tommy and co.-第12部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Miss　Appleyard's　judgment　of　mankind　was　justified；　no　more　
promising　pupil　could　have　been　selected。　　It　was　really　marvellous　
the　progress　made　by　Grindley　junior；　under　the　tutelage　of　
Helvetia　Appleyard。　　His　earnestness；　his　enthusiasm；　it　quite　
touched　the　heart　of　Helvetia　Appleyard。　　There　were　many　points；　
it　is　true；　that　puzzled　Grindley　junior。　　Each　time　the　list　of　
them　grew　longer。　　But　when　Helvetia　Appleyard　explained　them；　all　
became　clear。　　She　marvelled　herself　at　her　own　wisdom；　that　in　a　
moment　made　darkness　luminous　to　this　young　man；　his　rapt　attention　
while　she　talked；　it　was　most　encouraging。　　The　boy　must　surely　be　
a　genius。　　To　think　that　but　for　her　intuition　he　might　have　
remained　wasted　in　a　grocer's　shop！　　To　rescue　such　a　gem　from　
oblivion；　to　polish　it；　was　surely　the　duty　of　a　conscientious　
Hypatia。　　Two　visitsthree　visits　a　week　to　the　little　shop　in　
Rolls　Court　were　quite　inadequate；　so　many　passages　there　were　
requiring　elucidation。　　London　in　early　morning　became　their　
classroom：　　the　great；　wide；　empty；　silent　streets；　the　mist…
curtained　parks；　the　silence　broken　only　by　the　blackbirds'　amorous　
whistle；　the　thrushes'　invitation　to　delight；　the　old　gardens；　
hidden　behind　narrow　ways。　　Nathaniel　George　and　Janet　Helvetia　
would　rest　upon　a　seat；　no　living　creature　within　sight；　save　
perhaps　a　passing　policeman　or　some　dissipated　cat。　　Janet　Helvetia　
would　expound。　　Nathaniel　George；　his　fine　eyes　fixed　on　hers；　
seemed　never　to　tire　of　drinking　in　her　wisdom。

There　were　times　when　Janet　Helvetia；　to　reassure　herself　as　to　the　
maidenly　correctness　of　her　behaviour；　had　to　recall　quite　forcibly　
the　fact　that　she　was　the　daughter　of　Solomon　Appleyard；　owner　of　
the　big　printing　establishment；　and　he　a　simple　grocer。　　One　day；　
raised　a　little　in　the　social　scale；　thanks　to　her；　Nathaniel　
George　would　marry　someone　in　his　own　rank　of　life。　　Reflecting　
upon　the　future　of　Nathaniel　George；　Janet　Helvetia　could　not　
escape　a　shade　of　sadness。　　It　was　difficult　to　imagine　precisely　
the　wife　she　would　have　chosen　for　Nathaniel　George。　　She　hoped　he　
would　do　nothing　foolish。　　Rising　young　men　so　often　marry　wives　
that　hamper　rather　than　help　them。

One　Sunday　morning　in　late　autumn；　they　walked　and　talked　in　the　
shady　garden　of　Lincoln's　Inn。　　Greek　they　thought　it　was　they　had　
been　talking；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　a　much　older　language。　　A　young　
gardener　was　watering　flowers；　and　as　they　passed　him　he　grinned。　　
It　was　not　an　offensive　grin；　rather　a　sympathetic　grin；　but　Miss　
Appleyard　didn't　like　being　grinned　at。　　What　was　there　to　grin　at？　　
Her　personal　appearance？　some　gaucherie　in　her　dress？　　Impossible。　　
No　lady　in　all　St。　Dunstan　was　ever　more　precise。　　She　glanced　at　
her　companion：　　a　clean…looking；　well…groomed；　well…dressed　youth。　　
Suddenly　it　occurred　to　Miss　Appleyard　that　she　and　Grindley　junior　
were　holding　each　other's　hand。　　Miss　Appleyard　was　justly　
indignant。

〃How　dare　you！〃　said　Miss　Appleyard。　　〃I　am　exceedingly　angry　with　
you。　　How　dare　you！〃

The　olive　skin　was　scarlet。　　There　were　tears　in　the　hazel　eyes。

〃Leave　me　this　minute！〃　commanded　Miss　Appleyard。

Instead　of　which；　Grindley　junior　seized　both　her　hands。

〃I　love　you！　　I　adore　you！　　I　worship　you！〃　poured　forth　young　
Grindley；　forgetful　of　all　Miss　Appleyard　had　ever　told　him　
concerning　the　folly　of　tautology。

