david elginbrod-第81节

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lose；　I　can　tell　you。　　Just　say　to　Miss　Talbot　that　you　were　with
me。〃

〃You　know　her；　then？〃

〃Oh；　yes。〃

〃You　seem　to　know　everybody。〃

〃If　I　have　spoken　to　a　person　once；　I　never　forget　him。〃

〃That　seems　to　me　very　strange。〃

〃It　is　simple　enough。　　The　secret　of　it　is；　that；　as　far　as　I　can
help　it；　I　never　have　any　merely　business　relations　with　any　one。　　I
try　always　not　to　forget　that　there　is　a　deeper　relation　between　us。
I　commonly　succeed　worst　in　a　drawing…room；　yet　even　there；　for　the
time　we　are　together；　I　try　to　recognise　the　present　humanity；
however　much　distorted　or　concealed。　　The　consequence　is；　I　never
forget　anybody；　and　I　generally　find　that　others　remember　meat
least　those　with　whom　I　have　had　any　real　relations；　springing　from
my　need　or　from　theirs。　　The　man　who　mends　a　broken　chair　for　you；
or　a　rent　in　your　coat；　renders　you　a　human　service；　and；　in　virtue
of　that；　comes　nearer　to　your　inner　self；　than　nine…tenths　of　the
ladies　and　gentlemen　whom　you　meet　only　in　what　is　called　society；
are　likely　to　do。〃

〃But　do　you　not　find　it　awkward　sometimes？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　I　am　never　ashamed　of　knowing　any　one；　and　as　I
never　assume　a　familiarity　that　does　not　exist；　I　never　find　it
assumed　towards　me。〃

Hugh　found　the　advantage　of　Falconer's　sociology　when　he　mentioned
to　Miss　Talbot　that　he　had　been　his　guest　that　night。

〃You　should　have　sent　us　word；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　was　all　Miss
Talbot's　reply。

〃I　could　not　do　so　before　you　must　have　been　all　in　bed。　　I　was
sorry；　but　I　could　hardly　help　it。〃

Miss　Talbot　turned　away　into　the　kitchen。　　The　only　other　indication
of　her　feeling　in　the　matter　was；　that　she　sent　him　up　a　cup　of
delicious　chocolate　for　his　lunch；　before　he　set　out　for　Mr。
Appleditch's；　where　she　had　heard　at　the　shop　that　he　was　going。

My　reader　must　not　be　left　to　fear　that　I　am　about　to　give　a
detailed　account　of　Hugh's　plans　with　these　unpleasant　little
immortals；　whose　earthly　nature　sprang　from　a　pair　whose　religion
consisted　chiefly　in　negations；　and　whose　main　duty　seemed　to　be　to
make　money　in　small　sums；　and　spend　it　in　smaller。　　When　he　arrived
at　Buccleuch　Crescent；　he　was　shown　into　the　dining…room；　into　which
the　boys　were　separately　dragged；　to　receive　the　first　instalment　of
the　mental　legacy　left　them　by　their　ancestors。　　But　the　legacy…duty
was　so　heavy　that　they　would　gladly　have　declined　paying　it；　even
with　the　loss　of　the　legacy　itself；　and　Hugh　was　dismayed　at　the
impossibility　of　interesting　them　in　anything。　　He　tried　telling
them　stories　even；　without　success。　　They　stared　at　him；　it　is　true；
but　whether　there　was　more　speculation　in　the　open　mouths；　or　in　the
fishy；　overfed　eyes；　he　found　it　impossible　to　determine。　　He　could
not　help　feeling　the　riddle　of　Providence　in　regard　to　the　birth　of
these；　much　harder　to　read　than　that　involved　in　the　case　of　some　of
the　little　thieves　whose　acquaintance　he　had　made；　when　with
Falconer；　the　evening　before。　　But　he　did　his　best；　and　before　the
time　had　expiredtwo　hours；　namely；he　had　found　out；　to　his
satisfaction；　that　the　elder　had　a　turn　for　sums；　and　the　younger
for　drawing。　　So　he　made　use　of　these　predilections　to　bribe　them　to
the　exercise　of　their　intellect　upon　less…favoured　branches　of　human
accomplishment。　　He　found　the　plan　operate　as　well　as　it　could　have
been　expected　to　operate　upon　such　material。

