My new ideas were not laid aside on my return home. To the best of my ability I had given Nurse Bundle an epitome4 of the sermon on alms—deeds which had so taken my fancy, and I have reason to believe that she was very proud of my precocious5 benevolence6. Whilst the subject was under discussion betwixt us, she related many anecdotes7 of the good deeds of the "young gentlemen and ladies" in a certain clergyman's family where she had lived as nursemaid in her younger days; and my imagination was fired by dreams of soup-cans, coal-clubs, linsey petticoats comforting the rheumatic limbs of aged8 women, opportune9 blankets in winter, Sunday-school classes, etc., etc.[62]
"My dear!" said Nurse Bundle, almost with tears in her eyes, "you're for all the world your dear mamma over again. Keep them notions, my dear, when you're a grown gentleman, and there'll be a blessing10 on all you do. For in all reason it's you that'll have to look to your pa's property and tenants11 some time."
My father, though not himself an adept12 in the details of what is commonly called "parish work," was both liberal and kind-hearted. He liked my knowing the names of his tenants, and taking an interest in their families. He was well pleased to respond by substantial help when Nurse Bundle and I pleaded for this sick woman or that unshod child, as my mother had pleaded in old days. As for Nurse Bundle, she had a code of virtues13 for "young ladies and gentlemen," as such, and charity to the poor was among them. Though I confess that I think she regarded it more in the light of a grace adorning14 a certain station, than as a duty incumbent15 upon all men.
So I came to know most of the villagers; and being a quaint16 child, with a lively and amusing curiosity, which some little refinement17 and good-breeding stayed from degenerating18 into impertinence, I was, I believe, very popular.
One afternoon, during the spring that followed our return from London, I had strolled out with Rubens, and was bowling19 my hoop20 towards one of the lodges21 when a poor woman passed by on the drive (which was a public road through the park), her apron22 to her face, weeping bitterly. I stopped her, and asked what was the matter, and finally made out that she had been to some sale at a farmhouse23 near, where a certain large blanket had "gone for" five shillings. That she had scraped[63] five shillings together, and had intended to bid for it, but had (with eminent24 stupidity) managed just to be out of the way when the blanket was sold; and that it had gone for the very sum she could have afforded, to another woman who would only part with it for six and sixpence—eighteenpence more than the price she had paid for it.
The poor woman wept, and said she had had hard work to "raise" the five shillings, and could not possibly find one and sixpence more. And yet she did want the blanket badly, for she had a boy sick in bed, and his throat was so bad—he suffered a deal from the cold, and there wasn't a decent "rag of a blanket" in her house. I did not quite follow her long story, but I gathered that one and sixpence would put an end to her troubles, and at once offered to fetch her the money.
"Where do you live?" I asked.
"The white cottage just beyond the gate, love," she answered.
"I will bring you the money," said I. For to say the truth, I was rather pompous25 and important about my charitable deeds, and did not dislike playing the part of Sir Bountiful in the cottages. In this case, too, it was a kindness not to take the woman back to the hall, for she had left the sick child alone; and when I arrived at the cottage with the money he complained bitterly at the idea of her leaving him again to get the blanket.
"Let me go a minute, love, and I'll fetch Mrs. Taylor to sit with thee till I get the blanket."
"If you'll only be a minute, I'll stop with him," said I; and there was some kindness in the offer, for I was really afraid of the boy with his heavy[64] angry eyes and fever petulance28. The woman gladly accepted it, and hurried off, despite the child's fretful tears, and his refusing to see in "the young gentleman's" condescension29 the honour which his mother pointed30 out. No doubt she only meant to be "a minute," and Mrs. Taylor's dwelling31 was, to my knowledge, near; but I suppose she had to tell, and her friends to hear, the whole history of the sale, her disappointment and subsequent relief, as a preliminary measure. After which it is probable that Mrs. Taylor had to look at her pie in the oven, or attend to some similar and pressing domestic duty before she could leave her house; and so it was nearly half an hour before they came to my relief. And all this time the sick boy tossed and moaned, and cried for water. I gave him some from a mug on the table, not so much from any precocious gift for sick nursing (for I was simply "frightened out of my wits"), but because the imperative32 tone of his demand forced me involuntarily into doing what he wanted. He grumbled33, when between us we spilt the water on his clothes, and then, soothed34 for a few seconds, he lay down, till the fever, like a possessing demon35, tossed him about once more, and his throat became as parched36 as ever, and again he moaned for "a drink," and we repeated the process. This time the mug was emptied, and when he called a third time I could only say, "The mug's empty."
