put yourself in his place-第15部分

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　forgers　in　Hillsborough　do；　he　regularly　worships　me；　and　comes　blushing　up　to　the　farm…house　after　hours；　to　ask　after　me　and　get　a　word　with　me。　　He　is　the　best　whistler　in　the　parish；　and　sometimes　we　march　down　the　village　at　night；　arm…in…arm；　whistling　a　duet。　　This　charms　the　natives　so　that　we　could　take　the　whole　village　out　at　our　heels；　and　put　them　down　in　another　parish。　　But　the　droll　thing　is；　they　will　not　take　me　for　what　I　am。　　My　gentle　giant　would　say　'Sir'　till　I　pretended　to　be　affronted；　the　women　and　girls　will　bob　me　courtesies；　and　the　men　and　white　headed　boys　will　take　off　their　hats　and　pull　their　front　hair　to　me。　　If　a　skilled　workman　wants　to　burst　with　vanity；　let　him　settle　in　Cairnhope。〃

＇EXTRACT＇

〃Martha　Dence　and　I　have　had　words；　and　what　do　you　think　it　was　about？　　I　happened　to　let　out　my　opinion　of　Mr。　Raby。　　Mother；　it　was　like　setting　a　match　to　a　barrel　of　gunpowder。　　She　turned　as　red　as　fire；　and　said；　'Who　be　you　that　speaks　against　Raby　to　Dence？'

〃I　tried　to　pacify　her；　but　it　was　no　use。　　'Don't　speak　to　me；'　said　she。　　'I　thought　better　of　you。　　You　and　I　are　out。'　　I　bowed　before　the　storm；　and；　to　give　her　time　to　cool；　I　obeyed　your　wishes；　and　walked　to　Cairnhope　old　church。　　What　a　curious　place！　But　I　could　not　get　in；　and；　on　my　return；　I　found　Mr。　Raby　keeps　the　key。　　Now；　you　can't　do　a　thing　here；　or　say　a　word；　but　what　it　is　known　all　over　the　village。　　So　Martha　Dence　meets　me　at　the　door；　and　says；　very　stiffly；　she　thought　I　might　have　told　her　I　wanted　to　see　the　old　church。　　I　pulled　a　long；　penitent　face；　and　said；　'Yes；　but　unfortunately；　I　was　out　of　her　good　books；　and　had　orders　not　to　speak　to　her。'　　'Nay；'　says　she；　'life　is　too　short　for　long　quarrels。　　You　are　a　stranger；　and　knew　no　better。'　　Then　she　told　me　to　wait　five　minutes　while　she　put　on　her　bonnet；　as　she　calls　it。　　Well；　I　waited　the　five　and…forty　minutes；　and　she　put　on　her　bonnet；　and　so　many　other　smart　things；　that　we　couldn't　possibly　walk　straight　up　to　the　old　church。　　We　had　to　go　round　by　the　butcher's　shop；　and　order　half　a　pound　of　suet；　no　less。　　'And　bring　it　yourself；　this　evening；'　said　I；　'or　it　might　get　lost　on　the　road。'　　Says　the　butcher；　'Well；　sir；　that　is　the　first　piece　of　friendly　advice　any　good　Christian　has　bestowed'　　But　I　heard　no　more；　owing　to　Martha　chasing　me　out　of　the　shop。

〃To　reach　the　old　church　we　had　to　pass　the　old　ruffian's　door。　Martha　went　in；　I　sauntered　on；　and　she　soon　came　after　me；　with　the　key　in　her　hand。　　'But；'　said　she；　'he　told　me　if　my　name　hadn't　been　Dence　he　wouldn't　trust　me　with　it；　though　I　went　on　my　bended　knees。'

〃We　opened　the　church…door；　and　I　spent　an　hour　inside；　examining　and　copying　inscriptions　for　you。　　But；　when　I　came　to　take　up　a　loose　brass；　to　try　and　decipher　it；　Martha　came　screaming　at　me；　'Oh；　put　it　down！　put　it　down！　　I　pledged　my　word　to　Squire　you　should　not　touch　them　brasses。'　　What　could　I　do；　mother？　　The　poor　girl　was　in　an　agony。　　This　old　ruffian　has；　somehow；　bewitched　her；　and　her　father　too；　into　a　sort　of　superstitious　devotion　that　I　can't　help　respecting；　unreasonable　as　it　is。　　So　I　dropped　the　brass；　and　took　to　reflecting。　　And　I　give　you　my　thoughts。

