In a kind of ante-cabin, a number of respectable looking people, male and female, way-passengers, recently come on board, are listlessly sitting in a mutually shy sort of silence.
Holding up a small, square bottle, ovally labeled with the engraving2 of a countenance3 full of soft pity as that of the Romish-painted Madonna, the herb-doctor passes slowly among them, benignly4 urbane5, turning this way and that, saying:—
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hold in my hand here the Samaritan Pain Dissuader6, thrice-blessed discovery of that disinterested7 friend of humanity whose portrait you see. Pure vegetable extract. Warranted to remove the acutest pain within less than ten minutes. Five hundred dollars to be forfeited8 on failure. Especially efficacious in heart disease and tic-douloureux. Observe the expression of this pledged friend of humanity.—Price only fifty cents."
In vain. After the first idle stare, his auditors—in pretty good health, it seemed—instead of encouraging [129] his politeness, appeared, if anything, impatient of it; and, perhaps, only diffidence, or some small regard for his feelings, prevented them from telling him so. But, insensible to their coldness, or charitably overlooking it, he more wooingly than ever resumed: "May I venture upon a small supposition? Have I your kind leave, ladies and gentlemen?"
"Well," said he, resignedly, "silence is at least not denial, and may be consent. My supposition is this: possibly some lady, here present, has a dear friend at home, a bed-ridden sufferer from spinal10 complaint. If so, what gift more appropriate to that sufferer than this tasteful little bottle of Pain Dissuader?"
Again he glanced about him, but met much the same reception as before. Those faces, alien alike to sympathy or surprise, seemed patiently to say, "We are travelers; and, as such, must expect to meet, and quietly put up with, many antic fools, and more antic quacks11."
"Ladies and gentlemen," (deferentially fixing his eyes upon their now self-complacent faces) "ladies and gentlemen, might I, by your kind leave, venture upon one other small supposition? It is this: that there is scarce a sufferer, this noonday, writhing12 on his bed, but in his hour he sat satisfactorily healthy and happy; that the Samaritan Pain Dissuader is the one only balm for that to which each living creature—who knows?—may be a draughted victim, present or prospective13. In short:—Oh, Happiness on my right hand, and oh, Security [130] on my left, can ye wisely adore a Providence14, and not think it wisdom to provide?—Provide!" (Uplifting the bottle.)
What immediate15 effect, if any, this appeal might have had, is uncertain. For just then the boat touched at a houseless landing, scooped16, as by a land-slide, out of sombre forests; back through which led a road, the sole one, which, from its narrowness, and its being walled up with story on story of dusk, matted foliage17, presented the vista18 of some cavernous old gorge19 in a city, like haunted Cock Lane in London. Issuing from that road, and crossing that landing, there stooped his shaggy form in the door-way, and entered the ante-cabin, with a step so burdensome that shot seemed in his pockets, a kind of invalid20 Titan in homespun; his beard blackly pendant, like the Carolina-moss, and dank with cypress21 dew; his countenance tawny22 and shadowy as an iron-ore country in a clouded day. In one hand he carried a heavy walking-stick of swamp-oak; with the other, led a puny23 girl, walking in moccasins, not improbably his child, but evidently of alien maternity24, perhaps Creole, or even Camanche. Her eye would have been large for a woman, and was inky as the pools of falls among mountain-pines. An Indian blanket, orange-hued, and fringed with lead tassel-work, appeared that morning to have shielded the child from heavy showers. Her limbs were tremulous; she seemed a little Cassandra, in nervousness.
No sooner was the pair spied by the herb-doctor, than with a cheerful air, both arms extended like a host's, he [131] advanced, and taking the child's reluctant hand, said, trippingly: "On your travels, ah, my little May Queen? Glad to see you. What pretty moccasins. Nice to dance in." Then with a half caper25 sang—
The cow jumped over the moon.'
Which playful welcome drew no responsive playfulness from the child, nor appeared to gladden or conciliate the father; but rather, if anything, to dash the dead weight of his heavy-hearted expression with a smile hypochondriacally scornful.
