little novels- 第10部分

〃Try　to　get　better；　sir；　and　let　me　write　to　you　now　and　then；〃　I　answered。　〃Indeed；　indeed；　I　want　nothing　more。〃

〃You　will　accept　a　little　present；　at　least？〃　With　those　words　he　took　from　the　breast…pocket　of　his　dressing…gown　an　enameled　cross　attached　to　a　gold　chain。　〃Think　of　me　sometimes；〃　he　said；　as　he　put　the　chain　round　my　neck。　He　drew　me　to　him　gently；　and　kissed　my　forehead。　It　was　too　much　for　me。　〃Don't　cry；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　〃don't　remind　me　of　another　sad　young　face〃

Once　more　he　stopped；　once　more　he　was　thinking　of　the　lost　wife。　I　pulled　down　my　veil；　and　ran　out　of　the　room。

IV。

THE　next　day　I　was　on　my　way　to　the　north。　My　narrative　brightens　againbut　let　us　not　forget　Sir　Gervase　Damian。

I　ask　permission　to　introduce　some　persons　of　distinction：Mrs。　Fosdyke；　of　Carsham　Hall；　widow　of　General　Fosdyke；　also　Master　Frederick；　Miss　Ellen；　and　Miss　Eva；　the　pupils　of　the　new　governess；　also　two　ladies　and　three　gentlemen；　guests　staying　in　the　house。

Discreet　and　dignified；　handsome　and　well…bredsuch　was　my　impression　of　Mrs。　Fosdyke；　while　she　harangued　me　on　the　subject　of　her　children；　and　communicated　her　views　on　education。　Having　heard　the　views　before　from　others；　I　assumed　a　listening　position；　and　privately　formed　my　opinion　of　the　schoolroom。　It　was　large；　lofty；　perfectly　furnished　for　the　purpose；　it　had　a　big　window　and　a　balcony　looking　out　over　the　garden　terrace　and　the　park　beyonda　wonderful　schoolroom；　in　my　limited　experience。　One　of　the　two　doors　which　it　possessed　was　left　open；　and　showed　me　a　sweet　little　bedroom；　with　amber　draperies　and　maplewood　furniture；　devoted　to　myself。　Here　were　wealth　and　liberality；　in　the　harmonious　combination　so　seldom　discovered　by　the　spectator　of　small　means。　I　controlled　my　first　feeling　of　bewilderment　just　in　time　to　answer　Mrs。　Fosdyke　on　the　subject　of　reading　and　recitationviewed　as　minor　accomplishments　which　a　good　governess　might　be　expected　to　teach。

〃While　the　organs　are　young　and　pliable；〃　the　lady　remarked；　〃I　regard　it　as　of　great　importance　to　practice　children　in　the　art　of　reading　aloud；　with　an　agreeable　variety　of　tone　and　correctness　of　emphasis。　Trained　in　this　way；　they　will　produce　a　favorable　impression　on　others；　even　in　ordinary　conversation；　when　they　grow　up。　Poetry；　committed　to　memory　and　recited；　is　a　valuable　means　toward　this　end。　May　I　hope　that　your　studies　have　enabled　you　to　carry　out　my　views？〃

Formal　enough　in　language；　but　courteous　and　kind　in　manner。　I　relieved　Mrs。　Fosdyke　from　anxiety　by　informing　her　that　we　had　a　professor　of　elocution　at　school。　And　then　I　was　left　to　improve　my　acquaintance　with　my　three　pupils。

They　were　fairly　intelligent　children；　the　boy；　as　usual；　being　slower　than　the　girls。　I　did　my　bestwith　many　a　sad　remembrance　of　the　far　dearer　pupils　whom　I　had　leftto　make　them　like　me　and　trust　me；　and　I　succeeded　in　winning　their　confidence。　In　a　week　from　the　time　of　my　arrival　at　Carsham　Hall；　we　began　to　understand　each　other。

The　first　day　in　the　week　was　one　of　our　days　for　reciting　poetry；　in　obedience　to　the　instructions　with　which　I　had　been　favored　by　Mrs。　Fosdyke。　I　had　done　with　the　girls；　and　had　just　opened　（perhaps　I　ought　to　say　profaned）　Shakespeare's　〃Julius　Caesar；〃　in　the　elocutionary　interests　of　Master　Freddy。　Half　of　Mark　Antony's　first　glorious　speech　over　Caesar's　dead　body　he　had　learned　by　heart；　and　it　was　now　my　duty　to　teach　him；　to　the　best　of　my　small　ability；　how　to　speak　it。　The　morning　was　warm。　We　had　our　big　window　open；　the　delicious　perfume　of　flowers　in　the　garden　beneath　filled　the　room。

