she-第4章

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that　I　ever　saw　such　a　perfect　child　before　or　since。　
His　eyes　were　gray；　his　forehead　broad；　and　his　face；　
even　at　that　early　age；　clean　cut　as　a　cameo；　without　
being　pinched　or　thin。　But　perhaps　his　most　attractive　
point　was　his　hair；　which　was　pure　gold　in　color　and　
tightly　curled　over　his　shapely　head。　He　cried　a　
little　when　his　nurse　finally　tore　herself　away　and　
left　him　with　us。　Never　shall　I　forget　the　scene。　
There　he　stood；　with　the　sunlight　from　the　window　
playing　upon　his　golden　curls；　his　fist　screwed　in　one　
eye；　while　he　took　us　in　with　the　other。　I　was　seated　
in　a　chair；　and　stretched　out　my　hand　to　him　to　induce　
him　to　come　to　me；　while　Job；　in　the　corner；　was　
making　a　sort　of　clucking　noise；　which；　arguing　from　
his　previous　experience；　or　from　the　analogy　of　the　
hen；　he　judged　would　have　a　soothing　effect；　and　
inspire　confidence　in　the　youthful　mind；　and　running　a　
wooden　horse　of　peculiar　hideousness　backward　and　
forward　in　a　way　that　was　little　short　of　inane。　This　
went　on　for　some　minutes；　and　then　all　of　a　sudden　the　
lad　stretched　out　both　his　little　arms　and　ran　to　me。

〃I　like　you；〃　he　said；　〃you　is　ugly；　but　you　is　good。〃

Ten　minutes　afterwards　he　was　eating　large　slices　of　
bread…and…butter；　with　every　sign　of　satisfaction；　Job　
wanted　to　put　jam　on　to　them；　but　I　sternly　reminded　
him　of　the　excellent　works　we　had　read；　and　forbade　
it。

In　a　very　little　while　（for；　as　I　expected；　I　got　my　
fellowship）　the　boy　became　the　favorite　of　the　whole　
collegewhere；　all　orders　and　regulations　to　the　
contrary　notwithstanding；　he　was　continually　in　and　
outa　sort　of　chartered　libertine；　in　whose　favor　all　
rules　were　relaxed。　The　offerings　made　at　his　shrine　
were　simply　without　number；　and　I　had　a　serious　
difference　of　opinion　with　one　old　resident　Fellow；　
now　long　dead；　who　was　usually　supposed　to　be　the　
crustiest　man　in　the　university；　and　to　abhor　the　
sight　of　a　child。　And　yet　I　discovered；　when　a　
frequently　recurring　fit　of　sickness　had　forced　Job　to　
keep　a　strict　lookout；　that　this　unprincipled　old　man　
was　in　the　habit　of　enticing　the　boy　to　his　rooms　and　
there　feeding　him　upon　unlimited　quantities　of　brandy…
balls；　and　making　him　promise　to　say　nothing　about　it。　
Job　told　him　that　he　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　himself；　
〃at　his　age；　too；　when　he　might　have　been　a　
grandfather　if　he　had　done　what　was　right；〃　by　which　
Job　understood　had　got　married；　and　thence　arose　the　
row。

But　I　have　no　space　to　dwell　upon　those　delightful　
years；　around　which　memory　still　fondly　hovers。　One　by　
one　they　went　by；　and　as　they　passed　we　two　grew　
dearer　and　yet　more　dear　to　each　other。　Few　sons　have　
been　loved　as　I　love　Leo；　and　few　fathers　know　the　
deep　and　continuous　affection　that　Leo　bears　to　me。

The　child　grew　into　the　boy；　and　the　boy　into　the　
young　man；　as　one　by　one　the　remorseless　years　flew　
by；　and　as　he　grew　and　increased；　so　did　his　beauty　
and　the　beauty　of　his　mind　grow　with　him。　When　he　was　
about　fifteen　they　used　to　call　him　Beauty　about　the　
college；　and　me　they　nicknamed　the　Beast。　Beauty　and　
the　Beast　was　what　they　called　us　when　we　went　out　
walking　together；　as　we　used　to　do　every　day。　Once　Leo　
attacked　a　great　strapping　butcher's　man；　twice　his　
size；　because　he　sang　it　out　after　us；　and　thrashed　
him；　toothrashed　him　fairly。　I　walked　on　and　
pretended　not　to　see；　till　the　combat　got　too　
exciting；　when　I　turned　round　and　cheered　him　on　to　
victory。　It　was　the　chaff　of　the　college　at　the　time；　
but　I　could　not　help　it。　Then　when　he　was　a　little　
older　the　undergraduates　got　fresh　names　for　us。　They　
called　me　Charon　and　Leo　the　Greek　god！　I　will　pass　
over　my　own　appellation　with　the　humble　remark　that　I　
was　never　handsome；　and　did　not　grow　more　so　as　I　grew　
older。　As　for　his；　there　was　no　doubt　about　its　
fitness。　Leo　at　twenty…one　might　have　stood　for　a　
statue　of　the　youthful　Apollo。　I　never　saw　anybody　to　
touch　him　in　looks；　or　anybody　so　absolutely　
unconscious　of　them。　As　for　his　mind；　he　was　brilliant　
and　keen　witted；　but　not　a　scholar。　He　had　not　the　
dullness　necessary　for　that　result。　We　followed　out　
his　father's　instructions　as　regards　his　education　
strictly　enough；　and　on　the　whole　the　results；　
especially　so　far　as　the　Greek　and　Arabic　went；　were　
satisfactory。　I　learned　the　latter　language　in　order　
to　help　to　teach　it　to　him；　but　after　five　years　of　it　
he　knew　it　as　well　as　I　didalmost　as　well　as　the　
professor　who　instructed　us　both。　I　always　was　a　great　
sportsmanit　is　my　one　passionand　every　autumn　we　
went　away　somewhere　shooting　or　fishing；　sometimes　to　
Scotland；　sometimes　to　Norway；　once　even　to　Russia。　I　
am　a　good　shot；　but　even　in　this　he　learned　to　excel　
me。

