david elginbrod-第25部分

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Thought　Hugh：　〃Here　are　several　things　to　be　righted　at　once。　　The
boy　must　not　have　wine；　and　he　must　have　only　one　dinner
a…dayespecially　if　he　is　ordered　to　bed　so　early。　　I　must　make　a
man　of　him　if　I　can。〃

He　made　inquiries；　and；　with　some　difficulty；　found　out　where　the
boy　slept。　　During　the　night　he　was　several　times　in　Harry's　room；
and　once　in　happy　time　to　wake　him　from　a　nightmare　dream。　　The　boy
was　so　overcome　with　terror；　that　Hugh　got　into　bed　beside　him　and
comforted　him　to　sleep　in　his　arms。　　Nor　did　he　leave　him　till　it
was　time　to　get　up；　when　he　stole　back　to　his　own　quarters；　which；
happily；　were　at　no　very　great　distance。

I　may　mention　here；　that　it　was　not　long　before　Hugh　succeeded　in
stopping　the　wine；　and　reducing　the　dinner　to　a　mouthful　of　supper。
Harry；　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　yielded　at　once；　and　his　father
only　held　out　long　enough　to　satisfy　his　own　sense　of　dignity。




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　CAVE　IN　THE　STRAW。

All　knowledge　and　wonder　（which　is　the　seed　of　knowledge）　is　an
impression　of　pleasure　in　itself。

LORD　BACON。Advancement　of　Learning。


The　following　morning　dawned　in　a　cloud；　which；　swathed　about　the
trees；　wetted　them　down　to　the　roots；　without　having　time　to　become
rain。　　They　drank　it　in　like　sorrow；　the　only　material　out　of　which
true　joy　can　be　fashioned。　　This　cloud　of　mist　would　yet　glimmer　in
a　new　heaven；　namely；　in　the　cloud　of　blooms　which　would　clothe　the
limes　and　the　chestnuts　and　the　beeches　along　the　ghost's　walk。　　But
there　was　gloomy　weather　within　doors　as　well；　for　poor　Harry　was
especially　sensitive　to　variations　of　the　barometer；　without　being
in　the　least　aware　of　the　fact　himself。　　Again　Hugh　found　him　in　the
library；　seated　in　his　usual　corner；　with　Polexander　on　his　knees。
He　half　dropped　the　book　when　Hugh　entered；　and　murmured　with　a
sigh：

〃It's　no　use；　I　can't　read　it。〃

〃What's　the　matter；　Harry？〃　said　his　tutor。

〃I　should　like　to　tell　you；　but　you　will　laugh　at　me。〃

〃I　shall　never　laugh　at　you；　Harry。〃

〃Never？〃

〃No；　never。〃

〃Then　tell　me　how　I　can　be　sure　that　I　have　read　this　book。〃

〃I　do　not　quite　understand　you。〃

〃All！　　I　was　sure　nobody　could　be　so　stupid　as　I　am。　　Do　you　know；
Mr。　Sutherland；　I　seem　to　have　read　a　page　from　top　to　bottom
sometimes；　and　when　I　come　to　the　bottom　I　know　nothing　about　it；
and　doubt　whether　I　have　read　it　at　all；　and　then　I　stare　at　it　all
over　again；　till　I　grow　so　queer；　and　sometimes　nearly　scream。　　You
see　I　must　be　able　to　say　I　have　read　the　book。〃

〃Why？　　Nobody　will　ever　ask　you。〃

〃Perhaps　not；　but　you　know　that　is　nothing。　　I　want　to　know　that　I
have　read　the　bookreally　and　truly　read　it。〃

Hugh　thought　for　a　moment；　and　seemed　to　see　that　the　boy；　not　being
strong　enough　to　be　a　law　to　himself；　just　needed　a　benign　law　from
without；　to　lift　him　from　the　chaos　of　feeble　and　conflicting
notions　and　impulses　within；　which　generated　a　false　law　of　slavery。
So　he　said：

〃Harry；　am　I　your　big　brother？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃Then；　ought　you　to　do　what　I　wish；　or　what　you　wish　yourself？〃

〃What　you　wish；　sir。〃

〃Then　I　want　you　to　put　away　that　book　for　a　month　at　least。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Sutherland！　　I　promised。〃

〃To　whom？〃

〃To　myself。〃
〃But　I　am　above　you；　and　I　want　you　to　do　as　I　tell　you。　　Will　you；
Harry？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Put　away　the　book；　then。〃

