david elginbrod-第85章
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one I have described； the congregations themselves taking this for a
sure indication of the prosperity of the body。 How much even of the
kind of prosperity which they ought to indicate； is in reality at
the foundation of these appearances； I would recommend those to
judge who are versed in the mysteries of chapel…building societies。
As to Hugh； whether it was that the whole was suggestive of Egyptian
bondage； or that his own mood was； at the time； of the least
comfortable sort； I will not pretend to determine； but he assured me
that he felt all the time； as if； instead of being in a chapel built
of bricks harmoniously arranged； as by the lyre of Amphion； he were
wandering in the waste； wretched field whence these bricks had been
dug； of all places on the earth's surface the most miserable；
assailed by the nauseous odours； which have not character enough to
be described； and only remind one of the colours on a snake's back。
When they reached the open air； Mr。 Appleditch introduced Hugh to
Mrs。 Appleditch； on the steps in front of the chapel。
〃This is Mr。 Sutherland； Mrs。 Appleditch。〃
Hugh lifted his hat； and Mrs。 Appleditch made a courtesy。 She was a
very tall womana head beyond her husband； extremely thin； with
sharp nose； hollow cheeks； and good eyes。 In fact； she was partly
pretty； and might have been pleasant…looking； but for a large；
thin…lipped； vampire…like mouth； and a general expression of greed
and contempt。 She was meant for a lady； and had made herself a
money…maggot。 She was richly and plainly dressed； and until she
began to be at her ease； might have passed for an unpleasant lady。
Master Appleditch； the future pastor； was a fat boy； dressed like a
dwarf； in a frock coat and man's hat； with a face in which the
meanness and keenness strove for mastery； and between them kept down
the appearance of stupidity consequent on fatness。 They walked home
in silence； Mr。 and Mrs。 Appleditch apparently pondering either upon
the spiritual food they had just received； or the corporeal food for
which they were about to be thankful。
Their house was one of many in a crescent。 Not content with his
sign in town； the grocer had a large brass plate on his door； with
Appleditch engraved upon it in capitals： it saved them always
looking at the numbers。 The boy ran on before； and assailed this
door with a succession of explosive knocks。
As soon as it was opened； in he rushed； bawling：
〃Peter； Peter； here's the new apprentice！ Papa's brought him home
to dinner； because he was at chapel this morning。〃 Then in a lower
tone〃I mean to have a ride on his back this afternoon。〃
The father and mother laughed。 A solemn priggish little voice
answered：
〃Oh； no； Johnny。 Don't you know what day this is？ This is the
Sabbath…day。〃
〃The dear boy！〃 sighed his mother。
〃That boy is too good to live；〃 responded the father。
Hugh was shown into the dining…room； where the table was already
laid for dinner。 It was evident that the Appleditches were
well…to…do people。 The room was full of what is called handsome
furniture； in a high state of polish。 Over the chimney…piece hung
the portrait of a preacher in gown and bands； the most prominent of
whose features were his cheeks。
In a few minutes the host and hostess entered； followed by a
pale…faced little boy； the owner of the voice of reproof。
〃Come here； Peetie；〃 said his mother； 〃and tell Mr。 Sutherland what
you have got。〃 She referred to some toyno； not toy； for it was
the Sabbathto some book； probably。
Peetie answered in a solemn voice； mouthing every vowel：
〃I've got five bags of gold in the Bank of England。〃
〃Poor child！〃 said his mother； with a scornful giggle。 〃You wouldn't
have much to reckon on； if that were all。〃
Two or three gaily dressed riflemen passed the window。 The poor
fellows； unable to bear the look of their Sunday clothes； if they
had any； after being used to their uniform； had come out in all its
magnificence。
〃Ah！〃 said Mr。 Appleditch； 〃that's all very well in a state of