When　Leo　was　eighteen　I　moved　back　into　my　rooms；　and　
entered　him　at　my　own　college；　and　at　twenty…one　he　
took　his　degreea　respectable　degree；　but　not　a　very　
high　one。　Then　it　was　that　I；　for　the　first　time；　told　
him　something　of　his　own　story；　and　of　the　mystery　
that　loomed　ahead。　Of　course　he　was　very　curious　about　
it；　and　of　course　I　explained　to　him　that　his　
curiosity　could　not　be　gratified　at　present。　After　
that；　to　pass　the　time　away；　I　suggested　that　he　
should　get　himself　called　to　the　bar；　and　this　he　did；　
reading　at　Cambridge；　and　only　going　up　to　London　to　
eat　his　dinners。

I　had　only　one　trouble　about　him；　and　that　was　that　
every　young　woman　who　came　across　him；　or；　if　not　
every　one；　nearly　so；　would　insist　on　falling　in　love　
with　him。　Hence　arose　difficulties　which　I　need　not　
enter　into　here；　though　they　were　troublesome　enough　
at　the　time。　On　the　whole；　he　behaved　fairly　well；　I　
cannot　say　more　than　that。

And　so　the　time　went　by　till　at　last　he　reached　his　
twenty…fifth　birthday；　at　which　date　this　strange　and；　
in　some　ways；　awful　history　really　begins。

CHAPTER　III

THE　SHERD　OF　AMENARTAS

ON　the　day　preceding　Leo's　twenty…fifth　birthday　we　
both　proceeded　to　London；　and　extracted　the　mysterious　
chest　from　the　bank　where　I　had　deposited　it　twenty　
years　before。　It　was；　I　remember；　brought　up　by　the　
same　clerk　who　had　taken　it　down。　He　perfectly　
remembered　having　hidden　it　away。　Had　he　not　done　so；　
he　said；　he　should　have　had　difficulty　in　finding　it；　
it　was　so　covered　up　with　cobwebs。

In　the　evening　we　returned　with　our　precious　burden　to　
Cambridge；　and　I　think　that　we　might　both　of　us　have　
given　away　all　the　sleep　we　got　that　night　and　not　
have　been　much　the　poorer。　At　daybreak　Leo　arrived　in　
my　room　in　a　dressing…gown；　and　suggested　that　we　
should　at　once　proceed　to　business。　I　scouted　the　idea　
as　showing　an　unworthy　curiosity。　The　chest　had　waited　
twenty　years；　I　said；　so　it　could　very　well　continue　
to　wait　until　after　breakfast。　Accordingly　at　ninean　
unusually　sharp　ninewe　breakfasted；　and　so　occupied　
was　I　with　my　own　thoughts　that　I　regret　to　state　that　
I　put　a　piece　of　bacon　into　Leo's　tea　in　mistake　for　a　
lump　of　sugar。　Job；　too；　to　whom　the　contagion　of　
excitement　had；　of　course；　spread；　managed　to　break　
the　handle　off　my　Se‘vres　china　tea…cup；　the　identical　
one　I　believe　that　Marat　had　been　drinking　from　just　
before　he　was　stabbed　in　his　bath。

At　last；　however；　breakfast　was　cleared　away；　and　Job；　
at　my　request；　fetched　the　chest；　and　placed　it　upon　
the　table　in　a　somewhat　gingerly　fashion；　as　though　he　
mistrusted　it。　Then　he　prepared　to　leave　the　room。

〃Stop　a　moment；　Job；〃　I　said。　〃If　Mr。　Leo　has　no　
objection；　I　should　prefer　to　have　an　independent　
witness　to　this　business；　who　can　be　relied　upon　to　
hold　his　tongue　unless　he　is　asked　to　speak。〃

〃Certainly；　Uncle　Horace；〃　answered　Leo；　for　I　had　
brought　him　up　to　call　me　unclethough　he　varied　the　
appellation　somewhat　disrespectfully　by　calling　me　
〃old　fellow；〃　or　even　〃my　avuncular　relative。〃

Job　touched　his　head；　not　having　a　hat　on。

〃Lock　the　door；　Job；〃　I　said；　〃and　bring　me　my　
despatch…box。〃

He　obeyed；　and　from　the　box　I　took　the　keys　that　poor　
Vincey；　Leo's　father；　had　given　me　on　the　night　of　his　
death。　There　were　three　of　them；　the　largest　a　
comparatively　modern　key；　the　se