After breakfast, Ezra, who was going to the office of The Penny Whistle. the paper for which he worked, asked Keith to walk into town with him, and, as the young man had nothing particular to do, he gladly assented5. They strolled slowly through the gardens, admiring the glistening6 green of the trees, the white statues sharply accentuated7 against their emerald back-ground, and the vivid dashes of bright colour given by the few flowers then in bloom.
Stewart appeared to have quite recovered from his megrims of the previous night, and strolled gaily8 along, every now and then inhaling9 a long breath of the keen air. Ezra, who was watching him closely, saw from his actions his intense appreciation10 of his surroundings, and was satisfied that the young man possessed11 in a high degree that poetical12 instinct which has such an affinity13 with the joyousness14 or gloom of Nature.
"Ah! this is a morning when it is good to live," said Keith brightly. "I always envied the satyrs and dryades of heathendom, with their intense animal enjoyment15 of Nature--not sensuality, but exuberant16 capability17 of enjoying a simple life."
"Like that with which Hawthorn18 endowed Donatallo?" suggested Ezra.
"Poor Donatallo!" said Stewart, with a sigh; "he is a delightful19 illustration of the proverb, 'Where ignorance is bliss'--he was happy till he loved--so was Undine till she obtained a soul."
"You seem to have read a great deal?" observed Lazarus, looking at him.
"Oh, faith; my reading has been somewhat desultory," replied Stewart carelessly. "All is fish that comes to my net, and the result is a queer jumble20 of information; but let us leave this pleasant gossiping, and come down to this matter-of-fact world. How do you think I can better my position?"
"I hardly know as yet," replied the Jew, thoughtfully caressing21 his beard; "but if you want immediate22 work, I can put you in the way of obtaining employment."
"Literary work?"
"Unfortunately no--a clerkship in a--a--well, an office."
"Ugh! I hate the idea of being cribbed and confined in an office; it's such an artificial existence. However, beggars can't be choosers, so tell me all about it."
"My father wants a clerk," said Ezra deliberately23, "and if I recommended you I think you could get the position."
"Humph! And what is your father's occupation?"
"Not a very aristocratic one,--a pawnbroker24."
Keith stopped short, and looked at his companion in surprise.
"I can't imagine you being the son of a pawnbroker," he said in a puzzled tone.
"Why not?" asked Ezra serenely25. "I must be the son of some one."
"Yes; but a pawnbroker, it's so horribly un-poetical. Your father ought to have been a man of letters--of vague speculations26 and abstruse27 theories--a modern Rabbi Judah holding disputations about the Talmud."
Lazarus shrugged28 his shoulders, and walked slowly onward29, followed by his companion.
"My dear lad, the days of Maimonides are past, and we are essentially30 a money-making race. The curse which Jehovah pronounced on the Jews was the same as that of Midas--they turn everything they touch into gold."
"A pleasant enough punishment."
"Midas did not find it so; but to resume--my father, Jacob Lazarus, has his shop in Russell Street, so I will speak to him to-day, and if he is agreeable, I will take you with me to-morrow. I've no doubt you'll get the billet, but the wages will be small."
"At all events, they will keep body and soul together till I find my El Dorado."
"You refer to literary fame, I suppose. How did you first take to writing?"
"I think you asked me that question last night," said Keith, smiling, "and I told you I couldn't explain. Like Pope, I lisped in numbers, and the numbers came. I've no doubt they were sufficiently31 bad. I'm sure I don't know why all authors begin with verse; perhaps it's because rhymes are so easy--fountain suggests mountain, and dove is invariably followed by love."
"Have you had any articles accepted since your arrival in Melbourne?"
"One or two, but generally speaking, no one acknowledges that a possible Shakespeare or Dickens is embodied32 in me. I've sent plays to managers, which have been declined on the plea that all plays come from London. I have seen editors, and have been told there was no room on the press--publishers have seen me, and pointed33 out that a colonial novel means ruination--encouraging for the future brainworkers of Australia, isn't it?"
"We must all serve our apprenticeship," answered Lazarus quietly. "The longest lane has a turning."
"No doubt; but my particular lane seems devilish long."
Ezra laughed, and they walked down Collins Street, watching the crowd of people hurrying along to business, the cabs darting34 here and there, and the cable tramcars sliding smoothly35 along. Pausing a moment near the Scotch36 Church, they heard a street organ playing a bright melody.
"What tune37 is that?" asked Keith, as they resumed their walk. "Sounds awfully38 pretty."
"Song from 'Prince Carnival,'" replied Ezra, referring to an opera then running at the Bon-Bon Theatre. "Caprice sings it."
"Oh, Caprice. I'd like to see that opera," said Keith. "You might take me to the theatre to-night to see it."
"Very well," assented Ezra. "You will like Caprice--she is very charming."
"And if rumour39 speaks truly, very wicked."
"Added to which, she is the best-hearted woman in the world," finished the Jew dryly.
"What a contradiction," laughed Stewart.
"Women are always contradictory--'tis a privilege of the sex."
"And one they take full advantage of."
This airy badinage40 came to an end somewhat abruptly41, for just as they arrived near the Victoria Coffee Palace, they were startled by the shriek42 of a woman.