"There's a pot behind the door," he muttered, impatiently; "look sharp!"
Now food, and drink, and all other necessaries of life came to me without effort or seeking, and I was as little accustomed as any other rich man's son to forage37 for supplies; but on this occasion circumstances forced out of me a helpfulness which[65] necessity early teaches to the poor. I became dimly cognizant of the fact that water does not spring spontaneously in carafes38, nor take a delicate colour and flavour in toast-and-water jugs39 of itself. I found the water-pot, replenished40 the mug, and went back to my patient. By the time his mother returned I had become quite clever in checking the spasmodic clutches which spilt the cold water into his neck.
From what Mrs. Taylor said to her friend, it was evident that she disapproved41 in some way of my presence, and the boy's mother replied to her whispered remonstrances42, "I was that put out, I never thought;" which I have no doubt was strictly43 true.
I was rather proud of it myself, and it was not without complacency that I recounted to Nurse Bundle my first essay in "visiting the sick."
But complacency was the last feeling my narrative46 awoke in Mrs. Bundle. She was alarmed out of all presence of mind; and her indignation with the woman who had requited47 my kindness by allowing me to go into a house infected with fever knew no bounds. She had no pity to spare for her when the news reached us that the child was dead.
Nothing further came of it for some time. Days passed, and it was almost forgotten, only I became decidedly ill-tempered. A captious48 irritability49 possessed50 me, alternating with fits of unaccountable fatigue51. At that time I was always either tired or cross, and sometimes both. I must have made Nurse Bundle very uncomfortable. I was so little happy, for my own share, that when after a day's headache I was put to bed as an invalid52, it was a[66] delicious relief to be acknowledged to be ill, to throw off clothes and occupation, and shut my eyes and be nursed.
This happiness lasted for about half an hour. Then I began to shiver, and, through no lack of blankets my teeth were soon chattering53 and the bed shaking under me, as it had been with the village boy. But when this was succeeded by burning heat, and intolerable, consuming restlessness, I would have been glad to shiver again. And then my mind wandered with a restlessness more intolerable than the tossing of my body; and all boundaries of time, and place, and person became confused and indefinitely extended, and hot hours were like ages, and I thought I was that other boy, and that myself would not wait upon him; and the only sensible words I spoke54 were cries for drink; and so the fever got me fairly into its clutches.
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1
enthusiast
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| n.热心人，热衷者 | |
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reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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epitome
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| n.典型，梗概 | |
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precocious
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| adj.早熟的；较早显出的 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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7
anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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8
aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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10
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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11
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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12
adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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14
adorning
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| 修饰，装饰物 | |
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15
incumbent
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| adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的 | |
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16
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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17
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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18
degenerating
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的现在分词 ) | |
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19
bowling
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| n.保龄球运动 | |
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hoop
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| n.（篮球）篮圈，篮 | |
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21
lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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24
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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petulance
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| n.发脾气，生气，易怒，暴躁，性急 | |
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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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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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32
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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33
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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34
soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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35
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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36
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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forage
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| n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻 | |
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38
carafes
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| n.玻璃水瓶（或酒瓶）( carafe的名词复数 ) | |
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jugs
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| （有柄及小口的）水壶( jug的名词复数 ) | |
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40
replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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41
disapproved
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| v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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43
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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44
laud
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| n.颂歌；v.赞美 | |
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45
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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46
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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47
requited
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| v.报答( requite的过去式和过去分词 )；酬谢；回报；报复 | |
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48
captious
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| adj.难讨好的，吹毛求疵的 | |
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49
irritability
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| n.易怒 | |
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50
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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51
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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52
invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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53
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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54
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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