But　one　or　two　little　incidents；　relating　to　his　intercourse　with
Mrs。　Appleditch；　I　must　not　omit。　　Though　a　mother's　love　is　more
ready　to　purify　itself　than　most　other　lovesyet　there　is　a　class
of　mothers；　whose　love　is　only　an　extended；　scarcely　an　expanded；
selfishness。　　Mrs。　Appleditch　did　not　in　the　least　love　her　children
because　they　were　children；　and　children　committed　to　her　care　by
the　Father　of　all　children；　but　she　loved　them　dearly　because　they
were　her　children。

One　day　Hugh　gave　Master　Appleditch　a　smart　slap　across　the　fingers；
as　the　ultimate　resource。　　The　child　screamed　as　he　well　knew　how。
His　mother　burst　into　the　room。

〃Johnny；　hold　your　tongue！〃

〃Teacher's　been　and　hurt　me。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　I　say。　　My　head's　like　to　split。　　Get　out　of　the
room；　you　little　ruffian！〃

She　seized　him　by　the　shoulders；　and　turned　him　out；　administering　a
box　on　his　ear　that　made　the　room　ring。　　Then　turning　to　Hugh；

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　how　dare　you　strike　my　child？〃　she　demanded。

〃He　required　it；　Mrs。　Appleditch。　　I　did　him　no　harm。　　He　will　mind
what　I　say　another　time。〃

〃I　will　not　have　him　touched。　　It's　disgraceful。　　To　strike　a
child！〃

She　belonged　to　that　class　of　humane　parents　who　consider　it　cruel
to　inflict　any　corporal　suffering　upon　children；　except　they　do　it
themselves；　and　in　a　passion。　　Johnnie　behaved　better　after　this；
however；　and　the　only　revenge　Mrs。　Appleditch　took　for　this
interference　with　the　dignity　of　her　eldest　born；　and；　consequently；
with　her　own　as　his　mother；　was；　thatwith　the　view；　probably；　of
impressing　upon　Hugh　a　due　sense　of　the　menial　position　he　occupied
in　her　familyshe　always　paid　him　his　fee　of　one　shilling　and
sixpence　every　day　before　he　left　the　house。　　Once　or　twice　she
contrived　accidentally　that　the　sixpence　should　be　in　coppers。　　Hugh
was　too　much　of　a　philosopher；　however；　to　mind　this　from　such　a
woman。　　I　am　afraid　he　rather　enjoyed　her　spite；　for　he　felt　it　did
not　touch　him；　seeing　it　could　not　be　less　honourable　to　be　paid　by
the　day　than　by　the　quarter　or　by　the　year。　　Certainly　the　coppers
were　an　annoyance；　but　if　the　coppers　could　be　carried；　the
annoyance　could　be　borne。　　The　real　disgust　in　the　affair　was；　that
he　had　to　meet　and　speak　with　a　woman　every　day；　for　whom　he　could
feel　nothing　but　contempt　and　aversion。　　Hugh　was　not　yet　able　to
mingle　with　these　feelings　any　of　the　leaven　of　that　charity　which
they　need　most　of　all　who　are　contemptible　in　the　eye　of　their
fellows。　　Contempt　is　murder　committed　by　the　intellect；　as　hatred
is　murder　committed　by　the　heart。　　Charity　having　life　in　itself；　is
the　opposite　and　destroyer　of　contempt　as　well　as　of　hatred。