Harry　sprang　to　his　feet；　put　the　book　on　its　shelf；　and；　going　up
to　Hugh；　said；

〃You　have　done　it；　not　me。〃

〃Certainly；　Harry。〃

The　notions　of　a　hypochondriacal　child　will　hardly　be　interesting　to
the　greater　part　of　my　readers；　but　Hugh　learned　from　this　a　little
lesson　about　divine　law　which　he　never　forgot。

〃Now；　Harry；〃　added　he；　〃you　must　not　open　a　book　till　I　allow　you。〃

〃No　poetry；　either？〃　said　poor　Harry；　and　his　face　fell。

〃I　don't　mind　poetry　so　much；　but　of　prose　I　will　read　as　much　to
you　as　will　be　good　for　you。　　Come；　let　us　have　a　bit　of　Gulliver
again。〃

〃Oh；　how　delightful！〃　cried　Harry。　〃I　am　so　glad　you　made　me　put
away　that　tiresome　book。　　I　wonder　why　it　insisted　so　on　being
read。〃

Hugh　read　for　an　hour；　and　then　made　Harry　put　on　his　cloak；
notwithstanding　the　rain；　which　fell　in　a　slow　thoughtful　spring
shower。　　Taking　the　boy　again　on　his　back；　he　carried　him　into　the
woods。　　There　he　told　him　how　the　drops　of　wet　sank　into　the　ground；
and　then　went　running　about　through　it　in　every　direction；　looking
for　seeds：　which　were　all　thirsty　little　things；　that　wanted　to
grow；　and　could　not；　till　a　drop　came　and　gave　them　drink。　　And　he
told　him　how　the　rain…drops　were　made　up　in　the　skies；　and　then　came
down；　like　millions　of　angels；　to　do　what　they　were　told　in　the　dark
earth。　　The　good　drops　went　into　all　the　cellars　and　dungeons　of　the
earth；　to　let　out　the　imprisoned　flowers。　　And　he　told　him　how　the
seeds；　when　they　had　drunk　the　rain…drops；　wanted　another　kind　of
drink　next；　which　was　much　thinner　and　much　stronger；　but　could　not
do　them　any　good　till　they　had　drunk　the　rain　first。

〃What　is　that？〃　said　Harry。　〃I　feel　as　if　you　were　reading　out　of
the　Bible；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃It　is　the　sunlight；〃　answered　his　tutor。　〃When　a　seed　has　drunk　of
the　water；　and　is　not　thirsty　any　more；　it　wants　to　breathe　next；
and　then　the　sun　sends　a　long；　small　finger　of　fire　down　into　the
grave　where　the　seed　is　lying；　and　it　touches　the　seed；　and
something　inside　the　seed　begins　to　move　instantly　and　to　grow
bigger　and　bigger；　till　it　sends　two　green　blades　out　of　it　into　the
earth；　and　through　the　earth　into　the　air；　and　then　it　can　breathe。
And　then　it　sends　roots　down　into　the　earth；　and　the　roots　keep
drinking　water；　and　the　leaves　keep　breathing　the　air；　and　the　sun
keeps　them　alive　and　busy；　and　so　a　great　tree　grows　up；　and　God
looks　at　it；　and　says　it　is　good。〃

〃Then　they　really　are　living　things？〃　said　Harry。

〃Certainly。〃

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　I　don't　think　I　shall　dislike　rain　so
much　any　more。〃

Hugh　took　him　next　into　the　barn；　where　they　found　a　great　heap　of
straw。　　Recalling　his　own　boyish　amusements；　he　made　him　put　off　his
cloak；　and　help　to　make　a　tunnel　into　this　heap。　　Harry　was
delightedthe　straw　was　so　nice；　and　bright；　and　dry；　and　clean。
They　drew　it　out　by　handfuls；　and　thus　excavated　a　round　tunnel　to
the　distance　of　six　feet　or　so；　when　Hugh　proceeded　to　more　extended
operations。　　Before　it　was　time　to　go　to　lunch；　they　had　cleared
half　of　a　hollow　sphere；　six　feet　in　diameter；　out　of　the　heart　of
the　heap。

After　lunch；　for　which　Harry　had　been　very　unwilling　to　relinquish
the　straw　hut；　Hugh　sent　him　to　lie　down　for　a　while；　when　he　fell
fast　asleep　as　before。　　After　he　had　left　the　room；　Euphra　said：

