the holly-tree-第9章

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soldiers；at　least；　he　knows　that　many　such　was　found　in　the　fire…

place；　all　on　horseback。　　In　the　course　of　the　morning；　Master　Harry

rang　the　bell；it　was　surprising　how　that　there　boy　did　carry　on；

and　said；　in　a　sprightly　way；　〃Cobbs；　is　there　any　good　walks　in

this　neighbourhood？〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs。　　〃There's　Love　Lane。〃



〃Get　out　with　you；　Cobbs！〃that　was　that　there　boy's　expression；

〃you're　joking。〃



〃Begging　your　pardon；　sir；〃　says　Cobbs；　〃there　really　is　Love　Lane。

And　a　pleasant　walk　it　is；　and　proud　shall　I　be　to　show　it　to

yourself　and　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；　Junior。〃



〃Norah；　dear；〃　said　Master　Harry；　〃this　is　curious。　　We　really　ought

to　see　Love　Lane。　　Put　on　your　bonnet；　my　sweetest　darling；　and　we

will　go　there　with　Cobbs。〃



Boots　leaves　me　to　judge　what　a　Beast　he　felt　himself　to　be；　when

that　young　pair　told　him；　as　they　all　three　jogged　along　together；

that　they　had　made　up　their　minds　to　give　him　two　thousand　guineas　a

year　as　head…gardener；　on　accounts　of　his　being　so　true　a　friend　to

'em。　　Boots　could　have　wished　at　the　moment　that　the　earth　would

have　opened　and　swallowed　him　up；　he　felt　so　mean；　with　their

beaming　eyes　a　looking　at　him；　and　believing　him。　　Well；　sir；　he

turned　the　conversation　as　well　as　he　could；　and　he　took　'em　down

Love　Lane　to　the　water…meadows；　and　there　Master　Harry　would　have

drowned　himself　in　half　a　moment　more；　a　getting　out　a　water…lily

for　her；but　nothing　daunted　that　boy。　　Well；　sir；　they　was　tired

out。　　All　being　so　new　and　strange　to　'em；　they　was　tired　as　tired

could　be。　　And　they　laid　down　on　a　bank　of　daisies；　like　the

children　in　the　wood；　leastways　meadows；　and　fell　asleep。



Boots　don't　knowperhaps　I　do；but　never　mind；　it　don't　signify

either　waywhy　it　made　a　man　fit　to　make　a　fool　of　himself　to　see

them　two　pretty　babies　a　lying　there　in　the　clear　still　sunny　day；

not　dreaming　half　so　hard　when　they　was　asleep　as　they　done　when

they　was　awake。　　But；　Lord！　when　you　come　to　think　of　yourself；　you

know；　and　what　a　game　you　have　been　up　to　ever　since　you　was　in　your

own　cradle；　and　what　a　poor　sort　of　a　chap　you　are；　and　how　it's

always　either　Yesterday　with　you；　or　else　To…morrow；　and　never　To…

day；　that's　where　it　is！



Well；　sir；　they　woke　up　at　last；　and　then　one　thing　was　getting

pretty　clear　to　Boots；　namely；　that　Mrs。　Harry　Walmerses；　Junior's；

temper　was　on　the　move。　　When　Master　Harry　took　her　round　the　waist；

she　said　he　〃teased　her　so；〃　and　when　he　says；　〃Norah；　my　young　May

Moon；　your　Harry　tease　you？〃　she　tells　him；　〃Yes；　and　I　want　to　go

home！〃



A　biled　fowl；　and　baked　bread…and…butter　pudding；　brought　Mrs。

Walmers　up　a　little；　but　Boots　could　have　wished；　he　must　privately

own　to　me；　to　have　seen　her　more　sensible　of　the　woice　of　love；　and

less　abandoning　of　herself　to　currants。　　However；　Master　Harry；　he

kept　up；　and　his　noble　heart　was　as　fond　as　ever。　　Mrs。　Walmers

turned　very　sleepy　about　dusk；　and　began　to　cry。　　Therefore；　Mrs。

Walmers　went　off　to　bed　as　per　yesterday；　and　Master　Harry　ditto

repeated。



About　eleven　or　twelve　at　night　comes　back　the　Governor　in　a　chaise；

along　with　Mr。　Walmers　and　a　elderly　lady。　　Mr。　Walmers　looks　amused

and　very　serious；　both　at　once；　and　says　to　our　missis；　〃We　are　much

indebted　to　you；　ma'am；　for　your　kind　care　of　our　little　children；

which　we　can　never　sufficiently　acknowledge。　　Pray；　ma'am；　where　is

my　boy？〃　　Our　missis　says；　〃Cobbs　has　the　dear　child　in　charge；　sir。

Cobbs；　show　Forty！〃　　Then　he　says　to　Cobbs；　〃Ah；　Cobbs；　I　am　glad　to

see　you！　　I　understood　you　was　here！〃　　And　Cobbs　says；　〃Yes；　sir。

Your　most　obedient；　sir。〃



I　may　be　surprised　to　hear　Boots　say　it；　perhaps；　but　Boots　assures

me　that　his　heart　beat　like　a　hammer；　going　up…stairs。　　〃I　beg　your

pardon；　sir；〃　says　he；　while　unlocking　the　door；　〃I　hope　you　are　not

angry　with　Master　Harry。　　For　Master　Harry　is　a　fine　boy；　sir；　and

