假如给我三天光明（12）Icannotenjoythebeautyofrhythmicmovementexceptinasphererestrictedtothetouchofmyhands.IcanvisiononlydimlythegraceofaPavlowa?althoughIknowsomethingofthedelightofrhythm?foroftenIcansensethebeatofmusicasitvibratesthroughthefloor.Icanwellimaginethatcadencedmotionmustbeoneofthemostpleasingsightsintheworld.Ihavebeenabletogathersomethingofthisbytracingwithmyfingersthelinesinsculpturedmarble;ifthisstaticgracecanbesolovely?howmuchmoreacutemustbethethrillofseeinggraceinmotion.OneofmydearestmemoriesisofthetimewhenJosephJeffersonallowedmetotouchhisfaceandhandsashewentthroughsomeofthegesturesandspeechesofhisbelovedRipVanWinkle.Iwasabletocatchthusameagerglimpseoftheworldofdrama?andIshallneverforgetthedelightofthatmoment.But?oh?howmuchImustmiss?andhowmuchpleasureyouseeingonescanderivefromwatchingandhearingtheinterplayofspeechandmovementintheunfoldingofadramaticperformance!IfIcouldseeonlyoneplay?IshouldknowhowtopictureinmymindtheactionofahundredplayswhichIhavereadorhadtransferredtomethroughthemediumofthemanualalphabet.So?throughtheeveningofmysecondimaginarydayofsight?thegreatfingersofdramaticliteraturewouldcrowdsleepfrommyeyes.TheThirdDayThefollowingmorning?Ishouldagaingreetthedawn?anxioustodiscovernewdelights?forIamsurethat?forthosewhohaveeyeswhichreallysee?thedawnofeachdaymustbeaperpetuallynewrevelationofbeauty.This?accordingtothetermsofmyimaginedmiracle?istobemythirdandlastdayofsight.Ishallhavenotimetowasteinregretsorlongings;thereistoomuchtosee.ThefirstdayIdevotedtomyfriends?animateandinanimate.ThesecondrevealedtomethehistodayIshallspendintheworkadayworldofthepresent?***dthehauntsofmengoingaboutthebusinessoflife.AndwherecanonefindsomanyactivitiesandconditionsofmenasinNewYork?Sothecitybecomesmydestination.IstartfrommyhomeinthequietlittlesuburbofForestHills?LongIsland.Here?surroundedbygreenlawns?trees?andflowers?areneatlittlehouses,happywiththevoicesandmovementsofwivesandchildren?havensofpeacefulrestformenwhotoilinthecity.IdriveacrossthelacystructureofsteelwhichspanstheEastRiver?andIgetanewandstartlingvisionofthepowerandingenuityofthemindofman.Busyboastschugandscurryabouttheriverracyspeedboat?stolid?snortingtugs.IfIhadlongdaysofsightahead?Ishouldspendmanyofthemwatchingthedelightfulactivityupontheriver.