tommy and co.-第10部分

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five；　and　Janet　Helvetia；　quite　a　beginner；　who　took　lift　
seriously。

There　are　no　such　things　as　facts。　　Narrow…minded　folksurveyors；　
auctioneers；　and　such　likewould　have　insisted　that　the　garden　
between　the　old　Georgian　house　and　Nevill's　Court　was　a　strip　of　
land　one　hundred　and　eighteen　feet　by　ninety…two；　containing　a　
laburnum　tree；　six　laurel　bushes；　and　a　dwarf　deodora。　　To　
Nathaniel　George　and　Janet　Helvetia　it　was　the　land　of　Thule；　〃the　
furthest　boundaries　of　which　no　man　has　reached。〃　　On　rainy　Sunday　
afternoons　they　played　in　the　great；　gloomy　pressroom；　where　silent　
ogres；　standing　motionless；　stretched　out　iron　arms　to　seize　them　
as　they　ran。　　Then　just　when　Nathaniel　George　was　eight；　and　Janet　
Helvetia　four　and　a　half；　Hezekiah　launched　the　celebrated　
〃Grindley's　Sauce。〃　　It　added　a　relish　to　chops　and　steaks；　
transformed　cold　mutton　into　a　luxury；　and　swelled　the　head　of　
Hezekiah　Grindleywhich　was　big　enough　in　all　conscience　as　it　
wasand　shrivelled　up　his　little　hard　heart。　　The　Grindleys　and　
the　Appleyards　visited　no　more。　　As　a　sensible　fellow　ought　to　have　
seen　for　himself；　so　thought　Hezekiah；　the　Sauce　had　altered　all　
things。　　The　possibility　of　a　marriage　between　their　children；　
things　having　remained　equal；　might　have　been　a　pretty　fancy；　but　
the　son　of　the　great　Grindley；　whose　name　in　three…foot　letters　
faced　the　world　from　every　hoarding；　would　have　to　look　higher　than　
a　printer's　daughter。　　Solomon；　a　sudden　and　vehement　convert　to　
the　principles　of　mediaeval　feudalism；　would　rather　see　his　only　
child；　granddaughter　of　the　author　of　The　History　of　Kettlewell　and　
other　works；　dead　and　buried　than　married　to　a　grocer's　son；　even　
though　he　might　inherit　a　fortune　made　out　of　poisoning　the　public　
with　a　mixture　of　mustard　and　sour　beer。　　It　was　many　years　before　
Nathaniel　George　and　Janet　Helvetia　met　one　another　again；　and　when　
they　did　they　had　forgotten　one　another；


Hezekiah　S。　Grindley；　a　short；　stout；　and　pompous　gentleman；　sat　
under　a　palm　in　the　gorgeously　furnished　drawing…room　of　his　big　
house　at　Notting　Hill。　　Mrs。　Grindley；　a　thin；　faded　woman；　the　
despair　of　her　dressmaker；　sat　as　near　to　the　fire　as　its　massive　
and　imposing　copper　outworks　would　permit；　and　shivered。　　Grindley　
junior；　a　fair…haired；　well…shaped　youth；　with　eyes　that　the　other　
sex　found　attractive；　leant　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　against　a　
scrupulously　robed　statue　of　Diana；　and　appeared　uncomfortable。

〃I'm　making　the　moneymaking　it　hand　over　fist。　　All　you'll　have　
to　do　will　be　to　spend　it；〃　Grindley　senior　was　explaining　to　his　
son　and　heir。

〃I'll　do　that　all　right；　dad。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　it；〃　was　his　father's　opinion。　　〃You've　got　to　
prove　yourself　worthy　to　spend　it。　　Don't　you　think　I　shall　be　
content　to　have　slaved　all　these　years　merely　to　provide　a　
brainless　young　idiot　with　the　means　of　self…indulgence。　　I　leave　
my　money　to　somebody　worthy　of　me。　　Understand；　sir？somebody　
worthy　of　me。〃

Mrs。　Grindley　commenced　a　sentence；　Mr。　Grindley　turned　his　small　
eyes　upon　her。　　The　sentence　remained　unfinished。

〃You　were　about　to　say　something；〃　her　husband　reminded　her。

Mrs。　Grindley　said　it　was　nothing。

〃If　it　is　anything　worth　hearingif　it　is　anything　that　will　
assist　the　discussion；　let's　have　it。〃　　Mr。　Grindley　waited。　　〃If　
not；　if　you　yourself　do　not　consider　it　worth　finishing；　why　have　
begun　it？〃

