boat¡¡one¡¡day£»¡¡when¡¡a¡¡ring¡¡slipped¡¡off¡¡his¡¡thin¡¡finger¡¡and¡¡sunk¡¡in¡¡a
place¡¡where¡¡the¡¡water¡¡was¡¡rather¡¡shallow¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Jake¡¨you¡¡know¡¡Jake£»
everybody¡¡knows¡¡Jakewas¡¡rowing¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡promised¡¡to¡¡come¡¡to¡¡the
spot¡¡and¡¡fish¡¡up¡¡the¡¡ring¡¡if¡¡he¡¡could¡¡possibly¡¡find¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡seen
poking¡¡about¡¡with¡¡fish¡hooks¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡a¡¡pole£»¡¡but¡¡nothing¡¡was
ever¡¡heard¡¡from¡¡him¡¡about¡¡the¡¡ring¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡an¡¡antique¡¡intaglio¡¡stone
in¡¡an¡¡Etruscan¡¡setting£»a¡¡wild¡¡goose¡¡flying¡¡over¡¡the¡¡Campagna¡£¡¡¡¡Mr¡£
Kirkwood¡¡valued¡¡it¡¡highly£»¡¡and¡¡regretted¡¡its¡¡loss¡¡very¡¡much¡£
While¡¡we¡¡were¡¡in¡¡the¡¡garden£»¡¡who¡¡should¡¡appear¡¡at¡¡the¡¡gate¡¡but¡¡Jake£»
with¡¡a¡¡great¡¡basket£»¡¡inquiring¡¡for¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Kirkwood¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Come£»¡¨¡¡said
Maurice¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡¡¨let¡¡us¡¡see¡¡what¡¡our¡¡old¡¡friend¡¡the¡¡fisherman¡¡has
brought¡¡us¡£¡¡¡¡What¡¡have¡¡you¡¡got¡¡there£»¡¡Jake£¿¡¨
¡¨What¡¡I¡¡'ve¡¡got£¿¡¡¡¡Wall£»¡¡I¡¡'ll¡¡tell¡¡y'¡¡what¡¡I've¡¡got£º¡¡I¡¡'ve¡¡got¡¡the
biggest¡¡pickerel¡¡that's¡¡been¡¡ketched¡¡in¡¡this¡¡pond¡¡for¡¡these¡¡ten¡¡year¡£
An'¡¡I¡¡'ve¡¡got¡¡somethin'¡¡else¡¡besides¡¡the¡¡pickerel¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡I¡¡come¡¡to
cut¡¡him¡¡open£»¡¡what¡¡do¡¡you¡¡think¡¡I¡¡faound¡¡in¡¡his¡¡insides¡¡but¡¡this¡¡here
ring¡¡o'¡¡yourn£»¡¨and¡¡he¡¡showed¡¡the¡¡one¡¡Maurice¡¡had¡¡lost¡¡so¡¡long
before¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡it¡¡was£»¡¡as¡¡good¡¡as¡¡new£»¡¡after¡¡having¡¡tried¡¡Jonah's
style¡¡of¡¡housekeeping¡¡for¡¡all¡¡that¡¡time¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡are¡¡those¡¡who
discredit¡¡Jake's¡¡story¡¡about¡¡finding¡¡the¡¡ring¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fish£»¡¡anyhow£»
there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡ring¡¡and¡¡there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡pickerel¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡need¡¡not¡¡say¡¡that
Jake¡¡went¡¡off¡¡well¡¡paid¡¡for¡¡his¡¡pickerel¡¡and¡¡the¡¡precious¡¡contents¡¡of
its¡¡stomach¡£¡¡¡¡Now¡¡comes¡¡the¡¡chief¡¡event¡¡of¡¡the¡¡evening¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡went¡¡early
by¡¡special¡¡invitation¡£¡¡¡¡Maurice¡¡took¡¡me¡¡into¡¡his¡¡library£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡sat
down¡¡together¡£
¡¨I¡¡have¡¡something¡¡of¡¡great¡¡importance£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨¡¡to¡¡say¡¡to¡¡you¡£¡¡¡¡I
