'Anything occurred in my absence?' asked the librarian in a tone of condescension2.
'No,' said Robinson, rather sullenly3; 'only the pigs has got into the garden and turned up the flowers.'
'Untoward4 creatures! Have they made much havoc5?'
'They's made a plenty of mess; they's been a-devouring of the cabbages, and Mrs. Gillies were in a fine way because you never looked after them afore you went.'
Now Robinson was not often guilty of such direct violations6 of duty towards dignity; but his patience had been tried by long waiting under the hedge, and Mrs. Gillies had unjustly punished him for the offence of the marauding pigs. He was, moreover, so laden7 with parcels that he was obliged to walk with a precision ill according with his taste or age, lest some of them should be dislodged altogether; therefore in respect of temper he was in a poor way.
SHADY EGGS HAS A PRINCIPLE TO MAINTAIN.
Shady, whose weak point was sensitiveness in this particular, was divided in his mind between vexation at the misbehaviour of the pigs and discomfort8 at the republican tone of the lad whom he had long been trying to improve into a character worthy9 of the honour of serving in the family of De la Mark. He determined10 to pass by the pigs, and, turning to his companion, said, 'How often, child, am I to exhort11 you to remember the respect due to your superiors, whether in age, station, or any good conditions?' Perhaps Robinson was not decided12 as to the required number of times; at any rate, he did not answer, nor was his expression promising13. 'Listen,' said the librarian, 'while I repeat a form of words which would have been a becoming answer to my question; and in the first place you should have begun with "No, sir," or "No, Mr. Higgs;" say that, and remember it is for your own good that I enforce this principle on you.' Robinson may not have believed in the philanthropy of his preceptor, or he was heroically indifferent to his own interests; he walked on in dogged silence. '"No, sir," or "No, Mr. Higgs,"' said the librarian, standing14 still, and looking firmly at the young incorrigible15; for, gentle as a lamb at all other times, when Shady had, as he considered, a principle to maintain, or a duty to perform, he was a very lion. Robinson saw that he must give in, and muttered in a low tone, 'No, Mr. Higgs.' 'It is well,' said the librarian; and, considering the better part of valour to be discretion16, he conceded the rest of the speech, content with the conquest gained, adding in a more gentle tone, 'I hope in time to cure you of the slaughter17 of the aspirate, so offensive to a cultivated ear and so general in this place. It is indeed wonderful how letters are subverted18 and substituted for one another by the careless and ignorant. Take Higgs, for instance: what name more simple? yet do they indiscriminately render it, "Eggs and Iggs, Heggs and Higgs."' Robinson interrupted this meditation19 by letting fall one of his parcels. 'I fear,' said the librarian, picking it up and laying it carefully in its place, 'the corners of a book which I have purchased for you may have been injured, Robinson.' Robinson looked as if he could bear the calamity20. 'There's a knife in that parcel also,' continued Shady, 'with many blades, which I intended for you when your improvement deserved it.'
'Thank'ee, Mr. Higgs, sir,' said Robinson, the knife going straight to his heart; and, as his hands were not at liberty to touch his cap or pull his hair, he made the most deferential21 nod his circumstances would permit.
'As to the book,' resumed Shady, 'it is not of a character to please you as yet; I had a prospective22 view in purchasing it, when your mind— But I see you wish to speak.'
'I was just a-going to ask, Mr. Higgs, sir, how many blades there was in the knife?'
Rather disconcerted that the knife should engross23 the whole of his mind, he gave him first a little lecture on the superior value of that which he seemed to disregard, adding at the end, 'There are four blades, a buttonhook, and a corkscrew.' Oh, how light from that moment was Robinson's load! not that he had the least use for a buttonhook or a corkscrew; but to be the owner of a knife of such multifarious powers was to him a new idea of happiness. In the fulness of his gratitude24 he volunteered much fresh information, carefully putting 'Mr. Higgs, sir,' whenever an opportunity occurred.
Mr. Bloodworth had been at the Dew, and had high words with Miss De la Mark, and Sir Valary had been very ill, and Mrs. Gillies had wished Mr. Higgs back again twenty times. Altogether it had been a day of commotion25 at the Dew, from Sir Valary down to his pigs.
'Sacrilegious man!' said Shady, turning whiter with indignation, as the lad repeated some expressions dropped by Bloodworth in the courtyard. 'Had you spoken of this sooner,' he continued, 'we might have hastened.'
'You see, Mr. Higgs, sir, it's impossible to do unpossibilities, and I can't hasten with all these things,' said the lad, whose head came out of his parcels like that of a tortoise from its shell; ''sides, he's gone now, and Sir Valary's better, and miss was in the garden quite comfortable when I came away.'