Mr。　Grindley　returned　to　his　son　and　heir。　　〃You　haven't　done　too　
well　at　schoolin　fact；　your　school　career　has　disappointed　me。〃

〃I　know　I'm　not　clever；〃　Grindley　junior　offered　as　an　excuse。

〃Why　not？　　Why　aren't　you　clever？〃

His　son　and　heir　was　unable　to　explain。

〃You　are　my　sonwhy　aren't　you　clever？　　It's　laziness；　sir；　sheer　
laziness！〃

〃I'll　try　and　do　better　at　Oxford；　sirhonour　bright　I　will！〃

〃You　had　better；〃　advised　him　his　father；　〃because　I　warn　you；　your　
whole　future　depends　upon　it。　　You　know　me。　　You've　got　to　be　a　
credit　to　me；　to　be　worthy　of　the　name　of　Grindleyor　the　name；　my　
boy；　is　all　you'll　have。〃

Old　Grindley　meant　it；　and　his　son　knew　that　he　meant　it。　　The　old　
Puritan　principles　and　instincts　were　strong　in　the　old　gentleman
formed；　perhaps；　the　better　part　of　him。　　Idleness　was　an　
abomination　to　him；　devotion　to　pleasure；　other　than　the　pleasure　
of　money…making；　a　grievous　sin　in　his　eyes。　　Grindley　junior　fully　
intended　to　do　well　at　Oxford；　and　might　have　succeeded。　　In　
accusing　himself　of　lack　of　cleverness；　he　did　himself　an　
injustice。　　He　had　brains；　he　had　energy；　he　had　character。　　Our　
virtues　can　be　our　stumbling…blocks　as　well　as　our　vices。　　Young　
Grindley　had　one　admirable　virtue　that　needs；　above　all　others；　
careful　controlling：　　he　was　amiability　itself。　　Before　the　charm　
and　sweetness　of　it；　Oxford　snobbishness　went　down。　　The　Sauce；　
against　the　earnest　counsel　of　its　own　advertisement；　was　
forgotten；　the　pickles　passed　by。　　To　escape　the　natural　result　of　
his　popularity　would　have　needed　a　stronger　will　than　young　
Grindley　possessed。　　For　a　time　the　true　state　of　affairs　was　
hidden　from　the　eye　of　Grindley　senior。　　To　〃slack〃　it　this　term；　
with　the　full　determination　of　〃swotting〃　it　the　next；　is　always　
easy；　the　difficulty　beginning　only　with　the　new　term。　　Possibly　
with　luck　young　Grindley　might　have　retrieved　his　position　and　
covered　up　the　traces　of　his　folly；　but　for　an　unfortunate　
accident。　　Returning　to　college　with　some　other　choice　spirits　at　
two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　it　occurred　to　young　Grindley　that　
trouble　might　be　saved　all　round　by　cutting　out　a　pane　of　glass　
with　a　diamond　ring　and　entering　his　rooms；　which　were　on　the　
ground…floor；　by　the　window。　　That；　in　mistake　for　his　own；　he　
should　have　selected　the　bedroom　of　the　College　Rector　was　a　
misfortune　that　might　have　occurred　to　anyone　who　had　commenced　the　
evening　on　champagne　and　finished　it　on　whisky。　　Young　Grindley；　
having　been　warned　already　twice　before；　was　〃sent　down。〃　　And　
then；　of　course；　the　whole　history　of　the　three　wasted　years　came　
out。　　Old　Grindley　in　his　study　chair　having　talked　for　half　an　
hour　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　chose；　partly　by　reason　of　physical　
necessity；　partly　by　reason　of　dormant　dramatic　instinct；　to　speak　
quietly　and　slowly。

〃I'll　give　you　one　chance　more；　my　boy；　and　one　only。　　I've　tried　
you　as　a　gentlemanperhaps　that　was　my　mistake。　　Now　I'll　try　you　
as　a　grocer。〃

