the way of all flesh-第104章

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want　to　find　out　how　these　people　live；　and　have　lived；　and　what
their　customs　are。

〃I　have　very　vague　notions　upon　the　subject　as　yet；　but　the　general
impression　I　have　formed　is　that；　putting　ourselves　on　one　side；　the
most　vigorous　and　amiable　of　known　nations　are　the　modern　Italians；
the　old　Greeks　and　Romans；　and　the　South　Sea　Islanders。　　I　believe
that　these　nice　peoples　have　not　as　a　general　rule　been　purists；　but
I　want　to　see　those　of　them　who　can　yet　be　seen；　they　are　the
practical　authorities　on　the　questionWhat　is　best　for　man？　and　I
should　like　to　see　them　and　find　out　what　they　do。　　Let　us　settle
the　fact　first　and　fight　about　the　moral　tendencies　afterwards。〃

〃In　fact；〃　said　I　laughingly；　〃you　mean　to　have　high　old　times。〃

〃Neither　higher　nor　lower；〃　was　the　answer；　〃than　those　people　whom
I　can　find　to　have　been　the　best　in　all　ages。　　But　let　us　change　the
subject。〃　　He　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket　and　brought　out　a　letter。
〃My　father；〃　he　said；　〃gave　me　this　letter　this　morning　with　the
seal　already　broken。〃　　He　passed　it　over　to　me；　and　I　found　it　to　be
the　one　which　Christina　had　written　before　the　birth　of　her　last
child；　and　which　I　have　given　in　an　earlier　chapter。

〃And　you　do　not　find　this　letter；〃　said　I；　〃affect　the　conclusion
which　you　have　just　told　me　you　have　come　to　concerning　your　present
plans？〃

He　smiled；　and　answered：　　〃No。　　But　if　you　do　what　you　have
sometimes　talked　about　and　turn　the　adventures　of　my　unworthy　self
into　a　novel；　mind　you　print　this　letter。〃

〃Why　so？〃　said　I；　feeling　as　though　such　a　letter　as　this　should
have　been　held　sacred　from　the　public　gaze。

〃Because　my　mother　would　have　wished　it　published；　if　she　had　known
you　were　writing　about　me　and　had　this　letter　in　your　possession；
she　would　above　all　things　have　desired　that　you　should　publish　it。
Therefore　publish　it　if　you　write　at　all。〃

This　is　why　I　have　done　so。

Within　a　month　Ernest　carried　his　intention　into　effect；　and　having
made　all　the　arrangements　necessary　for　his　children's　welfare　left
England　before　Christmas。

I　heard　from　him　now　and　again　and　learnt　that　he　was　visiting
almost　all　parts　of　the　world；　but　only　staying　in　those　places
where　he　found　the　inhabitants　unusually　good…looking　and　agreeable。
He　said　he　had　filled　an　immense　quantity　of　note…books；　and　I　have
no　doubt　he　had。　　At　last　in　the　spring　of　1867　he　returned；　his
luggage　stained　with　the　variation　of　each　hotel　advertisement
'twixt　here　and　Japan。　　He　looked　very　brown　and　strong；　and　so　well
favoured　that　it　almost　seemed　as　if　he　must　have　caught　some　good
looks　from　the　people　among　whom　he　had　been　living。　　He　came　back
to　his　old　rooms　in　the　Temple；　and　settled　down　as　easily　as　if　he
had　never　been　away　a　day。

One　of　the　first　things　we　did　was　to　go　and　see　the　children；　we
took　the　train　to　Gravesend；　and　walked　thence　for　a　few　miles　along
the　riverside　till　we　came　to　the　solitary　house　where　the　good
people　lived　with　whom　Ernest　had　placed　them。　　It　was　a　lovely
April　morning；　but　with　a　fresh　air　blowing　from　off　the　sea；　the
tide　was　high；　and　the　river　was　alive　with　shipping　coming　up　with
wind　and　tide。　　Sea…gulls　wheeled　around　us　overhead；　sea…weed　clung
everywhere　to　the　banks　which　the　advancing　tide　had　not　yet
covered；　everything　was　of　the　sea　sea…ey；　and　the　fine　bracing　air
which　blew　over　the　water　made　me　feel　more　hungry　than　I　had　done
for　many　a　day；　I　did　not　see　how　children　could　live　in　a　better
physical　atmosphere　than　this；　and　applauded　the　selection　which
Ernest　had　made　on　behalf　of　his　youngsters。

While　we　were　still　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off　we　heard　shouts　and
children's　laughter；　and　could　see　a　lot　of　boys　and　girls　romping
together　and　running　after　one　another。　　We　could　not　distinguish
our　own　two；　but　when　we　got　near　they　were　soon　made　out；　for　the
other　children　were　blue…eyed；　flaxen…pated　little　folks；　whereas
ours　were　dark　and　straight…haired。

