commit¡¡to¡¡the¡¡flames¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡you¡¡have¡¡become¡¡aware¡¡to¡¡what¡¡a
towering¡¡height¡¡his¡¡mad¡¡ambition¡¡soars¡£'¡¡¡¡At¡¡other¡¡times¡¡¡¡¡periods
of¡¡profound¡¡mental¡¡depression£»¡¡when¡¡She¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡out¡¡to¡¡balls¡¡where
I¡¡was¡¡not¡¡¡¡¡the¡¡draft¡¡took¡¡the¡¡affecting¡¡form¡¡of¡¡a¡¡paper¡¡to¡¡be¡¡left
on¡¡my¡¡table¡¡after¡¡my¡¡departure¡¡to¡¡the¡¡confines¡¡of¡¡the¡¡globe¡£¡¡¡¡As
thus£º¡¡¡¡'For¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Onowenever£»¡¡these¡¡lines¡¡when¡¡the¡¡hand¡¡that¡¡traces
them¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡far¡¡away¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡could¡¡not¡¡bear¡¡the¡¡daily¡¡torture¡¡of
hopelessly¡¡loving¡¡the¡¡dear¡¡one¡¡whom¡¡I¡¡will¡¡not¡¡name¡£¡¡¡¡Broiling¡¡on
the¡¡coast¡¡of¡¡Africa£»¡¡or¡¡congealing¡¡on¡¡the¡¡shores¡¡of¡¡Greenland£»¡¡I¡¡am
far¡¡far¡¡better¡¡there¡¡than¡¡here¡£'¡¡¡¡£¨In¡¡this¡¡sentiment¡¡my¡¡cooler
judgment¡¡perceives¡¡that¡¡the¡¡family¡¡of¡¡the¡¡beloved¡¡object¡¡would¡¡have
most¡¡completely¡¡concurred¡££©¡¡¡¡'If¡¡I¡¡ever¡¡emerge¡¡from¡¡obscurity£»¡¡and
my¡¡name¡¡is¡¡ever¡¡heralded¡¡by¡¡Fame£»¡¡it¡¡will¡¡be¡¡for¡¡her¡¡dear¡¡sake¡£¡¡¡¡If
I¡¡ever¡¡amass¡¡Gold£»¡¡it¡¡will¡¡be¡¡to¡¡pour¡¡it¡¡at¡¡her¡¡feet¡£¡¡¡¡Should¡¡I¡¡on
the¡¡other¡¡hand¡¡become¡¡the¡¡prey¡¡of¡¡Ravens¡¡¡¡¡'¡¡¡¡I¡¡doubt¡¡if¡¡I¡¡ever
quite¡¡made¡¡up¡¡my¡¡mind¡¡what¡¡was¡¡to¡¡be¡¡done¡¡in¡¡that¡¡affecting¡¡case£»¡¡I
tried¡¡'then¡¡it¡¡is¡¡better¡¡so£»'¡¡but¡¡not¡¡feeling¡¡convinced¡¡that¡¡it
would¡¡be¡¡better¡¡so£»¡¡I¡¡vacillated¡¡between¡¡leaving¡¡all¡¡else¡¡blank£»
which¡¡looked¡¡expressive¡¡and¡¡bleak£»¡¡or¡¡winding¡¡up¡¡with¡¡'Farewell£¡'
This¡¡fictitious¡¡correspondence¡¡of¡¡mine¡¡is¡¡to¡¡blame¡¡for¡¡the
foregoing¡¡digression¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡was¡¡about¡¡to¡¡pursue¡¡the¡¡statement¡¡that¡¡on
my¡¡twenty¡first¡¡birthday¡¡I¡¡gave¡¡a¡¡party£»¡¡and¡¡She¡¡was¡¡there¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was
a¡¡beautiful¡¡party¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡was¡¡not¡¡a¡¡single¡¡animate¡¡or¡¡inanimate
object¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡it¡¡£¨except¡¡the¡¡company¡¡and¡¡myself£©¡¡that¡¡I¡¡had
ever¡¡seen¡¡before¡£¡¡¡¡Everything¡¡was¡¡hired£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡mercenaries¡¡in
attendance¡¡were¡¡profound¡¡strangers¡¡to¡¡me¡£¡¡¡¡Behind¡¡a¡¡door£»¡¡in¡¡the
crumby¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡night¡¡when¡¡wine¡glasses¡¡were¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡in
unexpected¡¡spots£»¡¡I¡¡spoke¡¡to¡¡Her¡¡¡¡¡spoke¡¡out¡¡to¡¡Her¡£¡¡¡¡What¡¡passed£»
I¡¡cannot¡¡as¡¡a¡¡man¡¡of¡¡honour¡¡reveal¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡all¡¡angelical
