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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
not like to have a volume meddled with any more than they would like
to have their naked eyes handled。 They come to feel at last that the
books of a great collection are a part； not merely of their own
property； though they are only the agents for their distribution； but
that they are； as it were； outlying portions of their own
organization。 The old Librarian was getting a miserly feeling about
his books； as he called them。 Fortunately； he had a young lady for
his assistant； who was never so happy as when she could find the work
any visitor wanted and put it in his hands；or her hands； for there
were more readers among the wives anddaughters； and especially
among the aunts； than there were among their male relatives。 The old
Librarian knew the books； but the books seemed to know the young
assistant； so it looked； at least； to the impatient young people who
wanted their services。
Maurice had a good many volumes of his own；a great many； according
to Paolo's account； but Paolo's ideas were limited； and a few well…
filled shelves seemed a very large collection to him。 His master
frequently sent him to the Public Library for books； which somewhat
enlarged his notions； still； the Signor was a very learned man； he
was certain； and some of his white books （bound in vellum and richly
gilt） were more splendid； according to Paolo； than anything in the
Library。
There was no little curiosity to know what were the books that
Maurice was in the habit of taking out； and the Librarian's record
was carefully searched by some of the more inquisitive investigators。
The list proved to be a long and varied one。 It would imply a
considerable knowledge of modern languages and of the classics； a
liking for mathematics and physics； especially all that related to
electricity and magnetism； a fancy for the occult sciences； if there
is any propriety in coupling these words； and a whim for odd and
obsolete literature； like the Parthenologia of Fortunius Licetus； the
quaint treatise 'De Sternutatione；〃 books about alchemy； and
witchcraft； apparitions； and modern works relating to Spiritualism。
With these were the titles of novels and now and then of books of
poems； but it may be taken for granted that his own shelves held the
works he was most frequently in the habit of reading or consulting。
Not much was to be made out of this beyond the fact of wide
scholarship；more or less deep it might be； but at any rate implying
no small mental activity； for he appeared to read very rapidly； at
any rate exchanged the books he had taken out for new ones very
frequently。 To judge by his reading； he was a man of letters。 But
so wide…reading a man of letters must have an object； a literary
purpose in all probability。 Why should not he be writing a novel？
Not a novel of society； assuredly； for a hermit is not the person to
report the talk and manners of a world which he has nothing to do
with。 Novelists and lawyers understand the art of 〃cramming〃 better
than any other persons in the world。 Why should not this young man
be working up the picturesque in this romantic region to serve as a
background for some story with magic； perhaps； and mysticism； and
hints borrowed from science； and all sorts of out…of…the…way
knowledge which his odd and miscellaneous selection of books
furnished him？ That might be； or possibly he was only reading for
amusement。 Who could say？
The funds of the Public Library of Arrowhead Village allowed the
managers to purchase many books out of the common range of reading。
The two learned people of the village were the rector and the doctor。
These two worthies kept up the old controversy between the
professions； which grows out of the fact that one studies nature from
below upwards； and the other from above downwards。 The rector
maintained that physicians contracted a squint which turns their eyes
inwardly； while the muscles which roll their eyes upward become
palsied。 The doctor retorted that theological students developed a
third eyelid；the nictitating membrane； which is so well known in
birds； and which serves to shut out； not all light； but all the light
they do not want。 Their little skirmishes did not prevent their
being very good friends； who had a common interest in many things and
many persons。 Both were on the committee which had the care of the
Library and attended to the purchase of books。 Each was scholar
enough to know the wants of scholars； and disposed to trust the
judgment of the other as to what books should be purchased；。
Consequently； the clergyman secured the addition to the Library of a
good many old theological works which the physician would have called
brimstone divinity； and held to be just the thing to kindle fires
with；good books still for those who know how to use them；
oftentimes as awful examples of the extreme of disorganization the
whole moral system may undergo when a barbarous belief has strangled
the natural human instincts。 The physician； in the mean time；
acquired for the collection some of those medical works where one may
find recorded various rare and almost incredible cases； which may not
have their like for a whole century； and then repeat themselves； so
as to give a new lease of credibility to stories which had come to be
looked upon as fables。
Both the clergyman and the physician took a very natural interest in
the young man who had come to reside in their neighborhood for the
present； perhaps for a long period。 The rector would have been glad
to see him at church。 He would have liked more especially to have
had him hear his sermon on the Duties of Young Men to Society。 The
doctor； meanwhile； was meditating on the duties of society to young
men； and wishing that he could gain the young man's confidence； so as
to help him out of any false habit of mind or any delusion to which
he might be subject； if he had the power of being useful to him。
Dr。 Butts was the leading medical practitioner； not only of Arrowhead
Village； but of all the surrounding region。 He was an excellent
specimen of the country doctor； self…reliant； self…sacrificing；
working a great deal harder for his living than most of those who
call themselves the laboring classes；as if none but those whose
hands were hardened by the use of farming or mechanical implements
had any work to do。 He had that sagacity without which learning is a
mere incumbrance； and he had also a fair share of that learning
without which sagacity is like a traveller with a good horse； but who
cannot read the directions on the guideboards。 He was not a man to
be taken in by names。 He well knew that oftentimes very innocent…
sounding words mean very grave disorders； that all； degrees of
disease and disorder are frequently confounded under the same term；
that 〃run down〃 may stand for a fatigue of mind or body from which a
week or a month of rest will completely restore the over…worked
patient； or an advanced stage of a mortal illness； that 〃seedy〃 may
signify the morning's state of feeling； after an evening's over…
indulgence； which calls for a glass of soda…water and a cup of
coffee； or a dangerous malady which will pack off the subject of it；
at the shortest notice； to the south of France。 He knew too well
that what is spoken lightly of as a 〃nervous disturbance〃 may imply
that the whole machinery of life is in a deranged condition； and that
every individual organ would groan aloud if it had any other language
than the terrible inarticulate one of pain by which to communicate
with the consciousness。
When； therefore； Dr。 Butts heard the word antipatia he did not smile；
and say to himself that this was an idle whim； a foolish fancy； which
the young man had got into his head。 Neither was he satisfied to set
down everything to the account of insanity； plausible as that
supposition might seem。 He was prepared to believe in some
exceptional； perhaps anomalous； form of exaggerated sensibility；
relating to what class of objects he could not at present conjecture；
but which was as vital to the subject of it as the insulating
arrangement to a piece of electrical machinery。 With this feeling he
began to look into tho history of antipathies as recorded in all the
books and journals on which he could lay his hands。
The holder of the Portfolio asks leave to close it for a brief
interval。 He wishes to say a few words to his readers； before
offering them some verses which have no connection with the narrative
now in progress。
If one could have before him a set of photographs taken annually；
representing the same person as he or she appeared for thirty or
forty or fifty years； it would be interesting to watch the gradual
changes of aspect from the age of twenty； or even of thirty or forty；
to that of threescore and ten。 The face might be an uninteresting
one； still； as sharing the inevitable changes wrought by time； it