"I lay on my
straw, but I could not sleep.
I thought of the occurrences
of the day. What chiefly struck
me was the gentle manners of
these people; and I longed to
join them, but dared not. I remembered
too well the treatment I had
suffered the night before from
the barbarous villagers, and
resolved, whatever course of
conduct I might hereafter think
it right to pursue, that for
the present I would remain quietly
in my hovel, watching, and endeavouring
to discover the motives which
influenced their actions.
"The cottagers
arose the next morning before
the sun. The young
woman arranged the cottage, and
prepared the food; and the youth
departed after the first meal.
"This day was
passed in the same routine
as that which preceded
it. The young man was constantly
employed out of doors, and the
girl in various laborious occupations
within. The old man, whom I soon
perceived to be blind, employed
his leisure hours on his instrument
or in contemplation. Nothing
could exceed the love and respect
which the younger cottagers exhibited
towards their venerable companion.
They performed towards him every
little office of affection and
duty with gentleness; and he
rewarded them by his benevolent
smiles.
"They were
not entirely happy. The young
man and his companion
often went apart, and appeared
to weep. I saw no cause for their
unhappiness; but I was deeply
affected by it. If such lovely
creatures were miserable, it
was less strange that I, an imperfect
and solitary being, should be
wretched. Yet why were these
gentle being unhappy? They possessed
a delightful house (for such
it was in my eyes) and every
luxury; they had a fire to warm
them when chill, and delicious
viands when hungry; they were
dressed in excellent clothes;
and, still more, they enjoyed
one another's company and speech,
interchanging each day looks
of affection and kindness. What
did their tears imply? Did they
really express pain? I was at
first unable to solve these questions;
but perpetual attention and time
explained to me many appearances
which were at first enigmatic.
"A considerable
period elapsed before I discovered
one of the
causes of the uneasiness of this
amiable family: it was poverty;
and they suffered that evil in
a very distressing degree. Their
nourishment consisted entirely
of the vegetables of their garden,
and the milk of one cow, which
gave very little during the winter,
when its masters could scarcely
procure food to support it. They
often, I believe, suffered the
pangs of hunger very poignantly,
especially the two younger cottagers;
for several times they placed
food before the old man when
they reserved none for themselves.
"This trait
of kindness moved me sensibly.
I had been accustomed,
during the night, to steal a
part of their store for my own
consumption; but when I found
that in doing this I inflicted
pain on the cottagers, I abstained,
and satisfied myself with berries,
nuts, and roots, which I gathered
from a neighbouring wood.
"I discovered
also another means through
which I was enabled
to assist their labours. I found
that the youth spent a great
part of each day in collecting
wood for the family fire; and,
during the night, I often took
his tools, the use of which I
quickly discovered, and brought
home firing sufficient for the
consumption of several days.
"I remember
the first time that I did this
the young woman,
when she opened the door in the
morning, appeared greatly astonished
on seeing a great pile of wood
on the outside. She uttered some
words in a loud voice, and the
youth joined her, who also expressed
surprise. I observed, with pleasure,
that he did not go to the forest
that day, but spent it in repairing
the cottage and cultivating the
garden.
"By degrees
I made a discovery of still
greater moment. I found
that these people possessed a
method of communicating their
experience and feelings to one
another by articulate sounds.
I perceived that the words they
spoke sometimes produced pleasure
or pain, smiles or sadness, in
the minds and countenances of
the hearers. This was indeed
a godlike science, and I ardently
desired to become acquainted
with it. But I was baffled in
every attempt I made for this
purpose. Their pronunciation
was quick; and the words they
uttered, not having any apparent
connection with visible objects,
I was unable to discover any
clue by which I could unravel
the mystery of their reference.
By great application, however,
and after having remained during
the space of several revolutions
of the moon in my hovel, I discovered
the names that were given to
some of the most familiar objects
of discourse; I learned and applied
the words, _fire, milk, bread_,
and _wood_. I learned also the
names of the cottagers themselves.
The youth and his companion had
each of them several names, but
the old man had only one, which
was _father_. The girl was called
_sister_, or _Agatha_; and the
youth _Felix, brother_, or _son_.
I cannot describe the delight
I felt when I learned the ideas
appropriated to each of these
sounds, and was able to pronounce
them. I distinguished several
other words, without being able
as yet to understand or apply
them; such as _good, dearest,
unhappy._
"I spent the
winter in this manner. The
gentle manners and
beauty of the cottagers greatly
endeared them to me: when they
were unhappy, I felt depressed;
when they rejoiced, I sympathised
in their joys. I saw few human
beings beside them; and if any
other happened to enter the cottage,
their harsh manners and rude
gait only enhanced to me the
superior accomplishments of my
friends. The old man, I could
perceive, often endeavoured to
encourage his children, as sometimes
I found that he called them,
to cast off their melancholy.
He would talk in a cheerful accent,
with an expression of goodness
that bestowed pleasure even upon
me. Agatha listened with respect,
her eyes sometimes filled with
tears, which she endeavoured
to wipe away unperceived; but
I generally found that her countenance
and tone were more cheerful after
having listened to the exhortations
of her father. It was not thus
with Felix. He was always the
saddest of the group; and, even
to my unpractised senses, he
appeared to have suffered more
deeply than his friends. But
if his countenance was more sorrowful,
his voice was more cheerful than
that of his sister, especially
when he addressed the old man.