〃You　had　no　right；〃　said　Miss　Appleyard。

〃I　couldn't　help　it；〃　pleaded　young　Grindley。　　〃And　that　isn't　the　
worst。〃

Miss　Appleyard　paled　visibly。　　For　a　grocer's　assistant　to　dare　to　
fall　in　love　with　her；　especially　after　all　the　trouble　she　had　
taken　with　him！　　What　could　be　worse？

〃I'm　not　a　grocer；〃　continued　young　Grindley；　deeply　conscious　of　
crime。　　〃I　mean；　not　a　real　grocer。〃

And　Grindley　junior　then　and　there　made　a　clean　breast　of　the　whole　
sad；　terrible　tale　of　shameless　deceit；　practised　by　the　greatest　
villain　the　world　had　ever　produced；　upon　the　noblest　and　most　
beautiful　maiden　that　ever　turned　grim　London　town　into　a　fairy　
city　of　enchanted　ways。

Not　at　first　could　Miss　Appleyard　entirely　grasp　it；　not　till　hours　
later；　when　she　sat　alone　in　her　own　room；　where；　fortunately　for　
himself；　Grindley　junior　was　not；　did　the　whole　force　and　meaning　
of　the　thing　come　home　to　her。　　It　was　a　large　room；　taking　up　half　
of　the　top　story　of　the　big　Georgian　house　in　Nevill's　Court；　but　
even　as　it　was；　Miss　Appleyard　felt　cramped。

〃For　a　yearfor　nearly　a　whole　year；〃　said　Miss　Appleyard；　
addressing　the　bust　of　William　Shakespeare；　〃have　I　been　slaving　my　
life　out；　teaching　him　elementary　Latin　and　the　first　five　books　of　
Euclid！〃

As　it　has　been　remarked；　it　was　fortunate　for　Grindley　junior　he　
was　out　of　reach。　　The　bust　of　William　Shakespeare　maintained　its　
irritating　aspect　of　benign　philosophy。

〃I　suppose　I　should；〃　mused　Miss　Appleyard；　〃if　he　had　told　me　at　
firstas　he　ought　to　have　told　meof　course　I　should　naturally　
have　had　nothing　more　to　do　with　him。　　I　suppose；〃　mused　Miss　
Appleyard；　〃a　man　in　love；　if　he　is　really　in　love；　doesn't　quite　
know　what　he's　doing。　　I　suppose　one　ought　to　make　allowances。　　
But；　oh！　when　I　think　of　it〃

And　then　Grindley　junior's　guardian　angel　must　surely　have　slipped　
into　the　room；　for　Miss　Appleyard；　irritated　beyond　endurance　at　
the　philosophical　indifference　of　the　bust　of　William　Shakespeare；　
turned　away　from　it；　and　as　she　did　so；　caught　sight　of　herself　in　
the　looking…glass。　　Miss　Appleyard　approached　the　glass　a　little　
nearer。　　A　woman's　hair　is　never　quite　as　it　should　be。　　Miss　
Appleyard；　standing　before　the　glass；　began；　she　knew　not　why；　to　
find　reasons　excusing　Grindley　junior。　　After　all；　was　not　
forgiveness　an　excellent　thing　in　woman？　　None　of　us　are　quite　
perfect。　　The　guardian　angel　of　Grindley　junior　seized　the　
opportunity。

That　evening　Solomon　Appleyard　sat　upright　in　his　chair；　feeling　
confused。　　So　far　as　he　could　understand　it；　a　certain　young　man；　a　
grocer's　assistant；　but　not　a　grocer's　assistantbut　that；　of　
course；　was　not　his　fault；　his　father　being　an　old　brutehad　
behaved　most　abominably；　but　not；　on　reflection；　as　badly　as　he　
might　have　done；　and　had　acted　on　the　whole　very　honourably；　taking　
into　consideration　the　fact　that　one　supposed　he　could　hardly　help　
it。　　Helvetia　was；　of　course；　very　indignant　with　him；　but　on　the　
other　hand；　did　not　quite　see　what　else　she　could　have　done；　she　
being　not　at　all　sure　whether　she　really　cared　for　him　or　whether　
she　didn't；　that　everything　had　been　quite　proper　and　would　not　
have　happened　if　she　had　known　it；　that　everything　was　her　fault；　
except　most　things；　which　weren't；　but　that　of　the　two　she　blamed　
herself　entirely；　seeing　that　she　could　not　have　guessed　anything　
of　the　kind。　　And　did　he；　Solomon　Appleyard；　think　that　she　ought　
to　be　very　angry　and　never　marry　anybody　else；　or　was　she　justified　
in　overlooking　it　and　engaging　herself　to　the　only　man　she　felt　she　
could　ever　love？

