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第32章

lay morals-第32章

小说: lay morals 字数: 每页3500字

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up; you haven't kept  a good heart these seventy years; nigh hand; to break down  about a pound or two。  Here's this Mr。 Archer come to lodge;  that you disliked so much。  Well; now you see it was a clear  Providence。  Come; let's think upon our mercies。  And here is  the ale mulling lovely; smell of it; I'll take a drop myself;  it smells so sweet。  And; Uncle Jonathan; you let me say one  word。  You've lost more than money before now; you lost my  aunt; and bore it like a man。  Bear this。'

His face once more contracted; his fist doubled; and shot  forth into the air; and trembled。  'Let them look out!' he  shouted。  'Here; I warn all men; I've done with this foul  kennel of knaves。  Let them look out!'

'Hush; hush! for pity's sake;' cried Nance。

And then all of a sudden he dropped his face into his hands;  and broke out with a great hiccoughing dry sob that was  horrible to hear。  'O;' he cried; 'my God; if my son hadn't  left me; if my Dick was here!' and the sobs shook him; Nance  sitting still and watching him; with distress。  'O; if he  were here to help his father!' he went on again。  'If I had a  son like other fathers; he would save me now; when all is  breaking down; O; he would save me!  Ay; but where is he?   Raking taverns; a thief perhaps。  My curse be on him!' he  added; rising again into wrath。

'Hush!' cried Nance; springing to her feet: 'your boy; your  dead wife's boy … Aunt Susan's baby that she loved … would  you curse him?  O; God forbid!'

The energy of her address surprised him from his mood。  He  looked upon her; tearless and confused。  'Let me go to my  bed;' he said at last; and he rose; and; shaking as with  ague; but quite silent; lighted his candle; and left the  kitchen。

Poor Nance! the pleasant current of her dreams was all  diverted。  She beheld a golden city; where she aspired to  dwell; she had spoken with a deity; and had told herself that  she might rise to be his equal; and now the earthly ligaments  that bound her down had been tightened。  She was like a tree  looking skyward; her roots were in the ground。  It seemed to  her a thing so coarse; so rustic; to be thus concerned about  a loss in money; when Mr。 Archer; fallen from the sky…level  of counts and nobles; faced his changed destiny with so  immovable a courage。  To weary of honesty; that; at least; no  one could do; but even to name it was already a disgrace; and  she beheld in fancy her uncle; and the young lad; all laced  and feathered; hand upon hip; bestriding his small horse。   The opposition seemed to perpetuate itself from generation to  generation; one side still doomed to the clumsy and the  servile; the other born to beauty。

She thought of the golden zones in which gentlemen were bred;  and figured with so excellent a grace; zones in which wisdom  and smooth words; white linen and slim hands; were the mark  of the desired inhabitants; where low temptations were  unknown; and honesty no virtue; but a thing as natural as  breathing。



THE GREAT NORTH ROAD CHAPTER IV … MINGLING THREADS



IT was nearly seven before Mr。 Archer left his apartment。  On  the landing he found another door beside his own opening on a  roofless corridor; and presently he was walking on the top of  the ruins。  On one hand he could look down a good depth into  the green court…yard; on the other his eye roved along the  downward course of the river; the wet woods all smoking; the  shadows long and blue; the mists golden and rosy in the sun;  here and there the water flashing across an obstacle。  His  heart expanded and softened to a grateful melancholy; and  with his eye fixed upon the distance; and no thought of  present danger; he continued to stroll along the elevated and  treacherous promenade。

A terror…stricken cry rose to him from the courtyard。  He  looked down; and saw in a glimpse Nance standing below with  hands clasped in horror and his own foot trembling on the  margin of a gulf。  He recoiled and leant against a pillar;  quaking from head to foot; and covering his face with his  hands; and Nance had time to run round by the stair and  rejoin him where he stood before he had changed a line of his  position。

'Ah!' he cried; and clutched her wrist; 'don't leave me。  The  place rocks; I have no head for altitudes。'

'Sit down against that pillar;' said Nance。  'Don't you be  afraid; I won't leave you; and don't look up or down: look  straight at me。  How white you are!'

'The gulf;' he said; and closed his eyes again and shuddered。

'Why;' said Nance; 'what a poor climber you must be!  That  was where my cousin Dick used to get out of the castle after  Uncle Jonathan had shut the gate。  I've been down there  myself with him helping me。  I wouldn't try with you;' she  said; and laughed merrily。

The sound of her laughter was sincere and musical; and  perhaps its beauty barbed the offence to Mr。 Archer。  The  blood came into his face with a quick jet; and then left it  paler than before。  'It is a physical weakness;' he said  harshly; 'and very droll; no doubt; but one that I can  conquer on necessity。  See; I am still shaking。  Well; I  advance to the battlements and look down。  Show me your  cousin's path。'

'He would go sure…foot along that little ledge;' said Nance;  pointing as she spoke; 'then out through the breach and down  by yonder buttress。  It is easier coming back; of course;  because you see where you are going。  From the buttress foot  a sheep…walk goes along the scarp … see; you can follow it  from here in the dry grass。  And now; sir;' she added; with a  touch of womanly pity; 'I would come away from here if I were  you; for indeed you are not fit。'

