david elginbrod- 第69部分

〃Well；　you　will　find　that　out　to…morrow。　　I　think　you　will　be
surprised；　sir。〃

〃At　what　hour　would　you　like　me　to　come？〃

〃Stop；　Mr。　Appleditch；〃　interposed　his　wife。　〃You　have　said　nothing
yet　about　terms；　and　that　is　of　some　importance；　considering　the
rent　and　taxes　we　pay。〃

〃Well；　my　love；　what　do　you　feel　inclined　to　give？〃

〃How　much　do　you　charge　a　lesson；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　Only　let　me
remind　you；　sir；　that　he　is　a　very　little　boy；　although　stout；　and
that　you　cannot　expect　to　put　much　Greek　and　Latin　into　him　for　some
time　yet。　　Besides；　we　want　you　to　come　every　day；　which　ought　to　be
considered　in　the　rate　of　charge。〃

〃Of　course　it　ought；〃　said　Hugh。

〃How　much　do　you　say；　then；　sir？〃

〃I　should　be　content　with　half…a…crown　a　lesson。〃

〃I　daresay　you　would！〃　replied　the　lady；　with　indignation。

〃Half…a…crown！　　That'ssix　half…crowns　isfifteen　shillings。
Fifteen　shillings　a　week　for　that　mite　of　a　boy！　　Mr。　Sutherland；
you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　sir。〃

〃You　forget；　Mrs。　Appleditch；　that　it　is　as　much　trouble　to　me　to
teach　one　little　boyyes；　a　great　deal　more　than　to　teach　twenty
grown　men。〃

〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　sir。　　You　a　Christian　man；　and
talk　of　trouble　in　teaching　such　a　little　cherub　as　that？〃

〃But　do　pray　remember　the　distance　I　have　to　come；　and　that　it　will
take　nearly　four　hours　of　my　time　every　day。〃

〃Then　you　can　get　lodgings　nearer。〃

〃But　I　could　not　get　any　so　cheap。〃

〃Then　you　can　the　better　afford　to　do　it。〃

And　she　threw　herself　back　in　her　chair；　as　if　she　had　struck　the
decisive　blow。　　Mr。　Appleditch　remarked；　gently：

〃It　is　good　for　your　health　to　walk　the　distance；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Appleditch　resumed：

〃I　won't　give　a　farthing　more　than　one　shilling　a　lesson。　　There；
now！〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Hugh；　rising；　〃then　I　must　wish　you　good　day。　　We
need　not　waste　more　time　in　talking　about　it。〃

〃Surely　you　are　not　going　to　make　any　use　of　your　time　on　a　Sunday？〃
said　the　grocer；　mildly。　〃Don't　be　in　a　hurry；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　We
tradespeople　like　to　make　the　best　bargain　we　can。〃

〃Mr。　Appleditch；　I　am　ashamed　of　you。　　You　always　will　be　vulgar。
You　always　smell　of　the　shop。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　how　can　I　help　it？　　The　sugar　and　soft…soap　will
smell；　you　know。〃

〃Mr。　Appleditch；　you　disgust　me！〃

〃Dear！　dear！　　I　am　sorry　for　that。Suppose　we　say　to　Mr。
Sutherland〃

〃Now；　you　leave　that　to　me。　　I'll　tell　you　what；　Mr。
SutherlandI'll　give　you　eighteenpence　a　lesson；　and　your　dinner　on
the　Sabbath；　that　is；　if　you　sit　under　Mr。　Lixom　in　our　pew；　and
walk　home　with　us。〃

〃That　I　must　decline〃　said　Hugh。　〃I　must　have　my　Sundays　for
myself。〃

Mrs。　Appleditch　was　disappointed。　　She　had　coveted　the　additional
importance　which　the　visible　possession　of　a　live　tutor　would　secure
her　at　〃Salem。〃

〃Ah！　　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　she　said。　〃And　I　must　trust　my　child；　with　an
immortal　soul　in　his　inside；　to　one　who　wants　the　Lord's　only　day
for　himself！for　himself；　Mr。　Sutherland！〃

Hugh　made　no　answer；　because　he　had　none　to　make。　　Again　Mrs。
Appleditch　resumed：

〃Shall　it　be　a　bargain；　Mr。　Sutherland？　　Eighteen…pence　a
lessonthat's　nine　shillings　a　weekand　begin　to　morrow？〃