〃What　a　pity　and　a　shame　that　a　building　of　this　size　should　lie　idle！　　If　it　was　mine　I　would　carefully　remove　all　the　monuments；　and　the　dead　bones；　et　cetera；　to　the　new　church；　and　turn　this　old　building　into　a　factory；　or　a　set　of　granaries；　or　something　useful。　It　is　as　great　a　sin　to　waste　bricks　and　mortar　as　it　is　bread；〃　etc。


〃MY　DEAR　HARRY；Your　dear　sprightly　letters　delight　me；　and　reconcile　me　to　the　separation；　for　I　see　that　your　health　is　improving　every　day；　by　your　gayety；　and　this　makes　me　happy；　though　I　can　not　quite　be　gay。

〃Your　last　letter　was　very　amusing；　yet；　somehow；　it　set　me　thinking；　long　and　sadly；　and　some　gentle　remarks　from　Dr。　Amboyne　（he　called　yesterday）　have　also　turned　my　mind　the　same　way。　　Time　has　softened　the　terrible　blow　that　estranged　my　brother　and　myself；　and　I　begin　to　ask　myself；　was　my　own　conduct　perfect？　was　my　brother's　quite　without　excuse？　　I　may　have　seen　but　one　side；　and　been　too　hasty　in　judging　him。　　At　all　events；　I　would　have　you；　who　are　a　man；　think　for　yourself；　and　not　rush　into　too　harsh　a　view　of　that　unhappy　quarrel。　　Dearest；　family　quarrels　are　family　misfortunes：　why　should　they　go　down　to　another　generation？　　You　frighten　me；　when　you　wonder　that　Nathan　and　his　family　（I　had　forgotten　his　name　was　Dence）　are　attached　to　Mr。　Raby。　　Why；　with　all　his　faults；　my　brother　is　a　chivalrous；　high…minded　gentleman；　his　word　is　his　bond；　and　he　never　deserts　a　friend；　however　humble；　and　I　have　heard　our　dear　father　say　that；　for　many　generations；　uncommon　acts　of　kindness　had　passed　between　that　family　of　yeomen　and　the　knights　and　squires　of　Raby。

〃And　now；　dear；　I　am　going　to　be　very　foolish。　　But；　if　these　Dences　are　as　great　favorites　with　him　as　they　were　with　my　father；　she　could　easily　get　you　into　the　house　some　day；　when　he　is　out　hunting；　and　I　do　want　you　to　see　one　thing　more　before　you　come　back　from　Cairnhopeyour　mother's　picture。　　It　hangs；　or　used　to　hang；　in　the　great　dining…room；　nearly　opposite　the　fire…place。

〃I　blush　at　my　childishness；　but　I　SHOULD　like　my　child　to　see　what　his　mother　was　when　she　brought　him　into　the　world；　that　sad　world　in　which　he　has　been　her　only　joy　and　consolation。

P。　S。What　an　idea！　　Turn　that　dear　old　church　into　a　factory！　　But　you　are　a　young　man　of　the　day。　　And　a　wonderful　day　it　is；　I　can　not　quite　keep　up　with　it。〃


〃DEAR　MOTHER；I　have　been　there。　　Mr。　Raby　is　a　borough　magistrate；　as　well　as　a　county　justice；　and　was　in　Hillsborough　all　day　to…day。　Martha　Dence　took　me　to　Raby　Hall；　and　her　name　was　a　passport。　When　I　got　to　the　door；　I　felt　as　if　something　pulled　me；　and　said；　'It's　an　enemy's　house；　don't　go　in。'　　I　wish　I　had　obeyed　the　warning；　but　I　did　not。

〃Well；　I　have　seen　your　portrait。　　It　is　lovely；　it　surpasses　any　woman　I　ever　saw。　　And　it　must　have　been　your　image；　for　it　is　very　like　you　now；　only　in　the　bloom　of　your　youth。

〃And　now；　dear　mother；　having　done　something　for　you；　quite　against　my　own　judgment；　and　my　feelings　too；　please　do　something　for　me。　Promise　me　never　to　mention　Mr。　Raby's　name　to　me　again；　by　letter；　or　by　word　of　mouth　either。　　He　is　not　a　gentleman：　he　is　not　a　man；　he　is　a　mean；　spiteful；　cowardly　cur。　　I'll　keep　out　of　his　way；　if　I　can；　but　if　he　gets　in　mine；　I　shall　give　him　a　devilish　good　hiding；　then　and　there；　and　I'll　tell　HIM　the　reason　why；　and　I　will　not　tell　YOU。

〃Dear　mother；　I　did　intend　to　stay　till　Saturday；　but；　after　this；　I　shall　come　back　to　you　to…morrow。　　My　own　sweet　dove　of　a　mammy；　who　but　a　beast　could　hurt　or　affront　you？

