第25章

SOthegypsiesdeparted；Mrs。HernetoYorkshire，andtheresttoLondon：asformyself，Icontinuedinthehouseofmyparents，passingmytimeinmuchthesamemannerasIhavealreadydescribed，principallyinphilologicalpursuits；butIwasnowsixteen，anditwashighlynecessarythatIshouldadoptsomeprofession，unlessIintendedtofritterawaymyexistence，andtobeauselessburdentothosewhohadgivenmebirth；butwhatprofessionwasItochoose？therebeingnoneinthewideworldperhapsforwhichIwassuited；norwasthereanyoneforwhichI

feltanydecidedinclination，thoughperhapsthereexistedwithinmealurkingpenchantfortheprofessionofarms，whichwasnaturalenough，as，frommyearliestinfancy，Ihadbeenaccustomedtomilitarysightsandsounds；butthisprofessionwasthenclosed，asIhavealreadyhinted，and，asIbelieve，ithassincecontinued，tothosewho，likemyself，hadnobetterclaimstourgethantheservicesofafather。

Myfather，who，forcertainreasonsofhisown，hadnoveryhighopinionoftheadvantagesresultingfromthiscareer，wouldhavegladlyseenmeentertheChurch。Hisdesirewas，however，considerablyabatedbyoneortwopassagesofmylife，whichoccurredtohisrecollection。Heparticularlydweltontheunheard-ofmannerinwhichIhadpickeduptheIrishlanguage，anddrewfromthencetheconclusionthatIwasnotfittedbynaturetocutarespectablefigureatanEnglishuniversity。’Hewillflyoffinatangent，’saidhe，’and，whencalledupontoexhibithisskillinGreek，willbefoundproficientinIrish；Ihaveobservedthepoorladattentively，andreallydonotknowwhattomakeofhim；butIamafraidhewillnevermakeachurchman!’AndIhavenodoubtthatmyexcellentfatherwasright，bothinhispremissesandtheconclusionatwhichhearrived。Ihadundoubtedly，atoneperiodofmylife，forsakenGreekforIrish，andtheinstructionsofalearnedProtestantdivineforthoseofaPapistgossoon，thecard-fancyingMurtagh；andoflate，thoughIkeptitastrictsecret，IhadabandonedinagreatmeasurethestudyofthebeautifulItalian，andtherecitationofthesonorousterzetsoftheDivineComedy，inwhichatonetimeItookthegreatestdelight，inordertobecomeacquaintedwiththebrokenspeech，andyetmorebrokensongs，ofcertainhouselesswandererswhomIhadmetatahorsefair。Suchanerraticcoursewascertainlybynomeansinconsonancewiththesoberandunvaryingroutineofcollegestudy。Andmyfather，whowasamanofexcellentcommonsense，displayeditinnotpressingmetoadoptaprofessionwhichrequiredqualitiesofmindwhichhesawIdidnotpossess。

Otherprofessionsweretalkedof，amongstwhichthelaw；butnowaneventoccurredwhichhadnearlystoppedmycareer，andmergedallminorpointsofsolicitudeinanxietyformylife。Mystrengthandappetitesuddenlydesertedme，andIbegantopineanddroop。SomesaidthatIhadovergrownmyself，andthatthesewerethesymptomsofarapiddecline；Igrewworseandworse，andwassoonstretc