david elginbrod-第27章
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riding。 I bought him a second pony a month ago； and he has not been
twice on its back yet。〃
Hugh could not help thinking that to increase the supply was not
always the best mode of increasing the demand； and that one who
would not ride the first pony； would hardly be likely to ride the
second。 Mr。 Arnold concluded with the words：
〃I don't want to stop the boy's reading； but I can't have him a
milksop。〃
〃Will you let me manage him as I please； Mr。 Arnold？〃 Hugh ventured
to say。
Mr。 Arnold looked full at him； with a very slight but quite manifest
expression of surprise； and Hugh was aware that the eyes of the
lady； called by the boy Euphra； were likewise fixed upon him
penetratingly。 As if he were then for the first time struck by the
manly development of Hugh's frame； Mr。 Arnold answered：
〃I don't want you to overdo it； either。 You cannot make a muscular
Christian of him。〃 （The speaker smiled at his own imagined wit。）
〃The boy has talents； and I want him to use them。〃
〃I will do my best for him both ways；〃 answered Hugh； 〃if you will
trust me。 For my part； I think the only way is to make the
operation of the intellectual tendency on the one side； reveal to
the boy himself his deficiency on the other。 This once done； all
will be well。〃
As he said this； Hugh caught sight of a cloudy； inscrutable
dissatisfaction slightly contracting the eyebrows of the lady。 Mr。
Arnold； however； seemed not to be altogether displeased。
〃Well；〃 he answered； 〃I have my plans； but let us see first what you
can do with yours。 If they fail； perhaps you will oblige me by
trying mine。〃
This was said with the decisive politeness of one who is accustomed
to have his own way； and fully intends to have itevery word as
articulate and deliberate as organs of speech could make it。 But he
seemed at the same time somewhat impressed by Hugh； and not
unwilling to yield。
Throughout the conversation； the lady had said nothing； but had sat
watching； or rather scrutinizing； Hugh's countenance； with a far
keener and more frequent glance than； I presume； he was at all aware
of。 Whether or not she was satisfied with her conclusions； she
allowed no sign to disclose； but； breakfast being over； rose and
withdrew； turning； however； at the door； and saying：
〃When you please； Mr。 Sutherland； I shall be glad to show you what
Harry has been doing with me； for till now I have been his only
tutor。〃
〃Thank you；〃 replied Hugh； 〃but for some time we shall be quite
independent of school…books。 Perhaps we may require none at all。
He can read； I presume； fairly well？〃
〃Reading is not only his forte but his fault；〃 replied Mr。 Arnold；
while Euphra； fixing one more piercing look upon him； withdrew。
〃Yes；〃 responded Hugh； 〃but a boy may shuffle through a book very
quickly； and have no such accurate perceptions of even the mere
words； as to be able to read aloud intelligibly。〃
How little this applied to Harry； Hugh was soon to learn。
〃Well； you know best about these things； I daresay。 I leave it to
you。 With such testimonials as you have； Mr。 Sutherland； I can
hardly be wrong in letting you try your own plans with him。 Now； I
must bid you good morning。 You will； in all probability； find Harry
in the library。〃
CHAPTER II。
HARRY'S NEW HORSE。
Spielender Unterricht heisst nicht； dem Kinde Anstrengungen ersparen
und abnehmen； sondern eine Leidenschaft in ihm erwecken； welche ihm
die st鋜ksten aufn鰐higt und erleichtert。
JEAN PAUL。Die Unsichtbare Loge。
It is not the intention of sportive instruction that the child
should be spared effort； or delivered from it； but that thereby a
passion should be wakened in him； which shall both necessitate and
facilitate the strongest exertion。
Hugh made no haste to find his pupil in the library； thinking it
better； with such a boy； not to pounce upon him as if he were going
to educate him directly。 He went to his own rooms instead； got his
books out and arranged them；supplying thus； in a very small
degree； the scarcity of modern ones in the book…cases； then arranged
his small wardrobe； looked about him a little； and finally went to
seek his pupil。
He found him in the library； as he had been given to expect； coiled
up on the floor in a corner； with his back against the book…shelves；
and an old folio on his knees； which he was reading in silence。
〃Well； Harry；〃 said Hugh； in a half…indifferent tone； as he threw
himself on a couch； 〃what are you reading？〃
Harry had not heard him come in。 He started； and almost shuddered；
then looked up； hesitated； rose； and； as if ashamed to utter the
name of the book； brought it to Hugh； opening it at the title…page
as he held it out to him。 It was the old romance of Polexander。
Hugh knew nothing about it； but； glancing over some of the pages；
could not help wondering that the boy should find it interesting。
〃Do you like this very much？〃 said he。
〃Wellno。 Yes； rather。〃
〃I think I could find you something more interesting in the
book…shelves。〃
〃Oh！ please； sir； mayn't I read this？〃 pleaded Harry； with signs of
distress in his pale face。
〃Oh； yes； certainly； if you wish。 But tell me why you want to read
it so very much。〃
〃Because I have set myself to read it through。〃
Hugh saw that the child was in a diseased state of mind； as well as
of body。
〃You should not set yourself to read anything； before you know
whether it is worth reading。〃
〃I could not help it。 I was forced to say I would。〃
〃To whom？〃
〃To myself。 Mayn't I read it？〃
〃Certainly；〃 was all Hugh's answer； for he saw that he must not
pursue the subject at present： the boy was quite hypochondriacal。
His face was keen； with that clear definition of feature which
suggests superior intellect。 He was； though very small for his age；
well proportioned； except that his head and face were too large。
His forehead indicated thought； and Hugh could not doubt that；
however uninteresting the books which he read might be； they must
have afforded him subjects of mental activity。 But he could not
help seeing as well； that this activity； if not altered in its
direction and modified in its degree； would soon destroy itself；
either by ruining his feeble constitution altogether； or； which was
more to be feared； by irremediably injuring the action of the brain。
He resolved； however； to let him satisfy his conscience by reading
the book； hoping； by the introduction of other objects of thought
and feeling； to render it so distasteful； that he would be in little
danger of yielding a similar pledge again； even should the
temptation return； which Hugh hoped to prevent。
〃But you have read enough for the present； have you not？〃 said he；
rising； and approaching the book…shelves。
〃Yes； I have been reading since breakfast。〃
〃Ah！ there's a capital book。 Have you ever read itGulliver's
Travels？〃
〃No。 The outside looked always so uninteresting。〃
〃So does Polexander's outside。〃
〃Yes。 But I couldn't help that one。〃
〃Well； come along。 I will read to you。〃
〃Oh！ thank you。 That will be delightful。 But must we not go to our
lessons？〃
〃I'm going to make a lesson of this。 I have been talking to your
papa； and we're going to begin with a holiday； instead of ending
with one。 I must get better acquainted with you first； Harry；
before I can teach you right。 We must be friends； you know。〃
The boy crept close up to him； laid one thin hand on his knee；
looked in his face for a moment； and then； without a word； sat down
on the couch close beside him。 Before an hour had passed； Harry was
laughing heartily at Gulliver's adventures amongst the Lilliputians。
Having arrived at this point of success； Hugh ceased reading； and
began to talk to him。
〃Is that lady your cousin？〃
〃Yes。 Isn't she beautiful？〃
〃I hardly know yet。 I have not got used to her enough yet。 What is
her name？〃
〃Oh！ such a pretty nameEuphrasia。〃
〃Is she the only lady in the house？〃
〃Yes； my mamma is dead； you know。 She was ill for a long time； they
say； and she died when I was born。〃
The tears came in the poor boy's eyes。 Hugh thought of his own
father； and put his hand on Harr
