第 39 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-02-21 16:20      字数:9322
  looked beautiful。  I suspect if she had been rather ugly; it would
  have been all the same for Hugh。
  He pursued his Italian studies with a singleness of aim and effort
  that carried him on rapidly。  He asked no assistance from Euphra;
  and said nothing to her about his progress。  But he was so absorbed
  in it; that it drew him still further from his pupil。  Of course he
  went out with him; walking or riding every day that the weather
  would permit; and he had regular school hours with him within doors。
  But during the latter; while Harry was doing something on his
  slate; or writing; or learning some lesson (which kind of work
  happened oftener now than he could have approved of); he would take
  up his Italian; and; notwithstanding Harry's quiet hints that he had
  finished what had been set him; remain buried in it for a long time。
  When he woke at last to the necessity of taking some notice of the
  boy; he would only appoint him something else to occupy him again;
  so as to leave himself free to follow his new bent。  Now and then he
  would become aware of his blameable neglect; and make a feeble
  struggle to rectify what seemed to be growing into a habitand one
  of the worst for a tutor; but he gradually sank back into the mire;
  for mire it was; comforting himself with the resolution that as soon
  as he was able to read Italian without absolutely spelling his way;
  he would let Euphra see what progress he had made; and then return
  with renewed energy to Harry's education; keeping up his own new
  accomplishment by more moderate exercise therein。  It must not be
  supposed; however; that a long course of time passed in this way。
  At the end of a fortnight; he thought he might venture to request
  Euphra to show him the passage which had perplexed her。  This time
  he knew where she wasin her own room; for his mind had begun to
  haunt her whereabouts。  He knocked at her door; heard the silvery;
  thrilling; happy sound; 〃Come in;〃 and entered trembling。
  〃Would you show me the passage in Dante that perplexed you the other
  day?〃
  Euphra looked a little surprised; but got the book and pointed it
  out at once。
  Hugh glanced at it。  His superior acquaintance with the general
  forms of language enabled him; after finding two words in Euphra's
  larger dictionary; to explain it; to her immediate satisfaction。
  〃You astonish me;〃 said Euphra。
  〃Latin gives me an advantage; you see;〃 said Hugh modestly。
  〃It seems to be very wonderful; nevertheless。〃
  These were sweet sounds to Hugh's ear。  He had gained his end。  And
  she hers。
  〃Well;〃 she said; 〃I have just come upon another passage that
  perplexes me not a little。  Will you try your powers upon that for
  me?〃
  So saying; she proceeded to find it。
  〃It is school…time;〃 said Hugh 〃I fear I must not wait now。〃
  〃Pooh! pooh!  Don't make a pedagogue of yourself。  You know you are
  here more as a guardianbig brother; you knowto the dear child。
  By the way; I am rather afraid you are working him a little more
  than his constitution will stand。〃
  〃Do you think so?〃 returned Hugh quite willing to be convinced。 〃I
  should be very sorry。〃
  〃This is the passage;〃 said Euphra。
  Hugh sat down once more at the table beside her。  He found this
  morsel considerably tougher than the last。  But at length he
  succeeded in pulling it to pieces and reconstructing it in a simpler
  form for the lady。  She was full of thanks and admiration。
  Naturally enough; they went on to the next line; and the next
  stanza; and the next and the next; tillshall I be believed?they
  had read a whole canto of the poem。  Euphra knew more words by a
  great many than Hugh; so that; what with her knowledge of the words;
  and his insight into the construction; they made rare progress。
  〃What a beautiful passage it is!〃 said Euphra。
  〃It is indeed;〃 responded Hugh; 〃I never read anything more
  beautiful。〃
  〃I wonder if it would be possible to turn that into English。  I
  should like to try。〃
  〃You mean verse; of course?〃
  〃To be sure。〃
  〃Let us try; then。  I will bring you mine when I have finished it。
  I fear it will take some time; though; to do it well。  Shall it be
  in blank verse; or what?〃
  〃Oh! don't you think we had better keep the Terza Rima of the
  original?〃
  〃As you please。  It will add much to the difficulty。〃
  〃Recreant knight! will you shrink from following where your lady
  leads?〃
  〃Never! so help me; my good pen!〃 answered Hugh; and took his
  departure; with burning cheeks and a trembling at the heart。  Alas!