〃So　no　more　letters　from　your　dutiful　and　affectionate　son；

〃Harry。〃


Next　day　young　Little　took　leave　of　his　friends　in　Cairnhope；　with　a　promise　to　come　over　some　Sunday；　and　see　them　all。　　He　borrowed　a　hooked　stick　of　his　devotee；　the　blacksmith；　and　walked　off　with　his　little　bundle　over　his　shoulder；　in　high　health　and　spirits；　and　ripe　for　any　thing。

Some　successful　men　are　so　stout…hearted；　their　minds　seem　never　to　flinch。　　Others　are　elastic；　they　give　way；　and　appear　crushed；　but；　let　the　immediate　pressure　be　removed；　they　fly　back　again；　and　their　enemy　finds　he　has　not　gained　an　inch。　　Henry's　was　of　this　sort；　and；　as　he　swung　along　through　the　clear　brisk　air；　the　world　seemed　his　football　once　more。

This　same　morning　Jael　Dence　was　to　go　to　Cairnhope；　at　her　own　request。

She　packed　her　box；　and　corded　it；　and　brought　it　down　herself；　and　put　it　in　the　passage；　and　the　carrier　was　to　call　for　it　at　one。　As　for　herself；　four　miles　of　omnibus；　and　the　other　seven　on　foot；　was　child's　play　to　her；　whose　body　was　as　lusty　and　active　as　her　heart　was　tender　and　clinging。

She　came　in　to　the　drawing…room；　with　her　bonnet　and　shawl　on；　and　the　tear　in　her　eye；　to　bid　Miss　Carden　good…bye。　　Two　male　friends　would　have　parted　in　five　minutes；　but　this　pair　were　a　wonderful　time　separating；　and　still　there　was　always　something　to　say；　that　kept　Grace　detaining；　or　Jael　lingering；　and；　when　she　had　been　going；　going；　going；　for　more　than　half　an　hour；　all　of　a　sudden　she　cried；　out；　〃Oh！　There　he　is！〃　and　flushed　all　over。

〃Who？〃　asked　Grace；　eagerly。

〃The　dark　young　man。　　He　is　at　the　door　now；　miss。　　And　me　going　away；〃　she　faltered。

〃Well　then；　why　go　till　he　has　paid　his　visit？　　Sit　down。　　You　needn't　take　off　your　bonnet。〃

Miss　Carden　then　settled　herself；　took　up　her　work；　and　prepared　to　receive　her　preceptor　as　he　deserved；　an　intention　she　conveyed　to　Jael　by　a　glance；　just　as　Henry　entered　blooming　with　exercise　and　the　keen　air；　and　looking　extremely　handsome　and　happy。

His　reception　was　a　chilling　bow　from　Miss　Carden；　and　from　Jael　a　cheek　blushing　with　pleasure　at　the　bare　sight　of　him；　but　an　earnest　look　of　mild　reproach。　　It　seemed　cruel　of　him　to　stay　away　so　long；　and　then　come　just　as　she　was　going。

This　reception　surprised　Henry；　and　disappointed　him；　however　he　constrained　himself；　and　said　politely；　but　rather　coldly；　that　some　unpleasant　circumstances　had　kept　him　away；　but　he　hoped　now　to　keep　his　time　better。

〃Oh；　pray　consult　your　own　convenience　entirely；〃　said　Miss　Carden。　〃Come　when　you　have　nothing　better　to　do；　that　is　the　understanding。〃

〃I　should　be　always　coming；　at　that　rate。〃

Grace　took　no　notice。　　〃Would　you　like　to　see　how　I　look　with　my　one　eyebrow？〃　said　she。　　〃Jael；　please　fetch　it。〃

While　Jael　was　gone　for　the　bust；　Henry　took　a　humbler　tone；　and　in　a　low　voice　began　to　excuse　his　absence；　and　I　think　he　would　have　told　the　real　truth；　if　he　had　been　encouraged　a　little；　but　he　was　met　with　a　cold　and　withering　assurance　that　it　was　a　matter　of　no　consequence。　　Henry　thought　this　unfair；　and；　knowing　in　his　own　heart　it　was　ungrateful；　he　rebelled。　　He　bit　his　lip；　sat　down　as　gloomy　as　the　grave；　and　resumed　his　work；　silent　and　sullen。

As　for　Jael；　she　brought　in　the　bust；　and　then　sat　down　with　her　bonnet　on；　quaking；　for　she　felt　sure　that；　in　such　a　dismal　dearth　of　conversation；　Miss　Carden　woul