I　recited　the　first　eight　lines；　and　stopped　there　feeling　that　I　must　not　exact　too　much　from　the　boy　at　first。　〃Now；　Freddy；〃　I　said；　〃try　if　you　can　speak　the　poetry　as　I　have　spoken　it。〃

〃Don't　do　anything　of　the　kind；　Freddy；〃　said　a　voice　from　the　garden；　〃it's　all　spoken　wrong。〃

Who　was　this　insolent　person？　A　man　unquestionablyand；　strange　to　say；　there　was　something　not　entirely　unfamiliar　to　me　in　his　voice。　The　girls　began　to　giggle。　Their　brother　was　more　explicit。　〃Oh；〃　says　Freddy；　〃it's　only　Mr。　Sax。〃

The　one　becoming　course　to　pursue　was　to　take　no　notice　of　the　interruption。　〃Go　on；〃　I　said。　Freddy　recited　the　lines；　like　a　dear　good　boy；　with　as　near　an　imitation　of　my　style　of　elocution　as　could　be　expected　from　him。

〃Poor　devil！〃　cried　the　voice　from　the　garden；　insolently　pitying　my　attentive　pupil。

I　imposed　silence　on　the　girls　by　a　lookand　then；　without　stirring　from　my　chair；　expressed　my　sense　of　the　insolence　of　Mr。　Sax　in　clear　and　commanding　tones。　〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　close　the　window　if　this　is　repeated。〃　Having　spoken　to　that　effect；　I　waited　in　expectation　of　an　apology。　Silence　was　the　only　apology。　It　was　enough　for　me　that　I　had　produced　the　right　impression。　I　went　on　with　my　recitation。

　　　　　　　　　　　〃Here；　under　leave　of　Brutus；　and　the　rest　　　　　　　　　　　　（For　Brutus　is　an　honorable　man；　　　　　　　　　　　　So　are　they　all；　all　honorable　men）；　　　　　　　　　　　　Come　I　to　speak　in　Caesar's　funeral。　　　　　　　　　　　　He　was　my　friend；　faithful　and　just　to　me〃

〃Oh；　good　heavens；　I　can't　stand　_that！_　Why　don't　you　speak　the　last　line　properly？　Listen　to　me。〃

Dignity　is　a　valuable　quality；　especially　in　a　governess。　But　there　are　limits　to　the　most　highly　trained　endurance。　I　bounced　out　into　the　balconyand　there；　on　the　terrace；　smoking　a　cigar；　was　my　lost　stranger　in　the　streets　of　Sandwich！

He　recognized　me；　on　his　side；　the　instant　I　appeared。　〃Oh；　Lord！〃　he　cried　in　tones　of　horror；　and　ran　round　the　corner　of　the　terrace　as　if　my　eyes　had　been　mad　bulls　in　close　pursuit　of　him。　By　this　time　it　is；　I　fear；　useless　for　me　to　set　myself　up　as　a　discreet　person　in　emergencies。　Another　woman　might　have　controlled　herself。　I　burst　into　fits　of　laughter。　Freddy　and　the　girls　joined　me。　For　the　time；　it　was　plainly　useless　to　pursue　the　business　of　education。　I　shut　up　Shakespeare；　and　allowedno；　let　me　tell　the　truth；　encouragedthe　children　to　talk　about　Mr。　Sax。

They　only　seemed　to　know　what　Mr。　Sax　himself　had　told　them。　His　father　and　mother　and　brothers　and　sisters　had　all　died　in　course　of　time。　He　was　the　sixth　and　last　of　the　children；　and　he　had　been　christened　〃Sextus〃　in　consequence；　which　is　Latin　（here　Freddy　interposed）　for　sixth。　Also　christened　〃Cyril〃　（here　the　girls　recovered　the　lead）　by　his　mother's　request；　〃Sextus〃　being　such　a　hideous　name。　And　which　of　his　Christian　names　does　he　use？　You　wouldn't　ask　if　you　knew　him！　〃Sextus；〃　of　course；　because　it　is　the　ugliest。　Sextus　　Sax？　N　ot　the　romantic　sort　of　name　that　one　likes；　when　one　is　a　woman。　But　I　have　no　right　to　be　particular。　My　own　name　（is　it　possible　that　I　have　not　mentioned　it　in　these　pages　yet？）　is　only　Nancy　Morris。　Do　not　despise　meand　let　us　return　to　Mr。　Sax。

