the days of my life-第66节

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　a　native　to　curse　him。　A　curse　launched　into　the　air　was　bound　to　have　an　effect　if　coupled　with　the　name　of　God；　either　on　the　person　cursed　or　on　the　curser。　Budge　mentioned　the　case　of　Palmer；　who　cursed　an　Arab　of　Sinai；　and　the　natives　turned　the　curse　on　him　by　throwing　him　and　his　panions　down　a　precipice；　and　they　were　dashed　to　pieces。　Budge　added；　“I　have　cursed　the　fathers　and　female　ancestors　of　many　a　man；　but　I　have　always　feared　to　curse　a　man　himself。”
Two　other　stories　of　Budge’s　are　worth　preserving。
When　he　was　at　Cambridge　Dr。　Peile　of　Christ’s　offered　him　an　exhibition　if　he　would　be　examined　in　Assyrian；　and　as　Budge’s　funds　were　exiguous　he　was　very　anxious　to　get　the　exhibition。　An　examiner；　Professor　Sayce　of　Oxford；　was　found　to　set　the　papers　—　four　in　all　—　and　the　days　for　the　examination　were　fixed。　The　night　before　the　day　of　the　examination　Budge　dreamed　a　dream　in　which　he　saw　himself　seated　in　a　room　that　he　had　never　seen　before　—　a　room　rather　like　a　shed　with　a　skylight　in　it。　The　tutor　came　in　with　a　long　envelope　in　his　hand；　and　took　from　it　a　batch　of　green　papers；　and　gave　one　of　these　to　Budge　for　him　to　work　at　that　morning。　The　tutor　locked　him　in　and　left　him。　When　he　looked　at　the　paper　he　saw　it　contained　questions　and　extracts　from　bilingual　Assyrian　and　Akkadian　texts　for　translation。　The　questions　he　could　answer；　but　he　could　not　translate　the　texts；　though　he　knew　them　by　sight；　and　his　emotions　were　so　great　that　he　woke　up　in　a　fright。　At　length　he　fell　asleep；　but　the　dream　repeated　itself　twice；　and　he　woke　up　in　a　greater　fright　than　before。　He　then　got　up　—　it　was　about　2　A。M。　—　went　downstairs　to　his　room；　lighted　a　fire；　and；　finding　the　texts　in　the　second　volume　of　Rawlinson’s　great　work；　found　the　four　texts　and　worked　at　them　till　breakfast…time；　when　he　was　able　to　make　passable　renderings　of　them。　He　went　to　College　at　nine；　and　was　informed　that　there　was　no　room　in　the　Hall；　it　being　filled　by　a　class
Chapter　14　MEXICO
J。　Gladwyn　Jebb　—　His　character　—　Mr。　and　Mrs。　H。　R。　H。　visit　him　in　Mexico　—　Death　of　their　only　son　while　absent　—　New　York　on　way　to　Mexico　—　Reports　—　Their　loyalty　to　each　other　—　Mexico　City　—　Don　Anselmo　—　Golden　Head　of　Montezuma　—　Treasure　hunt　—　Zumpango　—　Journey　to　silver　mine　—　Chiapas　—　Vera　Cruz　—　Frontera　—　Millions　of　mosquitoes　—　A　mule　load　of　silver　—　Attempt　of　robbers　to　steal　it　—　Silver　mine　—　Tarantulas　—　Mishap　on　journey　back　—　Return　to　England。
During　the　year　1889　I　made　the　acquaintance　of　my　late　friend　J。　Gladwyn　Jebb；　one　of　the　most　delightful　persons　whom　I　have　ever　known。　Some　irony　of　fate　brought　it　about　that　Jebb　should　devote　his　life　to　the　pursuit　of　mining　and　mercial　ventures　—　a　career　for　which　he　was　utterly　unsuited。　The　result　may　be　imagined：　he　worked　very　hard　in　many　evil　climates；　broke　down　his　health；　dissipated　his　large　private　means　in　supporting　unremunerative　enterprises；　and　died　saddened　and　impoverished。
