第 123 节
作者:这就是结局      更新:2022-08-21 16:40      字数:9322
  Aubrey to show him to his room; where he might have some peace。
  She was not sorry to be very busy; so as to have little time to reply
  to the questions on the doings at Oxford; and the cause of her sudden
  return; and yet it would have been a comfort to be able to sit down
  to understand herself; and recall her confused thoughts。  But
  solitary reflection was a thing only to be hoped for in that house in
  bed; and Ethel was obliged to run up and down; and attend to
  everybody; under an undefined sense that she had come home to a dull;
  anxious world of turmoil。
  Margaret seemed to guess nothing; that was one comfort; she evidently
  thought that her return was fully accounted for by the fascination of
  her papa's presence in a strange place。  She gave Ethel no credit for
  the sacrifice; naturally supposing that she could not enjoy herself
  away from home。  Ethel did not know whether to be glad or not; she
  was relieved; but it was flat。  As to Norman Ogilvie; one or two
  inquiries whether she liked him; and if Norman were going to Scotland
  with him; were all that passed; and it was very provoking to be made
  so hot and conscious by them。
  She could not begin to dress till late; and while she was unpacking;
  she heard her father come home; among the children's loud welcomes;
  and go to the drawing…room。  He presently knocked at the door between
  their rooms。
  〃So Margaret does not know?〃 he said。
  〃No; Mary has been so very good;〃 and she told what had passed。
  〃Well done; Mary; I must tell her so。  She is a good girl on a pinch;
  you see!〃
  〃And we don't speak of it now?  Or will it hurt Margaret more to
  think we keep things from her?〃
  〃That is the worst risk of the two。  I have seen great harm done in
  that way。  Mention it; but without seeming to make too much of it。〃
  〃Won't you; papa?〃
  〃You had betterit will seem of less importance。  I think nothing of
  it myself。〃
  Nevertheless; Ethel saw that he could not trust himself to broach the
  subject to Margaret。
  〃How was the Larkins' baby?〃
  〃Doing better。  What have you done with Spencer?〃
  〃I put him into Richard's room。  The children were eating him up!  He
  is so kind to them。〃
  〃Ay! I say; Ethel; that was a happy consequence of your coming home
  with me。〃
  〃What a delightful person he is!〃
  〃Is he not?  A true knight errant; as he always was!  I could not
  tell you what I owed to him as a boyall my life; I may say。
  Ethel;〃 he added suddenly: 〃we must do our best to make him happy
  here。  I know it nowI never guessed it then; but one is very hard
  and selfish when one is happy〃
  〃What do you mean; papa?〃
  〃I see it now;〃 continued Dr。 May incoherently; 〃the cause of his
  wandering lifeadvantages thrown aside。  He! the most worthy。
  Things I little heeded at the time have come back on me!  I
  understand why he banished himself!〃
  〃Why?〃 asked Ethel bewildered。
  〃She never had an idea of it; but I might have guessed from what fell
  from him unconsciously; for not a word would he have saidnor did he
  say; to show how he sacrificed himself!〃
  〃Who was it?  Aunt Flora?〃 said Ethel; beginning to collect his
  meaning。
  〃No; Ethel; it was your own dear mother!  You will think this another
  romantic fancy of mine; but I am sure of it。〃
  〃So am I;〃 said Ethel。
  〃Howwhat?  Ah!  I remembered after we parted that he might know
  nothing〃
  〃He asked me;〃 said Ethel。
  〃And how did he bear it?〃
  Ethel told; and the tears filled her father's eyes。
  〃It was wrong and cruel in me to bring him home unprepared! and then
  to leave it to you。  I always forget other people's feelings。  Poor
  Spencer!  And now; Ethel; you see what manner of man we have here;
  and how we ought to treat him。〃
  〃Indeed I do!〃
  〃The most unselfishthe most self…sacrificing〃 continued Dr。 May。
  〃And to see what it all turned on!  I happened to have this place
  open to methe very cause; perhaps; of my having taken things easy
  and so the old Professor threw opportunities in my way; while Aubrey
  Spencer; with every recommendation that man could have; was set
  aside; and exiled himself; leaving the station; and all he might so
  easily have gained。  Ah; Ethel; Sir Matthew Fleet never came near him
  in ability。  But not one word to interfere with me would he say; and…
  …how I have longed to meet him again; after parting in my selfish;
  unfeeling gladness; and now I have nothing to do for him; but show
  him how little I was to be trusted with her。〃
  Ethel never knew how to deal with these occasional bursts of grief;
  but she said that she thought Dr。 Spencer was very much pleased to
