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！
will be no one else but Greene and myself； and we will have an Italian
dinner。〃
Unhappily I had accepted a dinner in Boston for that night； and this
invitation put me in great misery。 I must keep my engagement； but how
could I bear to miss meeting Salvini at Longfellow's table on terms like
these？ We consulted at home together and questioned whether I might not
rush into Boston； seek out my host there； possess him of the facts； and
frankly throw myself on his mercy。 Then a sudden thought struck us：
Go to Longfellow； and submit the case to him！ I went； and he entered
with delicate sympathy into the affair。 But he decided that； taking the
large view of it； I must keep my engagement； lest I should run even a
remote risk of wounding my friend's susceptibilities。 I obeyed； and I
had a very good time； but I still feel that I missed the best time of my
life； and that I ought to be rewarded for my sacrifice； somewhere。
Longfellow so rarely spoke of himself in any way that one heard from him
few of those experiences of the distinguished man in contact with the
undistinguished； which he must have had so abundantly。 But he told；
while it was fresh in his mind； an incident that happened to him one day
in Boston at a tobacconist's； where a certain brand of cigars was
recommended to him as the kind Longfellow smoked。 〃Ah； then I must have
some of them； and I will ask you to send me a box；〃 said Longfellow； and
he wrote down his name and address。 The cigar…dealer read it with the
smile of a worsted champion； and said； 〃Well； I guess you had me； that
time。〃 At a funeral a mourner wished to open conversation； and by way of
suggesting a theme of common interest； began； 〃You've buried； I believe？〃
Sometimes people were shown by the poet through Craigie House who had no
knowledge of it except that it had been Washington's headquarters。 Of
course Longfellow was known by sight to every one in Cambridge。 He was
daily in the streets； while his health endured； and as he kept no
carriage； he was often to be met in the horse…cars； which were such
common ground in Cambridge that they were often like small invited
parties of friends when they left Harvard Square； so that you expected
the gentlemen to jump up and ask the ladies whether they would have
chicken salad。 In civic and political matters he mingled so far as to
vote regularly； and he voted with his party； trusting it for a general
regard to the public welfare。
I fancy he was somewhat shy of his fellow…men； as the scholar seems
always to be； from the sequestered habit of his life； but I think
Longfellow was incapable of marking any difference between himself and
them。 I never heard from him anything that was 'de haut en bas'； when he
spoke of people； and in Cambridge； where there was a good deal of
contempt for the less lettered； and we liked to smile though we did not
like to sneer； and to analyze if we did not censure； Longfellow and
Longfellow's house were free of all that。 Whatever his feeling may have
been towards other sorts and conditions of men； his effect was of an
entire democracy。 He was always the most unassuming person in any
company； and at some large public dinners where I saw him I found him
patient of the greater attention that more public men paid themselves and
one another。 He was not a speaker； and I never saw him on his feet at
dinner； except once； when he read a poem for Whittier； who was absent。
He disliked after…dinner speaking； and made conditions for his own
exemption from it。
VIII。
Once your friend； Longfellow was always your friend； he would not think
evil of you； and if he knew evil of you； he would be the last of all that
knew it to judge you for it。 This may have been from the impersonal
habit of his mind； but I believe it was also the effect of principle； for
he would do what he could to arrest the delivery of judgment from others；
and would soften the sentences passed in his presence。 Naturally this
brought him under some condemnation with those of a severer cast； and I
have heard him criticised for his benevolence towards all； and his
constancy to some who were not quite so true to themselves； perhaps。
But this leniency of Longfellow's was what constituted him great as well
as good； for it is not our wisdom that censures others。 As for his
goodness； I never saw a fault in him。 I do not mean to say that he had
no faults； or that there were no better men； but only to give the witness
of my knowledge concerning him。 I claim in no wise to have been his
intimate； such a thing was not possible in my case for quite apparent
reasons； and I doubt if Longfellow was capable of intimacy in the sense
we mostly attach to the word。 Something more of egotism than I ever
found in him must go to the making of any intimacy which did not come
from the tenderest affections of his heart。 But as a man shows himself
to those often with him； and in his noted relations with other men； he
showed himself without blame。 All men that I have known； besides； have
had some foible （it often endeared them the more）； or some meanness； or
pettiness； or bitterness； but Longfellow had none； nor the suggestion of
any。 No breath of evil ever touched his name； he went in and out among
his fellow…men without the reproach that follows wrong； the worst thing I
ever heard said of him was that he had 'gene'； and this was said by one
of those difficult Cambridge men who would have found 'gene' in a
celestial angel。 Something that Bjornstjerne Bjornson wrote to me when
he was leaving America after a winter in Cambridge； comes nearer
suggesting Longfellow than all my talk。 The Norsemen； in the days of
their stormy and reluctant conversion； used always to speak of Christ as
the White Christ； and Bjornson said in his letter； 〃Give my love to the
White Mr。 Longfellow。〃
A good many； years before Longfellow's death he began to be sleepless；
and he suffered greatly。 He said to me once that he felt as if he were
going about with his heart in a kind of mist。 The whole night through he
would not be aware of having slept。 〃 But；〃 he would add； with his
heavenly patience； 〃I always get a good deal of rest from lying down so
long。〃 I cannot say whether these conditions persisted； or how much his
insomnia had to do with his breaking health； three or four years before
the end came； we left Cambridge for a house farther in the country； and I
saw him less frequently than before。 He did not allow our meetings to
cease； he asked me to dinner from time to time； as if to keep them up；
but it could not be with the old frequency。 Once he made a point of
coming to see us in our cottage on the hill west of Cambridge； but it was
with an effort not visible in the days when he could end one of his brief
walks at our house on Concord Avenue； he never came but he left our house
more luminous for his having been there。 Once he came to supper there to
meet Garfield （an old family friend of mine in Ohio）； and though he was
suffering from a heavy cold； he would not scant us in his stay。 I had
some very bad sherry which he drank with the serenity of a martyr； and I
shudder to this day to think what his kindness must have cost him。 He
told his story of the clothes…line ghost； and Garfield matched it with
the story of an umbrella ghost who sheltered a friend of his through a
midnight storm； but was not cheerful company to his beneficiary； who
passed his hand through him at one point in the effort to take his arm。
After the end of four years I came to Cambridge to be treated for a long
sickness； which had nearly been my last； and when I could get about I
returned the visit Longfellow had not failed to pay me。 But I did not
find him； and I never saw him again in life。 I went into Boston to
finish the winter of 1881…2； and from time to time I heard that the poet
was failing in health。 As soon as I felt able to bear the horse…car
journey I went out to Cambridge to see him。 I had knocked once at his
door； the friendly door that had so often opened to his welcome； and
stood with the knocker in my hand when the door was suddenly set ajar；
and a maid showed her face wet with tears。 〃How