learned¡¡within¡¡a¡¡few¡¡days¡¡that¡¡my¡¡cousin¡¡Laura¡¡is¡¡staying¡¡with¡¡a
friend¡¡in¡¡the¡¡next¡¡town¡¡to¡¡this¡£¡¡¡¡You¡¡know£»¡¡doctor£»¡¡that¡¡we¡¡have
never¡¡met¡¡since¡¡the¡¡last£»¡¡almost¡¡fatal£»¡¡experience¡¡of¡¡my¡¡early¡¡years¡£
I¡¡have¡¡determined¡¡to¡¡defy¡¡the¡¡strength¡¡of¡¡that¡¡deadly¡¡chain¡¡of
associations¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡her¡¡presence£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡have¡¡begged¡¡her¡¡to
come¡¡this¡¡evening¡¡with¡¡the¡¡friends¡¡with¡¡whom¡¡she¡¡is¡¡staying¡£¡¡¡¡Several
letters¡¡passed¡¡between¡¡us£»¡¡for¡¡it¡¡was¡¡hard¡¡to¡¡persuade¡¡her¡¡that¡¡there
was¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡any¡¡risk¡¡in¡¡my¡¡meeting¡¡her¡£¡¡¡¡Her¡¡imagination¡¡was¡¡almost
as¡¡deeply¡¡impressed¡¡as¡¡mine¡¡had¡¡been¡¡at¡¡those¡¡alarming¡¡interviews£»
and¡¡I¡¡had¡¡to¡¡explain¡¡to¡¡her¡¡fully¡¡that¡¡I¡¡had¡¡become¡¡quite¡¡indifferent
to¡¡the¡¡disturbing¡¡impressions¡¡of¡¡former¡¡years¡£¡¡¡¡So£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of
our¡¡correspondence£»¡¡Laura¡¡is¡¡coming¡¡this¡¡evening£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡wish¡¡you¡¡to
be¡¡present¡¡at¡¡our¡¡meeting¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡another¡¡reason¡¡why¡¡I¡¡wish¡¡you¡¡to
be¡¡here¡£¡¡¡¡My¡¡little¡¡boy¡¡is¡¡not¡¡far¡¡from¡¡theage¡¡at¡¡which¡¡I¡¡received
my¡¡terrifying£»¡¡almost¡¡disorganizing¡¡shock¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡mean¡¡to¡¡have¡¡little
Maurice¡¡brought¡¡into¡¡the¡¡presence¡¡of¡¡Laura£»¡¡who¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡be¡¡still¡¡a
very¡¡handsome¡¡woman£»¡¡and¡¡see¡¡if¡¡he¡¡betrays¡¡any¡¡hint¡¡of¡¡that¡¡peculiar
sensitiveness¡¡which¡¡showed¡¡itself¡¡in¡¡my¡¡threatening¡¡seizure¡£¡¡¡¡It
seemed¡¡to¡¡me¡¡not¡¡impossible¡¡that¡¡he¡¡might¡¡inherit¡¡some¡¡tendency¡¡of
that¡¡nature£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡wanted¡¡you¡¡to¡¡be¡¡at¡¡hand¡¡if¡¡any¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡danger
should¡¡declare¡¡itself¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡myself¡¡I¡¡have¡¡no¡¡fear¡£¡¡¡¡Some¡¡radical
change¡¡has¡¡taken¡¡place¡¡in¡¡my¡¡nervous¡¡system¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡born¡¡again£»
as¡¡it¡¡were£»¡¡in¡¡my¡¡susceptibilities£»¡¡and¡¡am¡¡in¡¡certain¡¡respects¡¡a¡¡new
man¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I¡¡must¡¡know¡¡how¡¡it¡¡is¡¡with¡¡my¡¡little¡¡Maurice¡£¡¨
Imagine¡¡with¡¡what¡¡interest¡¡I¡¡looked¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡this¡¡experiment£»¡¡for
experiment¡¡it¡¡was£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡without¡¡its¡¡sources¡¡of¡¡anxiety£»¡¡as¡¡it
seemed¡¡to¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡evening¡¡wore¡¡along£»¡¡friends¡¡and¡¡neighbors¡¡came¡¡in£»