〃As　a　what？〃

〃As　a　grocer；　sirg…r…o…c…e…rgrocer；　a　man　who　stands　behind　a　
counter　in　a　white　apron　and　his　shirt…sleeves；　who　sells　tea　and　
sugar　and　candied　peel　and　such…like　things　to　customersold　
ladies；　little　girls；　who　rises　at　six　in　the　morning；　takes　down　
the　shutters；　sweeps　out　the　shop；　cleans　the　windows；　who　has　half　
an　hour　for　his　dinner　of　corned　beef　and　bread；　who　puts　up　the　
shutters　at　ten　o'clock　at　night；　tidies　up　the　shop；　has　his　
supper；　and　goes　to　bed；　feeling　his　day　has　not　been　wasted。　　I　
meant　to　spare　you。　　I　was　wrong。　　You　shall　go　through　the　mill　as　
I　went　through　it。　　If　at　the　end　of　two　years　you've　done　well　
with　your　time；　learned　somethinglearned　to　be　a　man；　at　all　
eventsyou　can　come　to　me　and　thank　me。〃

〃I'm　afraid；　sir；〃　suggested　Grindley　junior；　whose　handsome　face　
during　the　last　few　minutes　had　grown　very　white；　〃I　might　not　make　
a　very　satisfactory　grocer。　　You　see；　sir；　I've　had　no　experience。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　have　some　sense；〃　returned　his　father　drily。　　〃You　
are　quite　right。　　Even　a　grocer's　business　requires　learning。　　It　
will　cost　me　a　little　money；　but　it　will　be　the　last　I　shall　ever　
spend　upon　you。　　For　the　first　year　you　will　have　to　be　
apprenticed；　and　I　shall　allow　you　something　to　live　on。　　It　shall　
be　more　than　I　had　at　your　agewe'll　say　a　pound　a　week。　　After　
that　I　shall　expect　you　to　keep　yourself。〃

Grindley　senior　rose。　　〃You　need　not　give　me　your　answer　till　the　
evening。　　You　are　of　age。　　I　have　no　control　over　you　unless　you　
are　willing　to　agree。　　You　can　go　my　way；　or　you　can　go　your　own。〃

Young　Grindley；　who　had　inherited　a　good　deal　of　his　father's　grit；　
felt　very　much　inclined　to　go　his　own；　but；　hampered　on　the　other　
hand　by　the　sweetness　of　disposition　he　had　inherited　from　his　
mother；　was　unable　to　withstand　the　argument　of　that　lady's　tears；　
so　that　evening　accepted　old　Grindley's　terms；　asking　only　as　a　
favour　that　the　scene　of　his　probation　might　be　in　some　out…of…the…
way　neighbourhood　where　there　would　be　little　chance　of　his　being　
met　by　old　friends。

〃I　have　thought　of　all　that；〃　answered　his　father。　　〃My　object　
isn't　to　humiliate　you　more　than　is　necessary　for　your　good。　　The　
shop　I　have　already　selected；　on　the　assumption　that　you　would　
submit；　is　as　quiet　and　out…of…the…way　as　you　could　wish。　　It　is　in　
a　turning　off　Fetter　Lane；　where　you'll　see　few　other　people　than　
printers　and　caretakers。　　You'll　lodge　with　a　woman；　a　Mrs。　
Postwhistle；　who　seems　a　very　sensible　person。　　She'll　board　you　
and　lodge　you；　and　every　Saturday　you'll　receive　a　post…office　
order　for　six　shillings；　out　of　which　you'll　find　yourself　in　
clothes。　　You　can　take　with　you　sufficient　to　last　you　for　the　
first　six　months；　but　no　more。　　At　the　end　of　the　year　you　can　
change　if　you　like　and　go　to　another　shop；　or　make　your　own　
arrangements　with　Mrs。　Postwhistle。　　If　all　is　settled；　you　go　
there　to…morrow。　　You　go　out　of　this　house　to…morrow　in　any　event。〃

Mrs。　Postwhistle　was　a　large；　placid　lady　of　philosophic　
temperament。　　Hitherto　the　little　grocer's　shop　in　Rolls　Court；　
Fetter　Lane；　had　been　easy　of　management　by　her　own　unaided　
efforts；　but　the　neighbourhood　was　rapidly　changing。　　Other　
grocers'　shops　were　disappearing　one　by　one；　making　way　for　huge　
blocks　of　buildings；　where　hundreds　of　iron　presses；　singing　day　
and　night；　spread　to　the　earth　the　song　of　the　Mighty　Pen。　　There　
were　hours　when　the　little　shop　could　hardly　accommodate　its　crowd　
of　customers。　　Mrs。　Postwhistle；　of　a　bulk　not　to　be　moved　quickly；　
had；　after　mature　consideration；　conquering　a　natural　
disinclination　to　change；　decided　to　seek　assistance。

Y