little novels-第43节

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　of　writing　impartially　of　my　friend。　At　the　imminent　　risk　of　his　own　life；　Rothsay　re　scued　me　from　a　dreadful　death　by　accident；　when　we　were　at　college　together。　Who　can　expect　me　to　speak　of　his　faults？　I　am　not　even　capable　of　seeing　them。

Under　these　embarrassing　circumstancesand　not　forgetting；　at　the　same　time；　that　a　servant's　opinion　of　his　master　and　his　master's　friends　may　generally　be　trusted　not　to　err　on　the　favorable　sideI　am　tempted　to　call　my　valet　as　a　witness　to　character。

I　slept　badly　on　our　first　night　at　Rome；　and　I　happened　to　be　awake　while　the　man　was　talking　of　us　confidentially　in　the　courtyard　of　the　hoteljust　under　my　bedroom　window。　Here；　to　the　best　of　my　recollection；　is　a　faithful　report　of　what　he　said　to　some　friend　among　the　servants　who　understood　English：

〃My　master's　well　connected；　you　must　knowthough　he's　only　plain　Mr。　Lepel。　His　uncle's　the　great　lawyer；　Lord　Lepel；　and　his　late　father　was　a　banker。　Rich；　did　you　say？　I　should　think　he　_was_　richand　be　hanged　to　him！　No；　not　married；　and　not　likely　to　be。　Owns　he　was　forty　last　birthday；　a　regular　old　bachelor。　Not　a　bad　sort；　taking　him　altogether。　The　worst　of　him　is；　he　is　one　of　the　most　indiscreet　persons　I　ever　met　with。　Does　the　queerest　things；　when　the　whim　takes　him；　and　doesn't　care　what　other　people　think　of　it。　They　say　the　Lepels　have　all　got　a　slate　loose　in　the　upper　story。　Oh；　no；　not　a　very　old　familyI　mean；　nothing　compared　to　the　family　of　his　friend；　young　Rothsay。　_They_　count　back；　as　I　have　heard；　to　the　ancient　kings　of　Scotland。　Between　ourselves；　the　ancient　kings　haven't　left　the　Rothsays　much　money。　They　would　be　glad；　I'll　be　bound；　to　get　my　rich　master　for　one　of　their　daughters。　Poor　as　Job；　I　tell　you。　This　young　fellow；　traveling　with　us；　has　never　had　a　spare　five…pound　note　since　he　was　born。　Plenty　of　brains　in　his　head；　I　grant　you；　and　a　little　too　apt　sometimes　to　be　suspicious　of　other　people。　But　liberaloh；　give　him　his　dueliberal　in　a　small　way。　Tips　me　with　a　sovereign　now　and　then。　I　take　itLord　bless　you；　I　take　it。　What　do　you　say？　Has　he　got　any　employment？　Not　he！　Dabbles　in　chemistry　（experiments；　and　that　sort　of　thing）　by　way　of　amusing　himself；　and　tells　the　most　infernal　lies　about　it。　The　other　day　he　showed　me　a　bottle　about　as　big　as　a　thimble；　with　what　looked　like　water　in　it；　and　said　it　was　enough　to　poison　everybody　in　the　hotel。　What　rot！　Isn't　that　the　clock　striking　again？　Near　about　bedtime；　I　should　say。　Wish　you　good　night。〃

There　are　our　charactersdrawn　on　the　principle　of　justice　without　mercy；　by　an　impudent　rascal　who　is　the　best　valet　in　England。　Now　you　know　what　sort　of　persons　we　are；　and　now　we　may　go　on　again。




Rothsay　and　I　parted；　soon　after　our　night　at　the　theater。　He　went　to　Civita　Vecchia　to　join　a　friend's　yacht；　waiting　for　him　in　the　harbor。　I　turned　homeward；　traveling　at　a　leisurely　rate　through　the　Tyrol　and　Germany。