〃You　mustn't　think；　Dad；　that　I　meant　to　deceive　you。　　I　should　
have　told　you　at　the　beginningyou　know　I　wouldif　it　hadn't　all　
happened　so　suddenly。〃

〃Let　me　see；〃　said　Solomon　Appleyard；　〃did　you　tell　me　his　name；　or　
didn't　you？〃

〃Nathaniel；〃　said　Miss　Appleyard。　　〃Didn't　I　mention　it？〃

〃Don't　happen　to　know　his　surname；　do　you；〃　inquired　her　father。

〃Grindley；〃　explained　Miss　Appleyard〃the　son　of　Grindley；　the　
Sauce　man。〃

Miss　Appleyard　experienced　one　of　the　surprises　of　her　life。　　Never　
before　to　her　recollection　had　her　father　thwarted　a　single　wish　of　
her　life。　　A　widower　for　the　last　twelve　years；　his　chief　delight　
had　been　to　humour　her。　　His　voice；　as　he　passionately　swore　that　
never　with　his　consent　should　his　daughter　marry　the　son　of　
Hezekiah　Grindley；　sounded　strange　to　her。　　Pleadings；　even　tears；　
for　the　first　time　in　her　life　proved　fruitless。

Here　was　a　pretty　kettle　of　fish！　　That　Grindley　junior　should　defy　
his　own　parent；　risk　possibly　the　loss　of　his　inheritance；　had　
seemed　to　both　a　not　improper　proceeding。　　When　Nathaniel　George　
had　said　with　fine　enthusiasm：　　〃Let　him　keep　his　money　if　he　will；　
I'll　make　my　own　way；　there　isn't　enough　money　in　the　world　to　pay　
for　losing　you！〃　　Janet　Helvetia；　though　she　had　expressed　
disapproval　of　such　unfilial　attitude；　had　in　secret　sympathised。　　
But　for　her　to　disregard　the　wishes　of　her　own　doting　father　was　
not　to　be　thought　of。　　What　was　to　be　done？

Perhaps　one　Peter　Hope；　residing　in　Gough　Square　hard　by；　might　
help　young　folks　in　sore　dilemma　with　wise　counsel。　　Peter　Hope；　
editor　and　part　proprietor　of　Good　Humour；　one　penny　weekly；　was　
much　esteemed　by　Solomon　Appleyard；　printer　and　publisher　of　
aforesaid　paper。

〃A　good　fellow；　old　Hope；〃　Solomon　would　often　impress　upon　his　
managing　clerk。　　〃Don't　worry　him　more　than　you　can　help；　things　
will　improve。　　We　can　trust　him。〃

Peter　Hope　sat　at　his　desk；　facing　Miss　Appleyard。　　Grindley　junior　
sat　on　the　cushioned　seat　beneath　the　middle　window。　　Good　Humour's　
sub…editor　stood　before　the　fire；　her　hands　behind　her　back。

The　case　appeared　to　Peter　Hope　to　be　one　of　exceeding　difficulty。

〃Of　course；〃　explained　Miss　Appleyard；　〃I　shall　never　marry　without　
my　father's　consent。〃

Peter　Hope　thought　the　resolution　most　proper。

〃On　the　other　hand；〃　continued　Miss　Appleyard；　〃nothing　shall　
induce　me　to　marry　a　man　I　do　not　love。〃　　Miss　Appleyard　thought　
the　probabilities　were　that　she　would　end　by　becoming　a　female　
missionary。

Peter　Hope's　experience　had　led　him　to　the　conclusion　that　young　
people　sometimes　changed　their　mind。

The　opinion　of　the　House；　clearly　though　silently　expressed；　was　
that　Peter　Hope's　experience；　as　regarded　this　particular　case；　
counted　for　nothing。

〃I　shall　go　straight　to　the　Governor；〃　explained　Grindley　junior；　
〃and　tell　him　that　I　consider　myself　engaged　for　life　to　Miss　
Appleyard。　　I　know　what　will　happenI　know　the　sort　of　idea　he　has　
got　into　his　head。　　He　will　disown　me；　and　I　shall　go　off　to　
Africa。〃

Peter　Hope　was　unable　to　see　how　Grindley　ju