the world i live in-海伦·凯勒自传(英文版)-第3章

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pound　of　unmodulated　people　who　hammer　their　meaning　into　my　palm。

Some　hands；　when　they　clasp　yours；　beam　and　bubble　over　with　gladness。
They　throb　and　expand　with　life。　Strangers　have　clasped　my　hand　like
that　of　a　long…lost　sister。　Other　people　shake　hands　with　me　as　if　with
the　fear　that　I　may　do　them　mischief。　Such　persons　hold　out　civil
finger…tips　which　they　permit　you　to　touch；　and　in　the　moment　of
contract　they　retreat；　and　inwardly　you　hope　that　you　will　not　be　called
upon　again　to　take　that　hand　of　〃dormouse　valour。〃　It　betokens　a　prudish
mind；　ungracious　pride；　and　not　seldom　mistrust。　It　is　the　antipode　to
the　hand　of　those　who　have　large；　lovable　natures。

The　handshake　of　some　people　makes　you　think　of　accident　and　sudden
death。　Contrast　this　ill…boding　hand　with　the　quick；　skilful；　quiet　hand
of　a　nurse　whom　I　remember　with　affection　because　she　took　the　best
care　of　my　teacher。　I　have　clasped　the　hands　of　some　rich　people　that
spin　not　and　toil　not；　and　yet　are　not　beautiful。　Beneath　their　soft；
smooth　roundness　what　a　chaos　of　undeveloped　character！

I　am　sure　there　is　no　hand　parable　to　the　physician's　in　patient
skill；　merciful　gentleness　and　splendid　certainty。　No　wonder　that　Ruskin
finds　in　the　sure　strokes　of　the　surgeon　the　perfection　of　control　and
delicate　precision　for　the　artist　to　emulate。　If　the　physician　is　a　man
of　great　nature；　there　will　be　healing　for　the　spirit　in　his　touch。　This
magic　touch　of　well…being　was　in　the　hand　of　a　dear　friend　of　mine　who
was　our　doctor　in　sickness　and　health。　His　happy　cordial　spirit　did　his
patients　good　whether　they　needed　medicine　or　not。

As　there　are　many　beauties　of　the　face；　so　the　beauties　of　the　hand　are
many。　Touch　has　its　ecstasies。　The　hands　of　people　of　strong
individuality　and　sensitiveness　are　wonderfully　mobile。　In　a　glance　of
their　finger…tips　they　express　many　shades　of　thought。　Now　and　again　I
touch　a　fine；　graceful；　supple…wristed　hand　which　spells　with　the　same
beauty　and　distinction　that　you　must　see　in　the　handwriting　of　some
highly　cultivated　people。　I　wish　you　could　see　how　prettily　little
children　spell　in　my　hand。　They　are　wild　flowers　of　humanity；　and　their
finger　motions　wild　flowers　of　speech。

All　this　is　my　private　science　of　palmistry；　and　when　I　tell　your
fortune　it　is　by　no　mysterious　intuition　or　gipsy　witchcraft；　but　by
natural；　explicable　recognition　of　the　embossed　character　in　your　hand。
Not　only　is　the　hand　as　easy　to　recognize　as　the　face；　but　it　reveals
its　secrets　more　openly　and　unconsciously。　People　control　their
countenances；　but　the　hand　is　under　no　such　restraint。　It　relaxes　and
bees　listless　when　the　spirit　is　low　and　dejected；　the　muscles
tighten　when　the　mind　is　excited　or　the　heart　glad；　and　permanent
qualities　stand　written　on　it　all　the　time。

FOOTNOTE：

＇A＇　The　excellent　proof…reader　has　put　a　query　to　my　use　of　the　word
〃see。〃　If　I　had　said　〃visit；〃　he　would　have　asked　no　questions；　yet　what
does　〃visit〃　mean　but　〃see〃　（_visitare_）？　Later　I　will　try　to　defend
myself　for　using　as　much　of　the　English　language　as　I　have　succeeded　in
learning。




THE　HAND　OF　THE　RACE




III

THE　HAND　OF　THE　RACE


LOOK　in　your　〃Century　Dictionary；〃　or　if　you　are　blind；　ask　your　teacher
to　do　it　for　you；　and　learn　how　many　idioms　are　made　on　the　idea　of
hand；　and　how　many　words　are　formed　from　the　Latin　root　_manus_……enough
words　to　name　all　the　essential　affairs　of　life。　〃Hand；〃　with　quotations
and　pounds；　occupies　twenty…four　columns；　eight　pages　of　this
dictionary。　The　hand　is　defined　as　〃the　organ　of　apprehension。〃　How
perfectly　the　definition　fits　my　case　in　both　senses　of　the　word
〃apprehend〃！　With　my　hand　I　seize　and　hold　all　that　I　find　in　the　three
worlds……physical；　intellectual；　and　spiritual。