  have met with him; and delighted with the children。
  〃Ah! well; you are her children;〃 said Dr。 May; with his hand on
  Ethel's shoulder。
  So they went downstairs; and found Mary making tea; and Margaret;
  fearing Dr。 Spencer was overwhelmed with his young admirersfor
  Aubrey and Gertrude were one on each knee; and Blanche standing
  beside him; inflicting on him a catalogue of the names and ages of
  all the eleven。
  〃Ethel has introduced you; I see;〃 said Dr。 May。
  〃Ay; I assure you; it was an alarming introduction。  No sooner do I
  enter your garden; than I hear that I am in the midst of the Forty
  Thieves。  I find a young lady putting the world to death; after the
  fashion of Hamletand; looking about to find what I have lost; I
  find this urchin has robbed me of my namea property I supposed was
  always left to unfortunate travellers; however small they might be
  chopped themselves。〃
  〃Well; Aubrey boy; will you make restitution?〃
  〃It is my name;〃 said Aubrey positively; for; as his father added;
  〃He is not without dread of the threat being fulfilled; and himself
  left to be that Anon who; Blanche says; writes so much poetry。〃
  Aubrey privately went to Ethel; to ask her if this were possible; and
  she had to reassure him; by telling him that they were 〃only in fun。〃
  It was fun with a much deeper current though; for Dr。 Spencer was
  saying; with a smile; between gratification and sadness; 〃I did not
  think my name would have been remembered here so long。〃
  〃We had used up mine; and the grandfathers'; and the uncles'; and
  began to think we might look a little further a…field;〃 said Dr。 May。
  〃If I had only known where you were; I would have asked you to be the
  varlet's godfather; but I was much afraid you were nowhere in the
  land of the living。〃
  〃I have but one godson; and he is coffee…coloured!  I ought to have
  written; but; you see; for seven years I thought I was coming home。〃
  Aubrey had recovered sufficiently to observe to Blanche; 〃That was
  almost as bad as Ulysses;〃 which; being overheard and repeated; led
  to the information that he was Ethel's pupil; whereupon Dr。 Spencer
  began to inquire after the school; and to exclaim at his friend for
  having deserted it in the person of Tom。  Dr。 May looked convicted;
  but said it was all Norman's fault; and Dr。 Spencer; shaking his head
  at Blanche; opined that the young gentleman was a great innovater;
  and that he was sure he was at the bottom of the pulling down the
  Market Cross; and the stopping up Randall's Alleyiniquities of the
  〃nasty people;〃 of which she already had made him aware。
  〃Poor Norman; he suffered enough anent Randall's Alley;〃 said Dr。
  May; 〃but as to the Market Cross; that came down a year before he was
  born。〃
  〃It was the Town Council!〃 said Ethel。
  〃One of the ordinary stultifications of Town Councils?〃
  〃Take care; Spencer;〃 said Dr。 May。  〃I am a Town Council man my…
  self〃
  〃You; Dick!〃 and he turned with a start of astonishment; and went
  into a fit of laughing; re…echoed by all the young ones; who were
  especially tickled by hearing; from another; the abbreviation that
  had; hitherto; only lived in the favourite expletive; 〃As sure as my
  name is Dick May。〃
  〃Of course;〃 said Dr。 May。  〃'Dost thou not suspect my place?  Dost
  thou not suspect my years?  One that hath two gowns; and everything
  handsome about him!'〃
  His friend laughed the more; and they betook themselves to the
  College stories; of which the quotation from Dogberry seemed to have
  reminded them。
  There was something curious and affecting in their manner to each
  other。  Often it was the easy bantering familiarity of the two youths
  they had once been together; with somewhat of elder brotherhood on
  Dr。 Spencer's sideand of looking up on Dr。 May'sand just as they
  had recurred to these terms; some allusion would bring back to Dr。
  Spencer; that the heedless; high…spirited 〃Dick;〃 whom he had always
  had much ado to keep out of scrapes; was a householder; a man of
  weight and influence; a light which would at first strike him as most
  ludicrous; and then mirth would end in a sigh; for there was yet
  another aspect!  After having thought of him so long as the happy
  husband of Margaret Mackenzie; he found her place vacant; and the
  trace of deep grief apparent on the countenance; once so gaythe
  oppression of anxiety marked on the brow; formerly so joyous; the
  merriment almost more touching than gravity would have been; for the
  former nature seemed rather shattered than altered。  In merging
  towards this side; there was a tender respect in Dr。 Spencer's manner
  that was most beautiful; though this ev