I looked, and I thought I knew why he felt as he did; but I
did not think I could explain it to him just then.
"Have you a little of my feeling?" he said again. "Do you
understand it?"
"I understand it, I think," I said.
"And do not share it at all?"
"No, Mr. Marshall. Of course, the mountain is great, and I am
small; but the purity, and the glory, - that is not beyond
reach; and no human being ought to be insignificant, and none
need be."
"Not if his life is insignificant?"
"Nobody's life ought to be that," I answered.
"How can it be helped, in the case of many a one?"
"Yes indeed," said De Saussure; "there is a question. I should
like to hear Miss Randolph answer it."
One spoke lightly and the other earnestly. It was not easy to
answer them both.
"I should like to have you define insignificance first," I
said.
"Can there be a more significant word?" said Mr. De Saussure.
"It defines itself."
"A life of insignificance, is a life that does not signify
anything," Mr. Marshall added.
"Most people's lives signify something," I said, stupidly, my
thoughts running on far ahead of my words.
"Yes, to somebody in the corner at home," Mr. Marshall said,
"whose affection cannot make a true estimate. But do most
people's lives signify anything, except to some fond judgment
of that sort?"
"Who is estimating you, in a corner at home?" said Mr. de
Saussure.
"Nobody - and that you know. Nobody, except my old mammy."
"You are a lucky fellow, Hugh. Free as air! Now I have five or
six dear appraisers at my home; who are of opinion that an
epaulette and a commission would add to my value; or rather,
to do them justice, they are very desirous to have my life -
or my death - tell for something, in the struggle which
occupies all their, thoughts at present. I do not mean that
they have no choice, but, one or the other. And so am I
desirous; but - Lucerne is so very captivating! And really,
as, I said, one signifies so little."
"One is half of two," said Ransom - "and a hundredth part of a
hundred."
"I should like, I think, to be half of two," said De Saussure,
comically. "I don't care about being the hundredth part of
anything."
"But you are going when I go?" said Ransom.
"Mrs. Randolph says so; and I suppose she will command me.
What does Miss Randolph say?"
"Yes, to my question," said Hugh Marshall.
"I do not quite know what is either question," I replied; "and
a judge ought to understand his cause."
"Is it my duty to go and plunge into the mêlée at home,
because my mother and two aunts and three sisters are all
telling me they will renounce me if I do not? I say, what does
one signify?"