第 24 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-02-21 16:19      字数:9320
  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。