按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
well…to…do people。 The room was full of what is called handsome
furniture； in a high state of polish。 Over the chimney…piece hung
the portrait of a preacher in gown and bands； the most prominent of
whose features were his cheeks。
In a few minutes the host and hostess entered； followed by a
pale…faced little boy； the owner of the voice of reproof。
〃Come here； Peetie；〃 said his mother； 〃and tell Mr。 Sutherland what
you have got。〃 She referred to some toyno； not toy； for it was
the Sabbathto some book； probably。
Peetie answered in a solemn voice； mouthing every vowel：
〃I've got five bags of gold in the Bank of England。〃
〃Poor child！〃 said his mother； with a scornful giggle。 〃You wouldn't
have much to reckon on； if that were all。〃
Two or three gaily dressed riflemen passed the window。 The poor
fellows； unable to bear the look of their Sunday clothes； if they
had any； after being used to their uniform； had come out in all its
magnificence。
〃Ah！〃 said Mr。 Appleditch； 〃that's all very well in a state of
nature； but when a man is once born into a state of grace； Mr。
Sutherlandah！〃
〃Really；〃 responded Mrs。 Appleditch； 〃the worldliness of the lower
classes is quite awful。 But they are spared for a day of wrath；
poor things！ I am sure that accident on the railway last Sabbath；
might have been a warning to them all。 After that they can't say
there is not a God that ruleth in the earth； and taketh vengeance
for his broken Sabbaths。〃
〃Mr。。 I don't know your name；〃 said Peter； whose age Hugh had
just been trying in vain to conjecture。
〃Mr。 Sutherland；〃 said the mother。
〃Mr。 Slubberman； are you a converted character？〃 resumed Peter。
〃Why do you ask me that； Master Peter？〃 said Hugh； trying to smile。
〃I think you look good； but mamma says she don't think you are；
because you say Sunday instead of Sabbath； and she always finds
people who do are worldly。〃
Mrs。 Appleditch turned rednot blushed； and said； quickly：
〃Peter shouldn't repeat everything he hears。〃
〃No more I do； ma。 I haven't told what you said about〃 Here his
mother caught him up； and carried him out of the room； saying：
〃You naughty boy！ You shall go to bed。〃
〃Oh； no； I shan't！〃
〃Yes； you shall。 Here； Jane； take this naughty boy to bed。〃
〃I'll scream。〃
〃Will you？〃
〃Yes； I will！〃
And such a yell was there
Of sudden and portentous birth；
As if。。。
ten cats were being cooked alive。
〃Well！ well！ well！ my Peetie！ He shan't go to bed； if he'll be a
good boy。 Will he be good？〃
〃May I stay up to supper； then？ May I？〃
〃Yes； yes； anything to stop such dreadful screaming。 You are very
naughtyvery naughty indeed。〃
〃No。 I'm not naughty。 I'll scream again。〃
〃No； no。 Go and get your pinafore on； and come down to dinner。
Anything rather than a scream。〃
I am sick of all this； and doubt if it is worth printing； but it
amused me very much one night as Hugh related it over a bottle of
Chablis and a pipe。
He certainly did not represent Mrs。 Appleditch in a very favourable
light on the whole； but he took care to say that there was a certain
liberality about the table； and a kind of heartiness in her way of
pressing him to have more than he could possibly eat； which
contrasted strangely with her behaviour afterwards in money matters。
There are many people who can be liberal in almost anything but
money。 They seem to say； 〃Take anything but my purse。〃 Miss Talbot
told him afterwards； that this same lady was quite active amongst
the poor of her district。 She made it a rule never to give money；
or at least never more than sixpence； but she turned scraps of
victuals and cast…off clothes to the best account； and； if she did
not make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness； she yet kept an
eye on the eternal habitations in the distribution of the crumbs
that fell from her table。 Poor Mr。 Appleditch； on the other hand；
often embezzled a shilling or a half…crown from the till； for the
use of a poor member of the same churchmeaning by church； the
individual community to which he belonged； but of this； Mrs。
Appleditch was carefully kept ignorant。
After dinner was over； and the children had been sent away； which
was effected without a greater amount of difficulty than； from the
anticipative precautions adopted； appeared to be lawful and
ordinary； Mr。 Appleditch proceeded to business。
〃Now； Mr。 Sutherland； what do you think of Johnnie； sir？〃
〃It is impossible for me to say yet； but I am quite willing to teach
him if you like。〃
〃He's a forward boy；〃 said his mother。