but¡¡no¡¡Laura¡¡as¡¡yet¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡last¡¡I¡¡heard¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡wheels£»¡¡and¡¡a
carriage¡¡stopped¡¡at¡¡the¡¡door¡£¡¡¡¡Two¡¡ladies¡¡and¡¡a¡¡gentleman¡¡got¡¡out£»
and¡¡soon¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡drawing¡¡room¡£
¡¨My¡¡cousin¡¡Laura£¡¡¨¡¡whispered¡¡Maurice¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡and¡¡went¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡meet
her¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡very¡¡handsome¡¡woman£»¡¡who¡¡might¡¡well¡¡have¡¡been¡¡in¡¡the
thirties£»one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡women¡¡so¡¡thoroughly¡¡constituted¡¡that¡¡they
cannot¡¡help¡¡being¡¡handsome¡¡at¡¡every¡¡period¡¡of¡¡life¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡watched¡¡them
both¡¡as¡¡they¡¡approached¡¡each¡¡other¡£¡¡¡¡Both¡¡looked¡¡pale¡¡at¡¡first£»¡¡but
Maurice¡¡soon¡¡recovered¡¡his¡¡usual¡¡color£»¡¡and¡¡Laura's¡¡natural£»¡¡rich
bloom¡¡came¡¡back¡¡by¡¡degrees¡£¡¡¡¡Their¡¡emotion¡¡at¡¡meeting¡¡was¡¡not¡¡to¡¡be
wondered¡¡at£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡trace¡¡in¡¡it¡¡of¡¡the¡¡paralyzing¡¡influence
on¡¡the¡¡great¡¡centres¡¡of¡¡life¡¡which¡¡had¡¡once¡¡acted¡¡upon¡¡its¡¡fated
victim¡¡like¡¡the¡¡fabled¡¡head¡¡which¡¡turned¡¡the¡¡looker¡on¡¡into¡¡a¡¡stone¡£
¡¨Is¡¡the¡¡boy¡¡still¡¡awake£¿¡¨¡¡said¡¡Maurice¡¡to¡¡Paolo£»¡¡who£»¡¡as¡¡they¡¡used¡¡to
say¡¡of¡¡Pushee¡¡at¡¡the¡¡old¡¡Anchor¡¡Tavern£»¡¡was¡¡everywhere¡¡at¡¡once¡¡on
that¡¡gay¡¡and¡¡busy¡¡evening¡£
¡¨What£¡¡¡¡¡Mahser¡¡Maurice¡¡asleep¡¡an'¡¡all¡¡this¡¡racket¡¡going¡¡on£¿¡¡¡¡I¡¡hear
him¡¡crowing¡¡like¡¡young¡¡cockerel¡¡when¡¡he¡¡fus'¡¡smell¡¡daylight¡£¡¨
¡¨Tell¡¡the¡¡nurse¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡him¡¡down¡¡quietly¡¡to¡¡the¡¡little¡¡room¡¡that
leads¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡library¡£¡¨
The¡¡child¡¡was¡¡brought¡¡down¡¡in¡¡his¡¡night¡clothes£»¡¡wide¡¡awake£»
wondering¡¡apparently¡¡at¡¡the¡¡noise¡¡he¡¡heard£»¡¡which¡¡he¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡think
was¡¡for¡¡his¡¡special¡¡amusement¡£
¡¨See¡¡if¡¡he¡¡will¡¡go¡¡to¡¡that¡¡lady£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡his¡¡father¡£¡¡¡¡Both¡¡of¡¡us¡¡held
our¡¡breath¡¡as¡¡Laura¡¡stretched¡¡her¡¡arms¡¡towards¡¡little¡¡Maurice¡£
The¡¡child¡¡looked¡¡for¡¡an¡¡instant¡¡searchingly£»¡¡but¡¡fearlessly£»¡¡at¡¡her
glowing¡¡cheeks£»¡¡her¡¡bright¡¡eyes£»¡¡her¡¡welcoming¡¡smile£»¡¡and¡¡met¡¡her
embrace¡¡as¡¡she¡¡clasped¡¡him¡¡to¡¡her¡¡bosom¡¡as¡¡if¡¡he¡¡had¡¡known¡¡her¡¡all
his¡¡days¡£
The¡¡mortal¡¡antipathy¡¡had¡¡died¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡soul¡¡and¡¡the¡¡blood¡¡of
Maurice¡¡Kirkwood¡¡at¡¡that¡¡supreme¡¡moment¡¡when¡¡he¡¡found¡¡himself