Sobering down now, the herb-doctor addressed the stranger in a manly28, business-like way—a transition which, though it might seem a little abrupt29, did not appear constrained30, and, indeed, served to show that his recent levity31 was less the habit of a frivolous32 nature, than the frolic condescension33 of a kindly34 heart.
"Excuse me," said he, "but, if I err35 not, I was speaking to you the other day;—on a Kentucky boat, wasn't it?"
"Never to me," was the reply; the voice deep and lonesome enough to have come from the bottom of an abandoned coal-shaft.
"Ah!—But am I again mistaken, (his eye falling on the swamp-oak stick,) or don't you go a little lame36, sir?"
"Never was lame in my life."
"Indeed? I fancied I had perceived not a limp, but [132] a hitch37, a slight hitch;—some experience in these things—divined some hidden cause of the hitch—buried bullet, may be—some dragoons in the Mexican war discharged with such, you know.—Hard fate!" he sighed, "little pity for it, for who sees it?—have you dropped anything?"
Why, there is no telling, but the stranger was bowed over, and might have seemed bowing for the purpose of picking up something, were it not that, as arrested in the imperfect posture38, he for the moment so remained; slanting39 his tall stature40 like a mainmast yielding to the gale41, or Adam to the thunder.
The little child pulled him. With a kind of a surge he righted himself, for an instant looked toward the herb-doctor; but, either from emotion or aversion, or both together, withdrew his eyes, saying nothing. Presently, still stooping, he seated himself, drawing his child between his knees, his massy hands tremulous, and still averting42 his face, while up into the compassionate43 one of the herb-doctor the child turned a fixed45, melancholy46 glance of repugnance47.
The herb-doctor stood observant a moment, then said:
"Surely you have pain, strong pain, somewhere; in strong frames pain is strongest. Try, now, my specific," (holding it up). "Do but look at the expression of this friend of humanity. Trust me, certain cure for any pain in the world. Won't you look?"
"No," choked the other.
"Very good. Merry time to you, little May Queen." [133]
And so, as if he would intrude48 his cure upon no one, moved pleasantly off, again crying his wares49, nor now at last without result. A new-comer, not from the shore, but another part of the boat, a sickly young man, after some questions, purchased a bottle. Upon this, others of the company began a little to wake up as it were; the scales of indifference50 or prejudice fell from their eyes; now, at last, they seemed to have an inkling that here was something not undesirable51 which might be had for the buying.
But while, ten times more briskly bland52 than ever, the herb-doctor was driving his benevolent53 trade, accompanying each sale with added praises of the thing traded, all at once the dusk giant, seated at some distance, unexpectedly raised his voice with—
"What was that you last said?"
The question was put distinctly, yet resonantly54, as when a great clock-bell—stunning admonisher—strikes one; and the stroke, though single, comes bedded in the belfry clamor.
All proceedings55 were suspended. Hands held forth56 for the specific were withdrawn57, while every eye turned towards the direction whence the question came. But, no way abashed58, the herb-doctor, elevating his voice with even more than wonted self-possession, replied—
"I was saying what, since you wish it, I cheerfully repeat, that the Samaritan Pain Dissuader, which I here hold in my hand, will either cure or ease any pain you please, within ten minutes after its application."
"Does it produce insensibility?" [134]
"By no means. Not the least of its merits is, that it is not an opiate. It kills pain without killing59 feeling."
"You lie! Some pains cannot be eased but by producing insensibility, and cannot be cured but by producing death."
Beyond this the dusk giant said nothing; neither, for impairing60 the other's market, did there appear much need to. After eying the rude speaker a moment with an expression of mingled61 admiration62 and consternation63, the company silently exchanged glances of mutual1 sympathy under unwelcome conviction. Those who had purchased looked sheepish or ashamed; and a cynical-looking little man, with a thin flaggy beard, and a countenance ever wearing the rudiments64 of a grin, seated alone in a corner commanding a good view of the scene, held a rusty65 hat before his face.
