop-bootsandbreeches，cockadeonhat，armsfoldedalaNapoleon；tandems，"drags，"dogcarts，andgo-cartsofallsorts。Itisratheramusingtolookattheirambitiousdisplays，butittakesawaythegoodoldcountryflavoroftheplace。
Idon"tbelieveyoumeantotrytoastonishuswhenyoucomebacktospendyoursummershere。Isupposeyoumusthavealargehouse，andIamsureyouwillhaveabeautifulone。Isupposeyouwillhavesomefinehorses，andwhowouldn"tbegladto？ButIdonotbelieveyouwilltrytomakeyouroldArrowheadVillagefriendsstaretheireyesoutoftheirheadswithadisplaymeanttooutshineeverybodyelsethatcomeshere。Youcanhaveayachtonthelake，ifyoulike，butIhopeyouwillpullapairofoarsinouroldboatonceinawhile，withmetosteeryou。Iknowyouwillbejustthesamedear-
Euthymiayoualwayswereandalwaysmustbe。HowhappyyoumustmakesuchamanasMauriceKirkwood!Andhowhappyyououghttobewithhim!——amanwhoknowswhatisinbooks，andwhohasseenforhimself，whatisinmen。Ifhehasnotseensomuchofwomen，wherecouldhestudyallthatisbestinwomanhoodashecaninhisownwife？OnlyonethingthatdearEuthymialacks。Sheisnotquitepronouncedenoughinherviewsastotherightsandthewrongsofthesex。WhenIvisityou，asyousayIshall，ImeantoindoctrinateMauricewithsoundviewsonthatsubject。IhavewrittenanessayfortheSociety，whichIhopewillgoagoodwaytowardsansweringalltheobjectionstofemalesuffrage。Imeantoreadittoyourhusband，ifyouwillletme，asIknowyouwill，andperhapsyouwouldliketohearit，——onlyyouknowmythoughtsonthesubjectprettywellalready。
Withallsortsofkindmessagestoyourdearhusband，andlovetoyourpreciousself，IameveryourLURIDA。
DR。BUTTSTOMRS。EUTHYMIAKIRKWOOD。
MYDEAREUTHYMIA，——Mypenrefusestocallyoubyanyothername。
Sweet-souledyouare，andyourLatinizedGreeknameis——theonewhichtrulydesignatesyou。Icannottellyouhowwehavefollowedyou，withwhatinterestanddelightthroughyourtravels，asyouhavetoldtheirstoryinyourletterstoyourmother。Shehasletushavetheprivilegeofreadingthem，andwehavebeenwithyouinsteamer，yacht，felucca，gondola，Nile-boat；inallsortsofplaces，fromcrowdedcapitalsto"desertswherenomenabide，"——everywherekeepingcompanywithyouinyournaturalandpleasantdescriptionsofyourexperiences。AndnowthatyouhavereturnedtoyourhomeinthegreatcityImustwriteyouafewlinesofwelcome，ifnothingmore。
YouwillfindArrowheadVillageagooddealchangedsinceyouleftit。Wearediscoveredbysomeofthoseover-richpeoplewhomakethelittleplaceuponwhichtheyswarmakindofruralcity。Whenthishappenstheconsequencesarestriking，——someofthemdesirableandsomefarotherwise。Theeffectofwell-built，well-furnished，well-
kepthousesandofhandsomegroundsalwaysmaintainedingoodorderaboutthemshowsitselfinalargecircuitaroundthefashionablecentre。Housesgetonanewcoatofpaint，fencesarekeptinbetterorder，littleplotsofflowersshowthemselveswhereonlyraggedweedshadrioted，theinhabitantspresentthemselvesinmorecomelyattireanddriveinhandsomervehicleswithmorecarefullygroomedhorses。Ontheotherhand，thereisanaturaljealousyonthepartofthenativesoftheregionsuddenlybecomefashionable。Theyhaveseenthelandtheysoldatfarmpricesbytheacrecomingtobevaluedbythefoot，likethecornerlotsinacity。Theirsimpleandhumblemodesoflifelookalmostpoverty-strickenintheglareofwealthandluxurywhichsooutshinestheirplainwayofliving。Itistruethatmanyofthemhavefoundthemselvesricherthaninformerdays，whentheneighborhoodlivedonitsownresources。