I　have　described　his　character　in　my　introduction　to　“The　Life　and　Adventures　of　J。　G。　Jebb；”　by　his　widow；　from　which　I　quote　a　short　passage。
In　the　city　of　Mexico；　where　business　men　are　—　business　men；　he　was　respected　universally；　and　by　the　Indians　he　was　adored。　“He　is　a　good　man；　Jebb；”　said　an　honourable　old　Jewish　trader　of　that　city　to　me　—　“a　man　among　a　thousand；　whom　I　would　trust　anywhere。　See；　I　will　prove　it　to　you；　amigo：　he　has　lived　in　this　town　doing　business　for　years；　yet；　with　all　his　opportunities；　he　leaves　it　poorer　than　he　came　here。　Did　you　ever　hear　the　like　of　that；　amigo？”
Would　that　there　existed　more　of　such　noble　failures　—　the　ignoble　are　sufficiently　abundant　—　for　then　the　world　might　be　cleaner　than　it　is。　It　matters　little　now：　his　day　is　done；　and　he　has　journeyed　to　that　wonderful　Hereafter　of　which　during　life　he　had　so　clear　a　vision；　and　that　was　so　often　the　subject　of　his　delightful　and　suggestive　talk。　But　his　record　remains；　the　record　of　a　brave　and　generous　man　who；　as　I　firmly　believe；　never　did；　never　even　contemplated；　a　mean　or　doubtful　act。　To　those　who　knew　him　and　have　lost　sight　of　him　there　remain　also　a　bright　and　chivalrous　example　and　the　memory　of　a　most　perfect　gentleman。
Unfortunately　for　myself；　a　connection　in　the　City　had　introduced　me　to　certain　Mexican　enterprises　in　which　he　was　concerned　that　in　due　course　absorbed　no　small　sum　out　of　my　hard　earnings。　Also　he　introduced　me　to　Jebb；　which　good　deed　I　set　against　the　matter　of　the　unlucky　investments。
Jebb　urged　me　to　e　to　Mexico　and　write　a　novel　about　Montezuma；　both　of　which　things　I　did　in　due　course；　also　as　a　bait　he　told　me　a　wonderful　and；　as　I　believe；　perfectly　true　tale　of　hidden　treasure　which　we　were　to　proceed　to　dig　up　together。　Of　this　treasure　I　will　write　hereafter。
Jebb　and　Mrs。　Jebb　returned　to　Mexico　during　the　year　1890；　where　my　wife　and　I　made　arrangements　to　visit　them　at　the　mencement　of　1891。
And　now　I　e　to　a　very　sad　and　terrible　event　that　pierced　me　with　a　sudden　thrust　which　has　left　my　heart　bleeding　to　this　day。　Yes；　still　it　bleeds；　nor　will　the　issue　of　its　blood　be　stayed　till；　as　he　passes　by；　I　touch　the　healing　robes　of　Death。　I　refer　to　the　death　of　my　only　son。
This　child　—　he　was　just　under　ten　when　he　died　—　possessed　a　nature　of　singular　sweetness；　so　sweet　that　its　very　existence　should　have　and　indeed　did　warn　me　of　what　fate　held　in　store　for　us。　So　far　as　my　experience　goes；　children　who　bring　with　them　to　the　earth　this　twilight　glow　of　the　bright　day　in　which　perchance　they　dwelt　elsewhere；　who　wear　upon　their　brows　this　visible　halo　of　an　unnatural　charm　and　goodness；　rarely　remain　to　bless　it　long。　That　which　sent　them　forth　soon　calls　them　back　again。　And　yet；　could　we　but　understand；　their　short　lives　may　not　lack　fruit。　Through　their　influence　on　others　they　may　still　work　on　the　world　they　left。
