the way of all flesh-第25章

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little　alteration　he　had　made　in　his　will　simultaneously　with　his
bequest　to　Ernest。　　It　was　rather　hard　to　bear；　especially　as　there
was　no　way　of　conveying　a　bit　of　their　minds　to　the　testator　now
that　he　could　no　longer　hurt　them。　　As　regards　the　boy　himself
anyone　must　see　that　the　bequest　would　be　an　unmitigated　misfortune
to　him。　　To　leave　him　a　small　independence　was　perhaps　the　greatest
injury　which　one　could　inflict　upon　a　young　man。　　It　would　cripple
his　energies；　and　deaden　his　desire　for　active　employment。　　Many　a
youth　was　led　into　evil　courses　by　the　knowledge　that　on　arriving　at
majority　he　would　come　into　a　few　thousands。　　They　might　surely　have
been　trusted　to　have　their　boy's　interests　at　heart；　and　must　be
better　judges　of　those　interests　than　he；　at　twenty…one；　could　be
expected　to　be：　　besides　if　Jonadab；　the　son　of　Rechab's　fatheror
perhaps　it　might　be　simpler　under　the　circumstances　to　say　Rechab　at
onceif　Rechab；　then；　had　left　handsome　legacies　to　his
grandchildrenwhy　Jonadab　might　not　have　found　those　children　so
easy　to　deal　with；　etc。　　〃My　dear；〃　said　Theobald；　after　having
discussed　the　matter　with　Christina　for　the　twentieth　time；　〃my
dear；　the　only　thing　to　guide　and　console　us　under　misfortunes　of
this　kind　is　to　take　refuge　in　practical　work。　　I　will　go　and　pay　a
visit　to　Mrs　Thompson。〃

On　those　days　Mrs　Thompson　would　be　told　that　her　sins　were　all
washed　white；　etc。；　a　little　sooner　and　a　little　more　peremptorily
than　on　others。



CHAPTER　XXII



I　used　to　stay　at　Battersby　for　a　day　or　two　sometimes；　while　my
godson　and　his　brother　and　sister　were　children。　　I　hardly　know　why
I　went；　for　Theobald　and　I　grew　more　and　more　apart；　but　one　gets
into　grooves　sometimes；　and　the　supposed　friendship　between　myself
and　the　Pontifexes　continued　to　exist；　though　it　was　now　little　more
than　rudimentary。　　My　godson　pleased　me　more　than　either　of　the
other　children；　but　he　had　not　much　of　the　buoyancy　of　childhood；
and　was　more　like　a　puny；　sallow　little　old　man　than　I　liked。　　The
young　people；　however；　were　very　ready　to　be　friendly。

I　remember　Ernest　and　his　brother　hovered　round　me　on　the　first　day
of　one　of　these　visits　with　their　hands　full　of　fading　flowers；
which　they　at　length　proffered　me。　　On　this　I　did　what　I　suppose　was
expected：　　I　inquired　if　there　was　a　shop　near　where　they　could　buy
sweeties。　　They　said　there　was；　so　I　felt　in　my　pockets；　but　only
succeeded　in　finding　two　pence　halfpenny　in　small　money。　　This　I
gave　them；　and　the　youngsters；　aged　four　and　three；　toddled　off
alone。　　Ere　long　they　returned；　and　Ernest　said；　〃We　can't　get
sweeties　for　all　this　money〃　（I　felt　rebuked；　but　no　rebuke　was
intended）；　〃we　can　get　sweeties　for　this〃　（showing　a　penny）；　〃and
for　this〃　（showing　another　penny）；　〃but　we　cannot　get　them　for　all
this；〃　and　he　added　the　halfpenny　to　the　two　pence。　　I　suppose　they
had　wanted　a　twopenny　cake；　or　something　like　that。　　I　was　amused；
and　left　them　to　solve　the　difficulty　their　own　way；　being　anxious
to　see　what　they　would　do。

Presently　Ernest　said；　〃May　we　give　you　back　this〃　（showing　the
halfpenny）　〃and　not　give　you　back　this　and　this？〃　（showing　the
pence）。　　I　assented；　and　they　gave　a　sigh　of　relief　and　went　on
their　way　rejoicing。　　A　few　more　presents　of　pence　and　small　toys
completed　the　conquest；　and　they　began　to　take　me　into　their
confidence。

They　told　me　a　good　deal　which　I　am　afraid　I　ought　not　to　have
listened　to。　　They　said　that　if　grandpapa　had　lived　longer　he　would
most　likely　have　been　made　a　Lord；　and　that　then　papa　would　have
been　the　Honourable　and　Reverend；　but　that　grandpapa　was　now　in
heaven　singing　beautiful　hymns　with　grandmamma　Allaby　to　Jesus
Christ；　who　was　very　fond　of　them；　and　that　when　Ernest　was　ill；　his
mamma　had　told　him　he　need　not　be　afraid　of　dying　for　he　would　go
straight　to　heaven；　if　he　would　only　be　sorry　for　having　done　his
lessons　so　badly　and　vexed　his　dear　papa；　and　if　he　would　promise
never；　never　to　vex　him　any　more；　and　that　when　he　got　to　heaven
grandpapa　and　grandmamma　Allaby　would　meet　him；　and　he　would　be
always　with　them；　and　they　would　be　very　good　to　him　and　teach　him
to　sing　ever　such　beautiful　hymns；　more　beautiful　by　far　than　those
which　he　was　now　so　fond　of；　etc。；　etc。；　but　he　did　not　wish　to　die；
and　was　glad　when　he　got　better；　for　there　were　no　kittens　in
heaven；　and　he　did　not　think　there　were　cowslips　to　make　cowslip　tea
with。

