the holly-tree(圣树)-第10节
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sleepy about dusk； and began to cry。 Therefore； Mrs。 Walmers went off
to bed as per yesterday； and Master Harry ditto repeated。
About eleven or twelve at night comes back the Governor in a chaise；
along with Mr。 Walmers and a elderly lady。 Mr。 Walmers looks amused
and very serious； both at once； and says to our missis； 〃We are much
indebted to you； ma'am； for your kind care of our little children； which we
can never sufficiently acknowledge。 Pray； ma'am； where is my boy？〃
Our missis says； 〃Cobbs has the dear child in charge； sir。 Cobbs； show
Forty！〃 Then he says to Cobbs； 〃Ah； Cobbs； I am glad to see you！ I
understood you was here！〃 And Cobbs says； 〃Yes； sir。 Your most
obedient； sir。〃
I may be surprised to hear Boots say it； perhaps； but Boots assures me
that his heart beat like a hammer； going up…stairs。 〃I beg your pardon；
sir；〃 says he； while unlocking the door； 〃I hope you are not angry with
Master Harry。 For Master Harry is a fine boy； sir； and will do you credit
and honour。〃 And Boots signifies to me； that； if the fine boy's father had
contradicted him in the daring state of mind in which he then was； he
thinks he should have 〃fetched him a crack；〃 and taken the consequences。
But Mr。 Walmers only says； 〃No； Cobbs。 No； my good fellow。
Thank you！〃 And； the door being opened； goes in。
Boots goes in too； holding the light； and he sees Mr。 Walmers go up to
the bedside； bend gently down； and kiss the little sleeping face。 Then he
stands looking at it for a minute； looking wonderfully like it （they do say
he ran away with Mrs。 Walmers）； and then he gently shakes the little
shoulder。
〃Harry； my dear boy！ Harry！〃
Master Harry starts up and looks at him。 Looks at Cobbs too。 Such
is the honour of that mite； that he looks at Cobbs； to see whether he has
brought him into trouble。
〃I am not angry； my child。 I only want you to dress yourself and
come home。〃
〃Yes； pa。〃
Master Harry dresses himself quickly。 His breast begins to swell
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THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
when he has nearly finished； and it swells more and more as he stands； at
last； a looking at his father： his father standing a looking at him； the
quiet image of him。
〃Please may I〃the spirit of that little creatur； and the way he kept his
rising tears down！〃please； dear pamay Ikiss Norah before I go？〃
〃You may； my child。〃
So he takes Master Harry in his hand； and Boots leads the way with
the candle； and they come to that other bedroom； where the elderly lady is
seated by the bed； and poor little Mrs。 Harry Walmers； Junior； is fast
asleep。 There the father lifts the child up to the pillow； and he lays his
little face down for an instant by the little warm face of poor unconscious
little Mrs。 Harry Walmers； Junior； and gently draws it to him；a sight so
touching to the chambermaids who are peeping through the door； that one
of them calls out； 〃It's a shame to part 'em！〃 But this chambermaid was
always； as Boots informs me； a soft…hearted one。 Not that there was any
harm in that girl。 Far from it。
Finally； Boots says； that's all about it。 Mr。 Walmers drove away in
the chaise； having hold of Master Harry's hand。 The elderly lady and
Mrs。 Harry Walmers； Junior； that was never to be （she married a Captain
long afterwards； and died in India）； went off next day。 In conclusion；
Boots put it to me whether I hold with him in two opinions： firstly； that
there are not many couples on their way to be married who are half as
innocent of guile as those two children； secondly； that it would be a jolly
good thing for a great many couples on their way to be married； if they
could only be stopped in time； and brought back separately。
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THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
THIRD BRANCHTHE BILL
I had been snowed up a whole week。 The time had hung so lightly on
my hands； that I should have been in great doubt of the fact but for a piece
of documentary evidence that lay upon my table。
The road had been dug out of the snow on the previous day； and the
document in question was my bill。 It testified emphatically to my having
eaten and drunk； and warmed myself； and slept among the sheltering
branches of the Holly…Tree； seven days and nights。
I had yesterday allowed the road twenty…four hours to improve itself；
finding that I required that additional margin of time for the completion of
my task。 I had ordered my Bill to be upon the table； and a chaise to be at
the door； 〃at eight o'clock to…morrow evening。〃 It was eight o'clock to…
morrow evening when I buckled up my travelling writing…desk in its
leather case； paid my Bill； and got on my warm coats and wrappers。 Of
course； no time now remained for my travelling on to add a frozen tear to
the icicles which were doubtless hanging plentifully about the farmhouse
where I had first seen Angela。 What I had to do was to get across to
Liverpool by the shortest open road； there to meet my heavy baggage and
embark。 It was quite enough to do； and I had not an hour too much time
to do it in。
I had taken leave of all my Holly…Tree friendsalmost； for the time
being； of my bashfulness tooand was standing for half a minute at the
Inn door watching the ostler as he took another turn at the cord which tied
my portmanteau on the chaise； when I saw lamps coming down towards
the Holly…Tree。 The road was so padded with snow that no wheels were
audible； but all of us who were standing at the Inn door saw lamps coming
on； and at a lively rate too； between the walls of snow that had been
heaped up on either side of the track。 The chambermaid instantly divined
how the case stood； and called to the ostler； 〃Tom； this is a Gretna job！〃
The ostler； knowing that her sex instinctively scented a marriage； or
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THE HOLLY…TREETHREE BRANCHES
anything in that direction； rushed up the yard bawling； 〃Next four out！〃
and in a moment the whole establishment was thrown into commotion。
I had a melancholy interest in seeing the happy man who loved and
was beloved； and therefore； instead of driving off at once； I remained at
the Inn door when the fugitives drove up。 A bright…eyed fellow； muffled
in a mantle； jumped out so briskly that he almost overthrew me。 He
turned to apologise； and； by heaven； it was Edwin！
〃Charley！〃 said he； recoiling。 〃Gracious powers； what do you do
here？〃
〃Edwin；〃 said I； recoiling； 〃gracious powers； what do you do here？〃 I
struck my forehead as I said it； and an insupportable blaze of light seemed
to shoot before my eyes。
He hurried me into the little parlour （always kept with a slow fire in it
and no poker）； where posting company waited while their horses were
putting to； and； shutting the door； said：
〃Charley； forgive me！〃
〃Edwin！〃 I returned。 〃Was this well？ When I loved her so dearly！
When I had garnered up my heart so long！〃 I could say no more。
He was shocked when he saw how moved I was； and made the cruel
observation； that he had not thought I should have taken it so much to
heart。
I looked at him。 I reproached him no more。 But I looked at him。
〃My dear； dear Charley；〃 said he； 〃don't think ill of me； I beseech you！ I
know you have a right to my utmost confidence； and； believe me； you
have ever had it until now。 I abhor secrecy。 Its meanness is intolerable
to me。 But I and my dear girl have observed it for your sake。〃
He and his dear girl！ It steeled me。
〃You have observed it for my sake； sir？〃 said
