novel notes-第4节

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t　I've　come　more'n　two　hundred　miles　to　see　you；　sir。'

〃I　expressed　myself　as　pleased；　and　he　continued：　　'They　tell　me；　sir；　as　you're　the　gentleman　as　wrote　that　little　book；　How　to　be　Happy；　Wealthy；　and　Wise。〃

He　enumerated　the　three　items　slowly；　dwelling　lovingly　on　each。　　I　admitted　the　fact。

〃'Ah；　that's　a　wonderful　book；　sir；'　he　went　on。　　'I　ain't　one　of　them　as　has　got　brains　of　their　ownnot　to　speak　ofbut　I　know　enough　to　know　them　as　has；　and　when　I　read　that　little　book；　I　says　to　myself；　Josiah　Hackett　（that's　my　name；　sir）；　when　you're　in　doubt　don't　you　get　addling　that　thick　head　o'　yours；　as　will　only　tell　you　all　wrong；　you　go　to　the　gentleman　as　wrote　that　little　book　and　ask　him　for　his　advice。　　He　is　a　kind…hearted　gentleman；　as　any　one　can　tell；　and　he'll　give　it　you；　and　WHEN　you've　got　it；　you　go　straight　ahead；　full　steam；　and　don't　you　stop　for　nothing；　'cause　he'll　know　what's　best　for　you；　same　as　he　knows　what's　best　for　everybody。　　That's　what　I　says；　sir；　and　that's　what　I'm　here　for。'

〃He　paused；　and　wiped　his　brow　with　a　green　cotton　handkerchief。　　I　prayed　him　to　proceed。

〃It　appeared　that　the　worthy　fellow　wanted　to　marry；　but　could　not　make　up　his　mind　WHOM　he　wanted　to　marry。　　He　had　his　eyeso　he　expressed　itupon　two　young　women；　and　they；　he　had　reason　to　believe；　regarded　him　in　return　with　more　than　usual　favour。　　His　difficulty　was　to　decide　which　of　the　twoboth　of　them　excellent　and　deserving　young　personswould　make　him　the　best　wife。　　The　one；　Juliana；　the　only　daughter　of　a　retired　sea…captain；　he　described　as　a　winsome　lassie。　　The　other；　Hannah；　was　an　older　and　altogether　more　womanly　girl。　　She　was　the　eldest　of　a　large　family。　　Her　father；　he　said；　was　a　God…fearing　man；　and　was　doing　well　in　the　timber　trade。　　He　asked　me　which　of　them　I　should　advise　him　to　marry。

〃I　was　flattered。　　What　man　in　my　position　would　not　have　been？　This　Josiah　Hackett　had　come　from　afar　to　hear　my　wisdom。　　He　was　willingnay；　anxiousto　entrust　his　whole　life's　happiness　to　my　discretion。　　That　he　was　wise　in　so　doing；　I　entertained　no　doubt。　The　choice　of　a　wife　I　had　always　held　to　be　a　matter　needing　a　calm；　unbiassed　judgment；　such　as　no　lover　could　possibly　bring　to　bear　upon　the　subject。　　In　such　a　case；　I　should　not　have　hesitated　to　offer　advice　to　the　wisest　of　men。　　To　this　poor；　simple…minded　fellow；　I　felt　it　would　be　cruel　to　refuse　it。

〃He　handed　me　photographs　of　both　the　young　persons　under　consideration。　　I　jotted　down　on　the　back　of　each　such　particulars　as　I　deemed　would　assist　me　in　estimating　their　respective　fitness　for　the　vacancy　in　question；　and　promised　to　carefully　consider　the　problem；　and　write　him　in　a　day　or　two。

〃His　gratitude　was　touching。　　'Don't　you　trouble　to　write　no　letters；　sir；'　he　said；　'you　just　stick　down　〃Julia〃　or　〃Hannah〃　on　a　bit　of　paper；　and　put　it　in　an　envelope。　　I　shall　know　what　it　means；　and　that's　the　one　as　I　shall　marry。'