Shady nevertheless pressed on, in agitated26 expectation, until they reached the place. It was a large, dark, irregular pile, on a thickly-wooded eminence—a landmark27 conspicuous28 for many miles round. All that remained of the original castle was one tower, which was called Sir Mark's Tower, in honour of the founder29 of the family; the remainder had been raised by several of his descendants, to repair the decay of accident and time; and each seemed to have built according to his own age, without reference to what had been before him. Sir Mark's Tower, with a part of one side of the quadrangle, formed the dwelling30 of the present possessor; part of the remainder was an ivy-covered ruin; while a long and dreary-looking portion, containing the state rooms, portrait gallery, armoury, and library, was given up to darkness and silence, being carefully boarded, barred, and bolted. The great entrance had not been approached for many years; the stately avenue of limes had interwoven their branches and formed an extended archway. To Sir Valary and his daughter was reserved a private doorway31 in the tower, while the retainers (as Shady was pleased to style himself, Mrs. Gillies, the steward32, and Robinson), together with all comers, had ingress and egress33 by the outer courtyards and kitchen entrance. It was not, however, to the kitchen of former days that Shady now hastened; a small servitors' hall attached to it better answered the purposes of their economy.
Mrs. Gillies scarcely waited for his entrance to pour out a medley34 of abuse and lamentation35 concerning her master, her young lady, and the steward, finishing up with an angry avowal36 that Shady was never in the way when he was wanted. Shady, exhausted37 with his day of fasting and fatigue38, pained by the occurrences in his absence, and somewhat discomfited39 by the undeserved castigation40 he was receiving, seated himself in the corner to wait until the high wind should have passed.
Nothing tires a passionate41 temper like letting it have its way; Shady had often tried the force of non-resistance, and depended on it now, for staying the torrent42 before Robinson's appearance. As at other times, he was right. Mrs. Gillies, subsiding43, passed from a scolding to a declarative tone, and from that to one of ordinary talk, which finally warmed into kindness, as she saw the inoffensive librarian sit silently fanning himself, with an air of patient dejection.
'Why, you look as if Bloodworth had blew at you, and had the best of it too,' she said.
'I have not broken fast since I left, and am weary and hungry,' replied Shady.
'Then it is high time to eat,' said the housekeeper44; and, quickly unloading Robinson, who had just appeared, and despatching him with his evening meal to the ancient kitchen, she hastened to spread the table, recounting in cooler temper the events of the day.
There was nothing new in substance, for Robinson had told as much; but of course each fact was given with particularity.
'It's a strange thing to me, Shady,' she said, 'that Sir Valary, so high as he is, can bear with Bloodworth. It's easy to say he's used to him; but if he forgives the things that man said to-day there's more than use that he depends on. He was daring to-day beyond what I ever saw him; if Sir Valary had not fainted when he did, I believe he would not have left; but he saw staying was of no use, and he was afraid, too, of Miss Marjory. She said but a word or two, but he couldn't stand her looks.'
'Sacrilegious man!' cried Shady, shuddering45 more than once. His anxiety was appeased46 by learning that Sir Valary had not awoke since he took the sleeping-draught. Miss De la Mark had been sitting at his door for the last hour, watching.
'I haven't been able to get her to eat nor drink; she's as pale as a ghost, and trembles like a leaf; but I don't think it's fear she shakes with.'
Poor Shady! it was too much for him. Bloodworth was the only human being he regarded with dislike; notwithstanding his arrogant47 assumption, he was well known to be a man of low origin, who owed all his fortune to the family he served. If his insolence48 had been confined to those of his own rank, it would have been worthy only of contempt; but the indignation of the librarian knew no bounds when the dignity of De la Mark was tarnished49 by his insolent50 bearing and free speech; it was one of the very few subjects that deprived him of his habitual51 serenity52.
Whatever were his own views as to the secret of Bloodworth's impunity53, he listened without replying to many of Mrs. Gillies' half-hinted suspicions. 'Time will reveal all things,' he said. 'And now I must enter in my books the moneys expended54. I must see, too, that those rebellious55 animals are properly secured; and if I can in a measure repair the damage they have done'—
'Mr. Higgs, sir,' said Robinson, appearing at the door with his empty cup and platter, 'please, sir, don't you want me to go and help to look arter them pigs?'
'Ah!' said Shady, smiling benignantly on him; 'I must leave your lesson to-night, Robinson.'
'It don't signify,' said Robinson cheerfully.
'No?' said Shady.
'Not for once, you know, Mr. Higgs, sir,' said the lad, who felt he had been too accommodating. Suddenly recollecting56, the librarian guessed his drift, and, placing the knife in his hands, told him that nothing but learning was really worth desiring.
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1
inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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untoward
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| adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的 | |
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havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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violations
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| 违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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exhort
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| v.规劝，告诫 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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incorrigible
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| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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subverted
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| v.颠覆，破坏（政治制度、宗教信仰等）( subvert的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某人）道德败坏或不忠 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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deferential
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| adj. 敬意的，恭敬的 | |
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prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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engross
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| v.使全神贯注 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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egress
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| n.出去；出口 | |
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medley
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| n.混合 | |
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lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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castigation
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| n.申斥，强烈反对 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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43
subsiding
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的现在分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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46
appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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48
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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49
tarnished
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| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
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50
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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51
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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52
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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53
impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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54
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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55
rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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56
recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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