〃Not a doubt of it；〃 responded Hugh； for he remembered the boy
asking him； across the table： 〃Isn't our Mr。 Lixom〃（the
pastor）〃a oner？〃
〃And very eager and retentive；〃 said his father。
Hugh had seen the little glutton paint both cheeks to the eyes with
damson tart； and render more than a quantity proportionate to the
colouring； invisible。
〃Yes； he is eager； and retentive； too； I daresay；〃 he said； 〃but
much will depend on whether he has a turn for study。〃
〃Well； you will find that out to…morrow。 I think you will be
surprised； sir。〃
〃At what hour would you like me to come？〃
〃Stop； Mr。 Appleditch；〃 interposed his wife。 〃You have said nothing
yet about terms； and that is of some importance； considering the
rent and taxes we pay。〃
〃Well； my love； what do you feel inclined to give？〃
〃How much do you charge a lesson； Mr。 Sutherland？ Only let me
remind you； sir； that he is a very little boy； although stout； and
that you cannot expect to put much Greek and Latin into him for some
time yet。 Besides； we want you to come every day； which ought to be
considered in the rate of charge。〃
〃Of course it ought；〃 said Hugh。
〃How much do you say； then； sir？〃
〃I should be content with half…a…crown a lesson。〃
〃I daresay you would！〃 replied the lady； with indignation。
〃Half…a…crown！ That'ssix half…crowns isfifteen shillings。
Fifteen shillings a week for that mite of a boy！ Mr。 Sutherland；
you ought to be ashamed of yourself； sir。〃
〃You forget； Mrs。 Appleditch； that it is as much trouble to me to
teach one little boyyes； a great deal more than to teach twenty
grown men。〃
〃You ought to be ashamed of yourself； sir。 You a Christian man； and
talk of trouble in teaching such a little cherub as that？〃
〃But do pray remember the distance I have to come； and that it will
take nearly four hours of my time every day。〃
〃Then you can get lodgings nearer。〃
〃But I could not get any so cheap。〃
〃Then you can the better afford to do it。〃
And she threw herself back in her chair； as if she had struck the
decisive blow。 Mr。 Appleditch remarked； gently：
〃It is good for your health to walk the distance； sir。〃
Mrs。 Appleditch resumed：
〃I won't give a farthing more than one shilling a lesson。 There；
now！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Hugh； rising； 〃then I must wish you good day。 We
need not waste more time in talking about it。〃
〃Surely you are not going to make any use of your time on a Sunday？〃
said the grocer； mildly。 〃Don't be in a hurry； Mr。 Sutherland。 We
tradespeople like to make the best bargain we can。〃
〃Mr。 Appleditch； I am ashamed of you。 You always will be vulgar。
You always smell of the shop。〃
〃Well； my dear； how can I help it？ The sugar and soft…soap will
smell； you know。〃
〃Mr。 Appleditch； you disgust me！〃
〃Dear！ dear！ I am sorry for that。Suppose we say to Mr。
Sutherland〃
〃Now； you leave that to me。 I'll tell you what； Mr。
SutherlandI'll give you eighteenpence a lesson； and your dinner on
the Sabbath； that is； if you sit under Mr。 Lixom in our pew； and
walk home with us。〃
〃That I must decline〃 said Hugh。 〃I must have my Sundays for
myself。〃
Mrs。 Appleditch was disappointed。 She had coveted the additional
importance which the visible possession of a live tutor would secure
her at 〃Salem。〃
〃Ah！ Mr。 Sutherland；〃 she said。 〃And I must trust my child； with an
immortal soul in his inside； to one who wants the Lord's only day
for himself！for himself； Mr。 Sutherland！〃
Hugh made no answer； because he had none to make。 Again Mrs。
Appleditch resumed：
〃Shall it be a bargain； Mr。 Sutherland？ Eighteen…pence a
lessonthat's nine shillings a weekand begin to morrow？〃
Hugh's heart sunk within him； not so much with disappointment as
with disgust。
But to a man who is making nothing； the prospect of earning ever so
little； is irresistibly attractive。 Even on a shilling a day； he
could keep hunger at arm's length。 And a beginning is half the
battle。 He resolved。
〃Let it be a bargain； then； Mrs。 Appleditch。〃
The lady immediately brightened up； and at once put on her
company…manners again； behaving to him with great politeness； and a
sneer that would not be hid away under it。 From this Hugh suspected
that she had made a better bargain than she had hoped； but the
discovery was now too late； even if he could have brought himself to
take advantage of it。 He hated bargain…making as heartily as the
grocer's wife loved it。
He very soon rose to take his leave。
〃Oh！〃 said Mrs。 Appleditch to her husband； 〃but Mr。 Sutherland has
not seen the drawing…room！〃
Hugh won