the way of all flesh-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


itself　always；　and　from　all　others　for　many　years；　its　greatness
will　ere　long　shrink　to　very　ordinary　dimensions。　　What；　then；　it
may　be　asked；　is　the　good　of　being　great？　　The　answer　is　that　you
may　understand　greatness　better　in　others；　whether　alive　or　dead；
and　choose　better　company　from　these　and　enjoy　and　understand　that
company　better　when　you　have　chosen　italso　that　you　may　be　able　to
give　pleasure　to　the　best　people　and　live　in　the　lives　of　those　who
are　yet　unborn。　　This；　one　would　think；　was　substantial　gain　enough
for　greatness　without　its　wanting　to　ride　rough…shod　over　us；　even
when　disguised　as　humility。

I　was　there　on　a　Sunday；　and　observed　the　rigour　with　which　the
young　people　were　taught　to　observe　the　Sabbath；　they　might　not　cut
out　things；　nor　use　their　paintbox　on　a　Sunday；　and　this　they
thought　rather　hard；　because　their　cousins　the　John　Pontifexes　might
do　these　things。　　Their　cousins　might　play　with　their　toy　train　on
Sunday；　but　though　they　had　promised　that　they　would　run　none　but
Sunday　trains；　all　traffic　had　been　prohibited。　　One　treat　only　was
allowed　themon　Sunday　evenings　they　might　choose　their　own　hymns。

In　the　course　of　the　evening　they　came　into　the　drawing…room；　and；
as　an　especial　treat；　were　to　sing　some　of　their　hymns　to　me；
instead　of　saying　them；　so　that　I　might　hear　how　nicely　they　sang。
Ernest　was　to　choose　the　first　hymn；　and　he　chose　one　about　some
people　who　were　to　come　to　the　sunset　tree。　　I　am　no　botanist；　and
do　not　know　what　kind　of　tree　a　sunset　tree　is；　but　the　words　began；
〃Come；　come；　come；　come　to　the　sunset　tree　for　the　day　is　past　and
gone。〃　　The　tune　was　rather　pretty　and　had　taken　Ernest's　fancy；　for
he　was　unusually　fond　of　music　and　had　a　sweet　little　child's　voice
which　he　liked　using。

He　was；　however；　very　late　in　being　able　to　sound　a　hard　it　〃c〃　or
〃k；〃　and；　instead　of　saying　〃Come；〃　he　said　〃Tum　tum；　tum。〃

〃Ernest；〃　said　Theobald；　from　the　arm…chair　in　front　of　the　fire；
where　he　was　sitting　with　his　hands　folded　before　him；　〃don't　you
think　it　would　be　very　nice　if　you　were　to　say　'come'　like　other
people；　instead　of　'tum'？〃

〃I　do　say　tum；〃　replied　Ernest；　meaning　that　he　had　said　〃come。〃

Theobald　was　always　in　a　bad　temper　on　Sunday　evening。　　Whether　it
is　that　they　are　as　much　bored　with　the　day　as　their　neighbours；　or
whether　they　are　tired；　or　whatever　the　cause　may　be；　clergymen　are
seldom　at　their　best　on　Sunday　evening；　I　had　already　seen　signs
that　evening　that　my　host　was　cross；　and　was　a　little　nervous　at
hearing　Ernest　say　so　promptly　〃I　do　say　tum；〃　when　his　papa　had
said　he　did　not　say　it　as　he　should。

Theobald　noticed　the　fact　that　he　was　being　contradicted　in　a
moment。　　He　got　up　from　his　arm…chair　and　went　to　the　piano。

〃No；　Ernest；　you　don't；〃　he　said；　〃you　say　nothing　of　the　kind；　you
say　'tum；'　not　'come。'　　Now　say　'come'　after　me；　as　I　do。〃

〃Tum；〃　said　Ernest；　at　once；　〃is　that　better？〃　　I　have　no　doubt　he
thought　it　was；　but　it　was　not。

