david elginbrod-第24节

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of　eating　for　a　while；　asked　Euphra　if　he　might　go。　　She　giving　him
leave；　he　hastened　away。

Mr。　Arnold　took　advantage　of　his　retreat　to　explain　to　Hugh　what　he
expected　of　him　with　regard　to　the　boy。

〃How　old　would　you　take　Harry　to　be；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃I　should　say　about　twelve　from　his　size；〃　replied　Hugh；　〃but　from
his　evident　bad　health；　and　intelligent　expression〃

〃Ah！　you　perceive　the　state　he　is　in；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Arnold；　with
some　sadness　in　his　voice。　〃You　are　right；　he　is　nearly　fifteen。　　He
has　not　grown　half…an…inch　in　the　last　twelve　months。〃

〃Perhaps　that　is　better　than　growing　too　fast；〃　said　Hugh。

〃Perhapsperhaps；　we　will　hope　so。　　But　I　cannot　help　being　uneasy
about　him。　　He　reads　too　much；　and　I　have　not　yet　been　able　to　help
it；　for　he　seems　miserable；　and　without　any　object　in　life；　if　I
compel　him　to　leave　his　books。〃

〃Perhaps　we　can　manage　to　get　over　that　in　a　little　while。〃

〃Besides；〃　Mr。　Arnold　went　on；　paying　no　attention　to　what　Hugh
said；　〃I　can　get　him　to　take　no　exercise。　　He　does　not　even　care　for
riding。　　I　bought　him　a　second　pony　a　month　ago；　and　he　has　not　been
twice　on　its　back　yet。〃

Hugh　could　not　help　thinking　that　to　increase　the　supply　was　not
always　the　best　mode　of　increasing　the　demand；　and　that　one　who
would　not　ride　the　first　pony；　would　hardly　be　likely　to　ride　the
second。　　Mr。　Arnold　concluded　with　the　words：

〃I　don't　want　to　stop　the　boy's　reading；　but　I　can't　have　him　a
milksop。〃

〃Will　you　let　me　manage　him　as　I　please；　Mr。　Arnold？〃　　Hugh　ventured
to　say。

Mr。　Arnold　looked　full　at　him；　with　a　very　slight　but　quite　manifest
expression　of　surprise；　and　Hugh　was　aware　that　the　eyes　of　the
lady；　called　by　the　boy　Euphra；　were　likewise　fixed　upon　him
penetratingly。　　As　if　he　were　then　for　the　first　time　struck　by　the
manly　development　of　Hugh's　frame；　Mr。　Arnold　answered：

〃I　don't　want　you　to　overdo　it；　either。　　You　cannot　make　a　muscular
Christian　of　him。〃　（The　speaker　smiled　at　his　own　imagined　wit。）
〃The　boy　has　talents；　and　I　want　him　to　use　them。〃

〃I　will　do　my　best　for　him　both　ways；〃　answered　Hugh；　〃if　you　will
trust　me。　　For　my　part；　I　think　the　only　way　is　to　make　the
operation　of　the　intellectual　tendency　on　the　one　side；　reveal　to
the　boy　himself　his　deficiency　on　the　other。　　This　once　done；　all
will　be　well。〃

As　he　said　this；　Hugh　caught　sight　of　a　cloudy；　inscrutable
dissatisfaction　slightly　contracting　the　eyebrows　of　the　lady。　　Mr。
Arnold；　however；　seemed　not　to　be　altogether　displeased。

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃I　have　my　plans；　but　let　us　see　first　what　you
can　do　with　yours。　　If　they　fail；　perhaps　you　will　oblige　me　by
trying　mine。〃

This　was　said　with　the　decisive　politeness　of　one　who　is　accustomed
to　have　his　own　way；　and　fully　intends　to　have　itevery　word　as
articulate　and　deliberate　as　organs　of　speech　could　make　it。　　But　he
seemed　at　the　same　time　somewhat　impressed　by　Hugh；　and　not
unwilling　to　yield。