gentleness£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡word¡¡was¡¡mentioned¡¡¡¡¡a¡¡short¡¡and¡¡dreadful¡¡word¡¡of
three¡¡letters£»¡¡beginning¡¡with¡¡a¡¡B¡¡¡which£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡remarked¡¡at¡¡the
moment£»¡¡'scorched¡¡my¡¡brain¡£'¡¡¡¡She¡¡went¡¡away¡¡soon¡¡afterwards£»¡¡and
when¡¡the¡¡hollow¡¡throng¡¡£¨though¡¡to¡¡be¡¡sure¡¡it¡¡was¡¡no¡¡fault¡¡of
theirs£©¡¡dispersed£»¡¡I¡¡issued¡¡forth£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡dissipated¡¡scorner£»¡¡and£»
as¡¡I¡¡mentioned¡¡expressly¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡'sought¡¡oblivion¡£'¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡found£»
with¡¡a¡¡dreadful¡¡headache¡¡in¡¡it£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡didn't¡¡last£»¡¡for£»¡¡in¡¡the
shaming¡¡light¡¡of¡¡next¡¡day's¡¡noon£»¡¡I¡¡raised¡¡my¡¡heavy¡¡head¡¡in¡¡bed£»
looking¡¡back¡¡to¡¡the¡¡birthdays¡¡behind¡¡me£»¡¡and¡¡tracking¡¡the¡¡circle¡¡by
which¡¡I¡¡had¡¡got¡¡round£»¡¡after¡¡all£»¡¡to¡¡the¡¡bitter¡¡powder¡¡and¡¡the
wretchedness¡¡again¡£
This¡¡reactionary¡¡powder¡¡£¨taken¡¡so¡¡largely¡¡by¡¡the¡¡human¡¡race¡¡I¡¡am
inclined¡¡to¡¡regard¡¡it¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Universal¡¡Medicine¡¡once¡¡sought¡¡for¡¡in
Laboratories£©¡¡is¡¡capable¡¡of¡¡being¡¡made¡¡up¡¡in¡¡another¡¡form¡¡for
birthday¡¡use¡£¡¡¡¡Anybody's¡¡long¡lost¡¡brother¡¡will¡¡do¡¡ill¡¡to¡¡turn¡¡up
on¡¡a¡¡birthday¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡I¡¡had¡¡a¡¡long¡lost¡¡brother¡¡I¡¡should¡¡know
beforehand¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡prove¡¡a¡¡tremendous¡¡fraternal¡¡failure¡¡if¡¡he
appointed¡¡to¡¡rush¡¡into¡¡my¡¡arms¡¡on¡¡my¡¡birthday¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡Magic
Lantern¡¡I¡¡ever¡¡saw£»¡¡was¡¡secretly¡¡and¡¡elaborately¡¡planned¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the
great¡¡effect¡¡of¡¡a¡¡very¡¡juvenile¡¡birthday£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡wouldn't¡¡act£»¡¡and
its¡¡images¡¡were¡¡dim¡£¡¡¡¡My¡¡experience¡¡of¡¡adult¡¡birthday¡¡Magic
Lanterns¡¡may¡¡possibly¡¡have¡¡been¡¡unfortunate£»¡¡but¡¡has¡¡certainly¡¡been
similar¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡have¡¡an¡¡illustrative¡¡birthday¡¡in¡¡my¡¡eye£º¡¡¡¡a¡¡birthday¡¡of
my¡¡friend¡¡Flipfield£»¡¡whose¡¡birthdays¡¡had¡¡long¡¡been¡¡remarkable¡¡as
social¡¡successes¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡had¡¡been¡¡nothing¡¡set¡¡or¡¡formal¡¡about¡¡them£»
Flipfield¡¡having¡¡been¡¡accustomed¡¡merely¡¡to¡¡say£»¡¡two¡¡or¡¡three¡¡days
before£»¡¡'Don't¡¡forget¡¡to¡¡come¡¡and¡¡dine£»¡¡old¡¡boy£»¡¡according¡¡to
custom£»'¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡he¡¡said¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ladies¡¡he¡¡invited£»¡¡but