My　son　Rider　—　he　was　by　his　own　wish　called　Jock；　to　avoid　confusion　between　us　—　was　such　a　child　as　this。　I　can　never　remember　his　doing　what　he　should　not；　save　once　when　he　teased　his　little　sisters　by　refusing　to　allow　them　to　e　out　of　a　place　where　he　had　prisoned　them；　and　for　his　pains　had　the　only　scolding　I　ever　gave　him。　Yet　he　was　no　milksop　or　“mother’s　darling。”　He　bore　pain　well；　would　ride　any　horse　on　which　he　could　climb；　and　even　while　he　was　still　in　frocks　I　have　known　him　attack　with　his　little　fists　someone　who　made　pretence　to　strike　me。　He　was　an　imaginative　child。　One　example　will　suffice。　We　left　London　on　our　holiday：　it　was　the　year　in　which　I　ain。”　When　we　drove　from　the　station　to　the　farm　the　full　moon　shone　in　the　summer　sky。　“Look；　dad；”　he　said；　pointing　to　it；　“there　is　God’s　lamp！”
The　boy　was　beloved　by　everyone　who　knew　him；　and　in　turn　loved　all　about　him；　but　especially　his　mother　and　myself。　How　much　I；　to　whom　all　my　children　are　so　dear；　loved；　or　rather　love；　him　I　cannot　tell。　He　was　my　darling；　for　him　I　would　gladly　have　laid　down　my　life。
It　is　strange；　but　when　I　went　to　Mexico　I　knew；　almost　without　doubt；　that　in　this　world　he　and　I　would　never　see　each　other　more。　Only　I　thought　it　was　I　who　was　doomed　to　die。　Otherwise　it　is　plain　that　I　should　never　have　started　on　that　journey。　With　this　surety　in　my　heart　—　it　was　with　me　for　weeks　before　we　sailed　—　the　parting　was　bitter　indeed。　The　boy　was　to　stay　with　friends；　the　Gosses。　I　bade　him　good…bye　and　tore　myself　away。　I　returned　after　some　hours。　A　chance；　I　forget　what；　had　prevented　the　servant；　a　tall　dark　woman　whose　name　is　lost　to　me；　from　starting　with　him　to　Delamere　Crescent　till　later　than　was　expected。　He　was　still　in　my　study　—　about　to　go。　Once　more　I　went　through　that　agony　of　a　separation　which　I　knew　to　be　the　last。　With　a　cheerful　face　I　kissed　him　—　I　remember　how　he　flung　his　arms　about　my　neck　—　in　a　cheerful　voice　I　blessed　him　and　bade　him　farewell；　promising　to　write。　Then　he　went　through　the　door　and　it　was　finished。　I　think　I　wept。
I　said　nothing　of　this　secret　foreknowledge　of　mine；　nor　did　I　attempt　to　turn　from　the　road　that　I　had　chosen　because　I　was　aware　of　what　awaited　me　thereon。　Only　I　made　every　possible　preparation　for　my　death　—　even　to　sealing　up　all　important　papers　in　a　despatch…box　and　depositing　them　in　Messrs。　Gosling’s　Bank；　where　I　knew　they　would　be　at　once　available。
But　alas！　my　spirit　saw　imperfectly。　Or　perhaps　knowing　only　that　Death　stood　between　us；　I　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　on　me　of　an　older　generation　that　his　hand　would　fall；　on　me　who　was　about　to　undertake　a　journey　which　I　guessed　to　be　dangerous；　including　as　it　did　a　visit　to　the　ruins　of　Palenque；　whither　at　the　time　few　travellers　ventured。　It　never　occurred　to　me　that　he　was　waiting　for　my　son。
About　six　weeks　later　—　for　I　may　as　well　tell　the　story　out　and　be　done　with　it　—　that　hand　fell。　My　presentiments　had　returned　to　me　with　terrible　strength　and　persistence。　One　Sunday　morning　in　the　Jebbs’　house　in　Mexico　City；　as　we　were　preparing　to　go　to　church；　they　were　fulfilled。　Mrs。　Jebb　called　us　to　their　bedroom。　She　had　a　paper　in　her　hand。　“Something　is　wrong　with　one　of　your　children；”　she　said　broke