Theyknowhowtoavailthemselvesoftheiralteredposition，andsoonlearntochargecitypricesforcountryproducts；butnothingcanmakepeoplefeelrichwhoseethemselvessurroundedbymenwhoseyearlyincomeismanytimestheirownwholecapital。Ithinkitwouldbebetterifourrichmenscatteredthemselvesmorethantheydo，——buyinglargecountryestates，buildinghousesandstableswhichwillmakeiteasytoentertaintheirfriends，anddependingforsocietyonchosenguestsratherthanonthemobofmillionaireswhocometogetherforsocialrivalry。ButIdonotfretmyselfaboutit。
Societywillstratifyitselfaccordingtothelawsofsocialgravitation。Itwilltakeagenerationortwomore，perhaps，toarrangethestratabyprecipitationandsettlement，butwecanalwaysdependononeprincipletogovernthearrangementofthelayers。
Peopleinterestedinthesamethingswillnaturallycometogether。
Theyouthfulheirsoffortuneswhokeepsplendidyachtshavelittletotalkaboutwiththeoarsmanwhopullsaboutonthelakeortheriver。WhatdoesyoungDives，whodriveshisfour-in-handandkeepsastablefullofhorses，careaboutLazarus，whofeelsrichinthepossessionofahorse-railroadticket？Youknowhowweliveatourhouse，plainly，butwithacertaindegreeofcultivatedpropriety。
Wemakenopretensionstowhatiscalled"style。”Wearestillinthatsocialstratumwherethearticlecalled"anapkin-ring"isrecognizedasadmissibleatthedinner-table。Thatfactsufficientlydefinesourmodestpretensions。Thenapkin-ringistheboundarymarkbetweencertainclasses。ButoneeveningMrs。ButtsandIwentouttoapartygivenbytheladyofaworthyfamily，wherethenapkinitselfwasanewlyintroducedluxury。Theconversationofthehostessandhergueststurnedupondetailsofthekitchenandthelaundry；uponthebestmodeofraisingbread，whetherwith"emptins"
(emptyings，yeast)orbakingpowder；about"bluing"andstarchingandcrimping，andsimilarmatters。PoorMrs。Butts!SheknewnothingmoreaboutsuchthingsthanherhostessdidaboutShakespeareandthemusicalglasses。Whatwastheuseoftryingtoenforcesocialintercourseundersuchconditions？Incompatibilityoftemperhasbeenconsideredgroundforadivorce；incompatibilityofinterestsisasufficientwarrantforsocialseparation。Themultimillionaireshavesomuchthatiscommonamongthemselves，andsolittlethattheysharewithusofmoderatemeans，thattheywillnaturallyformaspecializedclass，andinvirtueoftheirpalaces，theirpicture-
galleries，theirequipages，theiryachts，theirlargehospitality，constituteakindofexclusivearistocracy。Religion，whichoughttobethegreatleveller，cannotreducetheseelementstothesamegrade。Youmayreadintheparable，"Friend，howcamestthouinhithernothavingaweddinggarment？"Themodernversionwouldbe，"HowcameyouatMrs。Billion"sballnothavingadressonyourbackwhichcamefromParis？"
Thelittlechurchhasgotanewstainedwindow，asaintwhoremindsmeofHamlet"suncle，——athing"ofshredsandpatches，"butratherprettytolookat，withaninscriptionunderitwhichissupposedtobethenameofthepersoninwhosehonorthewindowwasplacedinthechurch。Smithwasaworthymanandafaithfulchurchwarden，andI
hopeposteritywillbeabletospellouthisnameonhismonumentalwindow；butthatoldEnglishletteringwouldpuzzleMephistopheleshimself，ifhefoundhimselfbeforethismemorialtribute，ontheinside，——youknowhegoestochurchsometimes，ifyourememberyourFaust。
