【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 and separated a lot of the time, while we39。ve always been together—just the two of us. It39。s different with us. That39。s why it hits so hard, I guess.ROBERT—[With feeling.] It39。s just as hard for me, Andy—believe that! I hate to leave you and the old folks—but—I feel I39。ve got to. There39。s something calling me—— [He points to the horizon] calling to me from over there, beyond—— and I feel as if—— no matter what happens—— Oh, I can39。t just explain it to you, Andy.ANDREW—No need to, Rob. [Angry at himself.] You needn39。t try to explain. It39。s all just as it ought to be. Hell! You want to go. You feel you ought to, and you got to!—— that39。s all there is to it。 and I wouldn39。t have you miss this chance for the world.ROBERT—It39。s fine of you to feel that way, Andy.ANDREW—Huh! I39。d be a nice sonofagun if I didn39。t, wouldn39。t I? When I know how you need this sea trip to make a new man of you—in the body, I mean—and give you your full health back.ROBERT—[A trifle impatiently.] All of you seem to keep harping on my health. You were so used to seeing me lying around the house in the old days that you never will get over the notion that I39。m a chronic invalid, and have to be looked after like a baby all the time, or wheeled round in a chair like Mrs. Atkins. You don39。t realize how I39。ve bucked up in the past few years. Why, I bet right now I39。m just as healthy as you are—I mean just as sound in wind and limb。 and if I was staying on at the farm, I39。d prove it to you. You39。re suffering from a fixed idea about my delicateness—and so are Pa and Ma. Every time I39。ve offered to help, Pa has stared at me as if he thought I was contemplating suicide.ANDREW—[Conciliatingly.] Nobody claimed the undertaker was taking your measurements. All I was saying was the sea trip would be bound to do anybody good.ROBERT—If I had no other excuse for going on Uncle Dick39。s ship but just my health, I39。d stay right here and start in plowing.ANDREW—Can39。t be done. No use in your talking that way, Rob. Farming ain39。t your nature. There39。s all the difference shown in just the way us two feel about the farm. I like it, all of it, and you—well, you like the home part of it, I expect。 but as a place to work and grow things, you hate it. Ain39。t that right?ROBERT—Yes, I suppose it is. I39。ve tried to take an interest but—well, you39。re the Mayo branch of the family, and I take after Ma and Uncle Dick. It39。s natural enough when you e to think of it. The Mayos have been farmers from way back, while the Scotts have been mostly seafaring folks, with a school teacher thrown in now and then on the woman39。s side—just as Ma was before her marriage.ANDREW—You do favor Ma. I remember she used always to have her nose in a book when I was a kid。 but she seems to have given it up of late years.ROBERT—[With a trace of bitterness.] The farm has claimed her in spite of herself. That39。s what I39。m afraid it might do to me in time。 and that39。s why I feel I ought to get away. [Fearing he has hurt ANDREW39。S feelings.] You musn39。t misunderstand me, Andy. For you it39。s a different thing. You39。re a Mayo through and through. You39。re wedded to the soil. You39。re as much a product of it as an ear of corn is, or a tree. Father is the same. This farm is his lifework, and he39。s happy in knowing that another Mayo, inspired by the same love, will take up the work where he leaves off. I can understand your attitude, and Pa39。s。 and I think it39。s wonderful and sincere. But I—well, I39。m not made that way.ANDREW—No, you ain39。t。 but when it es to understanding, I guess I realize that you39。ve got your own angle of looking at things.ROBERT—[Musingly.] I wonder if you do, really.ANDREW—[Confidently.] Sure I do. You39。ve seen a bit of the world, enough to make the farm seem small, and you39。ve got the itch to see it all.ROBERT—It39。s more than that, Andy.ANDREW—Oh, of course. I know you39。re going to learn navigation, and all about a ship, so39。s you can be an officer. That39。s natural, too. There39。s fair pay in it, I expect, when you consider that you39。ve always got a home and grub thrown in。 and if you39。re set on travelling, you can go anywhere you39。re a mind to, without paying fare.ROBERT—[With a smile that is halfsad.] It39。s more than that, Andy.ANDREW—Sure it is. There39。s always a chance of a good thing ing your way in some of those foreign ports or other. I39。ve heard there are great opportunities for a young fellow with his eyes open in some of those new countries that are just being opened up. And with your education you ought to pick up the language quick. [Jovially.] I39。ll bet that39。s what you39。ve been turning over in your mind under all your quietness! [He slaps his brother on the back with a laugh.] Well, if you get to be a millionaire all of a sudden, call 39。round once in a while and I39。ll pass the plate to you. We could use a lot of money right here on the farm without hurting it any.ROBERT—[Forced to laugh.] I39。ve never considered that practical side of it for a minute, Andy. [As ANDREW looks incredulous.] That39。s the truth.ANDREW—Well, you ought to.ROBERT—No, I oughtn39。t. You39。re trying to wish an eyeforbusiness on me I don39。t possess. [Pointing to the horizon—dreamily.] Supposing I was to tell you that it39。s just Beauty that39。s calling me, the beauty of the far off and unknown, the mystery and spell of the East, which lures me in the books I39。ve read, the need of the freedom of great wide spaces, the joy of wandering on and on—in quest of the secret which is hidden just over there, beyond the horizon? Suppose I told you that was the one and only reason for my going?ANDREW—I should say you were nutty.ROBERT—Then I must be—because it39。s so.ANDREW—I don39。t believe it. You39。ve got that idea out of your poetry books. A good dose of seasickness will get that out of your system.ROBERT—[Frowning.] Don39。t, Andy. I39。m serious.ANDREW—Then you might as well stay right here, because we39。ve got all you39。re looking for right on this farm. There39。s wide space eno