david elginbrod-第76节

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well…to…do　people。　　The　room　was　full　of　what　is　called　handsome
furniture；　in　a　high　state　of　polish。　　Over　the　chimney…piece　hung
the　portrait　of　a　preacher　in　gown　and　bands；　the　most　prominent　of
whose　features　were　his　cheeks。

In　a　few　minutes　the　host　and　hostess　entered；　followed　by　a
pale…faced　little　boy；　the　owner　of　the　voice　of　reproof。

〃Come　here；　Peetie；〃　said　his　mother；　〃and　tell　Mr。　Sutherland　what
you　have　got。〃　　She　referred　to　some　toyno；　not　toy；　for　it　was
the　Sabbathto　some　book；　probably。

Peetie　answered　in　a　solemn　voice；　mouthing　every　vowel：

〃I've　got　five　bags　of　gold　in　the　Bank　of　England。〃

〃Poor　child！〃　said　his　mother；　with　a　scornful　giggle。　〃You　wouldn't
have　much　to　reckon　on；　if　that　were　all。〃

Two　or　three　gaily　dressed　riflemen　passed　the　window。　　The　poor
fellows；　unable　to　bear　the　look　of　their　Sunday　clothes；　if　they
had　any；　after　being　used　to　their　uniform；　had　come　out　in　all　its
magnificence。

〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Appleditch；　〃that's　all　very　well　in　a　state　of
nature；　but　when　a　man　is　once　born　into　a　state　of　grace；　Mr。
Sutherlandah！〃

〃Really；〃　responded　Mrs。　Appleditch；　〃the　worldliness　of　the　lower
classes　is　quite　awful。　　But　they　are　spared　for　a　day　of　wrath；
poor　things！　　I　am　sure　that　accident　on　the　railway　last　Sabbath；
might　have　been　a　warning　to　them　all。　　After　that　they　can't　say
there　is　not　a　God　that　ruleth　in　the　earth；　and　taketh　vengeance
for　his　broken　Sabbaths。〃

〃Mr。。　　I　don't　know　your　name；〃　said　Peter；　whose　age　Hugh　had
just　been　trying　in　vain　to　conjecture。

〃Mr。　Sutherland；〃　said　the　mother。

〃Mr。　Slubberman；　are　you　a　converted　character？〃　resumed　Peter。

〃Why　do　you　ask　me　that；　Master　Peter？〃　said　Hugh；　trying　to　smile。

〃I　think　you　look　good；　but　mamma　says　she　don't　think　you　are；
because　you　say　Sunday　instead　of　Sabbath；　and　she　always　finds
people　who　do　are　worldly。〃

Mrs。　Appleditch　turned　rednot　blushed；　and　said；　quickly：

〃Peter　shouldn't　repeat　everything　he　hears。〃

〃No　more　I　do；　ma。　　I　haven't　told　what　you　said　about〃　Here　his
mother　caught　him　up；　and　carried　him　out　of　the　room；　saying：

〃You　naughty　boy！　　You　shall　go　to　bed。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　shan't！〃

〃Yes；　you　shall。　　Here；　Jane；　take　this　naughty　boy　to　bed。〃

〃I'll　scream。〃

〃Will　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　will！〃

　　　　　And　such　a　yell　was　there
　　　　　Of　sudden　and　portentous　birth；
　　　　　As　if。。。

ten　cats　were　being　cooked　alive。

〃Well！　well！　well！　my　Peetie！　　He　shan't　go　to　bed；　if　he'll　be　a
good　boy。　　Will　he　be　good？〃

〃May　I　stay　up　to　supper；　then？　　May　I？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　anything　to　stop　such　dreadful　screaming。　　You　are　very
naughtyvery　naughty　indeed。〃

〃No。　I'm　not　naughty。　　I'll　scream　again。〃

〃No；　no。　　Go　and　get　your　pinafore　on；　and　come　down　to　dinner。
Anything　rather　than　a　scream。〃

I　am　sick　of　all　this；　and　doubt　if　it　is　worth　printing；　but　it
amused　me　very　much　one　night　as　Hugh　related　it　over　a　bottle　of
Chablis　and　a　pipe。

