SILAS: Yes, a city will rise from these cornfields--a big rich
place--that's bound to be. It's written in the lay o' the land and the
way the river flows. But first tell us about Harvard College, Felix.
Ain't it a fine thing for us all to have Felix coming home from that
wonderful place!
FELIX: You make it seem wonderful.
SILAS: Ah, you know it's wonderful--know it so well you don't have to
say it. It's something you've got. But to me it's wonderful the way the
stars are wonderful--this place where all that the world has learned is
to be drawn from me--like a spring.
FELIX: You almost say what Matthew Arnold says--a distinguished new
English writer who speaks of: 'The best that has been thought and said
in the world'.
SILAS: 'The best that has been thought and said in the world!' (_slowly
rising, and as if the dream of years is bringing him to his feet_)
That's what that hill is for! (_pointing_) Don't you see it? End of our
trail, we climb a hill and plant a college. Plant a college, so's after
we are gone that college says for us, says in people learning has made
more: 'That is why we took this land.'
GRANDMOTHER: (_incredulous_) You mean, Silas, you're going to _give the
hill away_?
SILAS: The hill at the end of our trail--how could we keep that?
GRANDMOTHER: Well, I want to know why not! Hill or level--land's land
and not a thing you give away.
Pages:
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168