will　do　you　credit　and　honour。〃　　And　Boots　signifies　to　me；　that；　if

the　fine　boy's　father　had　contradicted　him　in　the　daring　state　of

mind　in　which　he　then　was；　he　thinks　he　should　have　〃fetched　him　a

crack；〃　and　taken　the　consequences。



But　Mr。　Walmers　only　says；　〃No；　Cobbs。　　No；　my　good　fellow。　　Thank

you！〃　　And；　the　door　being　opened；　goes　in。



Boots　goes　in　too；　holding　the　light；　and　he　sees　Mr。　Walmers　go　up

to　the　bedside；　bend　gently　down；　and　kiss　the　little　sleeping　face。

Then　he　stands　looking　at　it　for　a　minute；　looking　wonderfully　like

it　（they　do　say　he　ran　away　with　Mrs。　Walmers）；　and　then　he　gently

shakes　the　little　shoulder。



〃Harry；　my　dear　boy！　　Harry！〃



Master　Harry　starts　up　and　looks　at　him。　　Looks　at　Cobbs　too。　　Such

is　the　honour　of　that　mite；　that　he　looks　at　Cobbs；　to　see　whether

he　has　brought　him　into　trouble。



〃I　am　not　angry；　my　child。　　I　only　want　you　to　dress　yourself　and

come　home。〃



〃Yes；　pa。〃



Master　Harry　dresses　himself　quickly。　　His　breast　begins　to　swell

when　he　has　nearly　finished；　and　it　swells　more　and　more　as　he

stands；　at　last；　a　looking　at　his　father：　　his　father　standing　a

looking　at　him；　the　quiet　image　of　him。



〃Please　may　I〃the　spirit　of　that　little　creatur；　and　the　way　he

kept　his　rising　tears　down！〃please；　dear　pamay　Ikiss　Norah

before　I　go？〃



〃You　may；　my　child。〃



So　he　takes　Master　Harry　in　his　hand；　and　Boots　leads　the　way　with

the　candle；　and　they　come　to　that　other　bedroom；　where　the　elderly

lady　is　seated　by　the　bed；　and　poor　little　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；

Junior；　is　fast　asleep。　　There　the　father　lifts　the　child　up　to　the

pillow；　and　he　lays　his　little　face　down　for　an　instant　by　the

little　warm　face　of　poor　unconscious　little　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；

Junior；　and　gently　draws　it　to　him；a　sight　so　touching　to　the

chambermaids　who　are　peeping　through　the　door；　that　one　of　them

calls　out；　〃It's　a　shame　to　part　'em！〃　　But　this　chambermaid　was

always；　as　Boots　informs　me；　a　soft…hearted　one。　　Not　that　there　was

any　harm　in　that　girl。　　Far　from　it。



Finally；　Boots　says；　that's　all　about　it。　　Mr。　Walmers　drove　away　in

the　chaise；　having　hold　of　Master　Harry's　hand。　　The　elderly　lady

and　Mrs。　Harry　Walmers；　Junior；　that　was　never　to　be　（she　married　a

Captain　long　afterwards；　and　died　in　India）；　went　off　next　day。　　In

conclusion；　Boots　put　it　to　me　whether　I　hold　with　him　in　two

opinions：　　firstly；　that　there　are　not　many　couples　on　their　way　to

be　married　who　are　half　as　innocent　of　guile　as　those　two　children；

secondly；　that　it　would　be　a　jolly　good　thing　for　a　great　many

couples　on　their　way　to　be　married；　if　they　could　only　be　stopped　in

time；　and　brought　back　separately。







THIRD　BRANCHTHE　BILL







I　had　been　snowed　up　a　whole　week。　　The　time　had　hung　so　lightly　on

my　hands；　that　I　should　have　been　in　great　doubt　of　the　fact　but　for

a　piece　of　documentary　evidence　that　lay　upon　my　table。



The　road　had　been　dug　out　of　the　snow　on　the　previous　day；　and　the

document　in　question　was　my　bill。　　It　testified　emphatically　to　my

having　eaten　and　drunk；　and　warmed　myself；　and　slept　among　the

sheltering　branches　of　the　Holly…Tree；　seven　days　and　nights。



I　had　yesterday　allowed　the　road　twenty…four　hours　to　improve

itself；　finding　that　I　required　that　additional　margin　of　time　for

the　completion　of　my　task。　　I　had　ordered　my　Bill　to　be　upon　the

table；　and　a　chaise　to　be　at　the　door；　〃at　eight　o'clock　to…morrow

evening。〃　　It　was　eight　o'clock　to…morrow　evening　when　I　buckled　up

my　travelling　writing…desk　in　its　leather　case；　paid　my　Bill；　and

got　on　my　warm　coats　and　wrappers。　　Of　course；　no　time　now　remained

for　my　travelling　on　to　add　a　frozen　tear　to　the　icicles　which　were

doubtless　hanging　plentifully　about　the　farmhouse　where　I　had　first

seen　Angela。　　What　I　had　to　do　was　to　get　across　to　Liverpool　by　the

shortest　open　road；　there　to　meet　my　heavy　baggage　and　embark。　　It

was　quite　enough　to　do；　and　I　had　not　an　hour　too　muc