After　my　arrival　in　England；　certain　events　in　my　life　occurred　which　did　not　appear　to　have　any　connection　at　the　time。　They　led；　nevertheless；　to　consequences　which　seriously　altered　the　relations　of　happy　past　years　between　Rothsay　and　myself。

The　first　event　took　place　on　my　return　to　my　house　in　London。　I　found　among　the　letters　waiting　for　me　an　invitation　from　Lord　Lepel　to　spend　a　few　weeks　with　him　at　his　country　seat　in　Sussex。

I　had　made　so　many　excuses；　in　past　years；　when　I　received　invitations　from　my　uncle；　that　I　was　really　ashamed　to　plead　engagements　in　London　again。　There　was　no　unfriendly　feeling　between　us。　My　only　motive　for　keeping　away　from　him　took　its　rise　in　dislike　of　the　ordinary　modes　of　life　in　an　English　country…house。　A　man　who　feels　no　interest　in　politics；　who　cares　nothing　for　field　sports；　who　is　impatient　of　amateur　music　and　incapable　of　small　talk；　is　a　man　out　of　his　element　in　country　society。　This　was　my　unlucky　case。　I　went　to　Lord　Lepel's　house　sorely　against　my　will；　longing　already　for　the　day　when　it　would　be　time　to　say　good…by。

The　routine　of　my　uncle's　establishment　had　remained　unaltered　since　my　last　experience　of　it。

I　found　my　lord　expressing　the　same　pride　in　his　collection　of　old　masters；　and　telling　the　same　story　of　the　wonderful　escape　of　his　picture…gallery　from　fireI　renewed　my　acquaintance　with　the　same　members　of　Parliament　among　the　guests；　all　on　the　same　side　in　politicsI　joined　in　the　same　dreary　amusementsI　saluted　the　same　resident　priest　（the　Lepels　are　all　born　and　bred　Roman　Catholics）I　submitted　to　the　same　rigidly　early　breakfast　hour；　and　inwardly　cursed　the　same　peremptory　bell；　ringing　as　a　means　of　reminding　us　of　our　meals。　The　one　change　that　presented　itself　was　a　change　out　of　the　house。　Death　had　removed　the　lodgekeeper　at　the　park…gate。　His　widow　and　daughter　（Mrs。　Rymer　and　little　Susan）　remained　in　their　pretty　cottage。　They　had　been　allowed　by　my　lord's　kindness　to　take　charge　of　the　gate。

Out　walking；　on　the　morning　after　my　arrival；　I　was　caught　in　a　shower　on　my　way　back　to　the　park；　and　took　shelter　in　the　lodge。

In　the　bygone　days　I　had　respected　Mrs。　Rymer's　husband　as　a　thoroughly　worthy　manbut　Mrs。　Rymer　herself　was　no　great　favorite　of　mine。　She　had　married　beneath　her；　as　the　phrase　is；　and　she　was　a　little　too　conscious　of　it。　A　woman　with　a　sharp　eye　to　her　own　interests；　selfishly　discontented　with　her　position　in　life；　and　not　very　scrupulous　in　her　choice　of　means　when　she　had　an　end　in　view：　that　is　how　I　describe　Mrs。　Rymer。　Her　daughter；　whom　I　only　remembered　as　a　weakly　child；　astonished　me　when　I　saw　her　again　after　the　interval　that　had　elapsed。　The　backward　flower　had　bloomed　into　perfect　health。　Susan　was　now　a　lovely　little　modest　girl　of　seventeenwith　a　natural　delicacy　and　refinement　of　manner；　which　marked　her　to　my　mind　as　one　of　Nature's　gentlewomen。　When　I　entered　the　lodge　she　was　writing　at　a　table　in　a　corner；　having　some　books　on　it；　and　rose　to　withdraw。　I　begged　that　she　would　proceed　with　her　employment；　and　asked　if　I　might　know　what　it　was。　She　answered　me　with　a　blush；　and　a　pretty　brightening　of　her　clear　blue　eyes。　〃I　am　trying；　sir；　to　teach　myself　French；〃　she　said。　The　weather　showed　no　signs　of　improvingI　volunteered　to　help　her；　and　found　her　such　an　attentive　and　intelligent　pupil　that　I　looked　in　at　the　lodge　from　time　to　time　afterward；　and　continued　my　instructions。　The　younger　men　among　my　uncle's　guests　set　their　own　stupid　construction　on　my　attentions　〃to　the　girl　at　the　gate；〃　as　they　called　herrather　too　familiarly；　according　to　my　notions　of　propriety。　I　contrived　to　remind　them　that　I　was　old　enough　to　be　Susan's　father；　in　a　manner　which　put　an　end　to　their　jokes；　and　I　was　pleased　to　hear；　when　I　next　went　to　the　lodge；　that　Mrs。　Rymer　had　been　wise　enough　to　keep　these　facetious　gentlemen　at　their　proper　distance

