the way of all flesh-第28节

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anything　else；　I　daresay　Mrs　Skinner；　too；　was　taking　pretty
accurate　stock　of　Christina。　　Christina　was　charmed；　as　indeed　she
generally　was　with　any　new　acquaintance；　for　she　found　in　them　（and
so　must　we　all）　something　of　the　nature　of　a　cross；　as　for　Mrs
Skinner；　I　imagine　she　had　seen　too　many　Christinas　to　find　much
regeneration　in　the　sample　now　before　her；　I　believe　her　private
opinion　echoed　the　dictum　of　a　well…known　head…master　who　declared
that　all　parents　were　fools；　but　more　especially　mothers；　she　was；
however；　all　smiles　and　sweetness；　and　Christina　devoured　these
graciously　as　tributes　paid　more　particularly　to　herself；　and　such
as　no　other　mother　would　have　been　at　all　likely　to　have　won。

In　the　meantime　Theobald　and　Ernest　were　with　Dr　Skinner　in　his
librarythe　room　where　new　boys　were　examined　and　old　ones　had　up
for　rebuke　or　chastisement。　　If　the　walls　of　that　room　could　speak；
what　an　amount　of　blundering　and　capricious　cruelty　would　they　not
bear　witness　to！

Like　all　houses；　Dr　Skinner's　had　its　peculiar　smell。　　In　this　case
the　prevailing　odour　was　one　of　Russia　leather；　but　along　with　it
there　was　a　subordinate　savour　as　of　a　chemist's　shop。　　This　came
from　a　small　laboratory　in　one　corner　of　the　roomthe　possession　of
which；　together　with　the　free　chattery　and　smattery　use　of　such
words　as　〃carbonate；〃　〃hyposulphite；〃　〃phosphate；〃　and　〃affinity；〃
were　enough　to　convince　even　the　most　sceptical　that　Dr　Skinner　had
a　profound　knowledge　of　chemistry。

I　may　say　in　passing　that　Dr　Skinner　had　dabbled　in　a　great　many
other　things　as　well　as　chemistry。　　He　was　a　man　of　many　small
knowledges；　and　each　of　them　dangerous。　　I　remember　Alethea　Pontifex
once　said　in　her　wicked　way　to　me；　that　Dr　Skinner　put　her　in　mind
of　the　Bourbon　princes　on　their　return　from　exile　after　the　battle
of　Waterloo；　only　that　he　was　their　exact　converse；　for　whereas　they
had　learned　nothing　and　forgotten　nothing；　Dr　Skinner　had　learned
everything　and　forgotten　everything。　　And　this　puts　me　in　mind　of
another　of　her　wicked　sayings　about　Dr　Skinner。　　She　told　me　one　day
that　he　had　the　harmlessness　of　the　serpent　and　the　wisdom　of　the
dove。

But　to　return　to　Dr　Skinner's　library；　over　the　chimney…piece　there
was　a　Bishop's　half　length　portrait　of　Dr　Skinner　himself；　painted
by　the　elder　Pickersgill；　whose　merit　Dr　Skinner　had　been　among　the
first　to　discern　and　foster。　　There　were　no　other　pictures　in　the
library；　but　in　the　dining…room　there　was　a　fine　collection；　which
the　doctor　had　got　together　with　his　usual　consummate　taste。　　He
added　to　it　largely　in　later　life；　and　when　it　came　to　the　hammer　at
Christie's；　as　it　did　not　long　since；　it　was　found　to　comprise　many
of　the　latest　and　most　matured　works　of　Solomon　Hart；　O'Neil；
Charles　Landseer；　and　more　of　our　recent　Academicians　than　I　can　at
the　moment　remember。　　There　were　thus　brought　together　and　exhibited
at　one　view　many　works　which　had　attracted　attention　at　the　Academy
Exhibitions；　and　as　to　whose　ultimate　destiny　there　had　been　some
curiosity。　　The　prices　realised　were　disappointing　to　the　executors；
but；　then；　these　things　are　so　much　a　matter　of　chance。　　An
unscrupulous　writer　in　a　well…known　weekly　paper　had　written　the
collection　down。　　Moreover　there　had　been　one　or　two　large　sales　a
short　time　before　Dr　Skinner's；　so　that　at　this　last　there　was
rather　a　panic；　and　a　reaction　against　the　high　prices　that　had
ruled　lately。

