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a mortal antipathy-第8章

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the Thomsons without that letter。



There are few pleasanter places in the Northern States for a summer

residence than that known from the first period of its settlement by

the name of Arrowhead Village。  The Indians had found it out; as the

relics they left behind them abundantly testified。  The commonest of

these were those chipped stones which are the medals of barbarism;

and from Which the place took its name;the heads of arrows; of

various sizes; material; and patterns: some small enough for killing

fish and little birds; some large enough for such game as the moose

and the bear; to say nothing of the hostile Indian and the white

settler; some of flint; now and then one of white quartz; and others

of variously colored jasper。  The Indians must have lived here for

many generations; and it must have been a kind of factory village of

the stone age;which lasted up to near the present time; if we may

judge from the fact that many of these relics are met with close to

the surface of the ground。



No wonder they found this a pleasant residence; for it is to…day one

of the most attractive of all summer resorts; so inviting; indeed;

that those who know it do not like to say too much about it; lest the

swarms of tourists should make it unendurable to those who love it

for itself; and not as a centre of fashionable display and extramural

cockneyism。



There is the lake; in the first place;Cedar Lake;about five miles

long; and from half a mile to a mile and a half wide; stretching from

north to south。  Near the northern extremity are the buildings of

Stoughton University; a flourishing young college with an ambitious

name; but well equipped and promising; the grounds of which reach the

water。  At the southern end of the lake are the edifices of the

Corinna Institute; a favorite school for young ladies; where large

numbers of the daughters of America are fitted; so far as education

can do it; for all stations in life; from camping out with a husband

at the mines in Nevada to acting the part of chief lady of the land

in the White House at Washington。



Midway between the two extremities; on the eastern shore of the lake;

is a valley between two hills; which come down to the very edge of

the lake; leaving only room enough for a road between their base and

the water。  This valley; half a mile in width; has been long settled;

and here for a century or more has stood the old Anchor Tavern。  A

famous place it was so long as its sign swung at the side of the

road: famous for its landlord; portly; paternal; whose welcome to a

guest that looked worthy of the attention was like that of a parent

to a returning prodigal; and whose parting words were almost as good

as a marriage benediction; famous for its landlady; ample in person;

motherly; seeing to the whole household with her own eyes; mistress

of all culinary secrets that Northern kitchens are most proud of;

famous also for its ancient servant; as city people would call her;

help; as she was called in the tavern and would have called

herself;the unchanging; seemingly immortal Miranda; who cared for

the guests as if she were their nursing mother; and pressed the

specially favorite delicacies on their attention as a connoisseur

calls the wandering eyes of an amateur to the beauties of a picture。

Who that has ever been at the old Anchor Tavern forgets Miranda's



     〃A little of this fricassee?…it is ver…y nice;〃



or



     〃Some of these cakes?  You will find them ver…y good。〃



Nor would it be just to memory to forget that other notable and noted

member of the household;the unsleeping; unresting; omnipresent

Pushee; ready for everybody and everything; everywhere within the

limits of the establishment at all hours of the day and night。  He

fed; nobody could say accurately when or where。  There were rumors of

a 〃bunk;〃 in which he lay down with his clothes on; but he seemed to

be always wide awake; and at the service of as many guest; at once as

if there had been half a dozen of him。



So much for old reminiscences。



The landlord of the Anchor Tavern had taken down his sign。  He had

had the house thoroughly renovated and furnished it anew; and kept it

open in summer for a few boarders。  It happened more than once that

the summer boarders were so much pleased with the place that they

stayed on through the autumn; and some of them through the winter。

The attractions of the village were really remarkable。  Boating in

summer; and skating in winter; ice…boats; too; which the wild ducks

could hardly keep up with; fishing; for which the lake was renowned;

varied and beautiful walks through the valley and up the hillsides;

houses sheltered from the north and northeasterly winds; and

refreshed in the hot summer days by the breeze which came over the

water;all this made the frame for a pleasing picture of rest and

happiness。  But there was a great deal more than this。  There was a

fine library in the little village; presented and richly endowed by a

wealthy native of the place。  There was a small permanent population

of a superior character to that of an everyday country town; there

was a pretty little Episcopal church; with a good…hearted rector;

broad enough for the Bishop of the diocese to be a little afraid of;

and hospitable to all outsiders; of whom; in the summer season; there

were always some who wanted a place of worship to keep their religion

from dying out during the heathen months; while the shepherds of the

flocks to which they belonged were away from their empty folds。



What most helped to keep the place alive all through the year was the

frequent coming together of the members of a certain literary

association。  Some time before the tavern took down its sign the

landlord had built a hall; where many a ball had been held; to which

the young folks of all the country round had resorted。  It was still

sometimes used for similar occasions; but it was especially notable

as being the place of meeting of the famous PANSOPHIAN SOCIETY。



This association; the name of which might be invidiously interpreted

as signifying that its members knew everything; had no such

pretensions; but; as its Constitution said very plainly and modestly;

held itself open to accept knowledge on any and all subjects from

such as had knowledge to impart。  Its President was the rector of the

little chapel; a man who; in spite of the Thirty…Nine Articles; could

stand fire from the widest…mouthed heretical blunderbuss without

flinching or losing his temper。  The hall of the old Anchor Tavern

was a convenient place of meeting for the students and instructors of

the University and the Institute。  Sometimes in boat…loads; sometimes

in carriage…loads; sometimes in processions of skaters; they came to

the meetings in Pansophian Hall; as it was now commonly called。



These meetings had grown to be occasions of great interest。  It was

customary to have papers written by members of the Society; for the

most part; but now and then by friends of the members; sometimes by

the students of the College or the Institute; and in rarer instances

by anonymous personages; whose papers; having been looked over and

discussed by the Committee appointed for that purpose; were thought

worth listening to。  The variety of topics considered was very great。

The young ladies of the village and the Institute had their favorite

subjects; the young gentlemen a different set of topics; and the

occasional outside contributors their own; so that one who happened

to be admitted to a meeting never knew whether he was going to hear

an account of recent arctic discoveries; or an essay on the freedom

of the will; or a psychological experience; or a story; or even a

poem。



Of late there had been a tendency to discuss the questions relating

to the true status and the legitimate social functions of woman。  The

most conflicting views were held on the subject。  Many of the young

ladies and some of the University students were strong in defence of

all the 〃woman's rights〃 doctrines。  Some of these young people were

extreme in their views。  They had read about Semiramis and Boadicea

and Queen Elizabeth; until they were ready; if they could get the

chance; to vote for a woman as President of the United States or as

General of the United States Army。  They were even disposed to assert

the physical equality of woman to man; on the strength of the rather

questionable history of the Amazons; and especially of the story;

believed to be authentic; of the female body…guard of the King of

Dahomey;females frightful enough to need no other weapon than their

looks to scare off an army of Cossacks。



Miss Lurida Vincent; gold medallist of her year at the Corinna

Institute; was the leader of these advocates of virile womanhood。  It

was rather singular that she should have elected to be the apostle of

this extreme doctrine; for she was herself far better equipp
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