david elginbrod-第36部分

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already　forgotten　a　very　great　deal　of　what；　according　to　Euphra；　he
had　been　thoroughly　taught。　　No　one　can　remember　what　is　entirely
uninteresting　to　him。

Hugh　was　as　precise　about　the　grammar　of　a　language　as　any　Scotch
Professor　of　Humanity；　old　Prosody　not　excepted；　but　he　thought　it
time　enough　to　begin　to　that；　when　some　interest　in　the　words
themselves　should　have　been　awakened　in　the　mind　of　his　pupil。　　He
hated　slovenliness　as　much　as　any　one；　but　the　question　was；　how
best　to　arrive　at　thoroughness　in　the　end；　without　losing　the　higher
objects　of　study；　and　not　how；　at　all　risks；　to　commence　teaching
the　lesson　of　thoroughness　at　once；　and　so　waste　on　the　shape　of　a
pin…head　the　intellect　which；　properly　directed；　might　arrive　at　the
far　more　minute　accuracies　of　a　steam…engine。　　The　fault　of　Euphra
in　teaching　Harry；　had　been　that；　with　a　certain　kind　of　tyrannical
accuracy；　she　had　determined　to　have　the　thing　donenot　merely
decently　and　in　order；　but　prudishly　and　pedantically；　so　that　she
deprived　progress　of　the　pleasure　which　ought　naturally　to　attend
it。　　She　spoiled　the　walk　to　the　distant　outlook；　by　stopping　at
every　step；　not　merely　to　pick　flowers；　but　to　botanise　on　the
weeds；　and　to　calculate　the　distance　advanced。　　It　is　quite　true
that　we　ought　to　learn　to　do　things　irrespective　of　the　reward；　but
plenty　of　opportunities　will　be　given　in　the　progress　of　life；　and
in　much　higher　kinds　of　action；　to　exercise　our　sense　of　duty　in
severe　loneliness。　　We　have　no　right　to　turn　intellectual　exercises
into　pure　operations　of　conscience：　these　ought　to　involve　essential
duty；　although　no　doubt　there　is　plenty　of　room　for　mingling　duty
with　those；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　highest　act　of　suffering
self…denial　is　not　without　its　accompanying　reward。　　Neither　is
there　any　exercise　of　the　higher　intellectual　powers　in　learning　the
mere　grammar　of　a　language；　necessary　as　it　is　for　a　means。　　And
language　having　been　made　before　grammar；　a　language　must　be　in　some
measure　understood；　before　its　grammar　can　become　intelligible。

Harry's　weak　（though　true　and　keen）　life　could　not　force　its　way
into　any　channel。　　His　was　a　nature　essentially　dependent　on
sympathy。　　It　could　flow　into　truth　through　another　loving　mind：
left　to　itself；　it　could　not　find　the　way；　and　sank　in　the　dry　sand
of　ennui　and　self…imposed　obligations。　　Euphra　was　utterly　incapable
of　understanding　him；　and　the　boy　had　been　dying　for　lack　of
sympathy；　though　neither　he　nor　any　one　about　him　had　suspected　the
fact。

There　was　a　strange　disproportion　between　his　knowledge　and　his
capacity。　　He　was　able；　when　his　attention　was　directed；　his　gaze
fixed；　and　his　whole　nature　supported　by　Hugh；　to　see　deep　into　many
things；　and　his　remarks　were　often　strikingly　original；　but　he　was
one　of　the　most　ignorant　boys；　for　his　years；　that　Hugh　had　ever
come　across。　　A　long　and　severe　illness；　when　he　was　just　passing
into　boyhood；　had　thrown　him　back　far　into　his　childhood；　and　he　was
only　now　beginning　to　show　that　he　had　anything　of　the　boy…life　in
him。　　Hence　arose　that　unequal　development　which　has　been
sufficiently　evident　in　the　story。