Therectorhascomeout，inaquietway，asanevolutionist。Hehasalwaysbeenrather"broad"inhisviews，butcautiousintheirexpression。Youcantellthethreebranchesofthemother-islandchurchbythewaytheycarrytheirheads。Thelow-churchclergylookdown，asiftheyfeltthemselvestobewormsofthedust；thehigh-
churchpriestdropshisheadononeside，afterthepatternofthemediaevalsaints；thebroad-churchpreacherlooksforwardandroundabouthim，asifhefelthimselftheheirofcreation。Ourrectorcarrieshisheadinthebroad-churchaspect，whichIsupposeistheleastopentothechargeofaffectation，——infact，isthenaturalandmanlywayofcarryingit。
TheSocietyhasjustifieditsnameofPansophianoflateasneverbefore。Luridahasstirredupourlittlecommunityanditsneighbors，sothatwegetessaysonallsortsofsubjects，poemsandstoriesinlargenumbers。Iknowallaboutit，forsheoftenconsultsmeastothemeritsofaparticularcontribution。
WhatistobethefateofLurida？Ioftenthink，withnolittleinterestandsomedegreeofanxiety，aboutherfuture。HerbodyissofrailandhermindsoexcessivelyandconstantlyactivethatIamafraidoneortheotherwillgiveway。Idonotsupposeshethinksseriouslyofeverbeingmarried。Shegrowsmoreandmorezealousinbehalfofherownsex，andsternerinherjudgmentoftheother。Shedeclaresthatsheneverwouldmarryanymanwhowasnotanadvocateoffemalesuffrage，andasthesegentlemenarenotverycommonhereaboutsthechanceisagainsthercapturinganyoneofthehostilesex。
Whatdoyouthink？Ihappened，justasIwaswritingthelastsentence，tolookoutofmywindow，andwhomshouldIseebutLurida，withayoungmanintow，listeningveryeagerlytoherconversation，accordingtoallappearance!Ithinkhemustbeafriendoftherector，asIhaveseenayoungmanlikethisoneinhiscompany。Whoknows？
Affectionatelyyours，etc。
DR。BUTTSTOMRS。BUTTS。
MYBELOVEDWIFE，——Thisletterwilltellyoumorenewsthanyouwouldhavethoughtcouldhavebeengottogetherinthislittlevillageduringtheshorttimeyouhavebeenstayingawayfromit。
LuridaVincentisengaged!Heisaclergymanwithamathematicalturn。Thestoryisthatheputadifficultproblemintooneofthemathematicaljournals，andthatLuridapresentedsuchaneatsolutionthattheyoungmanfellinlovewithheronthestrengthofit。I
don"tthinkthestoryisliterallytrue，nordoIbelievethatotherreportthatheofferedhimselftoherintheformofanequationchalkedontheblackboard；butthatitwasanintellectualratherthanasentimentalcourtshipIdonotdoubt。Luridahasgivenuptheideaofbecomingaprofessionallecturer，——soshetellsme，——thinkingthatherfuturehusband"sparishwillfindherworkenoughtodo。A
certainamountofdailydomesticdrudgeryandunexcitingintercoursewithsimple-mindedpeoplewillbethebestthingintheworldforthatbrainofhers，alwayssimmeringwithsomenewprojectinitsleastfervidcondition。
Alloursummervisitorshavearrived。EuthymiaMrs。MauriceKirkwoodandherhusbandandlittleMauricearehereintheirbeautifulhouselookingoutonthelake。Theygaveagrandpartytheotherevening。Yououghttohavebeenthere，butIsupposeyoucouldnotverywellhaveleftyoursisterinthemiddleofyourvisit:Allthegrandfolkswerethere，ofcourse。Luridaandheryoungman——
Gabrieliswhatshecallshim——werenaturallytheobjectsofspecialattention。Paoloactedasmajor-domo，andlookedasifheoughttobeamajor-general。NothingcouldbepleasanterthanthewayinwhichMr。andMrs。Kirkwoodreceivedtheirplaincountryneighbors；