〃Then　he　gripped　me　by　the　hand　and　left　me。

〃I　gave　a　good　deal　of　thought　to　the　selection　of　Josiah's　wife。　　I　wanted　him　to　be　happy。

〃Juliana　was　certainly　very　pretty。　　There　was　a　lurking　playfulness　about　the　corners　of　Juliana's　mouth　which　conjured　up　the　sound　of　rippling　laughter。　　Had　I　acted　on　impulse；　I　should　have　clasped　Juliana　in　Josiah's　arms。

〃But；　I　reflected；　more　sterling　qualities　than　mere　playfulness　and　prettiness　are　needed　for　a　wife。　　Hannah；　though　not　so　charming；　clearly　possessed　both　energy　and　sensequalities　highly　necessary　to　a　poor　man's　wife。　　Hannah's　father　was　a　pious　man；　and　was　'doing　well'a　thrifty；　saving　man；　no　doubt。　　He　would　have　instilled　into　her　lessons　of　economy　and　virtue；　and；　later　on；　she　might　possibly　come　in　for　a　little　something。　　She　was　the　eldest　of　a　large　family。　　She　was　sure　to　have　had　to　help　her　mother　a　good　deal。　　She　would　be　experienced　in　household　matters；　and　would　understand　the　bringing　up　of　children。

〃Julia's　father；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　retired　sea…captain。　Seafaring　folk　are　generally　loose　sort　of　fish。　　He　had　probably　been　in　the　habit　of　going　about　the　house；　using　language　and　expressing　views；　the　hearing　of　which　could　not　but　have　exercised　an　injurious　effect　upon　the　formation　of　a　growing　girl's　character。　　Juliana　was　his　only　child。　　Only　children　generally　make　bad　men　and　women。　　They　are　allowed　to　have　their　own　way　too　much。　　The　pretty　daughter　of　a　retired　sea…captain　would　be　certain　to　be　spoilt。

〃Josiah；　I　had　also　to　remember；　was　a　man　evidently　of　weak　character。　　He　would　need　management。　　Now；　there　was　something　about　Hannah's　eye　that　eminently　suggested　management。

〃At　the　end　of　two　days　my　mind　was　made　up。　　I　wrote　'Hannah'　on　a　slip　of　paper；　and　posted　it。

〃A　fortnight　afterwards　I　received　a　letter　from　Josiah。　　He　thanked　me　for　my　advice；　but　added；　incidentally；　that　he　wished　I　could　have　made　it　Julia。　　However；　he　said；　he　felt　sure　I　knew　best；　and　by　the　time　I　received　the　letter　he　and　Hannah　would　be　one。

〃That　letter　worried　me。　　I　began　to　wonder　if；　after　all；　I　had　chosen　the　right　girl。　　Suppose　Hannah　was　not　all　I　thought　her！　What　a　terrible　thing　it　would　be　for　Josiah。　　What　data；　sufficient　to　reason　upon；　had　I　possessed？　　How　did　I　know　that　Hannah　was　not　a　lazy；　ill…tempered　girl；　a　continual　thorn　in　the　side　of　her　poor；　overworked　mother；　and　a　perpetual　blister　to　her　younger　brothers　and　sisters？　　How　did　I　know　she　had　been　well　brought　up？　Her　father　might　be　a　precious　old　fraud：　　most　seemingly　pious　men　are。　　She　may　have　learned　from　him　only　hypocrisy。

〃Then　also；　how　did　I　know　that　Juliana's　merry　childishness　would　not　ripen　into　sweet；　cheerful　womanliness？　　Her　father；　for　all　I　knew　to　the　contrary；　might　be　the　model　of　what　a　retired　sea…　captain　should　be；　with　possibly　a　snug　little　sum　safely　invested　somewhere。　　And　Juliana　was　his　only　child。　　What　reason　had　I　for　rejecting　this　fair　young　creature's　love　for　Josiah？

