the pupil-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with Morgan … quite ideal as from master to pupil … and by the
simple privilege of knowing and living with so amazingly gifted a
child； than whom really （and she meant literally what she said）
there was no better company in Europe？ Mrs。 Moreen herself took to
appealing to him as a man of the world； she said 〃Voyons； mon
cher；〃 and 〃My dear man； look here now〃； and urged him to be
reasonable； putting it before him that it was truly a chance for
him。 She spoke as if； according as he SHOULD be reasonable； he
would prove himself worthy to be her son's tutor and of the
extraordinary confidence they had placed in him。
After all； Pemberton reflected； it was only a difference of theory
and the theory didn't matter much。 They had hitherto gone on that
of remunerated； as now they would go on that of gratuitous；
service； but why should they have so many words about it？ Mrs。
Moreen at all events continued to be convincing； sitting there with
her fifty francs she talked and reiterated； as women reiterate； and
bored and irritated him； while he leaned against the wall with his
hands in the pockets of his wrapper； drawing it together round his
legs and looking over the head of his visitor at the grey negations
of his window。 She wound up with saying： 〃You see I bring you a
definite proposal。〃
〃A definite proposal？〃
〃To make our relations regular； as it were … to put them on a
comfortable footing。〃
〃I see … it's a system；〃 said Pemberton。 〃A kind of organised
blackmail。〃
Mrs。 Moreen bounded up； which was exactly what he wanted。 〃What do
you mean by that？〃
〃You practise on one's fears … one's fears about the child if one
should go away。〃
〃And pray what would happen to him in that event？〃 she demanded；
with majesty。
〃Why he'd be alone with YOU。〃
〃And pray with whom SHOULD a child be but with those whom he loves
most？〃
〃If you think that； why don't you dismiss me？〃
〃Do you pretend he loves you more than he loves US？〃 cried Mrs。
Moreen。
〃I think he ought to。 I make sacrifices for him。 Though I've
heard of those YOU make I don't see them。〃
Mrs。 Moreen stared a moment； then with emotion she grasped her
inmate's hand。 〃WILL you make it … the sacrifice？〃
He burst out laughing。 〃I'll see。 I'll do what I can。 I'll stay
a little longer。 Your calculation's just … I DO hate intensely to
give him up； I'm fond of him and he thoroughly interests me； in
spite of the inconvenience I suffer。 You know my situation
perfectly。 I haven't a penny in the world and； occupied as you see
me with Morgan； am unable to earn money。〃
Mrs。 Moreen tapped her undressed arm with her folded bank…note。
〃Can't you write articles？ Can't you translate as I do？〃
〃I don't know about translating； it's wretchedly paid。〃
〃I'm glad to earn what I can；〃 said Mrs。 Moreen with prodigious
virtue。
〃You ought to tell me who you do it for。〃 Pemberton paused a
moment； and she said nothing； so he added： 〃I've tried to turn off
some little sketches； but the magazines won't have them … they're
declined with thanks。〃
〃You see then you're not such a phoenix；〃 his visitor pointedly
smiled … 〃to pretend to abilities you're sacrificing for our sake。〃
〃I haven't time to do things properly；〃 he ruefully went on。 Then
as it came over him that he was almost abjectly good…natured to
give these explanations he added： 〃If I stay on longer it must be
on one condition … that Morgan shall know distinctly on what
footing I am。〃
Mrs。 Moreen demurred。 〃Surely you don't want to show off to a
child？〃
〃To show YOU off； do you mean？〃
Again she cast about； but this time it was to produce a still finer
flower。 〃And YOU talk of blackmail！〃
〃You can easily prevent it；〃 said Pemberton。
〃And YOU talk of practising on fears；〃 she bravely pushed on。
〃Yes； there's no doubt I'm a great scoundrel。〃
His patroness met his eyes … it was clear she was in straits。 Then
she thrust out her money at him。 〃Mr。 Moreen desired me to give
you this on account。〃
〃I'm much obliged to Mr。 Moreen； but we HAVE no account。〃
〃You won't take it？〃
〃That leaves me more free；〃 said Pemberton。
〃To poison my darling's mind？〃 groaned Mrs。 Moreen。
〃Oh your darling's mind …！〃 the young man laughed。
She fixed him a moment； and he thought she was going to break out