Sure enough Mr。 Archer's pallor and agitation had continued  to increase; his cheeks were deathly; his clenched fingers  trembled pitifully。  'The weakness is physical;' he sighed;  and had nearly fallen。  Nance led him from the spot; and he  was no sooner back in the tower…stair; than he fell heavily  against the wall and put his arm across his eyes。  A cup of  brandy had to be brought him before he could descend to  breakfast; and the perfection of Nance's dream was for the  first time troubled。

Jonathan was waiting for them at table; with yellow; blood… shot eyes and a peculiar dusky complexion。  He hardly waited  till they found their seats; before; raising one hand; and  stooping with his mouth above his plate; he put up a prayer  for a blessing on the food and a spirit of gratitude in the  eaters; and thereupon; and without more civility; fell to。   But it was notable that he was no less speedily satisfied  than he had been greedy to begin。  He pushed his plate away  and drummed upon the table。

'These are silly prayers;' said he; 'that they teach us。  Eat  and be thankful; that's no such wonder。  Speak to me of  starving … there's the touch。  You're a man; they tell me;  Mr。 Archer; that has met with some reverses?'

'I have met with many;' replied Mr。 Archer。

'Ha!' said Jonathan。  'None reckons but the last。  Now; see;  I tried to make this girl here understand me。'

'Uncle;' said Nance; 'what should Mr。 Archer care for your  concerns?  He hath troubles of his own; and came to be at  peace; I think。'

'I tried to make her understand me;' repeated Jonathan  doggedly; 'and now I'll try you。  Do you think this world is  fair?'

'Fair and false!' quoth Mr。 Archer。

The old man laughed immoderately。  'Good;' said he; 'very  good; but what I mean is this: do you know what it is to get  up early and go to bed late; and never take so much as a  holiday but four: and one of these your own marriage day; and  the other three the funerals of folk you loved; and all that;  to have a quiet old age in shelter; and bread for your old  belly; and a bed to lay your crazy bones upon; with a clear  conscience?'

'Sir;' said Mr。 Archer; with an inclination of his head; 'you  portray a very brave existence。'

'Well;' continued Jonathan; 'and in the end thieves deceive  you; thieves rob and rook you; thieves turn you out in your  old age and send you begging。  What have you got for all your  honesty?  A fine return!  You that might have stole scores of  pounds; there you are out in the rain with your rheumatics!'

Mr。 Archer had forgotten to eat; with his hand upon his chin  he was studying the old man's countenance。  'And you  conclude?' he asked。

'Conclude!' cried Jonathan。  'I conclude I'll be upsides with  them。'

'Ay;' said the other; 'we are all tempted to revenge。'

'You have lost money?' asked Jonathan。

'A great estate;' said Archer quietly。

'See now!' says Jonathan; 'and where is it?'

'Nay; I sometimes think that every one has had his share of  it but me;' was the reply。  'All England hath paid his taxes  with my patrimony: I was a sheep that left my wool on every  briar。'

'And you sit down under that?' cried the old man。  'Come now;  Mr。 Archer; you and me belong to different stations; and I  know mine … no man better … but since we have both been  rooked; and are both sore with it; why; here's my hand with a  very good heart; and I ask for yours; and no offence; I  hope。'

'There is surely no offence; my friend;' returned Mr。 Archer;  as they shook hands across the table; 'for; believe me; my  sympathies are quite acquired to you。  This life is an arena  where we fight with beasts; and; indeed;' he added; sighing;  'I sometimes marvel why we go down to it unarmed。'

In the meanwhile a creaking of ungreased axles had been heard  descending through the wood; and presently after; the door  opened; and the tall ostler entered the kitchen carrying one  end of Mr。 Archer's trunk。  The other was carried by an aged  beggar man of that district; known and welcome for some  twenty miles about under the name of 'Old Cumberland。'  Each  was soon perched upon a settle; with a cup of ale; and the  ostler; who valued himself upon his affability; began to  entertain the company; still with half an eye on Nance; to  whom in gallant terms he expressly dedicated every sip of  ale。  First he told of the trouble they had to get his  Lordship started in the chaise; and how he had dropped a  rouleau of gold on the threshold; and the passage and  doorstep had been strewn with guinea…pieces。  At this old  Jonathan looked at Mr。 Archer。  Next the visitor turned to  news of a more thrilling character: how the down mail had  been stopped again near Grantham by three men on horseback …  a white and two bays; how they had handkerchiefs on their  faces; how Tom the guard's blunderbuss missed fire; but he  swore he had winged one of them with a pistol; and how they  had got clean away with seventy pounds in money; some  valuable papers; and a watch or two。

'Brave! brave!' cried Jonathan in ecstasy。  'Seventy pounds!   O; it's brave!'

'Well; I don't see the great bravery;' observed the ostler;  misapprehending him。  'Three men; and you may call that three  to one。  I'll call it brave when some one stops the mail  single…handed; that's a risk。'

'And why should they hesitate?' inquired Mr。 Archer。  'The  poor souls who are fallen to such a way of life; pray what  have they to lose?  If they get the money; well; but if a  ball should put them from their troubles; why; so better。'

'Well; sir;' said the ostler; 'I believe you'll find they  

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