tongue。 I do not think it was a mere fancy of mine that he bears a
kind of resemblance to the tribe of insects he gives his life to
studying。 His shiny black coat； his rounded back； convex with years
of stooping over his minute work； his angular movements； made natural
to him by his habitual style of manipulation； the aridity of his
organism； with which his voice is in perfect keeping；all these
marks of his special sedentary occupation are so nearly what might be
expected； and indeed so much； in accordance with the more general
fact that a man's aspect is subdued to the look of what he works in；
that I do not feel disposed to accuse myself of exaggeration in my
account of the Scarabee's appearance。 But I think he has learned
something else of his coleopterous friends。 The beetles never smile。
Their physiognomy is not adapted to the display of the emotions； the
lateral movement of their jaws being effective for alimentary
purposes； but very limited in its gamut of expression。 It is with
these unemotional beings that the Scarabee passes his life。 He has
but one object； and that is perfectly serious； to his mind； in fact；
of absorbing interest and importance。 In one aspect of the matter he
is quite right； for if the Creator has taken the trouble to make one
of His creatures in just such a way and not otherwise； from the
beginning of its existence on our planet in ages of unknown
remoteness to the present time； the man who first explains His idea
to us is charged with a revelation。 It is by no means impossible
that there may be angels in the celestial hierarchy to whom it would
be new and interesting。 I have often thought that spirits of a
higher order than man might be willing to learn something from a
human mind like that of Newton； and I see no reason why an angelic
being might not be glad to hear a lecture from Mr。 Huxley； or Mr。
Tyndall； or one of our friends at Cambridge。
I have been sinuous as the Links of Forth seen from Stirling Castle；
or as that other river which threads the Berkshire valley and runs； a
perennial stream； through my memory；from which I please myself with
thinking that I have learned to wind without fretting against the
shore； or forgetting cohere I am flowing；sinuous； I say； but not
jerky；no； not jerky nor hard to follow for a reader of the right
sort； in the prime of life and full possession of his or her
faculties。
All this last page or so； you readily understand； has been my
private talk with you； the Reader。 The cue of the conversation which
I interrupted by this digression is to be found in the words 〃a good
motto；〃 from which I begin my acccount of the visit again。
Do you receive many visitors；I mean vertebrates； not articulates？
said the Master。
I thought this question might perhaps bring il disiato riso； the
long…wished…for smile； but the Scarabee interpreted it in the
simplest zoological sense； and neglected its hint of playfulness with
the most absolute unconsciousness； apparently； of anything not
entirely serious and literal。
You mean friends； I suppose；he answered。 I have correspondents；
but I have no friends except this spider。 I live alone； except when
I go to my subsection meetings； I get a box of insects now and then；
and send a few beetles to coleopterists in other entomological
districts； but science is exacting； and a man that wants to leave his
record has not much time for friendship。 There is no great chance
either for making friends among naturalists。 People that are at work
on different things do not care a great deal for each other's
specialties； and people that work on the same thing are always afraid
lest one should get ahead of the other； or steal some of his ideas
before he has made them public。 There are none too many people you
can trust in your laboratory。 I thought I had a friend once； but he
watched me at work and stole the discovery of a new species from me；
and； what is more； had it named after himself。 Since that time I
have liked spiders better than men。 They are hungry and savage； but
at any rate they spin their own webs out of their own insides。 I
like very well to talk with gentlemen that play with my branch of
entomology； I do not doubt it amused you； and if you want to see
anything I can show you； I shall have no scruple in letting you see
it。 I have never had any complaint to make of amatoors。
Upon my honor；I would hold my right hand up and take my Bible…
oath； if it was not busy with the pen at this moment；I do not
believe the Scarabee had the least idea in the world of the satire on
the student of the Order of Things implied in his invitation to the
〃amatoor。〃 As for the Master； he stood fire perfectly； as he always
does； but the idea that he； who had worked a considerable part of
several seasons at examining and preparing insects； who believed
himself to have given a new tabanus to the catalogue of native
diptera； the idea that he was playing with science； and might be
trusted anywhere as a harmless amateur； from whom no expert could
possibly fear any anticipation of his unpublished discoveries； went
beyond anything set down in that book of his which contained so much
of the strainings of his wisdom。
The poor little Scarabee began fidgeting round about this time； and
uttering some half…audible words； apologetical； partly； and involving
an allusion to refreshments。 As he spoke； he opened a small
cupboard； and as he did so out bolted an uninvited tenant of the
same； long in person； sable in hue； and swift of movement； on seeing
which the Scarabee simply said； without emotion； blatta； but I；
forgetting what was due to good manners； exclaimed cockroach！
We could not make up our minds to tax the Scarabee's hospitality；
already levied upon by the voracious articulate。 So we both alleged
a state of utter repletion； and did not solve the mystery of the
contents of the cupboard；not too luxurious； it may be conjectured；
and yet kindly offered； so that we felt there was a moist filament of
the social instinct running like a nerve through that exsiccated and
almost anhydrous organism。
We left him with professions of esteem and respect which were real。
We had gone； not to scoff； but very probably to smile； and I will not
say we did not。 But the Master was more thoughtful than usual。
If I had not solemnly dedicated myself to the study of the Order of
Things；he said；I do verily believe I would give what remains to
me of life to the investigation of some single point I could utterly
eviscerate and leave finally settled for the instruction and； it may
be； the admiration of all coming time。 The keel ploughs ten thousand
leagues of ocean and leaves no trace of its deep…graven furrows。 The
chisel scars only a few inches on the face of a rock； but the story
it has traced is read by a hundred generations。 The eagle leaves no
track of his path； no memory of the place where he built his nest；
but a patient mollusk has bored a little hole in a marble column of
the temple of Serapis； and the monument of his labor outlasts the
altar and the statue of the divinity。
Whew！said I to myself；that sounds a little like what we college
boys used to call a 〃squirt。〃 The Master guessed my thought and
said； smiling；
That is from one of my old lectures。 A man's tongue wags along
quietly enough； but his pen begins prancing as soon as it touches
paper。 I know what you are thinkingyou're thinking this is a
squirt。 That word has taken the nonsense out of a good many high…
stepping fellows。 But it did a good deal of harm too； and it was a
vulgar lot that applied it oftenest。
I am at last perfectly satisfied that our Landlady has no designs on
the Capitalist； and as well convinced that any fancy of mine that he
was like to make love to her was a mistake。 The good woman is too
much absorbed in her children； and more especially in 〃the Doctor；〃
as she delights to call her son； to be the prey of any foolish desire
of changing her condition。 She is doing very well as it is； and if
the young man succeeds； as I have little question that he will； I
think it probable enough that she will retire from her position as
the head of a boarding…house。 We have all liked the good woman who
have lived with her；I mean we three friends who have put ourselves
on record。 Her talk； I must confess； is a little diffuse and not
always absolutely correct； according to the standard of the great
Worcester； she is subject to lachrymose cataclysms and semiconvulsive
upheavals when she reverts in memory to her past trials； and
especially when she recalls the virtues of her deceased spouse； who
was； I suspect； an adjunct such as one finds not rarely annexed to a
capable matron in charge of an establishment like hers； that is to
say； an easy…going； harmless； fetch…and…carry； carve…and…help； get…
out…of…the…way kind of neuter； who comes up three times （as they say
drowning people do） every day； namely； at breakfast； dinner； and tea；
and disappears； submerged beneath the waves of life； during the
intervals of these events。
It is a source of genuine delight to me； who am of a kindly nature
enough； according to my own reckoning； to watch the good woma