Think　how　man　has　regarded　the　world　in　terms　of　the　hand。　All　life　is
divided　between　what　lies　_on　one　hand_　and　on　the　other。　The　products
of　skill　are　_manu_factures。　The　conduct　of　affairs　is　_man_agement。
History　seems　to　be　the　record……alas　for　our　chronicles　of　war！……of　the
_man_oeuvres　of　armies。　But　the　history　of　peace；　too；　the　narrative　of
labour　in　the　field；　the　forest；　and　the　vineyard；　is　written　in　the
victorious　sign　_manual_……the　sign　of　the　hand　that　has　conquered　the
wilderness。　The　labourer　himself　is　called　a　_hand_。　In　_man_acle　and
_manu_mission　we　read　the　story　of　human　slavery　and　freedom。

The　minor　idioms　are　myriad；　but　I　will　not　recall　too　many；　lest　you
cry；　〃Hands　off！〃　I　cannot　desist；　however；　from　this　word…game　until　I
have　set　down　a　few。　Whatever　is　not　one's　own　by　first　possession　is
_second…hand_。　That　is　what　I　am　told　my　knowledge　is。　But　my
well…meaning　friends　e　to　my　defence；　and；　not　content　with　endowing
me　with　natural　_first…hand_　knowledge　which　is　rightfully　mine；　ascribe
to　me　a　preternatural　sixth　sense　and　credit　to　miracles　and　heaven…sent
pensations　all　that　I　have　won　and　discovered　with　my　good　right
hand。　And　with　my　left　hand　too；　for　with　that　I　read；　and　it　is　as　true
and　honourable　as　the　other。　By　what　half…development　of　human　power　has
the　left　hand　been　neglected？　When　we　arrive　at　the　acme　of　civilization
shall　we　not　all　be　ambidextrous；　and　in　our　_hand…to…hand_　contests
against　difficulties　shall　we　not　be　doubly　triumphant？　It　occurs　to　me；
by　the　way；　that　when　my　teacher　was　training　my　unreclaimed　spirit；　her
struggle　against　the　powers　of　darkness；　with　the　stout　arm　of
discipline　and　the　light　of　the　manual　alphabet；　was　in　two　senses　a
hand…to…hand　conflict。

No　essay　would　be　plete　　Shakspere。　In　the
field　which；　in　the　presumption　of　my　youth；　I　thought　was　my　own　he　has
reaped　before　me。　In　almost　every　play　there　are　passages　where　the　hand
plays　a　part。　Lady　Macbeth's　heart…broken　soliloquy　over　her　little
hand；　from　which　all　the　perfumes　of　Arabia　will　not　wash　the　stain；　is
the　most　pitiful　moment　in　the　tragedy。　Mark　Antony　rewards　Scarus；　the
bravest　of　his　soldiers；　by　asking　Cleopatra　to　give　him　her　hand：
〃mend　unto　his　lips　thy　favouring　hand。〃　In　a　different　mood　he　is
enraged　because　Thyreus；　whom　he　despises；　has　presumed　to　kiss　the　hand
of　the　queen；　〃my　playfellow；　the　kingly　seal　of　high　hearts。〃　When
Cleopatra　is　threatened　with　the　humiliation　of　gracing　Caesar's　triumph；
she　snatches　a　dagger；　exclaiming；　〃I　will　trust　my　resolution　and　my
good　hands。〃　With　the　same　swift　instinct；　Cassius　trusts　to　his　hands
when　he　stabs　Caesar：　〃Speak；　hands；　for　me！〃　〃Let　me　kiss　your　hand；〃
says　the　blind　Gloster　to　Lear。　〃Let　me　wipe　it　first；〃　replies　the
broken　old　king；　〃it　smells　of　mortality。〃　How　charged　is　this　single
touch　with　sad　meaning！　How　it　opens　our　eyes　to　the　fearful　purging
Lear　has　undergone；　to　learn　that　royalty　is　no　defence　against
ingratitude　and　cruelty！　Gloster's　exclamation　about　his　son；　〃Did　I　but
live　to　see　thee　in　my　touch；　I'd　say　I　had　eyes　again；〃　is　as　true　to　a
pulse　within　me　as　the　grief　he　feels。　The　ghost　in　〃Hamlet〃　recites　the
wrongs　from　which　springs　the　tragedy：