Their　mother　was　plainly　disappointed　in　them。　　〃My　children　are
none　of　them　geniuses；　Mr　Overton；〃　she　said　to　me　at　breakfast　one
morning。　　〃They　have　fair　abilities；　and；　thanks　to　Theobald's
tuition；　they　are　forward　for　their　years；　but　they　have　nothing
like　genius：　　genius　is　a　thing　apart　from　this；　is　it　not？〃

Of　course　I　said　it　was　〃a　thing　quite　apart　from　this；〃　but　if　my
thoughts　had　been　laid　bare；　they　would　have　appeared　as　〃Give　me　my
coffee　immediately；　ma'am；　and　don't　talk　nonsense。〃　　I　have　no　idea
what　genius　is；　but　so　far　as　I　can　form　any　conception　about　it；　I
should　say　it　was　a　stupid　word　which　cannot　be　too　soon　abandoned
to　scientific　and　literary　claqueurs。

I　do　not　know　exactly　what　Christina　expected；　but　I　should　imagine
it　was　something　like　this：　　〃My　children　ought　to　be　all　geniuses；
because　they　are　mine　and　Theobald's；　and　it　is　naughty　of　them　not
to　be；　but；　of　course；　they　cannot　be　so　good　and　clever　as　Theobald
and　I　were；　and　if　they　show　signs　of　being　so　it　will　be　naughty　of
them。　　Happily；　however；　they　are　not　this；　and　yet　it　is　very
dreadful　that　they　are　not。　　As　for　geniushoity…toity；　indeed
why；　a　genius　should　turn　intellectual　summersaults　as　soon　as　it　is
born；　and　none　of　my　children　have　yet　been　able　to　get　into　the
newspapers。　　I　will　not　have　children　of　mine　give　themselves　airs
it　is　enough　for　them　that　Theobald　and　I　should　do　so。〃

She　did　not　know；　poor　woman；　that　the　true　greatness　wears　an
invisible　cloak；　under　cover　of　which　it　goes　in　and　out　among　men
without　being　suspected；　if　its　cloak　does　not　conceal　it　from
itself　always；　and　from　all　others　for　many　years；　its　greatness
will　ere　long　shrink　to　very　ordinary　dimensions。　　What；　then；　it
may　be　asked；　is　the　good　of　being　great？　　The　answer　is　that　you
may　understand　greatness　better　in　others；　whether　alive　or　dead；
and　choose　better　company　from　these　and　enjoy　and　understand　that
company　better　when　you　have　chosen　italso　that　you　may　be　able　to
give　pleasure　to　the　best　people　and　live　in　the　lives　of　those　who
are　yet　unborn。　　This；　one　would　think；　was　substantial　gain　enough
for　greatness　without　its　wanting　to　ride　rough…shod　over　us；　even
when　disguised　as　humility。

I　was　there　on　a　Sunday；　and　observed　the　rigour　with　which　the
young　people　were　taught　to　observe　the　Sabbath；　they　might　not　cut
out　things；　nor　use　their　paintbox　on　a　Sunday；　and　this　they
thought　rather　hard；　because　their　cousins　the　John　Pontifexes　might
do　these　things。　　Their　cousins　might　play　with　their　toy　train　on
Sunday；　but　though　they　had　promised　that　they　would　run　none　but
Sunday　trains；　all　traffic　had　been　prohibited。　　One　treat　only　was
allowed　themon　Sunday　evenings　they　might　choose　their　own　hymns。

In　the　course　of　the　evening　they　came　into　the　drawing…room；　and；
as　an　especial　treat；　were　to　sing　some　of　their　hymns　to　me；
instead　of　saying　them；　so　that　I　might　hear　how　nicely　they　sang。
Ernest　was　to　choose　the　first　hymn；　and　he　chose　one　about　some
people　who　were　to　come　to　the　sunset　tree。　　I　am　no　botanist；　and
do　not　know　what　kind　of　tree　a　sunset　tree　is；　but　the　words　began；
〃Come；　come；　come；　come　to　the　sunset　tree　for　the　day　is　past　and
gone。〃　　The　tune　was　rather　pretty　and　had　taken　Ernest's　fancy；　for
he　was　unusually　fond　of　music　and　had　a　sweet　little　child's　voice
which　he　liked　using。

He　was；　however；　very　late　in　being　able　to　sound　a　hard　it　〃c〃　or
〃k；〃　and；　instead　of　saying　〃Come；〃　he　said　〃Tum　tum；　tum。〃

〃Ernest；〃　said　Theobald；　from　the　arm…chair　in　front　of　the　fire；
where　he　was　sitting　with　his　hands　folded　before　him；　〃don't　you
think　it　would　be　very　nice　if　you　wer