We　had　written　to　say　that　we　were　coming；　but　had　desired　that
nothing　should　be　said　to　the　children；　so　these　paid　no　more
attention　to　us　than　they　would　have　done　to　any　other　stranger；　who
happened　to　visit　a　spot　so　unfrequented　except　by　sea…faring　folk；
which　we　plainly　were　not。　　The　interest；　however；　in　us　was　much
quickened　when　it　was　discovered　that　we　had　got　our　pockets　full　of
oranges　and　sweeties；　to　an　extent　greater　than　it　had　entered　into
their　small　imaginations　to　conceive　as　possible。　　At　first　we　had
great　difficulty　in　making　them　come　near　us。　　They　were　like　a　lot
of　wild　young　colts；　very　inquisitive；　but　very　coy　and　not　to　be
cajoled　easily。　　The　children　were　nine　in　allfive　boys　and　two
girls　belonging　to　Mr　and　Mrs　Rollings；　and　two　to　Ernest。　　I　never
saw　a　finer　lot　of　children　than　the　young　Rollings；　the　boys　were
hardy；　robust；　fearless　little　fellows　with　eyes　as　clear　as　hawks；
the　elder　girl　was　exquisitely　pretty；　but　the　younger　one　was　a
mere　baby。　　I　felt　as　I　looked　at　them；　that　if　I　had　had　children
of　my　own　I　could　have　wished　no　better　home　for　them；　nor　better
companions。

Georgie　and　Alice；　Ernest's　two　children；　were　evidently　quite　as
one　family　with　the　others；　and　called　Mr　and　Mrs　Rollings　uncle　and
aunt。　　They　had　been　so　young　when　they　were　first　brought　to　the
house　that　they　had　been　looked　upon　in　the　light　of　new　babies　who
had　been　born　into　the　family。　　They　knew　nothing　about　Mr　and　Mrs
Rollings　being　paid　so　much　a　week　to　look　after　them。　　Ernest　asked
them　all　what　they　wanted　to　be。　　They　had　only　one　idea；　one　and
all；　Georgie　among　the　rest；　wanted　to　be　bargemen。　　Young　ducks
could　hardly　have　a　more　evident　hankering　after　the　water。

〃And　what　do　you　want；　Alice？〃　said　Ernest。

〃Oh；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　going　to　marry　Jack　here；　and　be　a　bargeman's
wife。〃

Jack　was　the　eldest　boy；　now　nearly　twelve；　a　sturdy　little　fellow；
the　image　of　what　Mr　Rollings　must　have　been　at　his　age。　　As　we
looked　at　him；　so　straight　and　well　grown　and　well　done　all　round；　I
could　see　it　was　in　Ernest's　mind　as　much　as　in　mine　that　she　could
hardly　do　much　better。

〃Come　here；　Jack；　my　boy；〃　said　Ernest；　〃here's　a　shilling　for　you。〃
The　boy　blushed　and　could　hardly　be　got　to　come　in　spite　of　our
previous　blandishments；　he　had　had　pennies　given　him　before；　but
shillings　never。　　His　father　caught　him　good…naturedly　by　the　ear
and　lugged　him　to　us。

〃He's　a　good　boy；　Jack　is；〃　said　Ernest　to　Mr　Rollings；　〃I'm　sure　of
that。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr　Rollings；　〃he's　a　werry　good　boy；　only　that　I　can't
get　him　to　learn　his　reading　and　writing。　　He　don't　like　going　to
school；　that's　the　only　complaint　I　have　against　him。　　I　don't　know
what's　the　matter　with　all　my　children；　and　yours；　Mr　Pontifex；　is
just　as　bad；　but　they　none　of　'em　likes　book　learning；　though　they
learn　anything　else　fast　enough。　　Why；　as　for　Jack　here；　he's　almost
as　good　a　bargeman　as　I　am。〃　　And　he　looked　fondly　and　patronisingly
towards　his　offspring。

〃I　think；〃　said　Ernest　to　Mr　Rollings；　〃if　he　wants　to　marry　Alice
when　he　gets　older　he　had　better　do　so；　and　he　shall　have　as　many
barges　as　he　likes。　　In　the　meantime；　Mr　Rollings；　say　in　what　way
money　can　be　of　use　to　you；　and　whatever　you　can　make　useful　is　at
your　disposal。〃

I　need　hardly　say　that　Ernest　made　matters　easy　for　this　good
couple；　one　stipulation；　however；　he　insisted　on；　namely；　there　was
to　be　no　more　smuggling；　and　that　the　young　people　were　to　be　kept
out　of　this；　for　a　little　bird　had　told　Ernest　that　smuggling　in　a
quiet　way　was　one　of　the　resources　of　the　Rollings　family。　　Mr
Rollings　was　not　sorry　to　assent　to　this；　and　I　believe　it　is　now
many　years　since　the　coastguard　people　have　suspected　any　of　the
Rollings　family　as　offenders　against　the　revenue　law。

〃Why　should　I　take　them　from　where　they　are；〃　said　Ernest　to　me　in
the　train　as　we　went　home；　〃to　send　them　to　schools　where　they　will
not　be　one　half　so　happy；　and　where　their　illegitimacy　will　very
likely　be　a　worry　to　them？　　Georgie　wants　to　be　a　bargeman；　let　him
begin　as　one；　the　sooner　the　better；　he　may　as　well　begin　with　this
as　with　anything