第1部分(第4/7 頁)

arkness　and　silence。　The　blind　are　not　supposed　to　be　the　best　of

guides。　Still；　though　I　cannot　warrant　not　to　lose　you；　I　promise　that

you　shall　not　be　led　into　fire　or　water；　or　fall　into　a　deep　pit。　If

you　will　follow　me　patiently；　you　will　find　that　〃there's　a　sound　so

fine；　nothing　lives　'twixt　it　and　silence；〃　and　that　there　is　more　meant

in　things　than　meets　the　eye。

My　hand　is　to　me　what　your　hearing　and　sight　together　are　to　you。　In

large　measure　we　travel　the　same　highways；　read　the　same　books；　speak

the　same　language；　yet　our　experiences　are　different。　All　my　ings　and

goings　turn　on　the　hand　as　on　a　pivot。　It　is　the　hand　that　binds　me　to

the　world　of　men　and　women。　The　hand　is　my　feeler　with　which　I　reach

through　isolation　and　darkness　and　seize　every　pleasure；　every　activity

that　my　fingers　encounter。　With　the　dropping　of　a　little　word　from

another's　hand　into　mine；　a　slight　flutter　of　the　fingers；　began　the

intelligence；　the　joy；　the　fullness　of　my　life。　Like　Job；　I　feel　as　if

a　hand　had　made　me；　fashioned　me　together　round　about　and　moulded　my

very　soul。

In　all　my　experiences　and　thoughts　I　am　conscious　of　a　hand。　Whatever

moves　me；　whatever　thrills　me；　is　as　a　hand　that　touches　me　in　the　dark；

and　that　touch　is　my　reality。　You　might　as　well　say　that　a　sight　which

makes　you　glad；　or　a　blow　which　brings　the　stinging　tears　to　your　eyes；

is　unreal　as　to　say　that　those　impressions　are　unreal　which　I　have

accumulated　by　means　of　touch。　The　delicate　tremble　of　a　butterfly's

wings　in　my　hand；　the　soft　petals　of　violets　curling　in　the　cool　folds

of　their　leaves　or　lifting　sweetly　out　of　the　meadow…