tormentedly； pleadingly： 〃For God's sake； tell me what IS in it！〃
But she checked this impulse … another was stronger。 She pocketed
the money … the crudity of the alternative was comical … and swept
out of the room with the desperate concession： 〃You may tell him
any horror you like！〃
CHAPTER VI
A couple of days after this； during which he had failed to profit
by so free a permission； he had been for a quarter of an hour
walking with his charge in silence when the boy became sociable
again with the remark： 〃I'll tell you how I know it； I know it
through Zenobie。〃
〃Zenobie？ Who in the world is SHE？〃
〃A nurse I used to have … ever so many years ago。 A charming
woman。 I liked her awfully； and she liked me。〃
〃There's no accounting for tastes。 What is it you know through
her？〃
〃Why what their idea is。 She went away because they didn't fork
out。 She did like me awfully； and she stayed two years。 She told
me all about it … that at last she could never get her wages。 As
soon as they saw how much she liked me they stopped giving her
anything。 They thought she'd stay for nothing … just BECAUSE；
don't you know？〃 And Morgan had a queer little conscious lucid
look。 〃She did stay ever so long … as long an she could。 She was
only a poor girl。 She used to send money to her mother。 At last
she couldn't afford it any longer； and went away in a fearful rage
one night … I mean of course in a rage against THEM。 She cried
over me tremendously； she hugged me nearly to death。 She told me
all about it；〃 the boy repeated。 〃She told me it was their idea。
So I guessed； ever so long ago； that they have had the same idea
with you。〃
〃Zenobie was very sharp；〃 said Pemberton。 〃And she made you so。〃
〃Oh that wasn't Zenobie； that was nature。 And experience！〃 Morgan
laughed。
〃Well； Zenobie was a part of your experience。〃
〃Certainly I was a part of hers； poor dear！〃 the boy wisely sighed。
〃And I'm part of yours。〃
〃A very important part。 But I don't see how you know that I've
been treated like Zenobie。〃
〃Do you take me for the biggest dunce you've known？〃 Morgan asked。
〃Haven't I been conscious of what we've been through together？〃
〃What we've been through？〃
〃Our privations … our dark days。〃
〃Oh our days have been bright enough。〃
Morgan went on in silence for a moment。 Then he said： 〃My dear
chap； you're a hero！〃
〃Well； you're another！〃 Pemberton retorted。
〃No I'm not； but I ain't a baby。 I won't stand it any longer。 You
must get some occupation that pays。 I'm ashamed； I'm ashamed！〃
quavered the boy with a ring of passion； like some high silver note
from a small cathedral cloister； that deeply touched his friend。
〃We ought to go off and live somewhere together；〃 the young man
said。
〃I'll go like a shot if you'll take me。〃
〃I'd get some work that would keep us both afloat；〃 Pemberton
continued。
〃So would I。 Why shouldn't I work？ I ain't such a beastly little
muff as that comes to。〃
〃The difficulty is that your parents wouldn't hear of it。 They'd
never part with you； they worship the ground you tread on。 Don't
you see the proof of it？〃 Pemberton developed。 〃They don't dislike
me； they wish me no harm； they're very amiable people； but they're
perfectly ready to expose me to any awkwardness in life for your
sake。〃
The silence in which Morgan received his fond sophistry struck
Pemberton somehow as expressive。 After a moment the child
repeated： 〃You are a hero！〃 Then he added： 〃They leave me with
you altogether。 You've all the responsibility。 They put me off on
you from morning till night。 Why then should they object to my
taking up with you completely？ I'd help you。〃
〃They're not particularly keen about my being helped； and they
delight in thinking of you as THEIRS。 They're tremendously proud
of you。〃
〃I'm not proud of THEM。 But you know that；〃 Morgan returned。
〃Except for the little matter we speak of they're charming people；〃
said Pemberton； not taking up the point made for his intelligence；
but wondering greatly at the boy's own； and especially at this
fresh reminder of something he had been conscious of from the first
… the strangest thing in his friend's large little composition； a
temper； a sensibility； even a private ideal； which made him as
privately disown the stuff his people were made of。 Morgan had in
secret a small loftiness which made him acute ab