On the other side of the street a gaudily-dressed girl was crying and wringing43 her hands, while a child of about seven years of age was standing44 paralysed with fear directly in the way of a tram-car that came rushing down the incline. The two men stood horror-struck at what seemed to be the inevitable45 death of the child, for, though the driver put on the brakes, the speed was too great, and destruction appeared inevitable. Suddenly Keith seemed to recover the use of his limbs, and, with a sudden spring, bounded forward and tore the child off the fatal track, himself falling together with the child to the ground. He was not a moment too soon, for hardly had he fallen before the car at a slower speed rolled past, and ultimately came to a standstill at the foot of the incline.
Stewart arose to his feet considerably46 shaken, his clothes torn and covered with mud, and a painful feeling in the arm, on which he had fallen. Ezra crossed over to him, and the rescued child was standing on the footpath47 in the grasp of the gaudily-dressed girl who spoke48 volubly, regardless of the crowd of people standing by.
The conductor of the car came to inquire into the affair, and having found that no one was hurt, retired49, and the tram was soon sliding down the street. The crowd dispersed50 gradually, until only the child, Ezra, Keith, and the shrill-voiced girl were left.
"Oh! gracious, good 'eavens!" said this young lady, who appeared to be a nursemaid, and spoke rapidly, without any stops; "to think as you should have bin51 nearly squashed by that ingine, and all comin' of runnin' out into the road, an' taking no notice of me as was postin' a letter in the pillar-box, not seeing anythin', thro' want of eyes at the back of me 'ead."
The child, a quaint52, thin-faced little girl, with dark eyes and glorious reddish-coloured hair, took no notice of this outburst, but pulled Keith's coat to attract his attention.
"Thank you, man," she said, in a thin, reedy voice; "I will tell mumsey, and she will say nice things to you, and I will give you a kiss."
Keith was touched in his soft heart by this na?ve appeal, and, bending down, kissed the pale little face presented to him, much to the alarm of the nursemaid, who lifted up her hands in horror.
"Oh! gracious, good 'eavens!" she piped shrilly53, "as to what your mar54 will say, Miss Megs, I don't know, a-kissin' strange gents in the h'open street; not but what he don't deserve it, a-dragin' you from under the ingine, as oughtn't to be let run to spile--"
"Hold your tongue, Bliggings," said Ezra sharply; "you ought to look more carefully after Meg, or she'll be killed some day."
"Oh! gracious and good 'eavens!" cried Bliggings sniffing55, "if it ain't Mr. Lazarhouse; and, beggin' your pardon, sir, it ain't my fault, as is well known to you as children will 'ookit unbeknown't to the most wary56."
"There, there," said Lazarus, bending down to kiss Meg; "least said, soonest mended; thanks to my friend here, it's no worse."
"Which he ought to git a meddler," asserted Miss Bliggings, on whose feminine heart Keith's handsome face had made an impression. "But, gracious and good 'eavens, they only gives 'em for drowndin', though I never lets Miss Megs go near water, ingines bein' unexpected in their actions, and not to be counted on in their movin's."
"Good-bye, Meg," said Lazarus, cutting short Bliggings in despair. "Tell your mamma I'll call and see her about this."
"And bring the man," said Meg, glancing at Keith.
"Yes, and bring the man," repeated Ezra, upon which Meg, being satisfied, made a quaint-like curtsey to both men, and was going away, when she suddenly came back, and pulling Keith's coat till he bent57 down, put her arms round his neck and kissed him.
"Mumsey will be nice," she murmured, and then trotted58 quietly off with Bliggings, who kept expressing her opinion that, "Oh! gracious, good 'eavens! she was red up to her eyes at such conduct," a somewhat unnecessary assertion, seeing her complexion59 was permanently60 the colour of beetroot.
"Come into Lane's Hotel and have a glass of brandy," said Ezra, when Meg and her attendant had disappeared; "you need it after the shaking you have had."
"What is the child's name?" asked Keith, as he went into the bar. "You seem to know her."
Ezra laughed softly, and ordered a glass of brandy for his friend.
"A curious way Fate has of working," he said, rather irrelevantly61. "She has played into your hands to-day, for that child is Kitty Marchurst's, better known as 'Caprice.'"
"I didn't know she had a child," said Keith. "Who is the father? Is she married?"
"No, she is not married. As to the father, it's a long story; I'll tell you all about it some day. Meanwhile, you have done her a service she will never forget."
"Much good it will be to me," said Keith disbelievingly
"You've exactly hit it," replied Ezra composedly. "She can do you a great deal of good, seeing that she is the reigning62 favourite of the stage at present. I will introduce you to her to-night, and then--"
"Well?"
Ezra shrugged his shoulders, and replied slowly,--
"The best friend an ambitious man can have is a clever woman; a wiser man than I made that remark."
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1
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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chilliness
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| n.寒冷，寒意，严寒 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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inhaling
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| v.吸入( inhale的现在分词 ) | |
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10
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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12
poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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affinity
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| n.亲和力，密切关系 | |
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joyousness
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| 快乐，使人喜悦 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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16
exuberant
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| adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的 | |
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capability
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| n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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18
hawthorn
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| 山楂 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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pawnbroker
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| n.典当商，当铺老板 | |
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serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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abstruse
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| adj.深奥的，难解的 | |
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28
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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37
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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badinage
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| n.开玩笑，打趣 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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42
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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43
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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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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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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48
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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49
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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50
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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51
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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52
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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53
shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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54
mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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55
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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56
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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57
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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58
trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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59
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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irrelevantly
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| adv.不恰当地，不合适地；不相关地 | |
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reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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