In　the　afternoon；　they　went　to　the　wood；　and　found　the　tree　they　had
chosen　for　their　nest。　　To　Harry's　intense　admiration；　Hugh；　as　he
said；　went　up　the　tree　like　a　squirrel；　only　he　was　too　big　for　a
bear　even。　　Just　one　layer　of　foliage　above　the　lowest　branches；　he
came　to　a　place　where　he　thought　there　was　a　suitable　foundation　for
the　nest。　　From　the　ground　Harry　could　scarcely　see　him；　as；　with　an
axe　which　he　had　borrowed　for　the　purpose　（for　there　was　a
carpenter's　work…shop　on　the　premises）；　he　cut　away　several　small
branches　from　three　of　the　principal　ones；　and　so　had　these　three　as
rafters；　ready　dressed　and　placed；　for　the　foundation　of　the　nest。
Having　made　some　measurements；　he　descended；　and　repairing　with
Harry　to　the　work…shop；　procured　some　boarding　and　some　tools；　which
Harry　assisted　in　carrying　to　the　tree。　　Ascending　again；　and
drawing　up　his　materials；　by　the　help　of　Harry；　with　a　piece　of
string；　Hugh　in　a　very　little　while　had　a　level　floor；　four　feet
square；　in　the　heart　of　the　oak　tree；　quite　invisible　from
belowburied　in　a　cloud　of　green　leaves。　　For　greater　safety；　he
fastened　ropes　as　handrails　all　around　it　from　one　branch　to
another。　　And　now　nothing　remained　but　to　construct　a　bench　to　sit
on；　and　such　a　stair　as　Harry　could　easily　climb。　　The　boy　was　quite
restless　with　anxiety　to　get　up　and　see　the　nest；　and　kept　calling
out　constantly　to　know　if　he　might　not　come　up　yet。　　At　length　Hugh
allowed　him　to　try；　but　the　poor　boy　was　not　half　strong　enough　to
climb　the　tree　without　help。　　So　Hugh　descended；　and　with　his　aid
Harry　was　soon　standing　on　the　new…built　platform。

〃I　feel　just　like　an　eagle；〃　he　cried；　but　here　his　voice　faltered；
and　he　was　silent。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Harry？〃　said　his　tutor。

〃Oh；　nothing；〃　replied　he；　〃only　I　didn't　exactly　know　whereabouts
we　were　till　I　got　up　here。〃

〃Whereabouts　are　we；　then？〃

〃Close　to　the　end　of　the　Ghost's　Walk。〃

〃But　you　don't　mind　that　now；　surely；　Harry？〃

〃No；　sir；　that　is；　not　so　much　as　I　used。〃

〃Shall　I　take　all　this　down　again；　and　build　our　nest　somewhere
else？〃

〃Oh；　no；　if　you　don't　think　it　matters。　　It　would　be　a　great　pity；
after　you　have　taken　so　much　trouble　with　it。　　Besides；　I　shall
never　be　here　without　you；　and　I　do　not　think　I　should　be　afraid　of
the　ghost　herself；　if　you　were　with　me。〃

Yet　Harry　shuddered　involuntarily　at　the　thought　of　his　own　daring
speech。

〃Very　well；　Harry；　my　boy；　we　will　finish　it　here。　　Now；　if　you
stand　there；　I　will　fasten　a　plank　across　here　between　these　two
stumpsno；　that　won't　do　exactly。　　I　must　put　a　piece　on　to　this
one；　to　raise　it　to　a　level　with　the　otherthen　we　shall　have　a
seat　in　a　few　minutes。〃

Hammer　and　nails　were　busy　again；　and　in　a　few　minutes　they　sat　down
to　enjoy　the　〃soft　pipling　cold〃　which　swung　all　the　leaves　about
like　little　trap…doors　that　opened　into　the　Infinite。　　Harry　was
highly　contented。　　He　drew　a　deep　breath　of　satisfaction　as；　looking
above　and　beneath　and　all　about　him；　he　saw　that　they　were　folded　in
an　almost　impenetrable　net　of　foliage；　through　which　nothing　could
steal　into　their　sanctuary；　save　〃the　chartered　libertine；　the　air；〃
and　a　few　stray　beams　of　the　setting　sun；　filtering　through　the
multitudinous　leaves；　from　which　they　caught　a　green　tint　as　they
passed。

