imalheatandmoisturemayhaveachancetoevaporate.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