I¡¡may¡¡safely¡¡assume¡¡it¡¡NOT¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡'old¡¡girl¡£'¡¡¡¡Those¡¡were
delightful¡¡gatherings£»¡¡and¡¡were¡¡enjoyed¡¡by¡¡all¡¡participators¡£¡¡¡¡In
an¡¡evil¡¡hour£»¡¡a¡¡long¡lost¡¡brother¡¡of¡¡Flipfield's¡¡came¡¡to¡¡light¡¡in
foreign¡¡parts¡£¡¡¡¡Where¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡hidden£»¡¡or¡¡what¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been
doing£»¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡know£»¡¡for¡¡Flipfield¡¡vaguely¡¡informed¡¡me¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had
turned¡¡up¡¡'on¡¡the¡¡banks¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ganges'¡¡¡¡¡speaking¡¡of¡¡him¡¡as¡¡if¡¡he
had¡¡been¡¡washed¡¡ashore¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡Long¡lost¡¡was¡¡coming¡¡home£»¡¡and
Flipfield¡¡made¡¡an¡¡unfortunate¡¡calculation£»¡¡based¡¡on¡¡the¡¡well¡known
regularity¡¡of¡¡the¡¡P¡£¡¡and¡¡O¡£¡¡Steamers£»¡¡that¡¡matters¡¡might¡¡be¡¡so
contrived¡¡as¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost¡¡should¡¡appear¡¡in¡¡the¡¡nick¡¡of¡¡time
on¡¡his¡¡£¨Flipfield's£©¡¡birthday¡£¡¡¡¡Delicacy¡¡commanded¡¡that¡¡I¡¡should
repress¡¡the¡¡gloomy¡¡anticipations¡¡with¡¡which¡¡my¡¡soul¡¡became¡¡fraught
when¡¡I¡¡heard¡¡of¡¡this¡¡plan¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡fatal¡¡day¡¡arrived£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡assembled
in¡¡force¡£¡¡¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Flipfield¡¡senior¡¡formed¡¡an¡¡interesting¡¡feature¡¡in
the¡¡group£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡blue¡veined¡¡miniature¡¡of¡¡the¡¡late¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Flipfield
round¡¡her¡¡neck£»¡¡in¡¡an¡¡oval£»¡¡resembling¡¡a¡¡tart¡¡from¡¡the
pastrycook's£º¡¡¡¡his¡¡hair¡¡powdered£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡bright¡¡buttons¡¡on¡¡his
coat£»¡¡evidently¡¡very¡¡like¡£¡¡¡¡She¡¡was¡¡accompanied¡¡by¡¡Miss¡¡Flipfield£»
the¡¡eldest¡¡of¡¡her¡¡numerous¡¡family£»¡¡who¡¡held¡¡her¡¡pocket¡handkerchief
to¡¡her¡¡bosom¡¡in¡¡a¡¡majestic¡¡manner£»¡¡and¡¡spoke¡¡to¡¡all¡¡of¡¡us¡¡£¨none¡¡of
us¡¡had¡¡ever¡¡seen¡¡her¡¡before£©£»¡¡in¡¡pious¡¡and¡¡condoning¡¡tones£»¡¡of¡¡all
the¡¡quarrels¡¡that¡¡had¡¡taken¡¡place¡¡in¡¡the¡¡family£»¡¡from¡¡her¡¡infancy¡¡¡
which¡¡must¡¡have¡¡been¡¡a¡¡long¡¡time¡¡ago¡¡¡¡¡down¡¡to¡¡that¡¡hour¡£¡¡¡¡The
Long¡lost¡¡did¡¡not¡¡appear¡£¡¡¡¡Dinner£»¡¡half¡¡an¡¡hour¡¡later¡¡than¡¡usual£»
was¡¡announced£»¡¡and¡¡still¡¡no¡¡Long¡lost¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡sat¡¡down¡¡to¡¡table¡£¡¡¡¡The
knife¡¡and¡¡fork¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost¡¡made¡¡a¡¡vacuum¡¡in¡¡Nature£»¡¡and¡¡when
the¡¡champagne¡¡came¡¡round¡¡for¡¡the¡¡first¡¡time£»¡¡Flipfield¡¡gave¡¡him¡¡up
