第 11 节
作者:尘小春      更新:2021-02-18 23:45      字数:9322
  anxiety was to find this eighty pounds for him。
  It is a Newhaven idea that the female is the natural protector of the
  male; and this idea was strengthened in her case。
  She did not fully comprehend his character and temperament; but she saw;
  by instinct; that she was to be the protector。 Besides; as she was
  twenty…one; and he only twenty…two; she felt the difference between
  herself; a woman; and him; a boy; and to leave him to struggle unaided
  out of his difficulties seemed to her heartless。
  Twice she opened her lips to engage the charitable 〃vile count〃 in his
  cause; but shame closed them again; this would be asking a personal
  favor; and one on so large a scale。
  Several days passed thus; she had determined not to visit him without
  good news。
  She then began to be surprised; she heard nothing from him。
  And now she felt something that prevented her calling on him。
  But Jean Carnie was to be married; and the next day the wedding party
  were to spend in festivity upon the island of Inch Coombe。
  She bade Jean call on him; and; without mentioning her; invite him to
  this party; from which; he must know; she would not be absent。
  Jean Carnie entered his apartment; and at her entrance his mother; who
  took for granted this was his sweetheart; whispered in his ear that he
  should now take the first step; and left him。
  What passed between Jean Carnie and Charles Gatty is for another chapter。
  CHAPTER IX。
  A YOUNG viscount with income and person cannot lie _perdu_ three miles
  from Edinburgh。
  First one discovers him; then another; then twenty; then all the world;
  as the whole clique is modestly called。
  Before; however; Lord Ipsden was caught; he had acquired a browner tint;
  a more elastic step; and a stouter heart。
  The Aberford prescription had done wonders for him。
  He caught himself passing one whole day without thinking of Lady Barbara
  Sinclair。
  But even Aberford had misled him; there were no adventures to be found in
  the Firth of Forth; most of the days there was no wind to speak of; twice
  it blew great guns; and the men were surprised at his lordship going out;
  but nobody was in any danger except himself; the fishermen had all
  slipped into port before matters were serious。
  He found the merchantmen that could sail creeping on with three reefs in
  their mainsail; and the Dutchmen lying to and breasting it; like ducks in
  a pond; and with no more chance of harm。
  On one of these occasions he did observe a little steam…tug; going about
  a knot an hour; and rolling like a washing…tub。 He ran down to her; and
  asked if he could assist her; she answered; through the medium of a sooty
  animal at her helm; that she was (like our universities) 〃satisfied with
  her own progress〃; she added; being under intoxication; 〃that; if any
  danger existed; her scheme was to drown it in the bo…o…owl;〃 and two days
  afterward he saw her puffing and panting; and fiercely dragging a
  gigantic three…decker out into deep water; like an industrious flea
  pulling his phaeton。
  And now it is my office to relate how Mr。 Flucker Johnstone comported
  himself on one occasion。
  As the yacht worked alongside Granton Pier; before running out; the said
  Flucker calmly and scientifically drew his lordship's attention to three
  points:
  The direction of the windthe force of the windand his opinion; as a
  person experienced in the Firth; that it was going to be worse instead of
  better; in reply; he received an order to step forward to his place in
  the cutterthe immediate vicinity of the jib…boom。 On this; Mr。 Flucker
  instantly burst into tears。
  His lordship; or; as Flucker called him ever since the yacht came down;
  〃the skipper;〃 deeming that the higher appellation; inquired; with some
  surprise; what was the matter with the boy。
  One of the crew; who; by the by; squinted; suggested; 〃It was a slight
  illustration of the passion of fear。〃
  Flucker confirmed the theory by gulping out: 〃We'll never see Newhaven
  again。〃
  On this the skipper smiled; and ordered him ashore; somewhat
  peremptorily。
  Straightway he began to howl; and; saying; 〃It was better to be drowned
  than be the laughing…stock of the place;〃 went forward to his place; on
  his safe return to port; this young gentleman was very severe on open
  boats; which; he said 〃bred womanish notions in hearts naturally
  dauntless。 Give me a lid to the pot;〃 added he; 〃and I'll sail with Old
  Nick; let the wind blow high or low。〃
  The Aberford was wrong when he called love a cutaneous disorder。
  There are cutaneous disorders that take that name; but they are no more
  love than verse is poetry;
  Than patriotism is love of country;
  Than theology is religion;
  Than science is philosophy;
  Than paintings are pictures;
  Than reciting on the boards is acting;
  Than physic is medicine
  Than bread is bread; or gold goldin shops。
  Love is a state of being; the beloved object is our center; and our
  thoughts; affections; schemes and selves move but round it。
  We may diverge hither or thither; but the golden thread still holds us。
  Is fair or dark beauty the fairest? The world cannot decide; but love
  shall decide in a moment。
  A halo surrounds her we love; and makes beautiful to us her movements;
  her looks; her virtues; her faults; her nonsense; her affectation and
  herself; and that's love; doctor!
