lavengro-第43部分

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shade　of　some　tall　poplars。



Yes；　there　sat　my　father　in　the　garden　chair　which　leaned　against　

the　wall　of　his　quiet　home；　the　haven　in　which　he　had　sought　rest；　

and；　praise　be　to　God；　found　it；　after　many　a　year　of　poorly…

requited　toil；　there　he　sat；　with　locks　of　silver　gray　which　set　

off　so　nobly　his　fine　bold　but　benevolent　face；　his　faithful　

consort　at　his　side；　and　his　trusty　dog　at　his　feet　…　an　eccentric　

animal　of　the　genuine　regimental　breed；　who；　born　amongst　red　

coats；　had　not　yet　become　reconciled　to　those　of　any　other　hue；　

barking　and　tearing　at　them　when　they　drew　near　the　door；　but　

testifying　his　fond　reminiscence　of　the　former　by　hospitable　

waggings　of　the　tail　whenever　a　uniform　made　its　appearance　…　at　

present　a　very　unfrequent　occurrence。



'I　am　afraid　I　have　not　done　right　in　putting　him　to　the　law；'　said　

my　father；　resting　his　chin　upon　his　gold…headed　bamboo　cane。



'Why；　what　makes　you　think　so？'　said　my　mother。



'I　have　been　taking　my　usual　evening　walk　up　the　road；　with　the　

animal　here；'　said　my　father；　'and；　as　I　walked　along；　I　overtook　

the　boy's　master；　Mr。　S…。　　We　shook　hands；　and；　after　walking　a　

little　way　farther；　we　turned　back　together；　talking　about　this　and　

that；　the　state　of　the　country；　the　weather；　and　the　dog；　which　he　

greatly　admired；　for　he　is　a　good…natured　man；　and　has　a　good　word　

for　everybody；　though　the　dog　all　but　bit　him　when　he　attempted　to　

coax　his　head；　after　the　dog；　we　began　talking　about　the　boy；　it　

was　myself　who　introduced　that　subject：　　I　thought　it　was　a　good　

opportunity　to　learn　how　he　was　getting　on；　so　I　asked　what　he　

thought　of　my　son；　he　hesitated　at　first；　seeming　scarcely　to　know　

what　to　say；　at　length　he　came　out　with　〃Oh；　a　very　extraordinary　

youth；　a　most　remarkable　youth　indeed；　captain！〃　　〃Indeed；〃　said　I；　

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　but　I　hope　you　find　him　steady？〃　　〃Steady；　

steady；〃　said　he；　〃why；　yes；　he's　steady；　I　cannot　say　that　he　is　

not　steady。〃　　〃Come；　come；〃　said　I；　beginning　to　be　rather　uneasy；　

〃I　see　plainly　that　you　are　not　altogether　satisfied　with　him；　I　

was　afraid　you　would　not　be；　for；　though　he　is　my　own　son；　I　am　

anything　but　blind　to　his　imperfections；　but　do　tell　me　what　

particular　fault　you　have　to　find　with　him；　and　I　will　do　my　best　

to　make　him　alter　his　conduct。〃　　〃No　fault　to　find　with　him；　

captain；　I　assure　you；　no　fault　whatever；　the　youth　is　a　remarkable　

youth；　an　extraordinary　youth；　only　…　〃　　As　I　told　you　before；　Mr。　

S…　is　the　best…natured　man　in　the　world；　and　it　was　only　with　the　

greatest　difficulty　that　I　could　get　him　to　say　a　single　word　to　

the　disadvantage　of　the　boy；　for　whom　he　seems　to　entertain　a　very　

great　regard。　　At　last　I　forced　the　truth　from　him；　and　grieved　I　

was　to　hear　it；　though　I　must　confess　that　I　was　somewhat　prepared　

for　it。　　It　appears　that　the　lad　has　a　total　want　of　

discrimination。'



'I　don't　understand　you；'　said　my　mother。



'You　can　understand　nothing　that　would　seem　for　a　moment　to　impugn　

the　conduct　of　that　child。　　I　am　not；　however；　so　blind；　want　of　

discrimination　was　the　word；　and　it　both　sounds　well；　and　is　

expressive。　　It　appears　that；　since　he　has　been　placed　where　is；　he　

has　been　guilty　of　the　grossest　blunders；　only　the　other　day；　Mr。　

S…　told　me；　as　he　was　engaged　in　close　conversation　with　one　of　his　

principal　clients；　the　boy　came　to　tell　him　that　a　person　wanted　

particularly　to　speak　with　him；　and；　on　going　out；　he　found　a　

lamentable　figure　with　one　eye；　who　came　to　ask　for　charity；　whom；　

nevertheless；　the　lad　had　ushered　into　a　private　room；　and　

installed　in　an　arm…chair；　like　a　justice　of　the　peace；　instead　of　

telling　him　to　go　about　his　business　…　now　what　did　that　show；　but　

a　total　want　of　discrimination？'