Is　he　married？　The　eldest　girl　thought　not。　She　had　heard　mamma　say　to　a　lady；　〃An　old　German　family；　my　dear；　and；　in　spite　of　his　oddities；　an　excellent　man；　but　so　poorbarely　enough　to　live　onand　blurts　out　the　truth；　if　people　ask　his　opinion；　as　if　he　had　twenty　thousand　a　year！〃　〃Your　mamma　knows　him　well；　of　course？〃　〃I　should　think　so；　and　so　do　we。　He　often　comes　here。　They　say　he's　not　good　company　among　grown…up　people。　_We_　think　him　jolly。　He　understands　dolls；　and　he's　the　best　back　at　leap…frog　in　the　whole　of　England。〃　Thus　far　we　had　advanced　in　the　praise　of　Sextus　Sax；　when　one　of　the　maids　came　in　with　a　note　for　me。　She　smiled　mysteriously；　and　said；　〃I'm　to　wait　for　an　answer；　miss。〃

I　opened　the　note；　and　read　these　lines：

〃I　am　so　ashamed　of　myself；　I　daren't　attempt　to　make　my　apologies　personally。　Will　you　accept　my　written　excuses？　Upon　my　honor；　nobody　told　me　when　I　got　here　yesterday　that　you　were　in　the　house。　I　heard　the　recitation；　andcan　you　excuse　my　stupidity？I　thought　it　was　a　stage…struck　housemaid　amusing　herself　with　the　children。　May　I　accompany　you　when　you　go　out　with　the　young　ones　for　your　daily　walk？　One　word　will　do。　Yes　or　no。　Penitently　yoursS。　S。〃

In　my　position；　there　was　but　one　possible　answer　to　this。　Governesses　must　not　make　appointments　with　strange　gentlemeneven　when　the　children　are　present　in　the　capacity　of　witnesses。　I　said；　No。　Am　I　claiming　too　much　for　my　readiness　to　forgive　injuries；　when　I　add　that　I　should　have　preferred　saying　Yes？

We　had　our　early　dinner；　and　then　got　ready　to　go　out　walking　as　usual。　These　pages　contain　a　true　confession。　Let　me　own　that　I　hoped　Mr。　Sax　would　understand　my　refusal；　and　ask　Mrs。　Fosdyke's　leave　to　accompany　us。　Lingering　a　little　as　we　went　downstairs；　I　heard　him　in　the　hallactually　speaking　to　Mrs。　Fosdyke！　What　was　he　saying？　That　darling　boy；　Freddy；　got　into　a　difficulty　with　one　of　his　boot…laces　exactly　at　the　right　moment。　I　could　help　him；　and　listenand　be　sadly　disappointed　by　the　result。　Mr。　Sax　was　offended　with　me。

〃You　needn't　introduce　me　to　the　new　governess；〃　I　heard　him　say。　〃We　have　met　on　a　former　occasion；　and　I　produced　a　disagreeable　impression　on　her。　I　beg　you　will　not　speak　of　me　to　Miss　Morris。〃

Before　Mrs。　Fosdyke　could　say　a　word　in　reply；　Master　Freddy　changed　suddenly　from　a　darling　boy　to　a　detestable　imp。　〃I　say；　Mr。　Sax！〃　he　called　out；　〃Miss　Morris　doesn't　mind　you　a　bitshe　only　laughs　at　you。〃

The　answer　to　this　was　the　sudden　closing　of　a　door。　Mr。　Sax　had　taken　refuge　from　me　in　one　of　the　ground…floor　rooms。　I　was　so　mortified；　I　could　almost　have　cried。

Getting　down　into　the　hall；　we　found　Mrs。　Fosdyke　with　her　garden　hat　on；　and　one　of　the　two　ladies　who　were　staying　in　the　house　（the　unmarried　one）　whispering　to　her　at　the　door　of　the　morning…room。　The　ladyMiss　Melburylooked　at　me　with　a　certain　appearance　of　curiosity　which　I　was　quite　at　a　loss　to　understand；　and　suddenly　turned　away　toward　the　further　end　of　the　hall。

〃I　will　walk　with　you　and　the　children；〃　Mrs。　Fosdyke　said　to　me。　〃Freddy；　you　can　ride　your　tricycle　if　you　like。〃　She　turned　to　the　girls。　〃My　dears；　it's　cool　under　the　trees。　You　may　take　your　skipping…ropes。〃

She　had　evidently　something　special　to　say　to　me；　and　she　had　adopted　the　necessary　measures　for　keeping　the　children　in　front　of　us；　well　out　of　hearing。　Freddy