〃Fancy　yourself　a　fish；〃　said　Hugh；　〃in　the　depth　of　a　cavern　of　sea
weed；　which　floats　about　in　the　slow　swinging　motion　of　the　heavy
waters。〃

〃What　a　funny　notion！〃

〃Not　so　absurd　as　you　may　think；　Harry；　for　just　as　some　fishes
crawl　about　on　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　so　do　we　men　at　the　bottom　of
an　ocean　of　air；　which；　if　it　be　a　thinner　one；　is　certainly　a
deeper　one。〃

〃Then　the　birds　are　the　swimming　fishes；　are　they　not？〃

〃Yes；　to　be　sure。〃

〃And　you　and　I　are　two　mermendoing　what？　　Waiting　for　mother
mermaid　to　give　us　our　dinner。　　I　am　getting　hungry。　　But　it　will　be
a　long　time　before　a　mermaid　gets　up　here；　I　am　afraid。〃

〃That　reminds　me；〃　said　Hugh；　〃that　I　must　build　a　stair　for　you；
Master　Harry；　for　you　are　not　merman　enough　to　get　up　with　a　stroke
of　your　scaly　tail。　　So　here　goes。　　You　can　sit　there　till　I　fetch
you。〃

Nailing　a　little　rude　bracket　here　and　there　on　the　stem　of　the
tree；　just　where　Harry　could　avail　himself　of　hand…hold　as　well；
Hugh　had　soon　finished　a　strangely　irregular　staircase；　which　it
took　Harry　two　or　three　times　trying；　to　learn　quite　off。




CHAPTER　IX。

GEOGRAPHY　POINT。

I　will　fetch　you　a　tooth…picker　now　from　the　farthest　inch　of　Asia；
bring　you　the　length　of　Prester　John's　foot；　fetch　you　a　hair　off
the　great　Cham's　beard；　do　you　any　embassage　to　the　Pigmies。

Much　Ado　about　Nothing。


The　next　day；　after　dinner；　Mr。　Arnold　said　to　the　tutor：

〃Well；　Mr。　Sutherland；　how　does　Harry　get　on　with　his　geography？〃

Mr。　Arnold；　be　it　understood；　had　a　weakness　for　geography。

〃We　have　not　done　anything　at　that　yet；　Mr。　Arnold。〃

〃Not　done　anything　at　geography！　　And　the　boy　getting　quite　robust
now！　　I　am　astonished；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Why；　when　he　was　a　mere
child；　he　could　repeat　all　the　counties　of　England。〃

〃Perhaps　that　may　be　the　reason　for　the　decided　distaste　he　shows
for　it　now；　Mr。　Arnold。　　But　I　will　begin　to　teach　him　at　once；　if
you　desire　it。〃

〃I　do　desire　it；　Mr。　Sutherland。　　A　thorough　geographical　knowledge
is　essential　to　the　education　of　a　gentleman。　　Ask　me　any　question
you　please；　Mr。　Sutherland；　on　the　map　of　the　world；　or　any　of　its
divisions。〃

Hugh　asked　a　few　questions；　which　Mr。　Arnold　answered　at　once。

〃Pooh！　pooh！〃　said　he；　〃this　is　mere　child's　play。　　Let　me　ask　you
some；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

His　very　first　question　posed　Hugh；　whose　knowledge　in　this　science
was　not　by　any　means　minute。

〃I　fear　I　am　no　gentleman；〃　said　he；　laughing；　〃but　I　can　at　least
learn　as　well　as　teach。　　We　shall　begin　to…morrow。〃

〃What　books　have　you？〃

〃Oh！　no　books；　if　you　please；　just　yet。　　If　you　are　satisfied　with
Harry's　progress　so