第52章

TuesdayEveHadalivelytimeinmyseminarythismorning，forthechildrenactedlikeSancho，andatonetimeIreallythoughtI

shouldshakethemallround。Somegoodangelinspiredmetotrygymnastics，andIkeptituptilltheyweregladtositdownandkeepstill。Afterluncheon，thegirltookthemoutforawalk，andIwenttomyneedleworklikelittleMabel`withawillingmind’。IwasthankingmystarsthatI’dlearnedtomakenicebuttonholes，whentheparlordooropenedandshut，andsomeonebegantohum，KennstDuDasLand，likeabigbumblebee。

Itwasdreadfullyimproper，Iknow，butIcouldn’tresistthetemptation，andliftingoneendofthecurtainbeforetheglassdoor，Ipeepedin。ProfessorBhaerwasthere，andwhilehearrangedhisbooks，Itookagoodlookathim。A

regularGerman——ratherstout，withbrownhairtumbledalloverhishead，abushybeard，goodnose，thekindesteyesIeversaw，andasplendidbigvoicethatdoesone’searsgood，afteroursharporslipshodAmericangabble。Hisclotheswererusty，hishandswerelarge，andhehadn’tareallyhandsomefeatureinhisface，excepthisbeautifulteeth，yetIlikedhim，forhehadafinehead，hislinenwasverynice，andhelookedlikeagentleman，thoughtwobuttonswereoffhiscoatandtherewasapatchononeshoe。Helookedsoberinspiteofhishumming，tillhewenttothewindowtoturnthehyacinthbulbstowardthesun，andstrokethecat，whoreceivedhimlikeanoldfriend。Thenhesmiled，andwhenatapcameatthedoor，calledoutinaloud，brisktone，“Herein!“

Iwasjustgoingtorun，whenIcaughtsightofamorselofachildcarryingabigbook，andstopped，toseewhatwasgoingon。

“MewantsmeBhaer，“saidthemite，slammingdownherbookandrunningtomeethim。

“ThoushalthafthyBhaer。Come，then，andtakeagoothugfromhim，myTina，“saidtheProfessor，catchingherupwithalaugh，andholdinghersohighoverhisheadthatshehadtostoopherlittlefacetokisshim。

“Nowmemustuddymylessin，“wentonthefunnylittlething。Soheputherupatthetable，openedthegreatdictionaryshehadbrought，andgaveherapaperandpencil，andshescribbledaway，turningaleafnowandthen，andpassingherlittlefatfingerdownthepage，asiffindingaword，sosoberlythatInearlybetrayedmyselfbyalaugh，whileMr。Bhaerstoodstrokingherprettyhairwithafatherlylookthatmademethinkshemustbehisown，thoughshelookedmoreFrenchthanGerman。

Anotherknockandtheappearanceoftwoyoungladiessentmebacktomywork，andthereIvirtuouslyremainedthroughallthenoiseandgabblingthatwentonnextdoor。Oneofthegirlskeptlaughingaffectedly，andsaying，“NowProfessor，“inacoquettishtone，andtheotherpronouncedherGermanwithanaccentthatmusthavemadeithardforhimtokeepsober。

Bothseemedtotryhispatiencesorely，formorethanonceIheardhimsayemphatically，“No，no，itisnotso，youhafnotattendtowhatIsay，“andoncetherewasaloudrap，asifhestruckthetablewithhisbook，followedbythedespairingexclamation，“Prut!Itallgoesbadthisday。“

Poorman，Ipitiedhim，andwhenthegirlsweregone，tookjustonemorepeeptoseeifhesurvivedit。Heseemedtohavethrownhimselfbackinhischair，tiredout，andsattherewithhiseyesshuttilltheclockstrucktwo，whenhejumpedup，puthisbooksinhispocket，asifreadyforanotherlesson，andtakinglittleTinawhohadfallenasleeponthesofainhisarms，hecarriedherquietlyaway。Ifancyhehasahardlifeofit。Mrs。KirkeaskedmeifIwouldn’tgodowntothefiveo’clockdinner，andfeelingalittlebithomesick，IthoughtIwould，justtoseewhatsortofpeopleareunderthesameroofwithme。SoImademyselfrespectableandtriedtoslipinbehindMrs。Kirke，butassheisshortandI’mtall，myeffortsatconcealmentwereratherafailure。Shegavemeaseatbyher，andaftermyfacecooledoff，Ipluckedupcourageandlookedaboutme。Thelongtablewasfull，andevery——

oneintentongettingtheirdinner，thegentlemenespecially，whoseemedtobeeatingontime，fortheyboltedineverysenseoftheword，vanishingassoonastheyweredone。Therewastheusualassortmentofyoungmenabsorbedinthemselves，youngcouplesabsorbedineachother，marriedladiesintheirbabies，andoldgentlemeninpolitics。Idon’tthinkIshallcaretohavemuchtodowithanyofthem，exceptonesweetfacedmaidenlady，wholooksasifshehadsomethinginher。

CastawayattheverybottomofthetablewastheProfessor，shoutinganswerstothequestionsofaveryinquisitive，deafoldgentlemanononeside，andtalkingphilosophywithaFrenchmanontheother。IfAmyhadbeenhere，she’dhaveturnedherbackonhimforeverbecau