  Lord Ipsden was capable of loving like this; but; to do Lady Barbara
  justice; she had done much to freeze the germ of noble passion; she had
  not killed; but she had benumbed it。
  〃Saunders;〃 said Lord Ipsden; one morning after breakfast; 〃have you
  entered everything in your diary?〃
  〃Yes; my lord。〃
  〃All these good people's misfortunes?〃
  〃Yes; my lord。〃
  〃Do you think you have spelled their names right?〃
  〃Where it was impossible; my lord; I substituted an English appellation;
  hidentical in meaning。〃
  〃Have you entered and described my first interview with Christie
  Johnstone; and somebody something?〃
  〃Most minutely; my lord。〃
  〃How I turned Mr。 Burke into poetryhow she listened with her eyes all
  glisteninghow they made me talkhow she dropped a tear; he! he! he! at
  the death of the first baronhow shocked she was at the king striking
  him when he was dying; to make a knight…banneret of the poor old fellow?〃
  〃Your lordship will find all the particulars exactly related;〃 said
  Saunders; with dry pomp。
  〃How she found out that titles are but breathhow I answeredsome
  nonsense?〃
  〃Your lordship will find all the topics included。〃
  〃How she took me for a madman? And you for a prig?〃
  〃The latter circumstance eluded my memory; my lord。〃
  〃But when I told her I must relieve only one poor person by day; she took
  my hand。〃
  〃Your lordship will find all the items realized in this book; my lord。〃
  〃What a beautiful book!〃
  〃Alba are considerably ameliorated; my lord。〃
  〃Alba?〃
  〃Plural of album; my lord;〃 explained the refined factotum; 〃more
  delicate; I conceive; than the vulgar reading。〃
  Viscount Ipsden read from
  〃MR。 SAUNDERS'S ALBUM。
  〃To illustrate the inelegance of the inferior classes; two juvenile
  venders of the piscatory tribe were this day ushered in; and
  instantaneously; without the accustomed preliminaries; plunged into a
  familiar conversation with Lord Viscount Ipsden。
  〃Their vulgarity; shocking and repulsive to myself; appeared to afford
  his lordship a satisfaction greater than he derives from the graceful
  amenities of fashionable association〃
  ~ 〃Saunders; I suspect you of something。〃
  〃Me; my lord!〃
  〃Yes。 Writing in an annual。〃
  〃I do; my lord;〃 said he; with benignant _hauteur。_ 〃It appears every
  month_The Polytechnic。〃_
  〃I thought so! you are polysyllabic; Saunders; _en route!〃_
  ~ 〃In this hallucination I find it difficult to participate; associated
  from infancy with the aristocracy; I shrink; like the sensitive plant;
  from contact with anything vulgar。〃
  ~ 〃I see! I begin to understand you; Saunders。 Order the dog…cart; and
  Wordsworth's mare for leader; we'll give her a trial。 You are an ass;
  Saunders。〃
  〃Yes; my lord; I will order Robert to tell James to come for your
  lordship's commands about your lordship's vehicles。 (What could he intend
  by a recent observation of a discourteous character?)〃
  His lordship soliloquized。
  〃I never observed it before; but Saunders is an ass! La Johnstone is one
  of Nature's duchesses; and she has made me know some poor people that
  will be richer than the rich one day; and she has taught me that honey is
  to be got from bank…notesby merely giving them away。〃
  Among the objects of charity Lord Ipsden discovered was one Thomas
  Harvey; a maker and player of the violin。 This man was a person of great
  intellect; he mastered every subject he attacked。 By a careful
  examination of all the points that various fine…toned instruments had in
  common; he had arrived at a theory of sound; he made violins to
  correspond; and was remarkably successful in insuring that which had been
  too hastily ascribed to accidenta fine tone。
  This man; who was in needy circumstances; demonstrated to his lordship
  that ten pounds would make his fortune; because with ten pounds he could
  set up a shop; instead of wo