Hugh's　heart　sunk　within　him；　not　so　much　with　disappointment　as
with　disgust。

But　to　a　man　who　is　making　nothing；　the　prospect　of　earning　ever　so
little；　is　irresistibly　attractive。　　Even　on　a　shilling　a　day；　he
could　keep　hunger　at　arm's　length。　　And　a　beginning　is　half　the
battle。　　He　resolved。

〃Let　it　be　a　bargain；　then；　Mrs。　Appleditch。〃

The　lady　immediately　brightened　up；　and　at　once　put　on　her
company…manners　again；　behaving　to　him　with　great　politeness；　and　a
sneer　that　would　not　be　hid　away　under　it。　　From　this　Hugh　suspected
that　she　had　made　a　better　bargain　than　she　had　hoped；　but　the
discovery　was　now　too　late；　even　if　he　could　have　brought　himself　to
take　advantage　of　it。　　He　hated　bargain…making　as　heartily　as　the
grocer's　wife　loved　it。

He　very　soon　rose　to　take　his　leave。

〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　Appleditch　to　her　husband；　〃but　Mr。　Sutherland　has
not　seen　the　drawing…room！〃

Hugh　wondered　what　there　could　be　remarkable　about　the　drawing…room；
but　he　soon　found　that　it　was　the　pride　of　Mrs。　Appleditch's　heart。
She　abstained　from　all　use　of　it　except　upon　great　occasionswhen
parties　of　her　friends　came　to　drink　tea　with　her。　　She　made　a
point；　however；　of　showing　it　to　everybody　who　entered　the　house　for
the　first　time。　　So　Hugh　was　led　up…stairs；　to　undergo　the　operation
of　being　shown　the　drawing…room；　and　being　expected　to　be　astonished
at　it。

I　asked　him　what　it　was　like。　　He　answered：　〃It　was　just　what　it
ought　to　berich　and　ugly。　　Mr。　Appleditch；　in　his　deacon's
uniform；　hung　over　the　fire；　and　Mrs。　Appleditch；　in　her
wedding…dress；　over　the　piano；　for　there　was　a　piano；　and　she　could
play　psalm…tunes　on　it　with　one　finger。　　The　round　table　in　the
middle　of　the　room　had　books　in　gilded　red　and　blue　covers
symmetrically　arranged　all　round　it。　　This　is　all　I　can　recollect。〃

Having　feasted　his　eyes　on　the　magnificence　thus　discovered　to　him；
he　walked　home；　more　depressed　at　the　prospect　of　his　new　employment
than　he　could　have　believed　possible。

On　his　way　he　turned　aside　into　the　Regent's　Park；　where　the　sight
of　the　people　enjoying　themselvesfor　it　was　a　fine　day　for　the
seasonpartially　dispelled　the　sense　of　living　corruption　and
premature　burial　which　he　had　experienced　all　day　long。　　He　kept　as
far　off　from　the　rank　of　open…air　preachers　as　possible；　and　really
was　able　to　thank　God　that　all　the　world　did　not　keep　Scotch
Sabbatha　day　neither　Mosaic；　nor　Jewish；　nor　Christian：　not
Mosaic；　inasmuch　as　it　kills　the　very　essence　of　the　fourth
commandment；　which　is　Rest；　transmuting　it　into　what　the　chemists
would　call　a　mechanical　mixture　of　service　and　inertia；　not　Jewish；
inasmuch　as　it　is　ten　times　more　severe；　and　formal；　and　full　of
negations；　than　that　of　the　Sabbatarian　Jews　reproved　by　the　Saviour
for　their　idolatry　of　the　day；　and　unchristian；　inasmuch　as　it
insists；　beyond　appeal；　on　the　observance　of　times　and　seasons；
abolished；　as　far　as　law　is　concerned；　by　the　word　of　the　chief　of
the　apostles；　and　elevates　into　an　especial　test　of　piety　a　custom
not　even　mentioned　by　the　founders　of　christianity　at　allthat；
namely；　of　accounting　this　day　more　holy　than　all　the　rest。

These　last　are　but　outside　reasons　for　calling　it　unchristian。
There　are　far　deeper　and　more　important　ones；　which　cannot　well　be
produced　here。