〃I　took　her　photo　from　my　desk。　　I　seemed　to　detect　a　reproachful　look　in　the　big　eyes。　　I　saw　before　me　the　scene　in　the　little　far…　away　home　when　the　first　tidings　of　Josiah's　marriage　fell　like　a　cruel　stone　into　the　hitherto　placid　waters　of　her　life。　　I　saw　her　kneeling　by　her　father's　chair；　while　the　white…haired；　bronzed　old　man　gently　stroked　the　golden　head；　shaking　with　silent　sobs　against　his　breast。　　My　remorse　was　almost　more　than　I　could　bear。

〃I　put　her　aside　and　took　up　Hannahmy　chosen　one。　　She　seemed　to　be　regarding　me　with　a　smile　of　heartless　triumph。　　There　began　to　take　possession　of　me　a　feeling　of　positive　dislike　to　Hannah。

〃I　fought　against　the　feeling。　　I　told　myself　it　was　prejudice。　　But　the　more　I　reasoned　against　it　the　stronger　it　became。　　I　could　tell　that；　as　the　days　went　by；　it　would　grow　from　dislike　to　loathing；　from　loathing　to　hate。　　And　this　was　the　woman　I　had　deliberately　selected　as　a　life　companion　for　Josiah！

〃For　weeks　I　knew　no　peace　of　mind。　　Every　letter　that　arrived　I　dreaded　to　open；　fearing　it　might　be　from　Josiah。　　At　every　knock　I　started　up；　and　looked　about　for　a　hiding…place。　　Every　time　I　came　across　the　heading；　'Domestic　Tragedy；'　in　the　newspapers；　I　broke　into　a　cold　perspiration。　　I　expected　to　read　that　Josiah　and　Hannah　had　murdered　each　other；　and　died　cursing　me。

〃As　the　time　went　by；　however；　and　I　heard　nothing；　my　fears　began　to　assuage；　and　my　belief　in　my　own　intuitive　good　judgment　to　return。　　Maybe；　I　had　done　a　good　thing　for　Josiah　and　Hannah；　and　they　were　blessing　me。　　Three　years　passed　peacefully　away；　and　I　was　beginning　to　forget　the　existence　of　the　Hacketts。

〃Then　he　came　again。　　I　returned　home　from　business　one　evening　to　find　him　waiting　for　me　in　the　hall。　　The　moment　I　saw　him　I　knew　that　my　worst　fears　had　fallen　short　of　the　truth。　　I　motioned　him　to　follow　me　to　my　study。　　He　did　so；　and　seated　himself　in　the　identical　chair　on　which　he　had　sat　three　years　ago。　　The　change　in　him　was　remarkable；　he　looked　old　and　careworn。　　His　manner　was　that　of　resigned　hopelessness。

〃We　remained　for　a　while　without　speaking；　he　twirling　his　hat　as　at　our　first　interview；　I　making　a　show　of　arranging　papers　on　my　desk。　At　length；　feeling　that　anything　would　be　more　bearable　than　this　silence；　I　turned　to　him。

〃'Things　have　not　been　going　well　with　you；　I'm　afraid；　Josiah？'　I　said。

〃'No；　sir；'　he　replied　quietly；　'I　can't　say　as　they　have；　altogether。　　That　Hannah　of　yours　has　turned　out　a　bit　of　a　teaser。'

〃There　was　no　touch　of　reproach　in　his　tones。　　He　simply　stated　a　melancholy　fact。

〃'But　she　is　a　good　wife　to　you　in　other　ways；'　I　urged。　　'She　has　her　faults；　of　course。　　We　all　have。　　But　she　is　energetic。　　Come　now；　you　will　admit　she's　energetic。'

〃I　owed　it　to　myself　to　find　some　good　in　Hannah；　and　this　was　the　only　thing　I　could　think　of　at　that　moment。

〃'Oh　yes；　she's　that；'　he　assented。　　'A　little　too　much　so　for　our　sized　house；　I　sometimes　think。'

〃'You　see；'　he　went　on；　'she's　a　bit　cornery　in　her　temper；　Hannah　is；　and　then　her　mother's　a　bit　trying；　at　times。'

〃'Her　mother！'　I　exclaimed；　'but　what's　SHE　got　to　do　with　you？'

〃'Well；　you　see；　sir；