After　this；　nothing　went　amiss　for　some　time。　　But　it　was　very
dreary　work　to　teach　such　boysfor　the　younger　came　in　for　the　odd
sixpence。　　Slow；　stupid；　resistance　appeared　to　be　the　only
principle　of　their　behaviour　towards　him。　　They　scorned　the　man　whom
their　mother　despised　and　valued　for　the　self…same　reason；　namely；
that　he　was　cheap。　　They　would　have　defied　him　had　they　dared；　but
he　managed　to　establish　an　authority　over　themand　to　increase　it。
Still；　he　could　not　rouse　them　to　any　real　interest　in　their
studies。　　Indeed；　they　were　as　near　being　little　beasts　as　it　was
possible　for　children　to　be。　　Their　eyes　grew　dull　at　a　story…book；
but　greedily　bright　at　the　sight　of　bull's　eyes　or　toffee。　　It　was
the　same　day　after　day；　till　he　was　sick　of　it。　　No　doubt　they　made
some　progress；　but　it　was　scarcely　perceptible　to　him。　　Through　fog
and　fair；　through　frost　and　snow；　through　wind　and　rain；　he　trudged
to　that　wretched　house。　　No　one　minds　the　weatherno　young
Scotchman；　at　leastwhere　any　pleasure　waits　the　close　of　the
struggle：　to　fight　his　way　to　misery　was　more　than　he　could　well
endure。　　But　his　deliverance　was　nearer　than　he　expected。　　It　was
not　to　come　just　yet；　however。

All　went　on　with　frightful　sameness；　till　sundry　doubtful　symptoms
of　an　alteration　in　the　personal　appearance　of　Hugh　having
accumulated　at　last　into　a　mass　of　evidence；　forced　the　conviction
upon　the　mind　of　the　grocer's　wife；　that　her　tutor　was　actually
growing　a　beard。　　Could　she　believe　her　eyes？　　She　said　she　could
not。　　But　she　acted　on　their　testimony　notwithstanding；　and　one　day
suddenly　addressing　Hugh；　said；　in　her　usual　cold；　thin；　cutting
fashion　of　speech：

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　I　am　astonished　and　grieved　that　you；　a　teacher　of
babes；　who　should　set　an　example　to　them；　should　disguise　yourself
in　such　an　outlandish　figure。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Mrs。　Appleditch？〃　asked　Hugh；　who；　though　he　had
made　up　his　mind　to　follow　the　example　of　Falconer；　yet　felt
uncomfortable　enough；　during　the　transition　period；　to　know　quite
well　what　she　meant。

〃What　do　I　mean；　sir？　　It　is　a　shame　for　a　man　to　let　his　beard　grow
like　a　monkey。〃

〃But　a　monkey　hasn't　a　beard；〃　retorted　Hugh；　laughing。　〃Man　is　the
only　animal　who　has　one。〃

This　assertion；　if　not　quite　correct；　was　approximately　so；　and　went
much　nearer　the　truth　than　Mrs。　Appleditch's　argument。

〃It's　no　joking　matter；　Mr。　Sutherland；　with　my　two　darlings　growing
up　to　be　ministers　of　the　gospel。〃

〃What！　both　of　them？〃　thought　Hugh。　〃Good　heavens！〃　　But　he　said：

〃Well；　but　you　know；　Mrs。　Appleditch；　the　Apostles　themselves　wore
beards。〃

〃Yes；　when　they　were　Jews。　But　who　would　have　believed　them　if　they
had　preached　the　gospel　like　old　clothesmen？　　No；　no；　Mr。
Sutherland；　I　see　through　all　that。　　My　own　uncle　was　a　preacher　of
the　word。As　soon　as　the　Apostles　became　Christians；　they　shaved。
It　was　the　sign　of　Christianity。　　The　Apostle　Paul　himself　says
that　cleanliness　is　next　to　godliness。〃

Hugh　restrained　his　laughter；　and　shifted　his　ground。

〃But　there　is