put yourself in his place-第5部分

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ried；　yet　vivid；　and　always　appropriate　to　the　occasion；　grave　or　gay；　playful　or　dignified；　that　her　countenance　made　artificial　faces；　and　giggling　in…the…wrong…place　faces；　painfully　ridiculous。　　As　for　such　faces　as　Jael's；　it　killed　them　on　the　spot；　but　that　was　all。　　Jael's　hair　was　reddish；　and　her　full　eyes　were　gray；　she　was　freckled　a　little　under　the　eyes；　but　the　rest　of　her　cheek　full　of　rich　pure　color；　healthy；　but　not　the　least　coarse：　and　her　neck　an　alabaster　column。　　Hers　was　a　meek；　monotonous　countenance；　but　with　a　certain　look　of　concentration。　　Altogether；　a　humble　beauty　of　the　old　rural　type；　healthy；　cleanly；　simple；　candid；　yet　demure。

Henry　came　in；　and　the　young　lady　received　him　with　a　manner　very　different　from　that　she　had　worn　down　at　the　works。　　She　was　polite；　but　rather　stiff　and　dignified。

He　sat　down　at　her　request；　and；　wondering　at　himself；　entered　on　the　office　of　preceptor。　　He　took　up　the　carving…tools；　and　explained　the　use　of　several；　then　offered；　by　way　of　illustration；　to　work　on　something。

〃That　will　be　the　best　way；　much；〃　said　Grace　quietly；　but　her　eye　sparkled。

〃I　dare　say　there's　some　lumber　to　be　found　in　a　great　house　like　this？〃

〃Lumber？　why；　there's　a　large　garret　devoted　to　it。　　Jael；　please　take　him　to　the　lumber…room。〃

Jael　fixed　her　needle　in　her　work；　and　laid　it　down　gently　on　a　table　near　her；　then　rose　and　led　the　way　to　the　lumber…room。

In　that　invaluable　repository　Henry　soon　found　two　old　knobs　lying　on　the　ground　（a　four…poster　had　been　wrecked　hard　by）　and　a　piece　of　deal　plank　jutting　out　of　a　mass　of　things。　　He　pulled　hard　at　the　plank；　but　it　was　long；　and　so　jammed　in　by　miscellaneous　articles；　that　he　could　not　get　it　clear。

Jael　looked　on　demurely　at　his　efforts　for　some　time；　then　she　suddenly　seized　the　plank　a　little　higher　up。　　〃Now；　pull；〃　said　she；　and　gave　a　tug　like　a　young　elephant：　out　came　the　plank　directly；　with　a　great　rattle　of　dislocated　lumber。

〃Well；　you　are　a　strong　one；〃　said　Henry。

〃Oh；　one　and　one　makes　two；　sir；〃　replied　the　vigorous　damsel；　modestly。

〃That　is　true；　but　you　threw　your　weight　into　it　like　a　workman。　Now　hand　me　that　rusty　old　saw；　and　I'll　cut　off　as　much　as　we　want。〃

While　he　was　sawing　off　a　piece　of　the　plank；　Jael　stood　and　eyed　him　silently　a　while。　　But　presently　her　curiosity　oozed　out。　　〃If　you　please；　sir；　be　you　really　a　working　man？〃

〃Why；　what　else　should　I　be？〃　was　the　answer；　given　rather　brusquely。

〃A　great　many　gentlefolks　comes　here　as　is　no　better　dressed　nor　you　be。〃

〃Dress　is　no　rule。　　Don't　you　go　and　take　me　for　a　gentleman；　or　we　sha'n't　agree。　　Wait　till　I'm　as　arrogant；　and　empty；　and　lazy　as　they　are。　　I　am　a　workman；　and　proud　of　it。〃

〃It's　naught　to　be　ashamed　on；　that's　certain；〃　said　Jael。　　〃I've　carried　many　a　sack　of　grain　up　into　our　granary；　and　made　a　few　hundred…weight　of　cheese　and　butter；　besides　house…work　and　farm…　work。　　Bless　your　heart；　I　bayn't　idle　when　I　be　at　home。〃

〃And　pray　where　is　your　home？〃　asked　Henry；　looking　up　a　moment；　not　that　he　cared　one　straw。

