Visitors

IthinkthatIlovesocietyasmuchasmost,andamreadyenoughtofastenmyselflikeabloodsuckerforthetimetoanyfull-bloodedmanthatcomesinmyway.Iamnaturallynohermit,butmightpossiblysitoutthesturdiestfrequenterofthebar-room,ifmybusinesscalledmethither. Ihadthreechairsinmyhouseoneforsolitude,twoforfriendship,threeforsociety.Whenvisitorscameinlargerandunexpectednumberstherewasbutthethirdchairforthemall,buttheygenerallyeconomizedtheroombystandingup.Itissurprisinghowmanygreatmenandwomenasmallhousewillcontain.Ihavehadtwenty-fiveorthirtysouls,withtheirbodies,atonceundermyroof,andyetweoftenpartedwithoutbeingawarethatwehadcomeveryneartooneanother.Manyofourhouses,bothpublicandprivate,withtheiralmostinnumerableapartments,theirhugehallsandtheircellarsforthestorageofwinesandothermunitionsofpeace,appeartomeextravagantlylargefortheirinhabitants.Theyaresovastandmagnificentthatthelatterseemtobeonlyverminwhichinfestthem.IamsurprisedwhentheheraldblowshissummonsbeforesomeTremontorAstororMiddlesexHouse,toseecomecreepingoutoverthepiazzaforallinhabitantsaridiculousmouse,whichsoonagainslinksintosomeholeinthepavement. OneinconvenienceIsometimesexperiencedinsosmallahouse,thedifficultyofgettingtoasufficientdistancefrommyguestwhenwebegantoutterthebigthoughtsinbigwords.Youwantroomforyourthoughtstogetintosailingtrimandrunacourseortwobeforetheymaketheirport.Thebulletofyourthoughtmusthaveovercomeitslateralandricochetmotionandfallenintoitslastandsteadycoursebeforeitreachestheearofthehearer,elseitmayploughoutagainthroughthesideofhishead.Also,oursentenceswantedroomtounfoldandformtheircolumnsintheinterval.Individuals,likenations,musthavesuitablebroadandnaturalboundaries,evenaconsiderableneutralground,betweenthem.Ihavefounditasingularluxurytotalkacrossthepondtoacompanionontheoppositeside.Inmyhouseweweresonearthatwecouldnotbegintohear,—wecouldnotspeaklowenoughtobeheardaswhenyouthrowtwostonesintocalmwatersonearthattheybreakeachother’sundulations.Ifwearemerelyloquaciousandloudtalkers,thenwecanaffordtostandveryneartogether,cheekbyjowl,andfeeleachother’sbreathbutifwespeakreservedlyandthoughtfully,wewanttobefartherapart,thatallanimalheatandmoisturemayhaveachancetoevaporate.Ifwewouldenjoythemostintimatesocietywiththatineachofuswhichiswithout,orabove,beingspokento,wemustnotonlybesilent,butcommonlysofarapartbodilythatwecannotpossiblyheareachother’svoiceinanycase.Referredtothisstandard,speechisfortheconvenienceofthosewhoarehardofhearingbuttherearemanyfinethingswhichwecannotsayifwehavetoshout.Astheconversationbegantoassumealoftierandgrandertone,wegraduallyshovedourchairsfartheraparttilltheytouchedthewallinoppositecorners,andthencommonlytherewasnotroomenough. My“best”room,however,mywithdrawingroom,alwaysreadyforcompany,onwhosecarpetthesunrarelyfell,wasthepinewoodbehindmyhouse.Thitherinsummerdays,whendistinguishedguestscame,Itookthem,andapricelessdomesticswepttheflooranddustedthefurnitureandkeptthethingsinorder. Ifoneguestcamehesometimespartookofmyfrugalmeal,anditwasnointerruptiontoconversationtobestirringahasty-pudding,orwatchingtherisingandmaturingofaloafofbreadintheashes,inthemeanwhile.Butiftwentycameandsatinmyhousetherewasnothingsaidaboutdinner,thoughtheremightbebreadenoughfortwo,morethanifeatingwereaforsakenhabitbutwenaturallypractisedabstinenceandthiswasneverfelttobeanoffenceagainsthospitality,butthemostproperandconsideratecourse.Thewasteanddecayofphysicallife,whichsooftenneedsrepair,seemedmiraculouslyretardedinsuchacase,andthevitalvigorstooditsground.Icouldentertainthusathousandaswellastwentyandifanyeverwentawaydisappointedorhungryfrommyhousewhentheyfoundmeathome,theymaydependuponitthatIsympathizedwiththematleast.Soeasyisit,thoughmanyhousekeepersdoubtit,toestablishnewandbettercustomsintheplaceoftheold.Youneednotrestyourreputationonthedinnersyougive.Formyownpart,Iwasneversoeffectuallydeterredfromfrequentingaman’shouse,byanykindofCerberuswhatever,asbytheparadeonemadeaboutdiningme,whichItooktobeaverypoliteandroundabouthintnevertotroublehimsoagain.IthinkIshallneverrevisitthosescenes.IshouldbeproudtohaveforthemottoofmycabinthoselinesofSpenserwhichoneofmyvisitorsinscribedonayellowwalnutleafforacard:— “Arrivédthere,thelittlehousetheyfill, Nelookeforentertainmentwherenonewas Restistheirfeast,and