The　day　of　my　departure　arrived。　Lord　Leper　took　leave　of　me　kindly；　and　asked　for　news　of　Rothsay。　〃Let　me　know　when　your　friend　returns；〃　my　uncle　said；　〃he　belongs　to　a　good　old　stock。　Put　me　in　mind　of　him　when　I　next　invite　you　to　come　to　my　house。〃

On　my　way　to　the　train　I　stopped　of　course　at　the　lodge　to　say　good…by。　Mrs。　Rymer　came　out　alone　I　asked　for　Susan。

〃My　daughter　is　not　very　well　to…day。〃

〃Is　she　confined　to　her　room？〃

〃She　is　in　the　parlor。〃

I　might　have　been　mistaken；　but　I　thought　Mrs。　Rymer　answered　me　in　no　very　friendly　way。　Resolved　to　judge　for　myself；　I　entered　the　lodge；　and　found　my　poor　little　pupil　sitting　in　a　corner；　crying。　When　I　asked　her　what　was　the　matter；　the　excuse　of　a　〃bad　headache〃　was　the　only　reply　that　I　received。　The　natures　of　young　girls　are　a　hopeless　puzzle　to　me。　Susan　seemed；　for　some　reason　which　it　was　impossible　to　understand；　to　be　afraid　to　look　at　me。

〃Have　you　and　your　mother　been　quarreling？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　no！〃

She　denied　it　with　such　evident　sincerity　that　I　could　not　for　a　moment　suspect　her　of　deceiving　me。　Whatever　the　cause　of　her　distress　might　be；　it　was　plain　that　she　had　her　own　reasons　for　keeping　it　a　secret。

Her　French　books　were　on　the　table。　I　tried　a　little　allusion　to　her　lessons。

〃I　hope　you　will　　go　on　regularly　with　your　studies　；〃　I　said。

〃I　will　do　my　best；　sirwithout　you　to　help　me。〃

She　said　it　so　sadly　that　I　proposedpurely　from　the　wish　to　encourage　hera　continuation　of　our　lessons　through　the　post。

〃Send　your　exercises　to　me　once　a　week；〃　I　suggested；　〃and　I　will　return　them　corrected　〃

She　thanked　me　in　low　tones；　with　a　shyness　of　manner　which　I　had　never　noticed　in　her　before。　I　had　done　my　best　to　cheer　herand　I　was　conscious；　as　we　shook　hands　at　parting；　that　I　had　failed。　A　feeling　of　disappointment　overcomes　me　when　I　see　young　people　out　of　spirits。　I　was　sorry　for　Susan。

THIRD　EPOCH。

ONE　of　my　faults　（which　has　not　been　included　in　the　list　set　forth　by　my　valet）　is　a　disinclination　to　occupy　myself　with　my　own　domestic　affairs。　The　proceedings　of　my　footman；　while　I　had　been　away　from　home；　left　me　no　alternative　but　to　dismiss　him　on　my　return。　With　this　exertion　of　authority　my　interference　as　chief　of　the　household　came　to　an　end。　I　left　it　to　my　excellent　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Mozeen；　to　find　a