But, again, the herb-doctor, without noticing the retort, overbearing though it was, began his panegyrics66 anew, and in a tone more assured than before, going so far now as to say that his specific was sometimes almost as effective in cases of mental suffering as in cases of physical; or rather, to be more precise, in cases when, through sympathy, the two sorts of pain co?perated into a climax67 of both—in such cases, he said, the specific had done very well. He cited an example: Only three bottles, faithfully taken, cured a Louisiana widow (for three weeks sleepless68 in a darkened chamber) of neuralgic sorrow for the loss of husband and child, swept off in one night by the last epidemic69. For [135] the truth of this, a printed voucher70 was produced, duly signed.
While he was reading it aloud, a sudden side-blow all but felled him.
More he would have added, but, convulsed, could not; so, without another word, taking up the child, who had followed him, went with a rocking pace out of the cabin.
"Regardless of decency73, and lost to humanity!" exclaimed the herb-doctor, with much ado recovering himself. Then, after a pause, during which he examined his bruise74, not omitting to apply externally a little of his specific, and with some success, as it would seem, plained to himself:
"No, no, I won't seek redress75; innocence76 is my redress. But," turning upon them all, "if that man's wrathful blow provokes me to no wrath77, should his evil distrust arouse you to distrust? I do devoutly78 hope," proudly raising voice and arm, "for the honor of humanity—hope that, despite this coward assault, the Samaritan Pain Dissuader stands unshaken in the confidence of all who hear me!"
But, injured as he was, and patient under it, too, somehow his case excited as little compassion44 as his oratory79 now did enthusiasm. Still, pathetic to the last, he continued his appeals, notwithstanding the frigid80 regard of the company, till, suddenly interrupting himself, [136] as if in reply to a quick summons from without, he said hurriedly, "I come, I come," and so, with every token of precipitate81 dispatch, out of the cabin the herb-doctor went.
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1
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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2
engraving
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| n.版画；雕刻（作品）；雕刻艺术；镌版术v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的现在分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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3
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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4
benignly
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| adv.仁慈地，亲切地 | |
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urbane
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| adj.温文尔雅的，懂礼的 | |
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6
dissuader
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| 劝阻； 劝止； 劝戒 | |
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7
disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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8
forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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10
spinal
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| adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的 | |
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11
quacks
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| abbr.quacksalvers 庸医，骗子(16世纪习惯用水银或汞治疗梅毒的人)n.江湖医生( quack的名词复数 )；江湖郎中；（鸭子的）呱呱声v.（鸭子）发出嘎嘎声( quack的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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13
prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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14
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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15
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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16
scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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17
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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18
vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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19
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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21
cypress
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| n.柏树 | |
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22
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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23
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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24
maternity
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| n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的 | |
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25
caper
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| v.雀跃，欢蹦；n.雀跃，跳跃；续随子，刺山柑花蕾；嬉戏 | |
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26
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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27
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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28
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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29
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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30
constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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31
levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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32
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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33
condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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34
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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35
err
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| vi.犯错误，出差错 | |
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36
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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37
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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38
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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39
slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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40
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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41
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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42
averting
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| 防止，避免( avert的现在分词 )； 转移 | |
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43
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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44
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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45
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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46
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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47
repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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48
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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49
wares
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| n. 货物, 商品 | |
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50
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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51
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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52
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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53
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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54
resonantly
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| adv.共鸣地，反响地 | |
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55
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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56
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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57
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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58
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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60
impairing
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| v.损害，削弱( impair的现在分词 ) | |
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61
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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62
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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63
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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64
rudiments
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| n.基础知识，入门 | |
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65
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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66
panegyrics
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| n.赞美( panegyric的名词复数 )；称颂；颂词；颂扬的演讲或文章 | |
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67
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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68
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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69
epidemic
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| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
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70
voucher
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| n.收据；传票；凭单，凭证 | |
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71
mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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72
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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73
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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74
bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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75
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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76
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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77
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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78
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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79
oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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80
frigid
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| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
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81
precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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