Throughout　the　conversation；　the　lady　had　said　nothing；　but　had　sat
watching；　or　rather　scrutinizing；　Hugh's　countenance；　with　a　far
keener　and　more　frequent　glance　than；　I　presume；　he　was　at　all　aware
of。　　Whether　or　not　she　was　satisfied　with　her　conclusions；　she
allowed　no　sign　to　disclose；　but；　breakfast　being　over；　rose　and
withdrew；　turning；　however；　at　the　door；　and　saying：

〃When　you　please；　Mr。　Sutherland；　I　shall　be　glad　to　show　you　what
Harry　has　been　doing　with　me；　for　till　now　I　have　been　his　only
tutor。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　replied　Hugh；　〃but　for　some　time　we　shall　be　quite
independent　of　school…books。　　Perhaps　we　may　require　none　at　all。
He　can　read；　I　presume；　fairly　well？〃

〃Reading　is　not　only　his　forte　but　his　fault；〃　replied　Mr。　Arnold；
while　Euphra；　fixing　one　more　piercing　look　upon　him；　withdrew。

〃Yes；〃　responded　Hugh；　〃but　a　boy　may　shuffle　through　a　book　very
quickly；　and　have　no　such　accurate　perceptions　of　even　the　mere
words；　as　to　be　able　to　read　aloud　intelligibly。〃

How　little　this　applied　to　Harry；　Hugh　was　soon　to　learn。

〃Well；　you　know　best　about　these　things；　I　daresay。　　I　leave　it　to
you。　　With　such　testimonials　as　you　have；　Mr。　Sutherland；　I　can
hardly　be　wrong　in　letting　you　try　your　own　plans　with　him。　　Now；　I
must　bid　you　good　morning。　　You　will；　in　all　probability；　find　Harry
in　the　library。〃




CHAPTER　II。

HARRY'S　NEW　HORSE。

Spielender　Unterricht　heisst　nicht；　dem　Kinde　Anstrengungen　ersparen
und　abnehmen；　sondern　eine　Leidenschaft　in　ihm　erwecken；　welche　ihm
die　st鋜ksten　aufn鰐higt　und　erleichtert。

JEAN　PAUL。Die　Unsichtbare　Loge。


It　is　not　the　intention　of　sportive　instruction　that　the　child
should　be　spared　effort；　or　delivered　from　it；　but　that　thereby　a
passion　should　be　wakened　in　him；　which　shall　both　necessitate　and
facilitate　the　strongest　exertion。

Hugh　made　no　haste　to　find　his　pupil　in　the　library；　thinking　it
better；　with　such　a　boy；　not　to　pounce　upon　him　as　if　he　were　going
to　educate　him　directly。　　He　went　to　his　own　rooms　instead；　got　his
books　out　and　arranged　them；supplying　thus；　in　a　very　small
degree；　the　scarcity　of　modern　ones　in　the　book…cases；　then　arranged
his　small　wardrobe；　looked　about　him　a　little；　and　finally　went　to
seek　his　pupil。

He　found　him　in　the　library；　as　he　had　been　given　to　expect；　coiled
up　on　the　floor　in　a　corner；　with　his　back　against　the　book…shelves；
and　an　old　folio　on　his　knees；　which　he　was　reading　in　silence。

〃Well；　Harry；〃　said　Hugh；　in　a　half…indifferent　tone；　as　he　threw
himself　on　a　couch；　〃what　are　you　reading？〃

Harry　had　not　heard　him　come　in。　　He　started；　and　almost　shuddered；
then　looked　up；　hesitated；　rose；　and；　as　if　ashamed　to　utter　the
name　of　the　book；　brought　it　to　Hugh；　opening　it　at　the　title…page
as　he　held　it　out　to　him。　　It　was　the　old　romance　of　Polexander。
Hugh　knew　nothing　about　it；　but；　glancing　over　some　of　the　pages；
could　not　help　wondering　that　the　boy　should　find　it　interesting。

〃Do　you　like　this　very　much？〃　said　he。

〃Wellno。　　Yes；　rather。〃

〃I　think　I　could　find　you　something　more　interesting　in　the
book…shelves。〃

〃Oh！　please；　sir；　mayn't　I　read　this？〃　pleaded　Harry；　with　signs　of
distress　in　his　pale　face。