He　certainly　did　not　represent　Mrs。　Appleditch　in　a　very　favourable
light　on　the　whole；　but　he　took　care　to　say　that　there　was　a　certain
liberality　about　the　table；　and　a　kind　of　heartiness　in　her　way　of
pressing　him　to　have　more　than　he　could　possibly　eat；　which
contrasted　strangely　with　her　behaviour　afterwards　in　money　matters。
There　are　many　people　who　can　be　liberal　in　almost　anything　but
money。　　They　seem　to　say；　〃Take　anything　but　my　purse。〃　　Miss　Talbot
told　him　afterwards；　that　this　same　lady　was　quite　active　amongst
the　poor　of　her　district。　　She　made　it　a　rule　never　to　give　money；
or　at　least　never　more　than　sixpence；　but　she　turned　scraps　of
victuals　and　cast…off　clothes　to　the　best　account；　and；　if　she　did
not　make　friends　with　the　mammon　of　unrighteousness；　she　yet　kept　an
eye　on　the　eternal　habitations　in　the　distribution　of　the　crumbs
that　fell　from　her　table。　　Poor　Mr。　Appleditch；　on　the　other　hand；
often　embezzled　a　shilling　or　a　half…crown　from　the　till；　for　the
use　of　a　poor　member　of　the　same　churchmeaning　by　church；　the
individual　community　to　which　he　belonged；　but　of　this；　Mrs。
Appleditch　was　carefully　kept　ignorant。

After　dinner　was　over；　and　the　children　had　been　sent　away；　which
was　effected　without　a　greater　amount　of　difficulty　than；　from　the
anticipative　precautions　adopted；　appeared　to　be　lawful　and
ordinary；　Mr。　Appleditch　proceeded　to　business。

〃Now；　Mr。　Sutherland；　what　do　you　think　of　Johnnie；　sir？〃

〃It　is　impossible　for　me　to　say　yet；　but　I　am　quite　willing　to　teach
him　if　you　like。〃

〃He's　a　forward　boy；〃　said　his　mother。

〃Not　a　doubt　of　it；〃　responded　Hugh；　for　he　remembered　the　boy
asking　him；　across　the　table：　〃Isn't　our　Mr。　Lixom〃（the
pastor）〃a　oner？〃

〃And　very　eager　and　retentive；〃　said　his　father。

Hugh　had　seen　the　little　glutton　paint　both　cheeks　to　the　eyes　with
damson　tart；　and　render　more　than　a　quantity　proportionate　to　the
colouring；　invisible。

〃Yes；　he　is　eager；　and　retentive；　too；　I　daresay；〃　he　said；　〃but
much　will　depend　on　whether　he　has　a　turn　for　study。〃

〃Well；　you　will　find　that　out　to…morrow。　　I　think　you　will　be
surprised；　sir。〃

〃At　what　hour　would　you　like　me　to　come？〃

〃Stop；　Mr。　Appleditch；〃　interposed　his　wife。　〃You　have　said　nothing
yet　about　terms；　and　that　is　of　some　importance；　considering　the
rent　and　taxes　we　pay。〃

〃Well；　my　love；　what　do　you　feel　inclined　to　give？〃

〃How　much　do　you　charge　a　lesson；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　Only　let　me
remind　you；　sir；　that　he　is　a　very　little　boy；　although　stout；　and
that　you　cannot　expect　to　put　much　Greek　and　Latin　into　him　for　some
time　yet。　　Besides；　we　want　you　to　come　every　day；　which　ought　to　be
considered　in　the　rate　of　charge。〃

〃Of　course　it　ought；〃　said　Hugh。

〃How　much　do　you　say；　then；　sir？〃

〃I　should　be　content　with　half…a…crown　a　lesson。〃

〃I　daresay　you　would！〃　replied　the　lady；　with　indignation。

〃Half…a…crown！　　That'ssix　half…crowns　isfifteen　shillings。
Fifteen　shillings　a　week　for　that　mite　of　a　boy！　　Mr。　Sutherland；
you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　sir。〃