〃If　you　please；　sir；　I　do　come　from　Cairnhope　village。　　I'm　old　Nat　Dence's　daughter。　　There's　two　of　us；　and　I'm　the　youngest。　　Squire　sent　me　in　here；　because　miss　said　Hillsborough　girls　wasn't　altogether　honest。　　She　is　a　dear　kind　young　lady；　but　I　do　pine　for　home　and　the　farm　at　times；　and　frets　about　the　young　calves：　they　want　so　much　looking　after。　　And　sister；　she's　a…courting；　and　can't　give　her　mind　to　'em　as　should　be。　　I'll　carry　the　board　for　you；　sir。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Henry　carelessly；　but；　as　they　went　along；　he　thought　to　himself；　〃So　a　skilled　workman　passes　for　a　gentleman　with　rustics：　fancy　that！〃

On　their　return　to　the　drawing…room；　Henry　asked　for　a　high　wooden　stool；　or　chair；　and　said　it　would　be　as　well　to　pin　some　newspapers　over　the　carpet。　　A　high　stool　was　soon　got　from　the　kitchen；　and　Jael　went　promptly　down　on　her　knees；　and　crawled　about；　pinning　the　newspapers　in　a　large　square。

Henry　stood　apart；　superior；　and　thought　to　himself；　〃So　much　for　domestic　servitude。　　What　a　position　for　a　handsome　girlcreeping　about　on　all　fours！〃

When　all　was　ready；　he　drew　some　arabesque　forms　with　his　pencil　on　the　board。　　He　then　took　an　exquisite　little　saw　he　had　invented　for　this　work；　and　fell　upon　the　board　with　a　rapidity　that；　contrasted　with　his　previous　nonchalance；　looked　like　fury。　　But　he　was　one　of　your　fast　workmen。　　The　lithe　saw　seemed　to　twist　in　his　hand　like　a　serpent；　and　in　a　very　short　time　he　had　turned　four　feet　of　the　board　into　open…work。　　He　finished　the　edges　off　with　his　cutting　tools；　and　there　was　a　transformation　as　complete　as　of　linen　cloth　turned　lace。

Grace　was　delighted。　　〃Shall　I　ever　be　able　to　do　that？〃

〃In　half　a　day。　　That's　not　carving；　that's　trickery。　　The　tool　does　it　all。　　Before　I　invented　this　saw；　a　good　workman　would　have　been　a　day　over　that；　but　now　YOU　can　do　it　in　half　an　hour；　when　you　are　master　of　the　instrument。　　And　now　I'll　show　you　honest　work。〃　　He　took　one　of　the　knobs　and　examined　it；　then　sawed　off　a　piece；　and　worked　on　the　rest　so　cunningly　with　his　various　cutters；　that　it　grew　into　a　human　face　toward　their　very　eyes。　　He　even　indicated　Jael　Dence's　little　flat　cap　by　a　means　at　once　simple　and　ingenious。　　All　the　time　he　was　working　the　women's　eyes　literally　absorbed　him；　only　those　of　Grace　flashed　vivid　curiosity；　Jael's　open　orbs　were　fixed　with　admiration　and　awe　upon　his　supernatural　cleverness。

He　now　drew　some　more　arabesques　on　the　remaining　part　of　the　board；　and　told　Miss　Carden　she　must　follow　those　outlines　with　the　saw；　and　he　would　examine　her　work　on　Monday　morning。　　He　then　went　off　with　a　quick；　independent　air；　as　one　whose　every　minute　was　gold。

〃If　you　please；　miss；〃　said　Jael；　〃is　he　a　real　working　man；　or　only　a　gentleman　as　makes　it　his　pastime？〃

〃A　gentleman！　　What　an　idea！　　Of　course　he　is　a　working　man。　　But　a　very　superior　person。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　continued　Jael；　not　quite　convinced；　〃he　don't　come　up　to　Squire　Raby；　but；　dear　heart；　he　have　a　grander　way　with　him　than　most　of　the　Hillsborough　gentlefolks　as　calls　here。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Grace；　authoritatively。　　〃Look　at　his　nails。〃

Henry　came　twice　a　week；　and　his　pupil　made　remarkable　progress。　She　was　deferential；　attentive；　enthusiastic。

By　degrees　the　work　led　to　a　little　conversation；　and　that；　in　due　course；　expanded　into　a　variety　of　subjects；　and　the　young　lady；　to　her　surprise；　found　her　carver　well…read　in　History　and　Sciences；　and　severely　accurate　in　his　information；　whereas　her　own；　though　abundant；　was　rather　loose。