〃Oh；　yes；　certainly；　if　you　wish。　　But　tell　me　why　you　want　to　read
it　so　very　much。〃

〃Because　I　have　set　myself　to　read　it　through。〃

Hugh　saw　that　the　child　was　in　a　diseased　state　of　mind；　as　well　as
of　body。

〃You　should　not　set　yourself　to　read　anything；　before　you　know
whether　it　is　worth　reading。〃

〃I　could　not　help　it。　　I　was　forced　to　say　I　would。〃

〃To　whom？〃

〃To　myself。　　Mayn't　I　read　it？〃

〃Certainly；〃　was　all　Hugh's　answer；　for　he　saw　that　he　must　not
pursue　the　subject　at　present：　the　boy　was　quite　hypochondriacal。
His　face　was　keen；　with　that　clear　definition　of　feature　which
suggests　superior　intellect。　　He　was；　though　very　small　for　his　age；
well　proportioned；　except　that　his　head　and　face　were　too　large。
His　forehead　indicated　thought；　and　Hugh　could　not　doubt　that；
however　uninteresting　the　books　which　he　read　might　be；　they　must
have　afforded　him　subjects　of　mental　activity。　　But　he　could　not
help　seeing　as　well；　that　this　activity；　if　not　altered　in　its
direction　and　modified　in　its　degree；　would　soon　destroy　itself；
either　by　ruining　his　feeble　constitution　altogether；　or；　which　was
more　to　be　feared；　by　irremediably　injuring　the　action　of　the　brain。
He　resolved；　however；　to　let　him　satisfy　his　conscience　by　reading
the　book；　hoping；　by　the　introduction　of　other　objects　of　thought
and　feeling；　to　render　it　so　distasteful；　that　he　would　be　in　little
danger　of　yielding　a　similar　pledge　again；　even　should　the
temptation　return；　which　Hugh　hoped　to　prevent。

〃But　you　have　read　enough　for　the　present；　have　you　not？〃　said　he；
rising；　and　approaching　the　book…shelves。

〃Yes；　I　have　been　reading　since　breakfast。〃

〃Ah！　there's　a　capital　book。　　Have　you　ever　read　itGulliver's
Travels？〃

〃No。　The　outside　looked　always　so　uninteresting。〃

〃So　does　Polexander's　outside。〃

〃Yes。　But　I　couldn't　help　that　one。〃

〃Well；　come　along。　　I　will　read　to　you。〃


〃Oh！　thank　you。　　That　will　be　delightful。　　But　must　we　not　go　to　our
lessons？〃

〃I'm　going　to　make　a　lesson　of　this。　　I　have　been　talking　to　your
papa；　and　we're　going　to　begin　with　a　holiday；　instead　of　ending
with　one。　　I　must　get　better　acquainted　with　you　first；　Harry；
before　I　can　teach　you　right。　　We　must　be　friends；　you　know。〃

The　boy　crept　close　up　to　him；　laid　one　thin　hand　on　his　knee；
looked　in　his　face　for　a　moment；　and　then；　without　a　word；　sat　down
on　the　couch　close　beside　him。　　Before　an　hour　had　passed；　Harry　was
laughing　heartily　at　Gulliver's　adventures　amongst　the　Lilliputians。
Having　arrived　at　this　point　of　success；　Hugh　ceased　reading；　and
began　to　talk　to　him。

〃Is　that　lady　your　cousin？〃

〃Yes。　Isn't　she　beautiful？〃

〃I　hardly　know　yet。　　I　have　not　got　used　to　her　enough　yet。　　What　is
her　name？〃

〃Oh！　such　a　pretty　nameEuphrasia。〃

〃Is　she　the　only　lady　in　the　house？〃

〃Yes；　my　mamma　is　dead；　you　know。　　She　was　ill　for　a　long　time；　they
say；　and　she　died　when　I　was　born。〃

The　tears　came　in　the　poor　boy's　eyes。