for¡¡the¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡them¡¡removed¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡then¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost
gained¡¡the¡¡height¡¡of¡¡his¡¡popularity¡¡with¡¡the¡¡company£»¡¡for¡¡my¡¡own
part£»¡¡I¡¡felt¡¡convinced¡¡that¡¡I¡¡loved¡¡him¡¡dearly¡£¡¡¡¡Flipfield's
dinners¡¡are¡¡perfect£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡is¡¡the¡¡easiest¡¡and¡¡best¡¡of
entertainers¡£¡¡¡¡Dinner¡¡went¡¡on¡¡brilliantly£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡more¡¡the¡¡Long¡
lost¡¡didn't¡¡come£»¡¡the¡¡more¡¡comfortable¡¡we¡¡grew£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡more¡¡highly
we¡¡thought¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡Flipfield's¡¡own¡¡man¡¡£¨who¡¡has¡¡a¡¡regard¡¡for¡¡me£©
was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡act¡¡of¡¡struggling¡¡with¡¡an¡¡ignorant¡¡stipendiary£»¡¡to¡¡wrest
from¡¡him¡¡the¡¡wooden¡¡leg¡¡of¡¡a¡¡Guinea¡fowl¡¡which¡¡he¡¡was¡¡pressing¡¡on
my¡¡acceptance£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡substitute¡¡a¡¡slice¡¡of¡¡the¡¡breast£»¡¡when¡¡a
ringing¡¡at¡¡the¡¡door¡bell¡¡suspended¡¡the¡¡strife¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡looked¡¡round¡¡me£»
and¡¡perceived¡¡the¡¡sudden¡¡pallor¡¡which¡¡I¡¡knew¡¡my¡¡own¡¡visage
revealed£»¡¡reflected¡¡in¡¡the¡¡faces¡¡of¡¡the¡¡company¡£¡¡¡¡Flipfield
hurriedly¡¡excused¡¡himself£»¡¡went¡¡out£»¡¡was¡¡absent¡¡for¡¡about¡¡a¡¡minute
or¡¡two£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡re¡entered¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost¡£
I¡¡beg¡¡to¡¡say¡¡distinctly¡¡that¡¡if¡¡the¡¡stranger¡¡had¡¡brought¡¡Mont¡¡Blanc
with¡¡him£»¡¡or¡¡had¡¡come¡¡attended¡¡by¡¡a¡¡retinue¡¡of¡¡eternal¡¡snows£»¡¡he
could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡chilled¡¡the¡¡circle¡¡to¡¡the¡¡marrow¡¡in¡¡a¡¡more¡¡efficient
manner¡£¡¡¡¡Embodied¡¡Failure¡¡sat¡¡enthroned¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost's¡¡brow£»
and¡¡pervaded¡¡him¡¡to¡¡his¡¡Long¡lost¡¡boots¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡vain¡¡Mrs¡£¡¡Flipfield
senior£»¡¡opening¡¡her¡¡arms£»¡¡exclaimed£»¡¡'My¡¡Tom£¡'¡¡and¡¡pressed¡¡his¡¡nose
against¡¡the¡¡counterfeit¡¡presentment¡¡of¡¡his¡¡other¡¡parent¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡vain
Miss¡¡Flipfield£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡first¡¡transports¡¡of¡¡this¡¡re¡union£»¡¡showed
him¡¡a¡¡dint¡¡upon¡¡her¡¡maidenly¡¡cheek£»¡¡and¡¡asked¡¡him¡¡if¡¡he¡¡remembered
when¡¡he¡¡did¡¡that¡¡with¡¡the¡¡bellows£¿¡¡¡¡We£»¡¡the¡¡bystanders£»¡¡were
overcome£»¡¡but¡¡overcome¡¡by¡¡the¡¡palpable£»¡¡undisguisable£»¡¡utter£»¡¡and
total¡¡break¡down¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost¡£¡¡¡¡Nothing¡¡he¡¡could¡¡have¡¡done