  the morning was gone。  Harry was not in his study: he sought and
  found him in the library; apparently buried in Polexander。
  〃I am so glad you are come;〃 said Harry; 〃I am so tired。〃
  〃Why do you read that stupid book; then?〃
  〃Oh! you know; I told you。〃
  〃Tut! tut! nonsense!  Put it away;〃 said Hugh; his dissatisfaction
  with himself making him cross with Harry; who felt; in consequence;
  ten times more desolate than before。  He could not understand the
  change。
  If it went ill before with the hours devoted to common labour; it
  went worse now。  Hugh seized every gap of time; and widened its
  margins shamefully; in order to work at his translation。  He found
  it very difficult to render the Italian in classical and poetic
  English。  The three rhyming words; and the mode in which the stanzas
  are looped together; added greatly to the difficulty。  Blank verse
  he would have found quite easy compared to this。  But he would not
  blench。  The thought of her praise; and of the yet better favour he
  might gain; spurred him on; and Harry was the sacrifice。  But he
  would make it all up to him; when this was once over。  Indeed; he
  would。
  Thus he baked cakes of clay to choke the barking of Cerberian
  conscience。  But it would growl notwithstanding。
  The boy's spirit was sinking; but Hugh did not or would not see it。
  His step grew less elastic。  He became more listless; more like his
  former selfsauntering about with his hands in his pockets。  And
  Hugh; of course; found himself caring less about him; for the
  thought of him; rousing as it did the sense of his own neglect; had
  become troublesome。  Sometimes he even passed poor Harry without
  speaking to him。
  Gradually; however; he grew still further into the favour of Mr。
  Arnold; until he seemed to have even acquired some influence with
  him。  Mr。 Arnold would go out riding with them himself sometimes;
  and express great satisfaction; not only with the way Harry sat his
  pony; for which he accorded Hugh the credit due to him; but with the
  way in which Hugh managed his own horse as well。  Mr。 Arnold was a
  good horseman; and his praise was especially grateful to Hugh;
  because Euphra was always near; and always heard it。  I fear;
  however; that his progress in the good graces of Mr。 Arnold; was; in
  a considerable degree; the result of the greater anxiety to please;
  which sprung from the consciousness of not deserving approbation。
  Pleasing was an easy substitute for well…doing。  Not acceptable to
  himself; he had the greater desire to be acceptable to others; and
  so reflect the side…beams of a false approbation on himselfwho
  needed true light and would be ill…provided for with any substitute。
  For a man who is received as a millionaire can hardly help feeling
  like one at times; even if he knows he has overdrawn his banker's
  account。  The necessity to Hugh's nature of feeling right; drove him
  to this false mode of producing the false impression。  If one only
  wants to feel virtuous; there are several royal roads to that end。
  But; fortunately; the end itself would be unsatisfactory if gained;
  while not one of these roads does more than pretend to lead even to
  that land of delusion。
  The reaction in Hugh's mind was sometimes torturing enough。  But he
  had not strength to resist Euphra; and so reform。
  Well or ill done; at length his translation was finished。  So was
  Euphra's。  They exchanged papers for a private reading first; and
  arranged to meet afterwards; in order to compare criticisms。
  CHAPTER XI。
  THE FIRST MIDNIGHT。
  Well; if anything be damned;
  It will be twelve o'clock at night; that twelve
  Will never scape。
  CYRIL TOURNEUR。The Revenger's Tragedy。
  Letters arrived at Arnstead generally while the family was seated at
  breakfast。  One morning; the post…bag having been brought in; Mr。
  Arnold opened it himself; according to his unvarying custom; and
  found; amongst other letters; one in an old…fashioned female hand;
  which; after reading it; he passed to Euphra。
  〃You remember Mrs。 Elton; Euphra?〃
  〃Quite well; unclea dear old lady!〃
  But the expression which passed across her face; rather belied her
  words; and seemed to Hugh to mean: 〃I hope she is not going to bore
  us again。〃
  She took care; however; to show no sign with regard to the contents
  of the letter; but; laying it beside her on the table; waited to
  hear her uncle's mind first。
  〃Poor; dear girl!〃 said he at last。 〃You must try to make her as
  comfortable as you can。  There is consumption in the family; you
  see;〃 he added; with a meditative sigh。
  〃Of course I will; uncle。  Poor girl!  I hope there is not much
  amiss though; after all。〃
  But; as she spoke; an irrepressible flash of disl