'I　wish　we　may　never　have　anything　worse　to　reproach　him　with；'　

said　my　mother。



'I　don't　know　what　worse　we　could　reproach　him　with；'　said　my　

father；　'I　mean　of　course　as　far　as　his　profession　is　concerned；　

discrimination　is　the　very　keystone；　if　he　treated　all　people　

alike；　he　would　soon　become　a　beggar　himself；　there　are　grades　in　

society　as　well　as　in　the　army；　and　according　to　those　grades　we　

should　fashion　our　behaviour；　else　there　would　instantly　be　an　end　

of　all　order　and　discipline。　　I　am　afraid　that　the　child　is　too　

condescending　to　his　inferiors；　whilst　to　his　superiors　he　is　apt　

to　be　unbending　enough；　I　don't　believe　that　would　do　in　the　world；　

I　am　sure　it　would　not　in　the　army。　　He　told　me　another　anecdote　

with　respect　to　his　behaviour；　which　shocked　me　more　than　the　other　

had　done。　　It　appears　that　his　wife；　who　by　the　bye；　is　a　very　fine　

woman；　and　highly　fashionable；　gave　him　permission　to　ask　the　boy　

to　tea　one　evening；　for　she　is　herself　rather　partial　to　the　lad；　

there　had　been　a　great　dinner　party　there　that　day；　and　there　were　

a　great　many　fashionable　people；　so　the　boy　went　and　behaved　very　

well　and　modestly　for　some　time；　and　was　rather　noticed；　till；　

unluckily；　a　very　great　gentleman；　an　archdeacon　I　think；　put　some　

questions　to　him；　and；　finding　that　he　understood　the　languages；　

began　talking　to　him　about　the　classics。　　What　do　you　think？　the　

boy　had　the　impertinence　to　say　that　the　classics　were　much　

overvalued；　and　amongst　other　things　that　some　horrid　fellow　or　

other；　some　Welshman　I　think　（thank　God　it　was　not　an　Irishman）；　

was　a　better　poet　than　Ovid；　the　company　were　of　course　horrified；　

the　archdeacon；　who　is　seventy　years　of　age；　and　has　seven　thousand　

a　year；　took　snuff　and　turned　away。　　Mrs。　S…　turned　up　her　eyes；　

Mr。　S…；　however；　told　me　with　his　usual　good…nature　（I　suppose　to　

spare　my　feelings）　that　he　rather　enjoyed　the　thing；　and　thought　it　

a　capital　joke。'



'I　think　so　too；'　said　my　mother。



'I　do　not；'　said　my　father；　'that　a　boy　of　his　years　should　

entertain　an　opinion　of　his　own　…　I　mean　one　which　militates　

against　all　established　authority　…　is　astounding；　as　well　might　a　

raw　recruit　pretend　to　offer　an　unfavourable　opinion　on　the　manual　

and　platoon　exercise；　the　idea　is　preposterous；　the　lad　is　too　

independent　by　half。　　I　never　yet　knew　one　of　an　independent　spirit　

get　on　in　the　army；　the　secret　of　success　in　the　army　is　the　spirit　

of　subordination。'



'Which　is　a　poor　spirit　after　all；'　said　my　mother；　'but　the　child　

is　not　in　the　army。'



'And　it　is　well　for　him　that　he　is　not；'　said　my　father；　'but　you　

do　not　talk　wisely；　the　world　is　a　field　of　battle；　and　he　who　

leaves　the　ranks；　what　can　he　expect　but　to　be　cut　down？　　I　call　

his　present　behaviour　leaving　the　ranks；　and　going　vapouring　about　

without　orders；　his　only　chance　lies　in　falling　in　again　as　quick　

as　possible；　does　he　think　he　can　carry　the　day　by　himself？　an　

opinion　of　his　own　at　these　years　…　I　confess　I　am　exceedingly　

uneasy　about　the　lad。'



'You　make　me　uneasy　too；'　said　my　mother；　'but　I　really　think　you　

are