One　day　she　expressed　her　surprise　that　he　could　have　found　time　to　be　so　clever　with　his　fingers　and　yet　cultivate　his　mind。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　was　lucky　enough　to　have　a　good　mother。　　She　taught　me　all　she　knew；　and　she　gave　me　a　taste　for　reading；　and　that　has　been　the　making　of　me；　kept　me　out　of　the　public…house；　for　one　thing。〃

〃Ah！　you　WERE　fortunate。　　I　lost　my　mother；　sir；　when　I　was　but　eight　years　old。〃

〃Oh　dear；　that　was　a　bad　job；〃　said　Henry　brusquely　but　kindly。

〃A　very　bad　job；〃　said　Grace；　smiling；　but　the　next　moment　she　suddenly　turned　her　fair　head　away　and　tears　stole　down　her　cheeks。

Henry　looked　very　sorry；　and　Jael；　without　moving；　looked　at　Grace；　and　opened　those　sluices；　her　eyes；　and　two　big　drops　of　sympathy　rolled　down　her　comely　face　in　a　moment。

That　day；　when　young　Little　shut　the　street…door　of　〃Woodbine　Villa〃　and　stepped　into　the　road；　a　sort　of　dull　pain　seemed　to　traverse　his　chest。　　It　made　his　heart　ache　a　little；　this　contrast　of　the　sweet　society　he　had　left　and　the　smoky　town　toward　which　he　now　turned　his　face。　　He　seemed　to　be　ejected　from　Paradise　for　the　next　five　days。　　It　was　Monday　yet　he　wished　the　next　day　was　Saturday；　and　the　intervening　period　could　be　swept　away；　so　that　he　might　be　entering　that　soft　Paradise　instead　of　leaving　it。

And　this　sentiment；　once　rooted；　grew　rapidly　in　an　aspiring　nature；　and　a　heart　that　had　never　yet　entertained　a　serious　passion。　　Now　the　fair　head　that　bowed　over　the　work　so　near　him；　the　lovely　hand　he　had　so　often　to　direct；　and　almost　to　guide；　and　all　the　other　perfections　of　mind　and　body　this　enchanting　girl　possessed；　crept　in　at　his　admiring　eyes；　and　began　to　steal　into　his　very　veins；　and　fill　him　with　soft　complacency。　　His　brusque　manner　dissolved　away；　and　his　voice　became　low　and　soft；　whenever　he　was　in　her　delicious　presence。　　He　spoke　softly　to　Jael　even；　if　Grace　was　there。　　The　sturdy　workman　was　enthralled。

Often　he　wondered　at　himself。　　Sometimes　he　felt　alarmed　at　the　strength　of　his　passion　and　the　direction　it　had　taken。

〃What；〃　said　he；　〃have　I　flirted　with　so　many　girls　in　my　own　way　of　life；　and　come　away　heart…whole；　and　now　to　fall　in　love　with　a　gentlewoman；　who　would　bid　her　footman　show　me　the　door　if　she　knew　of　my　presumption！〃

But　these　misgivings　could　neither　cure　him　nor　cow　him。　　Let　him　only　make　money；　and　become　a　master　instead　of　a　workman；　and　then　he　would　say　to　her；　〃I　don't　value　birth　myself；　but　if　you　do；　why；　I　am　not　come　of　workpeople。〃

He　traced　a　plan　with　workmanlike　precision：Profound　discretion　and　self…restraint　at　〃Woodbine　Villa：〃　restless　industry　and　stern　self…denial　in　Hillsborough。

After　his　day's　work　he　used　to　go　straight　to　his　mother。　　She　gave　him　a　cup　of　tea；　and　then　they　had　their　chat；　and　after　that　the　sexes　were　inverted；　so　to　speak：　the　man　carved　fruit；　and　flowers；　and　dead　woodcocks；　the　woman　read　the　news　and　polities　of　the　day；　and　the　essays　on　labor　and　capital；　and　any　other　articles　not　too　flimsy　to　bear　reading　aloud　to　a　man　whose　time　was　coin。　　（There　was　a　free　library　in　Hillsborough；　and　a　mechanic　could　take　out　standard　books　and　reviews。）　　Thus　they　passed　the　evening　hours　agreeably；　and　usefully　too；　for　Henry　sucked　in　knowledge　like　a　leech；　and　at　the　same　time　carved　things　that　sold　well　in　London。　He　had　a　strong　inclination　to　open　his　heart　about　Miss　Carden。　Accordingly；　one　evening　he　said；　〃She　lost　her　mother　when　she　was　a　child。〃

〃Who　lost　her　mother？〃　asked　Mrs。　Little。

〃Miss　Carden；〃　sa