would¡¡have¡¡set¡¡him¡¡right¡¡with¡¡us¡¡but¡¡his¡¡instant¡¡return¡¡to¡¡the
Ganges¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡very¡¡same¡¡moments¡¡it¡¡became¡¡established¡¡that¡¡the
feeling¡¡was¡¡reciprocal£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost¡¡detested¡¡us¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡a
friend¡¡of¡¡the¡¡family¡¡£¨not¡¡myself£»¡¡upon¡¡my¡¡honour£©£»¡¡wishing¡¡to¡¡set
things¡¡going¡¡again£»¡¡asked¡¡him£»¡¡while¡¡he¡¡partook¡¡of¡¡soup¡¡¡¡¡asked¡¡him
with¡¡an¡¡amiability¡¡of¡¡intention¡¡beyond¡¡all¡¡praise£»¡¡but¡¡with¡¡a
weakness¡¡of¡¡execution¡¡open¡¡to¡¡defeat¡¡¡¡¡what¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡river¡¡he
considered¡¡the¡¡Ganges£»¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost£»¡¡scowling¡¡at¡¡the¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡the
family¡¡over¡¡his¡¡spoon£»¡¡as¡¡one¡¡of¡¡an¡¡abhorrent¡¡race£»¡¡replied£»¡¡'Why£»
a¡¡river¡¡of¡¡water£»¡¡I¡¡suppose£»'¡¡and¡¡spooned¡¡his¡¡soup¡¡into¡¡himself
with¡¡a¡¡malignancy¡¡of¡¡hand¡¡and¡¡eye¡¡that¡¡blighted¡¡the¡¡amiable
questioner¡£¡¡¡¡Not¡¡an¡¡opinion¡¡could¡¡be¡¡elicited¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Long¡lost£»
in¡¡unison¡¡with¡¡the¡¡sentiments¡¡of¡¡any¡¡individual¡¡present¡£¡¡¡¡He
contradicted¡¡Flipfield¡¡dead£»¡¡before¡¡he¡¡had¡¡eaten¡¡his¡¡salmon¡£¡¡¡¡He
had¡¡no¡¡idea¡¡¡¡¡or¡¡affected¡¡to¡¡have¡¡no¡¡idea¡¡¡¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡his
brother's¡¡birthday£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡the¡¡communication¡¡of¡¡that¡¡interesting
fact¡¡to¡¡him£»¡¡merely¡¡wanted¡¡to¡¡make¡¡him¡¡out¡¡four¡¡years¡¡older¡¡than¡¡he
was¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡an¡¡antipathetical¡¡being£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡peculiar¡¡power¡¡and
gift¡¡of¡¡treading¡¡on¡¡everybody's¡¡tenderest¡¡place¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡talk¡¡in
America¡¡of¡¡a¡¡man's¡¡'Platform¡£'¡¡¡¡I¡¡should¡¡describe¡¡the¡¡Platform¡¡of
the¡¡Long¡lost¡¡as¡¡a¡¡Platform¡¡composed¡¡of¡¡other¡¡people's¡¡corns£»¡¡on
which¡¡he¡¡had¡¡stumped¡¡his¡¡way£»¡¡with¡¡all¡¡his¡¡might¡¡and¡¡main£»¡¡to¡¡his
present¡¡position¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡needless¡¡to¡¡add¡¡that¡¡Flipfield's¡¡great
birthday¡¡went¡¡by¡¡the¡¡board£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡a¡¡wreck¡¡when¡¡I
pretended¡¡at¡¡parting¡¡to¡¡wish¡¡him¡¡many¡¡happy¡¡returns¡¡of¡¡it¡£
There¡¡is¡¡another¡¡class¡¡of¡¡birthdays¡¡at¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡so¡¡frequently
assisted£»¡¡that¡¡I¡¡may¡¡assume¡¡such¡¡birthd
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£
ÔÞÒ»ÏÂ
Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü