博炮作文网

第6部分（第2页）

for　there　are　other　things　besides　water；　stale　trails；　confusing　cross

tracks　to　put　me　at　fault。　Nevertheless；　human　odours　are　as　varied　and

capable　of　recognition　as　hands　and　faces。　The　dear　odours　of　those　I

love　are　so　definite；　so　unmistakable；　that　nothing　can　quite　obliterate

them。　If　many　years　should　elapse　before　I　saw　an　intimate　friend　again；

I　think　I　should　recognize　his　odour　instantly　in　the　heart　of　Africa；

as　promptly　as　would　my　brother　that　barks。

Once；　long　ago；　in　a　crowded　railway　station；　a　lady　kissed　me　as　she

hurried　by。　I　had　not　touched　even　her　dress。　But　she　left　a　scent　with

her　kiss　which　gave　me　a　glimpse　of　her。　The　years　are　many　since　she

kissed　me。　Yet　her　odour　is　fresh　in　my　memory。

It　is　difficult　to　put　into　words　the　thing　itself；　the　elusive

person…odour。　There　seems　to　be　no　adequate　vocabulary　of　smells；　and　I

must　fall　back　on　approximate　phrase　and　metaphor。

Some　people　have　a　vague；　unsubstantial　odour　that　floats　about；　mocking

every　effort　to　identify　it。　It　is　the　will…o…the…wisp　of　my　olfactive

experience。　Sometimes　I　meet　one　who　lacks　a　distinctive　person…scent；

and　I　seldom　find　such　a　one　lively　or　entertaining。　On　the　other　hand；

one　who　has　a　pungent　odour　often　possesses　great　vitality；　energy；　and

vigour　of　mind。

Masculine　exhalations　are　as　a　rule　stronger；　more　vivid；　more　widely

differentiated　than　those　of　women。　In　the　odour　of　young　men　there　is

something　elemental；　as　of　fire；　storm；　and　salt　sea。　It　pulsates　with

buoyancy　and　desire。　It　suggests　all　things　strong　and　beautiful　and

joyous；　and　gives　me　a　sense　of　physical　happiness。　I　wonder　if　others

observe　that　all　infants　have　the　same　scent……pure；　simple；

undecipherable　as　their　dormant　personality。　It　is　not　until　the　age　of

six　or　seven　that　they　begin　to　have　perceptible　individual　odours。

These　develop　and　mature　along　with　their　mental　and　bodily　powers。

What　I　have　written　about　smell；　especially　person…smell；　will　perhaps

be　regarded　as　the　abnormal　sentiment　of　one　who　can　have　no　idea　of　the

〃world　of　reality　and　beauty　which　the　eye　perceives。〃　There　are　people

who　are　colour…blind；　people　who　are　tone…deaf。　Most　people　are

smell…blind…and…deaf。　We　should　not　condemn　a　musical　position　on　the

testimony　of　an　ear　which　cannot　distinguish　one　chord　from　another；　or

judge　a　picture　by　the　verdict　of　a　colour…blind　critic。　The　sensations