The　table　of　the　library　was　loaded　with　books　many　deep；　MSS。　of
all　kinds　were　confusedly　mixed　up　with　them；boys'　exercises；
probably；　and　examination　papersbut　all　littering　untidily　about。
The　room　in　fact　was　as　depressing　from　its　slatternliness　as　from
its　atmosphere　of　erudition。　　Theobald　and　Ernest　as　they　entered
it；　stumbled　over　a　large　hole　in　the　Turkey　carpet；　and　the　dust
that　rose　showed　how　long　it　was　since　it　had　been　taken　up　and
beaten。　　This；　I　should　say；　was　no　fault　of　Mrs　Skinner's　but　was
due　to　the　Doctor　himself；　who　declared　that　if　his　papers　were　once
disturbed　it　would　be　the　death　of　him。　　Near　the　window　was　a　green
cage　containing　a　pair　of　turtle　doves；　whose　plaintive　cooing　added
to　the　melancholy　of　the　place。　　The　walls　were　covered　with　book
shelves　from　floor　to　ceiling；　and　on　every　shelf　the　books　stood　in
double　rows。　　It　was　horrible。　　Prominent　among　the　most　prominent
upon　the　most　prominent　shelf　were　a　series　of　splendidly　bound
volumes　entitled　〃Skinner's　Works。〃

Boys　are　sadly　apt　to　rush　to　conclusions；　and　Ernest　believed　that
Dr　Skinner　knew　all　the　books　in　this　terrible　library；　and　that　he；
if　he　were　to　be　any　good；　should　have　to　learn　them　too。　　His　heart
fainted　within　him。

He　was　told　to　sit　on　a　chair　against　the　wall　and　did　so；　while　Dr
Skinner　talked　to　Theobald　upon　the　topics　of　the　day。　　He　talked
about　the　Hampden　Controversy　then　raging；　and　discoursed　learnedly
about　〃Praemunire〃；　then　he　talked　about　the　revolution　which　had
just　broken　out　in　Sicily；　and　rejoiced　that　the　Pope　had　refused　to
allow　foreign　troops　to　pass　through　his　dominions　in　order　to　crush
it。　　Dr　Skinner　and　the　other　masters　took　in　the　Times　among　them；
and　Dr　Skinner　echoed　the　Times'　leaders。　　In　those　days　there　were
no　penny　papers　and　Theobald　only　took　in　the　Spectatorfor　he　was
at　that　time　on　the　Whig　side　in　politics；　besides　this　he　used　to
receive　the　Ecclesiastical　Gazette　once　a　month；　but　he　saw　no　other
papers；　and　was　amazed　at　the　ease　and　fluency　with　which　Dr　Skinner
ran　from　subject　to　subject。

The　Pope's　action　in　the　matter　of　the　Sicilian　revolution　naturally
led　the　Doctor　to　the　reforms　which　his　Holiness　had　introduced　into
his　dominions；　and　he　laughed　consumedly　over　the　joke　which　had　not
long　since　appeared　in　Punch；　to　the　effect　that　Pio　〃No；　No；〃
should　rather　have　been　named　Pio　〃Yes；　Yes；〃　because；　as　the　doctor
explained；　he　granted　everything　his　subjects　asked　for。　　Anything
like　a　pun　went　straight　to　Dr　Skinner's　heart。