〃You　forget；　Mrs。　Appleditch；　that　it　is　as　much　trouble　to　me　to
teach　one　little　boyyes；　a　great　deal　more　than　to　teach　twenty
grown　men。〃

〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　sir。　　You　a　Christian　man；　and
talk　of　trouble　in　teaching　such　a　little　cherub　as　that？〃

〃But　do　pray　remember　the　distance　I　have　to　come；　and　that　it　will
take　nearly　four　hours　of　my　time　every　day。〃

〃Then　you　can　get　lodgings　nearer。〃

〃But　I　could　not　get　any　so　cheap。〃

〃Then　you　can　the　better　afford　to　do　it。〃

And　she　threw　herself　back　in　her　chair；　as　if　she　had　struck　the
decisive　blow。　　Mr。　Appleditch　remarked；　gently：

〃It　is　good　for　your　health　to　walk　the　distance；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Appleditch　resumed：

〃I　won't　give　a　farthing　more　than　one　shilling　a　lesson。　　There；
now！〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Hugh；　rising；　〃then　I　must　wish　you　good　day。　　We
need　not　waste　more　time　in　talking　about　it。〃

〃Surely　you　are　not　going　to　make　any　use　of　your　time　on　a　Sunday？〃
said　the　grocer；　mildly。　〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　We
tradespeople　like　to　make　the　best　bargain　we　can。〃

〃Mr。　Appleditch；　I　am　ashamed　of　you。　　You　always　will　be　vulgar。
You　always　smell　of　the　shop。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　how　can　I　help　it？　　The　sugar　and　soft…soap　will
smell；　you　know。〃

〃Mr。　Appleditch；　you　disgust　me！〃

〃Dear！　dear！　　I　am　sorry　for　that。Suppose　we　say　to　Mr。
Sutherland〃

〃Now；　you　leave　that　to　me。　　I'll　tell　you　what；　Mr。
SutherlandI'll　give　you　eighteenpence　a　lesson；　and　your　dinner　on
the　Sabbath；　that　is；　if　you　sit　under　Mr。　Lixom　in　our　pew；　and
walk　home　with　us。〃

〃That　I　must　decline〃　said　Hugh。　〃I　must　have　my　Sundays　for
myself。〃

Mrs。　Appleditch　was　disappointed。　　She　had　coveted　the　additional
importance　which　the　visible　possession　of　a　live　tutor　would　secure
her　at　〃Salem。〃

〃Ah！　　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　she　said。　〃And　I　must　trust　my　child；　with　an
immortal　soul　in　his　inside；　to　one　who　wants　the　Lord's　only　day
for　himself！for　himself；　Mr。　Sutherland！〃

Hugh　made　no　answer；　because　he　had　none　to　make。　　Again　Mrs。
Appleditch　resumed：

〃Shall　it　be　a　bargain；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　Eighteen…pence　a
lessonthat's　nine　shillings　a　weekand　begin　to　morrow？〃

Hugh's　heart　sunk　within　him；　not　so　much　with　disappointment　as
with　disgust。

But　to　a　man　who　is　making　nothing；　the　prospect　of　earning　ever　so
little；　is　irresistibly　attractive。　　Even　on　a　shilling　a　day；　he
could　keep　hunger　at　arm's　length。　　And　a　beginning　is　half　the
battle。　　He　resolved。

〃Let　it　be　a　bargain；　then；　Mrs。　Appleditch。〃

The　lady　immediately　brightened　up；　and　at　once　put　on　her
company…manners　again；　behaving　to　him　with　great　politeness；　and　a
sneer　that　would　not　be　hid　away　under　it。　　From　this　Hugh　suspected
that　she　had　made　a　better　bargain　than　she　had　hoped；　but　the
discovery　was　now　too　late；　even　if　he　could　have　brought　himself　to
take　advantage　of　it。　　He　hated　bargain…making　as　heartily　as　the
grocer's　wife　loved　it。

He　very　soon　rose　to　take　his　leave。

〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　Appleditch　to　her　husband；　〃but　Mr。　Sutherland　has
not　seen　the　drawing…room！〃

Hugh　won