〃Now；　Ernest；　you　are　not　taking　pains：　　you　are　not　trying　as　you
ought　to　do。　　It　is　high　time　you　learned　to　say　'come；'　why；　Joey
can　say　'come；'　can't　you；　Joey？〃

〃Yeth；　I　can；〃　replied　Joey；　and　he　said　something　which　was　not　far
off　〃come。〃

〃There；　Ernest；　do　you　hear　that？　　There's　no　difficulty　about　it；
nor　shadow　of　difficulty。　　Now；　take　your　own　time；　think　about　it；
and　say　'come'　after　me。〃

The　boy　remained　silent　a　few　seconds　and　then　said　〃tum〃　again。

I　laughed；　but　Theobald　turned　to　me　impatiently　and　said；　〃Please
do　not　laugh；　Overton；　it　will　make　the　boy　think　it　does　not
matter；　and　it　matters　a　great　deal；〃　then　turning　to　Ernest　he
said；　〃Now；　Ernest；　I　will　give　you　one　more　chance；　and　if　you
don't　say　'come；'　I　shall　know　that　you　are　self…willed　and
naughty。〃

He　looked　very　angry；　and　a　shade　came　over　Ernest's　face；　like　that
which　comes　upon　the　face　of　a　puppy　when　it　is　being　scolded
without　understanding　why。　　The　child　saw　well　what　was　coming　now；
was　frightened；　and；　of　course；　said　〃tum〃　once　more。

〃Very　well；　Ernest；〃　said　his　father；　catching　him　angrily　by　the
shoulder。　　〃I　have　done　my　best　to　save　you；　but　if　you　will　have　it
so；　you　will；〃　and　he　lugged　the　little　wretch；　crying　by
anticipation；　out　of　the　room。　　A　few　minutes　more　and　we　could　hear
screams　coming　from　the　dining…room；　across　the　hall　which　separated
the　drawing…room　from　the　dining…room；　and　knew　that　poor　Ernest　was
being　beaten。

〃I　have　sent　him　up　to　bed；〃　said　Theobald；　as　he　returned　to　the
drawing…room；　〃and　now；　Christina；　I　think　we　will　have　the　servants
in　to　prayers；〃　and　he　rang　the　bell　for　them；　red…handed　as　he　was。



CHAPTER　XXIII



The　man…servant　William　came　and　set　the　chairs　for　the　maids；　and
presently　they　filed　in。　　First　Christina's　maid；　then　the　cook；
then　the　housemaid；　then　William；　and　then　the　coachman。　　I　sat
opposite　them；　and　watched　their　faces　as　Theobald　read　a　chapter
from　the　Bible。　　They　were　nice　people；　but　more　absolute　vacancy　I
never　saw　upon　the　countenances　of　human　beings。

Theobald　began　by　reading　a　few　verses　from　the　Old　Testament；
according　to　some　system　of　his　own。　　On　this　occasion　the　passage
came　from　the　fifteenth　chapter　of　Numbers：　　it　had　no　particular
bearing　that　I　could　see　upon　anything　which　was　going　on　just　then；
but　the　spirit　which　breathed　throughout　the　whole　seemed　to　me　to
be　so　like　that　of　Theobald　himself；　that　I　could　understand　better
after　hearing　it；　how　he　came　to　think　as　he　thought；　and　act　as　he
acted。

The　verses　are　as　follows　…


〃But　the　soul　that　doeth　aught　presumptuously；　whether　he　be　born　in
the　land　or　a　stranger；　the　same　reproacheth　the　Lord；　and　that　soul
shall　be　cut　off　from　among　his　people。

〃Because　he　hath　despised　the　word　of　the　Lord；　and　hath　broken　His
commandments；　that　soul　shall　be　utterly　cut　off；　his　iniquity　shall
be　upon　him。

〃And　while　the　children　of　Israel　were　in　the　wilderness　they　found
a　man　that　gathered　sticks　upon　the　Sabbath　day。

