father and son-第37章
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！
clay which could be moulded into fairly tenacious forms。 Here I created a maritime empireislands； a seaboard with harbours； light…houses； fortifications。 My geographical imitativeness had its full swing。 Sometimes； while I was creating； a cart would be driven roughly into the pond； and a horse would drink deep of my ocean； his hooves trampling my archipelagoes and shattering my ports with what was worse than a typhoon。 But I immediately set to work； as soon as the cart was gone and the mud had settled； to tidy up my coastline again and to scoop out anew my harbours。
My pleasure in this sport was endless； and what I was able to see； in my mind's eye； was not the edge of a morass of mud； but a splendid line of coast； and gulfs of the type of Tor Bay。 I do not recollect a sharper double humiliation than when old Sam Lamble； the blacksmith； who was one of the 'saints'； being asked by my Father whether he had met me； replied 'Yes； I zeed 'un up… long； making mud pies in the ro…ad！' What a position for one who had been received into communion 'as an adult'！ What a blot on the scutcheon of a would…be Columbus！ 'Mud…pies'； indeed！
Yet I had an appreciator。 One afternoon； as I was busy on my geographical operations； a good…looking middle…aged lady； with a soft pink cheek and a sparkling hazel eye； paused and asked me if my name was not what it was。 I had seen her before； a stranger to our parts； with a voice without a trace in it of the Devonshire drawl。 I knew； dimly； that she came sometimes to the meeting； that she was lodging at Upton with some friends of ours who accepted paying guests in an old house that was simply a basket of roses。 She was Miss Brightwen； and I now conversed with her for the first time。
Her interest in my harbours and islands was marked； she did not smile； she asked questions about my peninsulas which were intelligent and pertinent。 I was even persuaded at last to leave my creations and to walk with her towards the village。 I was pleased with her voice； her refinements； her dress； which was more delicate； and her manners； which were more easy； than what I was accustomed to； We had some very pleasant conversation； and when we parted I had the satisfaction of feeling that our intercourse had been both agreeable to me and instructive to her。 I told her that I should be glad to tell her more on a future occasion； she thanked me very gravely； and then she laughed a little。 I confess I did not see that there was anything to laugh at。 We parted on warm terms of mutual esteem； but I little thought that this sympathetic Quakerish lady was to become my mother。
CHAPTER X
I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room； and my Father in the ancestral four…poster nearer to the door。 Very early one Father called me over to him。 I climbed up； and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid； and then we held a momentous conversation。 It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma。 I was never a sentimentalist； and I therefore answered； cannily； that that would depend on who she was。 He parried this； and announced that； anyway； a new mamma was coming； I was sure to like her。 Still in a noncommittal mood； I asked： 'Will she go with me to the back of the limekiln？' This question caused my Father a great bewilderment。 I had to explain that the ambition of my life was to go up behind the lime…kiln on the top of the hill that hung over Barton； a spot which was forbidden ground； being locally held one of extreme danger。 'Oh！ I daresay she will；' my Father then said； 'but you must guess who she is。' I guessed one or two of the less comely of the female 'saints'； and； this embarrassing my Father；since the second I mentioned was a married woman who kept a sweet…shop in the village；he cut my inquiries short by saying； 'It is Miss Brightwen。'
So far so good； and I was well pleased。 But unfortunately I remembered that it was my duty to testify 'in season and out of season'。 I therefore asked； with much earnestness； 'But； Papa； is she one of the Lord's children？' He replied； with gravity； that she was。 'Has she taken up her cross in baptism？' I went on； for this was my own strong point as a believer。 My Father looked a little shamefaced； and replied： 'Well； she has not as yet seen the necessity of that； but we must pray that the Lord may make her way clear before her。 You see； she has been brought up； hitherto； in the so…called Church of England。' Our positions were now curiously changed。 It seemed as if it were I who was the jealous monitor； and my Father the deprecating penitent。 I sat up in the coverlid； and I shook a finger at him。 'Papa；' I said； 'don't tell me that she's a pedobaptist？' I had lately acquired that valuable word； and I seized this remarkable opportunity of using it。 It affected my Father painfully； but he repeated his assurance that if we united our prayers； and set the Scripture plan plainly before Miss Brightwen； there could be no doubt that she would see her way to accepting the doctrine of adult baptism。 And he said we must judge not； lest we ourselves bejudged。 I had just enough tact to let that pass； but I was quite aware that our whole system was one of judging； and that we had no intention whatever of being judged ourselves。 Yet even at the age of eleven one sees that on certain occasions to press home the truth is not convenient。
Just before Christmas； on a piercing night of frost； my Father brought to us his bride。 The smartening up of the house； the new furniture； the removal of my own possessions to a private bedroom； the wedding…gifts of the 'saints'； all these things paled in interest before the fact that Miss Marks had made a scene'； in the course of the afternoon。 I was dancing about the drawing…room； and was saying： 'Oh！ I am so glad my new Mamma is coming；' when Miss Marks called out； in an unnatural voice； 'Oh！ you cruel child。' I stopped in amazement and stared at her； whereupon she threw prudence to the winds； and moaned： 'I once thought I should be your dear mamma。' I was simply stupefied； and I expressed my horror in terms that were clear and strong。 Thereupon Miss Marks had a wild fit of hysterics； while I looked on； wholly unsympathetic and still deeply affronted。 She was right； I was cruel； alas！ but then； what a silly woman she had been！ The consequence was that she withdrew in a moist and quivering condition to her boudoir； where she had locked herself in when I； all smiles and caresses； was welcoming the bride and bridegroom on the doorstep as politely as if I had been a valued old family retainer。
My stepmother immediately became a great ally of mine。 She was never a tower of strength to me； but at least she was always a lodge in my garden of cucumbers。 She was a very well…meaning pious lady； but she was not a fanatic； and her mind did not naturally revel in spiritual aspirations。 Almost her only social fault was that she was sometimes a little fretful； this was the way in which her bruised individuality asserted itself。 But she was affectionate； serene； and above all refined。 Her refinement was extraordinarily pleasant to my nerves； on which much else in our surroundings jarred。
How life may have jarred； poor insulated lady； on her during her first experience of our life at the Room； I know not； but I think she was a philosopher。 She had； with surprising rashness； and in opposition to the wishes of every member of her own family； taken her cake； and now she recognized that she must eat it； to the last crumb。 Over her wishes and prejudices my Father exercised a constant； cheerful and quiet pressure。 He was never unkind or abrupt； but he went on adding avoirdupois until her will gave way under the sheer weight。 Even to public immersion； which； as was natural in a shy and sensitive lady of advancing years； she regarded with a horror which was long insurmountable；even to baptism she yielded； and my Father had the joy to announce to the Saints one Sunday morning at the breaking of bread that 'my beloved wife has been able at length to see the Lord's Will in the matter of baptism； and will testify to the faith which is in her on Thursday evening next。' No wonder my stepmother was sometimes fretful。
On the physical side； I owe her an endless debt of grat