thatis，justastheydidtheothersofmorepretensions，asiftheywerereallygladtoseethem，asIamsuretheywere。Theoldlandlordandhiswifehadtwoarm-chairstothemselves，andIsawMirandawiththeservantsofthehouseholdlookinginatthedancersandoutatthelittlegroupsinthegarden，andevidentlyenjoyingitasmuchasheroldemployers。Itwasamostcharmingandsuccessfulparty。Wehadtwosensationsinthecourseoftheevening。Onewaspleasantandsomewhatexciting，theotherwasthrillingandofstrangeandstartlinginterest。
YourememberhowemaciatedpoorMauriceKirkwoodwasleftafterhisfever，inthatfirstseasonwhenhewasamongus。Hewasoutinaboatoneday，whenaringslippedoffhisthinfingerandsunkinaplacewherethewaterwasrathershallow。"Jake"——youknowJake，——
everybodyknowsJake——wasrowinghim。Hepromisedtocometothespotandfishuptheringifhecouldpossiblyfindit。Hewasseenpokingaboutwithfish-hooksattheendofapole，butnothingwaseverheardfromhimaboutthering。ItwasanantiqueintagliostoneinanEtruscansetting，——awildgooseflyingovertheCampagna。Mr。
Kirkwoodvaluedithighly，andregretteditslossverymuch。
Whilewewereinthegarden，whoshouldappearatthegatebutJake，withagreatbasket，inquiringforMr。Kirkwood。"Come，"saidMauricetome，"letusseewhatouroldfriendthefishermanhasbroughtus。Whathaveyougotthere，Jake？"
"WhatI"vegot？Wall，I"lltelly"whatI"vegot:I"vegotthebiggestpickerelthat"sbeenketchedinthispondforthesetenyear。
An"I"vegotsomethin"elsebesidesthepickerel。WhenIcometocuthimopen，whatdoyouthinkIfaoundinhisinsidesbutthishereringo"yourn，"——andheshowedtheoneMauricehadlostsolongbefore。Thereitwas，asgoodasnew，afterhavingtriedJonah"sstyleofhousekeepingforallthattime。TherearethosewhodiscreditJake"sstoryaboutfindingtheringinthefish；anyhow，therewastheringandtherewasthepickerel。IneednotsaythatJakewentoffwellpaidforhispickerelandthepreciouscontentsofitsstomach。Nowcomesthechiefeventoftheevening。Iwentearlybyspecialinvitation。Mauricetookmeintohislibrary，andwesatdowntogether。
"Ihavesomethingofgreatimportance，"hesaid，"tosaytoyou。I
learnedwithinafewdaysthatmycousinLauraisstayingwithafriendinthenexttowntothis。Youknow，doctor，thatwehavenevermetsincethelast，almostfatal，experienceofmyearlyyears。
Ihavedeterminedtodefythestrengthofthatdeadlychainofassociationsconnectedwithherpresence，andIhavebeggedhertocomethiseveningwiththefriendswithwhomsheisstaying。Severalletterspassedbetweenus，foritwashardtopersuadeherthattherewasnolongeranyriskinmymeetingher。Herimaginationwasalmostasdeeplyimpressedasminehadbeenatthosealarminginterviews，andIhadtoexplaintoherfullythatIhadbecomequiteindifferenttothedisturbingimpressionsofformeryears。So，astheresultofourcorrespondence，Lauraiscomingthisevening，andIwishyoutobepresentatourmeeting。ThereisanotherreasonwhyIwishyoutobehere。Mylittleboyisnotfarfromthe——ageatwhichIreceivedmyterrifying，almostdisorganizingshock。ImeantohavelittleMauricebroughtintothepresenceofLaura，whoissaidtobestillaveryhandsomewoman，andseeifhebetraysanyhintofthatpeculiarsensitivenesswhichshoweditselfinmythreateningseizure。Itseemedtomenotimpossiblethathemightinheritsometendencyofthatnature，andIwantedyoutobeathandifanysignofdangershoulddeclareitself。FormyselfIhavenofear。Someradicalchangehastakenplaceinmynervoussystem。Ihavebeenbornagain，asitwere，inmysusceptibilities，andamincertainrespectsanewman。ButImustknowhowitiswithmylittleMaurice。”
