乐文小说网

第13部分（第2页）

suit　of　motley。　I　gathered　from　their　conversation　that　they　were　Cotton

Mather　and　William　Shakspere。　Mather　insisted　that　the　witches　in

〃Macbeth〃　should　be　caught　and　hanged。　Shakspere　replied　that　the

witches　had　already　suffered　enough　at　the　hands　of　mentators。　They

were　pushed　aside　by　the　twelve　knights　of　the　Round　Table；　who　marched

in　bearing　on　a　salver　the　goose　that　laid　golden　eggs。　〃The　Popes

Mule〃　and　〃The　Golden　Bull〃　had　a　bat　of　history　and　fiction　such　as

I　had　read　of　in　books；　but　never　before　witnessed。　These　little　animals

were　put　to　rout　by　a　huge　elephant　which　lumbered　in　with　Rudyard

Kipling　riding　high　on　its　trunk。　The　elephant　changed　suddenly　to　〃a

rakish　craft。〃　（I　do　not　know　what　a　rakish　craft　is；　but　this　was　very

rakish　and　very　crafty。）　It　must　have　been　abandoned　long　ago　by　wild

pirates　of　the　southern　seas；　for　clinging　to　the　rigging；　and　jovially

cheering　as　the　ship　went　down；　I　made　out　a　man　with　blazing　eyes；　clad

in　a　velveteen　jacket。　As　the　ship　disappeared　from　sight；　Falstaff

rushed　to　the　rescue　of　the　lonely　navigator……and　stole　his　purse！　But

Miranda　persuaded　him　to　give　it　back。　Stevenson　said；　〃Who　steals　my

purse　steals　trash。〃　Falstaff　laughed　and　called　this　a　good　joke；　as

good　as　any　he　had　heard　in　his　day。

This　was　the　signal　for　a　rushing　swarm　of　quotations。　They　surged　to

and　fro；　an　inchoate　throng　of　half　finished　phrases；　mutilated

sentences；　parodied　sentiments；　and　brilliant　metaphors。　I　could　not

distinguish　any　phrases　or　ideas　of　my　own　making。　I　saw　a　poor；　ragged；

shrunken　sentence　that　might　have　been　mine　own　catch　the　wings　of　a

fair　idea　with　the　light　of　genius　shining　like　a　halo　about　its　head。

Ever　and　anon　the　dancers　changed　partners　without　invitation　or

permission。　Thoughts　fell　in　love　at　sight；　married　in　a　measure；　and

joined　hands　without　previous　courtship。　An　incongruity　is　the　wedding

of　two　thoughts　which　have　had　no　reasonable　courtship；　and　marriages

without　wooing　are　apt　to　lead　to　domestic　discord；　even　to　the　breaking

up　of　an　ancient；　time…honoured　family。　Among　the　wedded　couples　were

certain　similes　hitherto　inviolable　in　their　bachelorhood　and

spinsterhood；　and　held　in　great　respect。　Their　extraordinary　proceedings

nearly　broke　up　the　dance。　But　the　fatuity　of　their　union　was　evident　to

them；　and　they　parted。　Other　similes　seemed　to　have　the　habit　of　living

in　discord。　They　had　been　many　times　married　and　divorced。　They　belonged

to　the　notorious　society　of　Mixed　Metaphors。

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