snatched¡¡from¡¡the¡¡grasp¡¡of¡¡death¡¡and¡¡cradled¡¡in¡¡the¡¡arms¡¡of¡¡Euthymia¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
In¡¡closing¡¡the¡¡New¡¡Portfolio¡¡I¡¡remember¡¡that¡¡it¡¡began¡¡with¡¡a¡¡prefix
which¡¡the¡¡reader¡¡may¡¡by¡¡this¡¡time¡¡have¡¡forgotten£»¡¡namely£»¡¡the¡¡First
Opening¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡perhaps¡¡presumptuous¡¡to¡¡thus¡¡imply¡¡the¡¡probability
of¡¡a¡¡second¡¡opening¡£
I¡¡am¡¡reminded¡¡from¡¡time¡¡to¡¡time¡¡by¡¡the¡¡correspondents¡¡who¡¡ask¡¡a
certain¡¡small¡¡favor¡¡of¡¡me¡¡that£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡can¡¡only¡¡expect¡¡to¡¡be¡¡with¡¡my
surviving¡¡contemporaries¡¡a¡¡very¡¡little¡¡while¡¡longer£»¡¡they¡¡would¡¡be
much¡¡obliged¡¡if¡¡I¡¡would¡¡hurry¡¡up¡¡my¡¡answer¡¡before¡¡it¡¡is¡¡too¡¡late¡£
They¡¡are¡¡right£»¡¡these¡¡delicious¡¡unknown¡¡friends¡¡of¡¡mine£»¡¡in¡¡reminding
me¡¡of¡¡a¡¡fact¡¡which¡¡I¡¡cannot¡¡gainsay¡¡and¡¡might¡¡suffer¡¡to¡¡pass¡¡from¡¡my
recollection¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡thank¡¡them¡¡for¡¡recalling¡¡my¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡a¡¡truth
which¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡wiser£»¡¡if¡¡not¡¡more¡¡hilarious£»¡¡for¡¡remembering¡£
No£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡no¡¡right¡¡to¡¡say¡¡the¡¡First¡¡Opening¡£¡¡¡¡How¡¡do¡¡I¡¡know¡¡that¡¡I
shall¡¡have¡¡a¡¡chance¡¡to¡¡open¡¡it¡¡again£¿¡¡¡¡How¡¡do¡¡I¡¡know¡¡that¡¡anybody
will¡¡want¡¡it¡¡to¡¡be¡¡opened¡¡a¡¡second¡¡time£¿¡¡¡¡How¡¡do¡¡I¡¡know¡¡that¡¡I¡¡shall
feel¡¡like¡¡opening¡¡it£¿¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡safest¡¡neither¡¡to¡¡promise¡¡to¡¡open¡¡the
New¡¡Portfolio¡¡once¡¡more£»¡¡nor¡¡yet¡¡to¡¡pledge¡¡myself¡¡to¡¡keep¡¡it¡¡closed
hereafter¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡are¡¡many¡¡papers¡¡potentially¡¡existent¡¡in¡¡it£»¡¡some¡¡of
which¡¡might¡¡interest¡¡a¡¡reader¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡Records¡¡of¡¡the
Pansophian¡¡Society¡¡contain¡¡a¡¡considerable¡¡number¡¡of¡¡essays£»¡¡poems£»
stories£»¡¡and¡¡hints¡¡capable¡¡of¡¡being¡¡expanded¡¡into¡¡presentable
dimensions¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡mean¡¡time¡¡I¡¡will¡¡say¡¡with¡¡Prospero£»¡¡addressing¡¡my
old¡¡readers£»¡¡and¡¡my¡¡new¡¡ones£»¡¡if¡¡such¡¡I¡¡have£»
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¨If¡¡you¡¡be¡¡pleased£»¡¡retire¡¡into¡¡my¡¡cell
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡And¡¡there¡¡repose£º¡¡a¡¡turn¡¡or¡¡two¡¡I'll¡¡walk£»
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡To¡¡still¡¡my¡¡beating¡¡mind¡£¡¨
When¡¡it¡¡has¡¡got¡¡quiet¡¡I¡¡may¡¡take¡¡up¡¡the¡¡New¡¡Portfolio¡¡again£»¡¡and
consider¡¡whether¡¡it¡¡is¡¡worth¡¡while¡¡to¡¡open¡¡it¡£
End¡¡
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£
ÔÞÒ»ÏÂ
Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü