the professor at the breakfast table-第14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！
usual course of 〃getting better；〃 until he got so much better that
his face was very sharp； and when he smiled； three crescent lines
showed at each side of his lips； and when he spoke； it was in a
muffled whisper； and the white of his eye glistened as pearly as the
purest porcelain；so much better； that he hopedby springhe
might be abletoattendto his class again。 But he was
recommended not to expose himself； and so kept his chamber； and
occasionally； not having anything to do； his bed。 The unmarried
sister with whom he lived took care of him； and the child； now old
enough to be manageable and even useful in trifling offices； sat in
the chamber； or played； about。
Things could not go on so forever； of course。 One morning his face
was sunken and his hands were very； very cold。 He was 〃better；〃 he
whispered； but sadly and faintly。 After a while he grew restless and
seemed a little wandering。 His mind ran on his classics； and fell
back on the Latin grammar。
〃Iris！ 〃 he said；〃；filiola mea！〃The child knew this meant my
dear little daughter as well as if it had been English。 〃Rainbow！
〃for he would translate her name at times；〃come to me；veni〃and
his lips went on automatically； and murmured；〃 vel venito！〃 The
child came and sat by his bedside and took his hand； which she could
not warm； but which shot its rays of cold all through her slender
frame。 But there she sat； looking steadily at him。 Presently he
opened his lips feebly； and whispered； 〃Moribundus。〃 She did not
know what that meant； but she saw that there was something new and
sad。 So she began to cry； but presently remembering an old book that
seemed to comfort him at times； got up and brought a Bible in the
Latin version； called the Vulgate。 〃Open it；〃 he said；〃I will
read； segnius irritant；don't put the light out；ah！ hoeret
lateri；I am going；vale； vale； vale； goodbye； good…bye；the Lord
take care of my child！ Domine； audi vel audito！〃 His face whitened
suddenly； and he lay still； with open eyes and mouth。 He had taken
his last degree。
Little Miss Iris could not be said to begin life with a very
brilliant rainbow over her； in a worldly point of view。 A limited
wardrobe of man's attire； such as poor tutors wear；a few good
books； principally classics；a print or two； and a plaster model of
the Pantheon； with some pieces of furniture which had seen service；
these； and a child's heart full of tearful recollections and strange
doubts and questions； alternating with the cheap pleasures which are
the anodynes of childish grief； such were the treasures she
inherited。 No；I forgot。 With that kindly sentiment which all of
us feel for old men's first children；frost…flowers of the early
winter season； the old tutor's students had remembered him at a time
when he was laughing and crying with his new parental emotions； and
running to the side of the plain crib in which his alter egg； as he
used to say； was swinging； to hang over the little heap of stirring
clothes； from which looked the minute； red； downy； still； round face；
with unfixed eyes and working lips；in that unearthly gravity which
has never yet been broken by a smile； and which gives to the earliest
moon…year or two of an infant's life the character of a first old
age； to counterpoise that second childhood which there is one chance
in a dozen it may reach by and by。 The boys had remembered the old
man and young father at that tender period of his hard； dry life。
There came to him a fair； silver goblet； embossed with classical
figures； and bearing on a shield the graver words； Ex dono
pupillorum。 The handle on its side showed what use the boys had
meant it for； and a kind letter in it； written with the best of
feeling； in the worst of Latin； pointed delicately to its
destination。 Out of this silver vessel； after a long； desperate；
strangling cry； which marked her first great lesson in the realities
of life； the child took the blue milk； such as poor tutors and their
children get； tempered with water； and sweetened a little； so as to
bring it nearer the standard established by the touching indulgence
and partiality of Nature；who had mingled an extra allowance of
sugar in the blameless food of the child at its mother's breast； as
compared with that of its infant brothers and sisters of the bovine
race。
But a willow will grow in baked sand wet with rainwater。 An air…
plant will grow by feeding on the winds。 Nay； those huge forests
that overspread great continents have built themselves up mainly from
the air…currents with which they are always battling。 The oak is but
a foliated atmospheric crystal deposited from the aerial ocean that
holds the future vegetable world in solution。 The storm that tears
its leaves has paid tribute to its strength； and it breasts the
tornado clad in the spoils of a hundred hurricanes。
Poor little Iris！ What had she in common with the great oak in the
shadow of which we are losing sight of her？She lived and grew like
that；this was all。 The blue milk ran into her veins and filled
them with thin； pure blood。 Her skin was fair； with a faint tinge；
such as the white rosebud shows before it opens。 The doctor who had
attended her father was afraid her aunt would hardly be able to
〃raise 〃 her；〃delicate child；〃hoped she was not consumptive；
thought there was a fair chance she would take after her father。
A very forlorn…looking person； dressed in black； with a white
neckcloth； sent her a memoir of a child who died at the age of two
years and eleven months； after having fully indorsed all the
doctrines of the particular persuasion to which he not only belonged
himself； but thought it very shameful that everybody else did not
belong。 What with foreboding looks and dreary death…bed stories； it
was a wonder the child made out to live through it。 It saddened her
early years； of course；it distressed her tender soul with thoughts
which； as they cannot be fully taken in； should be sparingly used as
instruments of torture to break down the natural cheerfulness of a
healthy child； or； what is infinitely worse； to cheat a dying one out
of the kind illusions with which the Father of All has strewed its
downward path。
The child would have died； no doubt； and； if properly managed； might
have added another to the long catalogue of wasting children who have
been as cruelly played upon by spiritual physiologists； often with
the best intentions； as ever the subject of a rare disease by the
curious students of science。
Fortunately for her； however； a wise instinct had guided the late
Latin tutor in the selection of the partner of his life； and the
future mother of his child。 The deceased tutoress was a tranquil；
smooth woman； easily nourished； as such people are；a quality which
is inestimable in a tutor's wife；and so it happened that the
daughter inherited enough vitality from the mother to live through
childhood and infancy and fight her way towards womanhood； in spite
of the tendencies she derived from her other parent。
Two and two do not always make four； in this matter of hereditary
descent of qualities。 Sometimes they make three； and sometimes five。
It seems as if the parental traits at one time showed separate； at
another blended；that occasionally； the force of two natures is
represented in the derivative one by a diagonal of greater value than
either original line of living movement；that sometimes there is a
loss of vitality hardly to be accounted for； and again a forward
impulse of variable intensity in some new and unforeseen direction。
So it was with this child。 She had glanced off from her parental
probabilities at an unexpected angle。 Instead of taking to classical
learning like her father； or sliding quietly into household duties
like her mother； she broke out early in efforts that pointed in the
direction of Art。 As soon as she could hold a pencil she began to
sketch outlines of objects round her with a certain air and spirit。
Very extraordinary horses； but their legs looked as if they could
move。 Birds unknown to Audubon； yet flying； as it were； with a rush。
Men with impossible legs； which did yet seem to have a vital
connection with their most improbable bodies。 By…and…by the doctor；
on his beast；an old man with a face looking as if Time had kneaded
it like dough with his knuckles； with a rhubarb tint and flavor
pervading himself and his sorrel horse and all their appurtenances。
A dreadful old man！ Be sure she did not forget those saddle…bags
that held the detestable bottles out of which he used to shake those
loathsome powders which； to virgin childish palates that find heaven
in strawberries and peaches； are Well； I suppose I had better stop。
Only she wished she was dead sometimes when she heard him coming。
On the next leaf would figure the gentleman with the black coat and
white cravat； as he looked when he came and entertained her with
stories c