nature； but when a man is once born into a state of grace； Mr。
Sutherlandah！〃
〃Really；〃 responded Mrs。 Appleditch； 〃the worldliness of the lower
classes is quite awful。 But they are spared for a day of wrath；
poor things！ I am sure that accident on the railway last Sabbath；
might have been a warning to them all。 After that they can't say
there is not a God that ruleth in the earth； and taketh vengeance
for his broken Sabbaths。〃
〃Mr。。 I don't know your name；〃 said Peter； whose age Hugh had
just been trying in vain to conjecture。
〃Mr。 Sutherland；〃 said the mother。
〃Mr。 Slubberman； are you a converted character？〃 resumed Peter。
〃Why do you ask me that； Master Peter？〃 said Hugh； trying to smile。
〃I think you look good； but mamma says she don't think you are；
because you say Sunday instead of Sabbath； and she always finds
people who do are worldly。〃
Mrs。 Appleditch turned rednot blushed； and said； quickly：
〃Peter shouldn't repeat everything he hears。〃
〃No more I do； ma。 I haven't told what you said about〃 Here his
mother caught him up； and carried him out of the room； saying：
〃You naughty boy！ You shall go to bed。〃
〃Oh； no； I shan't！〃
〃Yes； you shall。 Here； Jane； take this naughty boy to bed。〃
〃I'll scream。〃
〃Will you？〃
〃Yes； I will！〃
And such a yell was there
Of sudden and portentous birth；
As if。。。
ten cats were being cooked alive。
〃Well！ well！ well！ my Peetie！ He shan't go to bed； if he'll be a
good boy。 Will he be good？〃
〃May I stay up to supper； then？ May I？〃
〃Yes； yes； anything to stop such dreadful screaming。 You are very
naughtyvery naughty indeed。〃
〃No。 I'm not naughty。 I'll scream again。〃
〃No； no。 Go and get your pinafore on； and come down to dinner。
Anything rather than a scream。〃
I am sick of all this； and doubt if it is worth printing； but it
amused me very much one night as Hugh related it over a bottle of
Chablis and a pipe。
He certainly did not represent Mrs。 Appleditch in a very favourable
light on the whole； but he took care to say that there was a certain
liberality about the table； and a kind of heartiness in her way of
pressing him to have more than he could possibly eat； which
contrasted strangely with her behaviour afterwards in money matters。
There are many people who can be liberal in almost anything but
money。 They seem to say； 〃Take anything but my purse。〃 Miss Talbot
told him afterwards； that this same lady was quite active amongst
the poor of her district。 She made it a rule never to give money；
or at least never more than sixpence； but she turned scraps of
victuals and cast…off clothes to the best account； and； if she did
not make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness； she yet kept an
eye on the eternal habitations in the distribution of the crumbs
that fell from her table。 Poor Mr。 Appleditch； on the other hand；
often embezzled a shilling or a half…crown from the till； for the
use of a poor member of the same churchmeaning by church； the
individual community to which he belonged； but of this； Mrs。
Appleditch was carefully kept ignorant。
After dinner was over； and the children had been sent away； which
was effected without a greater amount of difficulty than； from the
anticipative precautions adopted； appeared to be lawful and
ordinary； Mr。 Appleditch proceeded to business。
〃Now； Mr。 Sutherland； what do you think of Johnnie； sir？〃
〃It is impossible for me to say yet； but I am quite willing to teach
him if you like。〃
〃He's a forward boy；〃 said his mother。
〃Not a doubt of it；〃 responded Hugh； for he remembered the boy
asking him； across the table： 〃Isn't our Mr。 Lixom〃（the
pastor）〃a oner？〃
〃And very eager and retentive；〃 said his father。
Hugh had seen the little glutton paint both cheeks to the eyes with
damson tart； and render more than a quantity proportionate to the
colouring； invisible。
〃Yes； he is eager； and retentive； too； I daresay；〃 he said； 〃but
much will depend on whether he has a turn for study。〃
〃Well； you will find that out to…morrow。 I think you will be
surprised； sir。〃
〃At what hour would you lik