〃And　they　that　found　him　gathering　sticks　brought　him　unto　Moses　and
Aaron；　and　unto　all　the　congregation。

〃And　they　put　him　in　ward　because　it　was　not　declared　what　should　be
done　to　him。

〃And　the　Lord　said　unto　Moses；　the　man　shall　be　surely　put　to　death；
all　the　congregation　shall　stone　him　with　stones　without　the　camp。

〃And　all　the　congregation　brought　him　without　the　camp；　and　stoned
him　with　stones；　and　he　died；　as　the　Lord　commanded　Moses。

〃And　the　Lord　spake　unto　Moses；　saying；

〃Speak　unto　the　children　of　Israel；　and　bid　them　that　they　make　them
fringes　in　the　borders　of　their　garments　throughout　their
generations；　and　that　they　put　upon　the　fringe　of　the　borders　a
ribband　of　blue。

〃And　it　shall　be　unto　you　for　a　fringe；　that　ye　may　look　upon　it　and
remember　all　the　commandments　of　the　Lord；　and　do　them；　and　that　ye
seek　not　after　your　own　heart　and　your　own　eyes。

〃That　ye　may　remember　and　do　all　my　commandments　and　be　holy　unto
your　God。

〃I　am　the　Lord　your　God　which　brought　you　out　of　the　land　of　Egypt；
to　be　your　God：　　I　am　the　Lord　your　God。〃


My　thoughts　wandered　while　Theobald　was　reading　the　above；　and
reverted　to　a　little　matter　which　I　had　observed　in　the　course　of
the　afternoon。

It　happened　that　some　years　previously；　a　swarm　of　bees　had　taken　up
their　abode　in　the　roof　of　the　house　under　the　slates；　and　had
multiplied　so　that　the　drawing…room　was　a　good　deal　frequented　by
these　bees　during　the　summer；　when　the　windows　were　open。　　The
drawing…room　paper　was　of　a　pattern　which　consisted　of　bunches　of
red　and　white　roses；　and　I　saw　several　bees　at　different　times　fly
up　to　these　bunches　and　try　them；　under　the　impression　that　they
were　real　flowers；　having　tried　one　bunch；　they　tried　the　next；　and
the　next；　and　the　next；　till　they　reached　the　one　that　was　nearest
the　ceiling；　then　they　went　down　bunch　by　bunch　as　they　had
ascended；　till　they　were　stopped　by　the　back　of　the　sofa；　on　this
they　ascended　bunch　by　bunch　to　the　ceiling　again；　and　so　on；　and　so
on　till　I　was　tired　of　watching　them。　　As　I　thought　of　the　family
prayers　being　repeated　night　and　morning；　week　by　week；　month　by
month；　and　year　by　year；　I　could　nor　help　thinking　how　like　it　was
to　the　way　in　which　the　bees　went　up　the　wall　and　down　the　wall；
bunch　by　bunch；　without　ever　suspecting　that　so　many　of　the
associated　ideas　could　be　present；　and　yet　the　main　idea　be　wanting
hopelessly；　and　for　ever。

When　Theobald　had　finished　reading　we　all　knelt　down　and　the　Carlo
Dolci　and　the　Sassoferrato　looked　down　upon　a　sea　of　upturned　backs；
as　we　buried　our　faces　in　our　chairs。　　I　noted　that　Theobald　prayed
that　we　might　be　made　〃truly　honest　and　conscientious〃　in　all　our
dealings；　and　smiled　at　the　introduction　of　the　〃truly。〃　　Then　my
thoughts　ran　back　to　the　bees　and　I　reflected　that　after　all　it　was
perhaps　as　well　at　any　rate　for　Theobald　that　our　prayers　were
seldom　marked　by　any　very　encouraging　degree　of　response；　for　if　I
had　thought　there　was　the　slightest　chance　of　my　being　heard　I
should　have　prayed　that　some　one　might　ere　long　treat　him　as　he　had