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1、SeeingPeopleOffbyMaxBeerbohmIamnotgoodatit.Todoitwellseemstomeoneofthemostdifficultthingsintheworld,andprobablyseemssotoyou,too.ToseeafriendofffromWaterlootoVauxhallwereeasyenough.Butwearenevercalledontoperformthatsmallfeat.Itisonlywhenafriendisgoingonalongishjourney,andwillbeabsentforalongishtime,
2、thatweturnupattherailwaystation.Thedearerthefriend,andthelongerthejourney,andthelongerthelikelyabsence,theearlierdoweturnup,andthemorelamentablydowefail.Ourfailureisinexactratiototheseriousnessoftheoccasion,andtothedepthofourfeeling.Inaroomorevenonadoorstep,wecanmakethefarewellquiteworthily.Wecanex
3、pressinourfacesthegenuinesorrowwefeel.Nordowordsfailus.Thereisnoawkwardness,norestraintoneitherside.Thethreadofourintimacyhasnotbeensnapped.Theleave-takingisanidealone.Whynot,thenleavetheleave-takingatthat?Always,departingfriendsimploreusnottobothertocometotherailwaystationnextmorning.Always,weared
4、eaftotheseentreaties,knowingthemtobenotquitesincere.Thedepartingfriendswouldthinkitveryoddofusifwetookthemattheirword.Besides,theyreallydowanttoseeusagain.Andthatwishisheartilyreciprocated.Wedulyturnup.Andthen,ohthen,whatagulfyawns!Westretchourarmsvainlyacrossit.Wehaveutterlylosttouch.Wehavenothing
5、atalltosay.Wegazeateachotherasdumbanimalsgazeathumanbeings.Wemakeconversation--andsuchconversation!Weknowthatthesefriendsarethefriendsfromwhomwepartedovernight.Theyknowthatwehavenotaltered.Yet,onthesurface,everythingisdifferent;andthetensionissuchthatweonlylongfortheguardtoblowhiswhistleandputanend
6、tothefarce.OnacoldgreymorningoflastweekIdulyturnedupatEuston,toseeoffanoldfriendwhowasstartingforAmerica.Overnight,wehadgivenhimafarewelldinner,inwhichsadnesswaswellmingledwithfestivity.Yearsprobablywouldelapsebeforehisreturn.Someofusmightneverseehimagain.Notignoringtheshadowofthefuture,wegailycele
7、bratedthepast.Wewereasthankfultohaveknownourguestasweweregrievedtolosehim;andboththeseemotionsweremademanifest.Itwasaperfectfarewell.Andnow,herewewere,stiffandself-consciousontheplatform;andframedinthewindo