Then　he　went　on　to　the　matter　of　these　reforms　themselves。　　They
opened　up　a　new　era　in　the　history　of　Christendom；　and　would　have
such　momentous　and　far…reaching　consequences；　that　they　might　even
lead　to　a　reconciliation　between　the　Churches　of　England　and　Rome。
Dr　Skinner　had　lately　published　a　pamphlet　upon　this　subject；　which
had　shown　great　learning；　and　had　attacked　the　Church　of　Rome　in　a
way　which　did　not　promise　much　hope　of　reconciliation。　　He　had
grounded　his　attack　upon　the　letters　A。M。D。G。；　which　he　had　seen
outside　a　Roman　Catholic　chapel；　and　which　of　course　stood　for　Ad
Mariam　Dei　Genetricem。　　Could　anything　be　more　idolatrous？

I　am　told；　by　the　way；　that　I　must　have　let　my　memory　play　me　one　of
the　tricks　it　often　does　play　me；　when　I　said　the　Doctor　proposed　Ad
Mariam　Dei　Genetricem　as　the　full　harmonies；　so　to　speak；　which
should　be　constructed　upon　the　bass　A。M。D。G。；　for　that　this　is　bad
Latin；　and　that　the　doctor　really　harmonised　the　letters　thus：　　Ave
Maria　Dei　Genetrix。　　No　doubt　the　doctor　did　what　was　right　in　the
matter　of　LatinityI　have　forgotten　the　little　Latin　I　ever　knew；
and　am　not　going　to　look　the　matter　up；　but　I　believe　the　doctor
said　Ad　Mariam　Dei　Genetricem；　and　if　so　we　may　be　sure　that　Ad
Mariam　Dei　Genetricem；　is　good　enough　Latin　at　any　rate　for
ecclesiastical　purposes。

The　reply　of　the　local　priest　had　not　yet　appeared；　and　Dr　Skinner
was　jubilant；　but　when　the　answer　appeared；　and　it　was　solemnly
declared　that　A。M。D。G。　stood　for　nothing　more　dangerous　than　Ad
Majorem　Dei　Gloriam；　it　was　felt　that　though　this　subterfuge　would
not　succeed　with　any　intelligent　Englishman；　still　it　was　a　pity　Dr
Skinner　had　selected　this　particular　point　for　his　attack；　for　he
had　to　leave　his　enemy　in　possession　of　the　field。　　When　people　are
left　in　possession　of　the　field；　spectators　have　an　awkward　habit　of
thinking　that　their　adversary　does　not　dare　to　come　to　the　scratch。

Dr　Skinner　was　telling　Theobald　all　about　his　pamphlet；　and　I　doubt
whether　this　gentleman　was　much　more　comfortable　than　Ernest
himself。　　He　was　bored；　for　in　his　heart　he　hated　Liberalism；　though
he　was　ashamed　to　say　so；　and；　as　I　have　said；　professed　to　be　on
the　Whig　side。　　He　did　not　want　to　be　reconciled　to　the　Church　of
Rome；　he　wanted　to　make　all　Roman　Catholics　turn　Protestants；　and
could　never　understand　why　they　would　not　do　so；　but　the　Doctor
talked　in　such　a　truly　liberal　spirit；　and　shut　him　up　so　sharply
when　he　tried　to　edge　in　a　word　or　two；　that　he　had　to　let　him　have
it　all　his　own　way；　and　this　was　not　what　he　was　accustomed　to。　　He
was　wondering　how　he　could　bring　it　to　an　end；　when　a　diversion　was
created　by　the　discovery　that　Ernest　had　begun　to　crydoubtless
through　an　intense　but　inarticulate　sense　of　a　boredom　greater　than
he　could　bear。　　He　was　evidently　in　a　highly　nervous　state；　and　a
good　deal　upset　by　the　excitement　of　the　morning；　Mrs　Skinner
therefore；　who　came　in　with　Christina　at　this　juncture；　proposed
that　he　should　spend　the　afternoon　with　Mrs　Jay；　the　matron；　and　not
be　introduced　to　his　young　companions　until　the　following　morning。
His　father　and　mother　n