第 46 节
作者:
旅游巴士 更新:2021-02-20 14:19 字数:9322
should be spent upon menus plaisirs 。 。 。
〃Call that not much indeed;〃 laughed Ernest; as I read him what I
have just written。 〃Why it is the whole duty of a father; but it is
the mystery…making which is the worst evil。 If people would dare to
speak to one another unreservedly; there would be a good deal less
sorrow in the world a hundred years hence。〃
To return; however; to Roughborough。 On the day of his leaving;
when he was sent for into the library to be shaken hands with; he
was surprised to feel that; though assuredly glad to leave; he did
not do so with any especial grudge against the Doctor rankling in
his breast。 He had come to the end of it all; and was still alive;
nor; take it all round; more seriously amiss than other people。 Dr
Skinner received him graciously; and was even frolicsome after his
own heavy fashion。 Young people are almost always placable; and
Ernest felt as he went away that another such interview would not
only have wiped off all old scores; but have brought him round into
the ranks of the Doctor's admirers and supportersamong whom it is
only fair to say that the greater number of the more promising boys
were found。
Just before saying good…bye the Doctor actually took down a volume
from those shelves which had seemed so awful six years previously;
and gave it to him after having written his name in it; and the
words 'Greek text'; which I believe means 〃with all kind wishes from
the donor。〃 The book was one written in Latin by a German
Schomann: 〃De comitiis Atheniensibus〃not exactly light and
cheerful reading; but Ernest felt it was high time he got to
understand the Athenian constitution and manner of voting; he had
got them up a great many times already; but had forgotten them as
fast as he had learned them; now; however; that the Doctor had given
him this book; he would master the subject once for all。 How
strange it was! He wanted to remember these things very badly; he
knew he did; but he could never retain them; in spite of himself
they no sooner fell upon his mind than they fell off it again; he
had such a dreadful memory; whereas; if anyone played him a piece of
music and told him where it came from; he never forgot that; though
he made no effort to retain it; and was not even conscious of trying
to remember it at all。 His mind must be badly formed and he was no
good。
Having still a short time to spare; he got the keys of St Michael's
church and went to have a farewell practice upon the organ; which he
could now play fairly well。 He walked up and down the aisle for a
while in a meditative mood; and then; settling down to the organ;
played 〃They loathed to drink of the river〃 about six times over;
after which he felt more composed and happier; then; tearing himself
away from the instrument he loved so well; he hurried to the
station。
As the train drew out he looked down from a high embankment on to
the little house his aunt had taken; and where it might be said she
had died through her desire to do him a kindness。 There were the
two well…known bow windows; out of which he had often stepped to run
across the lawn into the workshop。 He reproached himself with the
little gratitude he had shown towards this kind ladythe only one
of his relations whom he had ever felt as though he could have taken
into his confidence。 Dearly as he loved her memory; he was glad she
had not known the scrapes he had got into since she died; perhaps
she might not have forgiven themand how awful that would have
been! But then; if she had lived; perhaps many of his ills would
have been spared him。 As he mused thus he grew sad again。 Where;
where; he asked himself; was it all to end? Was it to be always
sin; shame and sorrow in the future; as it had been in the past; and
the ever…watchful eye and protecting hand of his father laying
burdens on him greater than he could bearor was he; too; some day
or another to come to feel that he was fairly well and happy?
There was a gray mist across the sun; so that the eye could bear its
light; and Ernest; while musing as above; was looking right into the
middle of the sun himself; as into the face of one whom he knew and
was fond of。 At first his face was grave; but kindly; as of a tired
man who feels that a long task is over; but in a few seconds the
more humorous side of his misfortunes presented itself to him; and
he smiled half reproachfully; half merrily; as thinking how little
all that had happened to him really mattered; and how small were his
hardships as compared with those of most people。 Still looking into
the eye of the sun and smiling dreamily; he thought how he had
helped to burn his father in effigy; and his look grew merrier; till
at last he broke out into a laugh。 Exactly at this moment the light
veil of cloud parted from the sun; and he was brought to terra firma
by the breaking forth of the sunshine。 On this he became aware that
he was being watched attentively by a fellow…traveller opposite to
him; an elderly gentleman with a large head and iron…grey hair。
〃My young friend;〃 said he; good…naturedly; 〃you really must not
carry on conversations with people in the sun; while you are in a
public railway carriage。〃
The old gentleman said not another word; but unfolded his Times and
began to read it。 As for Ernest; he blushed crimson。 The pair did
not speak during the rest of the time they were in the carriage; but
they eyed each other from time to time; so that the face of each was
impressed on the recollection of the other。
CHAPTER XLV
Some people say that their school days were the happiest of their
lives。 They may be right; but I always look with suspicion upon
those whom I hear saying this。 It is hard enough to know whether
one is happy or unhappy now; and still harder to compare the
relative happiness or unhappiness of different times of one's life;
the utmost that can be said is that we are fairly happy so long as
we are not distinctly aware of being miserable。 As I was talking
with Ernest one day not so long since about this; he said he was so
happy now that he was sure he had never been happier; and did not
wish to be so; but that Cambridge was the first place where he had
ever been consciously and continuously happy。
How can any boy fail to feel an ecstasy of pleasure on first finding
himself in rooms which he knows for the next few years are to be his
castle? Here he will not be compelled to turn out of the most
comfortable place as soon as he has ensconced himself in it because
papa or mamma happens to come into the room; and he should give it
up to them。 The most cosy chair here is for himself; there is no
one even to share the room with him; or to interfere with his doing
as he likes in itsmoking included。 Why; if such a room looked out
both back and front on to a blank dead wall it would still be a
paradise; how much more then when the view is of some quiet grassy
court or cloister or garden; as from the windows of the greater
number of rooms at Oxford and Cambridge。
Theobald; as an old fellow and tutor of Emmanuelat which college
he had entered Ernestwas able to obtain from the present tutor a
certain preference in the choice of rooms; Ernest's; therefore; were
very pleasant ones; looking out upon the grassy court that is
bounded by the Fellows' gardens。
Theobald accompanied him to Cambridge; and was at his best while
doing so。 He liked the jaunt; and even he was not without a certain
feeling of pride in having a full…blown son at the University。 Some
of the reflected rays of this splendour were allowed to fall upon
Ernest himself。 Theobald said he was 〃willing to hope〃this was
one of his tagsthat his son would turn over a new leaf now that he
had left school; and for his own part he was 〃only too ready〃this
was another tagto let bygones be bygones。
Ernest; not yet having his name on the books; was able to dine with
his father at the Fellows' table of one of the other colleges on the
invitation of an old friend of Theobald's; he there made
acquaintance with sundry of the good things of this life; the very
names of which were new to him; and felt as he ate them that he was
now indeed receiving a liberal education。 When at length the time
came for him to go to Emmanuel; where he was to sleep in his new
rooms; his father came with him to the gates and saw him safe into
college; a few minutes more and he found himself alone in a room for
which he had a latch…key。
From this time he dated many days which; if not quite unclouded;
were upon the whole very happy ones。 I need not however describe
them; as the life of a quiet steady…going undergraduate has been
told in a score of novels better than I can tell it。 Some of
Ernest's schoolfellows came up to Cambridge at the same time as
himself; and with these he continued on friendly terms during the
whole of his college career。 Other schoolfellows were only a year
or two his seniors; these called on him; and he thus made a
sufficiently favourable entree into college life。 A
straightforwardness of character that was stamped upon his face; a
love of humour; and a temper which was more easily appeased than
ruf