"I could mention
innumerable instances, which,
although slight,
marked the dispositions of these
amiable cottagers. In the midst
of poverty and want, Felix carried
with pleasure to his sister the
first little white flower that
peeped out from beneath the snowy
ground. Early in the morning,
before she had risen, he cleared
away the snow that obstructed
her path to the milkhouse, drew
water from the well, and brought
the wood from the out-house,
where, to his perpetual astonishment,
he found his store always replenished
by an invisible hand. In the
day, I believe, he worked sometimes
for a neighbouring farmer, because
he often went forth, and did
not return until dinner, yet
brought no wood with him. At
other times he worked in the
garden; but, as there was little
to do in the frosty season, he
read to the old man and Agatha.
"This reading
had puzzled me extremely at
first; but, by degrees,
I discovered that he uttered
many of the same sounds when
he read as when he talked. I
conjectured, therefore, that
he found on the paper signs for
speech which he understood, and
I ardently longed to comprehend
these also; but how was that
possible, when I did not even
understand the sounds for which
they stood as signs? I improved,
however, sensibly in this science,
but not sufficiently to follow
up any kind of conversation,
although I applied my whole mind
to the endeavour: for I easily
perceived that, although I eagerly
longed to discover myself to
the cottagers, I ought not to
make the attempt until I had
first become master of their
language; which knowledge might
enable me to make them overlook
the deformity of my figure; for
with this also the contrast perpetually
presented to my eyes had made
me acquainted.
"I had admired
the perfect forms of my cottagers--their
grace, beauty, and delicate complexions:
but how was I terrified when
I viewed myself in a transparent
pool! At first I started back,
unable to believe that it was
indeed I who was reflected in
the mirror; and when I became
fully convinced that I was in
reality the monster that I am,
I was filled with the bitterest
sensations of despondence and
mortification. Alas! I did not
yet entirely know the fatal effects
of this miserable deformity.
"As the sun
became warmer, and the light
of day longer,
the snow vanished, and I beheld
the bare trees and the black
earth. From this time Felix was
more employed; and the heart-moving
indications of impending famine
disappeared. Their food, as I
afterwards found, was coarse,
but it was wholesome; and they
procured a sufficiency of it.
Several new kinds of plants sprung
up in the garden, which they
dressed; and these signs of comfort
increased daily as the season
advanced.
"The old man,
leaning on his son, walked
each day at noon,
when it did not rain, as I found
it was called when the heavens
poured forth its waters. This
frequently took place; but a
high wind quickly dried the earth,
and the season became far more
pleasant than it had been.
"My mode of
life in my hovel was uniform.
During the morning,
I attended the motions of the
cottagers; and when they were
dispersed in various occupations
I slept: the remainder of the
day was spent in observing my
friends. When they had retired
to rest, if there was any moon,
or the night was star-light,
I went into the woods, and collected
my own food and fuel for the
cottage. When I returned, as
often as it was necessary, I
cleared their path from the snow,
and performed those offices that
I had seen done by Felix. I afterwards
found that these labours, performed
by an invisible hand, greatly
astonished them; and once or
twice I heard them, on these
occasions, utter the words _good
spirit, wonderful_; but I did
not then understand the signification
of these terms.
"My thoughts
now became more active, and
I longed to discover
the motives and feelings of these
lovely creatures; I was inquisitive
to know why Felix appeared so
miserable and Agatha so sad.
I thought (foolish wretch!) that
it might be in my power to restore
happiness to these deserving
people. When I slept, or was
absent, the forms of the venerable
blind father, the gentle Agatha,
and the excellent Felix flitted
before me. I looked upon them
as superior beings, who would
be the arbiters of my future
destiny. I formed in my imagination
a thousand pictures of presenting
myself to them, and their reception
of me. I imagined that they would
be disgusted, until, by my gentle
demeanour and conciliating words,
I should first win their favour,
and afterwards their love.
"These thoughts
exhilarated me, and led me
to apply with
fresh ardour to the acquiring
the art of language. My organs
were indeed harsh, but supple;
and although my voice was very
unlike the soft music of their
tones, yet I pronounced such
words as I understood with tolerable
ease. It was as the ass and the
lap-dog; yet surely the gentle
ass whose intentions were affectionate,
although his manners were rude,
deserved better treatment than
blows and execration.
"The pleasant
showers and genial warmth of
spring greatly altered
the aspect of the earth. Men,
who before this change seemed
to have been hid in caves, dispersed
themselves, and were employed
in various arts of cultivation.
The birds sang in more cheerful
notes, and the leaves began to
bud forth on the trees. Happy,
happy earth! fit habitation for
gods, which, so short a time
before, was bleak, damp, and
unwholesome. My spirits were
elevated by the enchanting appearance
of nature; the past was blotted
from my memory, the present was
tranquil, and the future gilded
by bright rays of hope and anticipations
of joy." |