It　is　not　Hugh；　however；　who　is　to　be　considered　accountable　for　all
this；　but　the　historian　of　his　fortunes；　between　whom　and　the　vision
of　a　Lord's　Day　indeed；　there　arises　too　often　the　nightmare…memory
of　a　Scotch　Saabbathbetween　which　and　its　cousin；　the　English
Sunday；　there　is　too　much　of　a　family　likeness。　　The　grand　men　and
women　whom　I　have　known　in　Scotland；　seem　to　me；　as　I　look　back；　to
move　about　in　the　mists　of　a　Scotch　Sabbath；　like　a　company　of
way…worn　angels　in　the　Limbo　of　Vanity；　in　which　there　is　no　air
whereupon　to　smite　their　sounding　wings；　that　they　may　rise　into　the
sunlight　of　God's　presence。




CHAPTER　VII。

SUNDAY　EVENING。

Now　resteth　in　my　memory　but　this　point；　which　indeed　is　the　chief
to　you　of　all　others；　which　is　the　choice　of　what　men　you　are　to
direct　yourself　to；　for　it　is　certain　no　vessel　can　leave　a　worse
taste　in　the　liquor　it　contains；　than　a　wrong　teacher　infects　an
unskilful　hearer　with　that　which　hardly　will　ever　out。。。But　you　may
say；　〃How　shall　I　get　excellent　men　to　take　pains　to　speak　with　me？〃
Truly；　in　few　words；　either　by　much　expense　or　much　humbleness。

Letter　of　Sir　Philip　Sidney　to　his　brother　Robert。


How　many　things　which；　at　the　first　moment；　strike　us　as　curious
coincidences；　afterwards　become　so　operative　on　our　lives；　and　so
interwoven　with　the　whole　web　of　their　histories；　that　instead　of
appearing　any　more　as　strange　accidents；　they　assume　the　shape　of
unavoidable　necessities；　of　homely；　ordinary；　lawful　occurrences；　as
much　in　their　own　place　as　any　shaft　or　pinion　of　a　great　machine！

It　was　dusk　before　Hugh　turned　his　steps　homeward。　　He　wandered
along；　thinking　of　Euphra　and　the　Count　and　the　stolen　rings。　　He
greatly　desired　to　clear　himself　to　Mr。　Arnold。　　He　saw　that　the
nature　of　the　ring　tended　to　justify　Mr。　Arnold's　suspicions；　for　a
man　who　would　not　steal　for　money's　worth；　might　yet　steal　for　value
of　another　sort；　addressing　itself　to　some　peculiar　weakness；　and
Mr。　Arnold　might　have　met　with　instances　of　this　nature　in　his
position　as　magistrate。　　He　greatly　desired；　likewise；　for　Euphra's
sake；　to　have　Funkelstein　in　his　power。　　His　own　ring　was　beyond
recovery；　but　if；　by　its　means；　he　could　hold　such　a　lash　over　him
as　would　terrify　him　from　again　exercising　his　villanous　influences
on　her；　he　would　he　satisfied。

While　plunged　in　this　contemplation；　he　came　upon　two　policemen
talking　together。　　He　recognized　one　of　them　as　a　Scotchman；　from
his　speech。　　It　occurred　to　him　at　once　to　ask　his　advice；　in　a
modified　manner；　and　a　moment's　reflection　convinced　him　that　it
would　at　least　do　no　harm。　　He　would　do　it。　　It　was　one　of　those
resolutions　at　which　one　arrives　by　an　arrow　flight　of　the
intellect。

〃You　are　a　countryman　of　mine；　I　think；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　the　two
had　parted。

〃If　ye're　a　Scotchman；　sirmay　be　ay；　may　be　no。〃

〃Whaur　come　ye　frae；　man？〃

〃Ou；　Aberdeen…awa。〃

〃It's　mine　ain　calf…country。　　An'　what　do　they　ca'　ye？〃

〃They　ca'　me　John　MacPherson。〃

〃My　name's　Sutherland。〃

〃Eh；　man！　　It's　my　ain　mither's　name。　　Gie's　a　grup　o'　yer　han'；
Maister　Sutherlan'。Eh；　man！〃　he　repeated；　shaking　Hugh's　hand　with
vehemence。

〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　Hugh；　relapsing　into　English；　〃that　we　are
some　cousins　or　other。　　It's　very　lucky　for　me　to　find　a　relative；
for　I　wanted　someadvice。〃

He　took　care　to　say　advice；　which　a　Scotchman　is　generally　prepared
to　bestow　of　his　best。　　Had　it　been　sixpence；　the　cousinship　would
have　required　elaborate　proof；　before　the　treaty　could　have　made
further　progress。

〃I'm　fully　at　your　service；　sir。〃

〃When　will　you　be　off　duty？〃

〃