〃How　do　you　get　on　with　Harry；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃Perfectly　to　my　satisfaction；〃　answered　Hugh。

〃Do　you　not　find　him　very　slow？〃

〃Quite　the　contrary。〃

〃You　surprise　me。　　But　you　have　not　given　him　any　lessons　yet。〃

〃I　have　given　him　a　great　many；　and　he　is　learning　them　very　fast。〃

〃I　fear　he　will　have　forgotten　all　my　poor　labours　before　you　take
up　the　work　where　we　left　it。　　When　will　you　give　him　any
book…lessons？〃

〃Not　for　a　while　yet。〃

Euphra　did　not　reply。　　Her　silence　seemed　intended　to　express
dissatisfaction；　at　least　so　Hugh　interpreted　it。

〃I　hope　you　do　not　think　it　is　to　indulge　myself　that　I　manage
Master　Harry　in　this　peculiar　fashion；〃　he　said。　〃The　fact　is；　he　is
a　very　peculiar　child；　and　may　turn　out　a　genius　or　a　weakling；　just
as　he　is　managed。　　At　least　so　it　appears　to　me　at　present。　　May　I
ask　where　you　left　the　work　you　were　doing　with　him？〃

〃He　was　going　through　the　Eton　grammar　for　the　third　time；〃　answered
Euphra；　with　a　defiant　glance；　almost　of　dislike；　at　Hugh。　〃But　I
need　not　enumerate　his　studies；　for　I　daresay　you　will　not　take　them
up　at　all　after　my　fashion。　　I　only　assure　you　I　have　been　a　very
exact　disciplinarian。　　What　he　knows；　I　think　you　will　find　he　knows
thoroughly。〃

So　saying；　Euphra　rose；　and　with　a　flush　on　her　cheek；　walked　out　of
the　room　in　a　more　stately　manner　than　usual。

Hugh　felt　that　he　had；　somehow　or　other；　offended　her。　　But；　to　tell
the　truth；　he　did　not　much　care；　for　her　manner　had　rather　irritated
him。　　He　retired　to　his　own　room；　wrote　to　his　mother；　and；　when
Harry　awoke；　carried　him　again　to　the　barn　for　an　hour's　work　in　the
straw。　　Before　it　grew　dusk；　they　had　finished　a　little；　silent；
dark　chamber；　as　round　as　they　could　make　it；　in　the　heart　of　the
straw。　　All　the　excavated　material　they　had　thrown　on　the　top；
reserving　only　a　little　to　close　up　the　entrance　when　they　pleased。

The　next　morning　was　still　rainy；　and　when　Hugh　found　Harry　in　the
library　as　usual；　he　saw　that　the　clouds　had　again　gathered　over　the
boy's　spirit。　　He　was　pacing　about　the　room　in　a　very　odd　manner。
The　carpet　was　divided　diamond…wise　in　a　regular　pattern。　　Harry's
steps　were；　for　the　most　part；　planted　upon　every　third　diamond；　as
he　slowly　crossed　the　floor　in　a　variety　of　directions；　for；　as　on
previous　occasions；　he　had　not　perceived　the　entrance　of　his　tutor。
But；　every　now　and　then；　the　boy　would　make　the　most　sudden　and
irregular　change　in　his　mode　of　progression；　setting　his　foot　on　the
most　unexpected　diamond；　at　one　time　the　nearest　to　him；　at　another
the　farthest　within　his　reach。　　When　he　looked　up；　and　saw　his　tutor
watching　him；　he　neither　started　nor　blushed：　but；　still　retaining
on　his　countenance　the　perplexed；　anxious　expression　which　Hugh　had
remarked；　said　to　him：

〃How　can　God　know　on　which　of　those　diamonds　I　am　going　to　set　my
foot　next？〃

〃If　you　could　understand　how　God　knows；　Harry；　then　you　would　know
yourself；　but　before　you　have　made　up　your　mind；　you　don't　know
which　you　will　choose；　and　even　then　you　only　know　on　which　you
intend　to　set　your　foot；　for　you　have　often　changed　your　mind　after
making　it　up。〃

Harry　looked　as　puzzled　as　before。

〃Why；　Harry；　to　understand　how　God　understands；　you　would　need　to　be
as　wise　as　he　is；　so　it　is　no　use　trying。　　You　see　you　can't　quite
understand　me；　though　I　have　a　real　meaning　in　what　I　say。〃

〃Ah！　　I　see　it　is　no　use；　but　I　can't　bear　to　be　puzzle