ImaginewithwhatinterestIlookedforwardtothisexperiment；forexperimentitwas，andnotwithoutitssourcesofanxiety，asitseemedtome。Theeveningworealong；friendsandneighborscamein，butnoLauraasyet。AtlastIheardthesoundofwheels，andacarriagestoppedatthedoor。Twoladiesandagentlemangotout，andsoonenteredthedrawingroom。
"MycousinLaura!"whisperedMauricetome，andwentforwardtomeether。Averyhandsomewoman，whomightwellhavebeeninthethirties，——oneofthosewomensothoroughlyconstitutedthattheycannothelpbeinghandsomeateveryperiodoflife。Iwatchedthembothastheyapproachedeachother。Bothlookedpaleatfirst，butMauricesoonrecoveredhisusualcolor，andLaura"snatural，richbloomcamebackbydegrees。Theiremotionatmeetingwasnottobewonderedat，buttherewasnotraceinitoftheparalyzinginfluenceonthegreatcentresoflifewhichhadonceacteduponitsfatedvictimlikethefabledheadwhichturnedthelooker-onintoastone。
"Istheboystillawake？"saidMauricetoPaolo，who，astheyusedtosayofPusheeattheoldAnchorTavern，waseverywhereatonceonthatgayandbusyevening。
"What!MahserMauriceasleepan"allthisracketgoingon？Ihearhimcrowinglikeyoungcockerelwhenhefus"smelldaylight。”
"Tellthenursetobringhimdownquietlytothelittleroomthatleadsoutofthelibrary。”
Thechildwasbroughtdowninhisnight-clothes，wideawake，wonderingapparentlyatthenoiseheheard，whichheseemedtothinkwasforhisspecialamusement。
"Seeifhewillgotothatlady，"saidhisfather。BothofusheldourbreathasLaurastretchedherarmstowardslittleMaurice。
Thechildlookedforaninstantsearchingly，butfearlessly，atherglowingcheeks，herbrighteyes，herwelcomingsmile，andmetherembraceassheclaspedhimtoherbosomasifhehadknownherallhisdays。
ThemortalantipathyhaddiedoutofthesoulandthebloodofMauriceKirkwoodatthatsuprememomentwhenhefoundhimselfsnatchedfromthegraspofdeathandcradledinthearmsofEuthymia。
InclosingtheNewPortfolioIrememberthatitbeganwithaprefixwhichthereadermaybythistimehaveforgotten，namely，theFirstOpening。Itwasperhapspresumptuoustothusimplytheprobabilityofasecondopening。
Iamremindedfromtimetotimebythecorrespondentswhoaskacertainsmallfavorofmethat，asIcanonlyexpecttobewithmysurvivingcontemporariesaverylittlewhilelonger，theywouldbemuchobligedifIwouldhurryupmyanswerbeforeitistoolate。
Theyareright，thesedeliciousunknownfriendsofmine，inremindingmeofafactwhichIcannotgainsayandmightsuffertopassfrommyrecollection。IthankthemforrecallingmyattentiontoatruthwhichIshallbewiser，ifnotmorehilarious，forremembering。
No，IhadnorighttosaytheFirstOpening。HowdoIknowthatI
shallhaveachancetoopenitagain？HowdoIknowthatanybodywillwantittobeopenedasecondtime？HowdoIknowthatIshallfeellikeopeningit？ItissafestneithertopromisetoopentheNewPortfoliooncemore，noryettopledgemyselftokeepitclosedhereafter。Therearemanypaperspotentiallyexistentinit，someofwhichmightinterestareaderhereandthere。TheRecordsofthePansophianSocietycontainaconsiderablenumberofessays，poems，stories，andhintscapableofbeingexpandedintopresentabledimensions。InthemeantimeIwillsaywithProspero，addressingmyoldreaders，andmynewones，ifsuchIhave，"Ifyoubepleased，retireintomycellAndthererepose:aturnortwoI"llwalk，Tostillmybeatingmind。”
WhenithasgotquietImaytakeuptheNewPortfolioagain，andconsiderwhetheritisworthwhiletoopenit。