　　　　　　　　　　Thus　was　I；　sleeping；　by　a　brother's　hand。
　　　　　　　　　　At　once　of　life；　of　crown；　of　queen　dispatch'd。

How　that　passage　in　〃Othello〃　stops　your　breath……that　passage　full　of
bitter　double　intention　in　which　Othello's　suspicion　tips　with　evil　what
he　says　about　Desdemona's　hand；　and　she　in　innocence　answers　only　the
innocent　meaning　of　his　words：　〃For　'twas　that　hand　that　gave　away　my
heart。〃

Not　all　Shakspere's　great　passages　about　the　hand　are　tragic。　Remember
the　light　play　of　words　in　〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃　where　the　dialogue；　flying
nimbly　back　and　forth；　weaves　a　pretty　son　about　the　hand。　And　who
knows　the　hand；　if　not　the　lover？

The　touch　of　the　hand　is　in　every　chapter　of　the　Bible。　Why；　you　could
almost　rewrite　Exodus　as　the　story　of　the　hand。　Everything　is　done　by
the　hand　of　the　Lord　and　of　Moses。　The　oppression　of　the　Hebrews　is
translated　thus：　〃The　hand　of　Pharaoh　was　heavy　upon　the　Hebrews。〃　Their
departure　out　of　the　land　is　told　in　these　vivid　words：　〃The　Lord
brought　the　children　of　Israel　out　of　the　house　of　bondage　with　a　strong
hand　and　a　stretched…out　arm。〃　At　the　stretching　out　of　the　hand　of
Moses　the　waters　of　the　Red　Sea　part　and　stand　all　on　a　heap。　When　the
Lord　lifts　his　hand　in　anger；　thousands　perish　in　the　wilderness。　Every
act；　every　decree　in　the　history　of　Israel；　as　indeed　in　the　history　of
the　human　race；　is　sanctioned　by　the　hand。　Is　it　not　used　in　the　great
moments　of　swearing；　blessing；　cursing；　smiting；　agreeing；　marrying；
building；　destroying？　Its　sacredness　is　in　the　law　that　no　sacrifice　is
valid　unless　the　sacrificer　lay　his　hand　upon　the　head　of　the　victim。
The　congregation　lay　their　hands　on　the　heads　of　those　who　are　sentenced
to　death。　How　terrible　the　dumb　condemnation　of　their　hands　must　be　to
the　condemned！　When　Moses　builds　the　altar　on　Mount　Sinai；　he　is
manded　to　use　no　tool；　but　rear　it　with　his　own　hands。　Earth；　sea；
sky；　man；　and　all　lower　animals　are　holy　unto　the　Lord　because　he　has
formed　them　with　his　hand。　When　the　Psalmist　considers　the　heavens　and
the　earth；　he　exclaims：　〃What　is　man；　O　Lord；　that　thou　art　mindful　of
him？　For　thou　hast　made　him　to　have　dominion　over　the　works　of　thy
hands。〃　The　supplicating　gesture　of　the　hand　always　acpanies　the
spoken　prayer；　and　with　clean　hands　goes　the　pure　heart。

Christ　forted　and　blessed　and　healed　and　wrought　many　miracles　with
his　hands。　He　touched　the　eyes　of　the　blind；　and　they　were　opened。　When
Jairus　sought　him；　overwhelmed　with　grief；　Jesus　went　and　laid　his　hands
on　the　ruler's　daughter；　and　she　awoke　from　the　sleep　of　death　to　her
father's　love。　You　also　remember　how　he　healed　the　crooked　woman。　He
said　to　her；　〃Woman；　thou　art　loosed　from　thine　infirmity；〃　and　he　laid
his　hands　on　her；　and　immediately　she　was　made　straight；　and　she
glorified　God。

Look　where　we　will；　we　find　the　hand　in　time　and　history；　working；
building；　inventing；　bringing　civilization　out　of　barbarism。　The　hand
symbolizes　power　and　the　excellence　of　work。　The　mechanic's　hand；　that
minister　of　elemental　forces；　the　hand　that　hews；　saws；　cuts；　builds；　is
useful　in　the　world